Important Historical Figures MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Important Historical Figures - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Dr. ​Annie Besant.

Key Points

• The central Hindu school at Banaras in 1898 was established by Annie Besant.
• In 1916, the college was further developed into Banaras Hindu University by Madan Mohan Malaviya.
• Madan Mohan Malviya was an Indian independence activist.
• It is a public central university which is located in Uttar Pradesh.
• Rameshwar Singh, Madan Mohan Malviya and Sundar Singh had founded this University together.

Additional Information

• In Asia, this is the largest residential University.
• The six institutes are contained by the University.
• The University covers students from 48 countries.
• In 2015-16, the centenary year of BHU was celebrated.

The correct answer is Rani Lakshmi Bai.

Key Points 

• Rani Lakshmi Bai, also known as the Rani of Jhansi, was a prominent figure in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
• She is remembered for her bravery and leadership during the revolt against British rule.
• The Jhansi Fort, a major tourist attraction, is associated with her legacy.
• Rani Lakshmi Bai's contributions to India's fight for independence are celebrated nationwide.

Additional Information 

• Bahadur Shah Zafar: Last Mughal emperor, associated with Delhi.
• Chandragupta Maurya: Founder of the Maurya Empire, associated with Patna (Pataliputra).
• Ashoka: Mauryan emperor known for his role in spreading Buddhism, associated with various sites across India.

The correct answer is Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan.

Key Points

• Khudai Khidmatgar
  • Khudai Khidmatgar is a nonviolent resistance movement against the British Raj in India.
  • It was a powerful non-violent movement among the Pashtuns.
  • It is also called "Red Shirts".
  • The movement was established by Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan in 1929
  • They recruited over 100,000 members and became legendary in opposing the British controlled police and army.
  • In 1929, the Khudai Khidmatgar organization formally joined the Indian National Congress following the arrest of Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan and other leaders.
  • The Khudai Khimatgars faced problems from the new Pakistani government after the petition of India.
• Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan
  • ​He was a Pashtun Independence activist against British colonial rule in India.
  • He was known as Badshah Khan.
  • He was a political and metaphysical leader known for his nonviolent opposition and lifelong pacifism.
  • He was an advocate for Hindu Muslim unity in the Indian subcontinent.

The correct answer is Rabindranath Tagore.

Key Points

• The national anthem was originally composed as Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore.
• The first stanza of the Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata was adopted as the national anthem by the Constituent Assembly on 24th January 1950.
•  It was first publicly sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta (now Kolkata) Session of the Indian National Congress.

Additional Information

•  Rabindranath Tagore was born on 7 May 1861
• He was the first Indian and first non-European to win a Noble Prize in Literature in 1913 for his work “Gitanjali”.
• Bangladesh’s National Anthem “Amar Sonar Bangla” is also taken from the works of Rabindranath Tagore.
•  He renounced his knighthood after the Jalianwala massacre.

The correct answer is 1864.

Key Points

• Sir Syed Ahmed Khan founded the Scientific Society in 1864.
• The main objective was to translate Western works on science and other subjects into Urdu.
• It aimed to promote modern scientific knowledge among Indians, especially Muslims.
• The society played a crucial role in the educational and social reform movement in India.
• It was one of the first institutions to promote Western education and knowledge in India.

Additional Information

• Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
  • Born on October 17, 1817, in Delhi, India.
  • He was a prominent Muslim reformer, educator, and politician.
  • He is best known for founding the Aligarh Muslim University in 1875.
  • His efforts were aimed at modernizing Muslim education and promoting social reforms.
• Scientific Society
  • Established in 1864 in Ghazipur, India.
  • It was one of the first institutions in India to translate Western scientific works into Urdu.
  • The society published journals and books to spread scientific knowledge.
  • It served as a platform for intellectual discussions and debates.
• Impact of the Scientific Society
  • Contributed to the spread of modern education among Muslims in India.
  • Encouraged the adoption of Western scientific knowledge and methodologies.
  • Played a significant role in the educational and social reform movement of the 19th century.
  • Helped bridge the gap between traditional and modern education systems.
• Aligarh Movement
  • Started by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan to promote modern education among Muslims.
  • Aimed at creating a class of educated Muslims who could serve in government and other modern professions.
  • The movement led to the establishment of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which later became Aligarh Muslim University.
  • It emphasized the importance of scientific and rational thinking.

The correct answer is Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Key Points

The correct answer is 1916.

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak introduced the slogan Swaraj is my birthright in 1916.

Key Points

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
  • He launched two newspapers that are the Kesari in Marathi and the Maratha in English.
  • He also organised Ganpati Festival in 1893 AD and Shivaji Festival in 1895 AD.
  • He asserted ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it in the year 1916.
  • He was awarded the title of Lokmanya.
  • He was a part of the trio of ‘Lal-Bal- Pal’ and the extremist group.
• He authored books The Arctic Home of Vedas and Gita Rahasya.

The correct answer is Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

Key Points

• Mitra Mela, a secret society, was founded in the year 1899 by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and his brother Ganesh Damodar Savarkar.
• It was renamed Abhinav Bharat Society in 1904.
• Veer Savarkar was born on 28th May 1883 in Bagur, near Nashik.
• He also went to London to study law in the year 1906. He also compiled Mazzini Charitra in the same year.
• He was charged with the murder of AMT Jackson, DM of Nashik, and was sentenced to jail. He was deported to cellular jail in the Andaman Islands in the year 1910.
• This society was banned in the year 1952.

