The Indian Home Rule Society (IHRS) was a British-based Indian organization that sought to promote self-rule in British India. It was founded in London in 1905. Shyamji Krishna Varma founded the organization with the support of a number of prominent Indian nationalists in Britain at the time, including Bhikaji Cama, Dadabhai Naoroji, and S.R. Rana, and was intended to be a rival organization to the British Committee of the Indian National Congress, which was the main avenue of loyalist opinion at the time. In this article, we will discuss the Indian Home Rule Society (1905) which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Shyamji Krishna Varma

Indian Home Rule Society - Background

• Lokmanya Tilak's work left a lasting impression on Shyamji Krishna Varma. During the Age Bill Controversy of 1890, he was a staunch supporter of Tilak.
• Shyamji established friendly relations with Tilak, inspiring him to join the Nationalist Movement in the following decade.
• The Congress Party's timid and futile cooperative policy did not appeal to Shyamji. He despised the Congress Party's petitioning, praying, protesting, cooperating, and collaborating policy, which he saw as demeaning and shameful.
• The British Government's atrocities against Indians during the Poona plague crisis in 1897 stunned and shocked Shyamji. At this point in his life, he saw full justification for the Nathu brothers' and Tilak's Nationalist stance.
• When he saw them sentenced to barbaric imprisonment, he saw his future as well, ending up in prison-like others. His immediate decision was to abandon his lucrative career and immigrate to England in order to fight for freedom from afar.
• He had only one goal in mind: to train and inspire India's young sons and daughters to fight for the liberty of their Motherland.
• He resolved to devote all of his money, time, scholarship, literary power, and, most importantly, his life to selflessly serving his Motherland.
• He intended to launch uncompromising propaganda in order to gain support for India's independence in England and Europe.
• When he first arrived in London, he stayed at the Inner Temple and spent his spare time reading Herbert Spencer's writings. He purchased an expensive house in HighGate in 1900.
• His house became a base for all of India's political leaders. Gandhiji, Lenin, Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and other leaders of the Indian Independence Movement paid him visits to discuss the Indian Independence Movement.
• He avoided the Indian National Congress by maintaining contact with rationalists, free thinkers, national and social democrats, socialists, Irish republicans, and others.
• When a free press defense committee was formed in 1898 to resist police attacks on the liberty of all opinions, Shyamji generously contributed to its funds.
• Shyamji began a new career as a full-fledged propagandist in 1905. He made his debut with the publication of the first issue of his English monthly "The Indian Sociologist," an organ of liberty and political, social, and religious reform.
• This powerful ideological monthly played a significant role in mobilizing the masses against British rule and inspiring many more intellectual revolutionaries in India and abroad to fight for India's independence.
• Shyamji founded a new organization called "The Indian Home Rule Society" on February 18, 1905.

Indian Home Rule Society - Features

• On February 18, 1905, the Indian Home Rule Society, or IHRS, was founded in London to promote the cause of self-rule in British India.
• It was meant to be a rival organization to the British Committee of the Indian National Congress, which was the main outlet for loyalist sentiment at the time.
• The Indian Home Rule Society was a metropolitan organization modeled after Victorian-era public institutions.
• It had a written constitution and stated goals of securing Home Rule for India and promoting genuine Indian propaganda in this country by any means possible.
• The IHRS was open to Indians only and enjoyed widespread support among Indian students and other Indian populations in the United Kingdom.
• It recruited young Indian activists and maintained close ties with Indian revolutionary movements.
• The first meeting was held at Shyamji's residence in Highgate, and the meeting unanimously decided to establish "The Indian Home Rule Society" with the goal of:
  • Ensuring India's sovereignty.
  • Carrying out propaganda in England using all available means in order to achieve the same goal.
  • Spreading of knowledge of freedom and national unity among the people of India.

