Page 117 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

Lokmanya tiLak-

the educationiSt

Prof. Vipra Tiwari

Shri. Bal Gangadhar promoted National Education for the
nation building. He took initiative to give Swadeshi Education
to the masses to build a movement of Swaraj. He awakened
people for fighting against the British Rule through National
Education.

Context:
It is probably the right time to reflect on how Education -
a large component of Nation building needs to be in tandem
with the demands put forth by immediate and remote contexts.
Tilak’s philosophy on education is a guiding light. What we
teach in the classrooms is what builds the nation in the next
decade. The challenges that the context throws requires a
different approach and different skill set.
Looking back at the time of a freedom struggle the context
in which Tilak introduced the powerful words Swadeshi and
Swaraj it was a grand mass movement. He gave every common
man and identity of being Indian and worthy of being
independent. It is remarkable to note that a concept so and deep
and abstract could be internalised by masses to make an impact
on the British Raj.

His contribution to education system has been magnanimous.
He very timely realised that the education as a principle should
not be controlled by the Government, but private entities. Also,

115 Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata