Scott Harrison, age 16, of Manchester, N.H., for his question:
WHO WAS MAHATMA GANDHI?
Mahatma Gandhi was Mohandas K. Gandhi, a man honored by the people of India as the father of their nation. He helped free India from British control by a unique method of nonviolent resistance. He also promoted economic and social reforms.
Mahatma means Great Soul. And Gandhi was indeed a Great Soul.
Gandhi's life was guided by a search for truth. He believed that truth could be known only through tolerance and concern for his fellow man, and that finding a truthful way to solutions required constant testing.
Gandhi overcame fear in himself and taught others to master fear. He believed in nonviolence, but he also held that violence is better than cowardice. He lived a simple life and thought it was wrong to kill animals for food or to use their hides.
A method of direct social action based upon the principles of courage, nonviolence and truth was developed by Gandhi. He called the action satyagraha. In this method, the way a person behaves is more important than what he achieves. Satyagraha was used to fight for India's independence and to bring about social change.
Born in 1869, Gandhi was 13 years old when he married a girl the same age. Their parents had arranged the marriage according to custom.
Gandhi then studied law in London and went to South Africa to do legal work for 21 years. He also became a fighter for Indian rights.
Returning to India in 1915, Gandhi became the leader of the Indian nationalist movement within five years. Through nonviolent disobedience to British rule, he spent years in jail as he campaigned for India's freedom.
Great Britain granted India freedom in 1947. But the partion of India into the two nations of India and Pakistan grieved Gandhi.
Gandhi was also saddened by the violent rioting between Hindus and Muslims which accompanied the partition. He had worked for a united country, and had urged that Hindus and Moslims should live together in peace.
On Jan. 13, 1948, Gandhi started his last fast at the age of 78. His purpose was to end the bloodshed among Hindu, Muslim and other groups. On January 18, their leaders pledged to stop fighting and Gandhi broke his fast.
Twelve days later, in New Delhi, while on his way to a prayer meeting, Gandhi was assassinated. A high ranking Brahmen, who feared Gandhi's program of tolerance for all creeds and religions, shot him three times.
Gandhi's political heir, Jawaharlal Nehru, and his political party, the Indian National Congress, directed the government of independent India.