Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869 - January 30, 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement. Pioneering the use of non-violent resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, a tool to fight for civil rights and freedom that he called satyagraha, he founded his doctrine of nonviolent protest to achieve political and social progress based upon ahimsa, or total nonviolence for which he is internationally renowned. Gandhi led India to its independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, but above all for achieving Swaraj, the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi was assassinated on January 30th, 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who felt Gandhi was sympathetic to the Muslims. His birthday, October 2nd, is a national holiday in India and celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence.