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Mahatma Gandhi's Real Name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi's real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi; "Mahatma" is an honorific title.
Mahatma Gandhi, leader of India's nonviolent independence movement, was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, in present-day Gujarat, India.
"Mahatma" is not part of his name. It is a Sanskrit honorific meaning "great soul," which admirers began applying to him around the time he returned to India from South Africa in 1915. It is often credited to the poet Rabindranath Tagore. Gandhi himself was reported to be uncomfortable with the title. In India he is also called "Bapu" (father).
Gandhi never held national office, but he led mass campaigns of civil disobedience against British rule, such as the 1930 Salt March. He was assassinated in New Delhi in January 1948, months after India won independence.
FAQ
What does Mahatma mean?
"Great soul" in Sanskrit. It is a title, not a name.
Was Gandhi ever head of state?
No. He led the independence movement but never held national office.