Kanu Gandhi, a second cousin of Mahatma Gandhi, was born in 1917. Initially he wanted to become a doctor, but that changed when he became involved with the Indian independence movement at the age of fifteen. Under the inspirational leadership of Mahatma Gandhi this organization sought to win independence from British colonial rule. Kanu went to work as a typist and personal assistant to his uncle. Because he had direct access to this political leader, his colleagues urged him to photograph his life. He began doing so in 1938, with Gandhi's permission. Gandhi did lay down two conditions: he would not have to pose, and no flash would be used in the photographing. He also insisted that the photographs not be paid for by the independence movement. Kanu financed his reportage through the photographs he sold to newspapers in ever increasing numbers. With his wife Abha he grew into one of Gandhi's most important confidants. The bond only deepened after the death of Gandhi's wife in 1944. After the assassination attempt in 1948, Mahatma Gandhi died in Abha's arms. At that moment, Kanu was working on a reportage in what later was to become Bangladesh. For the rest of their lives, Kanu and Abha remained fervent adherents of Gandhi's philosophy. Kanu continued to photograph sporadically from 1948 to his death in 1986.

Saleem Arif Quadri (India/Great Britain, 1949), a British painter and photographer, met Abha Gandhi in 1992 during a study trip to India, the land of his birth. She showed him her husband's photo albums, partly eaten by white ants. They appeared to be full of intimate, affectionate photographs of the greatest historic importance. Using new prints, in 1995 Quadri assembled the exhibition KANU GANDHI'S MAHATMA (1938-1946). Abha Gandhi died shortly before the opening.

Courtesy The Kanu Gandhi Estate