Harilal Gandhi

About Harilal Gandhi

Who is it?: Mahatma Gandhi’s Son
Birth Day: August 23, 1888
Birth Place: New Delhi, Indian
Died On: 18 June 1948(1948-06-18) (aged 59)\nBombay, Bombay State, India
Spouse(s): Gulab Gandhi
Children: 5
Parent(s): Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi Kasturba Gandhi

Harilal Gandhi Net Worth

Harilal Gandhi was born on August 23, 1888 in New Delhi, Indian, is Mahatma Gandhi’s Son. Harilal Mohandas Gandhi was the eldest and the most rebellious son of Mahatma Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule. Born in India, Harilal lived in Gandhi’s elder brother, Laxmidas’ household, growing up without paternal supervision as his father was then working as a barrister in South Africa. As was alarmingly common among the young Indian men of affluent families of that age, he took concubines and developed an addiction to alcohol. Gandhi then asked him to come to South Africa to join him in his struggles at the Phoenix Ashram. Harilal could not adapt to the simple austere lifestyle that Gandhi had imposed on himself and those around him. In 1911, he severed all ties with his family and returned to India. He went back to his old practices, embezzling, stealing, and soliciting prostitution in public places, and was arrested several times. He converted to Islam for a brief period before converting back to Hinduism upon the request of his mother. At his father’s funeral, he was recognized by only a few people due to his derelict appearance. Devastated, alone, and a destitute, he himself passed away four months later.
Harilal Gandhi is a member of Miscellaneous

💰Harilal Gandhi Net worth: $1.6 Million

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Biography/Timeline

1888

Harilal was born on 23 August 1888 while his father was in England for higher studies. He too wanted to go to England for higher studies and hoped to become a barrister as his father had once been. His father firmly opposed this, believing that a Western-style education would not be helpful in the struggle against British rule over India. Eventually rebelling against his father's decision, in 1911 Harilal renounced all family ties.

1935

In June 1935, Mahatma Gandhi wrote a letter to Harilal, accusing him of "alcohol and debauchery". In the letters, Mahatma Gandhi stated that Harilal's problems were more difficult for him to deal with than the struggle for Indian republic.

1936

However, later in 1936, on his mother Kasturba Gandhi's request he converted back to Hinduism through the Arya Samaj and adopted a new name, Hiralal.

1948

Harilal died of tuberculosis four months after Gandhi’s death on the night of June 18 at the age of 59. Being alcoholic he was racked by liver disease, and possibly syphilis. But records at the Sewri Hospital suggest that he died a lonely death. Harilal’s death certificate is preserved at the BMC’s archives in Vakola. It mentions 8 pm on June 18, 1948, as the time of death. There is no mention of any family members on the document, but it reveals that he was admitted to the hospital after being found unconscious in Kamathipura.

2007

The troubled relationship between Harilal and his father is the subject of the film and play Gandhi, My Father. The film adaptation was released on 3 August 2007 and directed by Feroz Abbas Khan and produced by Anil Kapoor. Harilal is portrayed by Akshaye Khanna. Khan's play, Mahatma vs. Gandhi, while different from this film, had a similar theme. There is also a Marathi play named Gandhi virudh Gandhi.

2019

Harilal was married to Gulab Gandhi and they had five children, two daughters, Rani and Manu, and three sons, Kantilal, Rasiklal and Shantilal. Rasiklal and Shantilal died at an early age. He had four grandchildren (Anushrya, Prabodh, Neelam and Navmalika.) via Rani, two (Shanti and Pradeep) via Kanti, and one (Urmi) via Manu. He became detached from his children after Gulab’s death in a flu epidemic.