Servants of India Society and Moderate Nationalism

The Servants of India Society was formed on June 12, 1905, in Pune, Maharashtra, by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Created during the height of the Moderate phase of Indian nationalism, the organization aimed to train national missionaries for the service of India and to promote the true interests of the Indian people through constitutional means. Gokhale believed that political work must be spiritualized and rooted in self-denial, discipline, and systematic social reform. The Society combined the political philosophy of Moderate nationalism with organized, selfless social service to prepare the nation for eventual self-governance.

Foundation and Core Objectives

Gopal Krishna Gokhale established the Servants of India Society alongside prominent associates including N. A. Dravid, A. V. Patwardhan, and G. K. Deodhar. The organization was built on the principle that nation-building required dedicated workers who would give up personal ambition to serve the country full-time.

Primary Mandates of the Society

• Training National Missionaries: The Society recruited young educated Indians and trained them for five years before admitting them as full members.
• Spiritualization of Politics: Gokhale advocated introducing moral principles and selflessness into public life.
• Secular Nation-Building: Members worked for the welfare of all Indians without bias toward caste, creed, or region.
• Constitutional Agitation: The organization rejected violent or illegal methods, prioritizing constitutional petitions, policy studies, and legislative reform.

Key Leaders and Membership Rules

After Gokhale passed away in 1915, V. S. Srinivasa Sastri succeeded him as the president of the Society. Later leaders included Hriday Nath Kunzru and Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar, popularly known as Thakkar Bapa. To join the Society, members had to take strict personal vows. These included living on a minimal allowance provided by the organization, maintaining personal purity, rejecting personal wealth, and treating all Indians as equals. The headquarters remained in Pune, with regional branches operating in Bombay, Madras, Allahabad, and Nagpur.

Major Contributions and Social Work

The Servants of India Society focused heavily on social reforms, tribal welfare, famine relief, and education.

• Publication and Journalism: In 1911, Gokhale launched The Hitavada, an English-language newspaper from Nagpur, to voice the Society’s views on public affairs. The Society also managed the Marathi daily Gyan Prakash.
• Tribal and Depressed Classes Welfare: Thakkar Bapa pioneered organized welfare work among tribal populations (Adivasis) and marginalized communities, establishing schools and hostels.
• Relief Work: Members provided organized aid during famines, epidemics, and floods across various provinces.
• Labor and Social Reforms: N. M. Joshi, an active member of the Society, laid the groundwork for modern trade unionism in India and founded the Social Service League in 1911 and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) in 1920.

Moderate Nationalism and Evolutionary Politics

The Society represented the peak of Moderate nationalist strategy. Moderates believed that British rule had introduced administrative unity and modern education, which could be turned into tools for self-rule through gradual, lawful progress.

Moderate Philosophy vs Extremist Strategy

• Political Goal: Moderates sought dominion status and self-government within the British Empire through constitutional reforms. Extremists demanded complete independence (Swaraj) through direct action.
• Methods: Moderates relied on petitions, resolutions, public speeches, and legislative debates. Extremists adopted boycotts, Swadeshi economic tactics, and passive resistance.
• Social Focus: Moderates believed social reform was necessary before political freedom could succeed. Extremists prioritized political freedom over immediate internal social restructuring.

Comparison: Moderate and Extremist Streams

Connection with Mahatma Gandhi

Gopal Krishna Gokhale was Mahatma Gandhi’s political mentor. When Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915, Gokhale advised him to tour the country for a year to understand local realities before entering active politics. Although Gandhi deeply respected the Servants of India Society and considered joining it, differences over admission procedures and political methods led him to remain outside the formal organization. However, Gandhi adopted the Society’s emphasis on constructive social work, ashram culture, and dedicated service.

Key Exam Facts

• The Servants of India Society was founded on June 12, 1905, in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Gopal Krishna Gokhale was the founder; early associates included N. A. Dravid, A. V. Patwardhan, and G. K. Deodhar.
• The Society required members to undergo a five-year training period and take vows of poverty and secular service.
• The Hitavada was established by Gokhale in Nagpur in 1911 as the English organ of the Society.
• V. S. Srinivasa Sastri succeeded Gokhale as president after Gokhale’s death in 1915.
• Hriday Nath Kunzru and Thakkar Bapa were prominent leaders of the organization.
• Thakkar Bapa focused on Adivasi welfare and founded the Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh.
• N. M. Joshi, a member of the Society, founded the Social Service League in 1911 and assisted in founding AITUC in 1920.
• Mahatma Gandhi regarded Gokhale as his political guru (Rajguru).