Modern History Set 142 | MROY Class

Modern History Questions & Answers (Set 142)

The very first session of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885 was attended by how many delegates at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay? – 72
Who was the first woman to preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (Calcutta session, 1917)? – Annie Besant
In 1925, who made history by becoming the first Indian woman to preside over an INC session (Kanpur session)? – Sarojini Naidu
Who holds the record for being the youngest person to ever preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (at the age of 35 in 1923)? – Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Indian National Congress session only once in his lifetime. In which year and location did this occur? – 1924, Belgaum
At which session of the INC did Subhas Chandra Bose defeat Gandhi’s nominated candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, to win the presidency for a second term? – Tripuri (1939)
The historic Lahore session of 1929 is famous for passing the ‘Purna Swaraj’ resolution. Who was the President of this session? – Jawaharlal Nehru
At the 1931 session, the Congress passed landmark resolutions on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme. Where was this session held? – Karachi
The 1937 session of the INC is notable for being the very first session held in a rural village. Where was this session held? – Faizpur
The historic split between the Moderates and the Extremists occurred during the 1907 session. Who presided over this chaotic session in Surat? – Rash Behari Ghosh
The Lucknow Pact of 1916 brought the Moderates and Extremists together and forged an alliance with the Muslim League. Who presided over this session? – Ambica Charan Majumdar
The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was first sung in a political context at the 1896 Calcutta session. Who was the president of this session? – Rahimtulla M. Sayani
The poem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was first publicly sung at the 1911 Calcutta session of the INC. Who was the President of this session? – Bishan Narayan Dar
At the time of India’s independence in August 1947, who was serving as the President of the Indian National Congress? – J.B. Kripalani
The highly influential Urdu weekly Al Hilal, which played a vital role in forging Hindu-Muslim unity, was started in 1912 by whom? – Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Which Bengali social reformer started the newspaper Som Prakash in 1858, known for its staunch support of the Indigo cultivators? – Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Amrita Bazar Patrika was famously converted from a Bengali to an English daily overnight in 1878 to evade the Vernacular Press Act. Who were its founders? – Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh
The Gujarati fortnightly Rast Goftar (The Truth Teller), launched in 1851 to promote social reform among the Parsis, was started by whom? – Dadabhai Naoroji
Which early nationalist leader systematically propounded the “Drain of Wealth” theory in his seminal book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India? – Dadabhai Naoroji
The book The Arctic Home in the Vedas, which argues that the ancestors of the Vedic people lived in the polar region, was written by whom? – Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Which prominent social reformer from Maharashtra authored the book Gulamgiri (Slavery) in 1873, dedicating it to the anti-slavery movement in the United States? – Jyotiba Phule
The seminal book Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule), which critiques modern Western civilization and outlines the concept of Satyagraha, was written by whom? – Mahatma Gandhi
Which prominent leader of the Indian freedom struggle authored the autobiographical account India Wins Freedom? – Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
The Discovery of India, a sweeping history of the Indian subcontinent, was written by Jawaharlal Nehru while he was imprisoned in which fort? – Ahmednagar Fort
The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was taken from the classic Bengali novel Anandamath, which was set against the backdrop of the Sanyasi Rebellion. Who authored it? – Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
The famous Bengali play Nil Darpan vividly exposed the atrocities of British indigo planters on Indian peasants. Who was its author? – Dinabandhu Mitra
During the Swadeshi Movement, the English-language daily Bande Mataram became a powerful voice for the Extremist faction. Who was its most prominent editor? – Aurobindo Ghosh
The fortnightly Marathi newspaper Mooknayak (Leader of the Voiceless), launched in 1920 to champion the rights of the depressed classes, was founded by whom? – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
The influential Bengali journal Tattvabodhini Patrika, which propagated the rationalistic ideas of the Brahmo Samaj, was started by whom? – Debendranath Tagore
Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Meaning of the Truth), one of the most important texts outlining the philosophies of the Arya Samaj, was written by whom? – Swami Dayanand Saraswati

MROY Class

Modern History Set 142

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📌 INC • History

Q.1) The very first session of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885 was attended by how many delegates at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay?

Ans > 72

The Foundation and Objective: The Indian National Congress was formally established in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant, acting alongside prominent Indian intellectuals. The widely debated “safety valve” theory suggests Hume created it to provide a peaceful constitutional outlet for rising Indian discontent, thereby preventing another violent uprising like the 1857 mutiny.
The First Historic Session: The inaugural session was initially scheduled to be held in Poona (Pune). However, due to a sudden outbreak of a devastating cholera epidemic in the city, the venue was quickly shifted to the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay. It convened from December 28 to 31, 1885.
Leadership and Representation: The session was presided over by Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, a highly prominent Bengali lawyer. Exactly 72 delegates attended this historic gathering, functioning as the first national parliament of sorts. The delegates were predominantly English-educated elites, including lawyers, journalists, and educators, with the majority hailing from the Bombay and Madras presidencies.
Initial Demands: During this session, the Congress passed nine resolutions, which were remarkably moderate. They primarily demanded political concessions such as the expansion of the legislative councils, the holding of simultaneous civil service examinations in India and Britain, and a significant reduction in ruinous military expenditure.

📌 INC • Women in History

Q.2) Who was the first woman to preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (Calcutta session, 1917)?

Ans > Annie Besant

Pioneering Leadership: Annie Besant was a prominent British socialist, women’s rights activist, and a leading figure in the Theosophical Society who deeply loved and championed Indian culture. Her historic election as the President of the 1917 Calcutta session was a massive recognition of her relentless political activism for India’s freedom.
The Home Rule Movement: She successfully launched the All India Home Rule League in 1916 alongside Bal Gangadhar Tilak. She heavily utilized her influential newspapers, New India and Commonweal, to aggressively propagate the idea of self-government (Swaraj) for India.
Arrest and Unprecedented Popularity: Her bold anti-imperialist stance led to her highly controversial internment by the British government in 1917. This oppressive move created a massive nationwide furor, catapulting her immense popularity among the Indian masses and virtually guaranteeing her the presidency of the Congress later that year.
A Powerful Declaration: During her historic presidential address, she famously and powerfully declared that “India is no longer on her knees but on her feet.” This critical session heavily focused on the immediate demand for Home Rule and strongly encouraged the increasing participation of women in the national freedom struggle.

📌 INC • Women in History

Q.3) In 1925, who made history by becoming the first Indian woman to preside over an INC session (Kanpur session)?

