The London Indian Society and Prof. Gokhale – Mahatma Gandhi

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Senior Gandhian Scholar, Professor, Editor and Linguist

Gandhi International Study and Research Institute, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

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The London Indian Society and Prof. Gokhale – Mahatma Gandhi

 

Within a short time of his arrival in England, the whole country has been resounding with the speeches of Prof. Gokhale. The London Indian Society gave a dinner in honour of Prof. Gokhale and Dadabhai, the Grand Old Man of India. We give below the gist of Prof. Gokhale’s speech delivered on the occasion, as it is very instructive and deserves careful study. The main point it emphasizes is the spread of education in India. We have already written on the subject in our English Section. We hold that, even in South Africa, we shall not be happy without education. Education is the most potent means to happiness in the modern age. Prof. Gokhale has given 20 years of his life to the Fergusson College for a mere pittance, and is even now serving the country, without trying to amass wealth for himself. Even the monthly income of Rs. 1,000 which he gets as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council, he does not use for himself, but for the country. In the course of his speech, he said: Twenty years ago, when I left the University and began to take an interest in public questions, the National Congress was held for the first time and you (Mr. Bonnerji) were called upon to take the chair on that occasion. Since that time down to the present day you have been active in the service of the country; and even today, though unwell, you are attending this gathering.

The country can never forget the great services rendered by you. I have no wish to make any lengthy speech this evening. What can I say on the Indian question in the presence of two such veteran leaders of our cause as Mr. Dadabhai Naoroji and Mr. Bonnerji? But I cannot help saying a few words to emphasize the lesson we can learn from the speech of Mr. Dadabhai. He has spoken with that over-mastering force of conviction which comes from a life-long and strenuous exertion on behalf of his countrymen. He is the one man in India who is entitled to speak in the terms in which he has addressed us. We of the younger generation have no right to speak as he has spoken. You all know our present condition. I would say that it might deteriorate still further. We must rely mainly upon ourselves. If our aspirations are ever to be fulfilled, we must realize the solemn responsibility which such aspirations impose on us. It is no use merely analyzing the difficulties of the situation, and then sitting still with folded hands. It is for the younger generation to plunge into th e struggle. We need not be afraid though dark clouds threaten us. It is really when times are dark that good men and true are tested. There can be but one issue to this struggle, if only we are true to ourselves. We have to take a lesson from the events happening in Japan and Russia. I think the time has now come when a number of our young men should give up everything in life in order to serve their country.

If all of us are absorbed in our own pursuits, and look after our own interest mostly, we have no right to find fault with others if the condition of the country does not improve. The prime necessity of the country today is education. By education I do not mean the mere rudiments of primary education, but knowledge of our rights, and along with them of our responsibilities and our duties. It is not enough that such education is spread among a handful of us; it has to be spread amongst the crores of our people. How is this to be done? We cannot expect this education to be given to the masses by our rulers. For that we have ourselves to be ready and devote time to it. The number of young men coming forward should steadily increase. We shall have truly honoured Dadabhai if we learn this lesson from his life. It is no use simply praising his numerous virtues his humility, his simplicity, his earnestness, his sacrifice, his selflessness and his tireless hope we should try to emulate them. It should be our aspiration to die for the sake of our country. If a sufficient number of young men come forward to dedicate their lives to the service of the country, no power on earth can keep us back. Only then will the dark clouds hovering over us be dispelled. Only then shall we succeed, India will march forward, our pettiness disappear, our glory shine throughout the world, and the destiny of which we are dreaming today be realized.

 

Reference:

Indian Opinion, 16-12-1905