Mahatma Gandhi's Life Timeline

Brief Chronology

2 October 1869: Born in Porbandar.
1882: A Union Sealed – Married Kasturbai at the age of 13.
June 1888: Welcomed Harilal, their first son.
29 September 1888: Set foot in Southampton, England.
6 November 1888: Entered at the Inner Temple, Inn of Court.
27 May 1891: Called to the Bar.
28 October 1892: Manilal, their second son, came into the world.
25 May 1893: Arrived in Durban, Natal.
26 May 1893: Stood steadfast, refusing to remove his Paghadi, leading to his exit from the court.
31 May 1893: Forced off a first-class carriage at Pietermaritzburg Station.
1893: Imbibed Tolstoy’s ‘Kingdom of God is Within You.’
22 August 1894: Established the ‘Natal Indian Congress.’
9 July 1896: Initiated writing the ‘Green Pamphlet’ in Rajkot.
16 November 1896: Delivered a public lecture in Poona, under the chairmanship of Ramkrishna Bhandarkar.
4 May 1897: Welcomed Ramdas, their third son.
11 October 1899: Established the Indian Ambulance Corps during the Boer War.
22 May 1900: Assisted Kasturbai in giving birth to their son, Devadas.
4 June 1903: Witnessed the birth of ‘Indian Opinion,’ his first publication.
December 1904: Laid the foundation of the ‘Phoenix Settlement.’
20 July 1906: Embraced the vow of Brahmacharya.
11 September 1906: Initiated Satyagraha at the Empire Theatre, Johannesburg, marking the pledge to oppose the Black Act.
1 October 1906: Embarked on a journey to England as a member of the Indian Delegation.
22 March 1907: Witnessed the passing of the Asiatic Registration Bill in the Transvaal Parliament.
1908: Coined the term ‘Satyagraha’ based on Maganlal Gandhi’s formulation, ‘Sadagraha.’
10 January 1908: Faced two months of simple imprisonment for refusing registration.
30 January 1908: Signed an agreement with General Smuts on voluntary registration.
10 February 1908: Experienced an assault by Mir Alam and others.
16 August 1908: Witnessed a breach of faith and the bonfire of certificates.
14 October 1908: Awarded two months of rigorous imprisonment for entering Transvaal without a permit.
23 June 1909: Embarked on another journey to England as part of the Indian Delegation.
13-22 November 1909: Crafted ‘Hind Swarajya’ aboard the ship ‘Kildonan Castle.’
11-18 December 1909: ‘Hind Swarajya’ finds its voice in ‘Indian Opinion.’
March 1910: ‘Hind Swarajya’ silenced but speaks in English as ‘Indian Home Rule,’ sent to Tolstoy.
23 June 1910: Seeds of Tolstoy Farm sown; vows to forsake milk and ventures into fruitarian experiments.
22 October 1912: Gopalkrishna Gokhale’s South Africa tour unfolds.
22 September 1913: Kasturba and others face the confines of arrest.
23-Sep 1913: Kasturba’s strength earns her 3 months of rigorous imprisonment.
