Question Discussion & Solution

• In Jainism, a Tirthankara is a saviour and the spiritual teacher of the dharma (righteous path).
• According to Jains, a Tirthankara is a rare individual who has conquered the saṃsāra, the cycle of death and rebirth on his own and has made a path for others to follow.

The answer is Dadabhai Naoroji.

• On 6th July 1892, Dadabhai Naoroji (candidate for the Liberal Party) won a hard-fought election to become the first non-white to be elected to the British Parliament.
  • He also became the first Asian member of the House of Commons.
• One of the most prominent of Naoroji’s supporters was the famous Florence Nightingale.

Important Points

•  Dadabhai Naoroji:
  • Title: ‘Grand Old Man of India’
  • 1867, he propounded Economic Drain Theory where he pointed out that a quarter of India’s economic revenues were being seized by Britain.
  • In London, he established the London Indian Society and then the East Indian Association (1866) which spoke out for the rights of Indians in the British Empire.
  • In 1885, he was one of the founder members of the Indian National Congress.
    • Became the president of the Indian National Congress Sessions three times:
      • 1886, Calcutta
      • 1893, Lahore
      • 1906, Calcutta: declared that the goal of the Congress was to attain swaraj.
  • Newspaper/Journal/Book under Dadabhai Naoroji:
    • Voice of India newspaper
    • The message of reform among the Parsi community was spread by the newspaper Rast Goftar (Truth-Teller).
    • Poverty and un-British Rule in India

Additional Information

• Gopal Krishna Gokhale:
  • In 1899, Gokhale joined the Indian National Congress, emerging as one of the main leaders of its ‘moderate’ wing.
  • Between 1899 and 1902, he was a member of the Bombay Legislative Council followed by a stint at the Imperial Legislative Council from 1902 till his death.
    • Gokhale played a key role in framing the Morley-Minto reforms of 1909 and advocated for the expansion of legislative councils at both the Centre and the provinces.
  • Gokhale became Congress president at its Banaras session in 1905.
  • Gandhi regarded Gokhale as his political mentor and wrote a book in Gujarati dedicated to the leader titled ‘Dharmatma Gokhale’.
• C Rajagopalachari:
  • Rajaji’s personal interaction with Gandhi in 1919 led him to give up his legal profession to be fully involved in the nation’s independence struggle.
    • The relationship between them only grew stronger and Mahatma called Rajaji the ‘keeper of my conscience’.
  • C. Rajagopalachari led a salt march from Trichinopoly to Vedaranniyam on the Tanjore coast in Tamil Nadu, in support of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
  • C. Rajagopalachari prepared a formula for Congress-League cooperation in 1944. Gandhi supported the formula.
  • He was the 1st Indian Governor-General of India.
  • In 1954 he was conferred with the Bharat Ratna for his contribution to Indian politics and literature.
  • Conflicts grew between Rajaji and Nehru, this led to Rajaji forming the Swatantra Party.
• Acharya J B Kriplani:
  • Kripalani was well-known as a Gandhian and a socialist.
  • He became the Congress president in 1946.
  • In 1972-73, he and other socialist leaders led movements across the country urging people to lead nonviolent protests against Indira’s government.
  • In his autobiography My Times, he criticized the entire Congress leadership, except Mahatma Gandhi, for Partition.

The correct answer is Lord Hardinge II.

Key Points

• Lord Hardinge II was the viceroy of India from 1910 to 1916. During this period the following events occurred in India:
  • Annulment of Partition of Bengal in 1911
  • Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911
  • Establishment of the Hindu Mahasabha in 1915

Additional Information

• Lord Curzon(1899-1905):
  • Appointment of Police Commission(1902)
  • Appointment Of Universities Commission(1902)
  • Indian Universities Act(1904)
  • Partition Of Bengal(1905)
• Lord Dalhousie(1848-1856):
  • Second Anglo-Sikh War(1848-49)
  • The annexation of Lower Burma(1852)
  • Laying down of first railway line connecting Bombay and Thane(1853)
  • Establishment of PWD
• Lord William Bentick(1828-1835):
  • Abolition of Sati System(1829)
  • Charter Act of 1833

The correct answer is Vatapi.
Key Points

• The earliest Chalukyas with their capital at Badami (Vatapi) in Karnataka. They ruled from mid-6th They declined after the death of their greatest king, Pulakesin II in 642 AD. They were known as Badami Chalukyas.

Important Points

There were three distinct which were related to Chalukya dynasties - 

• Badami Chalukyas: Capital was Badami (Vatapi) in Karnataka.
• Eastern Chalukyas: Emerged after the death of Pulakesin II in Eastern Deccan with capital at Vengi. They ruled till the 11th century.
• Western Chalukyas: Descendants of the Badami Chalukyas, emerged in the late 10th century and ruled from Kalyani (modern-day Basavakanlyan).

Additional Information

Chalukya Rulers:

• Jayasimha was the first ruler of the Chalukyas.
• Pulakesin I (Reign: 543 AD – 566 AD)
  • Founded the empire with his capital at Vatapi.
  • Performed Ashwamedha.
• Kirtivarman I (Reign: 566 AD – 597 AD)
  • Son of Pulakesin I.
  • Conquered Konkan and northern Kerala.
• Mangalesha (Reign: 597 AD – 609 AD)
  • Brother of Kirtivarman I.
  • Conquered the Kadambas and the Gangas.
  • Was killed by his nephew and son of Kirtivarman, Pulakesin II.
• Pulakesin II (609 AD – 642 AD)
  • The greatest of the Chalukya kings.
  • Extended the Chalukya rule to most parts of the Deccan.
  • His birth name was Eraya. Information about him is obtained from the Aihole inscription dated 634. This poetic inscription was written by his court poet Ravikirti in Sanskrit language using the Kannada script.
  • Xuanzang visited his kingdom. He has praised Pulakesin II as a good and authoritative king.
  • Though a Hindu, he was tolerant of Buddhism and Jainism.
  • He conquered almost entire south-central India.
  • He is famous for stopping Northern king Harsha in his tracks while he was trying to conquer southern parts of the country.
  • He had defeated the Pallava king Mahendravarman I but was defeated and killed by Mahendravarman’s son and successor Narasimhavarman I in a series of battles he had with the Pallavas.

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. Prabhakara Vardhana

Key Points

• Prabhakara Vardhana defeated the Gurjaras and extended his control over neighbouring states.
• He belonged to the Pushyabhuti family.
• Around 606 CE Harshvardhan ascended the Throne and ruled till 647 CE.