Individual Leadership and Management. Chosen Public Figure M. K. Gandhi - Research Paper Example

Individual Leadership and Management Chosen Public Figure – M. K. Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, later became popular as Mahatma (great soul) Gandhi, left a profound impact as a formidable leader on masses not only in India but also across all parts of the world. Martin Luther king and Nelson Mandela followed his example to accomplish their tasks successfully in subsequent years. Gandhi entered Indian politics from South Africa after many bitter experiences about ethnic partiality, injustice and separatism.

That was the time when British people were ruling India. Gandhi noticed that they were exploiting natives by passing unjust rules and regulations. For example, they passed Rowlett Act that allowed more autonomy to the rulers to try certain political cases without a court trial. He strongly believed that any violent method of protesting against rulers would not make any good to the people of India in long term. Gandhi, typical of him, resorted to a totally novel ways came to be known as ahimsa (non-violence) and non-cooperation movement against the British rulers.

It was not an easy task to polarize people on this ideology. Usually, it is a general belief across all parts of the world that guns, arms and violent means can only bring the justice to the people. Through his novel ways and means, he led the country and instilled confidence in people of India. As and when, people deviated from his set path of ahimsa and used violent methods against the rulers; he immediately went on fast for an indefinite period for purification purposes. That was how he became a leader for masses.

Even when authorities massacred tens of hundreds of people in Amritsar in 1919, he advised the people not to retaliate through any violent means. Initially, people were highly suspicious about the effectiveness of his ways but he strongly believed that only ahimsa could bring a true freedom and peace for the nation. By and by, people discarded violent means and huge mass followings became his strength. He became highly inspirational figure for people of India in their quest for freedom. This was truly unprecedented as rulers themselves became highly confused how to tame Gandhi and his mass movement.

The initiative got momentum and culminated into a ‘Quit India movement’ in 1942. In 1947, British rulers had to leave the country for good giving complete independence to India. That is how Gandhi got freedom for the country with minimum loss of life on both the sides. Later, he became an inspiration for the entire world. Not only Gandhi was a true leader of masses that freed India from the British clutches after almost 150 years of their ruling but also he was a manager par excellence. The way he organized the historic Dandi March to protest against the Salt Act in 1930, the administration had to bow down before him.

‘The Quit India Movement’ launched by him in 1942 dethroned British rule from India completely. He not only led from the front but also managed the movement in his own style successfully through a lot of check and balances using fasting and withdrawal. He exhibited traits such as a great zeal to follow set objectives, determination, inspirational quality and more than that sticking to his basic principles that was necessary to polarize a fragmented society to fight for the common cause. He did encounter several obstacles while leading a hugely divided Indian society.

The Indian society was significantly fragmented in cast compartments since time immemorial. For example, upper class people would not allow lower caste people to enter worship places as they considered them untouchables. He worked for them and made them acceptable to the large population. He could make realize upper caste people that they were doing injustice to the lower class in the same fashion as British rulers were doing for the entire Indian society. Similarly, he did a formidable task of bringing Hindus and Muslims – two different religious groups together to fight against arrogant rulers.

During his time, several communal fights erupted between two religious communities that he successfully resolved through his fasting. Though he himself was a Hindu, yet he was equally popular among Muslims. When all common measures of a successful leader are applied to Gandhi, he certainly comes out with excellence. He could inspire masses for common cause. He could make people change their biased age-old thinking on several social evils prevailing since several centuries. He was a social reformer par excellence.

It is because of him that ever since its independence, India is a secular and democratic state with culturally, linguistically and religiously most diverse population existing together. Undoubtedly, he left an indelible mark on Indian social and political scene and provided a new direction to the country. Even today, his principles are followed hugely in India and many parts of the world whenever any protest is to be launched against the establishment. References Mohandas Gandhi (2013). History. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved June 29, 2013 from http://www.bbc.co.

uk/history/historic_figures/gandhi_mohandas.shtml Nanda, B.R. (2011). Gandhi and Nonviolence. Retrieved June 29, 2013 from http://www.mkgandhi.org/nonviolence/gandhi_and_non.htm