UPSC Indian Modern History 7 (Old Year Questions)

Ans b
The first Session of INC was held from 28-31 December 1885, and was attended by 72 delegates. The first meeting was scheduled to be held in Pune, but due to a plague outbreak there, the meeting was later shifted to Bombay.

Ans c
Bankim Chandra was a Bengali poet, novelist, essaying and journalist, most famous as the author of Vande Mataram or Bande Mataram, that inspired the freedom fighters of India, and was later declared the National Song of India. His novel Chaudhurani, was published in 1884. Dinabandhu Mitra the Bengali dramatist, was born in 1830 at Chouberia in Nadia, and was the son of Kalachand Mitra. His given name was Gandharva Narayan, but he changed it to Dinabandhu Mitra. Mitra stormed the social and the literacy cirle of Bengal by his most notably play Nildarpan in the year 1860. It was published from Dhaka and soon after its publication it ignited a major argument in the newspapers. Munshi Premchand, was one of the greatest literacy figures of modern Hindi and Urdu literature. Shatranj ke khiladi is a story in Hindi written by him. Premchand’s Urdu version is titled Shatranj ki bazi. The story depicts decadent royalty of Central North India. It is set around the life of Nawabs of Lucknow, local feudal lords, in the eighteenth century.

Ans a
In 1893, Shri Aurobindo started writing political articles under the general title ‘New Lamps For Old’, at the instance of his Cambridge friend, K. G. Deshpandey, who edited the English section of an Anglo-Marathi paper known as the ‘Indu Prakash’. These articles constituted a direct, invasive and eloquent attack on the Indian National Congress, whose policies Shir Aurobindo regarded as a process of futile petition and protest. Shri Aurobindo gave a stirring call to his countrymen to organize all the forces in the nation for revolutionary action as the sole effective policy for the attainment of our independence.

Ans a
Abul Kalam Azad was a Muslim scholar and a senior political leader of the Indian independence movement. He was one of the most prominent Muslim leaders to support Hindu-Muslim unity, opposing the partition of India on communal lines. He established an Urdu weekly newspaper in 1912 called Al-Hilal and openly attacked British police while exploring the challenges facing common people.

Ans d
Rabindranath Tagore wrote and composed the song “Amar Sonar Bangla” (My Golden Bengal). The song was written in 1906 when Bengal ws divided in two halves by the British Govt. on religion. The first 10 lines of the song constitute the National anthem of Bangladesh.

Ans c
The first factory Act was passed (1881) during Lord Ripon’s Viceroyship (1880-84) to improve labour conditions. Viceroy Tenure Lord Lytton 1876-80 Lord Bentinck 1828-35 Lord Canning (1st Viceroy) 1856-58, 1858-62

Ans b
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Ans d
V.P. Menon was an Indian Civil Servant played an important role in the partition of India and the integration of Independent India during the period 1945-50.

Ans c
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre took place on 13th April, 1919, when a huge crowd had assembled in Amritsar to protest peacefully against the arrest of Saifuddhin Kitchlew and Satyapal who were arrested on 10 April, 1919 for starting a Rowlatt Satyagraha against Rowlatt Act.

Ans c
Champaran Satyagraha – 1917: Gandhi’s first great experiment in Satyagraha came in 1917 in Champaran, a district in Bihar. He took up the cause of the poor peasants against the excesses of the indigo planters in Champaran. He defied the government order asking him to leave the area and was willing to face trial and imprisonment. The Government was forced to inquire into the injustices committed by the indigo planters and to put an end to them. Ahmedabad Mill Strike – 1918 Kheda Satyagraha – 1918 Bardoli (Surat, Gujarat) – Satyagraha was led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1928.

Ans b
A Bangali newspaper ‘Somprakash’ was started in 1898 by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Ans a
During the administration of Nawab ‘Wazid Ali’, Awadh was annexed under the pretext of misrule.

Ans c
Entry of European powers in India: Portuguese – 1548 English – 1600 Dutch – 1902 Danish – 1616 French – 1664

Ans b
Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General of Bengal as per the Regulating Act of 1773.

Ans b
Fort. St. George – 1644 (Madras) – British Fort William – 1700 (Calcutta) – British Fort St. David – Fort sold by Marathas to British in 1690. Fort St. Angelo –Built by Portuguese in 1505 at Kannur (Kerala).

Ans c
Eminent Gandhian constructive worker Acharya Vinoba Bhave, drew upon Gandhian techniques and ideas such as constructive work and trusteeship, to launch the Bhoodan Movement in early fifties (1950’s). Vinoba Bhave received the first donation of land on 18 April 1951 in the village of Pachampalli in the Telangana district of Andhra Pradesh.

Ans c
Wavell Plan proposed a council with equal numbers of Hindus and Muslims, and one representative each of Sikhs and the Depressed classes, besides the Commander in chief and the main purpose was to delay the process of partition but not to avoid partition.

Ans a
Lord Canning was the Governor-General of India during the Sepoy Mutiny. He was the last and first Governor General and Viceroy of British India respectively.

Ans b
Madam Cama held aloft the flag of Indian Freedom by taking part in International Conference at Stuttegaurd in Germany on 18 August 1907.

Ans b
The Charter Act of 1813 abolished East India Company’s monopoly of Indian trade except for trade in tea and trade with China. Charter Act 1833 abolished company’s monopoly of trade in tea and trade with China