In April 2017, India celebrated 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi's
Satyagraha in Champaran
Understanding Mahatma Gandhi's Historic Anniversaries
The question asks about an event in Mahatma Gandhi's life whose 100th anniversary was celebrated in April 2017. To find the correct answer, we need to identify which of the given events took place in April 1917.
Analyzing the Options and Timelines
Let's look at the years when the events mentioned in the options occurred:
- Satyagraha in Kheda: This movement took place in 1918. Therefore, its 100th anniversary would have been in 2018, not 2017.
- Dandi March: Also known as the Salt March, this iconic event happened in 1930. Its 100th anniversary will be in 2030.
- Satyagraha in Champaran: This was Mahatma Gandhi's first major Satyagraha movement in India. It began in April 1917 in response to the grievances of indigo farmers in Bihar. The 100th anniversary of an event from April 1917 would indeed fall in April 2017.
- Return from South Africa: Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915. The 100th anniversary of this event was in 2015.
The Champaran Satyagraha (April 1917)
The Champaran Satyagraha was a pivotal moment. Gandhi arrived in Champaran to investigate the conditions of farmers who were forced to grow indigo under the 'tinakathia' system, where they had to cultivate indigo on 3/20ths of their land and sell it at prices fixed by the British planters. Gandhi's non-violent resistance, involving detailed surveys, collection of farmer testimonies, and defiance of official orders, led to the eventual abolition of the oppressive system. This movement started in April 1917, making its 100th anniversary celebration in April 2017 historically accurate.
Conclusion
Based on the timelines, the event whose 100th anniversary was celebrated in April 2017 is the Satyagraha in Champaran, as it commenced in April 1917.
Revision Table: Key Gandhi Events
| Event | Year Started | Significance | 100th Anniversary Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return from South Africa | 1915 (Jan) | Marks Gandhi's arrival in India to join the freedom struggle. | 2015 |
| Satyagraha in Champaran | 1917 (April) | First major Satyagraha in India against oppressive indigo cultivation. | 2017 |
| Satyagraha in Kheda | 1918 | Peasant movement against revenue collection in famine-hit region. | 2018 |
| Dandi March (Salt March) | 1930 | Civil disobedience against British salt tax. | 2030 |
Additional Information: Gandhi's Early Satyagrahas in India
After returning to India, Mahatma Gandhi initially spent time understanding the Indian situation. His first three major interventions using the Satyagraha technique were:
- Champaran Satyagraha (1917): Focused on the issues of indigo farmers in Bihar. It was his first application of Satyagraha on Indian soil to address a major local grievance.
- Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918): Supported mill workers in Ahmedabad demanding better wages and working conditions. Gandhi used fasting as a method of protest for the first time here.
- Kheda Satyagraha (1918): Aided peasants in Kheda, Gujarat, who were unable to pay land revenue due to crop failure. Gandhi advised them to withhold revenue payments and advocated for non-violent resistance.
These early movements helped establish Gandhi as a leader of the masses and popularised the method of Satyagraha in the Indian freedom struggle.
Important Questions from Other Dimensions
Consider the following statements with reference to the Bhoodan Movement:
1. Vinoba Bhave organized "The Sarvodaya Samaj' to take up the work of non-violent transformation in India
2. Jayaprakash Narayan withdrew from active politics to join the Bhoodan Movement in 1953
3. In the wake of the Bhoodan Movement the first donation of land was made in the village of Pochampalli in Telangana
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
The authorities of which country denied the permission to land the ship Komagata Maru, carrying Indians?
Moplahs, or Muslim peasants, created a powerful anti-zamindar movement in:
Where was the first All-India Kisan Sabha formed?
Rani Durgawati, who ruled over on behalf of her five-year-old son Bir Narain, belonged to which of the following tribes?
