Residence of Dadabhai Naoroji, who became UK’s first Indian MP in 1892, has been commemorated with a blue plaque, where he lived around the 20th century. Dubbed as the ‘grand old man of India’ and described in his Times obituary as ‘the father of Indian nationalism’, Naoroji spent over three decades in London. It is believed, he is celebrated with a blue plaque to mark the 75th anniversary of Indian independence.
Born on 4 September 1825 in Navsari into a Gujarati-speaking Parsi family and educated at the Elphinstone College in Mumbai and became the first Indian to be made a professor there in 1854. He founded a reforming newspaper, Rast Goftar, in 1851; the following year he was among the founder-members of the Bombay Association, which was a focus for grievances against British rule. He was patronised by the Maharaja of Baroda, Sayajirao Gaekwad III and started his career life as Dewan (Minister) to the Maharaja in 1874
In 1886, after a string of political roles in India, Naoroji returned to London to stand for Parliament in the general election as Liberal candidate for Holborn. Despite the endorsement of Florence Nightingale, among others, he was defeated in this strongly Tory constituency. He came back into the national spotlight nearly two years later, though Prime Minister Lord Salisbury referred to his last contest as evidence that the time had not come when ‘a British constituency would elect a black man’.
Elected for the Liberal party in Finsbury Central at the 1892 general election, he was Britain's first Indian MP. He refused to take the oath on the Bible as he was Zorostrian, so was allowed to take the oath of office in the name of God on his copy of the Khordeh Avesta. During his time he put his efforts towards improving the situation in India. He had a very clear vision and was an effective communicator. He 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 Parliament, he spoke on Irish Home Rule and the condition of the Indian people. He was also a notable Freemason.
In 1906, Naoroji was re-elected president of the Indian National Congress. Naoroji was a staunch moderate within the Congress, during the phase when opinion in the party was split between the moderates and extremists. Such was the respect commanded by him that assertive nationalists could not oppose his candidature and the rift was avoided for the time being. Naoroji was a mentor to bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Mahatma Gandhi.
He was married to Gulbai at the age of 11. Naoroji spent seven spells in England, five of them in London, and over three decades in the capital all told, living at and working from a succession of addresses. He also travelled widely within the UK to air his views about British rule in India.
Naoroji returned to India in 1907 and died in Mumbai in on 30 June 1917.
In August 1897 Naoroji moved to Washington House, 72 Anerley Park, Penge, at a time when he was increasingly moving towards 'Poorna Swaraj' (full independence) for India. Naoroji left the address in 1904 or 1905, making it his longest-standing London residence.
Washington House stood as an important centre for the Indian community in London, during Naoroji's stay. Fellow Indian nationalists Romesh Chunder Dutt and Sister Nivedita are known to have been guests at the house.
Photo courtesy: English Heritage
