Gandhi: Depression’s Spiritual Transformation Mohandas Gandhi
was one of the principle leaders of India’s movement for
independence from the British Empire. Independence was achieved
in 1947. He is also recognized as the world’s foremost proponent
of non-violent civil disobedience as a force for change, which
greatly influenced the civil rights movement in the United
States in the 1950s and 1960s. Gandhi was born in 1869. During
his life, he lived through episodes of depression, including a
suicide attempt as a teenager. He was also said to be shy and
sensitive. Following India’s independence, he endured his most
severe episode of depression. India faced many tragic problems,
including poverty and hunger. These issues weighed heavily on
him as the “father of his country.” Gandhi also felt a sense of
personal failure. Independence was achieved at the cost of India
being divided along religious lines into two separation nations:
India, where the population was predominantly Hindu, and
Pakistan, where the popula