18 December 1913: Unconditional release of MKG and fellow detainees, prematurely ending their imprisonment.
22 December 1913: Kasturba regains freedom.
26 June 1914: Indians’ Relief Bill (1914) passes into history.
18 July 1914: Embarks on a London-bound journey to meet Gokhale, marked by the Phoenix party at Santiniketan.
17 February 1915: Pilgrimage to Santiniketan.
5 April 1915: Immersed in the spiritual waters of Kumbh Mela, Hardwar.
20 May 1915: ‘Satyagraha Ashram,’ Kochrab, begins its legacy.
26 June 1915: Bestowed with the ‘Kaisare Hind’ medal.
11 September 1915: The first Harijan family, Dudabhai, Danibehn, and Laxmi, takes refuge in the Ashram.
15 November 1915: Gujarat Sabha Vice President.
6 February 1916: Imparts wisdom at Benaras Hindu University.
26 December 1916: A fateful meeting with Jawaharlal Nehru at the Lucknow Congress.
10 April 1917: Embarks on a Patna pilgrimage with Rajkumar Shukla to confront the plight of indigo farmers.
18 April 1917: Defiantly voices the disobedience of prohibitory orders in court.
17 June 1917: Seeds of Sabarmati Ashram take root.
20 October 1917: Chairs the Second Gujarati Education Conference, Bharuch.
3 November 1917: Presides over the First Gujarat Political Conference, Godhara.
7 November 1917: Welcomes Mahadev Desai as Secretary.
14 February 1918: Arbitrates the feud between mill-owners and mill-hands of Ahmedabad.
15 March 1918: Initiates an indefinite fast in solidarity with striking mill-hands.
18 March 1918: Fasts relinquished in compromise.
22 March 1918: Addresses a multitude of 5000 peasants in Nadiad, urging them to defy land revenue payments.
24 February 1919: Rings the Satyagraha bell against the ‘Rowlett Act.’
6 April 1919: Rings the bell for National Hartal and Satyagraha, protesting against the Rowlett Act.
9 April 1919: Embarks on a journey to Palval Station, meeting the weight of arrest.
13 April 1919: The harrowing echoes of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre resonate as a three-day fast begins in Ahmedabad.
7 September 1919: The first note of ‘Navajivan’ graces the world.
8 October 1919: ‘Young India’ commences its enlightening journey.
15 November 1919: Congress turns its back on the Hunter Commission, paving the way for an independent inquiry.
2 August 1920: A decisive act, returning honors to the Government, launches the era of Non-cooperation.
18 October 1920: A beacon of knowledge, Gujarat Vidyapith, finds its roots.
24 December 1921: Ahmedabad embraces Gandhiji’s leadership as he takes the reins of the Congress.
29 January 1922: Bardoli Taluka boldly refuses land revenue payments, igniting the flames of Civil Disobedience.
4 February 1922: Chauri Chaura witnesses a tragic day as policemen lose their lives.
10 March 1922: The wheels of history turn as Gandhiji and Shankerlal Banker are arrested.
11 March 1922: Accused of sedition for his Young India articles, Gandhiji faces trial.
18 March 1922: The trial unfolds at Ahmedabad Circuit House, concluding with a six-year sentence handed down by Judge Broomfield.
21 March 1922: Yeravda Prison becomes a new chapter in Gandhiji’s journey.
12 January 1924: A health crisis leads to an appendicitis operation at Sasoon Hospital, Poona.
5 February 1924: Liberation, as Gandhiji is released unconditionally.
6 April 1924: ‘Dakshin Africana Satyagrahano Itihas’ graces the pages of Navajivan.
17 September 1924: A 21-day fast for communal harmony commences at Maulana Mohammed Ali’s house in Delhi.
26 December 1924: Gandhiji presides over the Belgaum Congress.
22 September 1925: The birth of ‘All India Spinners’ Association.’
7 November 1925: Madeleine Slade, now Mirabehn, joins the Satyagraha Ashram.
29 November 1925: The tale begins as ‘Satyana Prayogo athava Atmakatha’ finds its place in Navajivan.
3 December 1925: ‘Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth’ unfolds in Young India.
3 February 1928: The Simon Commission faces boycott.
27 June 1929: Gandhiji contributes an introduction to ‘Anasktiyoga.’
31 October 1929: Viceroy Lord Irwin announces the Round Table Conference.
27 December 1929: The resounding call for Purna Swaraj rings at the Lahore Congress.
15 February 1930: Gandhiji writes to the Viceroy, announcing his intention to break the Salt Law.
12 March 1930: The historic Dandi March commences from the Satyagraha Ashram.
6 April 1930: The symbolic breach of the Salt Law.
5 May 1930: Arrested and sent to Yeravda Prison.
26 January 1931: Liberation from the confines of prison.
5 March 1931: The Gandhi-Irwin pact seals an agreement.
12 September 1931: London calls, as Gandhiji becomes the sole representative of the Congress at the Second Round Table Conference.
13 September 1931: A recorded message for the people of America.
9 October 1931: An encounter with Maria Montessori.
20 October 1931: The words of ‘God is’ are captured.
5 November 1931: Gandhiji, attired in his simple loin-cloth, graces the Royal reception at Buckingham Palace, an invitation extended by Emperor George V during the Second Round Table Conference.
13 November 1931: A staunch stand emerges as Gandhiji declared his opposition to the proposed Communal Award.
1 December 1931: The curtains fall on the Second Round Table Conference.
6 December 1931: A rendezvous with Romain Rolland.
12 December 1931: Rome bears witness to a historic meeting as Gandhiji encounters Mussolini in the Vatican.
1 January 1932: The Congress Working Committee adopts the resolution of Civil Disobedience.
4 January 1932: Gandhiji’s journey takes him to Yeravda, where an indefinite period of imprisonment awaits, alongside Vallabhbhai Patel.
10 March 1932: Mahadev Desai joins Gandhiji at Yeravda.
17 August 1932: The Communal Award is unveiled by Premier Ramsay Macdonald.
18 August 1932: A letter to Ramsay Macdonald bears the solemn declaration of Gandhiji’s intent to fast unto death against the Communal Award.
20 September 1932: The fast commences, an act of resolute protest.
24 September 1932: The Poona Pact is signed, a pivotal moment in Indian history.
26 September 1932: The fast is broken, bringing relief and reflection.
30 September 1932: The ‘Harijan Sevak Sangh’ takes root.
11 February 1933: A new chapter unfolds with the commencement of ‘Harijan.’ In Hindi, ‘Harijan Sevak’ emerges on 23rd February, while ‘Harijanbandhu’ graces Gujarati readers on 12th March.
29 April 1933: A solemn decision is made to embark on a 21-day fast at midnight.
1 May 1933: Gandhiji’s statement sets the tone for an unconditional and self-purifying fast.
8 May 1933: The fast begins, and freedom is tasted once more as Gandhiji is released from prison.
29 May 1933: The fast is broken, marking the end of this momentous act.
31 July 1933: Gandhiji announces his intent to offer Individual Satyagraha.
1 August 1933: Arrested in Ahmedabad, Gandhiji is sent to Sabarmati Prison, later shifting to Yeravda.
14 September 1933: Gandhiji ventures to Wardha with a resolve to distance himself from politics.
30 September 1933: The reins of Sabarmati’s Satyagraha Ashram are handed over to the Harijan Sevak Sangh.
7 November 1933: A nationwide Harijan Yatra commences.
25 April 1934: Bihar faces turmoil as a mob is incited by Lalanath Shastri.
9 May 1934: Gandhiji embarks on a foot journey through Orissa.
18 May 1934: Collective Satyagraha takes a step back.
25 June 1934: An unsettling incident unfolds as a bomb is hurled at Gandhiji’s motorcade in Poona.
17 September 1934: Gandhiji makes a solemn announcement, expressing his intention to retire from the Congress.
30 October 1934: A significant decision, as Gandhiji formally resigns from the Congress.
14 December 1934: The ‘All India Village Industries’ Association’ takes root.
30 April 1936: A shift from Wardha to Segaon.
31 October 1936: Gandhiji presides over the 12th Gujarati Sahitya Parishad.
12 November 1936: A historic moment as the doors of Travancore temples open to Harijans.
2 February 1939: Kasturba’s arrest in Rajkot by Thakoresaheb.
3 March 1939: A fast commences at Rajkot, in protest against a breach of trust.
7 March 1939: The fast is broken, with Chief Justice Maurice Gwyer appointed as the arbitrator.
16 April 1939: Sir Maurice Gwyer declares an award in favor of the people of Rajkot, amid demonstrations by Muslims and Bhayats that disrupt a prayer meeting.
