Kasturba Gandhi

Kasturba Gandhi

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Category: Social Work

Kasturba Gandhi Profile

  • Name:
  • Kasturba Gandhi
  • Other Name:
  • Kastur Kapadia
  • Born:
  • April 11, 1869
  • Died:
  • February 22, 1944
  • Father:
  • Gokuldas Nakanji
  • Mother:
  • Vrajkunwerba Kapadia
  • Spouse:
  • Mahatma Gandhi

Kasturba Gandhi Biography

Kasturba Gandhi – wife of Mahatma Gandhi was a social worker and supported her husband for Indian freedom struggle movement. Her birth name is Kastur Kapadia and was born on 11 April 1869 in Porbandar. Her father was Gokuldas Nakanji, a trader in food grains and cotton textiles in Saurahstra. She was denied of formal education by her family. Her marriage was an arranged one and it happened in the year 1882 when both were only 13 years old. It was Gandhi who taught her letters and words. Working closely with her husband, Kasturba became a political activist fighting for civil rights and Indian independence. The couple had four kids - Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi and Devdas Gandhi.

 

When Gandhi left to study in London in 1888, she stayed in India to raise their newborn son Harilal Gandhi. In 1885, they lost their first baby after birth. After Gandhi moved to South Africa to practice law, she reached South Africa in 1897 to stay with him. From 1904 to 1914, she was active in the Phoenix Settlement near Durban. In 1913, her protests to denial of proper working conditions of India in the country resulted in three months hard labour prison. In 1915, she returned to India with Gandhi and remained as the best support and strength for his freedom struggle movement. She taught people basic knowledge and importance of hygiene, discipline, health, reading and writing. She was addressed as ‘Ba’ by her followers. When Gandhi set up the Satyagrahashram in Sabarmati, she became his chief assistant in running the ashram. Once Gandhiji has admitted that he learned the art and science of Satyagraha from Kasturba.

 

Kasturba suffered from chronic bronchitis due to complications at birth. During Quit India Movement, stress and her hard life at Sabarmati Ashram made her ill. Her condition became complicated and developed conditions of pneumonia. She suffered two major attacks in 1944. She died on 22 February 1944 in the arms of her husband, while both were in Poona prison. This lovely couple, who complimented one another, lived together for long 60 years.

Published: N/A

Updated: January 17, 2014

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