Gandhi and the Nagas

Abstract Commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, this article explores his influence among the ethnic Nagas. The Nagas scarcely crossed paths with Gandhi owing to their peculiar location in Indian history and society. But when some Naga leaders did meet Gandhi, they were on a mission themselves for self-determination—a political movement that metamorphosed into an armed struggle in the post-independence period. Did Gandhi make any impact in the modern Naga society? Chronicling the lives of some of the key leaders in the Naga political movement, this article attempts to understand their political activism and ideological stance in light of Gandhi’s philosophy and teachings.