---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: India is less manly under the British…"
description: "\"India is less manly under the British rule than she ever was before.\" — Mahatma Gandhi"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/mahatma-gandhi-23_british_india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-ru_2321564.jpg"
---

#  India is less manly under the British rule than she ever…

![“India is less manly under the British rule than she ever was before.” quote by Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/mahatma-gandhi-23_british_india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-ru_2321564.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/mahatma-gandhi-23_british_india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-ru_2321564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/mahatma-gandhi-23_british_india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-ru_2321564.jpg)

> “India is less manly under the British rule than she ever was before.”

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

British colonial rule weakened India's traditional masculine virtues, eroding self‑reliance and collective pride.

**In simple terms:** British rule reduced India's traditional strength.

Key Takeaway

Reclaim cultural confidence and self‑reliance.

Themes

identity colonialism masculinity nationalism self‑esteem

Mood

defiant reflective

Type

political historical

When to use this quote

- social movements
- education reform
- community building
- political activism

Key Concepts

cultural erosion masculine ideals colonial impact

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies rebuild confidence after oppression?
- What alternative strengths can be valued beyond masculinity?

A Different Perspective

The statement overlooks women's contributions and non‑masculine forms of strength.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-rule/) [English language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-language/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Manly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manly/)

## Related quotes

> [Christianity in India is inextricably mixed up for the last hundred and fifty years with the British rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/christianity-in-india-is-inextricably-mixed-up-for-the-last-hundred/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The collectors of revenue and the policeman are the only symbols by which millions in India's villages know British rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-collectors-of-revenue-and-the-policeman-are-the-only-symbols-by/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I claim to have been a lifelong and wholly disinterested friend of the British people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-claim-to-have-been-a-lifelong-and-wholly-disinterested-friend-of/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Civilization is not an incurable disease, but it should never be forgotten that the English people are at present afflicted by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civilization-is-not-an-incurable-disease-but-it-should-never-be/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The builders of the British Indian Empire have patiently built its four pillars-the European interests, the army, the Indian princes and the communal divisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-builders-of-the-british-indian-empire-have-patiently-built-its/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [That I want to destroy British imperialism is another matter, but I want to do so by converting those who are associated with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/that-i-want-to-destroy-british-imperialism-is-another-matter-but-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The Britisher is the top dog and the Indian the underdog in his own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-britisher-is-the-top-dog-and-the-indian-the-underdog-in-his-own/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Englishmen must learn to be Brahmins, not banias.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/englishmen-must-learn-to-be-brahmins-not-banias/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [To get rid of the infatuation for English is one of the essentials of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/to-get-rid-of-the-infatuation-for-english-is-one-of-the-essentials-of/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I must fight unto the death the unholy attempt to impose British methods and British institutions on India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-must-fight-unto-the-death-the-unholy-attempt-to-impose-british/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The Indian struggle is not anti-British, it is anti-exploitation, anti-foreign rule, not anti-foreigners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-indian-struggle-is-not-anti-british-it-is-anti-exploitation-anti/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [My love of the British is equal to that of my own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-love-of-the-british-is-equal-to-that-of-my-own-people/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Personally I crave not for 'independence', which I do not understand, but I long for freedom from the English yoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/personally-i-crave-not-for-independence-which-i-do-not-understand-but/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [My attitude towards the British is one of utter friendliness and respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-attitude-towards-the-british-is-one-of-utter-friendliness-and/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

## More by Mahatma Gandhi

> [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Religions are not for separating men from one another, they are meant to bind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/religions-are-not-for-separating-men-from-one-another-they-are-meant/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“It was only in South Africa that I got over this shyness, though I never completely overcame it. It was impossible for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-only-in-south-africa-that-i-got-over-this-shyness-though-i/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“Where there is life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/where-there-is-life/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [If it was wrong to seek God in a stone, how was it right to seek Him in a book called the Gita, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-it-was-wrong-to-seek-god-in-a-stone-how-was-it-right-to-seek-him/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spirit-of-democracy-cannot-be-established-in-the-midst-of/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-not-the-lord-and-master-of-all-creation-but-he-is-its/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

[Explore all 3,284 Mahatma Gandhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

## More British quotes

> [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/)

[Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/)

> [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/)

[Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/)

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/)

[Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/)

> [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/)

[Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/)

> [I always wanted to make a 'James Bond' film, and they only seemed to hire British directors, and I'd made 'Swingers' - they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-always-wanted-to-make-a-james-bond-film-and-they-only-seemed-to/)

[Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/)

> [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/)

[Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/)

> [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/)

[Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/)

> [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/)

[Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/)

> [Although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-i-don-t-have-anything-against-people-from-other-countries/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It could be my British need for discipline that makes me admire the American appetite for freedom and passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/it-could-be-my-british-need-for-discipline-that-makes-me-admire-the/)

[Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/)

> [While we like to think queueing is unique to British culture, the truth is that we are mere amateurs. The old Soviet Union turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/while-we-like-to-think-queueing-is-unique-to-british-culture-the/)

[Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/)

> [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [The whole nuclear-arms-control and non-proliferation policy of the nuclear powers is a fraud: The Americans could not prevent the Soviets from replicating their weaponry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/the-whole-nuclear-arms-control-and-non-proliferation-policy-of-the/)

[Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/)

> [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/)

[Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/)

[Browse all 3,149 British quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "India is less manly under the British rule than she ever was before.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mahatma Gandhi"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-rule-than-she-ever-was-before/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "British"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-rule-than-she-ever-was-before/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/mahatma-gandhi-23_british_india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-ru_2321564.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/mahatma-gandhi-23_british_india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-ru_2321564.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/mahatma-gandhi-23_british_india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-ru_2321564.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“India is less manly under the British rule than she ever was before.” — Mahatma Gandhi",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mahatma Gandhi",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "India is less manly under the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-rule-than-she-ever-was-before/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/india-is-less-manly-under-the-british-rule-than-she-ever-was-before/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
