Born in Kothluk, Maharashtra village, on May 9, 1866, Gopal Krishna Gokhale was raised in the home of his paternal grandfather. With the support of his older brother and daughter-in-law, Gokhale managed his education at Rajaram High School in Kothapur.
Because of his respect for his brother and his sense of empathy, Gokhale learned the value of self-sacrifice in order to avoid asking for material support. Sometimes he did not eat and read about street lighting to save his older brother as much money as possible. A hard-working student who went on to graduate from Elphinstone College, Bombay in 1884 at the age of 18, received a scholarship of Rs. 20 per month in his final year. His education affected Gokhale's life in many ways. Basically, his understanding of the English language allowed him to express himself without much doubt and clarity. Also, his appreciation and knowledge of history instilled in him respect for freedom, democracy, and the parliamentary system.
After graduating, he went on to teach, taking up the position of Assistant Master at New English School in Pune. Among the many achievements attesting to his talent and passion for teaching, perhaps the biggest was the compilation, a mathematical textbook in collaboration with his colleague, N. J. Bapat, became the most widely used and widely translated book in the world. Gokhale went on to become the first member of Fergusson College in Pune in 1885, with his highly regarded Deccan Education Society colleagues. He promised 20 years of his life at the college, as a teacher and board member. He was so good at teaching subjects of any variety, that he was known as "Professor to Order."
In 1886 he witnessed the entry of Gopal Krishna Gokhale into public life. At only 20 years old, he gave his public speech on "India under the British Rule" and was applauded for his expression and control of the English language. Gokhale soon moved on to public affairs. While donating articles to the English weekly Mahratta, he was seduced by the idea of using education as a way to arouse nationalism in the people of India. At the time, Gokhale was promoted to secretary of the Deccan Education Society. Once in the light, there was no looking back. After being appointed to preside over the Bombay State Conference in 1893, he was elected to the Senate of the University of Bombay. In time, Gokhale came to devote all his time to the things that make up the common man: hunger, ways to fight the plagues, local government autonomy, land restitution and social cohesion. As a member of Pune Municipality, electing his president twice, Gokhale made the mistake of trying to solve the problems of the poor, and those who came to him with complaints about water supply, plumbing, etc. he faced a dilemma. Gokhale also published a daily newspaper entitled Jnanaprakash, which allowed him to express his views on political and social change.
In 1905, he founded the Servants of India Society, which trained people to be unselfish workers so that they could work for the common good. The desire to make a difference was so strong that the spirits of relatives promised a simple life of devotion to these causes. Among the many things the organization has done, there have been excellent services to help those affected by floods and famine, and to give themselves time to educate women in the community, so that they too can have a say. Many people influenced Gokhale and gave him the strength and discipline to bring his ideas to the forefront, but none other than Mahadev Govind Ranade, who was educated in 1887. Ranade trained him for 15 years in all aspects of public life, and taught him integrity, dedication to community service, and tolerance. These qualities, which Ranade helped incorporate into Gokhale, are those qualities that helped make Gokhale the man he is today.
Gokhale's visit to England expressed his concern over the mistreatment of Indians by the British government. In one 49-day period, he spoke in front of 47 different audiences, drawing in all of us. Before long, he was hailed as the most effective lawyer in the case of India. While Gokhale called for a gradual change in order to finally have the Safaj, or autonomy, of India, some of his contemporaries, who had the upper hand, wished to use force as a means of persuasion. Gokhale has maintained his balanced political views and made some changes for the betterment of India. He was instrumental in the formation of the 1909 Minto-Morley Reforms, which eventually became law. Unfortunately, the Reform Act became law in 1909 and it was disappointing to see that the people could not be given a fair democratic system despite Gokhale's efforts. The social cohesion he had been longing for was shattered when he realized that the Muslim community was focused on seeing itself as a separate unit. On the bright side, however, Gokhale's efforts were clearly not in vain. The Indians were now in a position to reach the highest levels of government, and their voices were heard on social issues.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale's years of hard work and dedication have done a lot for India, but sadly it has also damaged the life of this great leader. Excessive exertion and the accompanying fatigue only aggravated diabetes and asthma. The end came peacefully, however, on February 19, 1915. Pointing his finger to the sky and clasping his hands respectfully, Gopal Krishna Gokhale made his final statement to the audience, a farewell farewell.
