Indian History & Culture-4

Indian History & Culture-4

451 What did India import from China (during the medieval period)? Porcelain, raw silk. 452 What is Jnaneshwari?                                     The free rendering of the Gita in Marathi, along with elucidation. 453 From whom did some sections of the Hindus adopt the concept of the purdah? The Turks. 454 Who was the guru of Harihara and Bukka? Vidyaranya. He was the one who readmitted them into the Hindu fold. 455 Who were the first two kings of the Vijayanagara Empire? Harihara (1336-1356), Bukka I (1356-1377). 456 Who founded the Bahmani Kingdom? Alauddin Hasan also called Hasan Gangu 457 What title did Alauddin Hasan adopt at his coronation? Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah. He is supposed to have adopted the name Bahman Shah as a mark of respect for a Brahmin in whose service he had risen to greatness. 458 Which Bahmani ruler encouraged the study of astronomy and even built an observatory near Daulatabad? Firuz Shah Bahmani. 459 What was the title of the ruler of Calicut (Kozhikode)? Zamorin. 460 Who were the parents of Sankaracharya? Sivaguru and Aryamba. 461 Who wrote Ain-i-Akbari? Abul Fazl. It is a work which deals with regulations issued by Akbar. 462 Who was the Sultan of Malwa who died when he went on board a Portuguese ship for negotiations? Bahadur Shah. 463 Which European power declared that trade in pepper, warhorses and arms and ammunitions was a royal monopoly? Portugal. 464 From which area have the potato and tobacco been introduced into India? Central America. By the Portuguese. 465 Who was born in Talwandi in 1469? GuruNanak. 466 What form of worship did Chaitanya Mahaprabhu popularise? Kirtans. 467 In which language did Narasimha Mehta (also known as Narsee Mehta) compose his songs and preach? Gujarati. 468 Which language did the Turks introduce into India? Persian. 469 Who was Nizammudin Auliya? A famous Sufi saint. His Dargah is in Delhi. 470 Which was the language, apart from Persian, used for administrative purpose in the Bahmani kingdom? Marathi 471 What was the chief reason for the difference between Hindustani and Camatic music? The introduction of Persian scales in Hindustani music led to the difference. 472 Babur succeeded to the throne of this kingdom in 1494 at the tender age of 11. Identify the kingdom. Farghana. Farghana is located in modern Uzbekistan. 473 When did Timur sack Delhi? 1398. 474 Who is supposed to have invited Babur to invade India? Daulat Khan Lodi, uncle of Ibrahim Lodi. 475 Who were the opponents in the first battle of Panipat? Babur and Ibrahim Lodi. 476 How long did the first battle of Panipat last? Three hours. It was all over by mid-day. 477 Who were the adversaries at the Battle of Khanua? It was fought between Babur and Rana Sanga. 478 Babur, after defeating Ibrahim Lodi and Rana Sanga had to deal with the Afghans who had regrouped. Who did the Afghans proclaim as their leader? Mahmud Lodi, brother of Ibrahim Lodi. 479 What was the new mode of warfare introduced by Babur in India? Extensive use of gunpowder. Though gunpowder was known in India, it was not used as skilfully and in combination with cavalry as Babur did. 480 What was the name of Babur's memoirs? Tizuk-I-Baburi. 481 Which kingdom did Shahaji Bhonsale, Shivaji's father serve initially? The Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar. When Shah Jahan captured Ahmednagar, Shahaji sought service with the Sultan of Bijapur. 482 Who was the ruler of Malwa who was among the chief adversaries of Humayun? Bahadur Shah. 483 Who built a new city at Delhi called Dinpanah? Humayun. 484 At which battle was Humayun defeated by Sher Shah? The Battle of Chausa (March 1539) and Battle of Kanauj (May 1540). 485 At what age did Sher Shah ascend the throne of Delhi? At 67 years. 486 Where did Sher Shah build a Mausoleum for himself? Sasaram. (InBihar) 487 Who repaired the Grand Trunk road that ran from the river Indus to Sonargaon in Bengal? SherShah. 488 Where was Akbar born? Amarkotinl542. 489 Where was Akbar crowned? Kalanaur in Punjab in 1556. 490 What was the title that Bairam Khan adopted? He became the wakil of the kingdom with the title Khan-I-Khanan. 491 Who was the ruler of Malwa, who was defeated by the Mughal forces? Baz Bahadur. He was a master musician and an accomplished poet. There were also stories of his romance with the beautiful and talented Roopmati. 492 Who were the two famous warriors of Chittor who held the Mughal forces at bay for almost six months? Jaimal and Patta. Akbar, to honour these two warriors ordered their stone statues, seated on elephants, be erected outside the gate of the Agra fort. 493 What did Akbar divide his empire into? Suba. Each Suba was under a governor called Subedar. 494 Who succeeded Rana Udai Singh to the throne of Mewar? Rana Pratap (in 1572). 