UPSC Prelims 2004 Q32: Modern History – Gandhian Mass Movements (1915 - 1942)
The name of the famous person of India who returned the Knighthood conferred on him by
the British Government as a token of protest against the atrocities in Punjab in 1919 was
- (a) Tej Bahadur Sapru
- (b) Ashutosh Mukherjee
- (c) Rabindra Nath Tagore
- (d) Syed Ahmad Khan
Answer: (c) Rabindra Nath Tagore
Explanation
Returning the knighthood after Jallianwala Bagh
| Person | Link |
|---|---|
| Rabindranath Tagore | Renounced his knighthood in 1919 in protest |
| Tej Bahadur Sapru | Liberal leader |
| Ashutosh Mukherjee | Vice-chancellor of Calcutta University |
| Syed Ahmad Khan | Died in 1898 |
Rabindranath Tagore returned his knighthood in 1919 as a protest against the Punjab atrocities, including Jallianwala Bagh.
Answer: (c) Rabindra Nath Tagore.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Sapru did not return a knighthood in 1919.
- (b) Incorrect. Ashutosh Mukherjee did not return a title.
- (c) CORRECT. Tagore returned his knighthood.
- (d) Incorrect. Syed Ahmad Khan died in 1898.
Key point
1919: Tagore returned knighthood; Gandhi returned Kaiser-i-Hind medal.
Remember
Tagore renounced his knighthood after Jallianwala Bagh.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting that Gandhi returned the Kaiser-i-Hind medal.
- Choosing a 19th-century figure like Syed Ahmad Khan.
- Mixing the protest with the Non-Cooperation boycott of titles.
Exam tip
Tagore: Nobel Prize 1913, Knighthood 1915, returned 1919.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Rabindranath Tagore