Page 60 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

corpus. This gave people the confidence and belief that yes, it is
possible and let people think of setting up small scale industries.
On this line itself Tatas started Swadeshi Cooperative
Stores in Mumbai, where only swadeshi goods were available.
Similarly, furthering the chain, fully Indian, Swadeshi Shipping
Company was formed. Way back in first decade of 1900 it was
a big thing as the organized shipping was in a nascent stage
then. Swadeshi Paper mill also started manufacturing paper
thus freeing Indians out of clutches of the Britishers on this
front and not let them control supply of paper and used it as a
tool to control the publications of Nationalist media.
He also had his vision clear about India as an Economic
Superpower, His belief was clear that we are the mass consumers,
and we have the right to control the Economy. We must not be
at the mercy of foreign suppliers.
Had he been alive, we would have attained freedom during
his lifetime. For sure the Socialist Model of Economy that
followed by us might not have happened.
Control

To Change the system, you must be part of the system is what
he followed.

Chelmsford Montagu reforms called for the participation of
Indians in the regional assemblies. Gandhi was opposed to it.
Tilak instead called for responsive cooperation which would
enable Indians to have a say in the Government.

A true leader has lot of followers. Savarkar and Gandhi in
certain cases and many others tried to emulate Lokmanya Tilak.
Thus, we see the typical role of “MANAGEMENT GURU”
played by Tilak. And that too during a time when term
professional management as we see it today was not known to
us!

Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata 58