Lokmanya Tilak

Lokmanya Tilak was the embodiment of the maratha qualities-a never say die spirit, sacrifice,team work,pragmatism,nationalism ,hard work and a secular culture! Deeply inspired by Shivaji Maharaj and Swami Ramdas Samarth,Tilak was the founder of the nationalist movement in India.At the time of Tilak's birth towards the end of the 19th century,India was astir with the desire to overthrow the British yoke.Rani Laxmibai,Tatya tope,Bahadurshah zafar,Vasudeo balwant phadke,Vivekananda,Bankimchandra chatterjee and others had lit up the fire of Independence. Tilak realized early that if India was to be free,it would have to discard the then prevailing policy of mendicancy and resort to self-reliance! He decided to unite the people by starting the Ganesh and Shivaji festivals in Maharashtra-a state known for its fiercely independent spirit. He gave the slogan of Swaraj-absolute self-determination. He boldly declared-'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it'!
Tilak was no ordinary man-scholar,legal luminary,organizer,philosopher and a statesman. Along with Aurobindo Ghosh,he gave the Congress party which was then dormant and only given to petitioning the British, a revolutionary turn. At the historic Surat Congress in 1907,they decided to split the Congress and give it a militant turn! They were both arrested by the Brirish,Tilak sent to Andaman for 5 years on trumped up charges of sedition and Aurobindo to Alipore for 1 year also on charges of sedition. At the Andaman jail Tilak wrote Gita Rahasya,Orion and many other books.

Tilak's vision of India-self reliance,Indian culture,industrial and rural development,cooperative spirit,unity and a progressive spirit.