Modern Indian History

January 26, 1950 marks the day India's Constitution came into effect, declaring India a Sovereign Democratic Republic. Independence was achieved on August 15, 1947, but India needed a constitution to function as a republic, which took nearly 3 years to draft.

The Tashkent Agreement was signed in January 1966 between Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and Pakistani President Ayub Khan, mediated by the USSR. It ended the 1965 Indo-Pak war and required both sides to withdraw to pre-war positions. Tragically, Shastri died hours after signing.

Jawaharlal Nehru was India's first Prime Minister and the principal architect of India's foreign policy. He formulated the policy of non-alignment, Panchsheel principles, and championed the causes of newly independent nations. His vision shaped India's international stance for decades.

The slogan 'Dilli Chalo' (March to Delhi) was given by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1944 as a rallying cry for the Indian National Army (INA) to capture Delhi from British rule. It became a significant motto in India's independence movement.

The 1857 revolt began prematurely before proper coordination could be established among various leaders and regions. The sepoys at Meerut mutinied earlier than planned, catching other participants unprepared and allowing the British to mobilize reinforcements quickly. While multiple factors contributed to the failure, the untimely outbreak was a significant blow to organizing a unified resistance.

The Subsidiary Alliance system, imposed by Lord Wellesley, served multiple objectives: it increased British Company resources through subsidiary payments, removed French and other European influence from Indian courts, and secured arbitrary control over Indian states' foreign affairs. Indian states lost sovereignty while becoming financially dependent on British support.

Annie Besant launched the Home Rule Movement in 1916-1917, demanding self-government for India within the British Empire. Working alongside Bal Gangadhar Tilak who led a parallel movement, Besant mobilized widespread support through her newspapers and organizational networks, making Home Rule a powerful mass movement.

The 1907 session of the Indian National Congress at Surat witnessed a historic split between Moderates and Extremists over the question of adopting more militant methods. The Extremists were expelled from the party, causing a decade-long division that only healed with the 1916 Lucknow Pact.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak made the famous declaration 'Swaraj is my birth right and I shall have it' asserting that self-rule was the natural entitlement of every Indian. This powerful slogan became a rallying cry for the independence movement and defined Tilak's legacy as a leader who inspired mass nationalism.

Gandhiji called off the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident where protesters turned violent, setting fire to a police station. This was against his principles of non-violence. The other options are incorrect - he was not terrified by British policies, people were cooperating with him, and differences among leaders were not the main cause.

The Sino-Indian War occurred in 1962 when China attacked India's northern borders. This conflict lasted about a month and resulted in China occupying Aksai Chin and other territories. Options 1965 (India-Pakistan war), 1972 (Bangladesh Liberation War), and 1958 are unrelated to China-India conflicts.

'Glimpses of World History' was written by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1930-34 as a series of letters to his daughter Indira Gandhi from prison. It covers world history from ancient times to modern era. R.L. Stevenson wrote fiction like 'Treasure Island', Gandhi wrote autobiographical works, and Romesh Thapar was a journalist.

Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 in Kolkata, India. This Roman Catholic religious congregation dedicated to serving the 'poorest of the poor' grew from a small mission to a global organization operating in over 130 countries. Swami Ram Deo and Kofi Annan are unrelated to this organization.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak made this statement articulating his philosophy of resistance to British colonial rule. Tilak believed that when repression was legal (under British laws), it should be met with peaceful resistance, but when it was illegal (unjust laws), it could be met with extra-constitutional means. This position distinguished him from both moderate constitutionalists and radical revolutionaries.