Shyamji Krishna Varma was born on 4th October, 1857 in Mandvi town of Kachchh district of Gujarat. Shyamji Krishna Varma (1857 – 1930) was an Indian freedom fighter, lawyer and journalist.
He was anexpert in Sanskrit and other languages.
His deep knowledge of the Sanskrit language caught the attention of Monier Williams, a professor of the subject in Oxford University.
He was inspired by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Herbert Spencer.
He founded the Indian Home Rule Society, India House and The Indian Sociologist in London.
Indian Home Rule Society (IHRS): It was an Indian organisation founded in London in 1905 that sought to promote the cause of self-rule in British India. The organisation was founded by Shyamji Krishna Varma, with support from Bhikaji Cama, Dadabhai Naoroji and S.R. Rana.
India House: He founded India House in London. It was a student residence that existed between 1905 and 1910 which was opened to promote nationalist views among Indian students in Britain.
The Indian Sociologist: He founded Indian Sociologist in London. The monthly Indian Sociologist became an outlet for nationalist ideas.
Shyamji Krishna Varma became the first President of Bombay Arya Samaj. He inspiredVeer Savarkar who was a member of India House in London. Verma also served as the Divan of a number of states in India.
Swami Dayanand Saraswati was the founder of the Hindu reform organisation Arya Samaj.
He was a barrister in London, when in 1905, he was barred from practising law by the Inner Temple following charges ofsedition for writing against the colonial government.
The move was significant as the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple is one of the four professional associations for barristers and judges in London.
He was posthumously reinstated by the Inner Temple in 2015 after the Inn’s governing council noted that Varma “did not receive an entirely fair hearing”.
In the face of criticism by the British, Varma shifted his base from England to Paris and continued his movement.
After the outbreak of the First World War (1914-18), however, he moved to Geneva in Switzerland and spent the rest of his life there. He died on 30th March, 1930.