Ans > Sarojini Naidu

The Nightingale of India: Sarojini Naidu, widely revered as the ‘Nightingale of India’ (Bharat Kokila) for her exquisite and emotive poetry, shattered a major political glass ceiling by becoming the first Indian woman to preside over the Indian National Congress at the 1925 Kanpur session.
Rise in Nationalist Politics: Her elevation to the presidency was a direct result of her immense, ground-level contribution to the Non-Cooperation Movement and her close ideological association with Mahatma Gandhi. She had already established herself as a powerful orator and an indispensable leader within the party ranks.
Global Ambassador for Freedom: Prior to her presidency, she had traveled extensively across India, Europe, and America, acting as a highly persuasive and powerful ambassador for India’s independence cause, deeply linking the struggle for national freedom with the global women’s rights movement.
Presidential Vision: In her impactful presidential address, she strongly emphasized the absolute necessity of Hindu-Muslim unity, highlighted the crucial role of women in the political sphere, and urged the youth to take charge of the freedom struggle. Her tenure symbolized the mass awakening of Indian women, encouraging thousands to actively participate in civil disobedience.

📌 INC • History

Q.4) Who holds the record for being the youngest person to ever preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (at the age of 35 in 1923)?

Ans > Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Historic Youth Leadership: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad created an incredible historic record by becoming the absolutely youngest President of the Indian National Congress at the remarkably young age of 35. This occurred during the crucial special session held in Delhi in the year 1923.
Mediator in Crisis: This special session was convened during a highly critical juncture, right after the sudden suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement. The party was facing a severe ideological split regarding legislative council entry between the “Pro-changers” (like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru) and the “No-changers.” Azad brilliantly mediated between the two factions, preventing a permanent divide.
Champion of Unity: Azad was known for his brilliant intellect, deeply secular outlook, and powerful Urdu oratory. He was a staunch, uncompromising advocate of Hindu-Muslim unity, famously stating that he would prefer to sacrifice Swaraj than sacrifice communal harmony, as the latter was the foundation of the nation.
Longest Serving Pre-Independence: Later in his monumental political career, he achieved another incredible milestone by serving as the Congress President for the longest consecutive period before independence. He fiercely led the party during the deeply tumultuous years of the Quit India movement from 1940 to 1946.

📌 INC • Gandhi

Q.5) Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Indian National Congress session only once in his lifetime. In which year and location did this occur?

Ans > 1924, Belgaum

A Singular Presidency: Despite being the absolute, unquestioned supreme leader and ideological compass of the Indian national freedom struggle for several decades, Mahatma Gandhi officially served as the President of the Indian National Congress only one single time in his entire life—at the 39th session held in Belgaum, Karnataka, in December 1924.
Reunifying the Congress: This session was strategically crucial as its primary objective was to reunify the heavily fragmented Congress. The party was deeply divided following Gandhi’s sudden withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 (due to the violent Chauri Chaura incident) and his subsequent long imprisonment by the British.
The Crucial Compromise: During this historic session, Gandhi forged a vital, pragmatic compromise with the Swarajist leaders, particularly Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das. He officially allowed them to work within the British legislative councils on behalf of the Congress, ensuring the party did not completely split as it had in Surat in 1907.
The Constructive Programme: His presidential address firmly shifted the party’s grassroots focus entirely toward a massive ‘Constructive Programme.’ This meticulously outlined the compulsory spinning of Khadi to promote rural economic self-reliance, the absolute eradication of untouchability, and the aggressive promotion of Hindu-Muslim unity, laying the essential foundation for future mass civil disobedience.

📌 INC • Subhas Chandra Bose

Q.6) At which session of the INC did Subhas Chandra Bose defeat Gandhi’s nominated candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, to win the presidency for a second term?

Ans > Tripuri (1939)

The Tripuri Crisis: The 1939 Tripuri session, held in present-day Madhya Pradesh, witnessed one of the most intense and dramatic internal political conflicts in the entire history of the Indian National Congress, culminating in a severe ideological clash at the highest levels of leadership.
A Radical Vision: Subhas Chandra Bose aggressively sought a second consecutive term as President. He strongly advocated for a much more radical, militant, and uncompromising approach against British imperialism, especially intending to leverage the looming threat of the Second World War to force the British out of India.
Gandhi’s Opposition: Mahatma Gandhi, fundamentally opposing Bose’s radical, non-Gandhian methods, openly nominated and heavily supported Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya for the presidential post. In a stunning mandate, Bose defeated Sitaramayya by 1,580 votes to 1,377. Gandhi publicly and dramatically declared Sitaramayya’s defeat as his own personal defeat.
Resignation and Forward Bloc: Following the victory, the highly influential Congress Working Committee (CWC), deeply loyal to Gandhi, refused to cooperate with Bose, leading to a complete political deadlock. Finding it completely impossible to function efficiently without the support of the Gandhian faction, Bose formally resigned from the presidency in April 1939 and subsequently formed the Forward Bloc.

📌 INC • History

Q.7) The historic Lahore session of 1929 is famous for passing the ‘Purna Swaraj’ resolution. Who was the President of this session?

Ans > Jawaharlal Nehru

A Paradigm Shift: The historic 1929 Lahore session of the Indian National Congress, held on the banks of the Ravi river, marked a massive, uncompromising paradigm shift in the Indian freedom struggle. It officially ended the era of moderate petitions.
Purna Swaraj Declaration: Presided over by a young, deeply dynamic Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress officially abandoned its earlier, heavily debated demand for ‘Dominion Status.’ Instead, they unequivocally passed the momentous ‘Purna Swaraj’ resolution, declaring Complete Independence as the sole, non-negotiable political goal of the nation.
The First Independence Day: To symbolically seal this powerful pledge, the newly adopted tricolor flag of India was hoisted on the midnight of December 31, 1929, amidst massive celebrations. Furthermore, the Congress Working Committee officially designated January 26, 1930, to be observed nationwide as ‘Purna Swaraj Diwas’ (Independence Day).
Constitutional Legacy: Millions of Indians across the country took a solemn, public pledge on January 26, 1930, to fight for absolute freedom. Decades later, to deeply honor the immense historical significance of this specific date, the framers of the Indian Constitution deliberately chose January 26, 1950, to formally enact the Constitution, forever cementing it as Republic Day.

📌 INC • History

Q.8) At the 1931 session, the Congress passed landmark resolutions on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme. Where was this session held?

Ans > Karachi

Defining Swaraj: The 1931 Karachi Session of the Indian National Congress was an incredibly defining moment as it explicitly outlined what Swaraj (independence) would tangibly mean for the ordinary Indian masses, moving beyond just political freedom from the British to ensure social and economic justice.
Leadership and Context: Strictly presided over by the formidable Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the session was held under the tense, deeply emotional shadow of the recent executions of revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, forcing the Congress to address radical demands.
Fundamental Rights Resolution: The session passed a landmark, extremely comprehensive resolution heavily influenced and drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru. This revolutionary document guaranteed basic, non-negotiable civil liberties, including freedom of speech and the press, the right to form trade unions, universal adult franchise, and strict state neutrality regarding religion.
Economic Blueprint: On the economic front, it drafted highly progressive blueprints for a free India. It strongly advocated for a massive reduction in agricultural rent, the total abolition of the exploitative zamindari system, and state control over key strategic industries, fundamentally shaping the socio-economic vision of the future Constitution of India.

