Lokmanya Tilak

Context

• Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to the great Lokmanya Tilak on his Jayanti.

About

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak was an Indian nationalist, teacher, and an independence activist.
• He was one third of the Lal Bal Pal triumvirate.
• Tilak was the first leader of the Indian independence movement.
• The British colonial authorities called him "The father of the Indian unrest."
• He was also conferred with the title of "Lokmanya", which means "accepted by the people (as their leader).
• Mahatma Gandhi called him "The Maker of Modern India".

Political Ideology

• He advocated Rashtriyatva (Nationalism). He joined the Indian National Congress in 1890.
• He belonged to the extremist faction of the Indian National Congress led Independence Movement.
• Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of Swaraj ("self-rule") and a strong radical in Indian consciousness.
• He is known for his quote in Marathi: "Swarajya is my birthright and I shall have it!".

Educationist

• Inspired by Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, he co-founded the New English school for secondary education in 1880 with a few of his college friends, including Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Mahadev Ballal Namjoshi and Vishnushastri Chiplunkar.
• Their goal was to improve the quality of education for India's youth.
• The team would then set up the Deccan Education Society in 1884 to create a new system of education that taught young Indians nationalist ideas through an emphasis on Indian culture.
• The Society established the Fergusson College in 1885 for post-secondary studies. Tilak taught mathematics at Fergusson College.

Freedom Movement

• Following the Partition of Bengal, set out by Lord Curzon, Bal Gangadhar Tilak propagated Swadeshi Movement in 1905 and encouraged people to boycott foreign goods.
• Tilak reunited with his fellow nationalists and rejoined the Indian National Congress during the Lucknow pact 1916.
• Tilak helped found the All India Home Rule League in 1916–18, with G. S. Khaparde and Annie Besant.
• Tilak was impressed by the Russian Revolution, and expressed his admiration for Vladimir Lenin.
• He started his Home Rule League in Maharashtra, Central Provinces, and Karnataka and Berar region. Besant's League was active in the rest part of India.

Religio-Political Views

• Tilak sought to unite the Indian population for mass political action through anti-British and pro-Hindu activism.
• He sought justification in the original principles of the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita.
• He named this call to activism karma-yoga or the yoga of action.
• The events like the Ganapati festival and Shiv Jayanti were used by Tilak to build a national spirit.

Books

• "The Arctic Home in the Vedas",
• "The Orion",
• "Shrimadh Bhagvad Gita Rahasya" in prison at Mandalay.
• ‘Indian Unrest’ written by Valentine Chirol.

Newspapers

• Weeklies Kesari (Marathi)
• Mahratta (English)

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1737984