Mohandas Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat, India.[3] Several members of his family worked for the government of the state. When Gandhi was 18 years old, he went to England to study law.[4] After he became a lawyer, he went to the British colony of South Africa where he experienced laws that said people with dark skin had fewer rights than people with light skin. He decided then to become a political activist, so he could help change these unfair laws. He created a powerful, non-violent movement. During Gandhi's life, India was a colony of the United Kingdom, but wanted independence.