Page 98 - Swatantrata to Atmanirbharta : Lokmanya Tilak’s legacy

thereafter Deccan Education Society, a society established for
imparting education, running various schools and colleges even
today. This was the beginning of Tilak’s socio-political career in
about 1880. Tilak did not leave any stone unturned in the field
of education and he was elevated from Shri. Bal Gangadhar
Tilak to ‘Lokmanya’ and later worshipped as ‘Tilak Maharaj’.
Political Career

During the journey of his political career, Tilak had to address
variety of crucial issues and socio- political controversies. India
under colonial pressures was struggling in the darkness of
slavery. Leaders like Dadabhai Nowrojee, Bipin Chandra Pal,
Lala Lajpat Rai, Aurobindo Ghosh etc. of Indian National
Congress were active and enthusiastic to incorporate and
promote the beam of freedom for awakening of the society.
Lokmanya Tilak joined the troop of National Congress and
started his activities in many walks of life. His contribution to
education promoted nationalist education inculcating a spirit of
freedom and patriotism. Honour and pride for our ancestors’
history was cultivated in the minds of the students through
Deccan Education Society. The students like Swatantryaveer
Savarkar who toiled for freedom of India for decades and
was the torchbearer of Indian freedom movement hailed from
Ferguson College run by Deccan Education Society.
Lokmanya Tilak’s interactions with Shri. Gopal Ganesh
Agarkar, a colleague and one of the founders of Deccan
Education Society asserted that Tilak always believed that
the pen is mightier than the sword. One day in their college
days, Tilak and Agarkar were engaged in discussions. Shri.
Agarkar praised the essays by their teacher Shri. Vishnushastri
Chiplunkar and said that they should also be prolific writers like
him. Tilak said that anyone can write such essays; one should
make a mark by writing something grand. Tilak remarked
that they should write something which will be a landmark
discourse of the century commenting on the philosophy of life.
This thought process turned out to be true when Shri. Tilak
wrote Geetarahasya, a critical commentary on Shrimad Bhagvad
Geeta while he was imprisoned in Mandalay. Tilak stepped
into the field of journalism by founding Kesari, a newspaper
Swatantrata to Atmanirbharata 96