📌 INC • History

Q.9) The 1937 session of the INC is notable for being the very first session held in a rural village. Where was this session held?

Ans > Faizpur

A Historic Rural Shift: The 50th session of the Indian National Congress, held in 1937, broke long-standing urban-centric traditions by being the very first session organized entirely in a rural village setting. The chosen location was Faizpur, a small village located in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra.
Connecting with the Peasantry: Presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, this strategic location shift was deliberately chosen by the leadership to actively and tangibly draw the massive, heavily oppressed Indian peasantry directly into the mainstream national freedom movement, recognizing that true mass struggle required rural mobilization.
Focus on Agrarian Crisis: The entire session was heavily focused on the devastating agrarian crisis fueled by the global Great Depression and the highly oppressive British land revenue policies. The Congress explicitly highlighted that political independence was entirely meaningless without simultaneously addressing the severe economic exploitation and crushing poverty of millions of Indian farmers.
The 13-Point Program: To address this, the session adopted a comprehensive, highly progressive 13-point agrarian program. This program fiercely demanded an immediate and substantial reduction in agricultural rent, the total abolition of feudal dues and forced labor, the systematic scaling down of rural debt, and the urgent provision of cheap rural credit facilities.

📌 INC • History

Q.10) The historic split between the Moderates and the Extremists occurred during the 1907 session. Who presided over this chaotic session in Surat?

Ans > Rash Behari Ghosh

The Disastrous Split: The 1907 Indian National Congress session held in Surat is deeply infamous for the disastrous ‘Surat Split.’ This event physically and ideologically divided the nationalist movement into two deeply hostile factions: the Moderates and the Extremists, severely weakening the freedom struggle for almost a decade.
Ideological Warfare: The ideological rift had been rapidly widening since the highly controversial 1905 Partition of Bengal. The Extremists (led fiercely by Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal) demanded aggressive actions, complete Swaraj, and nationwide strikes. The Moderates (led by Gokhale and Pherozeshah Mehta) strictly preferred constitutional methods, petitions, and gradual reforms.
Unprecedented Chaos: During the Surat assembly, intense, uncontrollable disagreements erupted over the election of the President and the passing of radical resolutions regarding Swaraj and Swadeshi. The assembly quickly descended into unprecedented physical chaos, with chairs and shoes violently thrown across the stage by warring factions.
The Moderate Victory: Amidst this extreme turmoil and police intervention, the Moderates successfully utilized their organizational control to install Rash Behari Ghosh as the official President. They then formally expelled the Extremist leaders from the Congress entirely, leading to a massive crackdown by the British government on the now-isolated radical leaders like Tilak.

📌 INC • History

Q.11) The Lucknow Pact of 1916 brought the Moderates and Extremists together and forged an alliance with the Muslim League. Who presided over this session?

Ans > Ambica Charan Majumdar

A Session of Reunions: The 1916 Lucknow Session of the Indian National Congress is considered one of the most historic and highly consequential gatherings in India’s freedom struggle. Presided over by Ambica Charan Majumdar, its greatest achievement was the readmission and formal reunion of the Extremists (led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak) back into the Congress fold after nine long years of bitter separation since the 1907 Surat Split.
The Impact of World War I: This powerful drive for national unity was heavily accelerated by the ongoing geopolitical realities of World War I. Both factions realized that divided, their political leverage against the British Empire was drastically reduced. Tilak’s recent release from Mandalay jail and the tragic death of staunch Moderates like Gokhale and Pherozeshah Mehta heavily facilitated this compromise.
The Congress-League Alliance: Beyond internal unity, the session resulted in a massive, unprecedented political agreement known as the Lucknow Pact. Through the tireless efforts of leaders like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Tilak, the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League officially joined forces to present a united front demanding self-government from the British.
Acceptance of Separate Electorates: To forge this vital alliance, the Congress made a highly controversial but strategic compromise: they officially accepted the Muslim League’s demand for separate communal electorates (which the British had introduced in 1909). While this created a powerful united front temporarily, historians argue it inadvertently legitimized communal politics, heavily influencing the future partition of the subcontinent.

📌 INC • History

Q.12) The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was first sung in a political context at the 1896 Calcutta session. Who was the president of this session?

Ans > Rahimtulla M. Sayani

A Historic Performance: The immensely powerful national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung publicly in a formal political context for the very first time during the 1896 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. This historic rendition was passionately performed by none other than Rabindranath Tagore himself, setting the tune that would deeply inspire millions.
Literary Origins: The song was originally composed by the brilliant Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. He seamlessly blended highly Sanskritized Bengali with pure Sanskrit to create a deeply emotive poem. It was later heavily incorporated into his famous 1882 nationalist novel, Anandamath, which was set against the brutal backdrop of the Sanyasi Rebellion.
Personification of the Motherland: ‘Vande Mataram’ was incredibly revolutionary because it was among the first cultural texts to successfully personify the abstract concept of the Indian nation as a divine, nurturing, yet fierce Mother Goddess (often equated with Durga). This powerful imagery provided deeply emotional fuel for young revolutionaries willing to die for the motherland.
Leadership and Context: The 1896 session where this iconic moment occurred was presided over by Rahimtulla M. Sayani. Sayani was a highly respected leader and was notably only the second Muslim to serve as the President of the INC (after Badruddin Tyabji), highlighting the secular and highly inclusive nature of the early Congress gatherings.

📌 INC • History

Q.13) The poem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was first publicly sung at the 1911 Calcutta session of the INC. Who was the President of this session?

Ans > Bishan Narayan Dar

The Birth of an Anthem: The deeply majestic poem “Jana Gana Mana,” composed entirely by the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, was sung publicly for the very first time on the second day of the Indian National Congress session held in Calcutta in December 1911.
Linguistic Composition: Written in highly Sanskritized Bengali (Sadhu Bhasha), the song was incredibly unique because its carefully chosen vocabulary consisted almost entirely of nouns that were common across major Indian languages, making its core message of regional unity easily understandable from Punjab to Bengal and the Dravidian south.
Historical Misconceptions: At the time, a massive controversy arose heavily fueled by the pro-British press, claiming the song was secretly composed to welcome King George V, who was visiting India that year. Tagore fiercely and angrily denied this, stating that the “Lord of Destiny” mentioned in the song referred absolutely to the eternal spirit of India, not a British monarch.
Session Context: This highly historic 1911 session was presided over by Bishan Narayan Dar. The atmosphere was incredibly jubilant because, during the Delhi Durbar earlier that year, the British government had officially announced the complete annulment of the highly despised 1905 Partition of Bengal, marking a massive victory for the Swadeshi movement.

