Page 90 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

National Education to Dispel Misconceptions

Narrow minded notions, like it is our responsibility to get
enough education to do the government job to run our own
family, was prevalent in all strata of the society. There were
a few scholars in the country who claimed that “the British
monarchy is a gift from God. It is because of the British that
we got our nationality. It was because of the British that law
and order was created in this country. It was through the British
rule that advancements like railways and posts were made.”
Therefore, to remove the confusion in the minds of the people
and to empower the common man for the freedom struggle,
Lokamanya decided to focus on national education first.
Lokmanya said, “The initiative taken by Samarth Ramdas to
define or shape national education should be considered. The
great use of education means that a kind of faith, a zeal for
Swadharma and Swadesh should be generated in the minds of
the people. In summary, the nature of education should be such
that men, women, and children of the nation become more and
more knowledgeable and inclined to uplift the nation politically,
socially, religiously and industrially.”
The British had a clear idea that giving national education
would turn the public opinion against the British rule. Therefore,
the British had taken a decision right from the beginning that
the youth educated in these educational institutions would not
get government jobs. But Lokmanya cleverly suppressed the
British opposition by associating senior British officials like
James Fergusson with his educational institution. New English
School was first established in Pune in 1880 as an initiative by
Lokmanya Tilak, Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar and Gopalrao
Agarkar.

To provide a clean place for the students who came to this
school in Moroba Dada Wada, Lokmanya cleaned the land with
his own hands. Lokmanya Tilak and Chiplunkar themselves
stood up to teach the children. The Deccan Education Society
was founded in 1884, followed by the establishment of Fergusson
College. With the support of Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj from
Kolhapur and the acquisition of land from Shirole, a wealthy

Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata 88