Gopal Krishna Gokhale was
born on May 9, 1866. He was one of the most prominent leaders in Indian
National Congress at the time of independence. He was also one of the founding
social and political leaders during the Indian Independence Movement and
started ‘Servants of India’ Society. He was mainly a social reformer. To achieve
the aim of independence, he preached two principles known as non-violence and
reform within existing government institutions that too through non-violence.
Childhood
Gopal Krishna Gokhale was
born in a Chitpavan Brahmin family in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. He
was born to Krishna Rao and Valubai. His family belonged to lower class which
did not have much money to spend even on basic necessities.
Education
Despite of such financial
conditions Gopal’s father sent him to English medium school and he was amongst
the first batch of Indians to be studied in English medium school. After
passing school, he studied in Elphinstone College. Studies brought clarity in
his thinking as he got exposed to western political thoughts.
Career
After the completion of his
studies, he joined a school as a Math teacher and being familiar to English
language he taught without any hesitation. In 1889, Gopal Krishna Gokhale
became a member of the Indian National Congress and started contributing
actively on how to improve lives of Indians. Afterwards, Gokhale moved on to
Pune and became one of the founding members of Fergusson College, along with
his colleagues in Deccan Education Society.
In 1902, Gopal Krishna
Gokhale left the Fergusson College and became a Member of the Imperial
Legislative Council in Delhi itself.
At the End
In 1905, Gokhale started a
new society called "Servants of India Society". There he trained
workers to serve for the mission of expanding education in India. During 1912,
Gokhale joined Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa to improve the lives of minority
Indians there. Gopal Krishna Gokhale was a diabetic and asthmatic patient.
Thus, he served the country to his level best and due to excessive assertion,
it took its toll on Gokhale's health and ultimately he died on February 19,
1915.
