Kasturbai Gandhi

Hello, my name is Kasturbai, but many people who loved me called me 'Ba,' which means Mother. I was born on April 11th, 1869, in a town called Porbandar, in India. My childhood was very different from what you might know. In my time, it was not common for girls to attend school, so I did not receive a formal education. In 1883, when I was 14 years old, I was married to a young man named Mohandas Gandhi. This was the custom in our culture, and so we began our new life together. We were both very young and had no idea about the incredible journey that was waiting for us.

In 1897, my husband was working in South Africa, and I moved there with our children to join him. This was a huge change for our family, and it was in this new country that my eyes were opened to the unfairness in the world. I saw how people from India were treated badly simply because of where they came from and the color of their skin. I knew in my heart that this was wrong. In 1913, I decided I could no longer stay silent. I joined a peaceful protest against a new law that was especially unfair to Indian workers. Because of my actions, I was arrested and put in jail for three months. It was a difficult and frightening time, but that experience showed me that I had a strong voice and a duty to use it to help others.

We returned to India in 1915, and our country was filled with the hope of becoming free from British rule. My husband was leading this movement for independence, and I was right there with him, not just as a wife, but as a partner in the fight for freedom. During a protest in a place called Champaran in 1917, I traveled to different villages. I spent my time there teaching women about health and cleanliness and encouraging them to learn to read and write. I believed education was a powerful tool. Whenever my husband was arrested for his peaceful protests, I would often take his place, speaking to large crowds of people to keep the spirit of our movement alive. I was involved in the events around the famous Salt March in 1930, and I was arrested many times for standing up for India's freedom.

In 1942, during a major protest known as the Quit India Movement, my husband and I were arrested one last time. We were held as prisoners in a place called the Aga Khan Palace. By this time, I had grown much older, and my health was not as strong as it once was. I became very sick while we were there, and my life came to an end on February 22nd, 1944. I lived to be 74 years old. Though my life ended, my story did not. I am remembered as 'Ba,' a mother to a nation, and a freedom fighter who showed that quiet strength and deep courage can truly change the world. My hope is that my story inspires you to always stand up for what is right, no matter how difficult it may seem.