33 Facts About Dadabhai Naoroji

Dadabhai Naoroji known as the "Grand Old Man of India" and "Unofficial Ambassador of India", was an Indian political leader, merchant, scholar and writer who served as 2nd, 9th, and 22nd President of the Indian National Congress from 1886 to 1887,1893 to 1894 and 1906 to 1907.

Dadabhai Naoroji was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons, representing Finsbury Central between 1892 and 1895.

Dadabhai Naoroji was the second person of Asian descent to be a British MP, the first being Indian MP David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre, who was disenfranchised for corruption after nine months in office.

Dadabhai Naoroji was a member of the Second International along with Kautsky and Plekhanov.

Dadabhai Naoroji was born in Navsari into a Gujarati-speaking Parsi Zoroastrian family, and educated at the Elphinstone Institute School.

Dadabhai Naoroji's patron was the Maharaja of Baroda, Sayajirao Gaekwad III, and he started his career life as Dewan to the Maharaja in 1874.

In 1861, Dadabhai Naoroji founded The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe alongside Muncherjee Hormusji Cama.

In 1865, Dadabhai Naoroji directed and launched the London Indian Society, the purpose of which was to discuss Indian political, social and literary subjects.

Dadabhai Naoroji was a member of the Indian National Association founded by Sir Surendranath Banerjea from Calcutta a few years before the founding of the Indian National Congress in Bombay, with the same objectives and practices.

Dadabhai Naoroji published Poverty and Un-British Rule in India in 1901.

Dadabhai Naoroji moved to Britain and continued his political involvement.

Dadabhai Naoroji refused to take the oath on the Bible, as he was Zoroastrian.

Dadabhai Naoroji was allowed to take the oath of office in the name of God on his copy of the Khordeh Avesta.

Dadabhai Naoroji had a very clear vision and was an effective communicator.

Dadabhai Naoroji set forth his views about the situation in India over the course of the history of the governance of the country and the way in which the colonial rulers rule.

In 1906, Dadabhai Naoroji was again elected president of the Indian National Congress.

Dadabhai Naoroji was a staunch moderate within the Congress, during the phase when opinion in the party was split between the moderates and extremists.

Dadabhai Naoroji was married to Gulbai at the age of 11.

Dadabhai Naoroji died in Bombay on 30 June 1917, at the age of 91.

Dadabhai Naoroji's work focused on the drain of wealth from India to Britain during the period rule of British rule in India.

One of the reasons that the Drain theory is attributed to Dadabhai Naoroji is his decision to estimate the net national profit of India, and by extension, the effect that colonial rule had on the country.

Dadabhai Naoroji described six factors that resulted in the external drain.

When referring to the drain, Dadabhai Naoroji stated that he believed some tribute was necessary as payment for the services that Britain brought to India such as the newly-constructed railways.

Dadabhai Naoroji explained that Indians would either be British subjects or their slaves, depending on how willing Britain was to give India control over the institutions that Britain presently operated.

Dadabhai Naoroji identified himself as a fellow subject of the Empire and was able to address the economic hardships facing India to a British audience.

Dadabhai Naoroji argued that by allowing the money earned in India to stay in India, tributes would be willingly and easily paid without fear of poverty; he argued that this could be done by giving equal employment opportunities to Indian professionals who were consistently forced to take jobs that they were over-qualified for.

Dadabhai Naoroji found it important to examine Anglo-Indian trade to prevent the premature dissolution of budding industries to unfair valuing of goods and services.

Over time, Dadabhai Naoroji became more inflammatory in his comments as he began to lose patience with Britain over the seemingly lack of progress regarding reforms.

Dadabhai Naoroji rhetorically questioned whether or not the British government would be willing to award French youths all the high ranking posts in the British economy.

Dadabhai Naoroji pointed to historical examples of Britain being opposed to the "wealth drain" concept, including the English objection to the wealth drain to the papacy during the 1500s.

Dadabhai Naoroji's work on the drain theory was the main reason behind the creation of the Royal Commission on Indian Expenditure in 1896 in which he was a member.

Dadabhai Naoroji is regarded as one of the most important Indians during the birth of the nascent independence movement.

Dadabhai Naoroji has been portrayed on commemorative stamps released by India Post -.