Lokmanya Tilak Birth Anniversary:
The Prime Minister recently paid tributes to Lokmanya Tilak on his birth anniversary.
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak, commonly known as Lokmanya Tilak, was a prominent Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, social reformer, and political leader during the Indian independence movement.
- He was one of the prime architects of modern India and probably the strongest advocate of Swaraj, or Self Rule for India.
- He is known for his slogan, “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.”
- He was born as Keshav Gangadhar Tilak,and his followers bequeathed upon him the title of ‘Lokmanya’, meaning he who is revered by the people.
- Extremist: He was considered aradical Nationalist.
- The British Government termed him the “Father of Indian Unrest”.
- He joined the Indian National Congress Party in 1890.
- He also helped found the All India Home Rule Leaguein 1916–18 with G. S. Khaparde and Annie Besant.
- Tilak started his Home Rule League in Maharashtra, Central Provinces, and Karnataka and Berar region.
- Besant’s League was active in the rest of India.
- It aimed to advocate for self-rule and raise public awareness about India’s right to govern itself.
- Tilak was a prolific writer and journalist.
- He used his newspaper, “Kesari” (meaning Lion) in Marathi and later “Maratha” in English, to disseminate nationalist ideas.
- Some of his notable literary works include “The Arctic Home in the Vedas,” where he presented his theory that the Vedas originated in the Arctic region, and “Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Rahasya,” an interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita from a nationalist perspective.
- Tilak believed in the power of education and established the Deccan Education Society in Pune in 1884.
- The society founded Fergusson Collegeand the New English School, which played crucial roles in promoting modern education in Maharashtra.
