Dadabhai Naoroji's 200th Birth Anniversary: Know Some Interesting Facts About 'Unofficial Ambassador Of India'

Dadabhai Naoroji, who is also known as the "Grand Old Man of India" and "Unofficial Ambassador of India," was an Indian political leader, merchant, scholar, and writer. On his 200th anniversary on September 4, 2025, take a look at some of the interesting facts about him:

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Dadabhai Naroji developed the drain theory, which argued that British policies were systematically draining India's wealth and resources.

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Dadabhai Naroji was born on September 4, 1825, in the Navsari area of the Bombay Presidency, British India (now in Gujarat). He belonged to a Gujarati-speaking Parsi Zoroastrian family.

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After receiving his education at Elphinstone Institute School, he was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the Elphinstone College of Bombay.

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In 1855, he travelled to London to become a partner in the Cama & Co but it didn't last long.

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In 1859, he established his own cotton trading company, Dadabhai Naoroji & Co.

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Dadabhai Naroji developed the drain theory, which argued that British policies were systematically draining India's wealth and resources.

Wikipedia