Dadabhai Naoroji laid the intellectual and economic foundation of Indian nationalism by exposing Britain’s colonial exploitation of India, transforming the freedom struggle into a data-driven political movement.

About Dadabhai Naoroji

• Early Life: He was born in 1825 in Bombay into a modest Parsi family and pursued work and studies simultaneously, reflecting determination and self-discipline.
• First Indian Professor: He became the first Indian professor at Elphinstone College, thereby breaking the racial monopoly of Europeans over academic positions.
• Social Reformer: He founded the newspaper Rast Goftar (Truth Teller) in 1851 to advocate women’s education and progressive social reforms across all religious communities.

Economic Nationalism – The Drain of Wealth Theory

• Data-backed Argument: He was the first Indian to use empirical data and economic statistics to prove that Britain was enriching itself through India’s resources.
• Core Thesis: He argued that British rule resulted in a systematic “Drain of Wealth,” which made India progressively poorer while making England richer.
• Mechanisms of Drain: He exposed how India’s wealth was siphoned through Home Charges (pensions, salaries, and administrative costs paid in London), financing British wars abroad, and a biased trade system—cheap raw exports and costly imports—creating a persistent economic imbalance.
  • Impact: His economic analysis gave nationalism a rational and intellectual foundation, earning him the title “Father of Indian Economic Nationalism.”

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His Political Achievements & Legacy

• First Demand for Swaraj: As President of the Indian National Congress in 1906, he formally demanded Swaraj (Self-Rule) for the first time, making self-government the goal of the freedom movement.
• First Indian MP in British Parliament: He was elected as the Member of Parliament from Central Finsbury (London) in 1892, where he used parliamentary debates to challenge the British Empire’s exploitation of India.
• Mentor and Ideological Influence: He deeply influenced future leaders — Tilak transformed his idea of Swaraj into a mass movement, while Gandhi imbibed his moral vision of truth and justice in politics.
• Modern Relevance: His Drain of Wealth theory continues to be referenced in present-day debates on colonial reparations and historical accountability.

Conclusion

Dadabhai Naoroji ideas laid the foundation of the Indian independence movement and continues to shape debates on colonial accountability.

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