The Indian National Conference was primarily founded and organized by Surendranath Banerjee and Anandamohan Bose. The first session of this conference was held in Calcutta (Kolkata) at Albert Hall from December 28 to 30, 1883. It was initiated as a platform to discuss Indian political representation and was prompted by the introduction of the Ilbert Bill (Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill of 1883-1884). Anandamohan Bose described this conference as the first step toward forming a national Indian parliament. The Indian National Conference held two sessions, in 1883 and 1885, and eventually merged with the Indian National Congress in December 1886 due to their similar goals
. Surendranath Banerjee is credited with starting the Indian National Conference in 1876 and convening the 1883 session in Kolkata
. This conference is considered a predecessor to the Indian National Congress, which was founded later in 1885 in Bombay by Allan Octavian Hume and other leaders
. In summary:
- Indian National Conference was founded by Surendranath Banerjee and Anandamohan Bose.
- First session held in Kolkata in December 1883.
- It served as a precursor to the Indian National Congress.
- The two organizations merged in 1886
