Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Indias political and spiritual leader, Mahatma (“Great Soul”) Gandhi (1869-1948) led his countrys struggle for independence, as well as crusading for basic human rights of people everywhere. His methods, honed over decades of direct engagement in struggles around the world, were based on nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience. His teachings and writings have had a profound influence on the most important civil rights leaders of all time, including Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela.