How old was Mahatma Gandhi when he died?

Mahatma Gandhi was 78 years old when he died.

He was born on 2 October 1869 and assassinated on 30 January 1948, so he had not yet reached his 79th birthday. His death occurred in New Delhi, less than four months after his 78th birthday.

Gandhi’s final years were dominated by efforts to reduce communal violence surrounding the Partition of British India. He traveled through areas affected by unrest, fasted to encourage reconciliation, and urged Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs to protect one another.

The age calculation can cause confusion because Gandhi died in 1948, but his birthday fell later in the calendar year. Counting only the difference between the years gives 79; the correct completed age on 30 January was 78. He would have turned 79 on 2 October 1948.