Who was Lokmanya Tilak?

About Lokmanya Tilak:

• 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".
• Organisations:
  • He joined the Indian National Congress Party in 1890.
  • He also helped found the All India Home Rule League in 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.
• Literary works:
  • 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.
• Educationist:
  • Tilak believed in the power of education and established the Deccan Education Society in Pune in 1884.
  • The society founded Fergusson College and the New English School, which played crucial roles in promoting modern education in Maharashtra.
  • Tilak taught mathematics at Fergusson College.
• Social Reform: Lokmanya Tilak was also an advocate of social reform. He actively supported the eradication of social evils like untouchability and child marriage and promoted education for women.
• Lal-Bal-Pal: He had popular leaders such as Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Raias his political companions, and the three were popularly known as the ‘Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate.’
• Imprisonments: He was arrested for sedition on multiple occasions. His most prolonged incarceration lasted from 1908 to 1914, during which he wrote the famous book "Gita Rahasya" (The Secret of the Bhagavad Gita).
• In 1916, he concluded the Lucknow Pact with Mohammed Ali Jinnah, which provided for Hindu-Muslim unity in the nationalist struggle.

Q1: What was the Home Rule Movement?

The Home Rule Movement in India marked a crucial milestone in the liberation struggle. It was India’s response to the First World War. From 1916 to 1918, the movement gained momentum throughout the country. Prominent leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Annie Besant, G.S. Khaparde, Sir S. Subramania Iyer, Joseph Baptista, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah came together. They recognised the need for a year-round national alliance. Their primary objective was to demand self-government or home rule for the entirety of India within the framework of the British Commonwealth. This alliance was to be known as the All India Home Rule League, drawing inspiration from the Irish Home Rule League.

Source: PM Modi pays tribute to Lokmanya Tilak on birth anniversary