📌 INC • History

Q.14) At the time of India’s independence in August 1947, who was serving as the President of the Indian National Congress?

Ans > J.B. Kripalani

The Independence Era President: Acharya J.B. Kripalani, a profoundly dedicated Gandhian and a veteran freedom fighter, was elected President of the Indian National Congress at the Meerut session in 1946. Consequently, he held this incredibly critical position during the exact historical moment of India’s independence and the deeply tragic partition in August 1947.
Navigating the Crisis: During his deeply challenging tenure, Kripalani was deeply involved in frantic, high-level negotiations with the British Cabinet Mission and Lord Mountbatten. He aggressively tried to mitigate the horrific communal violence spreading across Punjab and Bengal, often traveling directly into riot-torn areas at immense personal risk to restore peace.
The Party vs. Government Clash: Shortly after independence, a severe and fundamental ideological crisis emerged regarding the balance of power. Kripalani strongly believed that the Congress party organization should actively dictate policy to the newly formed government. However, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel fiercely argued that the government must remain strictly independent of party dictates to govern effectively.
Resignation and Legacy: Realizing that his authority as Congress President was being repeatedly sidelined by the powerful cabinet ministers, Kripalani officially resigned from his post in November 1947 in protest. Dr. Rajendra Prasad briefly took over. Kripalani later became a massive critic of the Congress, eventually leaving to form the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party (KMPP).

📌 Press • Freedom Struggle

Q.15) The highly influential Urdu weekly Al Hilal, which played a vital role in forging Hindu-Muslim unity, was started in 1912 by whom?

Ans > Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

A Journalistic Revolution: The highly brilliant and influential Urdu weekly newspaper, Al Hilal (The Crescent), was boldly launched by a young Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in 1912 in Calcutta. It completely revolutionized Urdu journalism in India through its impeccable literary quality, high-quality printing, and fiercely independent political voice.
Shifting the Narrative: Prior to Al Hilal, the Muslim intelligentsia was heavily influenced by the Aligarh movement, which largely advocated for strict political loyalty to the British Raj. Azad aggressively used his paper to shatter this narrative, strongly urging Indian Muslims to abandon loyalism and actively join the broader, mainstream Indian nationalist movement.
Championing Unity and Anti-Imperialism: The publication was deeply critical of British imperialist policies, both in India and across the global Islamic world (especially regarding the Ottoman Empire). It became a massive, powerful instrument for forging robust Hindu-Muslim unity, arguing that fighting for India’s freedom was a religious and moral duty for all Muslims.
Suppression by the Raj: Unsurprisingly, the British colonial authorities viewed Al Hilal as a massive, highly dangerous threat to their divide-and-rule strategies. They heavily censored the publication, repeatedly confiscated its security deposits under the draconian Press Act, and finally banned it completely in 1914. Undeterred, Azad immediately launched another radical journal, Al Balagh, in 1915.

📌 Press • Social Reform

Q.16) Which Bengali social reformer started the newspaper Som Prakash in 1858, known for its staunch support of the Indigo cultivators?

Ans > Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

A Progressive Voice: The highly influential Bengali weekly newspaper, Som Prakash, was initiated in 1858 by the legendary social reformer and educationalist Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. It was expertly edited by the brilliant scholar Dwarkanath Vidyabhusan and quickly established itself as a massive, uncompromising voice for truth and justice in colonial Bengal.
Champion of the Oppressed: The newspaper became immensely famous for its brave, relentless, and staunch support of the heavily exploited Bengali farmers during the massive Indigo Revolt (1859-60). It systematically and fearlessly exposed the brutal atrocities, forced labor, and severe economic exploitation committed by the powerful British Indigo planters.
Political Journalism: Unlike earlier Bengali publications that strictly focused only on religious or minor social issues, Som Prakash was highly revolutionary because it was one of the very first vernacular newspapers to actively engage in deep, critical political discussions, heavily criticizing unjust British administrative policies and demanding democratic rights for Indians.
Targeted by the Press Act: Because of its massive influence and highly critical stance against the government, Som Prakash became a primary, specific target of Lord Lytton’s draconian Vernacular Press Act of 1878. Rather than submitting to the humiliating censorship rules, Vidyabhusan temporarily suspended publication, only resuming it heavily after the Act was later repealed.

📌 Press • Freedom Struggle

Q.17) Amrita Bazar Patrika was famously converted from a Bengali to an English daily overnight in 1878 to evade the Vernacular Press Act. Who were its founders?

Ans > Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh

Humble Origins to Nationalist Giant: Amrita Bazar Patrika was founded in 1868 by the visionary brothers Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh in a small village in the Jessore district (now in Bangladesh). It initially started as a small Bengali weekly before relocating to Kolkata, where it rapidly evolved into one of the most fierce and widely read nationalist newspapers in India.
The Vernacular Press Act: In 1878, Viceroy Lord Lytton enacted the highly oppressive Vernacular Press Act, specifically designed to heavily censor and quickly shut down Indian-language newspapers that criticized British policies, as they were causing massive rural awakenings. Crucially, the Act deliberately exempted English-language publications.
The Great Overnight Evasion: In a stroke of absolute, legendary journalistic genius, the Ghosh brothers discovered that their publication was on the immediate hit list to be shut down. To brilliantly bypass the racist law, they secretly and completely converted Amrita Bazar Patrika from a Bengali-English bilingual paper into a purely English-language daily overnight, leaving the British authorities completely legally powerless to stop its publication the next morning.
A Lasting Legacy: For over a century, the newspaper remained an uncompromising, massive pillar of the Indian freedom struggle. It fiercely supported radical leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, heavily exposed the horrors of the 1943 Bengal Famine, and remained a major, highly respected nationalist voice until it eventually ceased publication in the 1990s.

📌 Press • Social Reform

Q.18) The Gujarati fortnightly Rast Goftar (The Truth Teller), launched in 1851 to promote social reform among the Parsis, was started by whom?

Ans > Dadabhai Naoroji

The Voice of Reform: The Anglo-Gujarati fortnightly newspaper, Rast Goftar (which translates directly to “The Truth Teller”), was courageously launched in Bombay in 1851 by Dadabhai Naoroji, who would later become universally known as the highly revered ‘Grand Old Man of India.’ He was heavily backed by the prominent social reformer K.R. Cama.
Purifying the Community: Naoroji specifically created the publication to aggressively drive massive social and religious reforms within the deeply orthodox Parsi (Zoroastrian) community of Western India. The paper heavily aimed to clarify complex Zoroastrian concepts and fiercely combat highly superstitious, outdated customs that had slowly crept into the religion over centuries.
Championing Women’s Rights: Rast Goftar became a massive, highly instrumental force in pushing for the modernization of the community. It fiercely and relentlessly advocated for the urgent education of Parsi women, the abolition of child marriage, and the complete removal of restrictions on inter-caste dining, facing massive backlash from conservative priests.
Expanding Political Horizons: While its primary, initial focus was strictly internal community reform, under Naoroji’s visionary leadership, the publication gradually and strongly expanded its scope. It began to deeply discuss broader Indian political grievances, economic exploitation, and the urgent necessity for all Indians to unite and demand substantial administrative representation from the British Crown.

