Lokmanya Tilak (A Biography)

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This biography of Lokmanya tilak was written in collaboration by Prof. A.K. Bhagwat and Prof. G.P. Pradhan in 1956 the birth centenary year of lokmanya bal gangadhar tilak. The book was awarded a prize in the all India competition held under the auspices of the all India congress committee. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan had written the foreword to this biography.

Late Prof. A.K. bhagwat was and eminent teacher of English literature he taught in wilingdon college sangli and later on in the arts commerce and science writing of the Gandhian thinker acharya S.J bhagwat for the national book trust India.

Prof. G.P pradhan is a freedom fighter who suffered imprisonment in the quit india movement in 1942 he taught English in ferguson college and latter on warked in the socialist party. He was an active member of the legislative council for almost two decades and later became the honorary editor of sahana weekly Porf. Pradhan has written seven books in English and nineteen books in Marathi. He has written on gandhiji Dr. ambedkar as well as on India’s freedom struggle.

This biography of Lokmanya Tilak by Slid A. K. Bhagwat and Shri G. P. Pradhan is a valuable addition to the literature on this subject available in English.

There are different sides to Tilak’s life of which the most prominent is his political contribution. He gave the dynamic message to us that” Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it”. His force of character, moral conviction and the courage to stand up and suffer for the cause of India’s freedom are brought out vividly in this volume. Tilak’s patriotism was a blend of political, moral and religious strands.

Tilak was not only a political leader but also a great scholar and journalist. His mind had a comprehensive sweep embracing ancient literature and modern science. He illuminated every subject he took up.

Tilak had faith in the validity and relevance of the ancient ideals of this country to modern life. His monumental work, the Gita Rahasya is a testimony to it. At a time when there is a great deal of insecurity and aimless drift in spite of frantic activity; he sneaks to us of the need for inward discipline and compassion for man.

I have no doubt that this book will reveal to the readers the universality of Tilak’s mind and essential faith in what one may call the family of man.

It is sometimes disturbing to think afresh of the idols of one’s early years. A discovery of the unknown facets of their personalities and also of their limitations make one doubt the validity of every judgment of one’s past. We began studying Lokmanya Tilak’s life and work with a similar misgiving however, the multi-splendoured personality of Tilak, both as an individual and as a leader, was so absorbing that till the end we were oblivious of our initial apprehensions. During the days of our work we could recreate for ourselves the intellectual and political climate of the age of Tilak. We would cherish the memory of these days as one of the most exhilarating in our lives.

The competition sponsored by the All-India Congress Committee on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak’s birth centenary celebrations prompted us to undertake the writing of this book. We were singularly fortunate in having the guidance of the late Acharya S. D. Javadekar, a political philosopher of modern Maharashtra. He stimulated our minds, corrected some of our judgments, and helped us evolve a perspective on Tilak and his times.

The writing of this book was a labour, of love, which was made lighter and sweeter through the help of a number of persons. Of these we can only mention the following few to whom our grateful thanks are due.

Professors S. S. Murdeshwar, M. D. Hatkanaglekar, A. B. Shah and Shri G. M. Karmarkar helped us to finalize the manuscript. Shrimati Malavika Pradhan and Shrimati Meera Bhagwat stood by us throughout the strenuous period of our work. Shri J. H. Shah of jaico publishing house undertook the printing of the book and brought it our on time. We are indebted to the university of pona for the grant in aid of Rs 500 towards the cost of this book.

No word are adequate to express our sense of gratitude to Dr. S radhakrishnan Who in spite of his multifarious activities wrote a foreword to this book.