Bal Gangadhar Tilak was an Indian nationalist, social reformer and freedom fighter who was the first leader of the radical politics. Tilak was known as the father of Indian unrest. In the early part of the 20th century when the trend of Indian independence was mostly guided by Extremism, Tilak became the uncrowned king. Tilak was one of the first and strong proponents of the Swaraj and he was also considered as the father of Hindu nationalism.

Tilak was born in a Maratha Brahmin family at Ratnagiri. After graduating in Law in the year 1879, Tilak decided to participate in the radical politics. Tilak in collaboration with Agarkar planned to establish institutions in order to provide cheap education to the people. In January 1890 the s Poona New English School was founded. He was also associated with the formation of the Deccan Educational society and the foundation of the Fergusson College at Poona.

Tilak was credited to be the first nationalist leader who sought close contact with the masses. In this respect he was the forerunner of Gandhiji. With this objective to have a close contact with the common mass Tilak started akharas, lathi clubs and Anti Cow killing societies. He also introduced the Shivaji festival and the Ganapati festival in order to inculcate the spirit of nationalism and service to the nation. To propagate his views among the common people he started two newspapers entitled "The Marhatta" and the "Keshari".

Tilak participated in the Indian politics as a radical leader. Being nationalist leaders he strongly criticized the moderate policy of constitutional politics. He despised the British government bitterly. Tilak strongly criticized the government for its brutality in suppressing free expression, especially in face of protests against the division of Bengal in 1905, and for denigrating India`s culture, its people and heritage. He demanded that the British immediately give Indians the right to self-government.

Tilak joined the Indian National Congress in the 1890s. As a Congress leader he suffered several imprisonments. His nliberal s attitude towards the fight of self government or Swaraj was opposed by the moderate leaders strongly. In 1891 Tilak opposed the Age of Consent bill introduced after the death of a child bride from sexual injuries. The act raised the marriageable age of a child bride from 10 to 12 which was already 16 in Britain since 1885. This was one of the first significant reforms introduced by the British since Indian rebellion of 1857.The Congress and other liberals whole-heartedly supported it but Tilak raised a battle-cry terming it as `Interference in Hindu Religion`. Since then he was considered as a hard-core Hindu nationalist.

Tilak played a leading role in organisisng, the Nationalist Extremist Party in collaboration with Lala Lajpat Rai and B.C. Pal against the Moderate confederacy in the house of Indian National Congress. According to Mrs. Annie Besant, it was Bal Gangadhar Tilak who brought a radical transformation in the trend of Indians struggle for independence. His "extremist" views led to a split in the Congress at Surat in 1907 and she was considered as the sole offenders of the split.

Tilak was the first leader who declared openly declared Swaraj as the birthright and demanded Swaraj. It was mostly due to his efforts and those of its associates that the Congress resolution at Calcutta in 1906 demanding self Government, Boycott and the National Education was passed. Tilak was however not satisfied with the type of responsible government prevalent in the self governing Dominions s within the Empire. The Congress Session at Nagpur in 1920 demanded Swaraj and authorized the use of all peaceful and constitutional means for its attainment. Tilak believed in the service to the country. It was due to him the Indian National Congress from being the admirer of the Government turned out to be a strong critic of the British Government. The Anglo Indian Bureaucracy considered Tilak as a seditionist and Sir Valentine Chiroll called him the "Father of Indian Unrest". Tilak litigated Chiroll for defamation and went to England in this connection. In this way Tilak made the people of India were about the real nature of the British government in India.

Tilak favored a policy of responsive cooperation. During the First World War, Tilak urged the people to co-operate with the British Government. In return he expected the British government to come forward and announce the Home Rule in India. But the British Government disappointed Tilak. Therefore Tilak founded the Home Rule League at Poona in 1916. Tilak was not satisfied with the Government of India Act, 1919.

Tilak has been described as an Extremist in politics but a moderate in matters of social reforms. Tilak proposed various social reforms, such as a minimum age for marriage.His thoughts on education and Indian political life have remained highly influential. He was the first Congress leader to suggest that Hindi written in the devanagari script, should be accepted as the sole national language of India. Mahatma Gandhi also supported his policy of considering Hindi as the national language. According to Bal Gangadhar Tilak, education was the only way to bring a rapid reformation and transformation in the society. Tilak himself was a versatile scholar. The books like "Geeta Rahasya" and "The Arctic Home of the Vedas", revealed his exceptional talent.

However, the selfless patriotism, indomitable courage and fierce determination of Tilak opened a new chapter in the history of the freedom movement in India.