Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as President of the Indian National Congress from 1940 to 1946, spanning the critical Quit India Movement period and World War II years. He was a key leader in the Congress, a champion of Hindu-Muslim unity, and strongly opposed partition. Jawaharlal Nehru (option A) was President in 1929, 1930, 1936-37, and later. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (option B) never served as Congress President. Rajendra Prasad (option D) was President in 1934, 1939, and later independent India's first President.