Sample: The Gandhian Era (1869-1948): Chronological Overview

UPSC Sample Notes [English]

E. The Gandhian Era (1869-1948): Chronological Overview

E.1. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948): Chronological Overview

In South Africa: 1893-1914
1893	Departure of Gandhi to South Africa, Experiences racial discrimination in various forms; a famous incidence Gandhi was thrown off the first class compartment of the train at Pietermaritzburg station (07June)
1894	Foundation of Natal Indian Congress.
1899	Foundation of Indian Ambulance Core during Boer Wars
1904	Foundation of Indian Opinion (magazine) and Phoenix Farm at Phoenix near Durban.
1906	First Civil Disobedience Movement (Satyagraha) against Asiatic Ordinance in Transvaal.
1907	Satyagraha against Compulsory Registration and Passes for Asians, (The Black Act) in Transvaal.
1908	Trial and imprisonment- Johannesburg Jail (First Jail Term)
1910	Foundation of Tolstoy Farm (Later Gandhi Ashram near Johannesburg.
1913	Satyagraha against derecognition of non Christian marriages in Cape Town.
1914	Quits South Africa forever and returns to India, Awarded. Kaisar-i-Hind for raising an Indian Ambulance Core during Boer wars.
1915	Arrived in Bombay flndi.i) on 9 Jan, foundation Foundation of Satyagraha Ashrama at Kocharab near Ahmedabad (20 Mav); In 1917, Ashrama shifted at the banks of Sabarmati; All India tour.
1916	Delivered a speech on the occassion of opening Ceremony of Banaras Hindu Unix ersity-BHU (04 Feb.), Abstain from active politics (though he attended Lucknow session of INC held in 26-30 Dec., I916, where Raj KumarShukla cultivator from Bihar, requested him to come to Champaran.)
1917	Gandhi entered active politics with Champaran campaign to redress grievances of the cultivators oppressed by Indigo planters of Bihar(April 1917). Champaran Satyagraha was his first Civil Disobedience Mov ement in India.
1918	In Feb. 1918, Gandhi launched the struggle in Ahmedabad which involved industrial workers. Hunger strike as a weapon was used for the first time by Gandhi during Ahmedabad struggle. In March 1918, Gandhiworked for peasants of Khcda in Gujarat who were facing difficulties in paying the rent ou ing to failure of Crops. Kheda Satyagraha was his first Non-Cooperation Movement.
1919	Gandhi gave a call for Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act on April 6, 1919 and took the command of the nationalist movement for the first time (First all-India Political Movement), Gandhi returns Kaisar-i-Hind gold medal as a protest against Jallianwala Bagh massacre- April 13, 1919; The All India Khilafat Conference elected Gandhi as its president (Nov. 1919, Delhi).
1920-22	Gandhi leads the Non-Cooperation and KhilafatMovement (Aug. 1, 1920-Feb., 1922), Gandhi calls off Movement (Feb. 12, 1922), after the violent incident at Chauri-Chaura on Feb. 5, 1922. Non-Cooperation Movement was the First mass based politics under Gandhi.
1924	Belgaum (Karnataka) session of INC-for the first and the last time Gandhi was elected the president of the Congress.
1925-27	Gandhi retires from active politics for the first time and devotes himself to ‘constructive programme’ of the Congress; Gandhi resumes active politics in 1927.
1930-34	Gandhi launches the Civil Disobedience Movement with his Dandi march/Salt Satyagrahe (First Phase : March 12, 1930 – March 5, 1931; Man of the Year : Gandhi has chosen by Time magazine as their ‘Man of the year’ (in 1930, after Dandi March to break the salt laws) Gandhi-Irwin Pact : March 5, 1931; Gandhi attends the Second Round Table Conference in London as sole representative of the Congress; Sep. 7-Dec. 1,1931; Second Phase .Jan. 3,1932-April 17,1934)
1934-39	Gandhi retires from active politics, sets up Sevagram (Vardha Ashram).
1939	Gandhi resumes active politics.
1940-41	Gandhi launches Individual Satyagraha Movement.
1942	Call to Quit India Movement for which Gandhi raised the slogan, Do or Die’ (We shall either free India or die in the attempt), Gandhi and all Congress leaders arrested (Aug. 9, 1942).
1942-44	Gandhi kept in detention at the Aga Khan’s Palace (now Gandhi National Memorial) near Pune (Aug. 9, 1942 -May, 1944), Gandhi lost his wife Kasturba (Feb. 22, 1944) and private secretary Mahadev Desai; this was Gandhi’s last prison term.
1945	Gandhi’s influence on the Congress wanes perceptively after 1945.
1946	Deeply distressed by the orgy of communal violence, as a result Muslim League’s Direct Action call, Gandhi travelled to Noakhali (East Bengal-now Bangladesh) and later on to Calcutta to restore communal peace.
1947	Gandhi, deeply distressed by the Mountbatten Plan/ Partition Plan (June 3, 1947), while staying in Calcutta to restore communal violence, observes complete silence on the dawn of India’s Independence (Aug. 15, 1947). Gandhi returns to Delhi (Sep. 1947)
1948	Gandhi was shot dead by Nathu Ram Gods while on his way to the evening prayer meeting at Birla House, New Delhi (Jan. 30, 1948). He died, with ‘Hey Ram’ on his lips.

Note: Gandhi had suggested the winding up of Indian National Congress after India attained independence and converting it into Lok Sevak Samaj.