Answer: (B) Sarojini Naidu

Explanation

Sarojini Naidu humorously referred to Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin as “The Two Mahatmas” during the Gandhi–Irwin negotiations (1931), which culminated in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.

Exam Facts

• The pact led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement and Gandhi’s participation in the Second Round Table Conference (1931).

Answer: (B) Chapati

Explanation

Before the outbreak of the Revolt of 1857, chapatis were mysteriously circulated from village to village across North India. They are believed to have served as a symbolic means of communication to spread the message of the impending revolt, although their exact purpose remains uncertain.

Exam Facts

• Symbol circulated: Chapati
• Related Event: Revolt of 1857
• Another symbol used: Lotus flower (especially among sepoys)

Answer: (C) Germany

Explanation

Subhas Chandra Bose established Azad Hind Radio in Berlin, Germany, in 1942. The radio station broadcast messages in several Indian languages, urging Indians to join the struggle for independence and oppose British rule during World War II.

Exam Facts

• Established by: Subhas Chandra Bose
• Country: Germany (Berlin)
• Year: 1942
• Broadcasts were made in English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, and other languages.
• Bose later moved to Southeast Asia and assumed leadership of the Indian National Army (INA), where he proclaimed the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind Government) in 1943.

Answer: (B) Mohan Singh

Explanation

The first INA (Indian National Army) was founded by Captain Mohan Singh in 1942 with the support of Japan. However, he did not face the Red Fort Trials. The famous INA Trials (1945–46) at the Red Fort were conducted against Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sahgal, and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, whose trial generated widespread nationalist sentiment across India.

Exam Facts

• Did not face the Red Fort Trials: Captain Mohan Singh
• Officers tried at the Red Fort:
  • Shah Nawaz Khan
  • Prem Kumar Sahgal
  • Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon
• INA founded by: Captain Mohan Singh (1942)
• INA reorganized and led by: Subhas Chandra Bose (1943)

Answer: (D) Vinoba Bhave

Explanation

Vinoba Bhave was chosen by Mahatma Gandhi as the first Individual Satyagrahi when the Individual Satyagraha Movement was launched on 17 October 1940. The movement was started to affirm the right to freedom of speech and to oppose India’s forced participation in World War II without the consent of the Indian people.

Exam Facts

• Movement: Individual Satyagraha (1940)
• First Satyagrahi: Vinoba Bhave
• Second Satyagrahi: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Launched by: Mahatma Gandhi
• Purpose: Protest against India’s involuntary participation in World War II and uphold the right to free expression.

Answer: (C) Jawaharlal Nehru

Explanation

The Interim Government of India was formed on 2 September 1946 following the recommendations of the Cabinet Mission Plan. Jawaharlal Nehru served as its Vice-President, effectively functioning as the head of the government under the Viceroy, Lord Wavell.

Exam Facts

• Formed on: 2 September 1946
• Vice-President: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Viceroy: Lord Wavell
• Based on: Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)
• Liaquat Ali Khan later joined the Interim Government as the Finance Member after the Muslim League decided to participate.

Answer: (B) Rowlatt Act

Explanation

The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919, is popularly known as the Rowlatt Act, named after Justice Sidney Rowlatt, who headed the committee that recommended it. The Act empowered the British Government to arrest and detain individuals without trial, provoking widespread protests across India.

Exam Facts

• Popular name: Rowlatt Act
• Year: 1919
• Based on the recommendations of: Rowlatt Committee (Justice Sidney Rowlatt)
• Main provision: Detention without trial and restrictions on civil liberties.
• Consequence: Led to the Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919) and was followed by the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919).

Answer: (B) Muhammad Iqbal

Explanation

Muhammad Iqbal (Allama Iqbal), the renowned Urdu and Persian poet, participated as a representative of the All-India Muslim League in the Second (1931) and Third (1932) Round Table Conferences held in London. He advocated constitutional safeguards for Muslims and had earlier presented the idea of a separate Muslim state in his Allahabad Address (1930).

Exam Facts

• Attended: Second (1931) and Third (1932) Round Table Conferences.
• Represented: All-India Muslim League
• Famous for: Allahabad Address (1930), which proposed a separate Muslim state in north-western India.
• Round Table Conferences: Held in London between 1930 and 1932 to discuss constitutional reforms in India.

Answer: (C) 1920

Explanation

The Chamber of Princes (Narendra Mandal) was established in 1920 by the British Government following the recommendations of the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms and the Government of India Act, 1919. It served as an advisory body representing the rulers of the Princely States in their dealings with the British Government.

Exam Facts

• Established: 1920
• Also known as: Narendra Mandal
• Purpose: Advisory body for the Princely States
• Based on: Government of India Act, 1919
• Inaugurated by: Duke of Connaught on 8 February 1921 at the Red Fort, Delhi.

Answer: (A) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Explanation

In 1919, the Indian National Congress nominated Bal Gangadhar Tilak to represent India’s aspirations at the Paris Peace Conference (Versailles Conference). Although he was not permitted by the British Government to attend, Tilak sent a memorandum demanding self-determination and self-government for India.

Exam Facts

• INC nominee for the Versailles Conference: Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Year: 1919
• Demand: Self-determination and Self-government for India.
• The Treaty of Versailles (1919) formally ended World War I.
• India became a founding member of the League of Nations after signing the Treaty of Versailles, despite still being under British rule.

Answer: (D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Explanation

The Age of Consent Act, 1891 raised the age of consent for girls from 10 to 12 years. Although Bal Gangadhar Tilak did not oppose the social reform itself, he opposed the British Government’s interference in Hindu personal laws, arguing that such reforms should come from Indian society rather than through colonial legislation.

In contrast, M. G. Ranade, W. C. Bonnerjee, and other social reformers supported the Act.

Exam Facts

• Age of Consent Act: 1891
• Raised age of consent: 10 years → 12 years
• Opposed by: Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Supported by: M. G. Ranade, Behramji Malabari, W. C. Bonnerjee
• Reason for Tilak’s opposition: Opposition to colonial interference, not necessarily to the reform itself.

Answer: (B) Rabindranath Tagore

Explanation

Rabindranath Tagore opposed the burning of foreign clothes during the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22). While he supported India’s freedom struggle, he believed that destroying useful goods was wasteful and preferred constructive national development through education, self-reliance, and social reform.

Exam Facts

• Opposed the burning of foreign clothes: Rabindranath Tagore
• Movement: Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)
• Leader of the movement: Mahatma Gandhi
• Tagore renounced his knighthood in 1919 in protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
• Tagore emphasized constructive nationalism rather than the destruction of property.

Answer: (C) Mahatma Gandhi

Explanation

After the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919), the Indian National Congress appointed its own Enquiry Committee to investigate the incident, as it did not trust the official Hunter Commission. Mahatma Gandhi drafted the Congress Enquiry Committee Report, which condemned General Reginald Dyer’s actions and exposed the brutality of British rule.

Exam Facts

• Report drafted by: Mahatma Gandhi
• Incident: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
• Date of massacre: 13 April 1919
• Official British inquiry: Hunter Commission
• Congress Enquiry Committee members included Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, C. R. Das, M. R. Jayakar, and Abbas Tyabji.

Answer: (C) Hyderabad

Explanation

Operation Polo was the Indian military operation launched between 13–17 September 1948 to integrate the Princely State of Hyderabad into the Indian Union. It was ordered by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel after the Nizam of Hyderabad refused to accede to India. The operation ended with the surrender of Hyderabad’s forces, and the state became part of India.

Exam Facts

• Operation: Operation Polo
• Target State: Hyderabad
• Duration: 13–17 September 1948
• Ordered by: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
• Nizam at the time: Mir Osman Ali Khan
• Also known as the “Police Action” against Hyderabad.

Answer: (C) Tej Bahadur Sapru

Explanation

Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, a distinguished lawyer and Liberal leader, played an important mediating role between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, helping create the conditions that led to the Gandhi–Irwin Pact, signed on 5 March 1931.

Exam Facts

• Mediator: Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru
• Pact signed on: 5 March 1931
• Signatories: Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin (Viceroy of India)
• Outcome: The Civil Disobedience Movement was suspended, political prisoners (except those convicted of violence) were released, and Gandhi agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference in London.

Answer: (A) Aurobindo Ghosh

Explanation

Karmayogin was an English weekly journal started and edited by Sri Aurobindo (Aurobindo Ghosh) in 1909 from Calcutta. Through this journal, Aurobindo advocated nationalism, spiritual awakening, and complete independence for India.

Exam Facts

• Editor: Aurobindo Ghosh (Sri Aurobindo)
• Language: English
• Started in: 1909
• Published from: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Aurobindo’s Bengali journal: Dharma
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak edited Kesari (Marathi) and The Mahratta (English).

Answer: (B) Louis Fischer

Explanation

Louis Fischer, an American journalist and author, wrote the famous biography The Life of Mahatma Gandhi, published in 1950. The book is regarded as one of the most authoritative and widely read biographies of Mahatma Gandhi.

Exam Facts

• Biography: The Life of Mahatma Gandhi
• Author: Louis Fischer
• Published: 1950
• Louis Fischer also interviewed and closely observed Mahatma Gandhi, making his work an important historical source.
• The book inspired Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning film Gandhi (1982).

Answer: (B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Explanation

The Congress Democratic Party (CDP) was founded by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in April 1918 after the First World War. The party was formed to contest elections under the constitutional reforms introduced by the British while continuing the struggle for self-government (Swaraj).

Tilak issued a manifesto outlining the party’s objectives, which included:

• Attainment of Self-Government (Swaraj)
• Expansion of civil liberties
• Universal primary education
• Social justice and constitutional reforms

The party had a short existence and was later absorbed into the mainstream Congress movement.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Founded: April 1918
• Founder: Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Objective: Achieve Swaraj through constitutional and political means
• Tilak’s famous slogan: “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.”
• Also founded by Tilak: Home Rule League (1916)

Answer: (B) Jatindra Nath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin)

Explanation

The Battle of Buribalam was fought on 9 September 1915 on the banks of the Buribalam River near Balasore, Odisha. It was one of the most significant armed encounters between Indian revolutionaries and the British police and military during the freedom struggle.

The battle was led by Jatindra Nath Mukherjee, popularly known as Bagha Jatin. He and his associates fought bravely against a much larger British force. Bagha Jatin was seriously wounded during the encounter and died the following day, 10 September 1915, in Balasore Hospital.

The battle was part of the Indo-German Conspiracy (Hindu–German Conspiracy), which aimed to obtain German arms and launch an armed uprising against British rule during the First World War.

