Role: Unofficial Ambassador of India
Who is called Dadabhai Naoroji?
Dadabhai Naoroji is a notable member in congress. He was selected as the president of Indian National Congress on 1886, 1893 and 1906. He was a great influence to other freedom fighters of Indian Independence movement like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Gopal Krishna Gokhale. He was popularly given the title called “Grand Old Man of India”. Dadabhai is given the title because of him immense effort and selfless act in the Indian freedom struggle.
Dadabhai Naoroji childhood:
Dadabhai was born in a poor Parsi family which was in Bombay on September 4, 1825. His father name was Naoroji Palanji Dordi and he died when he was only 4 years old. Then his mother Maneckbai raised him. Even she was illiterate she made sure Dadabhai to receive best English education.
Education of Dadabhai Naoroji:
Dadabhai was very good in his Mathematics and English. He completed his education from Elphinstone Institution, Bombay. Once he completed his education, he was appointed as the Assistant Master at the Elphinstone Institution. At the age of 27, Dadabhai became the teaching professor at Elphinstone Institution in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.
Dadabhai Naoroji Personal life:
Dadabhai has a strong faith in Zoroastrianism. In his life time he laid foundation to many colleges and institution. He went on preaching about the Parsi faith. He is also a good writer. He wrote about the Parsi faith in a book called “Rast Goftar” which means “The Truth Teller” from the local Gujarati Publications.
At the age of 11, he was married Gulbai. He strongly believed the equal rights of men and women. He always talked about improving the importance of woman education. He disbelieves the act of racial supremacy of the British which was legalized by the Ethnological Society of London.
Dadabhai Naoroji Career Details:
On 1852, Naoroji has become the professor at Elphinstone Institution teaching Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. Next on 1855 becomes the professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy Elphinstone College in Bombay. He opened the first Indian company in London. He was the partner of the company called Cama & Co. On 1959, he was working in University College London as a Gujarati Professor. Later on that year he founded a cotton trading company called Naoroji & Co. The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe was founded by him along with Muncherjee Hormusji Cama. It is a religious, cultural and social organization for Zoroastrians.
Dadabhai Naoroji early days:
During his early days, Bombay was under the British supervision. On August 1, 1851, he founded Rahnumae Mazdayasne Sabha with fulfilling the faith of Zoroastrian to the fullest. On 1855, He was the professor at the Elphinstone College in Bombay as a Professor of Natural Philosophy and Mathematics. That is the first time Indian got a teaching profession in that college.
On the same year he moved to London. He then moves to London and got to open the first Indian Company in England. He always feels that the British is overruling by the India. After that he introduced, Gyan Prasarak Mandali or Society for Promotion of Knowledge of male alone. He starts his political career on 1852.
Dadabhai Naoroji political career:
On 1852, he strongly opposed the East India Company lease renewal. He wrote number of petitions to the English government. Dadabhai Naoroji was a great influence to start the “London Indian Society” in 1865. On the idea to convey Indian perspective to the Britain public he encouraged the opening of ‘East India Association’ in 1867. On 1867, he becomes the minister (dewan) to the maharaja of Baroda State. Thereby he started his public life. Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose founded the Indian National Association on 1876. Dadabhai was the member of the association.
Between 1885 and 1888, he acts as the member of Legislative Council of Mumbai. On 1886, he was selected as the president of Indian National Congress. Then on 1892, was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom. He won the seat by the very narrow margin of 5 votes in the House of Commons as a Liberal Party member from the Finsbury Central constituency. On 1906, he was again elected as the president of Indian National Congress.
Dadabhai Naoroji contribution to literacy:
- On 1864, Dadabhai Naoroji wrote a book called “The Manners and Customs of the Parsees”
- Next on 1866 he wrote a book called The European and Asiatic races. Then on 1868, he wrote another book called Admission of Educated Natives into the Indian Civil Service.
- After that, on 1876, he wrote a book called “The Wants and Means of India”. Then on 1882, he wrote “Condition of India”.
- Next on 1876, he wrote “Poverty of India” book. Then on 1889, he wrote Lord Salisbury’s Blackman in Lucknow.
- After that on 1861, he wrote “The Parsee Religion” from the University of London. Then on 1902 he wrote Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
- This book widely explained how British drained the wealth from India to Britain.
Why “The Grand Old Man of India” Dadabhai Naoroji is given the title?
He got his name because of his great contribution to India’s freedom struggle. His efforts as social reformer ranged beyond the mobility of Indians. Dadabhai “Theory of Drain of Wealth’ shed a light on the British rule in India. Being the President of India, he molded the Indian National Congress to a great extent. Next important declaration by Dadabhai Naoroji is he demanded self-Swaraj to govern India. He holds the key role to introduce the Indian home rule moment later it becomes the non co operation movement. The title was given to him because of his selfless efforts and struggles he made for the citizens of India.
Organizations that Dadabhai Naoroji involved:
- Zoroastrian Association
- National Liberal Club
- National Indian Association
- London Indian Society
- East India Association
Honors and awards of Dadabhai Naoroji:
- To honor him Indian Government had given his name to many places. In south Delhi, Naoroji Nagar has “The Central Government Servants’ Residential Colony.
- Naoroji Street in the Finsbury section of London, the Dadabhai Naoroji Road, in Mumbai and the Dadabhai Naoroji Road in Karachi, Pakistan.
- The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg from the United Kingdom on 2014 has inaugurated the Dadabhai Naoroji Award.
- Indian Post from Ahmedabad has issued a stamp for Dadabhai Naoroji to celebrate his centenary year of his death.
- Dadabhai Naoroji is the first Indian to become the British MP.
Death of Dadabhai Naoroji:
Dadabhai died on 30th of June 1917. He not only fights in his country for the Indian freedom. He also fought in the British parliament as the official member of the parliament.