Bal Gangadhar Tilak Biography and Works.

Born on July 22, 1856, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was universally recognized as the Father of Indian Unrest. One of the prime architects of modem India, he heralded Asian nationalism. However, his philosophy could not survive after his death as India came under sway of Mahatma Gandhi.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a brilliant politician as well as a profound scholar. He believed that independence is the foremost necessity for the well being of a nation. He was the first intellectual leader to understand the importance of mass support and subsequently became the first mass leader of India.

Tilak realized that the constitutional agitation in itself was futile against the British. He soon realized that India was ill-prepared for an armed revolt.

Tilak is often misinterpreted; perhaps, it is so because of his style of operation. His way of doing things raised bitter controversies. Many blame Tilak for opposing the Age of Consent Bill, which raised the age limit for marriage of girls to 12 from ten years. But at the same time, he had signed a counter-proposal where in one of the clauses was that the girls should not be married until they are 16 and boys until they are 20.

He died on 1 August 1920 in Mumbai.

Trivia

He educated all his daughters and did not marry them till they were over 16. There are instances when he privately paid for the education of women. Still it remains true that he was a reactionary and did not use his considerable influence to give a much-needed support to the social reformists.