THE GENESIS OF SCOUTING AND GUIDING IN
THE
WORLD
•The Boy Scouts Movement had a simple start in the year 1907 when a retired Army General Lord
Baden Powell conducted an experimental camp in Brown sea Island in England with 20 boys. The
successful conduct of the camp and publication of the Book “Scouting for Boys” in a fortnightly
marked the start of the Boy Scout Movement.
•
In the year 1910, Crystal palace Rally was held where Girls wearing the boy Scout uniform
appeared and wanted to join the Scout Movement. Lord Baden Powell decided to start a movement
for Girls with the help of his sister Agnes Baden Powell.
SCOUTING IN INDIA
• Scouting started in India in the year 1909, when Captain T.H.Baker established the first Scout
Troop in Bangalore and got it registered with imperial Headquarters, London.subsequently, Scout
Troops were formed in Kirkee (Pune), Simla, Madras, Jabalpur, Lonavla (Mumbai) and registered
with the Imperial Headquarters during 1910 and 1911. These units were open to European and Anglo
Indian Children only.
•
The first Guide Company in India was started in Jabalpur, Central India in 1911.
•
As the Scout Movement was not initially open to the Indian boys, Nationalist leaders of India
decided to offer Scouting activities to Indian Boys and Sewa Samiti Scout Association was formed
with Headquarters in Allahabad by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru and
Pandit Sriram Bajpai. Dr.Annie Besant with the help of Shri G.S.Arundale started a seperate
Scout Association for Indian Boys in Madras.
•
Efforts were made for unification of different scout groups existing in India during the visit
of Lord Baden Powell to India in 1921 and 1937 but failed. Major reason for the failure in
unification was the promise clause which included the word “Duty to King”. Our Patriotic
sentiments of our Nationalist leaders did not approve the allegiance to the British Empire and
instead it was insisted that allegiance loyalty to the Country should be part of the Scout
Promise.
SCOUTING GUIDING IN INDEPENDENT
INDIA
After the independence of our country efforts were made for unification of the Scout and Guide
Associations functioning in India. Serious efforts were made by our National leaders like
Pt.Jawahar Lal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India, Mauland Abul Kalam Azad, the First
education Minister of India,Shri Mangal Das Pakvasa, Governor of Central Province, and Scout
leaders Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru, Pandit Sri Ram Bajpai, Justice Vivian Bose and others for the
merger of the Scout / Guide Associations.
•
Dr.Tara chand, Education Secretary ,Government of India made significant contribution in
finalizing the merger deed.
• The Final merger took place on 7th November 1950 and the unified Organisation came into
existence under the Name “The Bharat Scouts and Guides”. The Girl Guides Association formally
joined the Bharat Scouts and Guides a little later on 15th August 1951.
CONSTITUTION AND HEADQUARTERS
• The Bharat Scouts and Guides is a Registered Society under Societies Registrations Act. It is
totally voluntary, non-political and secular Organisation.