200th Birth Anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji

Current Context : India celebrated the 200th birth anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji, also known as the “Grand Old Man of India”.

ABOUT DADABHAI NAOROJI (1825–1917)

SOCIAL REFORM

• Founded Literary and Scientific Society (1848) – established 6 girls’ schools by 1849.
• Founded Rast Goftar newspaper to spread reformist ideas.
• Co-founded Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha (1851) to reform Parsi society.

ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS

• Drain of Wealth Theory – exposed how British drained India’s wealth.
• Writings: Poverty of India (1876), Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901).
• Raised India’s economic exploitation in forums like East India Association.

POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

• Moderate Leader – believed in petitions, prayers, peaceful methods.
• Founded London Indian Society (1865) and East India Association (1866).
• First Indian MP in British Parliament (Liberal Party, Finsbury Central, 1892).
• As INC President (1906) – declared Swaraj (Self-Government) as Congress goal.
• Mentored leaders like Tilak, Gokhale, Gandhi.