Dadabhai
Naoroji was born in Bombay, India, in 1825.
The son of a Parsee Priest, he was educated at Elphinstone Institute
School and later became a teacher.
In 1855 he was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.
Naoroji became involved in politics and in 1867 helped establish the
East India Association. In 1874 became Prime Minister to the Dewan
of Baroda and was also a member of the Legislative Council of Bombay
(1885-88). In 1886 Naoroji was elected as President of the Indian
National Congress.
Naoroji moved to England and joined the Liberal
Party
and in July, 1892, was successfully elected to Parliament where he
represented Finsbury. He therefore became the first Asian to be elected
to the House
of Commons. Although he promised that his first duty would be
to his constituents, he made no secret of the fact that he would also
be representing 250 million of his fellow subjects in India.
Over the next few years Naoroji campaigned against the the financial
drain on India caused by British taxation and trade regulations. On
the left-wing of the party, Naoroji also advocated Irish
Home Rule and extensive social reforms.
Naoroji was defeated in the 1895 General Election
and in his later years concentrated on writing books such as Poverty
and Un-British Rule in India (1901) and The
Rights of Labour (1906). Dadabhai Naoroji died on 2nd July,
1917.
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