UPSC Prelims 1997·GS1·history·modern history

“A graduate at 18, professor and associated editor of the Sudharak at 20, Secretary of the Sarvajanik Sabha and of the Provincial Conference at 25, Secretary of the National Congress at 29, leading witness before an important Royal Commission at 31, Provincial legislator at 34, Imperial legislator at 36, President of the Indian National Congress at 39... a patriot whom Mahatma Gandhi himself regarded as his master.” This is how a biographer describes

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  1. APandit Madan Mohan Malaviya
  2. BMahadev Govind Ranade
  3. CGopal Krishna GokhaleCorrect
  4. DBal Gangadhar Tilak

Explanation

The description perfectly fits Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a prominent moderate leader of the Indian National Congress. The most defining clue in the passage is the reference to him being the patriot whom Mahatma Gandhi regarded as his political mentor or master. Gandhi even wrote a book titled Gokhale My Political Guru. Gokhales career matches the timeline mentioned. He graduated from Elphinstone College at 18, worked with Agarkar on the journal Sudharak, served as the Secretary of the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, and testified before the Welby Commission the Royal Commission mentioned at the age of 31. He presided over the Banaras session of the Indian National Congress in 1905 at the age of 39. His rapid rise through academic and political ranks is a hallmark of his biography.
history: “A graduate at 18, professor and associated editor of the Sudharak at 20, Secretary of the Sarvajanik Sabha and of the P

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