Family of Mahatma Gandhi

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Family of Mahatma Gandhi
Current regionIndia
Place of origin Gujarat, India
Members
Connected members
Connected families C. Rajagopalachari, Mashruwala, Kapadia, Dhupelia, Bhattacharjee, Menon
Distinctions(Mahatma Gandhi)
Traditions Gujarati, Hindu
Estate(s) Gandhi Smriti

The Gandhi family is the family of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi; Mahatma meaning "high souled" or "venerable" in Sanskrit; [1] the particular term 'Mahatma' was accorded Mohandas Gandhi for the first time while he was still in South Africa, and not commonly heard as titular for any other civil figure even of similarly rarefied stature or living or posthumous presence. [2]

Contents

Mohandas Gandhi was the leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India. Mohandas Gandhi has been called contemporary, post-colonial sovereign India's Father of the Nation, a title first given to him by Subhas Chandra Bose on 6 July 1944 during Bose's address on the Singapore Radio. On 28 April 1947, Sarojini Naidu too referred to Gandhi with the title Father of the Nation. [3] Mohandas Gandhi is also referred to as Bapu (Gujarati: endearment for "father") in India, as prime minister Nehru called him at his funeral. In common parlance in India he is often called Gandhiji; 'ji' being a honorific suffix. Gandhi has also been referred to (mostly by British officials) as Gae-ndy or Ga-ndhi as in Hindi the a makes an "ah" sound.

In 1883, Mahatma Gandhi married Kasturba (née Kasturbai Makhanji Kapadia). [4] They had their first baby in 1885, who survived only a few days. [5] The Gandhi couple had four more children, all sons: Harilal, born in 1888; Manilal, born in 1892; Ramdas, born in 1897; and Devdas, born in 1900. Mohandas and Kasturba being third generation members of the cogent strata of this clan in a modern continuous descent, following upon a notable first generation progenitor who was first in the family to hold the office of full Diwan, Prime Minister as the Mahatma translates it, in a princely state, their issue now has notable and active members in their family's seventh generation and continue to be steadily prolific. The Mahatma writes that "The Gandhis belong to the Bania caste and seem to have been originally grocers." [6] [7]

Prior to the Mahatma's grandfather being a Prime Minister in two different monarchial states, after a principled falling out with a royal faction in his first state, several generations of the Gandhi men had been Deputy Prime Ministers, if their career status is considered sufficiently notable in this family of political officials, then numeration of their generations as a 'dynasty' of ministers would be several numbers higher. Five generations before the Mahatma's grandfather, Lalji Gandhi (born circa 1674) was the first of 5 successful generations of Naib Diwans of the Princely state of Porbander. [8]

Family tree of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi. Source: Gandhi Ashram Sabarmati Gandhi family tree.jpg
Family tree of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi. Source: Gandhi Ashram Sabarmati

The Nehru-Gandhi family , India's other significant family with surname Gandhi, is unrelated by biology and marriage to the family of Mahatma Gandhi, however the same spelling of 'Gandhi' came into the Nehru-Gandhi family when Jawaharlal Nehru's daughter Indira married politician Feroze Gandhi who had changed the spelling of his surname Ghandy to Gandhi precisely to match that of Mahatma Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, revered as the 'father of the Indian nation'. [9] [10]

Etymology

Gandhi: "perfume seller," from Hindi gandh, "sandalwood" [11]

The Gandhi surname came into the separate Nehru-Gandhi family from Feroze Gandhi, a politician of Gujarati Parsi ancestry, who, after joining the independence movement, changed the spelling of his surname from Ghandy to Gandhi, to match that of the family of Mahatma Gandhi despite not being related biologically nor by marriage nor formal adoption. [9] [10] [12] [13]

