Formation Of Indian National Congress First Indian leader to start an agitation for political reforms : Raja Ram Mohan Roy First political organisation in India: Landholders' Society formed in 1837 by Dwarkanath Tagore Most important Pre- Congress national organisation was : Indian Association formed by Surinder Nath Bannerjee & Anand Mohan Bose in 1876 at Calcutta.

Indian National Congress was formed on December 28, 1885 by a retired English Civil Servant A.O.Hume (Allan Octavian Hume) Earlier he founded the Indian National Union in 1884, which is considered to be the forerunner of the Indian National Congress. It was Dadabhai Naroji who suggestd the name as Indian National Congress. Hume served as the General Secretary of INC from 1885 to 1906.

The first session of the Indian National Congress was held on December 28, 1885 at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit Pathshala, Bombay. First President was W C Bannerjee. It was attended by 72 delegates including 2 muslims. The venue of 1 st meeting was changed from Pune to Bombay due to the outbreak of Cholera in Pune.

Lord Dufferin was the viceroy of India during the formation of Congress and Lord Cross, the Secretary of State for India. Initially congress session were rotated among different parts of the country and its President was outside of the region where the session of congress was held so as to construct an all India national leadership and have a national outlook.

The Britishers first provided patronage to the congress however soon found it outgrow their plans therefore patronage was withdrawn and Congress was termed as factory of sedition. The first step by Britishers against the congress was taken in its forth session here all the government servants were denied to participate in its session

Sir Syed Ahmed khan and Raja Shiv Prasad of Banaras formed United India Patriotic Association with the blessings of the British Government to oppose the Congress.

Different views given about congress: A.O. Hume:Safety Valve: an outlet for the anticipated grievances of Indians. Dufferin:Congress representing microscopic minority. Curzon:The congress is tottering to its fall and one of my great ambition while in India is to assist it to a peaceful demise.

Aurobindo Ghosh:Congress playing with bubbles A.K. Datta:A three day Tamasha Tilak:Croak once a year like a frog

SESSIONS OF CONGRESS 1885Bombay Womesh Chandra Bannerji Held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit Pathshala, Bombay attended by 72 delegates 1886CalcuttaDadabhai Naoroji He is the first Indian and Asian to become member of British parliament in MadrasBadruddin Tyyabji first Muslim President

1888AllahabadGeorge Yule First English President 1890Calcutta Sir Feroze Shah Mehta Kadambini Ganguly the first women graduate of Calcutta University addressed the session. 1894MadrasAlfred Webb He was an Irish member of British Parliament

1905BanarasG.K.Gokhale Gokhale was political guru of Gandhiji 1906 Calcutta Dadabhai Naoroji 4 resolutions were adopted i.e. Swadeshi, Sawaraj, bycott and National Education 1907SuratRasbehari Ghosh Surat Split, Lala Lajpat Rai lost election as the candidate of Extremists

1925KanpurSarojini Naidu first Indian woman President 1927MadrasM.A. Ansari Independence passed for the first time on the insistence of JL Nehru.Resolution to bycott the simon commision was also passed. 1928CalcuttaMotilal Nehru first All India Youth Congress Formed) Return of Gandhi into Active politics after a gap of 6 years