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| Formation | June 12, 1905; 119 years ago (1905-06-12) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Gopal Krishna Gokhale |
| Type | Service club |
| Headquarters | Pune, India |
| Location |
|
Publication | The Hitavada |
| Website | www |
TheServants of India Society is asocial reform organisation that was formed inPune,Maharashtra, on June 12, 1905 byGopal Krishna Gokhale,[1] who left theDeccan Education Society to form this association. Along with him were a small group of educated Indians, as Natesh Appaji Dravid, Gopal Krishna Deodhar,Surendra Nath Banerjee, and Anant Patwardhan who wanted to promote social and human development and overthrow the British rule inIndia.
The Society was established on the conviction that true liberation of the masses could only be achieved through the committed efforts of a group of selfless, dedicated, and intelligent individuals who would devote their lives to the service of the nation and the upliftment of its most vulnerable communities. The Society’s volunteers were trained to serve as nationalist missionaries, taking vows of renunciation and forsaking all notions of selfishness, pride, and personal recognition. With a deep sense of duty, they committed themselves fully to their work and the service of the nation. The Society emphasized holistic nation-building through initiatives in education, social welfare, and the upliftment of marginalized and underprivileged communities. Its mission extended beyond economic and political realms, encompassing a broad spectrum of social issues aimed at fostering inclusive and sustainable progress.[2]
The Society organized many campaigns to promote education, sanitation, health care, and fight thesocial evils ofuntouchability and discrimination, alcoholism, poverty, oppression of women and for protection of women from domestic abuse.
The society is regarded as the first secular organization in the country dedicated to serving the underprivileged, rural and tribal communities, along with other social causes.[2]
The Society began publishingThe Hitavada, its English-language journal fromNagpur, in 1911.
In 1930, the society established theGokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune.[3]
Prominent Indians were its members and leaders. It chose to remain away from political activities and organizations like theIndian National Congress.
It still continues its activities albeit with a small membership. It has its H.Q. in the city ofPune, Maharashtra. It has its branches in various other states likeUttar Pradesh,Odisha andUttarakhand. It has its branch office atAllahabad,U.P.
In Odisha, it has its centres atCuttak,Choudwar andRayagada.[4] It runs an orphanage in Odisha.
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