Answer: (C) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Explanation

The Hunter Committee, officially known as the Disorders Inquiry Committee, was appointed by the British Government on 14 October 1919 to investigate the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and the disturbances in Punjab.

The massacre took place on 13 April 1919 at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, where Brigadier General Reginald Dyer ordered troops to fire on a peaceful gathering, killing hundreds of unarmed civilians.

The committee was chaired by Lord William Hunter.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
• Massacre date: 13 April 1919
• Place: Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
• Officer responsible: Brigadier General Reginald Dyer
• Hunter Committee appointed: 14 October 1919
• Chairman: Lord William Hunter
• Congress Enquiry Committee: Headed by Mahatma Gandhi, with Motilal Nehru drafting its report.
• Aftermath: Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood in protest against the massacre.

Answer: (A) Rajendra Prasad

Explanation

After Subhas Chandra Bose resigned as the President of the Indian National Congress in April 1939, following differences with the Congress High Command after the Tripuri Session (1939), Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the new Congress President.

Earlier, Bose had defeated Pattabhi Sitaramayya in the presidential election, but due to the resignation of the Congress Working Committee and ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi and other senior leaders, he resigned and later founded the Forward Bloc on 3 May 1939.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
• Subhas Chandra Bose resigned: April 1939
• Congress Session: Tripuri (1939)
• Succeeded by: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
• Forward Bloc founded: 3 May 1939
• Founder of Forward Bloc: Subhas Chandra Bose
• Bose defeated in the Congress presidential election: Pattabhi Sitaramayya (1939).

Answer: (D) All of the above

Explanation

During the Quit India Movement (1942), several regions established Parallel Governments (Prati Sarkars) to challenge British authority.

These included:

• Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) under Chittu Pandey
• Satara (Maharashtra) under Nana Patil, where the Prati Sarkar functioned effectively for several years
• Talcher (Odisha), where a parallel administration also emerged during the movement

Therefore, all of the above are correct.

Exam Facts

• Movement: Quit India Movement (1942)
• Ballia (U.P.): Led by Chittu Pandey (“Sher-e-Ballia”)
• Satara (Maharashtra): Prati Sarkar led by Nana Patil
• Talcher (Odisha): Parallel government established during the movement
• Other important centres of parallel governments included Tamluk (Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar), Bengal, led by Satish Chandra Samanta, Sushil Kumar Dhara, and Ajoy Mukherjee.

Answer: (A) Behramji Malabari

Explanation

Behramji Malabari, a renowned social reformer and journalist, wrote Notes on Infant Marriage and Enforced Widowhood in 1884. In this work, he strongly criticized the practices of child marriage and enforced widowhood and advocated legislative reforms to improve the condition of women in India. His campaign significantly influenced the passage of the Age of Consent Act, 1891.

Exam Facts

• Author: Behramji Malabari
• Published: 1884
• Main issues: Child marriage and enforced widowhood
• His reform movement contributed to the Age of Consent Act, 1891.
• Behramji Malabari was also associated with the journal Indian Spectator.

Answer: (A) S. A. Dange

Explanation

Shripad Amrit Dange (S. A. Dange), one of the pioneers of the Communist movement in India, wrote the book Gandhi versus Lenin in 1921. In this work, he compared the ideas and methods of Mahatma Gandhi and Vladimir Lenin, discussing the paths of non-violent nationalism and socialist revolution.

Exam Facts

• Author: S. A. Dange
• Published: 1921
• S. A. Dange was one of the founders of the Communist Party of India (CPI).
• The book played an important role in introducing Marxist ideas to Indian political thought.
• M. N. Roy was another prominent early Indian communist and founder of the Communist Party of India in Tashkent (1920).

Answer: (C) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

Explanation

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan strongly opposed the Indian National Congress in its early years. He believed that the Congress did not truly represent all sections of Indian society, especially the Muslims. Describing it as “a civil war without arms,” he warned that its political activities could lead to conflict between different communities.

Exam Facts

• Quote: “The Congress is in reality a civil war without arms.”
• Said by: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
• Founded: Aligarh Movement
• Founder of: Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College (1875) at Aligarh, which later became Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
• Political stand: Opposed the Indian National Congress in its early years and advised Muslims to stay away from it.

Answer: (A) Opening the temples to the low-caste Hindus

Explanation

The Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–1925) was launched at Vaikom in the Travancore State (present-day Kerala) to secure the right of lower-caste Hindus to use the roads surrounding the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple. Although the immediate demand concerned access to the temple roads rather than entry into the temple itself, the movement became a landmark in the struggle against untouchability and paved the way for later Temple Entry Movements.

Exam Facts

• Year: 1924–1925
• Place: Vaikom, Travancore (Kerala)
• Objective: End caste-based restrictions on roads around the Vaikom Temple
• Associated leaders: T. K. Madhavan, K. Kelappan, K. P. Kesava Menon
• E. V. Ramasamy (Periyar) played a prominent role and came to be known as the “Hero of Vaikom.”
• The movement contributed to the Temple Entry Proclamation (1936) in Travancore.

Correct Answer: None of the above

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi launched the Individual Satyagraha on 17 October 1940 to oppose India’s forced participation in the Second World War without the consent of the Indian people.

• First Individual Satyagrahi: Vinoba Bhave
• Second Individual Satyagrahi: Jawaharlal Nehru
• The movement emphasized the right to freedom of speech and opposition to British war policy.

Answer: (D) Both (B) and (C) above

Explanation

The second split in the Indian National Congress occurred in 1918 due to differences over the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms (based on the Montagu Declaration of 1917) and the political direction adopted after Annie Besant’s presidency (1917). The Moderates accepted the constitutional reforms, while many Congress leaders considered them inadequate.

This ideological divide eventually led many Moderates to leave the Congress and form the Indian Liberal Federation in 1918.

Exam Facts

• First Congress Split: Surat Session (1907) – Moderates vs Extremists.
• Second Split: 1918 – Mainly over the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms.
• Montagu Declaration: 20 August 1917 – Promised the gradual development of self-governing institutions in India.
• Annie Besant: First woman President of the Indian National Congress (1917, Calcutta Session).
• Indian Liberal Federation: Formed in 1918 by the Moderate leaders after the split.

Answer: (C) Abul Kalam Azad

Explanation

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as the President of the Indian National Congress from 1940 to 1946, making him the longest-serving Congress President in continuous tenure. His term was extended because the Second World War and the Quit India Movement made it impossible to hold regular annual Congress sessions and presidential elections.

Exam Facts

• Tenure as INC President: 1940–1946 (six consecutive years)
• First elected at: Ramgarh Session (1940)
• Served as Congress President during the Quit India Movement (1942).
• After Independence, he became India’s first Education Minister (1947–1958) and is regarded as the architect of modern education in India.

Answer: (B) Subhas Chandra Bose

Explanation

Subhas Chandra Bose became the youngest President of the Indian National Congress when he was elected at the Haripura Session (1938) at the age of 35. He was re-elected at the Tripuri Session (1939) but later resigned due to ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress leadership. He subsequently founded the Forward Bloc in 1939.

Exam Facts

• Youngest INC President: Subhas Chandra Bose (35 years)
• First elected: Haripura Session, 1938
• Re-elected: Tripuri Session, 1939
• Founded: Forward Bloc (1939)
• First woman President of INC: Annie Besant (1917)
• First Indian President of INC: Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (1885).

Answer: (C) East Bengal and Assam

Explanation

The Partition of Bengal was carried out by Lord Curzon on 16 October 1905. The large Bengal Presidency was divided into two provinces:

1. Bengal (comprising West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa)
2. Eastern Bengal and Assam (with Dacca (Dhaka) as its capital)

Thus, among the given options, “East Bengal and Assam” is the correct answer.

Exam Facts

• Partition implemented: 16 October 1905
• Viceroy: Lord Curzon
• New Province: Eastern Bengal and Assam
• Capital of Eastern Bengal and Assam: Dacca (Dhaka)
• Capital of Bengal: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Partition annulled: 1911 during the reign of King George V at the Delhi Durbar.
• The Swadeshi Movement (1905–1908) began as a protest against the partition.

Answer: (A) Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin)

Explanation

Jatindranath Mukherjee, popularly known as Bagha Jatin, was the principal revolutionary leader associated with the Ghadar movement in Bengal and Orissa during World War I. He worked with the Jugantar group and collaborated with the Ghadar Party in the Indo-German Conspiracy (1915) to organize an armed uprising against British rule.

Exam Facts

• Leader of the Ghadar movement in Bengal & Orissa: Bagha Jatin (Jatindranath Mukherjee)
• Associated organization: Jugantar
• Related conspiracy: Indo-German Conspiracy (1915)
• Died: 1915, after the Battle of Balasore against British forces.
• Founder of the Ghadar Party: Lala Har Dayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna, and others (1913, San Francisco).

Answer: (B) Jawaharlal Nehru

Explanation

Gaidinliu was a Naga freedom fighter from present-day Nagaland/Manipur who led the Heraka movement against British rule. She was arrested by the British in 1932 and remained in prison until 1947.

During a visit to meet her in jail in 1937, Jawaharlal Nehru was deeply impressed by her courage and patriotism. He bestowed upon her the title “Rani”, after which she became widely known as Rani Gaidinliu.

Exam Facts

• Title “Rani” given by: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Original name: Gaidinliu
• Arrested: 1932
• Released: 1947, after India’s Independence
• Movement led: Heraka Movement
• Honours:
  • Padma Bhushan (1982)
  • Tamra Patra Freedom Fighter Award (1972)

Answer: (D) 1896

Explanation

Bal Gangadhar Tilak transformed the Ganapati Festival into a public celebration in 1893 to promote national unity and political awareness. He later popularized the Shivaji Festival, with the first public celebration held in 1896, to inspire patriotism by commemorating the life and achievements of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Exam Facts

• Ganapati Festival introduced by Tilak: 1893
• First Shivaji Festival: 1896
• Purpose: To awaken national consciousness and unite people against British rule.
• Tilak’s newspapers: Kesari (Marathi) and The Mahratta (English).
• Popular slogan of Tilak: “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.”

Answer: (C) Bengal Gazette / Hicky’s Gazette / Hicky’s Bengal Gazette

Explanation

The first newspaper published in India was Hicky’s Bengal Gazette, also known as the Bengal Gazette or Calcutta General Advertiser. It was started by James Augustus Hicky on 29 January 1780 in Calcutta (Kolkata). It was the first English newspaper in India and is regarded as the beginning of Indian journalism.

