RAS question
Who is known as the 'Grand Old Man of India'?
Correct answer: (C) Dadabhai Naoroji.
Dadabhai Naoroji is known as the Grand Old Man of India.
Explanation
Dadabhai Naoroji earned the title Grand Old Man of India because his long public career was associated with early nationalist politics, economic criticism of colonial rule, and constitutional methods. In 1892, he became the first Indian elected to the British Parliament from Finsbury. He wrote Poverty and Un-British Rule in India and propounded the Drain of Wealth theory. The Indian National Congress describes him by this title and as a major public figure from 1845 to 1917; it also notes that he voiced Indian grievances, objectives, and aspirations through many organisations and public forums. These distinctions explain why the title belongs to Naoroji rather than simply to any early Congress leader.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Gopal Krishna Gokhale is associated with being Mahatma Gandhi's political mentor, not with the title Grand Old Man of India.
- (B) W.C. Bonnerjee is remembered as the first president of the Indian National Congress, but that distinction is separate from Naoroji's title.
- (D) Surendranath Banerjee was called the Burke of India, so his standard epithet is different from the one associated with Dadabhai Naoroji.
Concept
This question tests Modern Indian History, especially the moderate phase of the national movement, its leading figures, and their distinctive epithets. Such epithets recur in RAS because they connect individuals with their political roles, writings, and organisational contributions.