Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, ( mr, पुणे सार्वजनिक सभा) (Also knows as Sarvajanik Sabha ), was a sociopolitical organisation in British India which started with the aim of working as a mediating body between the government and people of India and to popularise the peasants' legal rights. It started as an elected body of 95 members elected by 6000 persons on April 2, 1870. The organisation was a precursor to the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British ...

which started with its first session from Maharashtra itself. In 1875 the Sabha sent a petition to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

demanding India's direct representation in the British Parliament. The Pune Sarvajanik Sabha provided many of the prominent leaders of national stature to the Indian freedom struggle including

Bal Gangadhar Tilak Bal Gangadhar Tilak (; born Keshav Gangadhar Tilak (pronunciation: eʃəʋ ɡəŋɡaːd̪ʱəɾ ʈiɭək; 23 July 1856 – 1 August 1920), endeared as Lokmanya (IAST: ''Lokmānya''), was an Indian nationalist, teacher, and an independence ...

. It was formed in 1867 by

Ganesh Vasudeo Joshi Ganesh Vasudeo Joshi (9 April 1828 – 25 July 1880), popularly known as ''Sarwajanik Kaka'', was a lawyer, social reformer, and political activist. He was a founding member of Poona Sarvajanik Sabha. He was a great support system for the noble ...

. It was also formed by S. H. Chiplunkar,

Mahadev Govind Ranade Mahadev Govind Ranade (18 January 1842 – 16 January 1901), popularly referred to as Justice Ranade, was an Indian scholar, social reformer, judge and author. He was one of the founding members of the Indian National Congress party and owned ...

. The ruler of the

Aundh State Aundh State was a Maratha princely state in the British Raj, in the Deccan States Agency division of the Bombay Presidency. The Principality of Aundh covered an area of 1298 square kilometers with the population of 88,762 in 1941. The capital ...

Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi C.B.E (October 24, 1868 – April 13, 1951), popularly known as Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi or Bhawanrao Balasaheb Pant Pratinidhi, was the ruler of the princely state of Aundh of British Raj during the rei ...

was the first President of the organisation. Many eminent personalities such as

, Gopal Hari Deshmukh, ''Maharshi'' Annasaheb Patwardhan, etc. served as the Presidents of the organisation. In 2016, Meera Pavagi was elected as the first woman President of the organisation.

Notes and references

*The Pune Sarvajanik Sabha: the early phase, 1870-1880 - S. R. Mehrotra * * Indian independence movement in Maharashtra Organizations established in 1870 {{India-hist-stub

See also

Notes and references