UPSC Prelims 2006 Q79: Modern History – Revolutionary & Communist Movements
Consider the following statements about Madam Bhikaji Cama :
1. Madam Cama unfurled the National Flag at the International Socialist Conference in Paris in
the year 1907.
2. Madam Cama served as private secretary to Dadabhai Naoroji.
3. Madam Cama was born to Parsi parents.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1, 2 and 3
- (b) 2 and 3, only
- (c) 1 and 2, only
- (d) 3 only
Answer: (b) 2 and 3, only
Explanation
Madam Bhikaji Cama
| Statement | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. She unfurled the National Flag at the International Socialist Conference in Paris in 1907 | False | The 1907 Congress at which she unfurled the flag was held at Stuttgart, Germany, not Paris |
| 2. She served as private secretary to Dadabhai Naoroji | True | She worked for Dadabhai Naoroji in Europe |
| 3. She was born to Parsi parents | True | Born in Bombay to a Parsi family |
Statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Answer: (b) 2 and 3, only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false because the flag was unfurled at Stuttgart, not Paris.
- (b) CORRECT. She was Dadabhai Naoroji's private secretary and was born to Parsi parents.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 1 is false, so '1 and 2' cannot be right.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also true, so '3 only' is incomplete.
Key point
Madam Cama unfurled the flag at Stuttgart (1907), served as Dadabhai Naoroji's secretary and was born to Parsi parents.
Remember
Madam Cama's flag was unfurled at Stuttgart in 1907, not Paris.
Common mistakes
- Placing the 1907 flag-unfurling in Paris, where she lived, rather than Stuttgart.
- Forgetting her link with Dadabhai Naoroji.
- Not recalling her Parsi background from Bombay.
Exam tip
Bhikaji Cama: Stuttgart 1907 flag, based in Paris, secretary to Dadabhai Naoroji.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Bhikaiji Cama
- Bipan Chandra, Mridula Mukherjee et al. — India's Struggle for Independence (revolutionaries abroad)