Additional Information

1. Bhagat Singh​​
   • Born in 1907.
   • Naujawan Bharat - 1926
   • Hindustan Socialist Republican Association - 1928
   • Involved in Central Assembly Bombing
   • He was sentenced to death on 23 March 1931.
2. Barindra Kumar Ghosh
   • Born in Croydon, near London.
   • He founded Jugantar, a revolutionary outfit in Bengal.
   • He was the younger brother of Aurobindo Ghosh.
   • He was arrested for killing Kingsford - Alipore Bomb Case and was sentenced to death.
3. Pulin Bihari Das
   • ​​Born on 24 Jan 1877
   • He founded Dhaka Anushilan Samiti and carried out various revolutionary activities.
   • He also released 2 magazines - Haq Kath and Swaraj

The correct answer is Rabindranath Tagore.

• Rabindranath Tagore called Subhash Chandra Bose as Desh Nayak.

Key Points

• Subhash Chandra Bose:

  • He founded the Independence for India League with Jawaharlal Nehru.
  • He was elected as the President of INC at its Haripura Session (1938) and Tripuri Session (1939) but resigned from Tripuri due to differences with Mahatma Gandhi.
  • He took the charge of the Indian Army (Azad Hind Fauj) in 1943 in Singapore and set up an Indian Provisional government there.
  • Subhash Chandra Bose was the one who addressed Mahatma Gandhi as the Father of the Nation.
  • He gave the famous slogans–Dilli Chalo and Jai Hind.
  • The Indian Struggle was his autobiography.
  • He was called Desh Nayak by Rabindranath Tagore.

Additional Information

• Rabindranath Tagore:
  • His first poem was published in the Amrita Bazar Patrika and then he wrote ‘Banaphul’ and ‘Bhanusimha Padavali’.
  • He founded Shantiniketan near Bolpore in December 1901.
  • He wrote Gitanjali, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1913.
  • He also founded the Vishwa Bharati University.
  • In 1919, he renounced the knighthood granted by the British crown after the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. 
  • His composed National Anthem by two nations
    • India–Jana Gana Mana
    • Bangladesh–Amar Sonar Bangla
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
  • He launched two newspapers that are the Kesari in Marathi and the Maratha in English.
  • He also organised Ganpati Festival in 1893 AD and Shivaji Festival in 1895 AD.
  • Tilak asserted: ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.
  • He was awarded the title of Lokmanya.
  • He was a part of the trio of ‘Lal-Bal- Pal’ and the extremist group.
  • He authored books The Arctic Home of Vedas and Gita Rahasya.

The correct answer is Committee on the Functions.

Key Points

• GV Mavalankar was the Chairman of the Committee on the Functions of the Constituent Assembly of India.
• The Constituent Assembly met for the first time in New Delhi on 9 December 1946.
• The Constituent Assembly selected 22 committees to deal with diverse tasks of Constitution-making.
• Out of these, 10 were on procedural affairs and 12 on substantive affairs.​

Important Points

The correct answer is Ras Behari Bose.

Important Points

About Indian Independence League:

• The Indian Independence League was a Political Organization that was founded by Rash Behari Bose in 1920-1940.

• It was set up to organize those Living outside India into seeking the removal of East India colonial rule over India. After the arrival of Subhas Chandra Bose in South East Asia and the revamp of the Indian National Army, and after coming into South East Asia the League came under his leadership.

• He was born on 25th May 1886 in Bardhaman, West Bengal. Ras Behari Bose was one of the main organizers of the Ghadar Party 1913.

• He handed over the Indian National Army to Subhash Chandra Bose in Singapore in 1940.

Logo of the Indian Independence League:

The correct answer is Sher-e-Punjab.

• Lala Lajpat Rai was also known as Sher Punjab.

Key Points

• Lala Lajpat Rai:
  • He founded the National School at Lahore.
  • He presided over the AITUC in 1920 AD.
  • He boycotted the Simon Commission and demonstrated against it at Lahore, during which he was brutally assaulted by the police and he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
  • He was called the Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab).
  • He was inspired by Mahatma Hansraj.
  • He was the President of the special session of the Congress at Calcutta, 1920 AD.
  • He opposed the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 AD.
  • He founded Swaraj Party with Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das.
  • He was the editor of Bande Matram, Punjab and The People.

The correct answer is Pingali Venkaiya.

• Pingali Venkaiya designed the Indian national flag.

Key Points

• National Flag:
  • The national flag is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron at the top, white in the middle, and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion.
    • Saffron stands for courage.
    • White stands for truth and purity.
    • Green is the symbol of life, abundance, and prosperity.
  • The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3.
  • Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.
  • Its diameter approximates the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.
  • The design was given by Pingali Venkaiya.
  • The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947.

Additional Information

• It is our Fundamental Duty to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.
• The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankim Chandra Chatterji, is our National Song.
  • The National Song is taken from Bankim Chandra Chatterji’s novel Anandmath, published in 1882.
• Annie Besant founded newspapers like New India and Commonweal.

The correct answer is Chandrasekhar Azad.

• Indian revolutionary Chandrasekhar Azad is often known by the pseudonym "Balraj".
• He reorganised the Hindustan Republican Association under its new name of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA).
• He was involved in the Kakori Train Robbery of 1925.
• Jawaharlal Nehru criticized Azad and accused him of having a 'fascist mindset' in his autobiography.

Key Points

The correct answer is Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

Key Points

• Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988), the foremost 20^th-century leader of the Pashtunswas a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and was called the “Frontier Gandhi”.
• Ghaffar Khan met Gandhi and entered politics in 1919 during the agitation over the Rowlatt Acts, which allowed the restriction of political dissidents without trial.
• Ghaffar Khan founded the Red Shirt movement (Khudai Khitmatgar) among the Pashtuns.
• In 1987 he was awarded the Bharat Ratna Prize, the highest Indian honour that can be given to civilians. He was the first non-Indian to receive this honour.