Servants of India Society (SIS)

• 16 Jun 2025

Why in News?

Tensions have reignited between Pune-based Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) and its parent body, the Servants of India Society (SIS), with both parties express concerns regarding financial management matters. 

Key Points

• Servants of India Society (SIS): 
  • About 
    • Established on 12th June 1905, in Pune by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, along with G.K. Devadhar, A.V. Patwardhan, and N.A. Dravid. 
    • Gokhale envisioned the Society as a platform to train committed individuals who would serve the nation with a spirit of dedication and service. 
    • The Society aimed to promote political education, constructive agitation, and constitutional methods to further India's national interest. 
    • Members were viewed as missionaries of Indian nationalism, working for the upliftment of the people. 
  • Prominent Members and Contributions: 
    • Early members included influential nationalists like V.S. Srinivasa Sastri, Hriday Nath Kunzru, and A.V. Thakkar. 
    • The Society made notable contributions to India's independence movement, and its ideals continue to shape Indian public life. 
    • The Society played a key role in shaping India’s freedom struggle by nurturing leaders committed to non-violence, reform, and constitutionalism.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

• Early Life and Education: 
  • Gopal Krishna Gokhale was born on 9th May 1866 in Maharashtra. 
  • He belonged to the first generation of Indians to receive a university education and graduated from Elphinstone College in 1884. 
  • Gokhale was deeply influenced by Western political thought, especially the ideas of John Stuart Mill and Edmund Burke. 
  • He considered Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade his mentor and was regarded as Ranade’s “Manas Putra” (spiritual son). 
• Political Career and Reform Work: 
  • He became a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and played a vital role in its moderate faction. 
  • In 1905, he founded the Servants of India Society to promote education, social reform, and constitutional methods for achieving self-rule. 
  • Through his roles in the Congress, legislative councils, and civil society, Gokhale persistently advocated for social and political reforms. 
• Mentorship to Mahatma Gandhi: 
  • Gokhale was a mentor to Mahatma Gandhi, especially after Gandhi’s return from South Africa. 
  • He introduced Gandhi to the realities of Indian society and politics and helped shape his early views on reform and nation-building. 
• Legislative Contributions: 
  • His testimony before the Welby Commission on India's finances earned him national acclaim. 
  • Gokhale’s budget speeches in the Central Legislative Council stood out for their depth and statistical rigor. 
  • He played a key role in the formulation of the Morley-Minto Reforms (1909), which expanded Indian participation in governance. 
• Legacy and Death: 
  • Gokhale was known as a scholar-statesman and is often hailed as India’s greatest liberal leader of his time. 
  • He passed away on 19th February 1915.