On this day

On this day, 73 years ago (January 12^th 1948) Mahatma Gandhi began his final fast in an effort to persuade Muslims and Hindus to work towards peace- a reoccurring theme, demonstrated throughout his life. Previously, Gandhi committed himself to 18 fasts, after his vow to “fast unto death”, in order to protest the British government’s decision to colonise the Southern Asian country of India. Throughout his life, Gandhi was the leader of a plethora of non-violent civil disobedience campaigns, ranging from the Dandi Salt March in 1930 to the “Quit India” movement of 1942. The majority of his campaigns stemmed from encouraging the British to allow India to gain its independence as a country, once again. A goal in which he achieved in 1947. Through colonial rule, the British had  exploited India’s raw materials, caused cultural upheaval and abused their political power within the country- Gandhi dedicated his life to changing this. In recognition of his selfless acts, I would like to take a minute to remember the unequivocal changes that Gandhi implemented on this Earth, positively influencing millions of people around the globe, causing a conversation that was continued by many famous figures of history including Martin Luther King JR, Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. During his many peaceful political protests, Gandhi taught the concept of “satyagraha”, a Sanskrit word which closely translates to “insistence of the truth”. This concept was shown through this extraordinary leader’s actions, to free the oppressed, to obstruct and prevent discrimination and to gain India’s rightfully deserved political, economic and social independence, for the benefit of all. Through the incredible life that he led, Gandhi proved,  to all, that one determined man (or woman), has the power to successfully take on an empire.