📌 Books • Economy

Q.19) Which early nationalist leader systematically propounded the “Drain of Wealth” theory in his seminal book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India?

Ans > Dadabhai Naoroji

The Economic Foundation of Nationalism: Dadabhai Naoroji, a highly brilliant intellectual and the first Asian to be elected as a British Member of Parliament, systematically authored the monumental book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (published in 1901). This book essentially laid the critical, unshakeable economic foundation for the entire Indian nationalist movement.
The Drain Theory Explained: In this massive work, Naoroji meticulously detailed exactly how Britain was deliberately and systematically draining India’s immense wealth. He argued that a massive portion of India’s national product was being constantly exported to Britain without any adequate economic, commercial, or material return to India whatsoever.
The Mechanisms of Exploitation: He heavily utilized massive amounts of British economic statistics to prove his point. He identified the primary mechanisms of this drain: the massive “Home Charges” (paying for the India Office in London), exorbitant pensions given to retired British civil and military officials, interest on railway debt, and the forced payment for British imperial wars fought outside India using Indian money.
Shifting the Paradigm: This brilliant theory caused a massive paradigm shift. It completely moved the Indian political discourse away from simply begging for minor administrative jobs or complaining about bad governance, to deeply understanding the structural, highly systemic economic exploitation of imperialism, proving that British rule was actively “bleeding India white.”

📌 Books • Freedom Struggle

Q.20) The book The Arctic Home in the Vedas, which argues that the ancestors of the Vedic people lived in the polar region, was written by whom?

Ans > Bal Gangadhar Tilak

A Scholar Behind Bars: The highly complex and fiercely debated historical treatise, The Arctic Home in the Vedas, was authored by the fierce extremist leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Remarkably, he conceptualized and conducted the massive preliminary research for this scholarly book while he was suffering a long, brutal political imprisonment in Mandalay jail (and Yerwada jail) for sedition.
The Polar Origin Hypothesis: In this massive work, Tilak proposed a highly radical and unique theory regarding the true origins of the Aryans. He argued that the original, ancient homeland of the ancestors of the Vedic people was actually situated in the extreme Arctic (North Pole) region during the pre-glacial period, long before the last Ice Age forced them southwards.
Evidence and Methodology: To strictly support this massive claim, Tilak did not rely on myth, but rather utilized his incredibly deep, masterful scholarship of ancient Vedic literature, comparative mythology, and Zoroastrian texts (the Avesta). He heavily cross-referenced complex Vedic astronomical references (like descriptions of continuous six-month days and nights) with modern geological findings regarding ice ages.
The Intellectual Giant: While Tilak is primarily and widely remembered today mostly for his highly aggressive political activism and the famous slogan “Swaraj is my birthright,” this highly complex book firmly established him globally as a deeply profound Orientalist scholar, an expert in ancient Sanskrit, and an intellectual giant capable of highly sophisticated Indological research.

📌 Books • Social Reform

Q.21) Which prominent social reformer from Maharashtra authored the book Gulamgiri (Slavery) in 1873, dedicating it to the anti-slavery movement in the United States?

Ans > Jyotiba Phule

An Anti-Caste Manifesto: Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, one of India’s absolute greatest social reformers, wrote the highly explosive and deeply critical book Gulamgiri (meaning Slavery) in 1873. Written primarily in Marathi but featuring a very famous English preface, the text served as a fierce, uncompromising manifesto completely dismantling the ideological foundations of Brahminical supremacy and the rigid Hindu caste system.
Flipping the Historical Narrative: Phule brilliantly and aggressively utilized a dialogue format (between a character named Jotirao and Dhondiba) to totally flip the traditional Aryan narrative. He fiercely argued that the upper-caste Brahmins were actually descendants of foreign, invading Aryans who had brutally conquered the indigenous populations (the Shudras and Atishudras) and subsequently enslaved them using complex, manipulative religious texts as mental chains.
International Solidarity: In a highly visionary move demonstrating deep global awareness, Phule deliberately and explicitly dedicated Gulamgiri to the “good people of the United States.” He drew a massive, direct, and powerful parallel between the horrific condition of the black slaves in America and the heavily oppressed lower castes in India, praising the American abolitionists for their successful struggle.
The Foundation of a Movement: The massive ideological framework established within Gulamgiri directly led to the immediate formation of the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth Seekers’ Society) by Phule later that exact same year. This society became the absolute driving force for anti-caste mobilization, deeply inspiring future Dalit leaders, most notably Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

📌 Books • Gandhi

Q.22) The seminal book Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule), which critiques modern Western civilization and outlines the concept of Satyagraha, was written by whom?

Ans > Mahatma Gandhi

A Philosophical Masterpiece: Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule) is widely considered to be the absolute foundational text of Mahatma Gandhi’s entire political and moral philosophy. It was written rapidly in Gujarati over a period of just ten days in 1909, remarkably while Gandhi was traveling aboard a ship from London back to South Africa.
The Dialogue Format: The book is brilliantly structured as an intense, Socratic dialogue between an idealistic “Reader” (representing the deeply frustrated, radicalized Indian youth leaning toward violent extremism) and the highly patient “Editor” (representing Gandhi’s own mature, non-violent ideological viewpoint).
Critique of Modernity: Gandhi utilized this massive text to launch a fierce, uncompromising attack on the very core of modern, industrial Western civilization. He strongly condemned highly centralized machinery, massive factories, modern legal systems (lawyers), and Western medicine (hospitals), arguing that they heavily prioritized material greed and brute force over morality, spirituality, and human compassion.
The True Meaning of Swaraj: Crucially, Gandhi argued that true Swaraj was not simply the physical expulsion of the British to replace them with an Indian elite running the exact same exploitative system (what he called “English rule without the Englishman”). True independence required shedding Western cultural paradigms, achieving deep self-mastery, and utilizing non-violent Satyagraha (soul force) as the ultimate weapon against oppression.

📌 Books • Freedom Struggle

Q.23) Which prominent leader of the Indian freedom struggle authored the autobiographical account India Wins Freedom?