495 Akbar sent a series of embassies to Rana Pratap. These were sent to persuade him to accept the suzerainty of the Mughals. Who led these embassies? Man Singh, Bhagwan Das, Raja Todar Mal. 496 To whom did Akbar assign the task to translate the Bible (Gospel) into Persian? AbulFazl. 497 Which famous Mughal courtier lost his life in a campaign against the tribesmen of the Khyber pass? RajaBirbal. 498 Akbar, in 1575, built the Ibadat Khana. What was it for? It was the Hall of Prayer at Fatehpur Sikri. 499 What was the original name of Raja Birbal? MaheshDas. 500 Who founded Din-I-Ilahi? Akbar. Birbal was the only Hindu to accept the new religion of Din-i-Ilahi or Tauhid-i-Ilahi. 501 Who ordered the construction of the Charminar? Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. He was a patron of art and architecture and a poet in Dakhani Urdu, Persian and Telugu. He had the Charminar constructed in 1591-92 at the centre of the new city of Hyderabad. 502 The Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur is one of the largest single domed structures constructed. Which dynasty built it? The Adil Shahi dynasty. A whisper at one end can be heard at the other end. 503 Jehangir had to face a rebellion immediately after he ascended the throne. Who was the rebel? Khusrau, Jehangir's eldest son. 504 Which Sikh guru completed the compilation of the Adi Granth? Guru Arjan Dev. 505 Which Mughal Prince had the Gita translated into Persian? Dara Shukoh (also spelt Shikoh). 506 Whom did the ruler of Bijapur send to capture Shivaji? Afzal Khan. 507 Who was the Mughal Governor of Deccan who was instructed by Aurangazeb to invade Shivaji's territories? Shaista Khan. 508 Which Mughal port city did Shivaji attack in 1664? Surat. 509 Who persuaded Shivaji to visit Aurangazeb at Agra? Raja Jai Singh of Amber. 510 Golconda, the world famous kingdom was built on the ruins of an old Hindu Kingdom. Which one? Warangal. 511 How was Mumtaz Mahal related to Nur Jahan? Mumtaz Mahal was the daughter of Asaf Khan, Nur Jahan's brother. 512 Who is regarded as the father of Carnatic music? Purandaradasa. 513 How could Shivaji with a relatively small army fight against the army of Bijapur? By adopting Guerrilla Warfare. 514 Whom did King Prataparudra consider as his guru? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. 515 What was the capital of the Rajput Kingdom of Mewar? Chitor. 516 What was the act that led to the martyrdom of Guru Arjan? Khusrav, the son of Jehangir rebelled unsuccessfully against his father. When Khusrav was fleeing the Mughal forces, he was honourably received by Guru Arjan and provided with some money. This was perceived by Jehangir as an act of treason and ultimately led to the Guru's martyrdom. 517 Humayun attacked and besieged the fort of Chunar because it commanded the route between Agra and the east. Who was the person who held the fort? SherShah. 518 What gift did Humayun offer Babur after Babur arrived in Agra following the first Battle of Panipat? The Koh-i-nur. 519 Who saved the life of Uday Singh of Mewar, when he was still a prince? Panna. Panna, who was Uday Singh's nurse realised that his life was in danger; she placed her own son in Uday Singh's bed. The attackers assuming that Panna's son was the prince killed him thus saving Uday Singh. 520 From where did the Hoysala dynasty rule? Dorasamudra (or Dwarasamudra). The Hoysalas succeeded the Chalukyas of Kalyana as the leading power of the Mysore area. 521 Domingo Paes, the famous Portuguese traveller, described this city as the best provided city in the world. Name the city. Vijayanagar. 522 Who was the poet who enriched Kashmiri literature with her exquisite lyrics on love and life? Habba Khatun (also spelt Habba Khotun). 523 Who is the author of the Telugu work "Amuktamalyada"? Sri Krishnadevaraya, the greatest of the Vijayanagara rulers. 524 Over which part of India did Queen Didda (980-1003)rule? Kashmir. 525 According to tradition who were Harihara I and Bukka I serving before founding the Vijayanagara Empire? Prataparudra of Warangal. 526 During the time of the Vijayanagara rule, (Krishnadevaraya) what was the title adopted by the rulers of Orissa? Gajapati (1434 to 1541). 527 Vishwambhara (Nimai) was responsible for the revival of Vaishnavism in Bengal. What was the name by which we know him? Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. 528 The Sangama dynasty (1336 -1485), the Saluva dynasty (1485 - 1505) the Tuluva dynasty (1505 -1570), and the Aravidu dynasty (1570 - 1649). These dynasties ruled over, in the sequence given, the same kingdom. Which kingdom are we talking about? Vijayanagara Empire. 529 How did Timur come to be called Tamerlane? Timur had a limp because of an injury to his leg. Due to this the Persians called him Timur-i-lang (Timur the lame) which was corrupted by Europeans into Tamerlane. 