Indian Navy commemorates 130th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Satyagraha' in Durban

Tags: National Defence National News

INS Trishul, a flagship warship of the Indian Navy, celebrated the 130th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Satyagraha' at the Durban port in South Africa.

An Overview of the News 

• The purpose of its visit was to commemorate the 130th anniversary of an incident that took place on 7 June 1893 at Pietermaritzburg railway station.

• The incident led to Mahatma Gandhi being ejected from a train and played an important role in his fight against discrimination.

• INS Trishul's visit to Durban harbour serves as a commemoration of Gandhi's 'Satyagraha'.

• 'Satyagraha' refers to Gandhi's doctrine of nonviolent resistance.

• By celebrating 'Satyagraha' on board INS Trishul, the Indian Navy pays tribute to the principles of Gandhi and inspires generations to come.

About the visit of INS Trishul warship to Durban

• Its visit to Durban is part of the Navy's celebrations for India's 75th Independence anniversary and the resumption of diplomatic relations between India and South Africa 30 years ago.

• The visit included a commemorative meeting at Pietermaritzburg Railway Station, paying homage to the Gandhi Plinth and a performance by the Indian Navy Band.

• A 'Gandhi-Mandela-King Conference' will be organised in association with the Pietermaritzburg Gandhi Foundation and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Mahatma Gandhi Satyagraha

• Satyagraha was a nonviolent resistance movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi during the Indian independence struggle against British rule.

• Satyagraha was first employed in South Africa in 1915 when Gandhi led a successful resistance against discriminatory racial laws.

• The movement gained momentum in India during the 1920s and 30s, leading to important civil disobedience campaigns such as the Salt March and the Quit India Movement.

• The principles of satyagraha were also applied to other struggles around the world, including the fight against colonialism in Africa and Latin America.

• Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha is considered one of the most powerful and successful tools for social and political change, adopted by people across the world.