Mahatma Gandhi, considered as "Father of the Nation" in India, was born on October 2, 1869. His birth anniversary is annually observed as Gandhi Jayanti across the nation. On this day, government offices and other institutions remain closed. The day is considered as one of patriotic festivals in India, as people celebrate and commemorate the struggle and teachings of Gandhi. Here are 11 interesting facts to know about the Mahatma on his 151st birth anniversary. Gandhi Jayanti Images & HD Wallpapers for Free Download Online: Wish Happy Gandhi Jayanti 2020 With WhatsApp Stickers and GIF Greetings.

  • Born in Porbandar, then part of the Bombay presidency, Gandhi communicated mostly in Gujarati during the formative years of life. The language was his mother tongue.

  • He underwent schooling at the Alfred High School in Gujarat's Rajkot town.

  • Gandhi's father Karamchand Gandhi was a Hindu by religion, and by caste, he was identified as a member of Modh Baniya group.

  • Leo Tolstoy, one of the most renowned Russian writers, communicated with Gandhi through exchange of letters.

  • Gandhi's movement was not merely restricted to oust the colonia British regime, but he also promoted the virtues of non-violence (ahimsa), tolerance and strove for the eradication of untouchability.

  • In 1930, the prestigious Time Magazine named Gandhi as 'Man of The Year'.

  • Apart from being a socio-political leader, Gandhi was also a journalist and a writer. His collected works add to more than 50,000 pages.

  • The Great Britain, against whom Gandhi's anti-colonial struggle in India was centred, released a stamp honouring Gandhi in 1970.

  • In 1982, the movie Gandhi - based on the Mahatma's life - won the highly acclaimed Academy Award for Best Picture.

  • Gandhi's birth anniversary is also annually observed by the UN as the International Day of Non-Violence.

  • The 151st birth anniversary of Gandhi falls on Friday. Incidentally, Gandhi was also born on Friday, India attained its freedom on Friday and the Mahatma was also martyred on Friday.

Notably, Gandhi had shaped the Indian independence movement during its most essential phase - that continued till the exit of British regime from india. The Gandhian era of the freedom struggle, claim historians, began in around 1921 and continued till 1947, when the country was finally freed from colonial domination.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2020 08:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).