530 What was the capital of the kingdom of the Gonds? Chandrapur. Durgavati was the queen of the Gonds who fought bravely with the Mughal forces sent by Akbar. 531 Who was Gorakhshanath, popularly known as Gorakhnath? Gorakhnath popularized the practice of Hathayoga throi AD. throughout India. He lived in the 10lh - 11th century 532 Where was Kabir born? What was he known for? Kabir was born in Varanasi. Throughout his life he kept dwelling on the essential unity of all religions. 533 What are Abhangs? Who composed them? Abhang literally means unbroken. Unbroken rhymes were referred to as Abhangs. Tukaram is best known for his Abhangs. Many saints that came after him also composed Abhangs. 534 According to tradition who was the guru of Kabir? Ramananda. 535 In which year was emergency declared in post-independent India? In 1975. 536 What did the East India Company acquire as its zamindari in 1698? The zamindari of Sutanati, Kalikata and Govindpur. 537 Where is Fort William located? Present day Kolkata. 538 Which European power established itself at chandernagore and Pondicherry? The French. 539 During the rule of Tipu Sultan, what was the capital of Mysore? Srirangapatnam. 540 What were the Indian soldiers in the English army called? Sepoys. 541 During the rule of Muhammad Shah, who was the ruler of Persia who invaded India? Nadir Shah. 542 What was the result of the Battle of Karnal fought between Nadir Shah and Emperor Mohammad Shah? The Mughals lost and the Emperor Muhammad Shah was taken prisoner, 543 Among the other things, what were the precious articles Nadir Shah carried away from India? The Koh-i-noor diamond and the Peacock throne. 544 After Nadir Shah's death, which of his generals established his authority in Afghanistan? Ahmad Shah Abdali. 545 What was the Doctrine of Lapse? When the ruler of a protected state died without a natural heir, the adopted heir would not be able to succeed him. In such a case the state would be annexed by the British. The only exception would be if the British authorities approved of the adoption before hand. 546 Who was the Peshwa who signed the "Subsidiary Alliance"? Peshwa Baji Rao II on December 31, 1802. This was after the combined armies of the Peshwa and the Sindhia were defeated by the Holkar. 547 Who fought the third Battle of Panipat? Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Marathas (on 14th Jan 1761). 548 Who fought the battle of Buxar? The English fought against a confederacy of Mir Kasim; Shah Alam, the Mughal Emperor and Nawab Shuja-ud-daulah. 549 What was the result of the battle of Buxar? The English won and established their supremacy in Bengal. 550 Which Indian ruler was a member of the Jacobin Club? Tlpu Sultan. 551 Name the Indian ruler who tried to promote trade with Russia, Arabia and Turkey. He also tried to set up a trading company on the lines of the East India Company. Tipu Sultan. 552 Of which state was Martanda Varma the ruler? Travancore. 553 The capital of the state of Travancore became an important centre of Sanskrit scholarship towards the later half of the 18th century. How do we know it today? Thiruvanthapuram (Trivandrum). 554 Who founded the city of Jaipur? Raja Sawai Jai Singh of Amber. 555 Where did Raja Sawai Jai Singh build astronomical observatories? Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura. 556 Under which guru did the Sikhs become a united political power? Guru Gobind Singh. 557 He was born in a Bengali Brahmin family at Radhanagar in 1774. He served under the East India Company from 1803 to 1814. He also founded the Brahmo Samaj? Who was he? Raja Ram Mohan Roy. 558 Why was the Cripps Mission sent to India? The British Government wanted India's help in the Second World War. It sent the Cripps Commission to persuade Indian leaders to support its war effort. 559 Who was the guru of Swami Vivekananda? Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He was a saint who lived in Dakshineshwar in Bengal. 560 Over which kingdom did Ahalyabai rule? Indore. 561 Who was the first Viceroy of India? (appointed after the revolt of 1857) Lord Canning (1858-62). 562 When did the revolt of 1857 start? At Meerut, on May 10,1857. 563 Name India's first newspaper? Bengal Gazette. 564 When and where did the first Congress session take place? 1885, Bombay. Goculdas Tejpal Auditorium. 565 When did Gandhiji start his Dandi March? Marchl2,1930. 566 Who was known as the "Frontier Gandhi"? Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. 567 Who wrote the novel, 'Anand Math'? Bankim Chandra Chatterji 568 Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood as a protest against an incident. Name the incident. The Jailianwalla Baug massacre. 569 He was an uncle of Bhagat Singh and was closely . associated with Lala Lajpat Rai. He founded the "Bharat Mata" society and worked for the Ghadar party. He died on 15th August 1947. Who was it? AjitSingh. 