Dadabhai Naoroji (1825–1917)
- Context: Dadabhai Naoroji, widely known as the “Grand Old Man of India,” passed away on June 30, 1917, in Bombay. His death anniversary is commemorated annually to honor his foundational role in the Indian freedom struggle and his pioneering economic theories.
- Dadabhai Naoroji was a famous Indian nationalist, economist, social reformer, educationist, and scholar. He was also the first Indian to become a Member of the British Parliament.
Early Life and Education
- Born on 4 September 1825 in Bombay (some sources mention Navsari) in a middle-class Parsi family.
- Studied at the Elphinstone Institute, where he was an excellent student, especially in Mathematics and English.
- Became the first Indian Professor at Elphinstone College, marking an important step in modern Indian education.
Contributions to the Indian Freedom Movement
Economic Contributions
- Proposed the Drain of Wealth Theory, which explained that British rule was making India poor by taking away its wealth through: Salaries of British officials, Pensions, Money sent to Britain
-
- Wrote important books:
- Poverty and Un-British Rule in India
- Poverty of India
- His efforts led to the formation of the Welby Commission (1895) to examine India’s financial burden, and he served as one of its members.
- Promoted economic nationalism, which later inspired the Swadeshi Movement and the idea of self-reliance.
Political Contributions
-
- One of the founding members of the Indian National Congress (INC).
- Served as INC President three times:1886,1893,1906
-
- In 1892, became the first Indian elected to the British Parliament, representing Central Finsbury as a Liberal Party candidate.
- Supported self-government (Swaraj) through constitutional and democratic methods.
- Helped maintain unity between the Moderates and Extremists in the INC.
- Presided over the 1906 Calcutta Session, where Swaraj was officially accepted as the national goal.
- Guided future national leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Mahatma Gandhi.
Social Reforms
- Strong supporter of women’s education and helped organise special classes for girls at Elphinstone.
- Started the Rast Goftar, a Gujarati newspaper that promoted social reform.
- Co-founded the Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha (1851) to reform Parsi society.
- Along with Jyotiba Phule, gave recommendations to the Hunter Commission (1882) for introducing compulsory primary education.
Institution Building
-
- Founded important organisations to spread awareness about India’s issues in Britain:
- London Indian Society (1865)
- East India Association (1866)
- These organisations later supported the activities of the Indian National Congress and helped present India’s concerns internationally.
Important Facts
- Known as the “Grand Old Man of India.”
- Also called the “Unofficial Ambassador of India” because he represented India’s interests in Britain.
- Taught Gujarati at University College London, becoming one of the first Indians to do so.
- Among the first economists to study poverty in India using facts and statistical data.
- His 1906 INC Presidential Address was the first to officially declare “Swaraj” (self-rule) as the goal of the Indian National Congress.