Exam Facts

• First newspaper in India: Hicky’s Bengal Gazette (Bengal Gazette)
• Founder/Editor: James Augustus Hicky
• Started on: 29 January 1780
• Place: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Also known as the Calcutta General Advertiser.
• First Indian-language newspaper: Samachar Darpan (Bengali, 1818).
• First Indian-owned newspaper: Bombay Samachar (Gujarati, 1822).

Answer: (D) All of the above

Explanation

The second session of the Indian National Congress was held at Calcutta in December 1886. It was historically significant because:

• The Indian National Conference, founded by Surendranath Banerjea and Anand Mohan Bose, merged with the Indian National Congress.
• The session was presided over by Dadabhai Naoroji, who later became known as the “Grand Old Man of India.”
• Rajendralal Mitra, a distinguished scholar and the first Indian President of the Asiatic Society, served as the President of the Local Reception Committee.

Hence, all three statements are correct.

Exam Facts

• Session: 2nd Indian National Congress Session
• Year: 1886
• Venue: Calcutta
• President: Dadabhai Naoroji
• Merger: Indian National Conference merged with the INC
• Local Reception Committee President: Rajendralal Mitra
• Delegates: About 436, compared to 72 at the first session (1885).

Answer: (B) Belgaum, 1924

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Indian National Congress only once in his lifetime, at the Belgaum Session held in 1924 (now Belagavi, Karnataka). This remains his only presidency of an annual Congress session.

Exam Facts

• Only Congress session presided over by Gandhi: Belgaum Session
• Year: 1924
• Venue: Belgaum (Belagavi), Karnataka
• President: Mahatma Gandhi
• Kakinada Session (1923): Presided over by Maulana Mohammad Ali
• Kanpur Session (1925): Presided over by Sarojini Naidu (first Indian woman President of the INC)
• Gauhati Session (1926): Presided over by S. Srinivasa Iyengar

Answer: (A) Subhas Chandra Bose

Explanation

The National Planning Committee (NPC) was established in 1938 during the Haripura Session of the Indian National Congress, when Subhas Chandra Bose was the Congress President. Bose was instrumental in its creation to prepare a comprehensive plan for India’s economic development through industrialization.

He appointed Jawaharlal Nehru as the Chairman of the National Planning Committee.

Exam Facts

• Founded: 1938
• Instrumental in founding: Subhas Chandra Bose
• Chairman: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Objective: Prepare a plan for India’s economic development based on industrialization.
• The National Planning Committee is regarded as the forerunner of the Planning Commission, which was established in 1950.

Answer: (D) W. Wedderburn

Explanation

The British Committee of the Indian National Congress was established in London in 1889 to publicize the demands of the Indian National Congress in Britain and influence British public opinion and Parliament.

It was founded under the chairmanship of Sir William Wedderburn, while William Digby served as its Secretary. The Committee also published the journal India to promote the Congress’s views.

Exam Facts

• Established: 1889
• Place: London
• Chairman: Sir William Wedderburn
• Secretary: William Digby
• Journal published: India
• Purpose: To represent the Indian National Congress and influence British public opinion and Parliament regarding Indian affairs.

Answer: (B) Ferozeshah Mehta, K. T. Telang and Badruddin Tyabji

Explanation

The Bombay Triumvirate refers to the three prominent Moderate leaders of the Bombay Presidency:

• Ferozeshah Mehta
• Kashinath Trimbak (K. T.) Telang
• Badruddin Tyabji

They played a crucial role in the early Indian National Congress and worked for constitutional reforms through peaceful and legal methods.

Exam Facts

• Bombay Triumvirate:
  • Ferozeshah Mehta
  • K. T. Telang
  • Badruddin Tyabji
• Political ideology: Moderates
• Badruddin Tyabji: Third President of the Indian National Congress (Madras Session, 1887) and the first Muslim President of the INC.
• Ferozeshah Mehta: Known as the “Lion of Bombay” and played a key role in the Bombay Municipal Corporation.
• K. T. Telang: Eminent lawyer, scholar, and one of the early leaders of the Congress.

Answer: (B) Liberal Party

Explanation

Dadabhai Naoroji was elected to the British House of Commons in 1892 as a candidate of the Liberal Party, representing Central Finsbury. He became the first Indian (and first Asian) to be elected to the British Parliament.

During his tenure, he advocated for Indian self-government, administrative reforms, and exposed the Drain of Wealth through his famous Drain Theory.

Exam Facts

• Elected to House of Commons: 1892
• Political Party: Liberal Party
• Constituency: Central Finsbury (London)
• First Indian/Asian MP in the British Parliament
• Known as: “Grand Old Man of India”
• Famous work: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901), which elaborated the Drain Theory.

Answer: (A) Rashbehari Bose

Explanation

The bomb attack on Viceroy Lord Hardinge took place on 23 December 1912 at Chandni Chowk, Delhi, when the Viceroy was entering the new imperial capital after the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi.

The conspiracy was masterminded by Rashbehari Bose, while the bomb was thrown by Basanta Kumar Biswas, a young revolutionary associated with the Bengal revolutionary movement. Lord Hardinge was injured but survived the attack.

Exam Facts

• Date of attack: 23 December 1912
• Place: Chandni Chowk, Delhi
• Mastermind: Rashbehari Bose
• Bomb thrower: Basanta Kumar Biswas
• Target: Viceroy Lord Hardinge
• Capital shifted: Calcutta → Delhi (1911)
• Rashbehari Bose later played a key role in the Ghadar Movement and laid the foundation for the Indian National Army (INA) in Japan.

Answer: (C) Nabagopal Mitra

Explanation

Nabagopal Mitra was a prominent Bengali nationalist who popularized the use of the word “National” during the later half of the 19th century. He founded several institutions to promote Indian nationalism, including:

• National Society
• National Paper
• National School
• National Gymnasium

He also organized the Hindu Mela (first held in 1867) with the support of Rajnarayan Bose and members of the Tagore family to foster national consciousness, physical culture, and indigenous traditions.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Nabagopal Mitra
• Known as: Father of Indian Nationalism (in the context of early cultural nationalism in Bengal)
• Founded: National Society, National Paper, National School, and National Gymnasium
• Associated with: Hindu Mela (1867)
• Rajnarayan Bose was the chief ideologue of the Hindu Mela, while Nabagopal Mitra was its principal organizer.

Answer: (D) Sir Syed Ahmad Khan

Explanation

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (M.A.O.) College at Aligarh in 1875. The institution aimed to provide modern Western education to Indian Muslims while preserving their cultural and religious values.

In 1920, the college was upgraded into Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) under the Aligarh Muslim University Act, 1920.

Exam Facts

• Founder: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
• Founded: 1875
• Original name: Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (M.A.O.) College
• Location: Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
• Became: Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 1920
• Associated movement: Aligarh Movement, which promoted modern education among Indian Muslims.

Answer: (C) The Government of India Act, 1919

Explanation

The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms) provided for the establishment of a Public Service Commission in India. Acting on this provision, the First Public Service Commission was established on 1 October 1926, with Sir Ross Barker as its first Chairman.

Exam Facts

• Act providing for a Public Service Commission: Government of India Act, 1919
• First Public Service Commission established: 1 October 1926
• First Chairman: Sir Ross Barker
• Government of India Act, 1935: Provided for the establishment of the Federal Public Service Commission and Provincial Public Service Commissions, which later evolved into the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and State Public Service Commissions (SPSCs) after Independence.

Answer: (D) His imprisonment in 1908

Explanation

Bal Gangadhar Tilak came to be popularly known as “Lokmanya” (meaning “accepted or revered by the people”) during his imprisonment in 1908. He was sentenced to six years’ transportation and sent to Mandalay Jail in Burma (Myanmar) on charges of sedition. His imprisonment greatly enhanced his popularity, and the title “Lokmanya” became widely associated with him.

Exam Facts

• Epithet: Lokmanya (“Beloved/Respected by the People”)
• Associated with: Tilak’s imprisonment in 1908
• Prison: Mandalay Jail, Burma (Myanmar)
• Sentence: 6 years’ transportation (1908–1914)
• Famous slogan: “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.”
• Founded the Home Rule League: 1916 (along with Annie Besant’s parallel Home Rule movement).

Answer: (C) Lahore

Explanation

The Nehru Report (1928), prepared under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru, recommended Dominion Status for India. However, the British Government did not accept its recommendations.

At the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (1929), presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress abandoned the demand for Dominion Status and adopted the historic resolution of Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence). This effectively marked the end of the political relevance of the Nehru Report, leading historians to say that it received a “decent burial” at the Lahore Session.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Lahore Session (1929)
• President: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Nehru Report: Prepared in 1928 under Motilal Nehru
• Historic Resolution: Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence)
• 26 January 1930 was observed as the first Independence Day following the Lahore Session resolution.

Answer: (B) Periyar E. V. Ramasamy Naicker

Explanation

The Self-Respect Movement was founded by Periyar Erode Venkata Ramasamy (E. V. Ramasamy Naicker) in 1925 in Tamil Nadu. The movement sought to eradicate caste discrimination, untouchability, and gender inequality, while promoting self-respect, rationalism, and social justice.

It became one of the most influential social reform movements in South India and later inspired the Dravidian Movement.

Exam Facts

• Founder: Periyar E. V. Ramasamy Naicker
• Founded: 1925
• Place: Tamil Nadu
• Objectives:
  • Abolition of caste system
  • Eradication of untouchability
  • Women’s rights and gender equality
  • Promotion of rationalism and self-respect
• Periyar is popularly known as the “Father of the Dravidian Movement.”

Answer: (D) Lord Ripon

Explanation

The Vernacular Press Act was enacted by Lord Lytton in 1878 to curb the freedom of the Indian-language press that criticized British policies. After becoming Viceroy, Lord Ripon repealed the Act in 1882, restoring greater freedom to the vernacular press.

Lord Ripon is therefore remembered as one of the most liberal Viceroys of British India.

Exam Facts

• Vernacular Press Act enacted by: Lord Lytton
• Year of enactment: 1878
• Repealed by: Lord Ripon
• Year of repeal: 1882
• Lord Ripon is known as the “Father of Local Self-Government in India.”

Answer: (B) Rabindranath Tagore

Explanation

During the Partition of Bengal (1905), Rabindranath Tagore popularized the Rakhi Bandhan ceremony as a symbol of unity and brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims. On 16 October 1905, the day the partition came into effect, people tied rakhis to one another to demonstrate the unity of Bengal and protest against the British policy of divide and rule.