Ans > Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

An Insider’s Perspective: India Wins Freedom is an incredibly candid, highly revealing autobiographical narrative of the Indian independence movement, primarily dictated in Urdu by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to his close associate Humayun Kabir, who translated it into English. It focuses heavily on the highly turbulent, politically chaotic decade of the 1940s leading up to independence.
The Tragedy of Partition: The book is most famous for Azad’s deep, profound anguish and unwavering opposition to the partition of the subcontinent based strictly on religion. While he naturally placed heavy blame on Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the massive communal polarization caused by the Muslim League, he did not spare his own colleagues.
Controversial Criticisms: Published posthumously, the book caused a massive national sensation because Azad sharply and controversially criticized senior Congress leaders, specifically Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He heavily argued that their political impatience, ideological rigidity, and eventual willingness to accept Mountbatten’s partition plan too easily were massive historical blunders that sealed the fate of a united India.
The Sealed Pages: Adding to the immense mystique of the book, Azad had explicitly instructed that 30 highly sensitive pages containing his most severe, personal criticisms of his contemporaries be strictly withheld from the public and kept sealed in the National Archives. These controversial pages were finally unsealed and published only decades later, in 1988, sparking renewed historical debates.

📌 Books • Freedom Struggle

Q.24) The Discovery of India, a sweeping history of the Indian subcontinent, was written by Jawaharlal Nehru while he was imprisoned in which fort?

Ans > Ahmednagar Fort

Imprisonment Literature: Jawaharlal Nehru penned this massive, highly celebrated literary and historical masterpiece during his prolonged incarceration at the heavily guarded Ahmednagar Fort prison camp. He was imprisoned there by the British colonial authorities between 1942 and 1945, directly following the massive nationwide launch of the ‘Quit India Movement’.
A Sweeping Historical Canvas: Written entirely in beautiful, highly evocative English, The Discovery of India is not a standard, dry academic history book. Instead, it is a deeply personal, sweeping philosophical journey where Nehru attempts to meticulously trace India’s rich, pluralistic cultural heritage, starting from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, moving through the Maurya and Mughal empires, right up to the British Raj.
Unity in Diversity: The central, massive theme of the book is Nehru’s passionate belief in the concept of “Unity in Diversity.” He fiercely argued that despite massive regional, linguistic, and religious differences, there was an underlying, powerful cultural synthesis and a distinct “Indianness” that had successfully absorbed and assimilated countless foreign influences over millennia.
Vision for a Secular Nation: The book is highly significant because it brilliantly showcased Nehru’s personal ideological vision for the future of the nation. By heavily highlighting India’s long history of religious tolerance, philosophical inquiry, and syncretic culture, he provided the strong, necessary intellectual foundation for the modern, secular, and pluralistic Republic of India that he would soon lead.

📌 Books • Freedom Struggle

Q.25) The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was taken from the classic Bengali novel Anandamath, which was set against the backdrop of the Sanyasi Rebellion. Who authored it?

Ans > Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

A Nationalist Masterpiece: The highly influential classic Bengali novel Anandamath (The Abbey of Bliss) was masterfully authored by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and published in 1882. It quickly became one of the most important and massively influential pieces of literature in the entire history of modern Indian nationalism, virtually synonymous with the early independence struggle.
The Sanyasi Rebellion: The gripping plot of the novel is deeply set against the historical backdrop of the devastating Bengal famine of 1770 and the subsequent, fierce ‘Sanyasi Rebellion.’ It vividly depicts a highly organized, militant brotherhood of warrior ascetics (Sanyasis) who bravely take up arms to fiercely fight against the oppressive, exploitative rule of the British East India Company.
The Hymn of Revolution: The novel heavily features the monks chanting the deeply emotive poem ‘Vande Mataram’ as their ultimate battle cry. This integration transformed the poem into a massive, nationwide political slogan. The novel heavily inspired an entire generation of radical young Indian revolutionaries (like those in the Anushilan Samiti), who viewed it as a sacred text of resistance.
The Concept of Mother India: Crucially, Anandamath was highly instrumental in developing and popularizing the modern, powerful cultural personification of the Indian nation as a divine Mother Goddess (often equated with Durga or Kali). This theological equating of patriotism with religious devotion gave the freedom struggle a massive, deeply emotional, and spiritual momentum.

📌 Books • Social Reform

Q.26) The famous Bengali play Nil Darpan vividly exposed the atrocities of British indigo planters on Indian peasants. Who was its author?

Ans > Dinabandhu Mitra

Theatrical Activism: The highly explosive Bengali play Nil Darpan (The Indigo Planting Mirror) was written in 1860 by the brilliant playwright Dinabandhu Mitra and anonymously published in Dhaka. It stands as a massive, pivotal literary piece that successfully utilized the medium of theatre as a powerful tool for raw, political mass mobilization.
Exposing Brutality: The play fiercely and vividly exposed the horrific, systemic atrocities, physical violence, and crushing debt-bondage inflicted upon the poor Indian peasants by the highly exploitative British indigo planters. It heavily showcased how the European planters forced farmers to grow unprofitable indigo instead of essential food crops, leading to mass starvation.
Sparking a Revolt: The emotional impact of the play was massive and immediate. It heavily accelerated the ongoing peasant unrest, effectively serving as the crucial intellectual and cultural spark that ignited the widespread, highly organized ‘Indigo Revolt’ (Nil Vidroho) across rural Bengal in 1859-60, forcing the government to intervene.
The Cost of Translation: Realizing its immense political potential, the play was quickly translated into English (widely believed to be done by the famous poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt) and officially published by the sympathetic Reverend James Long. The infuriated British planters sued; Reverend Long was heavily fined and sentenced to prison, highlighting the sheer panic the play caused among colonial authorities.

📌 Press • Freedom Struggle

Q.27) During the Swadeshi Movement, the English-language daily Bande Mataram became a powerful voice for the Extremist faction. Who was its most prominent editor?

Ans > Aurobindo Ghosh

The Extremist Mouthpiece: The English-language daily newspaper Bande Mataram was initially founded in 1906 by the fiery nationalist Bipin Chandra Pal. However, it was under the brilliant and highly prominent editorship of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh that it truly transformed into the absolute, most powerful intellectual mouthpiece for the Extremist faction of the Congress during the massive Swadeshi movement.
A Radical Philosophy: Under Aurobindo’s masterful guidance, the publication fiercely departed from the older, Moderate approach of writing polite petitions. Instead, it used brilliant, highly sophisticated English prose to aggressively advocate for absolute, uncompromising independence (Complete Swaraj) and severely mocked the idea of settling for mere administrative reforms.
The Doctrine of Passive Resistance: Bande Mataram heavily propagated a highly organized, radical political strategy. Aurobindo explicitly outlined the powerful “Doctrine of Passive Resistance,” which included the total boycott of British goods, the boycott of government schools and courts, and the aggressive promotion of indigenous (Swadeshi) education and industries as the only path to freedom.
Prosecution and Acquittal: Because of its massive influence and highly inflammatory, anti-imperialist editorials, the British colonial authorities viewed the paper as extremely dangerous. They prosecuted Aurobindo Ghosh for sedition in 1907 for his writings. However, in a highly celebrated trial defended by C.R. Das, Aurobindo was eventually acquitted, further cementing his heroic status.

