Who is the author of 'Hind Swaraj'?

"Hind Swaraj" or "Indian Home Rule" is a short book written by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in Gujarati in November 1909.

About Hind Swaraj:

• Gandhi wrote it in about ten days while travelling by ship, the "SS Kildonan Castle", from London to South Africa.
• It was written in the form of a dialogue between a "Reader" (an impatient young nationalist, representing the revolutionaries) and an "Editor" (Gandhi himself).

It sets out Gandhi's basic ideas:

• "Swaraj" (self-rule) means not just political independence but self-control and freedom from the evils of modern civilisation.
• Modern Western civilisation, with its machines, railways, lawyers and doctors, is harmful.
• India should achieve freedom through non-violence (ahimsa), truth and passive resistance (satyagraha), not through violence.
• It strongly opposed the use of violence by Indian revolutionaries.
• It was first published in Gandhi's newspaper "Indian Opinion" in South Africa.

The British government in India banned it in 1910, calling it seditious. Gandhi then translated it into English himself and published it as "Indian Home Rule" (1910).

It is regarded as the foundation of Gandhi's political philosophy.

Gandhi's other major writings:

• "The Story of My Experiments with Truth" (autobiography, written in Gujarati as "Satya na Prayogo", 1925-1929).
• "Satyagraha in South Africa" (1928).
• "Key to Health" and "Constructive Programme".
• Newspapers he edited or founded: "Indian Opinion" (South Africa, 1903), "Young India", "Navajivan" and "Harijan".

Writings of other nationalists:

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak: "Gita Rahasya", and newspapers "Kesari" and "Mahratta".
• Lala Lajpat Rai: "Unhappy India", "Young India".
• Aurobindo Ghose: "Bande Mataram" newspaper and "The Doctrine of Passive Resistance".

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bal Gangadhar Tilak wrote "Gita Rahasya".
• ✗Lala Lajpat Rai wrote "Unhappy India".
• ✗Aurobindo Ghose wrote "The Doctrine of Passive Resistance".