In which coastal town was Mahatma Gandhi born on 2 October 1869?

Mahatma Gandhi was born in Porbandar, a coastal town in present-day Gujarat, India, on 2 October 1869.

At the time of Gandhi’s birth, Porbandar was the capital of the princely state of Porbandar, ruled by the local Jethwa dynasty under British paramountcy. His father, Karamchand Gandhi, served as the state’s diwan, or chief minister. Gandhi’s family therefore belonged to an administrative household rather than a royal one.

Porbandar is sometimes confused with Rajkot because Gandhi spent important childhood years in Rajkot, where his father later held office. Rajkot also contains museums and sites connected with his early life, but it was not his birthplace. Porbandar’s Kirti Mandir memorial complex stands near the house traditionally identified with Gandhi’s birth.

The town remains associated with Gandhi through museums, memorials, and public commemorations held on his birthday. The date is also observed internationally as the International Day of Non-Violence, a designation established by the United Nations in 2007.