23 July 1939: A letter to Adolf Hitler, bearing Gandhiji’s message, takes shape.
31 October 1939: Congress Ministries tender their resignations.
5 March 1940: Segaon adopts the name Sevagram.
11 October 1940: A Congress Working Committee meeting at Sevagram gives birth to the concept of Individual Satyagraha.
17 October 1940: Vinoba Bhave is chosen as the first Individual Satyagrahi.
13 December 1941: ‘On Constructive Programme’ is published, embodying Gandhi’s ideals.
30 December 1941: Gandhi’s plea to free him from guiding the Congress is accepted by the Congress Working Committee in Bardoli.
15 January 1942: The torch is passed as Gandhi informs the Congress Working Committee at Sevagram that Jawaharlal Nehru will be his political heir.
27 March 1942: The Cripps Mission is advised by Gandhi to return to England.
14 July 1942: The Congress Working Committee adopts a resolution demanding the immediate withdrawal of the British from India.
8 August 1942: The ‘Quit India’ resolution is adopted, accompanied by the clarion call ‘Do or Die.’
9 August 1942: Gandhi and Congress Working Committee members are arrested, and Gandhi is imprisoned at the Aga Khan Palace.
15 August 1942: Tragedy strikes with the death of Mahadev Desai, who is cremated at the Aga Khan Palace.
10 February 1943: A 21-day fast is embarked upon.
22 February 1944: Kasturba’s passing leaves a void, and she is cremated at the Aga Khan Palace.
6 May 1944: Unconditional release from prison.
14 June 1945: Lord Wavell calls for negotiations.
15 June 1945: Congress Working Committee members are released from Ahmednagar Fort Prison, and the ban on Congress is lifted.
14 July 1945: The Viceroy declares the Simla Conference a failure.
23 March 1946: A three-member British delegation arrives in Delhi.
25 June 1946: The Congress Working Committee adopts a resolution to accept the formation of the Constituent Assembly.
4 July 1946: An Interim Government is formed under the leadership of Pandit Nehru.
16 August 1946: Communal riots erupt in Calcutta.
2 September 1946: A 12-member Interim Government, with Muslim League representation, is established.
10 October 1946: Communal violence rocks Noakhali.
15 October 1946: Muslim League representatives join the Interim Government.
27 October 1946: Communal riots scar Bihar.
6 November 1946: Gandhi embarks on a journey to Noakhali.
19 November 1946: The responsibility of Harijan Journals is entrusted to Kaka Kalelkar, Kishorelal Mashruwala, and Narahari Parikh.
2 January 1947: The BareFoot March to Noakhali commences.
30 March 1947: Gandhi tours violence-affected villages in Bihar.
31 March 1947: A meeting with the new Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten.
1 April 1947: An address at the Asian Relations Conference.
13 April 1947: Gandhi returns to Bihar.
2 June 1947: The Congress, Muslim League, and Sikh representatives accept the Partition plan.
13 June 1947: The Congress Working Committee adopts a resolution to accept Partition.
13 August 1947: Gandhi is in Calcutta with Shaheed Suhrawardy.
15 August 1947: A day marked by fasting and prayer.
31 August 1947: An indefinite fast is undertaken against communal violence in Calcutta.
4 September 1947: The fast is broken.
9 September 1947: Gandhi arrives in Delhi.
12 January 1948: Gandhi commences a fast in Delhi.
18 January 1948: The fast is broken.
20 January 1948: A bomb is hurled during the Prayer Meeting.
30 January 1948: A tragic day as three bullets pierce Gandhi’s chest, with Nathuram Godse as the assassin.
31 January 1948: The final farewell as Gandhi is cremated on the banks of the Yamuna, with Ramdas leading the proceedings.