Mahatma Gandhi Death Anniversary: Check 10 Interesting and Unknown Facts about 'Father Of the Nation'

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. This year will mark the 154th birth anniversary of Gandhiji. It is celebrated across states and territories in India and is one of the officially declared national holidays. Mahatma Gandhi is also called the father of the nation of India. Mahatma Gandhi played a special role in the freedom movement of the country. Gandhiji's father's name was Karamchand Gandhi, who was the Diwan of Rajkot and his mother's name was Putlibai. Gandhiji always chose the path of truth and non-violence for freedom and made many movements. On January 30, Gandhiji was shot dead by Nathuram Godse. That's why every year Martyr's Day is celebrated in India on 30 January. Today, let us know 10 interesting facts related to Mahatma Gandhi, about which hardly anyone would have heard.

1. Mahatma Gandhi was born on Friday, October 2, 1869, while India got independence on Friday, August 15, 1947, and the day of Gandhi's assassination also happened on Friday, January 30, 1948.
2. Gandhiji's birthday is celebrated worldwide as International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October.
3. Gandhiji was very fond of football and he was the founder of three football clubs in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg in South Africa.
4. Gandhiji was arrested 13 times during the freedom movement and during that he did 17 big fasts and remained hungry for 114 consecutive days.
5. It was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose who addressed Gandhiji as the Father of the Nation for the first time.
6. Apple company founder Steve Jobs used to wear round frame glasses to pay respect to Mahatma Gandhi.
7. Mahatma Gandhi has never received the Nobel Prize, but he was nominated for the Nobel Prize five times (1937, 1938, 1939, 1947, 1948).
8. There was constant correspondence between Gandhiji and the famous writer Leo Tolstoy. Gandhiji established Tolstoy Farm, a small 1100-acre colony 21 miles from Johannesburg, during the Satyagraha struggle in South Africa.  
9. Gandhiji, at the age of 70, was only 46 kg. At that time, he used to walk ten kilometers daily and used to sleep for 5 hours. At that time, his height was 5 feet 5 inches.
10. Reserve Bank of India issued The Gandhi series banknotes by displaying a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi since its introduction in 1996. The series issued in 1996 is of 10 and 500 rupee banknotes.

The whole world knows Mahatma Gandhi, the freedom fighter of our country as the priest of Non-Violence. He not only fought for Independence but also demanded fair treatment for the untouchables, lower caste, and also did several fasts in support of them. He also called untouchables Harijans meaning 'children of God'. On January 30, Gandhiji was shot dead by Nathuram Godse in Delhi. It is said that Mahatma Gandhi's funeral procession was 8 kilometers long.