After his long stay in South Africa which was around 20 year, He was invited by the Gopal Krishna Gokhale who was senior leader of Indian National Congress to join Indian National Movement against tyrant British Rule conveyed to him by C. F. Andrews.⁣
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After the first meeting between Gokhale and Gandhi in 1896, the two spent more than a month together at the Calcutta Congress of 1901. It was here that Gokhale asked Gandhi for the first time to return from South Africa and serve the people of India. He also wrote recommendation letters for Gandhi to several lawyers in Bombay to secure a juniorship for him. But the South African problem kept Gandhi pre-occupied and he decided against the request.⁣
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In 1910, Gokhale proposed the Natal Indentured Labour Bill, which helped gain a legal framework for Gandhi’s struggle in South Africa. Gokhale also raised funds for Gandhi’s struggle. Subsequently, Gokhale went to Africa in 1912 and held meetings with African leaders. ⁣
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Mahatma Gandhi returned to India on January 9, 1915 at the Apollo Bunder in Bombay. Three days later he was honored by the people of Bombay at a magnificent reception in the palatial house of a Bombay magnate Jehangir Petit. ⁣
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The Government of India joined with the people of India in showering honours on Gandhi. He received a “Kaiser-I-Hind” gold medal in the King’s birthday honours list of 1915.⁣
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Initially he stayed at Shantivan ashram of Noble Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. By 1917, he had established Satyagraha ashram on the banks of Sabarmati river .⁣
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Every year 9th January is celebrated as Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai and to mark contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India. ⁣