Chapter IV: THE WORKING OF THE JOINT MOVEMENT

Organisation had its stronghold in the then United Province, the Baden - Powell movement, grew province-wise with only a loose connection between the different prominent branches.

It may be interesting to note that although Girl Guiding in India began its life with the same kind of handicaps from which the brother movement had suffered, namely, that the Indian girls were debarred from enrollment as Girl Guides, the All India Organisation came into being soon after the visit of the Founder and the Chief Guide in 1921, and became one of founder members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1929. The Indian Scout movement received its direct affiliation with the International Scout Bureau only after the second visit of the Founder in 1937. The Seva Samiti Scout Association had a band of Girl Guides under its fold but this wing had hardly any adult women leaders to lead them. Later on when the Hindustan Scout Association was formed, it was able to enlist a few women Commissioners, but for technical leadership they had to depend on their men leaders.

When Scouting came to India in 1909, two years after the camp on Brownsea Island, Scout troops consisting of British and AngloIndian boys were formed at Bangalore (Mysore), Kirkee (Poona), Simla and Jabalpur. These troops were registered with the ‘Imperial Headquarters’ in London. A large number of Scouts belonging to the above groups assembled in Calcutta during the visit of King George V in December 1911. In order to co-ordinate the work of the troops in India, Chief Commissioner, an Assistant Chief Commissioner and a General Secretary were appointed by the Imperial Headquarters in 1912. The first Scout Magazine ‘Ye India Scout’ was brought out in 1911. This name was later changed into ‘ The Boy Scouts Gazette of India’.

Mr. Vivan Bose, after his return to India from England in 1913, began to explore the possibilities of starting Scouting in India on a basis of complete equality for all boys in the country irrespective of race, religion or caste. He had overwhelming support among most Indians and many Englishmen but ran up against a brick wall of hostility in Government circles. After a series of protracted negotiations behind the scenes, he found that he was not getting support anywhere. So he broke off negotiations and set the movement going in the then Central Provinces and Berar on his own, on a purely private basis. Similarly, in Benaras (U.P.) about this time Dr. G. S. Arundale (an Englishman) found