Leaders

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Bhagat Singh

Chandrasekhar Azad

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Indira Gandhi

Jawaharlal Nehru

Lala Lajpat Rai

Lal Bahadur Shastri

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Rajiv Gandhi

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Sarojini Naidu

Gopal Krishna Gokhale's contribution can be drawn from the fact that leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammad Ali
Jinnah regarded him as their Guru. To know more about Gopal Krishna Gokhale, read the brief biography and profile of
Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
Cultural India : Leaders : Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Born: May 9, 1866 
February: 19, 1915 
Contributions
Gopal Krishna Gokhale was one of the pioneers of the Indian
Independence Movement. Gokhale was a senior leader of the Indian
National Congress. He was one of the most learned men in the
country, a leader of social and political reformists and one of the
earliest and founding leaders of the Indian Independence
Movement. Being one of the first generations of Indians to receive
college education, Gokhale was respected widely in the Indian
intellectual community.

Life
Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born in Kothluk in Ratnagiri District, Maharastra. His parents, Krishna Rao
and Valubai. Gokhale received his early education at Rajaram High School in Kothapur and later, in 1884
moved to Bombay to receive higher education. 

Gokhale was reportedly, one of the first Indians to complete graduation. In 1884, after the completion of
his graduation in arts at the Elphinstone College, Bombay, Gokhale joined as professor of history and
political economy at the Fergusson College, Poona. He remained on the staff, finally as principal, until
1902. Becoming actively identified with the National Congress movement, he was for some years the joint
secretary and in 1905 president at the Benares session. The higher education made Gokhale understand
the importance of liberty, democracy and parliamentary system of the government.

In 1985-86, Gopal Krishna Gokhale met a great scholar and a social reformer Mahadev Govind Ranade.
Ranade was a great leader, judge, scholar and above all social reformer. He regarded Mahadev Govinda
Ranade as his "Guru". Ranade helped Gokhale in establishing the "Servants of India Society" in 1905.
The main objective of this society was to train Indians to raise their voices and serve their country.
Gokhale also worked with Ranade in a quarterly Journal, called "Sarvajanik". The Journal wrote about the
public questions of the day in frank and fearless manner. 

Gokhale was the secretary of the "Reception Committee" of the 1895 Poona session of Indian National
Congress. From this session, Gokhale became a prominent face of the Indian National Congress. For a
while Gokhale was a member of the Bombay Legislative Council where he spoke strongly against the
then Government. 

Gokhale dedicated his life to the advancement of the nation's

welfare. In 1905, Gokhale was sent by the Congress on a special
mission to England to spread India's constitutional demands among
the British leaders. 

Gokhale was instrumental in the formation of the Minto-Morley

Reforms of 1909, which was tabled and eventually transformed into
law. But unfortunately, the Reforms Act became law in 1909 and it
was disappointing to see that despite Gokhale's efforts, the people
were not given a proper democratic system. However, Gokhale's efforts were clearly not in vain. Indians
now had access to seats of the highest authority within the government, and their voices were more
audible in matters of public interest.

Gokhale, during his visit to South Africa in 1912, met Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as
Mahatma Gandhi. Gokhale made him aware of the issues confronting common people back in India. In
his autobiography, Gandhi calls Gokhale his "mentor and guide". Not only Gandhi, Gokhale also guide
Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah later aspired to become the "Muslim Gokhale". 

Death
The years of hard work and devotion of Gopal Krishna Gokhale did immense contribution for the country.
But, unfortunately, excessive exertion and the resulting exhaustion only aggravated his diabetes and
cardiac asthma. The end came peacefully, on February 19, 1915, the great leader passed away.

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