570 What was the Kuka movement? The Kuka movement began as a religious movement. Its aim was to purify die Sikh religion by removing superstitions mat had crept into it. After the conquest of the Punjab by the British, the revival of the Sikh sovereignty became its chief aim. 571 Who wrote the poem "Heer Ranjha" (also known simply as "Heer")? Wans Shah. 572 He was born in Cuttack in 1897. He ranked 4lh in the ICS (the forerunner of the IAS) exam but resigned. He was elected President of the Indian National Congress in 1938 and 1939, in spite of opposition from Mahatma Gandhi. He organised the Azad Hind Fauj founded by Ras Behari Bose. Who was he? Subhas Chandra Bose. 573 The Revolt of 1857 started in Meerut. To which regiment did the Sepoys belong? 3rd Cavalry. 574 What was the immediate cause of the revolt? The introduction of the New Enfield Rifle whose cartridges were believed to be greased with the fat of cows and pigs. Both Hindus and Muslims resented this. 575 Who led the revolt in Kanpur? NanaSaheb. 576 Which was die Maratha family that established itself in Baroda? The Gaekwads established themselves at Baroda, the Bhonsales at Nagpur, Holkars at Indore and the Sindhias at Gwalior. 577 What were the Dastaks? They were passes that the East India Company had the right to issue for the movement of goods. The East India Company did not pay any taxes on these goods. 578 The English secured the Diwani of Bengal from the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam. This Diwani was however different from the existing practice by the Mughals. In what respect? The English got their Diwani rights permanently as opposed to the practice of limited tenure. Also under the Mughal system the office was given to an individual. 579 What did the Charter Act of 1833 achieve? It divested the East India Company of its commercial functions. 580 He was born in 1856 in Ratnagiri. He was one of the founders of the Poona New English School. In 1908 he was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment in Mandalay. He died in August 1920. Who is he? Bal Gangadhar Tilak. 581 Who recaptured Jhansi for die British? Sir Hugh Rose. 582 The Sikhs were organised into a confederacy of 12 units. What was the term given to these units? Misl. 583 Who was the first Peshwa of the Maratha kingdom? Balaji Vishwanath. 584 What help did Balaji Vishwanath render the Sayyid brothers? He marched to Delhi and helped them overthrow the Mughal Emperor Farrukh Siyar. (1719). 585 Who succeeded Balaji Vishwanath as the Peshwa? BajiRaoI. 586 He was born in 1888 in Mecca. He was a scholar of Arabic, Persian, Urdu and fluent in Islamic theology. He was the education minister in Nehru's cabinet. Who was he? Abdul Kalam Azad. 587 What was the Rowlatt Act? The Rowlatt Act sought to impose wartime restrictions on civil liberties on a permanent basis. It provided for detention without trial. 588 Who is called the 'Mother of the Indian Revolution'? Madam Bhikhaji Rustam K.R. Cama. 589 When did Bhikhaji Cama unfurl the Indian flag? August 1907 at the International Socialist Congress held in Stuttgart. This was a tricolour in green, red and yellow. 590 What was the revolutionary Jatin Mukherji popularly known as? Bagha Jatin. 591 Why did all the Congress ministers resign in 1939? The working committee of the Congress asked the British Government to state whether their war aims included the elimination of imperialism and the treatment of India as a free nation. The British did not give a satisfactory reply. Hence they all resigned. 592 When was the Sharada Act for prevention of child marriage passed? In 1929. It was to come into force from 1930. 593 Who founded the "Mirat-ul-Akbhar", the first Journal in Persian and the "Banga-Dutta" a weekly in four Languages? Raja Ram Mohan Roy. 594 He was a watchmaker by profession and had come to India from Netherlands in 1800. He however spent his entire life promoting education in India. He founded the Hindu College in Calcutta to take forward his ideas. Who was he? David Hare. 595 He was the Principal of die Sanskrit College in Calcutta and opened its gates to non-Brahmin students. He was a great proponent of widow-remarriages and the first lawful Hindu widow remarriage among the upper castes was celebrated under his supervision. Who was he? Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. 596 Who started the Swatantra Party? C. Rajagopalachari. 597 Who gave the slogan "Do or Die"? Mahtma Gandhi. While launching the Quit India movement. 598 Where is JalHanwala Baug? In Amritsar. 599 What infamous event occurred on April 13, 1919? The Jallianwala Baug massacre. 600 Why were people gathered at the JallianwaJa Baug? They had gathered there to protest against the arrest of their leaders Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal.

