7 best about Dadabhai Naoroji, the Grand Old Man of India

Dadabhai Naoroji was an Indian political leader and merchant. He also served as President of the Indian National Congress in 1886, 1893, and 1906. From 1892 to 1895, Naoroji also served as a Member of Parliament in the UK from Finsbury Central constituency representing the Liberal Party. He is also known as the “Grand Old Man of India” and “Unofficial Ambassador of India”. He proposed the theory of the “drain of wealth” in his essay in the book “Poverty of India Bombay” published in 1876 and later in the book “Poverty and Un-British Rule in India” published in 1901.

Dadabhai Naoroji’s Birth and Education

Dadabhai Naoroji was born on 4 September 1825 in Navsari into a Gujarati-speaking Parsi Zoroastrian family. He received his education from Elphinstone Institute School in Bombay. Later in December 1855, he was appointed as Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the same Elphinstone College.

In 1874 under the patronage of Maharaja of Baroda, Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Dadabhai Naoroji was appointed as Dewan of Baroda.

Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha

In August 1851 Naoroji founded the Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha (Guides on the Mazdayasne Path). The objective of the Sabha was to restore the Zoroastrian religion to its original purity and simplicity. The Sabha was influential amongst the Parsi Zoroastrian community.

Newspaper

In 1854, Naoroji also founded a Gujarati fortnightly publication, the “Rast Goftar” (The Truth Teller) and sometime later published another newspaper called “The Voice of India”.

London Indian Society and East India Association

Naoroji was an influential merchant and most of his business was centered in London. In 1865, he launched the London Indian Society, intending to discuss Indian political, social, and literary subjects. Two years later in 1867, he also helped to establish the East India Association.

Dadabhai Naoroji as Congress President

Naoroji was equally popular amongst the Indian political leaders. He served as President of the Indian National Congress in 1886, 1893, and 1906.

Dadabhai Naoroji as the first British Indian Member of Parliament

In 1892 General Elections in the UK, Dadabhai Naoroji contested from the Liberal Party from Finsbury Central in Central London and successfully won the election. Thus, he was the first British Indian Member of Parliament in UK.

Books and Essays

Naoroji wrote several books and essays. Most of these were related to economics and economy in India. Soem of these were:

• The wants and means of India (London, 1876)
• Condition of India (Madras, 1882)
• Poverty of India Bombay, Ranima Union Press (1876).
• Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (London, 1901)

In July 1870, Naoroji delivered a paper titled “The Wants and Means of India” at the Society of Arts in London, UK. He calculated the GDP of India and showcased the data on poverty in India. He calculated the amount of public spending that is required in India. He took the base year as 1870-71 and calculated the GDP to be £168 million and £200 million if opium, salt, and forest products were included. In “The Wants and Means of India”, Naoroji pioneered economic comparisons between India and other countries, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom

Source: https://cmsadmin.amritmahotsav.nic.in/district-reopsitory-detail.htm?13326

Book “Poverty of India”

In 1876, Dadabhai Naoroji published essays in a book titled, “Poverty of India”. He pointed out that, the economic drain is the main cause of the impoverishment of India. According to him, it had a direct loss of wealth and physical transfer of national produce. It also led to the loss of employment and income that would have been generated within India.

Book “Poverty and Un-British Rule in India“

The book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India was written by Dadabhai Naoroji and published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co. in London in 1901. The book elaborates on the “drain of wealth” theory propounded by Dadabhai Naoroji.

Check out MCQs on Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.

Dadabhai Naoroji Nickname

Dadabhai Naoroji is one of the earliest nationalist political leaders who contributed towards the betterment of India. He is known as the “Grand Old Man of India” and “Unofficial Ambassador of India”. While in the UK, he worked for the cause of India and politically spread the undoing of the British government.

Death

Dadabhai Naoroji died in Bombay on 30 June 1917, at the age of 91.