Joseph Baptista

Joseph "Kaka" Baptista (17 March 1864 – 18 September 1930) was an Indian politician and activist fromBombay (today known as Mumbai), closely associated with theLokmanya Tilak and theHome Rule Movement. He was the first president of Indian Home Rule League established in 1916. He was elected as themayor of Bombay in 1925. He was given the titleKaka that means "uncle".

Joseph Baptista


Mayor of Bombay
In office 1925–1926

Personal details
Born	(1864-03-17)17 March 1864 Matharpacady, Mazagaon, Bombay
Died	18 September 1930 (aged 66) Bombay
Resting place	Sewri cemetery
Nationality	Indian
Parent	John Baptista
Residence	Bombay
Education	Barrister
Alma mater	University of Bombay University of Cambridge
Occupation	Engineer in the forest department
Known for	Mayor of Bombay
Website	kakabaptista.com^{[permanent dead link]}

Early life

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Joseph Baptista was born on 17 March 1864 in Matharpacady inMazagaon, Bombay. His father, John Baptista hailed fromUttan, nearBhayandar. The Baptistas belonged to theEast Indian ethnic community.

He completed his early education fromSt. Mary's School, Mumbai. He then joined theCollege of Engineering inPune and later pursued a BA degree inpolitical science from theFitzwilliam College, Cambridge.^[1] During this period, he first metBal Gangadhar Tilak.^{[citation needed]}

Political activism

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In 1901, Baptista joined theBombay Municipal Corporation, and would be a part of the BMC for the next 17 years. Influenced by theIrish Home Rule movement, Baptista's ideas on an Indian version took root. His ideas deeply influenced Tilak and the two became close associates. He assisted Tilak by launching theSarvajanik Ganpati (public Ganpati celebrations) to raise nationalistic feelings.^[2] In addition, Baptista coined the phrase "Swaraj is my Birthright", that was later made popular by Tilak.^[2] In 1916, along with Tilak,Annie Besant founded the Home Rule Movement, with Baptista opening theBelgaum unit.^[2] He was also the legal advisor to Lokmanya Tilak.^[3] Later he interviewed British Prime MinisterDavid Lloyd George for the British government's views on the Home Rule. In the interview, Baptista gained the impression "that the Cabinet had decided to give India the fullest possible measure of Home Rule without delay."^[4]

Baptista was also a practising barrister at theBombay High Court. One of his most high-profile clients wasVinayak Damodar Savarkar, where he demanded an open trial to assure the dignity of fundamental rights.^[2] In 1920, founded theAll India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). As a labour leader he took up the cause of mill workers and postmen and other blue collar workers. Although religious, he refused to mix politics and religion refusing to have separate religion-based electorates.^[2]

I thoroughly disapprove of separate electorate for Indian Christians in water-tight compartments

In 1925, Baptista was elected as themayor of theBombay Municipal Corporation, a post that he occupied for a year.^[2]

Death

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Baptista died in 1930 and is buried in theSewri cemetery. TheMazagon Gardens, site of the demolishedMazagaon Fort, nearDockyard Road station is named after him. On 12 October 2008, his tomb atSewri cemetery was restored with the funds of localMLC Kapil Patil. The ceremony was attended by members of theBombay Catholic Sabha and Shikshak Bharati, a teacher's organisation.^[5]

In 1999, a book on Baptista titledJoseph Baptista: The father of Home Rule in India was released by K R Shirsat atLalbaug in Mumbai. Through the book, the author hoped that Baptista would be a role model for modern-day youths.^[6]