Exam Facts

• Pioneered by: Rabindranath Tagore
• Occasion: Partition of Bengal (1905)
• Date: 16 October 1905
• Purpose: Promote Hindu–Muslim unity and oppose the partition.
• Related Movement: Swadeshi Movement (1905–1908)
• Tagore also composed the patriotic song “Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol” during the anti-partition movement.

Answer: (D) Bipin Chandra Pal

Explanation

Sri Aurobindo (Aurobindo Ghosh) described Bipin Chandra Pal as “the Prophet of a Great Political Creed” in his writings in Bande Mataram. He praised Pal’s role in propagating the ideals of Swadeshi, Boycott, National Education, and Swaraj, which became the foundation of the extremist nationalist movement.

Exam Facts

• Title: “The Prophet of a Great Political Creed”
• Given by: Sri Aurobindo
• Referred to: Bipin Chandra Pal
• Bipin Chandra Pal was one of the famous Lal–Bal–Pal trio:
  • Lala Lajpat Rai
  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • Bipin Chandra Pal
• He was a leading advocate of the Swadeshi Movement, Boycott, National Education, and Swaraj.

Answer: (C) Rowlatt Act

Explanation

The Rowlatt Act (1919), officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919, gave the British Government sweeping powers to suppress political activities. It allowed the authorities to arrest and detain individuals without trial, conduct searches without warrants, and restrict civil liberties.

The Act was widely opposed throughout India and led to the Rowlatt Satyagraha launched by Mahatma Gandhi.

Exam Facts

• Official name: Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919
• Popular name: Rowlatt Act
• Based on: Rowlatt Committee headed by Justice Sidney Rowlatt
• Main provisions:
  • Detention without trial
  • Arrest without warrant
  • Restrictions on press and public meetings
• Consequences:
  • Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919)
  • Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919) at Amritsar

Answer: (B) Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (C. Rajagopalachari)

Explanation

After India became independent on 15 August 1947, Lord Mountbatten served as the first Governor-General of independent India. On 21 June 1948, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) succeeded him and became the first and only Indian Governor-General of India. He served until 26 January 1950, when India became a Republic and the office of Governor-General was replaced by the President of India.

Exam Facts

• First Indian Governor-General: C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji)
• Tenure: 21 June 1948 – 26 January 1950
• Last Governor-General of India
• First Governor-General of independent India: Lord Mountbatten
• First President of India: Dr. Rajendra Prasad (1950)

Answer: (D) Pramathanath Mitra

Explanation

Anushilan Samity was founded in 1902 in Calcutta by Pramathanath Mitra (P. Mitra). It was one of the earliest revolutionary organizations in Bengal, dedicated to ending British rule through revolutionary activities and physical training.

Although Aurobindo Ghosh and Barindra Kumar Ghosh later became prominent leaders and expanded its revolutionary activities, the founder was Pramathanath Mitra.

Exam Facts

• Founded by: Pramathanath Mitra
• Founded in: 1902
• Place: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Nature: Revolutionary secret society
• Prominent members: Aurobindo Ghosh, Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin), Pulin Behari Das
• Dhaka Anushilan Samiti was established later by Pulin Behari Das (1906).

Answer: (D) C. R. Das (Chittaranjan Das)

Explanation

Chittaranjan (C. R.) Das, popularly known as Deshbandhu, advocated that “Swaraj must be for the masses and not for the classes alone.” He emphasized that the freedom movement should benefit peasants, workers, and the common people, rather than only the educated elite.

This idea became popularly known as “Swaraj for the 98%”, reflecting his commitment to the welfare of the vast majority of Indians.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: C. R. Das
• Popular title: Deshbandhu
• Famous idea: “Swaraj for the masses, not for the classes” / “Swaraj for the 98%”
• Founder of: Swaraj Party (1923) with Motilal Nehru
• Mayor of Calcutta: 1924

Answer: (A) 1905

Explanation

The Carlyle Circular was issued on 22 October 1905 by R. W. Carlyle, the Chief Secretary to the Government of Bengal. It prohibited students from participating in the Swadeshi Movement and other political activities following the Partition of Bengal (1905).

The Circular led to widespread protests and inspired the growth of the National Education Movement, resulting in the establishment of institutions such as the National Council of Education (1906).

Exam Facts

• Issued: 22 October 1905
• Issued by: R. W. Carlyle, Chief Secretary to the Government of Bengal
• Purpose: To prevent students from participating in the Swadeshi Movement
• Consequence: Growth of the National Education Movement
• Related Event: Partition of Bengal (16 October 1905)

Answer: (C) Mahatma Gandhi

Explanation

Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule) was written by Mahatma Gandhi in 1909 during his sea voyage from London to South Africa aboard the SS Kildonan Castle. Originally written in Gujarati, it was later translated into English by Gandhi himself.

In the book, Gandhi criticized modern Western civilization, advocated Swaraj (self-rule), non-violence (Ahimsa), Swadeshi, and passive resistance (Satyagraha).

Exam Facts

• Author: Mahatma Gandhi
• Written: 1909
• Original language: Gujarati
• English title: Indian Home Rule
• Written on board: SS Kildonan Castle
• Main themes: Swaraj, Satyagraha, Swadeshi, Non-violence, Critique of Western civilization

Answer: (A) Winston Churchill

Explanation

Winston Churchill contemptuously referred to Mahatma Gandhi as a “seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a half-naked fakir.” He made this remark in 1931 when Gandhi was invited to meet Viceroy Lord Irwin and later attended the Second Round Table Conference in London.

Churchill was a strong critic of Gandhi and opposed granting self-government to India.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Winston Churchill
• Year of remark: 1931
• Context: Gandhi’s meeting with Lord Irwin and participation in the Second Round Table Conference
• Full famous quote: “A seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a half-naked fakir.”
• Middle Temple: One of the Inns of Court in London where Gandhi studied law.

Answer: (B) 1918

Explanation

The Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms were announced in 1918 through the Montagu–Chelmsford Report, submitted by Edwin Samuel Montagu (Secretary of State for India) and Lord Chelmsford (Viceroy of India).

The recommendations of this report were later implemented through the Government of India Act, 1919.

Exam Facts

• Montagu Declaration: 20 August 1917
• Montagu–Chelmsford Report (Reforms announced): 1918
• Government of India Act: 1919
• Main feature: Introduction of Dyarchy (Diarchy) in the Provinces.
• Transferred subjects: Education, Public Health, Local Self-Government, Agriculture.
• Reserved subjects: Police, Finance, Justice, Revenue.

Answer: (D) Dadabhai Naoroji

Explanation

Dadabhai Naoroji is popularly known as the “Grand Old Man of India” for his pioneering role in the Indian nationalist movement. He was one of the founders of the Indian National Congress, propounded the famous Drain Theory, and became the first Indian elected to the British House of Commons in 1892.

Exam Facts

• Title: Grand Old Man of India
• Associated with: Dadabhai Naoroji
• First Indian elected to the British House of Commons: 1892
• Political Party: Liberal Party
• Famous Theory: Drain Theory
• Famous Book: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901)
• President of the INC: 1886 (Calcutta), 1893 (Lahore), and 1906 (Calcutta).

Answer: (A) 1931

Explanation

The Gandhi–Irwin Pact was signed on 5 March 1931 between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India. The agreement marked the temporary suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement and paved the way for Gandhi’s participation in the Second Round Table Conference in London.

Exam Facts

• Date signed: 5 March 1931
• Signatories: Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin
• Mediator: Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru
• Outcome:
  • Suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement
  • Release of political prisoners not convicted of violence
  • Permission for peaceful picketing and limited salt manufacture
  • Gandhi agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference (1931).

Answer: (A) Swami Sahajanand Saraswati

Explanation

The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was founded on 11 April 1936 at the Lucknow Session of the Indian National Congress to organize peasants and fight for their rights.

Swami Sahajanand Saraswati was elected as its first President, while N. G. Ranga served as one of its prominent leaders and later became General Secretary.

Exam Facts

• Founded: 11 April 1936
• Place: Lucknow
• First President: Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
• First General Secretary: N. G. Ranga
• Objectives:
  • Reduction of land revenue
  • Abolition of the zamindari system
  • Protection of peasants’ rights
• The AIKS became the largest peasant organization in pre-independence India.

Answer: (A) Bhagwati Charan Vohra

Explanation

The Philosophy of the Bomb was written by Bhagwati Charan Vohra, a prominent revolutionary of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), in 1930. It was written as a response to Mahatma Gandhi’s article “The Cult of the Bomb”, defending the revolutionary use of force against British colonial rule.

Although Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh were associated with the HSRA and supported its ideas, the authorship of the pamphlet is generally attributed to Bhagwati Charan Vohra.

Exam Facts

• Author: Bhagwati Charan Vohra
• Published: 1930
• Organization: Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)
• Written in response to: Gandhi’s article “The Cult of the Bomb”
• Bhagwati Charan Vohra died on 28 May 1930 during a bomb-testing accident on the banks of the Ravi River near Lahore.

Answer: (C) Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Explanation

The Servants of India Society was founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale on 12 June 1905 at Pune. The Society aimed to train dedicated workers to serve the nation in the fields of education, social reform, public service, and national awakening.

Its members took a pledge to devote their lives to the service of India and worked for the upliftment of the people through constitutional and peaceful means.

Exam Facts

• Founder: Gopal Krishna Gokhale
• Founded: 12 June 1905
• Place: Pune
• Objective: National service through education, social reform, and public welfare
• Gokhale was the political mentor of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Mahadev Govind Ranade was Gokhale’s mentor and a founder of the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, but not the founder of the Servants of India Society.

Answer: (C) Lala Har Dayal, America

Explanation

The Ghadar Party was founded on 21 April 1913 at San Francisco, California, USA by Lala Har Dayal, along with Sohan Singh Bhakna and other Indian immigrants. The party aimed to overthrow British rule in India through an armed revolution.

• Lala Har Dayal was the chief ideologue of the movement.
• Sohan Singh Bhakna became the first President of the Ghadar Party.
• The party published the revolutionary newspaper Ghadar from the Yugantar Ashram in San Francisco.

Exam Facts

• Founded: 21 April 1913
• Place: San Francisco, California, USA
• Founder/Chief Ideologue: Lala Har Dayal
• First President: Sohan Singh Bhakna
• Headquarters: Yugantar Ashram, San Francisco
• Official newspaper: Ghadar
• Objective: To overthrow British rule in India through armed revolution.
• Related event: Ghadar Conspiracy (1915) during the First World War.

Answer: (A) Kakori Conspiracy Case

Explanation

Ram Prasad Bismil was one of the principal leaders of the Kakori Conspiracy (Train Robbery), carried out on 9 August 1925 by members of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA). The revolutionaries looted government treasury money from a train near Kakori (Lucknow) to finance the freedom struggle.

