CHRONOLOGY OF MAHATMA GANDHI

Early Life 1869-1911 - In South Africa 1912-1932 - Back in India 1933-1948


Chronology In Detail : Early Life 1869-1911


  • 1869 October 2 : Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi born of a Bania (Vaishya or trading caste) family at Porbunder, Kathiawar, the youngest of the three sons of Karamchand alias Kaba Gandhi, Prime Minister successively in Porbunder, Rajkot and Vankaner States, and his fourth wife Putlibai.
  • 1876 : Goes to Rajkot with parents; attends primary school there till twelfth year; is betrothed to Kasturbai, daughter of Gokuldas Makanji, merchant.
  • 1881 : Enters High School at Rajkot.
  • 1883 : Marries Kasturbai.
  • 1884-85 : Takes to meat-eating in secret, but abandons habit after about a year to avoid deceiving his parents.
    Father dies, aged 63.
  • 1887 : Passes Matriculation examination; joins Samaldas College at Bhavnagar (Kathiawar), but gives up studies at close of first term.
  • 1888 September 4 : Sails for England.
  • 1888 October 28 : Reaches London. Lives on vegetarian diet. Takes lessons in dancing and music for a short time, thinking they are necessary parts of a gentleman's equipment.
  • 1889 : Reads books on simple living and decides to reduce expenses by half; studies religious literature; reads Gita for first time and is deeply impressed.
  • 1890 : Cultivates contacts with vegetarian movement; for short while conducts vegetarian club.
  • 1890 June : Passes London Matric.
  • 1890 September : Joins Vegetarian Society.
  • 1891 June 10 : Called to the Bar.
  • 1891 September 12 : Sails for India.
  • 1891 July : Reaches Bombay.
  • 1891 November : Applies for admission to Bombay High Court.
  • 1892 : Struggles with legal practice at Rajkot and Bombay; later settles down at former place as legal draftman.
  • 1893 April : Leaves for South Africa, being engaged by a Muslim firm for legal work.
  • 1893 May-June : Experiences colour bar in various forms; decides to remain and fight race prejudice.
  • 1894 August 22 : Founds Natal Indian Congress.
  • 1892 September : Enrolled as Advocate of Supreme Court of Natal, being first Indian to be so enrolled.
    Studies religious literature including the Bible, he Koran and Tolstoy's The Kingdom of God is Within You.
  • 1895 : Gets more committed to South African Indian cause. Issues The Indian Franchise: An Appeal to Every Briton in South Africa.
  • 1896 July : Returns to India and starts agitation on behalf of South African Indians.
  • 1896 August 14 : Publishes The Green Pamphlet at Rajkot.
    Tours Bombay, Madras, Poona and Calcutta educating Indians in regard to grievances of South African Indians.
  • 1896 November 30 : Sails for South Africa with wife and children.
  • 1897 January 13 : Mobbed on landing at Durban by crowd excited by reports of his speeches in India on conditions of indentured Indian labour in South Africa.
  • 1897 January 20 : Declines to prosecute assailants.
  • 1897 Apri 6 : Submits long memorial to Chamberlain, Secretary of State for Colonies, regarding landing incidents, background.
    Carries on programme of petitioning local and Imperial authorities, as well as of communicating with British and Indian public men regarding discriminatory laws.
  • 1898-99 : Represents to Indian National Congress, Colonial and Imperial authorities, against Locations and restrictions on Indians' trading rights.
  • 1899 : Raises Indian Ambulance Corps in Boer War, which goes into action and is mentioned in dispatches; awarded war medal.
  • 1900 : Sends Dadabhai Naoroji draft resolution on South African Indian problem for Congress session.
  • 1901 October 18 : Sails for India.
  • 1901 December 14 : Reaches Rajkot via Porbunder.
  • 1901 December 27 : Moves resolution on South Africa at Congress.
  • 1902 Jan 28-Feb 1 : Visits Rangoon.
    Stays for a month with Gokhale at Calcutta.
    Returns to Rajkot, settees down to practise.
  • 1902 July : Shifts to and sets up practice at Bombay.
  • 1902 November : Is called to South Africa to champion Indians' cause against anti-Asiatic legislation in Transvaal.
  • 1902 December : Arrives in Durban: leads delegation to Chamberlain.
  • 1903 : Enrolled as Attorney of Supreme Court of Transvaal; founds Transvaal British Indian Association. Sends weekly statements regarding situation to Dadabhai Naoroji.
  • 1903 June : Indian Opinion commences publication.
  • 1904 : Reads Ruskin's Unto This Last : founds Phoenix Settlement near Durban (Natal); organizes hospital during outbreak of plague in Johannesburg; writes series of articles in Gujarati on dietetics which are later translated into English and published under the title Guide to Health.
  • 1905 : Opposes Bengal Partition, supports boycott of British goods. During Gokhale- Lajpat Rai deputation to Britain, appeals to Colonial statesmen to treat India, 'an integral part of the Empire', with consideration.
  • 1906 May 12 : Support 'home rule' for India 'I the name of justice and for good of humanity'.
  • 1906 May 27 : Writes to brother, Lakshimidas, declaring disinterestedness in worldly possessions.
  • 1906 June-July : Raises Indian Stretcher-bearer Corps in Zulu Rebellion; takes vow of brahmacharya for life.
  • 1906 September 11 : Addresses mass meeting of Indians at Johannesburg, which takes oath of passive resistance against newly promulgated Transvaal Asiatic Law Amendment Ordinance.
  • 1906 Oct 21-Nov 30 : In England on deputation to present Indians' case to Colonial Secretary.
  • 1906 December 18 : Returns to South Africa.
  • 1907 Jan-Feb : Writes series of 8 articles in Gujarati on "Ethical Religion", published weekly in Indian Opinion and later, as a book.
  • 1907 March : Asiatic Registration Act passed in Transvaal Parliament. Indians hold protest meetings.
  • 1907 April : Sees Smuts at Pretoria, acquaints him with resolutions adopted at mass meetings. Pledges, in Indian Opinion, opposition to 'Black Act'.
  • 1907 August : Writes to Smuts criticizing Registration Act, suggesting amendments.
    Passive resistance, picketing of Permit Offices; defends passive resisters in court.
  • 1907 December : Smuts decides to prosecute Gandhiji.
  • 1908 January 8 : Asks Government for suspension of Registration Act, offers voluntary registration.
  • 1908 January 10 : Adopts word : 'Satyagraha' in place of 'Passive Resistance'.
    Sentenced to 2 months' imprisonment for failure to leave Transvaal.
  • 1908 January 21 :Agrees to settlement on basis of voluntary registration, if Registration Act is repealed.
  • 1908 January 30 : Summoned to see General Smuts at Pretoria and released, on reaching a compromise.
  • 1908 February 10 : Nearly killed by Pathans who regard the compromise, under which Indians are expected to give their finger-prints voluntarily, as a betrayal of Indian interest; refuses to prosecute his assailants.
  • 1908 March-June : Negotiates with Smuts for fulfillment of promise of repeal of Act which Smuts denies.
  • 1908 July : Correspondence with Smuts released; Indians in mass meeting decide to refuse thumb impressions and burn registration certificates.
  • 1908 August : Declares use of violence 'harmful, even useless to uproot British rule' in India. Appeals to Smuts to repeal 'Black Act'.
    Registration certificates burnt at meetings; passive resistance resumed.
  • 1908 September : Royal assent is given to amended Registration Act.
    Smuts refuses Indian terms for settlement.
  • 1908 October 15 : Arrested and sentenced to 2 months' rigorous imprisonment.
  • 1908 December 12 : Released from Volksrust Gaol.
    Indian National Congress adopts resolution on South Africa, criticizing the harsh, humiliating and cruel treatment of British Indians in South Africa as injurious to British Empire.
  • 1909 January 16 : Arrested at Volksrust for failing to produce registration certificate; on deportation, returned and is re-arrested, but released on bail.
  • 1909 January 20 : Writes to Press calling on Indians to prepare for final phase of struggle.
  • 1909 February 25 : Arrested at Volksrust; sentenced to 3 months.
  • 1909 May 2 : Transferred to Pretoria Central Gaol.
  • 1909 May 24 : Released.
  • 1909 June 21 : Leaves with Haji Habib, on deputation to England to represent Indian case.
  • 1909 July 10 : Arrives in London. With the assistance of Lord Ampthill, works ceaselessly to educate influential British leaders, the public, and to move Imperial authorities.
  • 1909 October 1 : Writes to Tolstoy regarding Passive Resistance movement.
  • 1909 November 9 : The Times reports failure of Gandhi Government negotiations on Transvaal laws.
  • 1909 November 10 : Replies to Tolstoy, sends his biography by Doke.
  • 1909 November 13 : Leaves England for South Africa. Writes Hind Swaraj on board "s. s. Kildonan Castle".
  • 1909 November 30 : Reaches South Africa.
  • 1909 December 29 : Congress at Lahore adopts resolution praising Indians' struggle in South Africa, urging ban on indenture.
  • 1910 April 4: Sends Tolstoy copy of Indian Home Rule, seeks comment.
  • 1910 May 8 : Tolstoy replies: question of Passive Resistance of greatest importance not only for India but for humanity.
  • 1910 May 30 : Founds Tolstoy Farm.
  • 1910 December 4 : Pays memorial tribute to Tolstoy.
  • 1911 January : Communicates with Smuts regarding amendments to Immigrants' Restriction Bill; latter assures; no colour bar taint in laws.
  • 1911 March 27 : Interviews Smuts at Cape town.
  • 1911 April 22 : Smuts agrees to assurances demanded by Indians in reciprocation of suspension of Passive Resistance movement.
  • 1911 May 3 : Meets Smuts: 'Provisional Settlement' arrived on Smuts' promise of repeal of Asiatic Registration and Immigrants' Restriction Acts.
  • 1911 June 24 : Pledges loyalty to King-Emperor on coronation.
  • 1911 December 8 : Invites Gokhale to South Africa