Page 59 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

by common people were published and it soon became the talk
of the town.
Simultaneously, he organized lot of debate competitions and
obviously the topics would range from Politics to Independence.
These were so popular that people used to take half day leave to
listen to the eloquent speakers.
Tilak was clear that the sowing of the ideas or the inculcating
the belief starts from the childhood. It was here he realized
that when the children are going to the schools run by the
British the ethos and value system imbibed on the young
mind is that of slavery. The history, which was taught, or the
explanation or narration of an event discussed otherwise also in
an environment was one sided and favoring the establishment
in totality. Looking at this problem and preparing the future
generation to join this fight for SWARAJ, he started Deccan
Education Society imparting the national curriculum. This
ensured that the idea of Swaraj was properly positioned in the
minds of the future generation. Was Tilak a great advertiser as
well writing a script, showing path towards Independent India?
A true Visionary for sure. Not for nothing did Nehru called him
“Father of Indian Revolution”.

Not only this but he wrote articles advocating some of the
cases of revolutionaries and called for SWARAJ and he was
arrested for sedition and jailed. This case caught the attention of
even the British Media. The British media called him “Father
of Unrest in India “. After his jail term he helped form the ALL
INDIA HOME RULE LEAGUE (1916-18).
Finances

The non-cooperation movement which was started long after
Tilak era has some sowings done by him. During the time of
Tilak, lot of dependence was on the British goods and India
was paying heavily for importing them.

He gave a call for “ATMANIRBHAR “way back in 1900,
The “CROWD FUNDING” which we hear of today was
conceived and executed by the visionary Tilak through Paisa
Fund. This was for manufacturing of goods in India. This led
to the establishment of the Glass Factory in Talegaon with this
57 Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata