Who was the political guru of Mahatma Gandhi?

a) Gopal Krishna Gokhale

b) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

c) Rabindranath Tagore

d) Jawaharlal Nehru

The correct answer is a) Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Mahatma Gandhi regarded Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, as his political guru or mentor.

A Guiding Influence Mentor and Protégé

When Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915, it was on Gokhale's advice that he spent a year traveling across the country to understand its people and problems before entering Indian politics.

Gandhi was deeply impressed by Gokhale's moderate political views, his dedication to public service, and his emphasis on constitutional methods for achieving reform. He saw Gokhale as a model of a selfless and principled political leader. In fact, Gandhi even wrote a book titled "Gokhale, My Political Guru", solidifying Gokhale's status as his most important political guide.

The Other Figures

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a contemporary nationalist leader, but he led the "extremist" faction of the Congress, and his political ideology differed from Gandhi's.
• Rabindranath Tagore was a poet and philosopher who shared a relationship of deep mutual respect and intellectual debate with Gandhi. It was Tagore who is credited with first calling him "Mahatma."
• Jawaharlal Nehru was much younger than Gandhi and was, in fact, Gandhi's political heir and protégé.