Sir William Wedderburn: Advocate for Indian Rights and Reforms

Sir William Wedderburn
⬧ Sir William Wedderburn was born on March 25, 1838 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
⬧ In the year 1859, Wedderburn appeared in the Indian Civil Service Examination.
⬧ He was appointed Acting Judicial Commissioner in Sindh and Judge of the Sadar Court in 1874.
⬧ In the year 1882, he became the District and Sessions Judge of Poona.
⬧ At the time of his retirement in the year 1887, he was the Chief Secretary to the Government of Bombay.
⬧ During his service in India, Wedderburn's attention focused on the problem of famine, the poverty of Indian farmers, the problem of agricultural indebtedness and reviving the ancient rural system.
⬧ His concern for these problems brought him in contact with the Indian National Congress.
⬧ He presided over the fourth session of Congress held in Bombay in the year 1889.
⬧ He entered Parliament in 1893 as a Liberal member and sought to address India's grievances in the House.
⬧ He formed the Indian Parliamentary Committee with which he was associated as its President from 1893 to 1900.
⬧ In 1895, Wedderburn represented India on the Welby Commission (i.e. Royal Commission) on Indian Expenditure.
⬧ He also started participating in the activities of the Indian Famine Association, established in June, 1901, to investigate famines and propose preventive measures.
⬧ He came to India in the year 1904 to attend the 20th session of the Indian National Congress in Bombay, which was presided over by Sir Henry Cotton.
⬧ He remained the President of the British Committee of the Congress from July, 1889 till his death.
⬧ As a liberal, William Wedderburn believed in the 'Principle of Self-Government'.
⬧ Wedderburn's main contribution to the promotion of national consciousness was his lifelong labor on behalf of the Indian Reform Movement.
⬧ The Montagu-Chelmsford reforms were considered by him as the crowning glory of his life's work.