Author(s): Mukesh Deshwal

Abstract: All of us know that the political influence of Gandhi ji in Indian politics and freedom movement remained one of the key determinants during 1917-1947, which is known as the Gandhian era of Indian freedom struggle against British Colonialism. Most of the scholars agree still today that Mahatma Gandhi made a substantial and crucial contribution to Indian ‘Nationalism.’ Actually, the idea of nationalism in his political spirit was born out of his experience of remaining and working strongly against the colonial discrimination with natives of the country as well as people residing from abroad including Indians in South Africa, consequently, the critical behaviour of the Britishers compelled Gandhi's desire to instill the spirit of nationalism within himself. Truely, Gandhi’s ideas on politics, truth, purity of means, Non-violence, Satyagraha, and secular perspectives on religion have since contributed to the development of the spirit of nationalism among all Indians. Therefore, Gandhi's nationalistic spirit and other perspectives on women's rights, rural development, decentralized democracy through the empowerment of Gram Panchayats, and the ideal of ‘Ram Rajya’ have also all contributed to the rise of nationalism in India. On the contrary, the idea of nationalism became more popular among all people as well as freedom fighters (both-liberalists & extremists) from the various segments of the Indian society or social classes, pressure groups, and religious leaders, and it was greatly influenced by the spirit of Gandhi's political philosophy such as: ‘Non-Cooperation Movement’, principles of ‘Non-violence’ and ‘Satyagraha’, the boycotting of the British discriminatory policies against Indians, and the active participation of the Indian masses into the freedom movement in the wake of 1920. Now through his entry as a successful agitator after getting the success in ‘Champaran Satyagraha’ in the year of 1917 in favour of indigo producer farmers, Gandhiji became a well-known political figure of the freedom movement throughout the country. Meanwhile, the political environment in the country emerged as a massive oppose in lieu of the ‘Rowlatt Act’ passed by the Britishers, which was called a black law in the historical journey of colonial rule in India. As a result, due to the protest by Indian masses, a big massacre at Jallianwala, Amritsar on 13th April, 1919, compelled the Indian freedom fighters like Gandhiji to take an active and effective step to oppose this brutality of the colonial government. The present research paper makes a theoretical review of the spirit of Gandhi's political philosophy in the perspective of nationalism in India and its relevance in the modern world.

Keywords: Nationalism, Colonial Rule, Discriminative Policies, Indian Freedom Movement, Spiritualism, Satyagrah, Non-violence, Jan Andolan.

Article Info: Received: 30 Apr 2025; Received in revised form: 25 May 2025; Accepted: 29 May 2025; Available online: 01 Jun 2025

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.103.57