The rapid expansion of English education and the formation of different political and apolitical organisation in India brought about a qualitative change in Indian politics by the 1870s. Increasing political awareness made more and more people eager to actively participate in nationalist politics. At the same time the national interests of groups and regions, were definitely taking a firm hold of the popular imagination. Existing organisations like the British Indian Association with an elitist character and outlook could hardly cope with the changing situation.
The need of the hour, which had evolved through the years of experiment in politics, since Rmmohan, was an organization with broader social and regional base and more dynamic goals.
It was this situation which led to the foundation of the India league in 1875. Although Sambhu Chandra Mukherjee, editor of Mookherjee's Magazine became its president, the moving spirit behind the League was Sisir Kumar Ghosh, editor of the Amrita Bazar Patrika, a bitter critic of the British Indian Association for its undemocratic constitution and narrow class interests. The league was intended as a deliberate challenge to the British Indian Association.
The Indian League changed the class character of the British Indian Association in respect of its members which contain middle class and even the masses and to stimulate nationalism among them. Some of its distinguished members were Surendranath Banerjee, Ananada Mohan Bose, and Manmohan Ghosh complained of the high-handedness of League's President Sambhu Chandra Mukherjee and left the league.They formed an organisation known as Indian Association in 1876.
The birth of this association evidently opened a new era in Indian nationalist movement.
The Indian Association was established at a crowded meeting held in the Albert Hall, Calcutta, on 26 July, 1876. Surnedranath Banerjee, Ananda Mohan Bose, Dwarakanath Gangulee, Sibnath Shastri were among those who were primarily promoted the organization.
The main intention of the organization was to promote unity among all section of Indian people including Muslims.The composition of the first executive committee of the Association unmistakably shows that in tune with the primary aim of its founders it was overwhelmingly representative of the rising generation of English-Educated middle-class intelligentsia . By 1888, there were branches of the Association in many Bengal districts as also in outside Bengal such as Lahore, Ferozepur, Allahabad and Assam.
The need of the hour, which had evolved through the years of experiment in politics, since Rmmohan, was an organization with broader social and regional base and more dynamic goals.
It was this situation which led to the foundation of the India league in 1875. Although Sambhu Chandra Mukherjee, editor of Mookherjee's Magazine became its president, the moving spirit behind the League was Sisir Kumar Ghosh, editor of the Amrita Bazar Patrika, a bitter critic of the British Indian Association for its undemocratic constitution and narrow class interests. The league was intended as a deliberate challenge to the British Indian Association.
The Indian League changed the class character of the British Indian Association in respect of its members which contain middle class and even the masses and to stimulate nationalism among them. Some of its distinguished members were Surendranath Banerjee, Ananada Mohan Bose, and Manmohan Ghosh complained of the high-handedness of League's President Sambhu Chandra Mukherjee and left the league.They formed an organisation known as Indian Association in 1876. The birth of this association evidently opened a new era in Indian nationalist movement.
The Indian Association was established at a crowded meeting held in the Albert Hall, Calcutta, on 26 July, 1876. Surnedranath Banerjee, Ananda Mohan Bose, Dwarakanath Gangulee, Sibnath Shastri were among those who were primarily promoted the organization.
The main intention of the organization was to promote unity among all section of Indian people including Muslims.The composition of the first executive committee of the Association unmistakably shows that in tune with the primary aim of its founders it was overwhelmingly representative of the rising generation of English-Educated middle-class intelligentsia . By 1888, there were branches of the Association in many Bengal districts as also in outside Bengal such as Lahore, Ferozepur, Allahabad and Assam.
Ananda Mohan Bose
