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200th Birth Anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji

Posted 04 Oct 2025

Updated 08 Oct 2025

3 min read

Article Summary

Article Summary

Celebrated on his 200th birth anniversary, Naoroji was a pioneering leader, social reformer, economist, and politician who promoted education, nationalism, and economic critique of British policies in India.

The below image is of Dadabhai Naoroji.

Why in the News?

Recently, the 200th Birth Anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji was celebrated across the nation.

About Dadabhai Naoroji (1825–1917) 

  • He was an Indian scholar, trader and politician.
  • He was known as the "Grand Old Man of India" and "Unofficial Ambassador of India". 
  • He was a founding member and three time president of the Indian National Congress (in 1886, 1893, and 1906).
    • In 1906, He was elected as president of the Congress in order to bridge the differences between moderates and extremists.
  • He became the first Indian to be appointed as Professor at Elphinstone and taught in the special classes held for the spread of women's education.
  • In 1855, he left for London to join a business. He became Professor of Gujarati at University College London.
  • In 1875, he was elected a Member of the Municipal Corporation, Bombay 

Key Contributions of Dadabhai Naoroji

  • Social Reform
    • Promoted Women's Education: Founded the Student Literary and Scientific Society (1848), which established 6 schools for girls by 1849.
    • Spread reformist ideas: Founded Rast Goftar newspaper, Co-founded Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha (1851) to reform Parsi society.
  • Economic
    • Drain of Wealth Theory: Highlighted how British policies drained India's wealth through taxation, salaries, pensions, and remittances.
    • Major Literary works: Poverty of India, Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
      • His efforts led to appointment of a Royal Commission, the Welby Commission (Chairman), to enquire into the financial policy of the India Government. (Dadabhai Naoroji was a member)
      • He also started a newspaper called 'Voice of India'.
  • Political
    • Moderate leader: He was a firm believer in Parliamentary democracy and advocated constitutional and peaceful methods like petitions, prayers, and protests.
    • Founded:  The London Indian Society in 1865 and the East India Association in 1866.
    • First Indian MP in British Parliament: Elected for the Liberal Party in Finsbury Central at the 1892 general election.
    • Mentorship: Naoroji played a crucial role in mentoring future INC leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Ethical
    • He expounded the need for purity in thought, speech and action in his book 'The Duties of the Zoroastrians'.
  • Education:
    • Universalization of Elementary Education: The first effective step in introducing compulsory Primary Education was taken by Dadabhai Naoroji.
      • He, along with Jyotiba Phule, put forward the demand for four years of compulsory primary education before the Indian Education Commission (Hunter Commission) in 1882.

Conclusion

Dadabhai Naoroji was a pioneering nationalist who combined social reform, economic critique, and political action to lay the foundations of India's freedom struggle. His Drain of Wealth theory and advocacy of Swaraj gave a clear direction to nationalist aspirations. Even today, his vision of equity, education, and self-governance continues to inspire India's democratic and developmental journey.

  • Tags :
  • Drain of Wealth Theory
  • Dadabhai Naoroji
  • Grand Old Man of India
  • Student Literary and Scientific Society
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