Mahatma Gandhi, father of the Indian nation Quiz

Answer: Mahadev Desai

Mahatma Gandhi started writing his autobiography in his 50s. He wrote it in his mother tongue Gujarati. His companion and follower, Mahadev Desai, completed it and translated it in English.

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore had the utmost reverence for Gandhiji. He was the first person to address him as "Mahatma" or "Great Soul".

Answer: 24

At the age of 61, the Mahatma, taking nothing but a bamboo staff in hand, launched a march to Dandi, the seaside 'salt-hamlet', with 78 young followers. He reached Dandi on April 6 1930, marching a distance of 241 miles (390 km) in 24 days. By doing so, Gandhiji broke the British Salt Laws and expressed the protest of the Indian Mass people against British rule. Gandhiji held this Salt March to be more than a mere mass political action. To him it was a pilgrimage, an attempt to liberate India from British rule, a living sermon.

Answer: Sarbodaya

The non-violent movement led by Bhave and Narayan was targeted at the Indian Government to ensure equality and power of self-determination among all sections of the Indian Populace including the extremely downtroddens. They were popularly called Sarbodaya leaders.

Answer: Ben Kingsley

The film 'Gandhi' tells how the young Indian lawyer became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of non-violence. It was written by John Briley and directed by Sir Richard Attenborough. The film received both national and international recognition.

Answer: Five

Gandhiji was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize altogether five times, in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and finally a few days before his death in January 1948. However,he was never awarded the coveted prize as a recognition of his service to mankind in general and to Indian masses in particular.

Some members of the Nobel comittee, however, regretted the matter in later occasions. At the time of awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the Dalai Lama in 1989, the chairman of the committee said that "this was in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi".

Answer: Kasturbai Makhanji

In May 1883, Gandhiji weded a girl of 14 named Kasturbai Makhanji at the age of only 13. Her first name was usually shortened to "Kasturba", and even affectionately to "Ba". It was an arranged child marriage, according to the prevalent custom of the region at that time.

Answer: Pt. Motilal Nehru

The Salt March was an important part of the Indian independence movement. It was a campaign against unjust tax imposition on the Indian Mass by the British rulers. This 'Salt March' ultimately triggered the wider Civil Disobedience Movement. This was the most significant and organized challenge to the British authority since the Non-cooperation movement of 1920-22, and directly followed the Purna Swaraj declaration of the Indian National Congress on January 26, 1930.

The comment of Pt. Motilal Nehru proved to be correct.

Answer: Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Gandhiji expressed his free and frank confession regarding the man behind the awareness of his political consciousness and guidance as Guru in an article titled ' Gokhale: My Political Guru' published in February 1918. Although on many occasions he had to contradict the political philosophy of Gopal Krishna Gokhale, still he was deeply respectful to his Guru all through his life.

Answer: Hey Ram (meaning O God ! )

Nathuram Godsey was once a follower of Gandhiji. But some of the political steps taken by Gandhiji towards the end of his career made followers like Godse frustated and disillutioned about him. Nathram thought that Gandhiji had become the puppet at the hands of some post-Independence political leaders.