In the case of the Mahatma Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: Mahatma, Sanskrit, "high souled" or "venerable" [1] is the particular term accorded Mohandas Gandhi for the first time while he was still in South Africa, and not commonly heard as titular for any other civil figure even of similarly rarefied stature or living or posthumous presence. [2] Mohandas Gandhi is also referred to as Bapu (Gujarati: endearment for "father") in India, as prime minister Nehru called him at his funeral. In common parlance in India he is often called Gandhiji; 'ji' being a honorific suffix. Gandhi has also been referred to (mostly by British officials) as Gae-ndy or Ga-ndhi as in Hindi the a makes an "ah" sound. Mohandas Gandhi has been called contemporary, post-colonial sovereign India's Father of the Nation, a title first given to him by Subhas Chandra Bose on 6 July 1944 during Bose's address on the Singapore Radio. On 28 April 1947, Sarojini Naidu too referred to Gandhi with the title Father of the Nation. [3]

First generation

Second generation

Third generation

Fourth generation

Fifth generation

Sixth generation

Family tree (partial, generations 2 through 6)

Family tree of Mahatma Gandhi
Karamchand Uttamchand Gandhi
1822–1885
Mahatma Gandhi
1869–1948
Kasturba Gandhi
1869–1944
Harilal Gandhi
1888–1948
Manilal Gandhi
1892–1956
Ramdas Gandhi
1897–1969
Devdas Gandhi
1900–1957
Sunanda Gandhi
1932–2007
Arun Manilal Gandhi
1934–2023
Ela Gandhi
1940–
Kanu Gandhi
1928–2016
Rajmohan Gandhi
1935–
Ramchandra Gandhi
1937–2007
Gopalkrishna Gandhi
1945–
Tushar Gandhi
1960–
Leela Gandhi
1966–

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahatma Gandhi</span> Indian independence activist (1869–1948)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule. He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahātmā, first applied to him in South Africa in 1914, is now used throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasturba Gandhi</span> Indian freedom activist and leader; wife of the Mahatma Gandhi

Kasturba Mohandas Gandhi was an Indian political activist who was involved in the Indian independence movement during British India. She was married to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi. National Safe Motherhood Day is observed in India annually on April 11, coinciding with Kasturba's birthday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harilal Gandhi</span> Mahatma Gandhi & Kasturba Gandhis son

Harilal Mohandas Gandhi was the eldest son of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi. He had three younger brothers: Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi and Devdas Gandhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manilal Gandhi</span> Son of Mahatma Gandhi

Manilal Mohandas Gandhi was the second son of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramdas Gandhi</span> Son of Mahatma Gandhi

Ramdas Mohandas Gandhi was the third son of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a freedom activist in his own right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devdas Gandhi</span> Son of Mahatma Gandhi and Indian activist

Devdas Mohandas Gandhi was the fourth and youngest son of Mahatma Gandhi. He was born in the Colony of Natal and came to India with his parents as a grown man. He became active in his father's movement, spending many terms in jail. He also became a prominent journalist, serving as editor of Hindustan Times. He was also the first pracharak of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha (DBHPS), established by Mohandas Gandhi in Tamil Nadu in 1918. The purpose of the Sabha was to propagate Hindi in southern India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gopalkrishna Gandhi</span> Indian civil servant and diplomat

Gopalkrishna Devadas Gandhi is a former administrator and diplomat who served as the 22nd Governor of West Bengal serving from 2004 to 2009. He is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji). As a former IAS officer he served as Secretary to the President of India and as High Commissioner to South Africa and Sri Lanka, among other administrative and diplomatic posts. He was the United Progressive Alliance nominee for Vice President of India 2017 elections and lost with 244 votes against NDA candidate Venkaiah Naidu, who got 516 votes.

Events in the year 1869 in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tushar Gandhi</span> Indian author

Tushar Arun Gandhi is an Indian author and son of Arun Manilal Gandhi, thus great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. In March 2005, he led the 75th anniversary re-enactment of the Dandi March. From 2007 to 2012, he was the Goodwill Ambassador of the CISRI-ISP Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition.