📌 Press • Social Reform

Q.28) The fortnightly Marathi newspaper Mooknayak (Leader of the Voiceless), launched in 1920 to champion the rights of the depressed classes, was founded by whom?

Ans > Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

The Voice of the Oppressed: In January 1920, the brilliant scholar and absolute principal architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, officially launched the Marathi fortnightly newspaper Mooknayak (which translates powerfully to “Leader of the Voiceless”). The venture was heavily funded and supported by the progressive ruler, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur.
A Fierce Critique of Caste: The publication laid the incredibly crucial ideological and journalistic groundwork for the organized Dalit rights movement in India. Through Mooknayak, Ambedkar launched a fierce, relentless, and highly intellectual attack on the rigid, oppressive Hindu caste system, totally rejecting the religious justification for untouchability.
The Tower of Stories Metaphor: In the very first historic issue, Ambedkar famously and brilliantly compared Hindu society to a massive, multi-storied tower that completely lacked both a ladder and an entrance. He argued that whoever is born on a specific floor must tragically die on that exact same floor, perfectly illustrating the absolute lack of social mobility within the caste hierarchy.
Awakening the Masses: The newspaper served as a massive awakening call for the depressed classes. It heavily encouraged them to organize, aggressively fight for basic human rights, demand equal access to public spaces, and highly prioritize modern education as the primary tool to break the chains of systemic oppression.

📌 Press • Social Reform

Q.29) The influential Bengali journal Tattvabodhini Patrika, which propagated the rationalistic ideas of the Brahmo Samaj, was started by whom?

Ans > Debendranath Tagore

An Engine of Awakening: The highly influential Bengali monthly journal, Tattvabodhini Patrika, was started in 1843 by the great philosopher and religious reformer Debendranath Tagore (the father of Rabindranath Tagore). It originally functioned as the primary, official organ of the Tattvabodhini Sabha, which was later completely merged with the powerful Brahmo Samaj.
The Bengal Renaissance: The Patrika played a massive, incredibly foundational role in driving the intellectual awakening known as the Bengal Renaissance. It provided a powerful, highly respected platform for leading Bengali intellectuals, including Akshay Kumar Datta and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, to deeply discuss complex social, religious, and scientific ideas.
Rational Vedanta: The journal’s primary ideological goal was to systematically explore, translate, and widely propagate the ancient, philosophical truths of the Upanishads and Vedanta, but entirely through a modern, strictly rationalist lens. It heavily sought to reform Hinduism from within, stripping away what it viewed as irrational idol worship and meaningless, highly rigid rituals.
Promoting Science and Language: Beyond religious reform, the publication fiercely opposed the growing influence of orthodox Christian missionaries in Bengal. Furthermore, it made a massive contribution to the modernization of the Bengali language, heavily promoting scientific articles, literature, and modern education, thereby shaping the intellectual landscape of 19th-century India.

📌 Books • Social Reform

Q.30) Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Meaning of the Truth), one of the most important texts outlining the philosophies of the Arya Samaj, was written by whom?

Ans > Swami Dayanand Saraswati

The Ideological Core: Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Meaning of the Truth) is widely recognized as the most foundational and highly revered text outlining the complete religious and social philosophies of the Arya Samaj. It was authored in Hindi in 1875 by the fiercely energetic, reformist monk Swami Dayanand Saraswati.
Return to the Vedas: The massive, central thesis of the book is Dayanand’s uncompromising call to “Return to the Vedas.” The text asserts the absolute, supreme, and infallible authority of the ancient Vedas as the ultimate source of all divine knowledge and true religion, completely dismissing later Puranic texts as corruptions.
A Fierce Social Critique: Through its 14 chapters (known as Samullas), the book launches a massive, aggressive attack on contemporary orthodox practices. It strongly and uncompromisingly condemns idol worship, animal sacrifice, the hereditary caste system based strictly on birth, untouchability, child marriage, and the horrific practice of Sati, urging a return to original, pure Vedic egalitarianism.
Religious Debates and Shuddhi: Beyond reforming Hinduism, the latter chapters of the book contain highly controversial, fierce critiques of other major world religions, strictly judging them against the touchstone of Vedic philosophy. The highly robust ideology presented in this book directly inspired the Arya Samaj’s massive social reform initiatives, the establishment of DAV schools, and the highly contentious Shuddhi (purification/re-conversion) movement.

📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 142

INC 1885: First session in Bombay, attended by 72 delegates.
First Woman President: Annie Besant (1917, Calcutta).
First Indian Woman President: Sarojini Naidu (1925, Kanpur).
Youngest President: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (35 years, 1923).
Gandhi’s Presidency: Only once in 1924 at Belgaum.
Tripuri Crisis 1939: Subhas Chandra Bose defeated Pattabhi Sitaramayya.
Purna Swaraj 1929: Lahore session presided by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Fundamental Rights 1931: Karachi session.
First Rural Session 1937: Faizpur, Maharashtra.
Surat Split 1907: Presided over by Rash Behari Ghosh.
Lucknow Pact 1916: Presided by Ambica Charan Majumdar.
Vande Mataram: First sung at the 1896 Calcutta session.
Jana Gana Mana: First sung at the 1911 Calcutta session.
1947 Independence: J.B. Kripalani was the INC President.
Al Hilal (1912): Urdu weekly by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Som Prakash (1858): Started by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
Amrita Bazar Patrika: Converted to English by Sisir and Motilal Ghosh.
Rast Goftar (1851): Founded by Dadabhai Naoroji.
Drain of Wealth Theory: Expounded by Dadabhai Naoroji.
Arctic Home in the Vedas: Written by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Gulamgiri (1873): Written by Jyotiba Phule.
Hind Swaraj: Written by Mahatma Gandhi.
India Wins Freedom: Autobiographical account by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Discovery of India: Written by Nehru in Ahmednagar Fort.
Anandamath: Authored by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
Nil Darpan: Play by Dinabandhu Mitra regarding indigo planters.
Bande Mataram Daily: Edited prominently by Aurobindo Ghosh.
Mooknayak (1920): Founded by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Tattvabodhini Patrika: Started by Debendranath Tagore.
Satyarth Prakash: Written by Swami Dayanand Saraswati.

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Modern History Set 142

Q.1) The very first session of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885 was attended by how many delegates at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay?

Q.2) Who was the first woman to preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (Calcutta session, 1917)?

Q.3) In 1925, who made history by becoming the first Indian woman to preside over an INC session (Kanpur session)?

Q.4) Who holds the record for being the youngest person to ever preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (at the age of 35 in 1923)?

Q.5) Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Indian National Congress session only once in his lifetime. In which year and location did this occur?

Q.6) At which session of the INC did Subhas Chandra Bose defeat Gandhi’s nominated candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, to win the presidency for a second term?

