Who was Tulsi Goswami?
Tulsi Goswami was a wealthy man from Bengal, but more than his wealth, he was renowned for his profound love for India.
He was a brave Swarajist, someone who worked for India’s freedom. Even Mahatma Gandhi praised him many times in his letters and speeches.
Jawaharlal Nehru fondly called him “Tiger Goswami.” He said this because Tulsi Goswami’s name began with the letter “T,” and also because he was brave like a tiger when he spoke for India.
Tulsi Goswami made significant contributions to the freedom movement in various important ways, and his efforts had a tangible impact on India’s fight for independence.
Tulsi Chandra Goswami with Srinivas Ayengar and Subhash Chandra Bose, 1919
courtesy: Ananda Bazar Patrika
Tulsi Goswami: The Voice Who Spoke for India
Tulsi Goswami was a valiant Indian leader who always stood for the truth. He wanted his country to be free from British rule.
He believed that words, newspapers, and honest speech could awake people and bring courage into their hearts. His life is a story of hard work, bravery, and love for India.
He joined the Swarajya Party and was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly the same year.
Motilal Nehru was the leader of the party. Tulsi Goswami was made the Deputy Leader. He was only twenty-five years old at that time.
In 1924, something very important happened. Chittaranjan Das, also known as C. R. Das, who was one of the biggest freedom fighters of that time, wanted to start a new printing press to print newspapers that would tell people the truth about British rule.
Tulsi Goswami supported him and also donated money to help him buy the printing press. Soon, a new newspaper called Forward started. This paper became a powerful voice against the British government.
The same year, another important event took place. Dr. B. C. Roy, a famous leader and doctor, defeated Sir Surendranath Banerjee (Rashtraguru ’Teacher of the Nation’) in an election.
This was a big moment in Bengal’s history. Tulsi Goswami worked very hard for this election. He gave speeches, met the public, and encouraged everyone to stand united. His efforts helped strengthen the freedom movement.
Tulsi Goswami was not afraid of the British rulers. He spoke strongly against them. He criticised their unfair decisions in the Assembly and outside it. His speeches were powerful and filled with truth. People began to listen to him and admire his courage.
But the British were not happy. They wanted to silence him. So, they banned his newspaper, Forward. But Tulsi Goswami was not someone who would give up that easily.
He immediately started another newspaper called Liberty. Through this paper, he continued to write strongly against the injustice done by the British. His words became even sharper and more powerful.
Soon, Tulsi Goswami became known as one of the best speakers in the country. His speeches were clear, strong, and full of patriotic fire.
In 1928, he was chosen as the leader of the Indian team at the Empire Parliamentary Conference in Ottawa, Canada. This was a great honour and showed how much respect he had earned.
In 1933, the Liberty newspaper had to stop. Soon after, the British announced the Communal Award, which tried to divide Indians based on religion.
Tulsi Goswami at Oxford on His birthday with Rabindranath Tagore and Friends
Tulsi Goswami understood that this was a dangerous plan. He quickly gathered famous leaders like Rabindranath Tagore and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay to criticize this unfair award. He worked day and night to unite people.
In 1937, Tulsi Goswami was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly. He became the Deputy Leader of the Congress Party. But later, due to differences in ideas, he left the party and joined another one in 1943.
After the partition of India, his interest in politics slowly faded. His health also deteriorated. Tulsi Goswami passed away on 3 January 1957, at the age of 59.
But his story still inspires us. Tulsi Goswami was a man who used truth as his weapon. His courage, writing, and love for India will always be remembered.
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Tulsi Goswami came from Serampore in the Hooghly district of Bengal. He was the youngest son of Raja Kishorilal Goswami.
His father cared deeply about public work. He was also the first non-official Indian member of the Bengal Council — a great accolade in those days.
Raja Kishorilal Goswami had strong connections with almost all the great nationalist leaders of his time.
He even dedicated his house in Varanasi to the service of the nation. Annie Besant, the famous freedom fighter who helped start and grow the Central Hindu School in Varanasi, lived in this house for many years. At that time, the house was called Goswami Bari. Today, it is known as Dalmia Bhavan.
For more information on Annie Besant and her extraordinary contribution to the freedom struggle, see:
Many famous leaders stayed in this house. Madan Mohan Malaviya, Bhagwan Das, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, and many others spent time there. In the years that followed, almost every important person connected to India’s freedom struggle visited or stayed at this residence.
This shows how deeply the Goswami family was connected to India’s national movement and how their home became a place where history was made.
For more detailed information on this topic, please see my post on the historical significance of Dalmia Bhavan:
The royal sign of Kishori Lal Goswami can still be seen at his house in Varanasi. If you look closely at the seal, you will notice three letters — K, L, and G. These are the initials of his full name: Kishori Lal Goswami.
Below the seal, a line is written in a mix of Bengali and Devanagari letters. It says:
“Siddhi Sebitam Bratah”
This means:
“True success or moksha comes by serving people.”
This beautiful message shows the noble values of the Goswami family — service, kindness, and duty toward society.
Raja Kishori Lal Goswami, father of Tulsi Chandra Goswami
The picture of Tulsi Chandra Goswami’s father, Raja Kishori Lal Goswami, is not very clear, but it seems to have been taken at his own house in Varanasi.
In that picture, you can see a tall pillar made of Chunar stone. This special stone is famous for its strength, and the pillar has no joints at all.
Even today, perhaps this same pillar still stands at Dalmia Bhavan.
The old photo of Raja Kishori Lal Goswami also shows this pillar, which helps us know that the picture was taken at the same place.
This wonderful pillar connects the past with the present and reminds us of the rich heritage of the Goswami family.
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Mahatma Gandhi was very impressed by the Goswami family’s love for the nation. He often spoke about them in his letters and speeches.
Gandhi ji even called them the “multi-millionaire Swarajists of Bengal.” This demonstrated his profound respect for their tireless efforts in India’s struggle for freedom.
Gandhi ji also praised the Goswami family for helping spread his message of using the spinning wheel.
They not only spun yarn on the charkha but also used that yarn to make cloth. They encouraged many people to support the Swadeshi movement.
The Goswami family’s efforts made a big difference during the freedom struggle, and Gandhi ji never forgot their contribution.
