Indian History Quiz

Allan Octavian Hume (A.O. Hume), a British civil servant, founded the Indian National Congress in 1885. While Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was the first president, Hume was the principal founder who envisioned the organization as a platform for educated Indian voices. Joseph Hume is a distractor - a different British politician altogether.

Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa to India in 1915. He had spent 21 years in South Africa developing his satyagraha philosophy and fighting against racial discrimination. Upon returning, he soon became involved in India's freedom struggle, initially at the regional level in Champaran, Kheda, and Ahmedabad.

Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539), founder of Sikhism, was born in Talwandi Rai Bhoe, now known as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan's Punjab province. Anandpur Sahib is where the Khalsa was founded, Amritsar is home to the Golden Temple, and Nanded is where Guru Gobind Singh died.

The Indus Valley Civilization used a binary system based on 16 for weights and measures. Archaeological findings show their weight system followed a ratio of 1:2:4:8:16:32, with 16 being a fundamental unit. This decimal progression centered on 16 was highly advanced for its time and was used consistently across the civilization for trade and standardization.

Ahmed Shah Abdali (also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani) invaded India multiple times between 1748-1767, most famously during the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. At that time, Shah Alam II was the Mughal emperor (reigned 1760-1806), though he had little real power due to the declining Mughal authority. The other options are incorrect: Bahadur Shah I ruled earlier (1707-1712), Bahadur Shah II was much later (1837-1857), and Shah Alam I was not a historical Mughal emperor.

Sher Shah Suri died in 1545 during the siege of Kalinjar Fort in Bundelkhand. While organizing the siege operations, a gunpowder explosion caused severe burns, leading to his death. Kalinjar was strategically important and Sher Shah was determined to capture it. Options A and B are incorrect as he did not die at Panipat (he won the battles there) or Kalinga (ancient Odisha region).

Ramachandradeva (also known as Ramachandra) was the Yadava ruler of Deogiri (Devagiri) when Ala-ud-din Khilji invaded the kingdom in 1294 CE. The Yadava dynasty of Devagiri ruled from 9th to 14th centuries CE, and Ramachandradeva's defeat marked the beginning of Islamic expansion into the Deccan. The other options are from later periods - Feroz and Muhammad Tughlaq were 14th century rulers, and Iltutmish was 13th century.

According to Hiuen Tsang's travel accounts (7th century CE), Mathura was renowned as a major center for cotton textile production. He specifically mentions the high-quality cotton cloth manufactured there, which was traded widely across India and beyond. While other cities like Ujjain and Pataliputra were important urban centers, Mathura was particularly famous for its cotton industry during this period.

The Mauryan period (322-185 BCE) saw large-scale absorption of foreigners into Indian society. After Alexander's invasion, many Indo-Greeks settled in northwest India. The Mauryas, particularly under Ashoka, had a liberal policy toward different ethnic groups. Greek sources like Megasthenes' "Indica" and the Rudradaman inscription mention Yavanas (Greeks), Sakas, and Pallavas being integrated into Indian society during this period. Later periods like Gupta had more limited foreign absorption.

William Hawkins, the first English envoy to the Mughal court, arrived during Jahangir's reign (1605-1627). He came to secure trading rights for the East India Company and was received at the Mughal court around 1609. Akbar died in 1605, while Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb ruled later.

William Hawkins was honored by Jahangir with the title of 'Khan' and received a mansab (rank) of 400. He spent two years at the Mughal court (1609-1611) and developed a close relationship with Jahangir. Sir Thomas Roe came later as ambassador to Jahangir's court, while Edward Terry was Roe's chaplain.

The Indus Valley Civilisation is classified under the proto-historical period because it has written records, which remain undeciphered, placing it between pre-history and recorded history.

Sher Shah Suri (r. 1540-1545) built the Grand Trunk Road, one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads, connecting Sonargaon (Bangladesh) to Peshawar (Pakistan) via Delhi. He built it to facilitate trade and military movement across his empire. Babur founded the Mughal Empire, Krishnadeva Raya ruled Vijayanagara, and Jahangir was a later Mughal emperor.

The concept of pollution emerged clearly in the post-Vedic period (c. 1000-500 BCE) with the development of Dharmashastras and social stratification. While the Rigvedic period had notions of purity, the elaborate system of social pollution (caste-based restrictions, untouchability) crystallized later. The post-Gupta age saw further rigidification, but the concept emerged earlier.

The Kushans (c. 1st-3rd century CE) were the first to issue gold coins (dinars) on a large scale in India. Under rulers like Kanishka, these coins featured the king and various deities. The Aryans used barter, the Tatars were Central Asian nomads not associated with Indian coinage, and the Mughals issued gold coins much later (the mohur).

Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army or INA) was formed in 1942 under Subhas Chandra Bose to fight British colonial rule with Japanese support. It was NOT Iran's army (Iran was neutral in WWII), nor the British or Pakistani armies. The name 'Azad Hind' literally means 'Free India,' reflecting its purpose as an independence movement.

Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the founder of the Delhi Sultanate, started construction of Qutb Minar in 1193 AD to commemorate his victory. Iltutmish, his successor, added three more stories. Razia Sultana and Balban were later rulers who contributed to other buildings but not the Minar's initial construction. The tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.