601 Who was the first Governor General of Bengal? Warren Hastings. 602 What was the most important difference between the British and other conquerors of India? Previous invaders became an integral part of India, whereas the British always maintained their own identity. 603 Who was the Maratha general who repeatedly fought against die British during die 1857 revolt and later kept harassing the British with guerrilla warfare till he was betrayed by Mansingh and hanged by the British? TatiaTope. 604 When was the Champaran Agitation launched? The Champaran agitation was launched in the Champaran district of Bihar. It was against the English landlords who used to force the peasants, to cultivate indigo. When synthetic indigo was discovered they began to force the peasants to pay them compensation for not growing indigo any longer. 605 Which area did the Japanese hand over to the Azad Hind Government? Andaman and Nicobar islands. 606 Where did Mahatma Gandhi establish his first ashram in India? At Sabarmati, Ahmedabad. 607 Who popularised the Young India Journal? Mahatma Gandhi. 608 Why did Mahatma Gandhi spin cloth daily? To emphasise the dignity of labour and the value of self-reliance. Gandhi once said that from among the activities he was engaged in, khadi and uplift of the scheduled castes was the most important to him. 609 Why was the Akali movement started? To remove corrupt mahants from the Gurudwaras. 610 What was the unique mode of protest of the population of Chirala (in present day Andhra Pradesh) against the British? The whole town refused to pay the municipal tax and moved out of the village. 611 What was the Chauri Chaura incident? A crowd angered by police firing set Fire to a police station killing many policemen. 612 What was the impact of the Chauri Chaura incident on the Freedom struggle? Gandhiji suspended the struggle because he felt people had yet to understand the concept of non-violence. 613 Where was the decision to suspend the agitation taken? Bardoli in Gujarat. 614 Who founded the Swarajya party? Chitta Ranjan Das and Motilal Nehru. 615 To which country did Subhas Chandra Bose escape to carry on the Freedom Struggle? Germany. He escaped from Calcutta (Kolkata) and travelled through Peshawar, reaching Kabul via Jalalabad. From there he went to Russia (with an Italian passport) and then to Berlin from Moscow. 616 Who is the father of the Indian Chemical Industry? Prafulla Chandra Ray. 617 After Delhi fell to the British during the revolt of 1857 what brutal act did the British officer Hodson commit? He shot dead the sons of Bahadur Shah at point blank range. 618 Who passed a resolution declaring Sati illegal and punishable by the courts? William Bentinck. 619 Who led the rebellion of the Koyas (tribals of the West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh) against the British? Alluri Sitarama Raju. 620 When was Bengal first partitioned by the British, leading to wide-spread agitation? In 1905. 621 Who did the soldiers, who rebelled in Meerut, declare as the Emperor of India? The soldiers set out for Delhi from Meerut where they were joined by the local infantry. Here they proclaimed Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of India. 622 Who led the revolt at Lucknow? Begum Hazrat Mahal of Awadh. 623 Who founded the Arya Samaj? Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875. 624 What did Swami Dayananda Saraswati regard as infallible? The Vedas. He considered them to be the fountain of knowledge. 625 Madam H.P. Blavatsky and Colonel H.S Olcott founded the headquarters of this society at Adyar, Madras. Which society was this? The Theosophical Society. 626 Who was the first Indian to be elected to the leadership of the Communist International? M.N.Roy. 627 Who threw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly? Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt (on April 9, 1929).Their aim in throwing a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly was, as their leaflet pointed out, "to make the deaf hear". Not to hurt anyone. 628 Which British general defeated Haider Ali? EyreCooteinJuly 1781. 629 He was a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army. He was sentenced to death for his role in the Kakori train conspiracy. He composed the revolutionary song, "Sarfaroshi ki tamana ab hamare dil mein hai....." Name him. Ram Prasad Bismil. (1897-1927). 630 Who became the Peshwa after the Battle of Panipat? Madhav Rao. After the death of Balaji Baji Rao. 631 Which Mughal Emperor became a pensioner of the Marathas in 1771? ShahAlam. 632 When was the Poona Pact signed by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar? In 1932. 633 When did Mahatma Gandhi arrive in India from South Africa? 1915 (January). 634 Who was the Viceroy who was assassinated by a convict when he visited the Andamans? Lord Mayo. 635 When was the "Quit India" Resolution passed? August 8, 1942, in Goculdas Tejpal Auditorium in Bombay. 