Raja Rammohan Roy –

In 1828,founded Brahmo sabha which was later renamed as Brahmo Samaj.

Main teaching of Brahmo Samaj
 Monotheism(Belief in one God) He was against the rigidity of caste
system
 Started campaign for the abolition of sati and purdah system,
condemned polygamy, discouraged child marriage and advocated the
right of widows to remarry.
 It was because of his efforts sati was legally banned in 1829 by Lord
William Bentinck
 Known as ‘Father of Indian Renaissance and the prophet of Indian
Nationalism’.
 In 1814,started Atmiya Sabha and carried on persistent struggle against
idol worship and meaningless religious rituals.
 To raise the status of women,he demanded that they be given the right
to in heritance and property.
 Started a bengali weekly called the ‘samwad kaumudi’ in 1821. •
Started a paper in persian called ‘Mirat-ulAkhbar’
 Wrote a book ‘Gift to Monothesis’

Jyotiba Phule
Upliftment of Untouchables
In 1854 established a school for untouchables Founded Satya Sodhak Samaj in
1873
 Wrote many books like ‘Tales of Untouchables’
 Wrote famous book ‘Ghulamgiri’ to describe the hardships and distress
felt by the lower castes.

Upliftment of Women

 In 1851, Jyotiba Phule along with his wife started one of the first girls
school in Pune.
 In 1854 started private orphanage for widows.
 Pioneered widow remarriage movement in Maharashtra and worked for
the education of women
Role of the Press
  Amrit Bazar Patrika,The Bengali,The Tribune,The pioneer,The Times of
India,The Hindu and the statesman in English
• It was through press the message of patriotism and modern ideas of
liberty, equality, home rule and independence spread among people.
 Carried on daily criticism of unjust policies of British Government
 Exposed the true nature of British
 Made possible the exchange of views among different social groups
 Made Indians aware of what was happening in the world.

Precursors of Indian National Congress

 East India Association: It was founded in London in 1866 by Dada bhai

Naoroji. He was the opinion that the British were basically just and
good. He wanted to place the true state of affairs in India before people
of England so that the grievances of Indians may be removed.
 Indian Association 1876: it was headed by surendranath Banerjee. The
Association had lawyers, professionals and educated middle class as its
members.

Formation of INC

 Initiative taken by A.O.Hume , a retired British member of Indian Civil

Service.
 Wrote letters to graduates of calcutta University to dedicate themselves
to service of people by forming a union to organise a well-defined
course of action.
 In 1884 Hume, in consultation with the Indian leaders laid the
foundation of Indian National Union
 First session in Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College from dec 2831,1885. •
On the suggestion of Dada bhai Naoroji the name of union was changed
to Indian National Congress
 Lord Dufferin was also in favour for formation of Indian National
Congress because it would act as safety-valve for popular discontent,
thereby safeguarding the British rule in India.

Objectives of Early Nationalists

 Self-Government within British Empire
 To educate people in India in modern politics •
  To arouse a national political consciousness
 To create a united public opinion
 To influence the British government and the British public.

Methods of Early Nationalists

 Held meetings
 Speeches were made
 Resolutions for popular demands were passed
 Made use of Press to criticise government policies
 Sent memorandums and petitions to government officials Second set of methods
 Three P’s – Petitions, Prayers and Protests
 British Committee of the Indian National Congress was setup in London in 1889.
 Deputations of Indian leaders were sent to Britain.
 Published a weekly journal, India’, to present India’s case before the British Public.

Contributions of Dadabhai Naoroji

 India’s unofficial Ambassador

 In 1865, he founded the London India Society in collaboration with W.C. Bonnerjee to
publicize grievances of Indians
 First Indian to become member of the British House of Commons
 It was due to his efforts that in 1893 the house of commons passed a resolution in favour of
holding I.C.S. examination In England and India simultaneously.
 In 1866, he founded the East India Association in London.