Bismil was arrested, tried in the Kakori Conspiracy Case, and executed on 19 December 1927.

Exam Facts

• Associated with: Kakori Conspiracy Case
• Date of Kakori Incident: 9 August 1925
• Organization: Hindustan Republican Association (HRA)
• Main revolutionaries: Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, Roshan Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad
• Executed: 19 December 1927 (Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, and Roshan Singh); Rajendra Lahiri was executed on 17 December 1927.
• Ram Prasad Bismil also wrote the famous patriotic autobiography and revolutionary poems, including “Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna” (popularly associated with him, though originally written by Bismil Azimabadi).

Answer: (B) Mahatma Gandhi

Explanation

Navjivan (Navajivan) was a Gujarati weekly journal edited and published by Mahatma Gandhi from 1919. Through this journal, Gandhi propagated his ideas on Satyagraha, Swadeshi, non-violence (Ahimsa), constructive work, and social reform.

Its English counterpart was Young India, which Gandhi also edited.

Exam Facts

• Editor of Navjivan: Mahatma Gandhi
• Language: Gujarati
• Started: 1919
• English counterpart: Young India
• Another journal edited by Gandhi: Harijan (started in 1933)
• Young India and Navjivan were important mediums through which Gandhi communicated with the Indian public during the freedom struggle.

Answer: (B) Vallabhbhai Patel

Explanation

The Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) was a peasants’ movement in Bardoli, Gujarat, led by Vallabhbhai Patel against the 30% increase in land revenue imposed by the British Government.

Due to Patel’s successful leadership, the women of Bardoli honored him with the title “Sardar”, after which he became popularly known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Exam Facts

• Movement: Bardoli Satyagraha
• Year: 1928
• Place: Bardoli, Gujarat
• Leader: Vallabhbhai Patel
• Issue: Protest against the 30% increase in land revenue
• Title “Sardar” was conferred on Patel by the women of Bardoli.
• Outcome: The British Government agreed to reduce the enhanced land revenue, making the movement a major success.

Answer: (D) Gorakhpur

Explanation

Chauri Chaura is a town in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh. It became famous because of the Chauri Chaura Incident on 4 February 1922, when a violent clash between protesters and the police led to the burning of a police station and the death of 22 policemen.

Following this incident, Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement on 12 February 1922, believing that the movement had deviated from the principle of non-violence (Ahimsa).

Exam Facts

• Location: Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh
• Date of incident: 4 February 1922
• Movement affected: Non-Cooperation Movement
• Withdrawn by: Mahatma Gandhi
• Withdrawal date: 12 February 1922
• Reason: The movement turned violent, violating Gandhi’s principle of Ahimsa.

Answer: (B) 1932

Explanation

The Poona Pact was signed on 24 September 1932 between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar at Yerwada Central Jail, Poona (Pune).

The pact replaced the system of separate electorates for the Depressed Classes (Scheduled Castes), which had been granted under the Communal Award (1932) by British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, with reserved seats in joint electorates.

Exam Facts

• Year: 1932
• Date: 24 September 1932
• Signatories: Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
• Place: Yerwada Central Jail, Poona (Pune)
• Related to: Communal Award (1932) by Ramsay MacDonald
• Outcome: Separate electorates for the Depressed Classes were replaced by reserved seats in joint electorates.

Answer: (B) Debendranath Tagore

Explanation

The Tattwabodhini Sabha was founded by Debendranath Tagore in 1839 in Calcutta. Its main objective was to promote the teachings of the Upanishads, encourage religious and social reform, and revive the ideals of the Brahmo Samaj founded by Raja Rammohan Roy.

In 1843, Debendranath Tagore formally joined the Brahmo Samaj, and the Tattwabodhini Sabha became closely associated with it.

Exam Facts

• Founder: Debendranath Tagore
• Founded: 1839
• Place: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Associated with: Brahmo Samaj
• Journal: Tattwabodhini Patrika (started in 1843)
• Keshab Chandra Sen later became a prominent leader of the Brahmo Samaj but did not found the Tattwabodhini Sabha.

Answer: (B) Congress Session at Nagpur

Explanation

The Non-Cooperation Programme was first approved at the Special Session of the Indian National Congress at Calcutta (September 1920). It was then formally adopted and ratified at the Nagpur Session in December 1920, where the Congress also reorganized itself on a mass basis.

Since the question asks where the programme was adopted, the accepted answer is the Nagpur Session.

Exam Facts

• Special Calcutta Session: September 1920 – Proposal for Non-Cooperation approved.
• Nagpur Session: December 1920 – Non-Cooperation Programme formally adopted.
• President of Nagpur Session: C. Vijayaraghavachariar
• Leader of the movement: Mahatma Gandhi
• Objectives: Boycott of government schools, courts, councils, foreign cloth, and promotion of Swadeshi, Khadi, and national education.

Answer: (C) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Explanation

Bal Gangadhar Tilak, popularly known as Lokmanya Tilak, coined the famous slogan:

“Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.”

This slogan became one of the most powerful rallying cries of the Indian freedom movement, inspiring millions to demand self-rule (Swaraj).

Exam Facts

• Slogan: “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.”
• Given by: Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Popular title: Lokmanya
• Newspapers edited: Kesari (Marathi) and The Mahratta (English)
• Started: Public Ganapati Festival (1893) and Shivaji Festival (1897)
• Founded: Home Rule League (1916) in western India.

Answer: (A) Assassination of W. C. Rand by the Chapekar Brothers

Explanation

The assassination of W. C. Rand, the Plague Commissioner of Pune, by the Chapekar Brothers (Damodar, Balkrishna, and Vasudev Chapekar) on 22 June 1897 is regarded as the first assassination of a British official by Indian revolutionaries after the Revolt of 1857.

Rand had become unpopular because of the harsh plague-control measures imposed in Pune, which involved intrusive searches and humiliation of Indian families.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: W. C. Rand’s assassination (1897)
• Date: 22 June 1897
• Place: Pune
• Assassins: Damodar Hari Chapekar (with his brothers Balkrishna and Vasudev Chapekar)
• Victim: W. C. Rand, Plague Commissioner of Pune
• Other notable revolutionary assassinations:
  • Curzon Wyllie – assassinated by Madan Lal Dhingra (1909)
  • A. M. T. Jackson (Nashik Collector) – assassinated by Anant Laxman Kanhere (1909)
  • J. P. Saunders – assassinated by Bhagat Singh, Shivram Rajguru, and associates (1928) in retaliation for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.

Answer: (B) M. K. Gandhi

Explanation

The quote “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind” is widely attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. It reflects his philosophy of Ahimsa (non-violence) and forgiveness, emphasizing that revenge only leads to more violence and suffering.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Mahatma Gandhi
• Core philosophy: Ahimsa (Non-violence) and Satyagraha
• Famous works: Hind Swaraj (1909), The Story of My Experiments with Truth
• Related famous slogan: “Do or Die” (Quit India Movement, 1942)
• Another famous quote: “My life is my message.”

Answer: (A) Rabindranath Tagore

Explanation

Rabindranath Tagore composed the patriotic song “Banglar Mati Banglar Jal” during the Partition of Bengal (1905). The song was written to inspire unity among the people of Bengal and to protest against Lord Curzon’s partition policy.

Tagore also led the Rakhi Bandhan ceremony on 16 October 1905, encouraging Hindus and Muslims to tie rakhis to one another as a symbol of brotherhood and the unity of Bengal.

Exam Facts

• Composer: Rabindranath Tagore
• Occasion: Partition of Bengal (1905)
• Purpose: Promote unity and support the Swadeshi Movement
• Partition implemented: 16 October 1905
• Viceroy responsible: Lord Curzon
• Related patriotic songs by Tagore:
  • “Amar Sonar Bangla” – later became the National Anthem of Bangladesh
  • “Jana Gana Mana” – became the National Anthem of India

Answer: (C) Tiger

Explanation

The flag of the Indian National Army (INA/Azad Hind Fauj), led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, featured a springing (leaping) tiger at its center. The tiger symbolized strength, courage, and India’s determination to overthrow British rule.

The INA flag consisted of three horizontal stripes:

• Saffron (top)
• White (middle)
• Green (bottom)

with the springing tiger in the center of the white band.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Tiger
• Organization: Indian National Army (INA) / Azad Hind Fauj
• Leader: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
• Flag symbol: Springing Tiger
• Provisional Government of Azad Hind: Established on 21 October 1943
• Famous slogan of INA: “Jai Hind”
• Battle cry: “Delhi Chalo”

Answer: (B) Irish

Explanation

The Bengal revolutionaries were greatly inspired by the Irish revolutionary movement, particularly the activities of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and the Irish struggle against British rule. They adopted similar methods of secret societies, armed resistance, and revolutionary nationalism.

Organizations such as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar drew inspiration from Irish revolutionaries in organizing underground networks and planning revolutionary activities.

Exam Facts

• Indian revolutionary organizations influenced:
  • Anushilan Samiti
  • Jugantar
• Irish revolutionary organizations:
  • Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB)
  • Irish Volunteers
• Common objective: To end British colonial rule through organized revolutionary action.
• Other international influences on Indian revolutionaries: The Italian nationalist movement led by Giuseppe Mazzini, the Russian Nihilist movement, and the French Revolution also inspired many Indian nationalists.

Answer: (C) Civil Disobedience Movement

Explanation

The Dandi March (Salt March), led by Mahatma Gandhi, marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Gandhi started the march from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930 with 78 volunteers and reached Dandi on 6 April 1930, where he broke the Salt Law by making salt from seawater.

The movement spread rapidly across India and became one of the most significant phases of the Indian freedom struggle.

Exam Facts

• Movement inaugurated: Civil Disobedience Movement
• Leader: Mahatma Gandhi
• March began: 12 March 1930
• Reached Dandi: 6 April 1930
• Distance covered: Approximately 390 km (240 miles)
• Started from: Sabarmati Ashram (Ahmedabad)
• Destination: Dandi, Gujarat
• Cause: Protest against the British Salt Tax
• Ended temporarily with: Gandhi–Irwin Pact (5 March 1931)

Answer: (D) Turkey

Explanation

The Khilafat Movement (1919–1924) was launched by Indian Muslims to protect the position of the Ottoman Sultan (Caliph), who was regarded as the spiritual head of the Muslim world. Since the Caliphate was based in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), the movement was directly concerned with Turkey.

