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.