636 Who was the only Indian ruler who never alied himself with the British to fight against other Indian rulers? Tipu Sultan. 637 Who were the signatories to the treaty of Seringapatam (Srirangapatnam)? Tipu Sultan and the British. 638 What were the important clauses of the treaty of Seringapatam? Tipu Sultan had to cede about half his territories to the English and also pay Rs.330 lakhs as indemnity. His two sons were also kept as hostages. 639 What was the Wood's Despatch? What is its significance? Sir Charles Wood sent an educational despatch that formed the basis of the subsequent development of university education in India. Based on the principles outlined in Wood's Despatch three universities were established in India in Calcutta (Kolkata}, Bombay (Mumbai) and Madras (Chennai). 640 Who were the Siddhis? They were people of Abyssinian descent who were put in charge of important forts like Raigarh, Dabhol and Ratnagiri by Aurangzeb. They were a maritime power and constant source of problems for the Marathas. 641 He was a revolutionary, who was arrested by the British in the Maniktala bomb conspiracy. In 1910, he went to Pondicherry and led a life of a spiritualist. Who was he? Aurobindo Ghosh. 642 Who founded the Benaras Hindu University? Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916. 643 He entered politics with the Kheda Satyagraha. In 1922 he played a leading role in the Bardoli Satyagraha. He was Independent India's first home minister. Name him. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. 644 Who succeeded Peshwa Baji Rao? Peshwa Baji Rao was succeeded by Balaji Baji Rao. 645 Who was the Peshwa during the third battle of Panipat? Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao. 646 Who founded the Tattvabodhini Sabha? Later he became a great leader of the Brahmo Samaj movement. Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore. 647 What was the Komagata Maru episode? The Komagata Maru was a Japanese vessel that was hired to take a large number of Punjabis to Canada. The passengers were not allowed to disembark and they therefore made their way back to India. The Komagata Maru on return, docked at Budge-Budge near Calcutta. The British ordered the passengers to go to Punjab in a special train. Those who wanted to go to Calcutta refused to do so and were fired upon, leaving eighteen dead and twenty nine not being accounted for. 648 After the Revolt, Bahadur Shah II was arrested and deported to a city outside modern India. Name the city. Rangoon. 649 Who was the French Governor General who helped Muzzafar Jung become the Nizam of Hyderabad? Dupleix. 650 How do we better know Narendranath Datta? Swami Vivekananda. 651 Muazzam, Aurangazeb's son, succeeded him to the throne of Delhi. On ascension he assumed a royal title. What was the title? Bahadur Shah. 652 Ranjit Singh was appointed the governor of Kabul at the age of 19. Who appointed him? ZamanShah. 653 Who was the 18th century Hindu ruler who performed two Asvamedha sacrifices? Sawai Jai Singh of Amber. 654 The English obtained the royal Farman from the Nawabs of Bengal in 1717. There was one privilege in the Farman that was to prove an irritant. What was the privilege? The freedom to export and import goods in Bengal without paying customs duties. 655 Who was the judge who found Raghunath Rao Peshwa, guilty of murder and said, "No penalty other than death is prescribed for such a crime"? Ram Shastri Prabhune. 656 Who did General Hugh Rose refer to as "the only man among the rebels"? Rani Lakshmibai. 657 Who were the adversaries in the battle of Wandiwash? The British and the French. The supremacy of the British was thoroughly established as the consequences of this battle. 658 What was the result of the battle of Wandiwash? The British under Eyre Coote comprehensively routed the French 659 Who coined the slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan"? Lal Bahadur Shastri. The slogan became immensely popular and was soon on the lips of almost every Indian. 660 Who said the following and in what context ".... in the sky of India, serene as it is, a small cloud might arise, at first no bigger than a man's hand but which growing larger and larger, may at last threaten to burst and overwhelm us with ruin." Lord Canning. He was referring to the situation in India just prior to he Revolt of 1857. 661 The first Round Table Conference was a result of a suggestion by an Englishman to the then British Prime Minister. Who was the Britisher? Sir John Simon (Chairman of the Simon Commission) 662 Who was the sole representative of the Congress at the second Round Table Conference? Mahatma Gandhi. 663 Who was the first President of the Indian National Congress? Womesh Chandra Banerji. 664 Who was the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress? Sarojini Naidu. 665 When did Mahatma Gandhi become the President of the Indian National Congress? 1924. 