UPSC Prelims 2017 Q37: Modern History – Early Nationalism & Indian National Congress (1885 - 1915)
Consider the following pairs:
1. Radhakanta Deb - First President of the British Indian Association
2. Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty - Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha
3. Surendranath Banerjee - Founder of the Indian Association
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Early political associations
| Pair | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Radhakanta Deb - First President of the British Indian Association | Correct | Founded in Calcutta, 1851; Radhakanta Deb was President and Debendranath Tagore Secretary |
| 2. Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty - Founder of the Madras Mahajana Sabha | Incorrect | He founded the Madras Native Association (1852) |
| 3. Surendranath Banerjee - Founder of the Indian Association | Correct | Founded in Calcutta, 1876, with Ananda Mohan Bose |
Madras associations compared:
| Association | Year | Founders |
|---|---|---|
| Madras Native Association | 1852 | Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty |
| Madras Mahajana Sabha | 1884 | M. Viraraghavachari, G. Subramania Iyer, P. Ananda Charlu |
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Pair 3 is also right: Surendranath Banerjee founded the Indian Association.
- (b) CORRECT. Pairs 1 and 3 match; Chetty founded the Madras Native Association, not the Mahajana Sabha.
- (c) Incorrect. Pair 2 is wrong and pair 1, on Radhakanta Deb, is right.
- (d) Incorrect. Pair 2 is wrong: the Madras Mahajana Sabha (1884) had other founders.
Key point
British Indian Association (1851) - Radhakanta Deb; Madras Native Association (1852) - G. Lakshminarasu Chetty; Indian Association (1876) - Surendranath Banerjee.
Remember
Chetty = Madras Native Association, not Mahajana Sabha.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the Madras Native Association (1852) and the Madras Mahajana Sabha (1884).
- Confusing the British Indian Association with the Indian Association of 1876.
- Forgetting that Ananda Mohan Bose co-founded the Indian Association.
Exam tip
In Madras, 'Native' came first (1852) and 'Mahajana' came later (1884).
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — India's Struggle for Independence (Foundation of the Indian National Congress)
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India (Political Associations before the Indian National Congress)