Bala Gangadhara Tilak Horoscope

Bal Gangadhar Tilak (July 23, 1856 – August 1, 1920), also known as Lokmanya (beloved by the people), was an Indian nationalist, scholar, teacher, journalist, and independence activist.

Born in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, to a Chitpavan Brahmin family, he was a key figure in the early Indian National Congress, advocating for Swaraj (self-rule) and cultural revival through festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi.

Part of the "Lal-Bal-Pal" trio (with Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal), he founded newspapers Kesari and Mahratta to mobilize public opinion against British rule. Imprisoned twice for sedition, his slogan "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it" inspired generations.

Yearwise Biography

• 1856: Born on July 23 in Ratnagiri, Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra), to Gangadhar Tilak (school teacher and Sanskrit scholar) and Sitabai Tilak, the youngest of three children in a Chitpavan Brahmin family. His ancestral village was Chikhali.
  
  
• 1871: At age 15, married Tapibai (later Satyabhamabai) on November 11; father Gangadhar died shortly after, leaving the family in financial hardship.
  
  
• 1877: Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Deccan College, Pune, topping his class.
  
  
• 1879: Earned an L.L.B. from Government Law College, Mumbai; began practicing law but focused more on education and journalism.
  
  
• 1880: Co-founded the New English School in Pune with Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, Vishnushastri Chiplunkar, and Mahadev Ballal Namjoshi to promote national education.
  
  
• 1884: Established the Deccan Education Society to foster Indian-led learning; founded Fergusson College in Pune, serving as its first principal.
  
  
• 1885: Joined the Indian National Congress at its inaugural session in Bombay, initially aligning with moderates but soon advocating extremism.
  
  
• 1888: Launched the weekly newspaper Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English) to propagate nationalist ideas and critique British policies.
  
  
• 1890: Attended the INC session in Calcutta; began promoting Swadeshi (use of Indian goods) and cultural nationalism.
  
  
• 1893: Revived Ganesh Chaturthi and Shivaji Jayanti festivals as tools for mass mobilization and Hindu unity.
  
  
• 1896–1897: Led famine relief efforts in Pune during the Deccan famine, criticizing British inaction in Kesari.
  
  
• 1897: Wrote inflammatory articles on the murder of British officials Walter Rand and Lt. Ayerst, leading to sedition charges; sentenced to 18 months in prison (released in 1898).
  
  
• 1905: Strongly opposed the Partition of Bengal, coining "Swaraj is my birthright"; organized Swadeshi protests.
  
  
• 1906: Founded the Home Rule League with Annie Besant and G.S. Khaparde, demanding self-government.
  
  
• 1908: Arrested again for sedition over Kesari articles; sentenced to 6 years in Mandalay Jail, Burma (released in 1914).
  
  
• 1916: Led the Lucknow Session of INC, forging the Lucknow Pact with Muslim League for Hindu-Muslim unity.
  
  
• 1918: Refused to sign a petition against untouchability, prioritizing orthodox Hindu views.
  
  
• 1920: Died on August 1 in Bombay at age 64 from a throat infection; massive funeral attended by thousands; Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust founded posthumously.

Family

• Parents: Gangadhar Tilak and Sitabai Tilak.
• Wife: Satyabhamabai Tilak (married 1871, died 1912).
• Children: Three sons (Vishwanath, Rambhau, Shridhar) and a daughter (Parvatibai).

Health

• Suffered from diabetes and respiratory issues in later years; death due to a throat infection exacerbated by poor health.

Wealth

• Lived modestly as a teacher and journalist; no significant personal fortune, focused on public causes.

Honors

• Titled "Lokmanya" by the public; posthumously celebrated with plaques in Pune and films like Lokmanya: Ek Yugpurush (2015); featured in Indian history curricula.