Prelims Bits
Context
PM Narendra Modi paid tribute to Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his 169th birth anniversary (23 July 2025).
Profile:
- Born: 23 July 1856, Ratnagiri
- Died: 1 August 1920, Bombay
- Known as Lokmanya Tilak; called “Maker of Modern India” by Gandhi.
Key Contributions:
- Coined the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright”.
- Co-founded the Home Rule League (1916).
- Promoted cultural nationalism via Ganesh Chaturthi and Shivaji Jayanti.
- Founded newspapers: Kesari (Marathi) and The Mahratta (English).