Nonviolence refers to a general philosophy of

abstention from violence because of moral or

religious principle. The term "nonviolence" is

often linked with or even used as a synonym for

pacifism; however, the two concepts are

fundamentally different. Pacifism denotes the

rejection of the use of violence as a personal

decision on moral or spiritual grounds, but does

not inherently imply any inclination toward

change on a sociopolitical level.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. 2 October 1869– 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement. Pioneering the use of non-violent resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience and freedom that he called satyagraha, he founded his doctrine of nonviolent protest to achieve political and social progress based upon ahimsa, or total nonviolence for which he is internationally renowned.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 –April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Right Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. King has become a national icon in the history of modern American liberalism.

César Estrada Chávez March 31, 1927 –April 23, 1993) was an American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW). César Chavez's campaigns of nonviolence in the 1960s to protest the treatment of farm workers in California.

Mangal Pandey(19 July 1827 – 8 April 1857) was a sepoy in the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) of the English East India Company. He is widely known in India as one of its first freedom fighters. The Indian government has issued an Indian Postage Stamp to commemorate him as a distinguished freedom fighter. Beyond that his life and actions have also been adapted to the silver screen.

Ramachandra Pandurang Tope (1814 – 18 April 1859), popularly known as Tatya Tope was an Indian leader in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and one of its finest generals. He was a personal adherent of Nana Sahib of Kanpur. He progressed with the Gwalior contingent after the British reoccupation of Kanpur and forced General Windham to retreat from Kanpur. Later on, he came to the rescue of Rani Laxmi Bai.

Violence is defined by the World Health

Organization as the intentional use of

physical force or power, threatened or

actual, against oneself, another person, or

against a group or community, that either

results in or has a high likelihood of resulting

in injury, death, psychological harm, me

development or deprivation. This definition

associates intentionality with the committing

of the act itself, irrespective of the outcome it

produces.

Annie Besant, 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a prominent British Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator and supporter of Irish and Indian self rule. She then became a prominent speaker for the National Secular Society (NCS) and writer and a close friend of Charles Brad laugh. In 1877 they were prosecuted for publishing a book by birth control campaigner Charles Knowlton. The scandal made them famous and Brad laugh was elected Member of Parliament for Northampton in 1880.

Lala Lajpat Rai (28 January 1865 – 17 November 1928, was an Indian author, freedom fighter and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for freedom from the British Raj. He was also associated with activities of Punjab National Bank and Lakshmi Insurance Company in their early stages. He sustained serious injuries by the police when leading a non-violent protest against the Simon Commission and died less than three weeks later. His death anniversary (November 17) is one of several days celebrated as Martyrs' Day in India.

Bipin Chandra Pal November 7, 1858 - May 20, 1932 was an Indian nationalist. He was among the triumvirate of Lal Bal Pal. Bipin Chandra Pal was a teacher, journalist, orator, writer and librarian, he was famous as one of the triumvirate of three militant patriots of the Congresses - the "Pal" of Lal Bal Pal. The trio was responsible for initiating the first popular upsurge against British colonial policy in the 1905 partition of Bengal, before the advent of Gandhi into Indian politics. Pal was also the founder of the journal Bande Mataram.

Bhagat Singh, 28 September 1907– 23 March 1931was an Indian nationalist considered to be one of the most influential revolutionaries of the Indian independence movement. He is often referred to as Shaheed Bhagat Singh, the word Shaheed meaning "martyr" in a number of Indian languages.

Lokmanya Tilak 23 July 1856(1856-07-23)–1 August 1920(1920-08-01) (aged 64), was an Indian nationalist, teacher, social reformer, lawyer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement. The British colonial authorities derogatorily called him "Father of the Indian unrest Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of "Swaraj" (self-rule)and a strong radical in Indian consciousness. His famous quote, "swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!" is well-remembered in India even today.