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Upon his arrival in London, he stayed at the Inner Temple and studied Herbert Spencer's
writings in his spare time. In 1900 he bought an expensive house in HighGate. His
home became a base for all political leaders of India. Gandhiji, Lenin, Tilak, Lala
Lajpat Rai, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and many more visited him to discuss the Indian
Independence Movement. Avoiding the Indian National Congress, he kept in contact
with rationalists, free thinkers, national and social democrats, socialists, Irish
republicans, etc.
In 1898, when a free press defence committee was formed in order to resist police
attack upon liberty of all opinions Shyamji subscribed generously to its funds.
Shyamji was a great admirer of Herbert Spencer's philosophy and he accepted him
as his guru. Herbert Spencer died 14th December 1903 and in his honour Shyamji established
an annual lectureship at Oxford for the sum of £1000. In addition, he endowed five
Herbert Spencer Indian fellowships, each valued at Rs. 2,000 and a Swami Dayanand
fellowship. He also established many other fellowships in honour of great Indians.
In 1905, Shyamji embarked on a new career as a full-fledged propagandalist. He made
his debut by publishing the first issue of his English monthly "The Indian Sociologist"
- an organ of freedom and of political, social and religious reform. This powerful
ideological monthly served a great purpose in uplifting the mass against British
rule and encouraged many more intellectual revolutionaries in India and abroad to
fight for the freedom of India. On 18th February 1905, Shyamji inaugurated a new
organisation called "The Indian Home Rule Society". The first meeting for the same
was held at Shyamji's residence at HighGate and the meeting unanimously decided
to found "The Indian Home Rule Society" with the object of:
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Securing home rule for India
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Carrying on propaganda in England by all practical means with a view to attain the
same |
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Spreading among the people of India knowledge of freedom and National unity |
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