666 Who was the President of the Congress in 1947 at the time of Independence? Rajendra Prasad. 667 Who died fighting the police at Alfred Park in Lucknow? Chandrashekhar Azad. He shot himself with the last bullet that he had been left with. 668 Who signed the Treaty of Salbai? The Marathas and the English in 1782. The treaty established beyond dispute, the dominance of the British as the controlling factor in Indian politics. 669 What was the result of the Treaty of Salbai? Though the English did not gain materially, it gave them peace with the Marathas for 20 years, thereby enabling them to fight other enemies such as the French and Tipu Sultan. 670 Who was the chief minister of Peshwa Baji Rao II? Nana Fadnavis. He was responsible for preserving the Maratha confederacy. He also resisted British interference in Maratha affairs. 671 What is the meaning of the word "Satyagraha"? Satyagraha consists of two words : Satya (truth) and agraha (insistence). The term was coined by Mahatma Gandhi. 672 Who started the Home Rule movement? Annie Besant. At the Congress session held in Kolkata in 1917, the demand for home rule was made eloquent by Ms. Annie Besant, the President of the session. 673 Who formulated the two nation theory? M.A.Jinnah. 674 Over which area did the Asaf Jahis rule? The state of Hyderabad as it then was. 675 Where did Aurobindo Ghosh begin to live after renouncing an active political life? In Pondicherry from 1910 till the end 1950. 676 Which was the first state of India to be formed on the basis of language? Andhra Pradesh. 677 Who was Gopal Ganesh Agarkar? He was a social reformer of Maharashtra. He was the founder editor of Kesari, but later concentrated on a new newspaper he started called Sudharak. 678 Who was Kanaklata Barua? Kanaklata Barua played an important role in the freedom struggle. She was shot dead while holding the congress flag during the Quit India movement. 679 Who led the Santhals who were armed with only bows and arrows? BirsaMunda. 680 A prominent Naga fighter she spent eighteen years in prison for her role in the freedom struggle. Who was she? Gidalyu Rani who led the Nagas. She was released in 1949. 681 When did the Naval Mutiny break out? February 1946 682 He was born in 1889 at Allahabad. He was sent to England for studies and returned to India in 1912. He made his first appearance on the Congress platform as a delegate in 1912 at the Bankipore session. In 1923 he was elected General Secretary of the Congress. Who was he? Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. 683 Who were the adversaries at the Battle of Plassey? The British fought Siraj-ud-Daulah the Nawab of Bengal. 684 In the Battle of Plassey, a major part of Siraj-ud-Daulah's army did not take part in the fighting. Why was this? Mir Jafar and Rai Durlabh who commanded a major portion of the army had turned traitors and did not join in the battle. 685 Who were the only two leading men of Siraj-ud-Daulah's court who took active part in the Battle of Plassey? Mir Madan and Mohan Lal. 686 Who was raised to the throne of Bengal after the Battle of Plassey? Mir Jafar. 687 Who succeeded Mir Jaffar to the throne of Bengal? Mir Kasim, his son-in-law. 688 Who devised the system of "Subsidiary Alliances"? Lord Wellesley. By using Subsidiary Alliances Lord Wellesley saw to it that the Indian princes remained helpless and would soon be unable to govern their territory without the help of the British army. 689 How did Tipu Sultan die? He died fighting the English on May 4, 1799? 690 What role did the Chapekar brothers play in the Freedom struggle? Damodar Chapekar along with his two brothers, Vasudev and Balakrishna, fired at Rand and then disappeared in the dark. They were arrested later and were hanged. 691 He worked throughout his life for the uplift of the 'untouchables'. He was the law minister in the interim government. He was the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly's Drafting Committee. Who was he? Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. 692 Which day was fixed as the first Independence Day? 31st December 1929. 693 When was the Indian Tri-colour (saffron, white and green) hoisted for the first time? December 31, 1929. At the Congress session. 694 If anyone wanted to meet Mahatma Gandhi on the 6lh of April 1930, where would they have needed to go? To Dandi. On this day Gandhiji breached the salt law. 695 Who organised the society of Khudai Khidmatgars (servants of god)? Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. 696 Why did Subhas Bose resign from the Presidentship of the Congress in 1939? He did so because of opposition from Gandhiji. 697 Which party did Subhas Bose found? Forward Bloc. 698 Who was responsible (as President of the "Committee of Public Instruction") for the introduction of English education in India? Thomas Babington Macaulay. 