Who was Nathuram Godse? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Indian Celebrities Born In May

Also Known As: Nathuram Vinayak Godse

Died At Age: 39

Family:

father: Vinayak Vamanrao Godse

mother: Lakshmi Godse

siblings: Gopal Godse

Born Country: India

Murderers Indian Men

Died on: November 15, 1949

place of death: Ambala, Punjab, India

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1

What was Nathuram Godse's role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi?

Nathuram Godse was the person who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi by shooting him three times at point-blank range on January 30, 1948.
2

What were Nathuram Godse's motivations for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi?

Nathuram Godse was a Hindu nationalist who believed that Gandhi's actions favored Pakistan and were detrimental to India. He held Gandhi responsible for the partition of India and the perceived appeasement of Muslims.
3

What was the outcome of Nathuram Godse's trial for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi?

Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte, who was also involved in the assassination, were sentenced to death by the court. They were executed on November 15, 1949.
4

Did Nathuram Godse express any remorse for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi?

Nathuram Godse did not express any remorse for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi. In his court statement, he defended his actions and stated that he believed it was necessary to eliminate Gandhi for the greater good of the country.
5

What is the legacy of Nathuram Godse in India's history?

Nathuram Godse's assassination of Mahatma Gandhi had a profound impact on India's history and politics. It highlighted the tensions between different ideologies and the challenges of maintaining unity in a diverse country like India.

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Childhood & Early Life

Nathuram Godse was born as Ramachandra Vinayak Godse on May 19, 1910, in an orthodox Brahmin family in Baramati, Pune district, Bombay Presidency, British Raj, now in Maharashtra, India. He was the fifth child of his parents Vinayak Vamanrao Godse, a postal employee, and Lakshmi.

He initially attended the local school at Baramati before enrolling into an English-language school in Pune, where he was sent to live with an aunt. He, however, failed his matriculation exam and dropped out of school.

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Indian Murderers

Political Career

Nathuram Godse, who was an avid follower of Mahatma Gandhi while in school, came under the influence of independence activist and Hindu nationalist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar after his family moved to Ratnagiri in 1929.

He became a member of the extremist Hindu nationalist party, Hindu Mahasabha, presided by Savarkar, and later in 1932, joined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Sangli as a 'boudhik karyawah' (ground worker).

He started the Marathi language newspaper 'Agrani' for the Hindu Mahasabha and ran it with Narayan Apte. Along with M. S. Golwalkar, he also translated Babarao Savarkar's book 'Rashtra Mimansa' into English, but they had a falling out after Golwalkar took credit for the translation.

He formed his own organization, 'Hindu Rashtra Dal', on the Vijayadashami day of 1942, but remained a member of the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha. He eventually distanced himself from the RSS as he felt that it was softening in its stance on the formation of a separate Muslim-majority nation-state, Pakistan.

He had once supported Gandhi in eliminating the caste system and untouchability, but thought that Gandhi's idea of non-violence was ineffective and blamed him for appeasing Muslims, which led to the partition.

Following independence, after Gandhi threatened to go on hunger strike if the Government withheld payment to Pakistan due to aggression on Kashmir, he felt that Gandhi's ideals hampered the country’s progress.

Assassination of Gandhi & Trial

On January 30, 1948, Nathuram Godse approached Mahatma Gandhi and bowed in front of him as he was walking through the Birla House in New Delhi with his two grandnieces, Manuben and Abha. After being told that Gandhi was already late for the evening prayers, he pushed Manuben aside and shot Gandhi in the chest three times at point-blank range with a Beretta M1934 semi-automatic pistol.

Gandhi died a few moments later in his room in Birla House, while Godse, based on conflicting reports, either surrendered or was beaten up by the swarming crowd before being rescued by the police. He confessed to his crimes and was put on trial at the Punjab High Court, at Peterhoff, Shimla.

The court awarded him death sentence on November 8, 1949, which prompted Gandhi's two sons, Manilal and Ramdas, to plead for commutation because it went against their father’s beliefs. However, India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel and Governor-General Chakravarti Rajagopalachari rejected the plea, following which Godse was hanged at Ambala Jail on November 15, 1949.

Aftermath

In the wake of Nathuram Godse's assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS were blamed for sponsoring the plot, and Brahmins in Maharashtra became targets of violence. The RSS was also temporarily banned, which was finally lifted in 1949 as no connection was found between the RSS and Godse, who they claimed had left the organization in the mid-1930s.

Throughout the past decades, several attempts have been made to glorify Godse's actions by portraying him as a patriot in plays, books and a documentary film, most of which faced ban.

Facts About Nathuram Godse

Nathuram Godse was a skilled public speaker and writer, known for his eloquence and ability to articulate his beliefs effectively.

Before becoming involved in political activities, Godse worked as a journalist and was known for his keen interest in social issues.

Godse was a follower of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement, and was influenced by his ideology.

Despite his controversial actions, Godse was described by some acquaintances as a devoted family man who cared deeply for his loved ones.

Godse's trial and subsequent execution sparked widespread debate and reflection on the nature of justice, freedom of speech, and political dissent in India.

Nathuram Godse Biography

You wanted to know

What was Nathuram Godse's role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi?

What were Nathuram Godse's motivations for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi?

What was the outcome of Nathuram Godse's trial for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi?

Did Nathuram Godse express any remorse for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi?

What is the legacy of Nathuram Godse in India's history?