the idea of the indian union took shape and hume initially had some support from lord dufferin for this, although the latter wished to have no official link to it. it has been suggested that the idea was originally conceived in a private meeting of seventeen men after a theosophical convention held at madras in december 1884. hume took the initiative, and it was in march 1885, when the first notice was issued convening the first indian national union to meet at poona the following december.