Mohandas Gandhi

Gandhi pioneered and popularized non-violence as an instrument of social, political, economic, and religious change by applying the Hindu concept of ahimsa - a tenet forbidding harm to other beings - to these fields. His advocacy of an active and progressive Hinduism that preaches interreligious harmony made him a charismatic leader in efforts to revive Hinduism into a socially relevant force. He is one of the most important figures of the 20th century and his influence has proven to transcend religious and political divisions as his teachings and methods have influenced other leaders across the globe, such as the Dalai Lama and Martin Luther King, Jr. In India, where his efforts secured the country’s independence and eased religious tensions, he is honored as “Father of the Nation,” his birthday is one of only three national holidays – and also marks the International Day of Non-Violence – his portrait appears on all currency notes, and he is commonly referred to simply as Bapu – “Father.”