Modern Indian History

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad wrote 'India Wins Freedom', which is his autobiography and political memoir published posthumously in 1959. The book covers his perspectives on India's freedom movement and partition. Azad was a prominent freedom fighter, scholar, and India's first Minister of Education. The other options were important figures but not authors of this specific work.

Unto This Last is an essay by John Ruskin that deeply influenced Gandhis economic philosophy, particularly his ideas on sarvodaya (welfare of all). Ruskin Bond is a different writer - a contemporary Indian author.

Gandhiji promoted Khadi as a symbol of economic independence and self-reliance (swadeshi). Spinning khadi meant boycotting British textiles and creating rural employment. It represented freedom from foreign economic dependence, not just moral purity or industrial growth in the Western sense.

Mahatma Gandhi assumed leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, transforming it into a mass movement for Indian independence through non-violent civil disobedience.

India gained independence from British rule on August 15, 1947, following the Indian Independence Act passed by the UK Parliament. This marked the end of nearly 200 years of colonial rule. 1946 (A) was too early, while 1948 (D) and 1961 (E) are incorrect years.

Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) gained independence from British rule on February 4, 1948, after nearly 150 years of colonial administration. 1947 (C) is one year too early, while 1946 (A) and 1945 (B) are incorrect.

The Swaraj Party was founded in 1923 by Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das after the Non-Cooperation Movement was suspended. It aimed to enter councils and disrupt them from within. The Communist Party was founded later (1925), and Forward Block was Subhas Bose's creation (1939).

Lord Ripon's 1882 Resolution on Local Self-Government is considered the Magna Carta of local democracy in India. It established elected local bodies and gave Indians control over local affairs. Ripon earned the title 'Father of Local Self-Government' for these reforms.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was considered an extremist leader in India's freedom struggle, advocating for Swaraj and complete independence. His slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright' reflected his radical stance. In contrast, Gandhi, Gokhale, and Naoroji were moderates who preferred constitutional methods.

Subhash Chandra Bose gave this famous slogan 'You give me blood, I will give you freedom' (Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi dunga) while rallying Indians to join the Indian National Army (INA). This reflects his militant approach to independence.

Rabindranath Tagore wrote 'The Religion of Man' (published 1931), which is a collection of his lectures and philosophical thoughts on humanism, spirituality, and his vision of a universal religion that transcends traditional religious boundaries.

Lala Hardayal formed the Ghadar Party in 1913 in San Francisco, USA. The party aimed to organize Indians abroad (especially in North America) to fight for India's independence from British rule through armed rebellion. It published 'The Ghadar' newspaper and inspired many revolutionaries.

The Government of India Act 1935 separated Burma from India with effect from April 1, 1937. Burma had been a province of British India since 1852, but this act granted it separate provincial status.

The States Reorganisation Act of 1956, based on the States Reorganisation Commission's recommendations, came into effect on November 1, 1956. It redrew India's internal boundaries along linguistic lines, creating states like Kerala, Mysore (now Karnataka), and others.