Joseph Baptista
Born: 17 March 1864
Matharpacady, Mazagaon, Bombay
Died: 1930
Bombay Citizenship Indian
Nationality: Indian
Ethnicity: East Indian
Residence: Bombay
Alma mater: University of Bombay
University of Cambridge
Occupation: Engineer in the Forest Department
Religion: Roman Catholic
Website: kakabaptista.com
Early life
Joseph Baptista was born on 17 March, 1864 in Matharpacady in Mazagaon, Bombay. His father, John Baptista hailed from Uttan, near Bassein (now Vasai). The Baptistas belonged to the East Indian ethnic community, who are converted to Roman Catholicism during Portuguese rule between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries.[1]
After completion of his schooling from St. Mary’s High School at Mazagaon, he joined the College of Engineering in Pune, graduating in civil engineering. In 1896, he acquired the Licentiate in Civil Engineering from the University of Bombay. Baptista then joined the Bombay Provincial Government as an engineer in the Forest Department. He was initially posted at Thane, and then in Sindh (now in Pakistan). Dissatisfied with corruption in the government, mostly by the British, he quit his post in 1898. He then sailed to England to pursue a BA degree in Political Science from the Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.[2] During this period, he first met Bal Gangadhar Tilak.[1]
Political activism
In 1901, Baptista joined the Bombay Municipal Corporation, and would be a part of the BMC for the next 17 years. Influenced by the Irish Home Rule movement, Baptista’s ideas on an Indian version took root. His ideas deeply influenced Tilak and the two became close associates. He assisted Tilak by launching the Sarvajanik Ganpati (public Ganpati celebrations) to raise nationalistic feelings.[3] In addition, Baptista coined the phrase “Swaraj is my Birthright”, that was later made popular by Tilak.[3] In 1916, along with Tilak, Annie Besant founded the Home Rule Movement, with Baptista opening the Belgaum unit.[3] He was also the legal advisor to Tilak.[4] Later he interviewed British Prime Minister David Lloyd George for the British government’s views on the Home Rule. In the interview, Baptista gained the impression “that the Cabinet had decided to give India the fullest possible measure of Home Rule without delay.”[5]
Baptista was also a practising barrister at the Bombay High Court. One of his most high profile clients was Veer Savarkar, where he demanded an open trial to assure the dignity of fundamental rights.[3] In 1920, founded the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). As a labour leader he took up the cause of mill workers and postmen and other blue collar workers. Although religious, he refused to mix politics and religion refusing to have separate religion-based electorates.[3]
“ I thoroughly disapprove of separate electorate for Indian Christians in water-tight compartments ”
In 1925, Baptista was elected as the Mayor of the Bombay Municipal Corporation, a post that he occupied for a year.[3]