The movement was led by the Ali Brothers (Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali) and received strong support from Mahatma Gandhi, who linked it with the Non-Cooperation Movement to strengthen Hindu–Muslim unity.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Turkey
• Period: 1919–1924
• Main leaders: Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali
• Supported by: Mahatma Gandhi
• Related Movement: Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)
• Objective: Protect the Ottoman Caliphate after the First World War
• End of the movement: 1924, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk abolished the Caliphate in Turkey.

Answer: (A) A. K. Fazlul Huq (Abul Kasem Fazlul Huq)

Explanation

A. K. Fazlul Huq was popularly known as “Sher-e-Bangla” (Tiger of Bengal) for his leadership and immense popularity among the people of Bengal, especially the peasantry. He was the founder of the Krishak Praja Party and served as the Premier (Chief Minister) of Bengal from 1937 to 1943.

He is also remembered for moving the Lahore Resolution (Pakistan Resolution) at the All India Muslim League Session held at Lahore on 23 March 1940.

Exam Facts

• Title: Sher-e-Bangla (Tiger of Bengal)
• Person: A. K. Fazlul Huq
• Founder of: Krishak Praja Party
• Premier of Bengal: 1937–1943
• Moved the Lahore Resolution: 23 March 1940
• Other famous titles:
  • Lokmanya – Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • Deshbandhu – Chittaranjan Das
  • Frontier Gandhi – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
  • Grand Old Man of India – Dadabhai Naoroji

Answer: (A) V. D. Savarkar (Vinayak Damodar Savarkar)

Explanation

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar submitted several mercy petitions (clemency petitions) to the British Government while imprisoned in the Cellular Jail, Andaman (Kala Pani) after being convicted in 1911. These petitions have remained the subject of extensive historical and political debate.

The petitions requested release or a reduction in sentence. Supporters argue they were a strategic move to continue nationalist work outside prison, while critics interpret them differently. Regardless of these differing interpretations, it is a well-established historical fact that Savarkar submitted mercy petitions.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: V. D. Savarkar
• Arrested: 1910
• Sentenced: 1911 (two life imprisonments totaling 50 years)
• Prison: Cellular Jail, Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands)
• Organization associated with: Abhinav Bharat Society
• Famous book: The Indian War of Independence, 1857 (1909), originally published abroad.

Answer: (A) A. O. Hume, about the Indian National Congress

Explanation

The Safety Valve Theory is associated with the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC). According to this theory, A. O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, founded the INC in 1885 to provide a “safety valve” through which educated Indians could peacefully express their political grievances, thereby preventing violent revolts against British rule.

However, modern historians debate the validity of this theory. Many argue that the INC emerged primarily due to the growth of Indian nationalism rather than as a British creation.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: A. O. Hume – Indian National Congress
• INC founded: 1885
• Place: Bombay
• First President: Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (W. C. Bonnerjee)
• Founder associated with the Safety Valve Theory: A. O. Hume
• Historiographical note: The Safety Valve Theory is controversial and is not accepted by all historians, though it remains an important topic in competitive examinations.

Answer: (A) Leo Tolstoy

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi was deeply influenced by the ideas of Leo Tolstoy, especially his philosophy of non-violence, love, truth, and resistance to injustice through moral force. Gandhi and Tolstoy corresponded through letters, and Gandhi named his South African settlement Tolstoy Farm (1910) in his honor.

Tolstoy’s book The Kingdom of God Is Within You had a profound impact on Gandhi’s development of Satyagraha.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Leo Tolstoy
• Tolstoy Farm established: 1910, South Africa
• Influential book: The Kingdom of God Is Within You
• Other major influences on Gandhi:
  • John Ruskin – Unto This Last
  • Henry David Thoreau – Civil Disobedience
  • The Bhagavad Gita – Spiritual and ethical guidance
• Gandhi and Tolstoy exchanged letters on non-violence and social justice.

Answer: (C) Matangini Hazra

Explanation

Matangini Hazra was a Gandhian freedom fighter, not a revolutionary nationalist. She actively participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement (1942), following the principles of non-violence (Ahimsa).

On 29 September 1942, while leading a procession to seize the Tamluk police station in Midnapore (West Bengal), she was shot by British police. Even after being shot, she continued to march holding the Indian National Flag and chanting “Vande Mataram.” She became a martyr at the age of 73.

The other options were associated with revolutionary (militant) nationalism:

• Veena Das – Attempted to assassinate Bengal Governor Stanley Jackson (1932).
• Santi Ghosh & Suniti Chowdhury – Assassinated District Magistrate C. G. B. Stevens at Comilla (1931).
• Kalpana Datta – Member of the Chittagong Armoury Raid group led by Surya Sen (Masterda).

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Matangini Hazra
• Popularly known as: Gandhi Buri (Old Lady Gandhi)
• Associated with: Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement
• Martyred: 29 September 1942
• Place of martyrdom: Tamluk, Midnapore, Bengal
• Revolutionary nationalists in the options: Veena Das, Santi Ghosh & Suniti Chowdhury, Kalpana Datta.

Answer: (D) Lord Irwin

Explanation

The Civil Disobedience Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi with the Dandi (Salt) March on 12 March 1930. At that time, the Viceroy and Governor-General of India was Lord Irwin (1926–1931).

The movement culminated in the Gandhi–Irwin Pact, signed on 5 March 1931, under which Gandhi agreed to suspend the movement and attend the Second Round Table Conference.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Lord Irwin
• Civil Disobedience Movement launched: 12 March 1930
• Started with: Dandi (Salt) March
• Dandi reached: 6 April 1930
• Governor-General/Viceroy: Lord Irwin (1926–1931)
• Gandhi–Irwin Pact signed: 5 March 1931

Answer: (B) 1911

Explanation

The Partition of Bengal, carried out by Lord Curzon, came into effect on 16 October 1905. It was strongly opposed by Indians and led to the Swadeshi and Boycott Movements.

Owing to sustained public opposition, the British Government annulled (cancelled) the partition on 12 December 1911 during the Delhi Durbar under King George V. At the same time, the capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.

Exam Facts

• Partition of Bengal: 16 October 1905
• Viceroy responsible: Lord Curzon
• Annulled: 12 December 1911
• Announced at: Delhi Durbar (1911)
• Monarch: King George V
• Major simultaneous event: Capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi
• Outcome: Bengal was reunited, while Bihar & Orissa and Assam were made separate provinces.

Answer: (D) Dadabhai Naoroji

Explanation

Dadabhai Naoroji is popularly known as the “Grand Old Man of India” because of his pioneering role in the Indian nationalist movement. He was one of the founders of the Indian National Congress (INC) and was the first Indian to be elected to the British House of Commons.

He is also famous for propounding the Drain Theory, which explained how British economic policies drained India’s wealth.

Exam Facts

• Title: Grand Old Man of India
• Associated with: Dadabhai Naoroji
• Famous Theory: Drain Theory
• Famous Book: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901)
• First Indian elected to the British House of Commons: 1892 (Liberal Party)
• President of the INC: 1886 (Calcutta), 1893 (Lahore), and 1906 (Calcutta)

Answer: (D) 23rd March 1940

Explanation

The Pakistan Resolution, popularly known as the Lahore Resolution, was passed on 23 March 1940 at the annual session of the All-India Muslim League held at Lahore.

The resolution was moved by A. K. Fazlul Huq (Sher-e-Bangla), the Premier of Bengal, under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It called for the creation of “independent states” in the Muslim-majority areas of north-western and eastern India. The name “Pakistan Resolution” became popular later; the resolution itself did not explicitly use the word “Pakistan.”

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: 23 March 1940
• Also known as: Lahore Resolution
• Place: Lahore
• Organization: All-India Muslim League
• Moved by: A. K. Fazlul Huq (Sher-e-Bangla)
• Leader of the Muslim League: Muhammad Ali Jinnah
• Important Note: The word “Pakistan” does not appear in the original text of the resolution.

Answer: (C) 1931

Explanation

Although the decision to shift the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi was announced at the Delhi Durbar in 1911 by King George V, the newly built city of New Delhi was formally inaugurated on 13 February 1931 by Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India.

The city was designed by the British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker.

Exam Facts

• Capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi: 1911 (announced)
• New Delhi inaugurated: 13 February 1931
• Inaugurated by: Lord Irwin
• Designed by: Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker
• Reason for shifting the capital: Administrative convenience and political considerations after the Partition of Bengal agitation.

Answer: (D) Rashbehari Bose

Explanation

The Indian Independence League (IIL) was an organization of Indian nationalists in Southeast Asia that sought to secure India’s independence from British rule.

Rashbehari Bose played a leading role in organizing and expanding the League. In 1942, he helped establish the Indian National Army (INA) with the assistance of Captain Mohan Singh. Later, Rashbehari Bose invited Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to East Asia and handed over the leadership of both the Indian Independence League and the INA to him in 1943.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Rashbehari Bose
• Indian Independence League reorganized: 1942 (Bangkok Conference)
• Region: Southeast Asia
• Associated with: Indian National Army (INA/Azad Hind Fauj)
• Leadership transferred to: Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943
• First INA Commander: Captain Mohan Singh
• Provisional Government of Azad Hind established: 21 October 1943

Answer: (B) His charkha (spinning wheel)

Explanation

The charkha (spinning wheel) became the most powerful symbol of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Swadeshi, self-reliance, and economic independence. Gandhi encouraged every Indian to spin khadi on the charkha to reduce dependence on imported British textiles and promote indigenous industries.

The charkha thus became a symbol of the freedom struggle, non-violent resistance, and national self-sufficiency.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Charkha (Spinning Wheel)
• Represents: Swadeshi, Self-reliance (Atmanirbharta), Khadi, and Non-violent resistance
• Associated Movement: Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement
• Gandhi’s journal: Young India, Navjivan, and later Harijan
• Historical Note: The 1921 version of the Indian National Congress flag designed by Pingali Venkayya featured a charkha at its center. The Ashoka Chakra replaced the charkha in the National Flag adopted in 1947.

Answer: (B) Dadabhai Naoroji

Explanation

Poverty and Un-British Rule in India was written by Dadabhai Naoroji and published in 1901. In this landmark work, Naoroji elaborated his famous Drain Theory, arguing that British colonial rule systematically drained India’s wealth to Britain, leading to widespread poverty.

The book became one of the earliest and most influential economic critiques of British rule in India.

Exam Facts

• Author: Dadabhai Naoroji
• Published: 1901
• Main Theme: Drain Theory
• Title of Naoroji: Grand Old Man of India
• First Indian elected to the British House of Commons: 1892 (Liberal Party)
• Other notable economic nationalist: R. C. Dutt, author of The Economic History of India, which also criticized British economic policies.

