oman of Substance Annie Besant? A True Friend of India
May 23, 2025
  • Read Ecopy
  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • South America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • International
  • Opinion
  • Op Sindoor
  • More
    • Analysis
    • Sports
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Special Report
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • G20
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • Vocal4Local
    • Web Stories
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Law
    • Health
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
MAGAZINE
  • ‌
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • South America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • International
  • Opinion
  • Op Sindoor
  • More
    • Analysis
    • Sports
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Special Report
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • G20
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • Vocal4Local
    • Web Stories
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Law
    • Health
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
Organiser
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Culture
  • Defence
  • International Edition
  • RSS in News
  • Magazine
  • Read Ecopy
Organiser Weekly is Hiring!
Home General

oman of Substance Annie Besant? A True Friend of India

by Archive Manager
Mar 7, 2004, 12:00 am IST
in General
FacebookTwitterWhatsAppTelegramEmail

Wfont>

Mrs Annie Besant, a theosophist and educationist, who came to India as a friend, lived her life with courage, searching for an all-embracing truth.

Born as Annie Wood in Clapham, London, her childhood was not a happy one as her father died when she was five. Mrs Wood was unable to care for Annie, so she persuaded a friend, Ellen Marryat, to take responsibility for her upbringing.

Ellen Marryat, a strict Calvinist, became her guardian. She saw to it that Annie'seducation was not too narrow and included travel in Europe. In 1866, Annie married the Rev. Frank Besant, a young clergyman. However, Annie was deeply unhappy because her independent spirit clashed with the traditional views of her husband. Annie also began to question his religious beliefs. And this led to her legal separation from her husband in 1873. The courts awarded their two children to the father because of Besant'spresumably unconventional views.

After leaving her husband, Mrs Annie Besant completely rejected Christianity and in 1874 she became a member of the National Secular Society, which preached ?free thought?. She also joined the Fabian Society, the noted socialist organisation whose members included George Bernard Shaw and Sidney and Beatrice Webb. The Fabian Society in turn led to the establishment of the Labour Party.

In the 1870s, Mrs Besant edited the weekly National Reformer, which advocated progressive ideas like establishment of trade unions, national education, women'sright to vote, and birth control. During the next few years, she wrote many articles on vibrant issues such as marriage and women'srights. She was even convicted for publishing a pamphlet on birth control but was later acquitted, however.

After the court-case, Mrs Besant wrote and published her own book advocating birth control and titled The Laws of Population. The idea of a woman advocating birth control received wide-spread publicity.

Social and political reforms were not sufficient to gratify Besant'shunger for some all-encompassing truths to replace the religion of her youth. In the 1890s, Mrs Annie Besant became a supporter of theosophy, a religious movement founded by Madame Blavatsky, as a way of knowing God. As a member and later leader of the Theosophical Society, Mrs Besant helped to spread theosophical beliefs around the world, notably in India. She made India her home from November 1893. Her long-time interest in education resulted in the founding of the Central Hindu College at Benares in 1898. Here, in India, she got involved in Indian nationalism and became a staunch supporter of the Indian freedom struggle. She declared, in 1918 in her paper New India: ?I love the Indian people as I love none other, and… my heart and my mind… have long been laid on the altar of the Motherland.?

In 1924, disillusionment within the Congress ranks incited an important section of the Moderates to drift away from the British Raj and think in terms of greater militancy. Bal Gangadhar Tilak came out to patch things up. Mrs Annie Besant stood beside him at that crucial hour. Thus, with their efforts a reunion of the Congress factions was possible at Lucknow in 1916.

The two Home Rule Leagues were then started in 1915-1916?one under the leadership of Tilak at Poona and another under the presidentship of Mrs Besant at Chennai. It was aimed to obtain the freedom of the country and revive the country'sglorious cultural heritage. The two leagues progressed jointly and as a result many dissatisfied Moderate leaders joined them. Mrs Besant'sNew India became the organ of the Home Rule movement. However, it soon attracted the British government'sattention and Mrs Besant was arrested in 1917.

She became the first woman president of Indian National Congress in 1917 for one term and headed its meeting in Kolkata. ?Dr Besant?, said Mahatma Gandhi, ?has awakened India from her deep slumber.? He wrote in his autobiography, The Story Of My Experiments With Truth, ?Dr Besant'sbrilliant Home Rule agitation had certainly touched the peasants.? She later split with the Home Rule leader, Mahatma Gandhi.

An orator and writer with poetic temperament, Dr Besant was a veritable tornado of power and passion. By her eloquence, firmness of convictions and utter sincerity, she attracted some of the best minds of the country for the national cause. She was largely responsible for the upbringing of the world-renowned philosopher, her prot?g? J. Krishnamurti. She claimed him to be the new Messiah and incarnation of Buddha.

In the late 1920s, Mrs Besant travelled to England and the United States. She was later reunited with her own children. She passed through several phases of life?housewife, propagator of atheism, trade unionist, feminist leader, Fabian Socialist and strong supporter of Indian nationalism. Mrs Besant died in 1933 in India, where her ashes were scattered on the seashore.

?Preeti

ShareTweetSendShareSend
Subscribe Organiser YouTube Channel
Previous News

orld of Women

Next News

he Moving Finger Writes John F. Kerry Vs George W. Bush

Related News

Tamil Nadu: Madras HC stays 10 new laws on Vice-Chancellor appointment

From diplomacy to devotion: All-party team briefed on Operation Sindoor, visits BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi

S Gurumurthy, addressing a selected gathering at Raj Bhavan, Kerala on the topic “Operation Sindoor: Paradigm Shift from Candle Light to BrahMos”

Pakistan is terroristan, and “hate Bharat” is its motto, says S. Gurumurthy

National Herald Case: ED names Telangana CM Revanth Reddy in chargesheet, but not as accused

The Expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into Afghanistan: Implications for India

Indian Armed forces wrote final manifesto of Maoist Basavaraju; Vinod Kumar Jha of ABVP gets justice

Load More

Comments

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Organiser. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.

Latest News

Tamil Nadu: Madras HC stays 10 new laws on Vice-Chancellor appointment

From diplomacy to devotion: All-party team briefed on Operation Sindoor, visits BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi

S Gurumurthy, addressing a selected gathering at Raj Bhavan, Kerala on the topic “Operation Sindoor: Paradigm Shift from Candle Light to BrahMos”

Pakistan is terroristan, and “hate Bharat” is its motto, says S. Gurumurthy

National Herald Case: ED names Telangana CM Revanth Reddy in chargesheet, but not as accused

The Expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into Afghanistan: Implications for India

Indian Armed forces wrote final manifesto of Maoist Basavaraju; Vinod Kumar Jha of ABVP gets justice

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar (File Photo)

Cessation of firing and military action negotiated directly between India, Pakistan: EAM Jaishankar

India-Pakistan Relations in 2025: Terrorism, military strategy and diplomatic realignment

Bullets in the Jungle, Tears in the City: The urban naxal response after Maoist encounter

Union Home Minister Amit Shah

PM Modi’s strong political will, accurate intel info, Armed forces lethality: Amit Shah hails Operation Sindoor

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Cookie Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation
  • Delivery and Shipping

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

  • Home
  • Search Organiser
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • North America
    • South America
    • Europe
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Defence
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Business
  • RSS in News
  • Entertainment
  • More ..
    • Sci & Tech
    • Vocal4Local
    • Special Report
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Law
    • Economy
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
  • Subscribe Magazine
  • Read Ecopy
  • Advertise
  • Circulation
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Policies & Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Refund and Cancellation
    • Terms of Use

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies