Modern Indian History

'The Light of Asia' is a famous poem by Edwin Arnold (1879) about the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. It is one of the earliest influential works introducing Buddha to Western audiences.

The Planning Commission was established in March 1950 by a Government of India resolution to promote economic growth and social justice through planned development. It was replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015. India gained independence in 1947 and became a Republic in 1950, but the Commission was specifically created post-independence for five-year planning.

Tagore penned the lines of Jana-Gana-Mana.

The first Lok Sabha was dissolved on April 4, 1957. This completed its full five-year term from 1952 to 1957, making it one of the few Lok Sabhas to have completed its full term. Elections for the second Lok Sabha were held subsequently.

The August Offer of 1940 was the first official British proposal for a Constituent Assembly to draft India's constitution. Viceroy Linlithgow announced that after WWII, a representative body would frame India's constitution. The Cripps Mission (1942) expanded this but failed. August Offer was the first authoritative British commitment.

The Constituent Assembly was formed in December 1946 and held its first session in December 1946, so it existed before India gained independence on 15 August 1947.

The Constituent Assembly's twelfth and final session was held on 24 January 1950, when members signed the Constitution before it came into effect on 26 January 1950.

The Constituent Assembly adopted the National Flag on 22 July 1947, shortly after independence. The flag with the Ashoka Chakra replaced the Congress flag's spinning wheel.

The partition of Bengal was announced in 1905 AD by Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India. This controversial decision divided the Bengal presidency along religious lines and was a significant factor in the rise of the Swadeshi movement and Indian nationalism.

The title 'Speaker' was formally assumed in India in 1947, after independence. G. V. Mavalankar became the first Speaker of the Constituent Assembly of India. This marked the formal adoption of parliamentary nomenclature in independent India's legislative framework.

Mahatma Gandhi's full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was born Mohandas, but later came to be called Mahatma (meaning 'great soul') as an honorific title. Option A has the correct order of his given name and father's name.

Jawaharlal Nehru wrote 'The Discovery of India' during his imprisonment at Ahmednagar Fort in 1944-1945. It is a comprehensive exploration of India's history, culture, and philosophy, written from a nationalist perspective.

The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, during the All India Congress Committee meeting in Bombay. The movement demanded immediate independence from British rule. The 'Do or Die' slogan was given during this movement, which was a major mass uprising against British colonial rule.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak coined the famous slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright' during India's independence movement. This phrase became a rallying cry for Indian self-rule and inspired generations of freedom fighters. Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of Swaraj (complete independence) rather than just dominion status.