Allan Octavian Hume

Today is the birth anniversary of Allan Octavian Hume, CB, ICS, a British Civil Servant who is better known as the co- founder of Indian National Congress.A trained medical Doctor, he came to India in 1849 and was made a member of the Bengal Civil Service. He was later nominated to the Imperial Civil Service. Being a part of administration in the United Provinces , he was a witness to the uprising in 1857 and played his role as the call of duty demanded. He ran for cover and had to remain hidden at Agra for six months.Nevertheless, he was critical of his own Government and blamed the misgoverning and tyranny for the uprising. Rising to the position of Secretary, in charge of Revenue , Commerce and Agriculture, in 1871 , in later years, he grew critical of Lord Lytton, the Viceroy and saw his own removal from the secretariat.Sympathetic towards native Indians he co founded the Indian National Congress with a view to improving the lot of the common man.He also founded some educational institutions.

He was an accomplished ornithologist and delved in Natural History also. Known as the Father of Indian Ornithology,his residence at Shimla had a large collection of birds.He also authored some books on the subject.
Our humble tributes !