Ramdas Gandhi

Who was Ramdas Gandhi?

Ramdas Gandhi was the third son of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was born in South Africa. He outlived his parents and all of his brothers. He and his wife Nirmala had three children; Sumitra Gandhi, Kanu Gandhi and Usha Gandhi. He was active in his father's Indian independence movement.

He had no taste for asceticism, yet participated in the grueling civil protests of the 1930s. Numerous jailings had serious effects on his health. Raised in South Africa, he never adjusted to the idealistic poverty imposed by his father. He had a taste for hunting.

At his father's funeral, Ramdas Gandhi was the one who lit the fire to start the cremation, as Mahatma had wished for. He was joined by his younger brother Devdas Gandhi at the funeral.

He died in the year of his father's centenary.