Indian National Union 1884, by A.O Hume.1883, decided to invite prominent public men and associations to discuss questions on the general concern. The earlier name Indian National Union, which was suggested by Hume, was changed to Indian National Congress, on the advice of Dadabhai Naoroji (term Congress taken from the history of North America).The first meeting was scheduled to be held in Poona, but due to a plague outbreak there, the meeting was shifted to Bombay almost at the eleventh hour.Hume as General Secretary) in 1885 with 72 delegates attended it. The first session of the Indian National Congress(INC) in Bombay at Gokul Das Tejpal Sanskrit College under W.Hume’s main purpose was probably to provide a “safety valve” to the growing discontent among the educated Indians.The major issues raised by these people were Concern about spending Indian taxpayer’s money on British Indian campaigns in Afghanistan Legislative reforms on India for greater participation of the Indian people and Increased pressure on India by the annexation of Burma. However, there was no substantial result of this appeal.This appeal asked the British voters to support the candidates who were sympathetic to the Indian public opinions. Hume published an ‘Appeal from the People of India to the electors of Great Britain and Ireland. At the time of General Elections in Britain in 1885, A.O.By May 1885, he was able to secure the Viceroy’s approval to create an “ Indian National Union” which would be affiliated with the Government and act as a platform to voice the opinion of the Indian public. It was Allan Octavian Hume(an Englishman and a retired civil servant), who embarked on an endeavor to start an organization of select alumni of the University of Calcutta in 1883.It was said that the Indians needed to be welded together for their political advancements. This led to the development of some basic needs and objectives before the leaders.
Before the birth of congress, a number of the organization were formed but most of them had limited objectives and their influence remained confined to their respective regions.The list of presidents of the Indian National Congress(INC) are:.