A Short note on Dadabhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji is also known as the ‘Grand Old Man of India’ and worked as an Ambassador of India. He was a great politician, Indian scholar, and trader. Dadabhai Naoroji was the first Indian-Asian to be a British Member of Parliament. Naoroji was also one of the founding partners of the Indian National Congress. His book named ‘Poverty and Un-British Rule in India’ carried an awareness for his theory’ DRAIN OF WEALTH’ from India to Britain. Being an Indian, his ideology and knowledge focused on the worldwide welfare and prosperity of the people.

DadaBhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji was born in Bombay. In 1855, he became a Mathematics Professor at Elphinstone College. He was the first Indian to have such a status. Later, he became a Gujarati professor at the University College London. He was married at the age of eleven to a Gulbai family. 

Today, In Mumbai, Pakistan, roads are named after Dadabhai Naoroji. In the Finsbury area of London, a road was named Naoroji Street,

A major residential settlement for prominent government servants in Delhi was also named Naoroji Nagar. Naoroji’s granddaughters  Khurshedben and Perin were also involved in the freedom movement. In 1930, Khurshedben was halted along with other revolutionaries for endeavouring to hoist the Indian flag at Ahmedabad in a Government College.

Contributions of Dadabhai Naoroji

• He also held a partnership in the first Indian Company named the firm Cama & Co., which was established in Britain.
• In 1874 he began his political career as the Diwan of Maharaja of Baroda.
• In 1856 he formed the London Indian Society to establish his views on Indian social, literary, and political sections.
• In 1867 he founded the East Indian Association to emphasise the Indian points to the British forum. This is the first association that consists of members from different Indian regions. The organisation was appreciated by eminent English people and supported to influence the ideas of Indians in the British Council.
• From 1885  to 1888, he became one of the Legislative Council of Mumbai members.
• In 1885 along with Allan Hume and Dinshaw Wacha, he formed the Indian National Congress.
• Naoroji found it is essential to study Anglo-Indian trade to control the impulsive repeal of developing industries to one-sided valuing of goods and services. By permitting industry to develop, evolve, and grow in India, contributions could be paid to Britain in tax and the increase in Indian interest in British goods. Hence as an Imperial Citizen, he framed out the economic hardships faced by Indian people in front of the British.
• He stated that Indians were either enslaved people or matters of the British, which relied on the importance of Britain’s wish to give the associations already utilised by them to India.
• In 1892 he was elected for the Liberal party in Finsbury Central.
• In 1896, due to his drain theory, a Royal Commission was set up on Indian Expenditures. He became a member of the commission and reviewed the financial responsibilities of India.
• In 1858 he gave statistical data to prove his drain theory in many papers and speeches. He was the first person who used statistics in politics.
• Dadabhai was the Congress President for 1886, 1893, and 1906.
• In 1851 he founded the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha to promote the Zoroastrian religion. This association is still running in Mumbai.
• Dadabhai Naoroji was a moderate leader and had a strong voice over the objection to British policies in India.
• Dadabhai was a mentor to Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Mahatma Gandhi.
• In 2014, Deputy PM of UK, Nick Clegg inaugurated the Dadabhai Naoroji Awards for services to India-United kingdom relations.

Dadabhai Naoroji Works

1. “Poverty and Un-British Rule in India” became a critical book because the book talked about the wealth that was drained during British rule.
2. In 1864, ‘ The Manners and Customs of the Parsees’ (Bombay).
3. He Started the Rast Goftar Anglo-Gujarati Newspaper in 1854.
4. He also delivered Admission to educated natives into the Indian Civil Service (London, 1868).
5. He also wrote The Wants and means of India (London, 1876) and Condition of India (Madras, 1882)

Dadabhai Naoroji will forever be recalled as the intelligent Indian academician and politician who helped India’s motivation in Britain and other countries and one of the triads who co-founded the Indian National Congress. In 1917 at the age of 91, he died in Bombay.

A major residential settlement for prominent government servants in Delhi was also named Naoroji Nagar. Naoroji’s granddaughters Khurshedben and Perin were also involved in the freedom movement. In 1930, Khurshedben was halted along with other revolutionaries for endeavouring to hoist the Indian flag at Ahmedabad in a Government College.

Conclusion

During Dadabhai Naoroji’s administration, his time in the British Parliament, Naoroji articulated India’s wealth drain, the advantages of providing equal employment opportunities to Indians, and the country’s industrialisation. He played a vital role in forming the Indian National Congress and was a member of the Second International. He also worked for the welfare of Indian society for personal reasons. Naoroji is one economist who uplifted the Indian economy through various moves and strategies. Dadabhai had the vision and mission to improve the financial and education sectors worldwide. Thus, he is considered the ‘Unofficial Ambassador of India.’