2026, Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part A

In the beginning of the twentieth century, there was a change in the methods of the Indian national movement. One of the prominent leaders who made these changes was Bal Gangadhar Tilak, an extremist nationalist who believed in using more direct action for “Swaraj” or self-rule for Indians. "Swaraj is my birthright" became a war-cry for many and marked a shift in the Indian National Congress from moderate to radical nationalism. This study investigates the scope to which Tilak leadership and demand for self-rule helped in the mobilization of the masses. Through this it also assesses Tilak role in the emergence of radical nationalism and its criticism of the more moderate Gokhale-Naoroji strategy. This paper studies the radical nationalist movement and how it transformed the trajectory of the Indian National Congress through the study of Tilak role.