The iconic figure of Gandhi has come to symbolise the Indian nationalist movement, both in India and throughout the world. This new biography looks at Gandhi, his actions and beliefs, placing them firmly in the context of India at the time. It gives an even-handed view of a man who has in the past been claimed by various schools of thought and tells the story of Gandhi's early life, including his time as a student in Britain and his many years in South Africa, as well as his return home to take a pivotal role in the Indian nationalist movement. His commitment to non-violence has been an inspiration to generations, but other important elements of Gandhi's thought need to be examined too.

Issues including his patriarchal views of women, how far he was successful in being inclusive of other castes and of Muslims, and how far he was pro-capitalist and aligned with the right, are fully analysed here. Gandhi's death by assassination became his last, and possibly most crucial contribution to the nature of the future India, enabling Nehru to push through a vision of India that was not a Hindu sectarian one.