THE GRAND OLD MAN OF INDIA - DADABHAI NAOROJI

 

DADABHAI NAOROJI, THE FIRST ASIAN TO BE THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN UNITED KINGDOM HOUSE OF COMMONS, THE OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR OF INDIA, THE FOUNDING MEMBER OF INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IS POPULARLY RECALLED AS THE 'GRAND OLD MAN OF INDIA'.  HE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TITLE PREDOMINANTLY BECAUSE OF HIS IMMENSE CONTRIBUTION TO INDIA'S FREEDOM STRUGGLE AGAINST THE BRITISH RAJ.

DADABHAI NAOROJI WAS THE FIRST MAN TO SAY THAT INTERNAL FACTORS WERE NOT THE REASONS OF POVERTY IN INDIA BUT POVERTY WAS CAUSED BY THE COLONIAL RULE THAT WAS DRAINING THE WEALTH AND PROSPERITY OF INDIA. HIS BOOK 'POVERTY AND UN-BRITISH RULE IN INDIA' BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE INDIAN WEALTH DRAIN INTO BRITAIN.  IN IT HE EXPLAINED HIS WEALTH DRAIN THEORY WHERE HE SAID BRITAIN WAS DRAINING AND BLEEDING INDIA AND THE RESOURCES IN INDIA NEARLY ONE-FOUTH GOES OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND IS ADDED TO THE RESOURCES OF ENGLAND.  HE ARGUED IF THIS AMOUNT WAS NOT DRAINED AWAY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INVESTED IN INDIA AND INCREASED THE PEOPLE'S INCOME.  

HE ARGUED THAT THE MONEY EARNED IN INDIA SHOULD STAY IN INDIA, TRIBUTES WOULD BE PAID WITHOUT FEAR OF POVERTY AND THIS COULD BE DONE BY GIVING EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIAN PROFESSIONALS .  INDIAN LABOUR WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO SPEND THEIR INCOME WITHIN INDIA.  TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF DRAIN IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ALLOW INDIA TO DEVELOP INDUSTIRES AND THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE IF REVENUE OF INDIA IS NOT DRAINED INTO ENGLAND.  BY ALLOWING INDUSTRY TO GROW IN INDIA, TRIBUTE COULD BE PAID TO BRITAIN IN THE FORM OF TAXATION AND THE INCREASE IN INTEREST FOR BRITISH GOODS IN INDIA

TODAY  THE DADABHAI NAOROJI ROAD, A HERITAGE ROAD OF MUMBAI IS NAMED AFTER HIM.  ALSO THE DADABHAI NAOROJI ROAD IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN IS ALSO NAMED AFTER HIM AS WELL, AS NAOROJI STREET IN THE FINSBURY AREA OF LONDON.  A PROMINENT RESIDENTIAL COLONY FOR CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SERVANTS IN THE SOUTH OF DELHI IS ALSO NAMED AS NAOROJI NAGAR.