Role in the Congress

 Played an active role in the formation of INC and elected its President thrice, in 1893,1896
and 1906.
 Resolutions on self-government, Boycott, Swadeshi and National Education were passed by
the congress under his Presidentship.(1906) •
 The credit of demanding Swaraj from the congress platform for the first time (1906) goes to
him.
 His views on Indian economy are given in his work ‘Poverty and Un-British Rule in India’.
 His famous ‘Drain theory’ explained how India’s wealth was being ‘drained’ to England
through various ways.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

 Known as Grand Old man of India’

 He founded the Bombay Association
 He edited the newspaper ‘Rast Goftar’(Speaker of Truth) •
  He started a magazine ‘Dharma Marg darshak’

Contributions of Gopal Krishna Gokhale

 Persuaded the British for reforms

 Criticised the government on issues such as :
a) Incurring huge expenditure on the British army
b) Adopting the policy of racial discrimination in appointment to high posts
c) Imposing production tax on cotton Other Reforms
 He played an important role in the passage of Minto-Morley Reforms.
 He also served as a member of the Indian Public Service Commission and urged it to increase
the share of Indians in higher services.
 Founded Servants of India society Gokhale setup the Servants of India Society in 1905 to
train national leaders who would dedicate themselves to the service of India.
 Role as Member of Imperial Legislative Council
a) Pleaded for reduction in salt duty and the abolition of excise duty on cotton goods
b) His relentless efforts led to the reduction in toll tax
c) Tried to introduce a bill to make elementary education compulsory but could not achieve
much success
d) Impressed upon government to reduce land revenue Gokhale and Gandhiji

(IMPORTANT) why he was called Political Guru of Gandhiji

• Gokhale went to South Africa where he helped Gandhiji in his fight against racial
discrimination.

• The credit of persuading Gandhiji to return to India and join public life also goes to gokhale.
Infact, Ganhiji accepted Gokhale as his ‘political mentor’.

Contributions of Surendranath Banerjee

 Established the Indian association in 1876 to educate people, to create strong public opinion
and to arouse political consciousness and unity.
 Created an All-India Political Organisation Indian National Conference which merged with
INC in 1886 3. Political ideas
 Edited a newspaper, Bengalee
 His book, Nation in the Making gives an account of his political concern.
 Started agitation against Arms Act, Vernacular Press Act and against lowering the
maximum age for appearing in ICS Examination from 21 to 19.
 Opposed Minto-Morley Reforms and Partition of Bengal. Additional Contribution of
Surendranath Banerjee
 He set up his own school which later developed to Ripon college. • Got elected to Calcutta
corporation and remained its member for 2 decades.
 First Indian to qualify for the Indian Civil service examination.

• Popularly known as Father of Indian Nationalism.

 ASSERTIVE NATIONALISTC
Contributions of Bal Gangadhar Tilak
 Demand for Swaraj – Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.
 Organised akharas and lathi clubs where physical training was imparted.
 Preached Nationalism promoted Shivaji and Ganapati festival to propogate nationalist
 Two newspapers – Mahratta ( English) and kesari(Marathi)
 Two books – the Gita Rahasya and The Arctic Home of the Vedas.
 Established Home Rule league and its headquarters was setup in Pune in 1916.
 (IMPORANT) Why Tilak is called “Forerunner of Gandhiji”?
a) Tilak’s idea of swaraj was akin to Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of complete independence.
b) Tilak sought close contact with the masses as Mahatma Gandhi did.
c) Tilak preached the idea of Swadeshi, Boycott and prohibition.These ideas were preached and
followed by mahatma Gandhi.
d) Tilak had to suffer several terms of imprisonment for sake of the country, an example
followed by Mahatma Gandhi and other nationalist leaders.
 Known as ‘Father of the Assertive Nationalism’
 Founded Poona New English School • Deccan Education Society was founded by him under
Justice Ranade’s guidance
 The society setup many educational institutions including famous Fergusson College at Pune.

Contribution of Bipin Chandra Pal(1858-1932)

 Role as Journalist – worked for Bengal public opinion
 Newspaper The Tribune and New India to proagate nationalism.
 Social and Economic reforms :-
a) opposed caste system .
b) advocated widow remarriage
c) educating women
d) preached use of swadeshi and boycott of foreign goods
e) Known as ‘Father of Revolutionary Thought in India’.

Contributions of Lala Lajpat Rai

 An Educationist and a forceful writer – Started Monthly Magazine ‘Young India’.
 Publications – The call to young India, England’s Debt to India and The Political Future of
India.
 Newspaper – Punjabi, Vande Mataram (Urdu daily) and People (English weekly)
 Book – National Education.
 A social reformer • Expansion 0f D.A.V. College at lahore. • Opened orphanages, hospitals
and schools. • Setup Servants of the Peoples society for welfare of downtrodden and
outcastes. 5. Political work outside India • 1914 – joined Ghadar Party in America. • Died
while protesting against simon commission . ‘Lathi blows inflicted on me would prove some
day as nails in the coffin of the British Empire’. Additional contribution of Lala Lajpat Rai •
Popularly known as ‘Punjab Kesari’ or ‘Sher-ePunjab’. • In 1920 became the first President of
All India Trade Union Congress