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Gopal Krishna Gokhale

(1866 – 1915) – (Maharashtra)

Gopal Krishna Gokhale (Aged 49) was born on May 9, 1866. He was an Indian liberal political leader and a social reformer who actively participated in the Indian Independence Movement. Gokhale played a significant role as a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and the founder of the Servants of India Society. Through the Congress and other legislative bodies, he campaigned for Indian self-rule and social reforms.

Gokhale led the moderate faction of the Congress party, advocating reforms through working with existing government institutions. He was one of the first generations of Indians to receive a university education and graduated from Elphinstone College in 1884. Gokhale was greatly influenced by the social works of Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade. His education exposed him to Western political thought, and he became an admirer of theorists such as John Stuart Mill and Edmund Burke.

Throughout his life, Gokhale fought for greater political representation and power for common Indians. He was moderate in his views and attitudes and sought to petition the British authorities through dialogue and discussion to yield greater British respect for Indian rights.

Gokhale and Tilak were both front-ranking political leaders in the early 20th century, but they had different ideologies. While Gokhale was viewed as a well-meaning man of moderate disposition, Tilak was a radical who would not resist using force to attain freedom. Gokhale played a leading role in bringing about the Morley-Minto Reforms, the beginning of constitutional reforms in India.

Gokhale was a scholar, social reformer, and statesman, arguably the greatest Indian liberal. VG Kale has provided an account of the economic reforms pursued by Gokhale in the Viceroy’s Legislative Council and outside till 1916. Gokhale was famously a mentor to Mahatma Gandhi in the latter’s formative years. He passed away on February 19, 1915.