Q.7) The historic Lahore session of 1929 is famous for passing the ‘Purna Swaraj’ resolution. Who was the President of this session?

Q.8) At the 1931 session, the Congress passed landmark resolutions on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme. Where was this session held?

Q.9) The 1937 session of the INC is notable for being the very first session held in a rural village. Where was this session held?

Q.10) The historic split between the Moderates and the Extremists occurred during the 1907 session. Who presided over this chaotic session in Surat?

Q.11) The Lucknow Pact of 1916 brought the Moderates and Extremists together and forged an alliance with the Muslim League. Who presided over this session?

Q.12) The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was first sung in a political context at the 1896 Calcutta session. Who was the president of this session?

Q.13) The poem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was first publicly sung at the 1911 Calcutta session of the INC. Who was the President of this session?

Q.14) At the time of India’s independence in August 1947, who was serving as the President of the Indian National Congress?

Q.15) The highly influential Urdu weekly Al Hilal, which played a vital role in forging Hindu-Muslim unity, was started in 1912 by whom?

Q.16) Which Bengali social reformer started the newspaper Som Prakash in 1858, known for its staunch support of the Indigo cultivators?

Q.17) Amrita Bazar Patrika was famously converted from a Bengali to an English daily overnight in 1878 to evade the Vernacular Press Act. Who were its founders?

Q.18) The Gujarati fortnightly Rast Goftar (The Truth Teller), launched in 1851 to promote social reform among the Parsis, was started by whom?

Q.19) Which early nationalist leader systematically propounded the “Drain of Wealth” theory in his seminal book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India?

Q.20) The book The Arctic Home in the Vedas, which argues that the ancestors of the Vedic people lived in the polar region, was written by whom?

Q.21) Which prominent social reformer from Maharashtra authored the book Gulamgiri (Slavery) in 1873, dedicating it to the anti-slavery movement in the United States?

Q.22) The seminal book Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule), which critiques modern Western civilization and outlines the concept of Satyagraha, was written by whom?

Q.23) Which prominent leader of the Indian freedom struggle authored the autobiographical account India Wins Freedom?

Q.24) The Discovery of India, a sweeping history of the Indian subcontinent, was written by Jawaharlal Nehru while he was imprisoned in which fort?

Q.25) The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was taken from the classic Bengali novel Anandamath, which was set against the backdrop of the Sanyasi Rebellion. Who authored it?

Q.26) The famous Bengali play Nil Darpan vividly exposed the atrocities of British indigo planters on Indian peasants. Who was its author?

Q.27) During the Swadeshi Movement, the English-language daily Bande Mataram became a powerful voice for the Extremist faction. Who was its most prominent editor?

Q.28) The fortnightly Marathi newspaper Mooknayak (Leader of the Voiceless), launched in 1920 to champion the rights of the depressed classes, was founded by whom?

Q.29) The influential Bengali journal Tattvabodhini Patrika, which propagated the rationalistic ideas of the Brahmo Samaj, was started by whom?

Q.30) Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Meaning of the Truth), one of the most important texts outlining the philosophies of the Arya Samaj, was written by whom?

📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 142

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Q.1) The very first session of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885 was attended by how many delegates at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay?

Q.2) Who was the first woman to preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (Calcutta session, 1917)?

Q.3) In 1925, who made history by becoming the first Indian woman to preside over an INC session (Kanpur session)?

Q.4) Who holds the record for being the youngest person to ever preside over a session of the Indian National Congress (at the age of 35 in 1923)?

Q.5) Mahatma Gandhi presided over the Indian National Congress session only once in his lifetime. In which year and location did this occur?

Q.6) At which session of the INC did Subhas Chandra Bose defeat Gandhi’s nominated candidate, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, to win the presidency for a second term?

Q.7) The historic Lahore session of 1929 is famous for passing the ‘Purna Swaraj’ resolution. Who was the President of this session?

Q.8) At the 1931 session, the Congress passed landmark resolutions on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme. Where was this session held?

Q.9) The 1937 session of the INC is notable for being the very first session held in a rural village. Where was this session held?

Q.10) The historic split between the Moderates and the Extremists occurred during the 1907 session. Who presided over this chaotic session in Surat?

Q.11) The Lucknow Pact of 1916 brought the Moderates and Extremists together and forged an alliance with the Muslim League. Who presided over this session?

Q.12) The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was first sung in a political context at the 1896 Calcutta session. Who was the president of this session?

Q.13) The poem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was first publicly sung at the 1911 Calcutta session of the INC. Who was the President of this session?

Q.14) At the time of India’s independence in August 1947, who was serving as the President of the Indian National Congress?

Q.15) The highly influential Urdu weekly Al Hilal, which played a vital role in forging Hindu-Muslim unity, was started in 1912 by whom?

Q.16) Which Bengali social reformer started the newspaper Som Prakash in 1858, known for its staunch support of the Indigo cultivators?

Q.17) Amrita Bazar Patrika was famously converted from a Bengali to an English daily overnight in 1878 to evade the Vernacular Press Act. Who were its founders?

Q.18) The Gujarati fortnightly Rast Goftar (The Truth Teller), launched in 1851 to promote social reform among the Parsis, was started by whom?

Q.19) Which early nationalist leader systematically propounded the “Drain of Wealth” theory in his seminal book Poverty and Un-British Rule in India?

Q.20) The book The Arctic Home in the Vedas, which argues that the ancestors of the Vedic people lived in the polar region, was written by whom?

Q.21) Which prominent social reformer from Maharashtra authored the book Gulamgiri (Slavery) in 1873, dedicating it to the anti-slavery movement in the United States?

Q.22) The seminal book Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule), which critiques modern Western civilization and outlines the concept of Satyagraha, was written by whom?

Q.23) Which prominent leader of the Indian freedom struggle authored the autobiographical account India Wins Freedom?

Q.24) The Discovery of India, a sweeping history of the Indian subcontinent, was written by Jawaharlal Nehru while he was imprisoned in which fort?

Q.25) The national song ‘Vande Mataram’ was taken from the classic Bengali novel Anandamath, which was set against the backdrop of the Sanyasi Rebellion. Who authored it?

Q.26) The famous Bengali play Nil Darpan vividly exposed the atrocities of British indigo planters on Indian peasants. Who was its author?

Q.27) During the Swadeshi Movement, the English-language daily Bande Mataram became a powerful voice for the Extremist faction. Who was its most prominent editor?

Q.28) The fortnightly Marathi newspaper Mooknayak (Leader of the Voiceless), launched in 1920 to champion the rights of the depressed classes, was founded by whom?

Q.29) The influential Bengali journal Tattvabodhini Patrika, which propagated the rationalistic ideas of the Brahmo Samaj, was started by whom?

Q.30) Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Meaning of the Truth), one of the most important texts outlining the philosophies of the Arya Samaj, was written by whom?

📌 Quick Summary — Modern History Set 142

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