Answer: (D) Sister Nivedita

Explanation

Sister Nivedita (Margaret Elizabeth Noble) is credited with designing one of the earliest Indian National Flags around 1904–1905. Her flag featured a red background with a yellow Vajra (thunderbolt), symbolizing strength and sacrifice, along with the words “Vande Mataram.”

Although Madam Bhikaji Cama later unfurled another version of the Indian National Flag at the International Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1907, the earliest design is generally attributed to Sister Nivedita.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Sister Nivedita
• Earliest Indian National Flag: Designed around 1904–1905
• Symbol: Vajra (Thunderbolt) and “Vande Mataram”
• Madam Bhikaji Cama: Unfurled an Indian National Flag in Stuttgart (Germany) in 1907
• Calcutta Flag (1906): Hoisted at Parsi Bagan Square, Calcutta, featuring green, yellow, and red stripes.
• Present National Flag: Designed by Pingali Venkayya (basis of the 1947 flag), with the Ashoka Chakra replacing the Charkha.

Answer: (D) A decree to prevent nationalist protests amongst students in educational institutions during the Partition of Bengal.

Explanation

The Carlyle Circular was issued on 22 October 1905 by R. W. Carlyle, the Chief Secretary to the Government of Bengal. It directed educational institutions to prevent students from participating in the Swadeshi Movement, political meetings, processions, and nationalist activities following the Partition of Bengal (1905).

Students who violated the order faced disciplinary action, including expulsion, withdrawal of scholarships, and denial of government aid to their institutions.

The Circular provoked widespread opposition and became one of the major reasons for the growth of the National Education Movement in Bengal.

Exam Facts

• Issued on: 22 October 1905
• Issued by: R. W. Carlyle, Chief Secretary to the Government of Bengal
• Context: Partition of Bengal (1905)
• Purpose: To stop students from joining the Swadeshi and Boycott Movements
• Consequence: Rise of the National Education Movement
• Related development: Establishment of the National Council of Education (1906) in Bengal.

Answer: (D) Alluri Sitarama Raju

Explanation

Alluri Sitarama Raju was the legendary leader of the Rampa Rebellion (1922–1924), also known as the Manyam Rebellion, in the Godavari Agency area of present-day Andhra Pradesh.

He led the Koya tribal people against the British in protest against the Madras Forest Act of 1882, which restricted their traditional rights over forests. The rebels attacked several police stations and seized arms. The British eventually captured Alluri Sitarama Raju, and he was executed on 7 May 1924.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Alluri Sitarama Raju
• Rebellion: Rampa (Manyam) Rebellion
• Period: 1922–1924
• Region: Godavari Agency, Andhra Pradesh
• Community involved: Koya tribal people
• Cause: Opposition to the Madras Forest Act, 1882 and British forest policies
• Executed: 7 May 1924
• Popular title: “Manyam Veerudu” (Hero of the Jungle)

Answer: (A) Social Reform Act

Explanation

Act III of 1872 refers to the Special Marriage Act of 1872, also known as the Civil Marriage Act (or Brahmo Marriage Act in its original context). It was enacted during the tenure of Lord Northbrook and was one of the earliest social reform legislations in colonial India.

The Act provided legal recognition to civil marriages outside the traditional religious framework and sought to promote social reforms, including restrictions on child marriage and polygamy among those marrying under the Act.

Because of its reformist objectives, it is commonly referred to in competitive examinations as a Social Reform Act.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Social Reform Act
• Act: Act III of 1872 (Special Marriage/Civil Marriage Act)
• Year: 1872
• Associated reformer: Keshab Chandra Sen (his campaign influenced the legislation)
• Nature: Social reform legislation
• Related reforms: Civil marriage, monogamy, and regulation of the marriage age for those marrying under the Act.

Answer: (B) Lala Hansraj

Explanation

The Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) College was established in 1886 at Lahore (now in Pakistan) in memory of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of the Arya Samaj.

The college was founded by Lala Hansraj, who became its first principal and served without taking any salary. The DAV institutions aimed to combine Vedic education with modern Western education.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Lala Hansraj
• Founded: 1886
• Place: Lahore
• Named after: Swami Dayanand Saraswati
• Organization behind it: Arya Samaj
• First Principal: Lala Hansraj (served without salary)
• Founder of Arya Samaj: Swami Dayanand Saraswati (1875)

Answer: (A) Mahatma Gandhi

Explanation

At the All India Khilafat Conference held in Delhi on 23 November 1919, Mahatma Gandhi was elected as its President. Gandhi supported the Khilafat Movement to strengthen Hindu–Muslim unity and soon integrated it with the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22).

The Khilafat Movement was led primarily by the Ali Brothers—Maulana Mohammad Ali and Maulana Shaukat Ali—to protect the Ottoman Caliphate after the First World War.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Mahatma Gandhi
• Conference: All India Khilafat Conference
• Date: 23 November 1919
• Place: Delhi
• Main leaders of the Khilafat Movement: Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali
• Supported by: Mahatma Gandhi
• Related Movement: Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)
• End of the Khilafat Movement: 1924, after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk abolished the Caliphate in Turkey.

Answer: (C) Sayyid Amir Ali

Explanation

The Spirit of Islam was written by Sayyid Amir Ali, a distinguished Indian Muslim jurist, scholar, and political thinker. The book was first published in 1891 and is regarded as one of the most influential works explaining the history, philosophy, and principles of Islam to the English-speaking world.

Sayyid Amir Ali was also one of the founders of the Central National Mohammedan Association (1877) and played an important role in the intellectual and political awakening of Indian Muslims.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Sayyid Amir Ali
• Book: The Spirit of Islam
• Published: 1891
• Author’s profession: Jurist, scholar, and political leader
• Founded: Central National Mohammedan Association (1877)
• Another famous work: A Short History of the Saracens (1899)

Answer: (B) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Explanation

The Khudai Khidmatgar (“Servants of God”) movement was founded by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in 1929 in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), now in Pakistan.

The movement was a non-violent organization of the Pashtun (Pathan) people that worked for social reform, education, and India’s freedom. Its members wore red uniforms, earning them the nickname “Red Shirts” (Surkh Posh).

Because of his commitment to non-violence and his close association with Mahatma Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan became popularly known as the “Frontier Gandhi.”

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
• Movement founded: Khudai Khidmatgar (Servants of God)
• Founded: 1929
• Region: North-West Frontier Province (NWFP)
• Popular title: Frontier Gandhi (Badshah Khan)
• Members known as: Red Shirts (Surkh Posh)
• Philosophy: Non-violence (Ahimsa) and social reform.

Answer: (C) Civil Disobedience Movement

Explanation

The Dandi March (Salt March), led by Mahatma Gandhi, marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Gandhi started the march from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930 with 78 volunteers and reached Dandi on 6 April 1930, where he broke the Salt Law by making salt from seawater.

This act of defiance triggered the Civil Disobedience Movement, which spread across India and became one of the most significant phases of the freedom struggle.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Civil Disobedience Movement
• Leader: Mahatma Gandhi
• Dandi March started: 12 March 1930
• Reached Dandi: 6 April 1930
• Started from: Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad
• Destination: Dandi, Gujarat
• Participants at the start: 78 volunteers
• Issue: Protest against the British Salt Tax
• Movement suspended: Gandhi–Irwin Pact (5 March 1931)

Answer: (C) Surya Sen (Masterda)

Explanation

The Chittagong Armoury Raid was planned and led by Surya Sen, popularly known as Masterda. On 18 April 1930, he and his group of revolutionaries attacked the British armouries at Chittagong (now in Bangladesh), intending to seize arms, cut communication lines, and establish a provisional revolutionary government.

Although the revolutionaries captured the armouries, they could not obtain sufficient ammunition. After fierce encounters with British forces, many were arrested or martyred.

Surya Sen was eventually captured in 1933 and executed on 12 January 1934.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Surya Sen (Masterda)
• Event: Chittagong Armoury Raid
• Date: 18 April 1930
• Place: Chittagong (now in Bangladesh)
• Organization: Indian Republican Army, Chittagong Branch
• Prominent participants: Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Ananta Singh, Kalpana Datta, Pritilata Waddedar
• Surya Sen executed: 12 January 1934.

Answer: (A) Lahore Congress

Explanation

The demand for Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) was adopted at the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress held in December 1929 under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru.

At this historic session, the Congress rejected the demand for Dominion Status and declared Complete Independence as its ultimate goal. It also resolved that 26 January 1930 would be observed throughout India as Independence Day (Purna Swaraj Day).

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Lahore Congress
• Year: 1929
• President: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Historic Resolution: Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence)
• Independence Day first observed: 26 January 1930
• Followed by: Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) launched with the Dandi March.

Answer: (B) In protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Explanation

Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood in 1919 as a protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, in which British troops under General Reginald Dyer killed hundreds of unarmed Indians at Amritsar on 13 April 1919.

In a famous letter to Viceroy Lord Chelmsford, Tagore declared that “badges of honour make our shame glaring” and returned the title conferred on him by the British Crown.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: In protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
• Massacre date: 13 April 1919
• Place: Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
• Officer responsible: General Reginald Dyer
• Knighthood renounced: 31 May 1919
• Knighthood originally awarded: 1915
• Viceroy to whom Tagore wrote: Lord Chelmsford

Answer: (C) Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Explanation

The Indian War of Independence, 1857 was written by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (V. D. Savarkar) in 1909. The book presented the Revolt of 1857 as India’s First War of Independence, challenging the British view that it was merely a “Sepoy Mutiny.”

Since the British banned the book before its publication in India, it was first published secretly in Europe (the first English edition was printed in the Netherlands) and circulated clandestinely among Indian revolutionaries.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: V. D. Savarkar
• Book: The Indian War of Independence, 1857
• Written: 1909
• Main idea: The Revolt of 1857 was India’s First War of Independence
• Banned by: British Government
• Published secretly: Europe (Netherlands)
• Author’s organization: Abhinav Bharat Society

Answer: (A) Revolt

Explanation

The word “Ghadar” (or Gadar) literally means “Revolt,” “Rebellion,” or “Mutiny.” The Ghadar Party, founded in 1913 at San Francisco, USA, adopted this name to symbolize its objective of launching an armed revolt against British rule in India.

The party also published a revolutionary newspaper named Ghadar, which inspired Indians, especially expatriates, to fight for India’s independence.

