Mahatma Gandhi's South African family: The rich legacy that India forgot

In 1893, Mahatma Gandhi arrived in Durban on the shipSS Safari. Gandhi quickly rose to prominence as the leader of the South African Indian community. His participation in the nonviolent movement in South Africa had such an influence that he is still regarded as a leader there.

The Mahatma and Kasturba Gandhi had four children, all sons: Harilal, born in 1888; Manilal, born in 1892; Ramdas, born in 1897; and Devdas, born in 1900.

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Manilal Mohandas Gandhi lived and worked in South Africa.

Mahatma Gandhi had established a place called 'The Phoenix Settlement', near Durban in 1904, where he established a commune, started his experiments with Satyagraha, and printed his newspaper Indian Opinion.

In 1917, Gandhi sent Manilal to South Africa to assist in the publication of Indian Opinion (established in 1903) and, in particular, the Gujarati section.

He was the magazine's longest-serving editor, and he did it without pay because his fatherurged that everything is done for the greater good, not personal gain.

Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie, Manilal’s granddaughter, in her book ‘Gandhi’s Prisoner? The Life of Gandhi’s Son Manilal’ writes, “Phoenix and Manilal’s life would become intertwined in ways he could hardly imagine”. Therein, he undertook laborious tasks, worked on the land, spent time in the press assisting in the publication process, and tended to the elderly and sick.

In 1927, Manilal married Sushila Mashruwala, who later became his printing press partner. Sita, Arun, and Ela were their three children.

Ashish Lata Ramgobin is the daughter of Ela Gandhi.

Ela Gandhi is a known social activist in South Africa and was also a member of the South African Parliament.

Many members of the Mahatma Gandhi family, including Kirti Menon, the late Satish Dhupelia, Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie, Ela Gandhi, and Lata Ramgobin herself, are human rights activists.

She was the founder and executive director of the International Centre for Non-Participative Violence's Development Initiative.

(With inputs from agencies)