Dadabhai Naoroji, dotingly known as the "Grand Old Man of India" is considered as the originator who laid the foundation of the India’s freedom struggle. He was born on September 4, 1825 to a poor Parsi family in Bombay. His father, Naoroji Palanji Dordi, died when Dadabhai Naoroji was only four years old and was raised by his mother Maneckbai. Although, she was an illiterate herself, she made sure that Dadabhai Naoroji got the best English education possible. As a student Dadabhai was very bright and excelled in English and Mathematics. He studied at Elphinstone Institution, Bombay and after completion of his education he was appointed as the Head Native Assistant teacher at the Elphinstone Institution. At the age of 27, he became a professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the same institute. He was the first Indian to become a professor of the college.
In the year, 1852 Dadabhai Nauroji entered the political scrimmage and strongly opposed the rekindling of lease to the East India Company in 1853. He sent petitions to the English government in this regard however, the British government ignored his pleas and renewed the lease. He then felt that the British misrule of India was because of ignorance of the Indian people and owing to this, he set up the Gyan Prasarak Mandali (Society for Promotion of Knowledge) for the education of adult menfolk. He wrote several petitions to Governors and Viceroys regarding the issues of India and at last he felt that the British people and the British Parliament must be made aware of troubles India was facing. In the year 1855, at the age of 30 he sailed for England.
In England, he joined several learned societies, delivered numerous speeches and wrote articles on the scrape of India. On December 1st, 1866, he founded the East Indian Association, which comprised of high-ranking officers from India and people who had access to Members of the British Parliament. Dadabhai Naoroji was elected to the British Parliament in 1892 from Central Finsbury as the Liberal party candidate. He got a resolution passed in the British Parliament for holding preliminary examinations for the I.C.S. in India and England, at the same time. He also joined the Wiley Commission, which was the royal commission on India expenditure, to identify the need for even distribution of administrative and military expenditure between India and England.
Dadabhai Naoroji was influential in the establishment of the Indian National Congress founded by A.O. Hume in 1885. He was elected to the post of the President of the Indian National Congress, thrice in 1886, 1893 and in 1906, respectively. During his third term, he vetoed a gash between moderates and extremists in the party. The demand for Swaraj (self-rule) by Congress was first expressed openly by him in his presidential address in 1906. Dadabhai Naoroji believed in non-violent and constitutional methods of protest and on June 30, 1917, at the age of 92 he breathed his last.
In the year, 1852 Dadabhai Nauroji entered the political scrimmage and strongly opposed the rekindling of lease to the East India Company in 1853. He sent petitions to the English government in this regard however, the British government ignored his pleas and renewed the lease. He then felt that the British misrule of India was because of ignorance of the Indian people and owing to this, he set up the Gyan Prasarak Mandali (Society for Promotion of Knowledge) for the education of adult menfolk. He wrote several petitions to Governors and Viceroys regarding the issues of India and at last he felt that the British people and the British Parliament must be made aware of troubles India was facing. In the year 1855, at the age of 30 he sailed for England.
In England, he joined several learned societies, delivered numerous speeches and wrote articles on the scrape of India. On December 1st, 1866, he founded the East Indian Association, which comprised of high-ranking officers from India and people who had access to Members of the British Parliament. Dadabhai Naoroji was elected to the British Parliament in 1892 from Central Finsbury as the Liberal party candidate. He got a resolution passed in the British Parliament for holding preliminary examinations for the I.C.S. in India and England, at the same time. He also joined the Wiley Commission, which was the royal commission on India expenditure, to identify the need for even distribution of administrative and military expenditure between India and England.
Dadabhai Naoroji was influential in the establishment of the Indian National Congress founded by A.O. Hume in 1885. He was elected to the post of the President of the Indian National Congress, thrice in 1886, 1893 and in 1906, respectively. During his third term, he vetoed a gash between moderates and extremists in the party. The demand for Swaraj (self-rule) by Congress was first expressed openly by him in his presidential address in 1906. Dadabhai Naoroji believed in non-violent and constitutional methods of protest and on June 30, 1917, at the age of 92 he breathed his last.