The Early Years:
Dadabhai Naoroji was born in Bombay on 4th September 1825, the son of Maneckbai and Naoroji Palanji Dordi, a poor Athornan (priestly) Parsi family. At the age of 4, Dadabhai's father died and his mother was left the difficult task of bringing up the family, and she managed admirably. According to prevailing customs, she arranged the marriage of Dadabhai to Gulbai at the early age of 11. For the rest of her life, Maneckbai remained a close companion and mentor to Dadabhai. "She made me what I am" noted Dadabhai in 1901 when he gave an account of his early life in "The Days of my Youth."

Dadabhai became a scholar at the Elphinstone Institution (now Elphinstone College, Bombay) and had a brilliant academic career. In 1850 at the early age of 25, he was appointed Assistant Professor, and 4 years later, Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the Elphinstone Institution. Professor Orlebar of the college called him "The Promise of India". Dadabhai, being an Athornan (ordained priest), founded the Rahnumae Mazdayasne Sabha (Guides on the Mazdayasne Path) on 1st August 1851. The ethos of the Rahnumae at its inception was to restore the Zoroastrian religion to its original purity and simplicity. The society is still in operation in Bombay.

Visit to England:
On 27th June 1855, Dadabhai sailed for England to join the first Indian business firm of the mercantile Cama family. In 1859, Dadabhai established his own business firm under the name of Dadabhai Naoroji & Co.

The London Anjuman:
On 31st October 1861, an association was founded in the name of "THE LONDON ANJUMAN" and Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji was its Patron, Founder and First President.

Other Activities:
During his time in England, Dadabhai endeavored to educate the British people about their responsibilities as rulers of India. He delivered speeches and published articles to support his opposition to the unjust and oppressive regime of the British Raj. In 1867 he helped to establish the East India Association of which he became the Honorary Secretary. The purpose of the Association was to keep Britain well informed of India's plight and needs and to secure fair treatment for India's people. This was his first political move and his colleagues were not slow in realizing his aspirations, echoing Professor Orlebar's sentiment as "The Promise of India".

Dadabhai presented to the British people the "Drain Theory", which put before them the facts and figures illustrating systematic bleeding of the wealth and resources of India. His ideas were put into a volume called "Poverty and UnBritish rule in India". This was a charge against the British Empire, and he asked for immediate appointment of a Royal Commission to look into the charges. Dadabhai was one of the members of the Royal Commission.

Dadabhai went back to India in 1869 but soon returned to England to give evidence before the Parliamentary Commission on Indian Finance. Dadabhai returned to India in 1874, having been appointed Dewan of Baroda State. He came back to England in 1886 with the idea of getting into the British Parliament to enable him to fight from within the system, and further the cause of his native country India.

Election to Parliament:
Dadabhai was elected to Parliament on the 5th of July 1892 and entered the House of Commons as a Liberal, representing the Central Finsbury constituency. He delivered his maiden speech in the House of Commons in August 1892. This was indeed a historic occasion as Dadabhai Naoroji became the first ever Indian/Asian Member of the British Parliament. Dadabhai immediately championed various causes in the House of Commons. He made many speeches both in England and in India on political reforms, fair play and justice for India,which spearheaded the beginning of the freedom struggle. He was renowned as the founding father of Indian Nationalism.

Other Members of Perliament:
Dadabhai's success on being elected to the Parliament was followed by two other Indian Parsi Zoroastrians; Sir Muncherjee Merwanji Bhownagree and Sir Sorabji Saklatvala. Dadabhai's reputation and his help facilitated the political careers of both these gentlemen.

Indian National Congress:
Dadabhai was one of the moving spirits and founder of the Indian National Congress. He took part in the inauguration of the Indian National Congress that was held in Bombay in 1865, before his departure to England. Dadabhai was thrice elected President of the Congress.

Dadabhai Naoroji had attempted to keep the Freedom movement on a moderate path during the formative years of the Congress. He had put his faith in the British. He believed that if they were informed of India's problems, they would reform their method of rule. However, his experience of the British political system and years of dealing with British officialdom led to increasing disillusionment. Dadabhai began to despair when even moderate claims were not considered. In 1904 Dadabhai demanded "SWARAJ" Self Government for India. Dadabhai said "Indians were British citizens with a birthright to be free" and that they had "every right to claim an honorable fulfillment of our British pledged rights". -"It is futile to tell me that we must ait till all the people are ready. The British people did not -wait for their parliament". "Self-government is the only and chief remedy. In self-government is our hope, strength and greatness". "I am a Hindu, a Muslim, a Parsi, but above all an Indian First".

Mahatma Gandhi:
On lst September 1888, Gandhi sailed from Bombay with a letter of introduction to Dadabhai. Mahatma Gandhi wrote "...you will, therefore oblige me greatly if you will kindly direct and guide me and make necessary suggestions which shall be received as from a father to his child". Gandhi further wrote: "The story of a life so noble and yet so simple needs no introduction from me or anybody else. May it be an inspiration to the readers even as Dadabhai living was to me". "And so Dadabhai became real DADA to me".

The Grand Old Man:
The Grand Old Man of India once asked "Is it vanity that I should take great pleasure in being hailed as the Grand Old Man of India? No, that title, which speaks volumes for the warm, grateful and generous hearts of my countrymen, is to me, whether I deserve it or not, the highest reward of my life".

A great life nobly lived, spanning nearly a whole century, great, indeed in the greatness of its simplicity, purity and benignity and lofty in its concept of man's mission on earth, came to an end on 30th June 1917. Dadabhai passed away at the ripe old age of 93.

Tributes:
Sir Narayen Chandravarkar at the "Memorial Meeting" paid a warm affectionate tribute to the life and character of the dear departed sage of India.

"If we take stock of his life and his example, may I not say with perfect justice and truth that in his career, in all he did, in all he suffered and in all he taught, he was the prophet Zoroaster's religion personified because he was the man more than anybody else of pure thought, of pure speech and pure deeds".

Sir Dinshaw Wacha in a speech full of feeling said: "There is no doubt .. Dadabhai served his country with a sacrifice and singleness of purpose which it may be rightly said, without exaggeration, was rare. A devout follower of Zoroaster, he faithfully followed the ethics of that Great Prophet - pure in thought, word and deed".

Kusoom Vadgama, a prominent writer in London in her recent book "India in Britain" writes: "One whose contributions to Britain by any standards remain memorable and who represented culture, intelligence and public spirit was Dadabhai Naoroji, the first Indian Member of Parliament".