What did Gandhi say before dying

The exact words Mahatma Gandhi spoke before dying remain somewhat disputed, though the most widely accepted account is that he uttered "Hey Ram" (or "Hē Rām") when he was shot. On January 30, 1948, as Gandhi was walking to a prayer meeting at Birla House in New Delhi, Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who opposed Gandhi's conciliatory approach toward Muslims and Pakistan, fired three shots at point-blank range into Gandhi's chest and abdomen. According to many witnesses present, including his granddaughter Abha Gandhi and others close to him, Gandhi's final words were "Hey Ram" (Oh Ram or Oh God), invoking the Hindu deity Rama as he collapsed. This account has been repeated in numerous historical records, though some historians note that the exact words are difficult to verify with absolute certainty given the chaos of the moment.

The utterance of "Hey Ram" has deep significance in Hindu tradition as it represents both a prayer and an invocation of God at the moment of death, which is considered spiritually auspicious. The phrase became iconic and is inscribed on Gandhi's memorial at Raj Ghat in Delhi. However, some historians and witnesses have questioned whether Gandhi actually said these words or if they have been attributed to him posthumously to create a more spiritually meaningful narrative. Regardless of the historical debate, "Hey Ram" has become inseparably associated with Gandhi's martyrdom and represents his lifelong devotion to God and truth. Before these final moments, Gandhi's last conscious acts included preparing for his evening prayer meeting and greeting the crowd gathering to hear him speak—he was continuing his daily practice of public prayer and teaching even in the final moments before his assassination, embodying his commitment to service and spiritual practice until the very end.