Exam Facts

• Meaning of “Ghadar”: Revolt / Rebellion / Mutiny
• Ghadar Party founded: 21 April 1913
• Place: San Francisco, USA
• Chief ideologue/founder: Lala Har Dayal
• First President: Sohan Singh Bhakna
• Official newspaper: Ghadar
• Headquarters: Yugantar Ashram, San Francisco
• Objective: To achieve India’s independence through armed revolution.

Answer: (C) Lord Ripon

Explanation

The Ilbert Bill Controversy (1883) occurred during the tenure of Lord Ripon, the Viceroy of India (1880–1884).

The Ilbert Bill, introduced by Sir Courtenay Peregrine Ilbert, the Law Member of the Viceroy’s Council, sought to empower Indian district magistrates and sessions judges to try European British subjects in criminal cases.

The Bill was fiercely opposed by the European community in India, leading to the Ilbert Bill Controversy. Due to the opposition, the Bill was passed in a diluted form, requiring jury trials with at least half the jurors being Europeans in cases involving European defendants.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Lord Ripon
• Year of controversy: 1883
• Introduced by: Sir C. P. (Courtenay Peregrine) Ilbert
• Viceroy: Lord Ripon (1880–1884)
• Purpose: Allow Indian judges to try European British subjects.
• Outcome: Passed in a modified (weakened) form after strong European opposition.
• Lord Ripon is also known as: “Father of Local Self-Government in India.”

Answer: (A) Sanjiboni

Explanation

The idea of “Boycott” as a political weapon against British goods was first advocated in the Bengali newspaper Sanjiboni during the Swadeshi Movement following the Partition of Bengal (1905).

The newspaper urged Indians to boycott British goods, promote Swadeshi products, and support national industries. The boycott movement soon spread across Bengal and the rest of India, becoming one of the defining features of the Swadeshi Movement.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Sanjiboni
• Movement: Swadeshi and Boycott Movement (1905)
• Background: Partition of Bengal (1905) by Lord Curzon
• Objective: Boycott British goods and encourage indigenous industries.
• Partition of Bengal came into effect: 16 October 1905
• Important newspapers of the period:
  • Sanjiboni – First advocated the boycott of British goods.
  • Yugantar – Revolutionary newspaper founded by Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Bhupendranath Dutta.
  • Amrita Bazar Patrika – Nationalist newspaper founded by Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh.

Answer: (A) Debendranath Tagore

Explanation

The Tattwabodhini Sabha was founded by Debendranath Tagore in 1839 at Calcutta (Kolkata). Its objective was to spread the teachings of the Upanishads, promote religious and social reform, and revive the ideals of the Brahmo Samaj founded by Raja Rammohan Roy.

In 1843, Debendranath Tagore formally joined the Brahmo Samaj, and the Tattwabodhini Sabha became closely associated with it.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Debendranath Tagore
• Founded: 1839
• Place: Calcutta (Kolkata)
• Associated with: Brahmo Samaj
• Journal: Tattwabodhini Patrika (1843)
• Founder of Brahmo Samaj: Raja Rammohan Roy (1828)
• Keshab Chandra Sen later emerged as an important leader of the Brahmo Samaj but did not found the Tattwabodhini Sabha.

Answer: (B) Sisir Kumar Ghosh

Explanation

Sisir Kumar Ghosh was the founder and first editor of the Amrita Bazar Patrika, one of the most influential nationalist newspapers during the Indian freedom movement. The newspaper was founded in 1868 at Amrita Bazar village (then in Jessore district, now in Bangladesh) by Sisir Kumar Ghosh and his brother Motilal Ghosh.

Originally published in Bengali, it became an English newspaper overnight in 1878 to evade the restrictions imposed by Lord Lytton’s Vernacular Press Act (1878).

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Sisir Kumar Ghosh
• Founded: 1868
• Founders: Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh
• First Editor: Sisir Kumar Ghosh
• Originally published in: Bengali
• Converted to English: 1878 (after the Vernacular Press Act)
• Significance: One of the most influential nationalist newspapers of the freedom struggle.

Answer: (A) Vallabhbhai Patel

Explanation

The Bardoli Satyagraha (Bardoli Movement) was led by Vallabhbhai Patel in 1928 at Bardoli, Gujarat. It was launched against the 30% increase in land revenue imposed by the British Government.

Patel organized the peasants through non-violent resistance, and after the movement’s success, the British agreed to reduce the enhanced revenue. In recognition of his leadership, the women of Bardoli bestowed upon him the title “Sardar”, after which he became popularly known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Vallabhbhai Patel
• Movement: Bardoli Satyagraha
• Year: 1928
• Place: Bardoli, Gujarat
• Issue: Protest against 30% increase in land revenue
• Title earned: “Sardar”
• Outcome: British Government agreed to revise/reduce the enhanced land revenue.

Answer: (A) Subhas Chandra Bose

Explanation

Subhas Chandra Bose founded the All India Forward Bloc on 3 May 1939 after resigning from the presidency of the Indian National Congress due to differences with the Congress High Command, particularly Mahatma Gandhi.

The Forward Bloc aimed to unite all left-wing and radical nationalist forces within the Congress to intensify the struggle for India’s complete independence.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Subhas Chandra Bose
• Founded: 3 May 1939
• Founder: Subhas Chandra Bose
• Reason: Differences with the Congress leadership after the Tripuri Session (1939)
• Earlier event: Bose was re-elected Congress President at the Tripuri Session (1939), defeating Pattabhi Sitaramayya, but later resigned.
• Objective: To unite left-wing nationalist forces for the struggle for complete independence (Purna Swaraj).

Answer: (A) 1st November, 1858

Explanation

The Queen’s Proclamation was issued by Queen Victoria on 1 November 1858 after the Revolt of 1857. It marked the transfer of power from the East India Company to the British Crown under the Government of India Act, 1858.

The Proclamation was formally read out by Lord Canning, the first Viceroy of India, at Allahabad.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: 1 November 1858
• Issued by: Queen Victoria
• Read out by: Lord Canning
• Place: Allahabad
• Legal basis: Government of India Act, 1858
• Major provisions:
  • Ended the rule of the East India Company
  • Transferred administration to the British Crown
  • Assured non-interference in religious matters
  • Promised equal treatment under law and protection of the rights of Indian princes
• Lord Canning became the first Viceroy of India after the Proclamation.

Answer: (B) Dhondo Keshav Karve

Explanation

Dhondo Keshav Karve (Maharshi Karve) founded the Indian Women’s University in 1916 at Pune to promote higher education for women. It was the first women’s university in India.

Later, the university was renamed Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women’s University after receiving a generous donation from the Thackersey family.

Karve devoted his life to women’s education, widow remarriage, and social reform. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1958.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Dhondo Keshav Karve (Maharshi Karve)
• Founded: 1916
• Place: Pune
• Present name: SNDT Women’s University
• First Women’s University in India
• Awarded Bharat Ratna: 1958
• Known for: Promoting women’s education and widow remarriage.

Answer: (B) Muhammad Ali (Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar)

Explanation

Jamia Millia Islamia was established on 29 October 1920 at Aligarh during the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Movements. It was founded by a group of nationalist Muslim leaders, among whom Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar played a leading role. Hence, in competitive examinations, the accepted answer is Muhammad Ali.

The university was later shifted to Delhi in 1925.

Although Dr. Zakir Hussain made an immense contribution to Jamia Millia Islamia as its Vice-Chancellor and later became the President of India, he was not its founder.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: Muhammad Ali (Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar)
• Established: 29 October 1920
• Original location: Aligarh
• Shifted to: Delhi (1925)
• Associated leaders: Hakim Ajmal Khan, Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Maulana Mahmud Hasan, Abdul Majeed Khwaja
• First Chancellor: Hakim Ajmal Khan
• Dr. Zakir Hussain: Later Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia and 3rd President of India.

Answer: (B) 1930

Explanation

The Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March) was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 as a protest against the British Salt Tax. It marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Gandhi started the march from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930 with 78 volunteers and reached Dandi on 6 April 1930, where he broke the Salt Law by making salt from seawater.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: 1930
• Movement: Salt Satyagraha (Dandi March)
• Leader: Mahatma Gandhi
• Started: 12 March 1930
• Reached Dandi: 6 April 1930
• Distance covered: Approximately 390 km (240 miles)
• Started from: Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad
• Destination: Dandi, Gujarat
• Significance: Marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Answer: (A) 1946

Explanation

The Cabinet Mission was sent by the British Government to India in March 1946 to find a constitutional solution for the transfer of power and to discuss the framework for an independent India.

The Mission consisted of three British Cabinet ministers:

• Lord Pethick-Lawrence (Secretary of State for India)
• Sir Stafford Cripps
• A. V. Alexander

The Cabinet Mission Plan was announced on 16 May 1946. It proposed the formation of a Constituent Assembly, an Interim Government, and a three-tier federal structure while rejecting the Muslim League’s demand for an immediate separate Pakistan.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: 1946
• Arrived in India: 24 March 1946
• Cabinet Mission Plan announced: 16 May 1946
• Members:
  • Lord Pethick-Lawrence
  • Sir Stafford Cripps
  • A. V. Alexander
• Main recommendations:
  • Formation of a Constituent Assembly
  • Formation of an Interim Government
  • A federal Union with three groups of provinces
• Significance: It laid the groundwork for the framing of the Constitution of India.

Answer: (A) 26th January, 1930

Explanation

Following the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (December 1929), where the Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) resolution was adopted under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress called upon Indians to celebrate 26 January 1930 as India’s first Independence Day (Purna Swaraj Day).

On this day, people across the country took the Purna Swaraj Pledge, declaring complete independence from British rule as India’s ultimate goal.

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: 26 January 1930
• Declared at: Lahore Session of the INC (December 1929)
• INC President: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Resolution: Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence)
• Historical significance: 26 January was later chosen as the date for the Constitution of India to come into force in 1950, commemorating the first Independence Day celebration.
• Actual Independence: 15 August 1947.

Answer: (B) A. O. Hume

Explanation

Allan Octavian Hume (A. O. Hume), a retired British civil servant (ICS officer), is popularly known as the “Father of the Indian National Congress” because he played the leading role in founding the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885.

The first session of the INC was held at Bombay from 28–31 December 1885 under the presidency of Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (W. C. Bonnerjee).

Exam Facts

• Correct Answer: A. O. Hume
• INC founded: 1885
• First Session: Bombay
• First President: W. C. Bonnerjee
• Delegates at the first session: 72
• Originally planned venue: Poona (shifted to Bombay due to a cholera outbreak)
• Related theory: Safety Valve Theory is associated with A. O. Hume and the formation of the INC (though modern historians debate this theory).