The history of the Indian National Movement can boardly be divided into three phases : 1. The Early Nationalist Phase (1885 - 1907)
2. The Assertive Phase (1907 - 1916)
3. The Gandhain Phase (1915 - 1947)
The Early Nationalists In its initial years, the congress was led by a group drawn from the educated middle class, know as the Early Nationalists. They asked for consitutional and other reforms within the framework of the British rule as they had faith in the British sense of justice.
Prominent Early Nationalist Leaders Dadabhai Naoroji | Life | September, 4, 1825 to 1917 |
| Born | Mumbai in a Parsi Family |
| Popularly know as | Grand Old Man of India |
| Journals, books / Newspaper | Rast Goftar, Dharma Marga Darshak, Poverty and Un-British Rule in India. |
| Founded | Bombay Association, East India Association (1866), London India Society (1865) |
| Indian National President | He was the INC President three times (1886, 1893 & 1903) |
| Important Points | Drain of Wealth theory was propounded by him. |