President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a visit to the burial site of the founder of the nation of India, Raj Ghat, Mohandas Karamchandra (Mahatma) Gandhi, last year on the final day of the G-20 summit in India. This poignant moment reminded us of Gandhi's deep concern for Türkiye and its people, as expressed in his writings. While we can only speculate what Erdoğan felt at the memorial, it is clear that Gandhi held high regard for Türkiye. Despite the extensive literature on Gandhi's role in the Khilafat movement (a movement led by top leaders in India opposing British policies against Türkiye and to safeguard the Ottoman Empire) in India, little has addressed Türkiye's enduring place in Gandhi's heart and mind, even before the Khilafat movement.
Gandhi admired Turks as brave warriors, noting their longstanding history as fighters. He acknowledged the founding father of the Republic of Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as well as his success with the sword, attributing it to the inherent strength found in every Turk's nerve. While discussing the options of violence and non-violence for gaining independence for India, he argued that violence contradicted India’s nature, stating: “India will never come to rule an empire through physical strength. It harms her nature to expect her to win anything through such strength. By her very nature, India is a lover of peace.”
While Gandhi is known for his role in the Khilafat movement alongside Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Shaukat Ali, it's lesser known that he regarded Atatürk as the guardian of the Khilafat. In a March 2, 1922, article in Navjivan, Gandhi expressed, "The cause of the Khilafat, thank God, is safe in the hands of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha." He further stated, “He has retrieved the prestige of the Khilafat as no Muslim of modern times has done.” Gandhi believed that India’s support for Türkiye came more from Hindu-Muslim unity and a clear stance against Britain’s anti-Turk policies than from financial aid. He was against the exploitation of India’s resources against Turks. He emphasized that a strong declaration of independence would enhance Islam’s prestige and Atatürk’s power.
Gandhi toured many parts of the world, accepting invitations from various countries. In a letter written to Indian lawyer and politician Motilal Nehru on Jan. 17, 1929, Gandhi expressed his desire to visit Italy, Egypt and Türkiye. While he did visit Italy, there's no documented evidence of his visits to Türkiye or Egypt. Gandhi wrote about the health benefits of Turkish baths in his Gujarati newspaper the Indian Opinion in 1913. In the 18th series published on May 3, 1913, Gandhi informed his readers, “If a man whose joints have become stiff is treated with steam, there will be immediate respiration and the joints will be relieved. This method of applying steam is known as Turkish bath.”
In 1940, after a devastating earthquake struck Türkiye, Gandhi penned a message to then-President Ismet Inönu, “My heartfelt sympathy in your terrible calamity.” The newspaper Harijan reported that Inönu gracefully acknowledged the messages of sympathy from India. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first president, called for public donations to support the earthquake victims. Some Indian leaders also advocated for sending a medical mission to Türkiye due to the threefold calamity of earthquake, rain and snow.
“Such unprecedented distress as Türkiye has experienced makes one realize the oneness of the human family. This visitation should humble and chasten us. It should enable Hindus and Muslims to bury their differences and make them realize that though they profess different faiths they are all children of the same God, and as such it is theirs to live in perfect fellowships with one another,” reads the newspaper report. Indian leaders perceived the incidents in Türkiye as an opportunity to unite Hindus and Muslims.
Gandhi maintained a keen interest in Türkiye and frequently wrote about it. In a May 5, 1906, article in the Indian Opinion, under the heading "Britain, Türkiye and Egypt," he wrote an analysis of the escalating tensions between the British and Turkish governments over the undefined Egyptian border. Expressing his optimism about reforms in the Turkish government on Aug. 1, 1908, Gandhi wrote in the newspaper Indian Opinion, “Reports have appeared in newspapers that the Young Party (Presumably, a reference to the “Young Turks”) in Türkiye has brought about reforms in the government. The people are pleased, a cablegram reports, because the sultan has adopted a constitution for the governance of the country, and the occasion is being celebrated everywhere. The news agency also reports that Türkiye will soon have a Parliament similar to the British Parliament.”
“If the report is true, it is indeed an epoch-making development,” he emphasized. Understanding the strategic importance of Türkiye, he had faith in its prospects. “Türkiye has among its common people and nobility men of such (remarkable) stature that, when she comes to have a Parliament, they can put her on par with the great European states, and indeed make her a world power. The country is so situated that it can achieve a commanding position,” he further remarked.
Upon the passing of Atatürk on Nov. 10, 1938, Gandhi expressed his condolences stating: “This death is a great loss to Türkiye. May they come out safe through the crisis.” Following Gandhi’s own passing on Jan. 30, 1948, the president of the Council of Türkiye described the loss as “a misfortune which hits all of humanity.” Moreover, a message from the president of the Grand National Assembly in Ankara expressed deep sorrow over Gandhi’s assassination, offering profound sympathy and solidarity to India during its time of immense grief and loss.
