Martyrs’ Day, also known as Sarvodaya Day or Shaheed Diwas, is annually observed across India on January 30 to honour those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
- This day also marks the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the ‘Father of the Nation.
- 30th January 2025 marks the 77th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Background:-
- Martyrs’ Day was officially declared in 1949,a year after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on January 30, 1948, to honour his memory and the sacrifices of other freedom fighters.
- Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30th January 1948 by Nathuram Godse, in Birla House, New Delhi, Delhi.
About Mahatma Gandhi:
i.Mahatma Gandhi was born as “Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi” on 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat.
ii.He was a lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and politician who played a major role in India’s freedom struggle.
iii.Gandhi played a pivotal role in movements like the Khilafat Movement, Quit India Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, Non-Cooperation Movement, and Champaran Satyagraha.
Books:
i.“The Story of My Experiments with Truth” the autobiography of Gandhi, covers his life through to 1921. It was originally written in Gujarati and was translated into English by Mahadev Desai.
ii.His other noted works include, ‘Gokhale: My Political Guru’; ‘The Law and the Lawyers’, and ‘Satyagraha in South Africa’.
iii.He translated John Ruskin’s “Unto This Last” in Gujarati as “Sarvodaya”.
Honours:
i.In 1930, he was named TIME Magazine’s “Man of the Year” (Now awarded as ‘Person of the Year’). To date, he remains the only Indian to be honoured with the title.
ii.On the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary (2nd October 1995), the Government of India launched the International Gandhi Peace Prize as a tribute to Gandhi.
Other Martyrs’ Day observed in India:
- 23rd March – to commemorate the death anniversary of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar.
- 19th May – observed as Bhasha Shahid Divas (Language Martyrs’ Day), to remember the martyrdom of 11 people who were killed during the Bengali Language Movement.
- 19th November – to commemorate the birth anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai, the Maratha queen who ruled the Princely state of Jhansi.
