As the nation commemorates Tilak's 168th birth anniversary, we reflect on his profound influence on the independence movement and his contributions as a reformer

In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to the Nellore district marked a significant moment in India’s freedom movement.  He inaugurated the Satyagraha Ashram in Pallepadu and delivered significant speeches at the Town Hall and V.R. College. At the Rebala Lakshmi Narasa Reddy Town Hall, he unveiled a portrait of his political mentor, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, emphasizing Tilak’s profound patriotism and leadership, which galvanized the freedom movement. Gandhi extolled Tilak’s legacy, invoking the ideals of “Swaraj” (self-rule) and characterizing the Non-Cooperation Movement as an act of ‘self-purification.’ He urged contributions to the ‘Tilak Swaraj Fund’, established in 1920, to support educational institutions, Khadi promotion, and Swadeshi efforts. It was a successful mobilized mission.July 23, 2024, marked the 168th birth anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, also revered as “Lokmanya” and “The Lion of Maharashtra”.

This is for his dual role, as a freedom fighter and social reformer. His impact has also been underscored by notable figures, such as British journalist Valentine Chirol who termed him “the father of Indian unrest,” while, Jawaharlal Nehru hailed him as “the father of the Indian revolution” and Mahatma Gandhi recognized him as “the Maker of Modern India.” A distinguished Sanskrit scholar and thinker, Tilak was also a visionary leader. Sri Aurobindo, in his collection of Tilak’s writings and speeches, emphasized Tilak’s transformative influence on the Indian National Congress, reshaping it from its occidental characteristics to embrace mass participation in the freedom struggle.

In “The Intellectual Biography of Bal Gangadhar Tilak” published in the ‘Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science’, Raj Hans Ojha, contends that “The story of Tilak is the story of India’s Swaraj, of the Indian National Congress, coming to its adulthood, and of the rise of Indian masses for the first time in quest of ‘Home Rule’ and ‘Independence’.”  Lokmanya Tilak believed that “Swaraj is the foundation and not the height of our future prosperity. We have to build a new nation, develop a new character, live the principles, which we advocate, faith in spiritual values, love of country and tolerance for views from which we differ.’Tilak’s intellectual contributions were many. His works such as, “The Orion or Research into The Antiquity of The Vedas” (1893) and “The Arctic Home of Vedas” (1901), complemented his political activism. Despite his devotion to independence, he expressed a preference for academia, a path cut short by his untimely death on August 1, 1920, at age 64. His educational contributions are equally noteworthy.

He co-founded institutions like the ‘New English School’, the ‘Deccan Society for Education’, and ‘Fergusson College’, and presented a comprehensive educational blueprint to the Hunter Commission (1882 & 1919). Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a strategist, transcending the roles of an idealist and philosopher, and his multifaceted contributions continue to resonate in India’s historical and educational landscape.As a formidable journalist, Tilak was renowned for his fearless and impartial stance in his weekly publication, ‘Kesari’. He championed a rigorous approach to journalism, asserting that ‘Kesari’ would boldly address all issues, resisting the prevailing trend of appeasing the British and embodying its namesake’s courage. Bal Gangadhar Tilak also leveraged his paper ‘Mahratha’to Advocate for the People, drawing upon Hindu scriptures and the Bhagavad Gita to support his arguments.

His profound contributions as a patriot, scholar, and politician had a significant impact on Mahatma Gandhi, who, in a March 4, 1905, article, lauded Lokmanya’s scholarship, particularly his astronomical findings that traced Indian scriptures to over 10,000 years old, recognizing him as a luminary whose intellectual influence extended beyond national borders.Bal Gangadhar Tilak was imprisoned in 1908. He strongly believed that “There are higher powers that rule the destiny of things and it may be the will of providence that the cause I represent may prosper more by my suffering than by my remaining free.” Gandhi and Tilak had great mutual respect for one another.

In his reflections in The Indian Opinion, Gandhi praised Tilak for his readiness to endure suffering for the cause of India’s freedom. While they were ideologically different in their thoughts and actions, both Lokmanya Tilak and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi fought for one cause, which was ‘freedom’. Mahatma Gandhi maintained a profound respect for Tilak’s contributions and acknowledged his unparalleled influence and the reverence he commanded among the masses. In his tributes and public statements, Gandhi consistently lauded Tilak’s selfless service, burning patriotism, and magnetic leadership. Tilak’s mantra, “Swaraj is our birthright, and I shall have it”, resonated deeply with Mahatma Gandhi, who adapted it to his philosophy of truth and non-violence, and thus, Tilak’s assertive nationalism blended with Gandhi’s principles of peaceful resistance. Mahadev Desai, recalls Mahatma Gandhi’s views on Lokmanya Tilak, which he expressed on 24 July 1934 at Cawnpore (Kanpur today), in one of the meetings. Mahatma Gandhi said: “If Tilak Maharaj taught us that ‘swaraj is our birthright,’ he also taught us that ‘selfless service’ is the key to win it. Selfless service may have been in existence before Tilak came, but he was who systematized it.” Tilak’s life was a demonstration of this great ideal of Karma Yoga.

(The writer is Programme Executive, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti; views are personal)