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A remarkable autograph page inscribed and signed by Mahatma Gandhi in multiple languages and scripts, including:

• मो. क. गांधी (Mo. K. Gandhi) – Hindi / Devanagari
• મો. ક. ગાંિ (Mo. K. Gandhi) – Gujarati
• மோ. க. காந்தி (Mo. K. Gandhi) – Tamil
• م۔ ک۔ گاندھی (M. K. Gandhi ) - Urdu
• M K Gandhi – English (Roman script)
and dated in Devanagari numerals • २२-२-४५ (22-2-45), corresponding to 22 February 1945.
Autograph inscriptions in ink on a pink page.

ONE SIGNATURE, FIVE LANGUAGES: Gandhi and the Idea of India

Few figures of the twentieth century embodied India’s linguistic diversity as completely as Mahatma Gandhi. Throughout his life, he wrote, spoke and published in several languages, notably Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu and English, while also engaging closely with the languages and communities of southern India. The present autograph leaf offers an exceptionally rare and visually compelling expression of that multilingual world.

Knowing Gandhi’s familiarity with Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil and English, Anand T. Hingorani respectfully requested that he inscribe his name in each language upon one of the individual sheets of handmade paper that Hingorani regularly sent him for the composition of the Daily Thoughts. Gandhi responded by writing his name five times, employing a different script for each inscription. The resulting page is not merely a collection of autographs, but a single, consciously conceived manuscript that brings together five linguistic traditions through the hand of one of India’s most influential figures.

Each inscription evokes a distinct aspect of Gandhi’s life and public philosophy. The Gujarati signature recalls his mother tongue and the language in which many of his most personal writings were composed. The Hindi inscription reflects his advocacy of a widely accessible national language, while the Urdu rendering recalls his lifelong commitment to Hindu–Muslim unity and the shared cultural traditions of the subcontinent. The Tamil inscription extends this vision towards southern India, a region of profound importance in Gandhi’s political awakening and national work. The English signature represents the language through which he addressed an international audience and articulated India’s aspirations to the wider world.

Particularly significant is the date, written in Devanagari numerals as २२-२-४५, corresponding to 22 February 1945. It places the leaf within the period during which Gandhi was composing his daily spiritual reflections for Hingorani and establishes a direct material connection with the larger A Thought for the Day archive.

Multilingual autograph material of this nature is notably uncommon. Most surviving Gandhi signatures occur in a single language or script; here, five authentic autograph inscriptions are deliberately united upon one sheet. Collectively, they embody Gandhi’s belief in unity amid diversity and his ability to communicate across linguistic, religious and regional boundaries.

More than an autograph page, the present work is a resonant artifact of India’s cultural heritage. Through the simplicity of Gandhi’s handwritten name, repeated across five scripts, it captures his linguistic breadth, his inclusive conception of the nation, and the enduring universality of his legacy.

This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as a reference for the condition of each lot.

A remarkable autograph page inscribed and signed by Mahatma Gandhi in multiple languages and scripts, including:

• मो. क. गांधी (Mo. K. Gandhi) – Hindi / Devanagari
• મો. ક. ગાંિ (Mo. K. Gandhi) – Gujarati
• மோ. க. காந்தி (Mo. K. Gandhi) – Tamil
• م۔ ک۔ گاندھی (M. K. Gandhi ) - Urdu
• M K Gandhi – English (Roman script)
and dated in Devanagari numerals • २२-२-४५ (22-2-45), corresponding to 22 February 1945.
Autograph inscriptions in ink on a pink page.

ONE SIGNATURE, FIVE LANGUAGES: Gandhi and the Idea of India

Few figures of the twentieth century embodied India’s linguistic diversity as completely as Mahatma Gandhi. Throughout his life, he wrote, spoke and published in several languages, notably Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu and English, while also engaging closely with the languages and communities of southern India. The present autograph leaf offers an exceptionally rare and visually compelling expression of that multilingual world.

Knowing Gandhi’s familiarity with Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil and English, Anand T. Hingorani respectfully requested that he inscribe his name in each language upon one of the individual sheets of handmade paper that Hingorani regularly sent him for the composition of the Daily Thoughts. Gandhi responded by writing his name five times, employing a different script for each inscription. The resulting page is not merely a collection of autographs, but a single, consciously conceived manuscript that brings together five linguistic traditions through the hand of one of India’s most influential figures.

Each inscription evokes a distinct aspect of Gandhi’s life and public philosophy. The Gujarati signature recalls his mother tongue and the language in which many of his most personal writings were composed. The Hindi inscription reflects his advocacy of a widely accessible national language, while the Urdu rendering recalls his lifelong commitment to Hindu–Muslim unity and the shared cultural traditions of the subcontinent. The Tamil inscription extends this vision towards southern India, a region of profound importance in Gandhi’s political awakening and national work. The English signature represents the language through which he addressed an international audience and articulated India’s aspirations to the wider world.

Particularly significant is the date, written in Devanagari numerals as २२-२-४५, corresponding to 22 February 1945. It places the leaf within the period during which Gandhi was composing his daily spiritual reflections for Hingorani and establishes a direct material connection with the larger A Thought for the Day archive.

Multilingual autograph material of this nature is notably uncommon. Most surviving Gandhi signatures occur in a single language or script; here, five authentic autograph inscriptions are deliberately united upon one sheet. Collectively, they embody Gandhi’s belief in unity amid diversity and his ability to communicate across linguistic, religious and regional boundaries.

More than an autograph page, the present work is a resonant artifact of India’s cultural heritage. Through the simplicity of Gandhi’s handwritten name, repeated across five scripts, it captures his linguistic breadth, his inclusive conception of the nation, and the enduring universality of his legacy.

This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as a reference for the condition of each lot.