Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the preeminent leader of the
Indian independence movement in
British-ruled India. Employing
nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The
honorific Mahatma (
Sanskrit: "high-souled", "venerable")—applied to him first in 1914 in South Africa,—is now used worldwide. He is also called
Bapu (
Gujarati: endearment for "father", "papa") in India. In common parlance in Bharat (India) he is often called Gandhiji.