Abstract The reasons for the out broke of World War were many but interests for most of the countries differ. But different powers joined the war precisely to safeguard their existing colonies. However, Indians supported the war with the flawed belief that Great Britain would repay India's loyalty with gratitude and enable India to take a long step forward on the road to selfrule. Having made huge sacrifices and demonstrated military valour equal to that of European soldiers, Indians widely expected a transition to self-government, but as the war continued the economic and political climate in the country deteriorated and finally all the expectation was dashed by further extension of martial law at the end of the conflict. In reaction to such a situation, the social movements took a new shape which I shall take as the main core of this paper. Thus, the primary objective of the paper is to enquire into the rise of the nationalist feelings and expanding the social base of the nationalist movement during and after the World War I.