Context:
Prime Minister recently paid tributes to Tilak on his birth anniversary.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
- A prominent Indian nationalist, freedom fighter and social reformer
- Commonly known as – Lokmanya Tilak
- Born at – Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, 1856
- Known for his slogan “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.”
- An extremist leader who advocated for Swaraj (self-rule) and was one of the first leaders to demand complete independence
- Tilak, along with his political companions Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai were popularly known as the ‘Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate.’
- Termed as the “Father of Indian Unrest” by British
- Death – 1920
Contributions of Tilak:
- Helped found the All India Home Rule League (1916–18) with Annie Besant.
- Tilak took over the leadership of Home Rule League in Maharashtra, Central Provinces, Karnataka and Berar region.
- Established the Deccan Education Society in Pune in 1884.
- The society founded Fergusson College and the New English School in Maharashtra.
- Literary works – Gita Rahasya (The Secret of the Bhagavad Gita), The Arctic Home in the Vedas
- Newspapers – “Kesari” in Marathi language and “Maratha” in English
Source: The Print
Previous Year Question
He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna, stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was:
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) Aurobindo Ghosh
(b) Bipin Chandra Pal
(c) Lala Lajpat Rai
(d) Motilal Nehru
Answer: (c)
