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On 18th July the world remembers one of the biggest and strongest leaders of the marginalized peoples of the world who fought an incessant battle against apartheid and colonial exploitation. Nelson Mandela was born on this date in Mvezo, South Africa. His life is an example of fortitude, passion and victory. South Africa was ruled by the European racist regime which exercised apartheid and treated the natie people of South Africa worst than animals. He realized the need to end this racist regime and joined African National Congress in 1944 at the age of twenty six years and the same year formed the African National Congress Youth League with the help of his friends. His hard work and dedication won the hearts of his colleagues in the organization and in 1948 he was elected as the National Secretary of the African National Congress Youth League.

The struggle against unjust laws of the racist regime took a new turn with the launch of a massive Defiance Campaign, a civil disobedience movement against the suppressive laws of the colonial rule. He was elected the National Volunteer-in - chief for the campaign. His activism won him the wrath of the state and was accused of treason. On March 20, 1960 the infamous Sharpeville Massacre took place in which sixty Nine people were killed and about two hundred wounded. The government soon declared emergency and arrested eighteen thousand protesters. African National Congress was banned and to continue the struggle Nelson Mandela had to go underground. Unlike Gandhiji, Nelson Mandela chose to fight back with force and formed armed force Umkhonto We Sizwe( Spear of the Nation) in 1961 and elected its commander- in- chief. In 1962 Mandela traveled to other African countries and Europe to gather support for the movement. On his return on August 5, 1962 he was arrested and sentenced to five years imprisonment.

In July 1963 other prominent leaders of ANC were also arrested and Mandela was also accused with them. The struggle continued and in his absence his wife Wini Mandela led the movement along with other leaders of the Congress. On June 12, 1964 he was sentenced to life imprisonment. During his imprisonment he was shifted from one jail to another so that he may not be able to communicate in any way with the leaders of the movement. Amidst prolonged mass protests in 1985 the ANC began negotiations with the government leading to Nelson Mandela's release in 1990 after nearly twenty Seven years. He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1993. Due to the incessant struggle the colonial regime had to conduct the first multiracial elections in which on 27th April 1994 ANC won with strong majority. On 10th May , 1994 Nelson Mandela became the first President of the independent South Africa. This great leader passed away on Dec.5, 2013 at the age of 95.

Today when the world faces a bitter strife between religious factions and the Indian democracy is torn into sectarian groups by casteist and communal forces, Nelson Mandela has a path to show us.

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