Prominent Personalities in Modern History: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Modern History)

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a key figure in the Bengali Renaissance, played a significant role in the development of women’s education in India. While he was associated with the Bethune School, which was founded by J.E.D. Bethune in 1849, Vidyasagar’s efforts greatly contributed to the promotion of female education in Bengal. Hence, the statement is correct in associating him with this cause.

Statement 2 is correct: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the early notable figures of Indian literature. The first graduate of Calcutta University was actually Bankim Chandra and he received his degree in 1858.

Statement 3 is incorrect: While Keshav Chandra Sen was a prominent social reformer who campaigned against Sati, it was Raja Ram Mohan Roy whose efforts led to the enactment of the Bengal Sati Regulation Act of 1829, which banned the practice of Sati. The law was passed by Governor-General William Bentinck.

Explanation

Fabianism is a socialist movement that advocates for gradual reforms through parliamentary means, as opposed to revolutionary methods. It was developed by the Fabian Society in the UK, where ideas of democratic socialism were promoted. Annie Besant was a prominent member of the Fabian Society and played a key role in advocating for Fabian principles, which aimed at social reform and the creation of a welfare state. Her efforts were crucial in spreading the ideas of Fabianism through her writings and political activism. Annie Besant popularized the Theosophical Society in among Indians. Through her constant efforts and generous contributions from a few wealthy Indians, she opened the Central Hindu College at Benares in 1898, with Dr. Arthur Richardson as its principal.

Explanation

Subhash Chandra Bose founded the All India Forward Bloc in 1939 after resigning from the presidency of the Indian National Congress due to ideological differences with Mahatma Gandhi and other Congress leaders. The Forward Bloc was a left-wing nationalist political party aimed at consolidating the radical forces within the Congress and achieving complete independence for India. It’s moto was "All Power to the Indian People". It mobilized youth, workers, and farmers for direct action against British rule. It mainly attracted radical nationalists, socialists, and workers who were dissatisfied with Congress’ moderate policies.

Explanation

Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate and poet was knighted by the British Crown in 1915. However, in 1919 following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the repressive Rowlatt Act he renounced his Knighthood in a letter to the Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford as an act of powerful protest against British atrocities. His act was widely celebrated as a bold statement of defiance.

Explanation

Maulana Hasrat Mohani, a prominent figure in the Indian freedom movement, was a strong advocate for complete independence from British rule. He was one of the key leaders who pushed for the idea that Swaraj, or self-rule, should be interpreted as absolute freedom, devoid of any foreign influence or control. His stance was a significant departure from the moderate demands for self-governance and paved the way for more radical calls for full sovereignty during the independence struggle. Hasrat Mohani started bringing out a magazine in the name of ‘Urdu-e-Mualla’ in 1903.

Explanation

The All-India States People’s Conference (AISPC) was established in 1927 as a federation of political movements within the princely states of British India. Its primary aim was to unite these states and create a platform for them to demand political and administrative rights under British rule. In 1939, Jawaharlal Nehru was elected the president of the All-India States People’s Conference. He played a crucial role in advocating for the rights and aspirations of the people in the princely states.

Explanation

Subhash Chandra Bose, while delivering the presidential address at the 51st Session of the Indian National Congress (INC) in Haripura (1938) proposed the introduction of the Roman script for Hindi to make the language more accessible especially for non-Hindi speakers. Bose believed that adopting the Roman script would help simplify learning Hindi for Indians from different linguistic backgrounds and improve its adaptability. He emphasized that language should not be a barrier in national unity and sought a pragmatic approach to linguistic communication. Most leaders and linguists, including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, opposed the idea of Romanizing Hindi. After independence, the Devanagari script was retained for Hindi, and English was kept as an associate official language to bridge linguistic diversity.

Explanation

Surendranath Banerji was among the earliest Indians to join the Indian Civil Service (ICS). He successfully passed the ICS exam in 1869 in England and was appointed as an assistant magistrate. Later he was dismissed by the British government on the pretext of a minor procedural issue related to his handling of a case. Many believed that racial discrimination was the real reason behind his dismissal, as British officers were uncomfortable with Indians holding powerful administrative positions. This injustice fueled Banerji’s nationalist spirit, and he dedicated himself to the cause of Indian self-rule. He became a key political leader and co-founded the Indian National Association in 1876 which later merged with the Indian National Congress (INC).

Explanation

The description perfectly matches Gopal Krishna Gokhale, one of the most respected leaders of the Indian freedom struggle. Gokhale graduated from Elphinstone College, Bombay (Mumbai), in 1884 at the age of 18. He was one of the first Indian graduates of the university. He became a professor of history and political economy at Fergusson College, Pune. He also became associate editor of the newspaper ’Sudharak’ which was run by his mentor M.G. Ranade. He became secretary of the Pune Sarvajanik Sabha, an organization that worked for Indian political rights. He was also involved in provincial-level conferences advocating for self-governance. In 1895 at the age of 29 Gokhale became Secretary of the Indian National Congress (INC). In 1897 Gokhale testified before the Welby Commission (Royal Commission on Indian Expenditure) in England and advocated for financial autonomy for India. He was elected to the Bombay Legislative Council in 1900 at the age of 34. In 1902 he was nominated to the Imperial Legislative Council, where he became a key advocate for Indian self-governance and social reforms. In 1905, at the age of 39, Gokhale was elected President of the Indian National Congress in Benares (Varanasi) Session. Mahatma Gandhi regarded Gokhale as his political mentor, calling him "Mahatma without the title".

Explanation

Mahatma Gandhi suggested the winding up of the Indian National Congress after India attained independence. He believed that the Congress had achieved its primary goal of securing independence and should now transform itself into a Lok Sevak Sangh (People’s Service Organization) to focus on social and economic reconstruction rather than remaining a political party. His suggestion was not accepted by the Congress leadership.