8 Books on Mahatma Gandhi every Indian should read

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, holds that place in the history of Indian independence which is undeniably supreme. He is the man who inspired the world when he led a non-violent campaign for India's independence from the British Rule. Under his leadership, India gained independence and his philosophy and non-partisan politics became an example for the world to follow. A lot has been written about the life of the leader whose greatness was undefinable. Here is a list of books on Mahatma Gandhi that every Indian should read.
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No one can write better about the Mahatma, than he himself. With all the other interpretations and studies of his life, it's good to take in his own perspective. In his autobiography he tells us about his life from childhood to 1921. It was written in Gujarati, in weekly installments and was published in Navjivan from 1925 to 1929. The English version was translated by Mahadev Desai in 1940. It is an honest account of his early life, ideologies, his mistakes and the lessons he learnt from them.
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Written by the respected historian Ramachandra Guha, this book takes us to Gandhi's youth. Starting from his birth in 1869, the book tells of his childhood years, his years studying in London and the time he was practicing law in South Africa. Guha uses private papers of Gandhi's contemporaries and co-workers; newspapers and court documents of the time; as his sources and he creates an interesting narrative showing how Gandhi's formative years shaped his philosophy.
Photo: Penguin India

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari or Rajaji needs little introduction as his contribution to India's struggle for freedom is invaluable . He was the first Indian-born governor-general and the last Governor-General of India and a leader of the Indian National Congress. He was described by the Mahatma as his "conscience keeper” and, once, as his “only possible successor”. This book compiles an exchange of letters between them from the years 1920 to 1945. The dialogue not only gives an insight into their lives but also provides food for thought.
Photo: Penguin India

The author of this book, Rajmohan Gandhi, is a known biographer and the Grandson of the great man he's writing about. In this book, he tries to look into Gandhi's philosophy and the success he had in applying it in detail. As time passes, new generations are taught a simplified version of his struggle, making him but a simplified archetype and with this book, the attempts to show Bapu's struggles and achievements in real light.
Photo: Penguin India

Judith M. Brown is a British historian who was born in India and being deeply interested in Indian politics, she's written several books on it. Her biography of Gandhi is both fair and insightful. She doesn't deify or try to make him look like a canny politician but rather she writes about his life and shows how it shaped his philosophy and how he attempted to follow what he believed in. It's a good biography of his whole life.
Photo: Yale University Press

As the title suggests, this book looks into the assassination of the father of our nation, and it's implications. The book examines in detail Gandhi's last six months and all he did to prevent bloodshed as the nation he fought for was being torn apart. This book looks for a deeper meaning behind his death and is an interesting take.
Photo: Penguin India

This book contains the account of Nathuram Godse, the man who shot Gandhi thrice in the chest, which killed him. It's written by his brother Gopal Godse and tells of what happened during the assassination and after, until when Nathuram Godse was hung. Though one might not agree with his actions, it's good to know what provoked such an act.
Photo: Hindi Sahitya Sadan

After all the heavy books that examine Gandhi's life, this slim tome is but a simple introduction to the great soul, for children. With few words and detailed images, this book is targeted towards those beginning to read. It simplifies and summarizes his life and philosophy but it's up to parents to provide context for his actions, keeping the child's maturity in mind.
Photo: Penguin US