Who was the first person to address Mahatma Gandhi as Father of the Nation?

• The title "Father of the Nation" (Rashtrapita) was first used for Mahatma Gandhi by Subhash Chandra Bose.

• He addressed Gandhi with this title in a famous radio address from Singapore on July 6, 1944.

• The address was broadcast via the Azad Hind Radio while Bose was leading the Indian National Army (INA).

• Despite their ideological differences regarding the path to independence (non-violence vs. armed struggle), Bose sought Gandhi's blessings for the "holy war" for India's liberation.

• According to NCERT Class 12 (History), this gesture highlighted the deep mutual respect between the two leaders of the Indian national movement.

Information Booster:

• While "Father of the Nation" is a widely accepted honorific, the Government of India has officially stated in response to RTI queries that no such title has been formally conferred by the Constitution, as Article 18 prohibits the state from conferring titles (except military or academic ones).

• The title "Mahatma" (Great Soul) was famously given to Gandhi by Rabindranath Tagore in 1915 after his return from South Africa.

Additional Knowledge:

Sardar Patel (Option a) * Known as the "Iron Man of India", he was a close associate of Gandhi and played a pivotal role in the integration of princely states.

• He often referred to Gandhi as "Bapu", a term of endearment meaning father.

Jawaharlal Nehru (Option b) * Nehru announced Gandhi's death to the nation on the radio by saying, "The father of the nation is no more," on January 30, 1948.

• While he popularized the term after Gandhi's assassination, he was not the first to coin it.

Lala Lajpat Rai (Option d) * Known as "Punjab Kesari", he was a leader of the extremist faction (Lal-Bal-Pal) of the Congress.

• He passed away in 1928 following a lathi charge while protesting the Simon Commission, many years before the title "Father of the Nation" was first used.