About Shyamji Krishna Varma

• Shyamji Krishna Varma (4 October 1857 – 30 March 1930) was a London-based Indian revolutionary fighter, patriot, lawyer, and journalist who founded the Indian Home Rule Society, India House, and The Indian Sociologist.
• Krishna Varma, a Balliol College graduate, was a well-known scholar of Sanskrit and other Indian languages. He had a brief legal career in India and served as the Divan of several Indian princely states.
• He had disagreements with Crown authority, was dismissed as a result of a rumored conspiracy of British colonial officials in Junagadh, and chose to return to England.
• Shyamji founded the:
  • Indian Home Rule Society: The Indian Home Rule Society (IHRS) was an Indian organization founded in London in 1905 to promote self-rule in British India. Shyamji Krishna Varma founded the organization with the help of Bhikaji Cama, Dadabhai Naoroji, and S.R. Rana.
  • India House: In London, he founded India House. It was a student residence that operated between 1905 and 1910 in order to promote nationalist views among Indian students in the United Kingdom.
  • Indian Sociologist: In London, he founded ‘The Indian Sociologist’, a monthly publication that became a forum for nationalist ideas.

Conclusion

Shyamji founded the "Indian Home Rule Society" which served as the epicenter for recruiting young Indian activists and carrying on the propaganda in England for securing home rule for India by maintaining close ties with Indian revolutionary movements. It helped in spreading knowledge of freedom and national unity among the people of India.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Who was the founder of the Indian Home Rule Society in 1905?

A) Dadabhai Naoroji
B) Lala Lajpat Rai
C) Shyamji Krishna Varma
D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

2. What was the primary goal of the Indian Home Rule Society?

A) To promote British rule in India
B) To seek full independence for India
C) To spread education in rural areas
D) To help Indians settle in the UK

3. Which journal was started by Shyamji Krishna Varma to spread nationalist ideas?

A) The Hindustan Times
B) The Indian Sociologist
C) The Times of India
D) Young India

4. What was the role of India House in the Indian freedom struggle?

A) A library for Indian students
B) A revolutionary center for Indian nationalists
C) A meeting place for British officials
D) A cultural center for promoting Indian art

5. Which prominent Indian leader visited India House in London?

A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Subhas Chandra Bose
C) Mahatma Gandhi
D) Sarojini Naidu

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Assess the contribution of Shyamji Krishna Varma in the Indian freedom struggle. How did his initiatives help in the spread of nationalist ideas?

Answer: Shyamji Krishna Varma made significant contributions to the Indian freedom struggle by establishing the Indian Home Rule Society, India House, and publishing "The Indian Sociologist." His work focused on inspiring young Indians to join the nationalist movement and seek self-rule. By providing a platform for revolutionary ideas and facilitating networking among Indian students and leaders in Britain, Varma played a key role in spreading nationalist sentiments. His actions encouraged a new generation of freedom fighters, including leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose and Lala Lajpat Rai.

Q2: How did the Indian Home Rule Society influence the Indian National Congress and its approach to the British Empire?

Answer: The Indian Home Rule Society, founded in 1905, was a direct challenge to the British imperialist policies and the Indian National Congress's conservative approach. While the Indian National Congress focused on petitions and negotiations, the Home Rule Society, led by Shyamji Krishna Varma, called for more radical and direct action for India's self-rule. The Society’s influence led to a more assertive approach within the Congress, particularly by leaders like Lokmanya Tilak, who began advocating for more aggressive methods to achieve independence.

Q3: Discuss the role of India House in shaping the Indian independence movement in the early 20th century.

Answer: India House, established by Shyamji Krishna Varma in London, played a crucial role in shaping the Indian independence movement. It served as a meeting place for Indian revolutionaries and students who were inspired by nationalist ideologies. India House was instrumental in organizing and spreading anti-colonial activities, and it became a breeding ground for future leaders of the independence movement. The house provided resources and support for many Indian nationalists, including Subhas Chandra Bose, who went on to become a key figure in the struggle for independence.

Previous Year Questions on Indian Home Rule Society

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2021:

Question: Who founded the Indian Home Rule Society in London?

A) Shyamji Krishna Varma
B) Dadabhai Naoroji
C) Lala Lajpat Rai
D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Answer: (A)

Explanation: Shyamji Krishna Varma founded the Indian Home Rule Society in London in 1905 to promote self-rule for India.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 1):

Question: "Explain the significance of Shyamji Krishna Varma's contributions to the Indian freedom struggle through the establishment of the Indian Home Rule Society and India House."

Answer: Shyamji Krishna Varma was a pioneer in the radical nationalist movement in India. Through the Indian Home Rule Society and India House, he promoted self-rule for India and encouraged young Indians to take an active role in the struggle for independence. His efforts helped shape the course of the freedom movement by fostering revolutionary ideas and providing a platform for like-minded individuals to unite and organize resistance against British colonial rule.