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Kaba Gandhi No Delo is a house and a museum in Rajkot, Gujarat, India. It was Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi's primary family home from 1881 to 1915. It is built in the traditional Saurashtrian architectural style and houses a permanent pictorial exhibition called Gandhi Smriti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karamchand Gandhi</span> Mahatma Gandhis father

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramchandra Gandhi</span> Indian philosopher

Ramchandra Gandhi was an Indian philosopher. He was a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. He was the son of Devdas Gandhi and Lakshmi and also brother of Rajmohan Gandhi, Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nehru–Gandhi family</span> Indian political dynasty

The Nehru–Gandhi family is an Indian political family that has occupied a prominent place in the politics of India. The involvement of the family has traditionally revolved around the Indian National Congress, as various members have traditionally led the party. Three members of the family—Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi—have served as the prime minister of India, while several others have been members of parliament (MP).

Gandhi is an Indian surname.

Dinanath Gopal Tendulkar (1909–1972) was an Indian writer and documentary film maker. He is most well known as the author of an eight-volume biography of Mahatma Gandhi, titled Mahatma: Life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was also a close associate of Vithalbhai Jhaveri and collaborated for the documentary film, Mahatma: Life of Gandhi, 1869–1948. He died on Monday, June 12, 1972.

Kanu Gandhi was an Indian photographer. He was a grandnephew of Mahatma Gandhi who lived with him in several of his ashrams and was a member of his personal staff. He is best remembered as Gandhi's photographer, recording many moments of Gandhi's life on film from 1938 until his assassination in 1948. Following Gandhi's death, Kanu and his wife Abha moved to Rajkot where they ran a rural centre named after Kasturba Gandhi. Abha was one of the companions with Gandhi at Birla House Delhi, when Godse shot Gandhi.

Harilal is an Indian name. It may refer to:

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Putlibai Karamchand Gandhi was the mother of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi.

Sumitra Kulkarni is an Indian politician. Born in family of Mahatma Gandhi, she studied MA and served as an Indian Administrative Service officer before joining politics. She served as a member of Rajya Sabha from 1972 to 1978.

References

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  2. 1 2 "Mahatma title to Bapu". The Times of India . Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Father of The Nation". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  4. Mohanty, Rekha (2011). "From Satya to Sadbhavna" (PDF). Orissa Review (January 2011): 45–49. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  5. Guha 2015, p. 29
  6. Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand. "Memoir of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi". Chapter 10: Birth and Parentage. Columbia University. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  7. Mohanty, Rekha (2011). "From Satya to Sadbhavna" (PDF). Orissa Review (January 2011): 45–49. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  8. "Lalji Gandhi". Geni. Geni.com. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  9. 1 2 Guha, Ramachandra (2011). India after Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy. Pan Macmillan. p. 33, footnote 2 (chapter 14). ISBN   978-0330540209.: "Feroze Gandhi was also from the Nehrus' home town, Allahabad. A Parsi by faith, he at first spelt his surname 'Ghandy'. However, after he joined the national movement as a young man, he changed the spelling to bring it in line with that of Mahatma Gandhi."
  10. 1 2 Vishnu, Uma (2010). Idea Exchange: Opinion Makers, Critical Issues, Interesting Times. Penguin Books India. p. 87. ISBN   978-0670084890.
  11. Mindfulness in the Modern World: How Do I Make Meditation Part of Everyday Life?. St. Martin's Publishing Group. 8 April 2014. ISBN   9781466847323 via Google Books.
  12. Lyon, Peter (2008) Conflict Between India and Pakistan: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. p. 64. ISBN   978-1576077122. "Feroze Gandhi was no relation of Mahatma Gandhi."
  13. Ashhali, Varma. "Was the Gandhi name adopted for convenience? (July 20, 2015)". India Times. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
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  17. Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand. "Memoir of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi". Chapter 1: Birth and Parentage. Columbia University. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  18. Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand. "Memoir of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi". Chapter 1: Birth and Parentage. Columbia University. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  19. Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand. "Memoir of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi". Chapter 1: Birth and Parentage. Columbia University. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  20. RAJYA SABHA MEMBERS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 1952-2019 (PDF). RAJYA SABHA SECRETARIAT, NEW DELHI. 2019. p. 244.
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  23. "Sonali Kulkarni: Leading the Robo-Charge". Business Today. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
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  26. Arun, Gandhi. "Six Generations of Gandhi". Arun Gandhi, 5th Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi: Legacy of Love. Arun Gandhi. Retrieved 27 December 2022.

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