Mahadev Desai

Mahadev Desai Biography

Mahadev Desai was the personal secretary of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a renowned writer of Gujarati, English, and Bengali languages and also known as an independence activist. Vir Vallabhbhai (1928), Sant Francis (1934), and Be Khudsi Khidmatgar are his noted biography works. Mahadevbhaini Diary, in 15 parts is his most noted work through which he recorded contemporary events and relationship between Gandhi and himself. He translated Sarat Chandra Chatterjee`s stories in the year 1923, the Bengali novel, Virajvahu the following year and Jawaharlal Nehru`s autobiography in 1936. He is one of the prominent Gandhian writers. The English translation of Gandhi's autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth was done by Desai.

Mahadev Desai was born on January 1^st, 1892 in Surat to Haribhai Desai, a school teacher and Jamnabehn. He lost his mother at the age of 7. He married Durgabehn at the age of 13. He studied at Surat High School and the Elphinstone College, Mumbai and later completed LLB as well. Desai met Mahatma Gandhi for the first time in 1915 and two years later, he joined Sabarmati Ashram. He wrote a diary from 13 November 1917 to 14 August 1942, one day before his death. It was a complete chronological record of his life events and happenings with Gandhi. When Gandhi was arrested in Punjab in 1919, he named Desai his heir. He acted as Gandhi’s private secretary for long 25 years and was much more than that.

He has been associated with Gandhi in politics and freedom struggle movement. Atmakatha, in five parts (1935-56) is his autobiographical work. He started the Young India and Navjivan weeklies and later handed over to Gandhi. He also started the monthly Yugadharma and edited the daily Hindustan. He also wrote for Young India, Navjivan, and the Harijanbandhu.

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Updated: February 28, 2014