Popularly called Lokmanya Tilak, Bal Gangadhar was born in 1856 in Ratnagiri. He was a strong critic of the western education system believing that western education was demeaning to Indian students and disrespectful to the India’s heritage.
He started a Marathi weekly called ‘Kesari’ and also English weekly Mahratta where he highlighted the plight of the Indians and their sufferings under the British rule. He called upon every Indian to fight for his right. He believed in aggressive demands for achieving political rights.
Tilak joined Congress in 1890 and was critical of the moderates, especially towards the fight for the self-government.
Tilak along with other nationalists like Bipin Chandra Pal in Bengal and Lala Lajpat Rai in Punjab opposed the policies of the moderates. These three leaders were fondly remembered as La-Bal-Pal.
In 1907, at Surat Session, the Congress was split into two factions – moderates and radicals. Tilak belonged to the Radical faction of the Congress. In 1908, Tilak was arrested on charges of sedition and sentenced to six years of imprisonment.
In 1916 he decided to build a separate organization called the ‘Home Rule League’ with the objective to attain swaraj. Travelling from village to village, he explained the aim of his league to the people and thus playing a crucial role in making the people aware of their right for self rule and organized them for the future course of the freedom struggle.
He was a great social reformer. He was against the social evils like child marriage and supported widow remarriage. He emphasized the use of swadeshi goods. He was instrumental in opening a big swadeshi market in front of his own house, where only India made goods were sold.
Tilak also authored several books – The Hindu Philosophy of Life, Ethics and Religions, Vedic Chronology, and Vedanga Jyotisha.
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