2016-06-07 Tue

Carved on the heart of every Indian, this was an event which led to the rise of one of the greatest leaders of 20th Century India. The day of 7th June 1893 changed the course of his life – and that of millions of others. This was the day when Gandhi committed his first act of civil disobedience.

Mohandas K. Gandhi, a young Indian lawyer working in South Africa, forcibly made to align the train because he refused to comply with racial segregation rules on a South African train.

He refused to move to a third-class carriage while holding a valid ticket for the whites-only first-class compartment. He was pushed off the train in the middle of a cold winter night his luggage hastily thrown after him.

From thereon, he decided to fight injustice and defend his rights as an Indian and a man. He stated in South Africa even after the expiry of one year contract and gave fight against the legislation that would deprive Indians of the right to vote. This was the start of Satyagraha philosophy put forward by him and appreciated by the world.

India and South Africa collaboratively released a joint issue in 1995 to commemorate India-South Africa Cooperation. Both the countries issued stamps featuring the Gandhi’s portraits. One portrait depict young Gandhi when he was working as a lawyer in South Africa and the other one depicts him as the leading nationalist of India.