699 Whom did Ahmed Shah Abdali serve as a general before proclaiming himself king? Nadir Shah. Ahmed Shah Abdali proclaimed himself king of Afghanistan after Nadir Shah's assassination. 700 What was the title adopted by Ahmed Shah Abdali when he crowned himself ruler of Afghanistan? Durr-i-Durran, 'The pearl of the age.' His clan came to be known as Durrani. 701 What were the Morley Minto reforms? In 1909, the reforms introduced by Morley and Minto provided for the association of qualified Indians with the Government of India to a greater extent in deciding public queries. 702 Who did the Marathas decisively defeat in the Palkhed campaign of 1727-28? The Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad. This campaign ensured that the Nizam's attempt at challenging Maralha supremacy failed. 703 Which French Governor has been given the credit of using Indian Sepoys in his army? Dupleix. 704 Who handed over the leadership of the Independence Movement in East Asia to Subhas Chandra Bose? Rash Behari Bose (on July 4, 1943). 705 What was the slogan adopted by the Muslim League at its Karachi Session in 1943? Divide and Quit. 706 Who is Subramania Bharati? A Tamil poet and nationalist of the early 20th Century. 707 Who was the Viceroy at the time of Indepenence? Lord Louis Mountbatten. 708 Who was hired by a group of Porbandar Muslims (who were working in Natal, South Africa) as their lawyer in!893? M.K. Gandhi. 709 Where did Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose set up the provisional government of free India? In Singapore. It had been renamed Shonan. Subhas Chandra Bose regularly addressed Indians from Shonan Radio. 710 Who gave the first call for the freedom struggle in 1857? Mangal Pandey. 711 Who was the freedom fighter who led the Ramoshis of Maharashtra? Vasudev Balwant Phadke. 712 He was popularly known as Sher-1-Punjab. He founded the weekly "The People". He died due to the injuries he received from a brutal lathi charge by the police when protesting against the Simon Commission. Who was he? LalaLajpatRai. 713 Who initiated the celebration of the Ganapati Festival and the Shivaji Jayanti as social activities to awaken the people? Lokamanya Tilak. 714 What was the slogan that electrified the nation when Bengal was partitioned? Bande Mataram. 715 What was the Poona Pact? The pact between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar. This pact was against the separate electorates announced by the British. 716 What was the Act which granted partial autonomy to the Provinces? Government of India Act of 1935. 717 Who was the Governor General of India who added the maximum extent of Indian territories to the East India Company? Lord Dalhousie 718 Who was the Governor General of India when the Revolt of 1857 broke out? Lord Canning 719 Which Act passed by the British was termed the Gagging Act? The Vernacular Press Act, 1878. This Act empowered a magistrate to stop a publisher from publishing anything that would create disaffection against the government. 720 Who was responsible for the partition of Bengal in 1905? Lord Curzon. 721 During whose Viceroyalty was the capital changed from Calcutta to Delhi? Lord Hardinge (in 1912). 722 What was the Khilafat movement? The Sultan of Turkey, who was the Caliph, was deposed after World War I. The Khilafat Movement was launched in India to defend the prestige of the Caliph. 723 Her real name was Madeleine Slade. She was a devoted follower of Gandhiji. What was the name given to her by Gandhiji? MeeraBehn. 724 The British created the Kingdom of Satara out of the Peshwa's lands. Who was it given to? A descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji. 725 To which party did Chandrashekar Azad belong? Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. 726 Who was the leader, whose death led Bhagat Singh, Azad and Rajguru to assassinate the British police officer Saunders? Lala Lajpat Rai. 727 In April 1930, the revolutionary Surya Sen led an activity. What was it? He organised an armed raid on the government armoury at Chittagong. 728 Who were executed on March 23, 1931? Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru in Lahore prison. 729 In 1927, the British Government appointed the Indian Statutory Commission. How was it popularly known as? Simon Commission. 730 What was interesting about Jawaharlal Nehru taking over the Presidentship of the Indian National Congress at the Lahore session of 1929? He succeeded his father Motilal Nehru. 731 At which session was a resolution passed which declared "Poorna Swaraj" (total freedom) as the Congress objective? At the session held at Lahore, 1929. 732 Who conceived of the idea of setting up the Indian National Congress? Allan Octavian Hume. 733 What did Mahatma Gandhi describe as a post-dated cheque? The Cripps offer of Independence. 734 Who was the admiral who recreated the Maratha navy almost single handed? Kanhoji Angrey (also spelt Angria).