Mahatma Gandhi, whose real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born into a modest family but changed the world’s thinking with his weapon of non-violence. Gandhi's campaigns for freedom and peace shaped many historical movements in India and South Africa. His first Satyagraha started in Champaran, Bihar, in 1917, marking him as a significant figure in Indian politics.
Who First Called Gandhi the 'Father of the Nation'?
There is a common belief that Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, was the first to call Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the Nation. However, reports indicate that Nehru referred to Gandhi as "the father of our nation" during a radio address to the nation after Gandhi's death, saying, "The father of the nation is no more." Yet, before Nehru, it was Subhas Chandra Bose, another Congress leader, who first referred to Gandhi as the "Father of the Nation."
Interestingly, despite their differences, Netaji Bose had immense respect for Gandhi and considered him a national father figure. Bose's disagreement with Gandhi was a major reason for his resignation from Congress. Nevertheless, in a radio broadcast from Singapore on June 4, 1944, Bose addressed Gandhi as the Father of the Nation while seeking his blessings for India's independence struggle.
Subhas Bose declared the final battle for India's independence had begun, vowing to continue the armed struggle until the British were ousted. He paused and said, "Father of our Nation, we need your blessings for our struggle for independence."
Upon hearing the news of Bose’s death in a plane crash, Gandhi remarked, “There is no patriot equal to him, and he is the prince among patriots.” In his ‘Harijan’ newspaper on February 24, 1946, Gandhi wrote, "The magic of Azad Hind Fauj has spread all over the country. Netaji's name is resonating throughout. He was a patriot of the highest order. Subhas's courage and bravery will shine in the history of our country."
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