Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869 - January 30, 1948), called Mahatma Gandhi, was the charismatic leader who brought the cause of India's independence from British colonial rule to world attention. His philosophy of non-violence, for which he coined the term satyagraha has influenced both nationalist and international movements for peaceful change.
By means of non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi helped bring about India's independence from British rule, inspiring other colonial peoples to work for their own independence, ultimately dismantling the British Empire to replace it with the Commonwealth of Nations. Gandhi's principle of satyagraha (from Sanskrit satya: truth, and graha: grasp/hold), often translated as "way of truth" or "pursuit of truth", has inspired other democratic activists, including Martin Luther King, Jr., John Lennon and the 14th Dalai Lama. Gandhi often said that his values were simple; drawn from traditional Hindu beliefs: truth (satya), and non-violence (ahimsa).
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghandi
From the guide to the Mahatmas Gandhi letter, 1944, 1944, (Archives and Special Collections. New Mexico State University Library.)
