About
Bal Gangadhar Tilak, born on 23 July 1856 in Ratnagiri and died on 1 September 1920 in Bombay, was a major figure in the Indian independence movement. Trained as a mathematician, he co-founded educational institutions in Pune and launched the newspapers Kesari and The Mahratta to spread his ideas. A member of the Indian National Congress, he led the extremist faction and popularized the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright'. Imprisoned for sedition, he wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita in prison. He worked for the revival of public festivals and the creation of the All India Home Rule League.
* 1856-07-23 — † 1920-09-01
Major works
- The Orion, or Researches into the Antiquity of the Vedas (1893)essay
- The Arctic Home in the Vedas (1903)essay
- Gītārahasya (1915)commentary
Key milestones
- 1881Launches the newspapers Kesari and The Mahratta.
- 1897Imprisoned for sedition for 18 months.
- 1916Co-founds the All India Home Rule League with Annie Besant.
Themes
Indian independenceNationalismInterpretation of ancient textsPolitical actionSocial reform
Sources: britannica.com · oxfordreference.com · oxfordbibliographies.com