Previous Year Question
He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Central Assembly. He was
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Lala Lajpat Rai wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna. He also wrote a biography of Swami Dayanand. These biographies were intended to present the ideals of courage, patriotism and sacrifice before the youth.
During the First World War, Lala Lajpat Rai stayed in America. His stay in America was mainly between 1914 and 1919. He founded the India Home Rule League of America in New York and advocated India’s independence through its organ, Young India.
Lala Lajpat Rai was popularly known as ‘Punjab Kesari’. Along with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal, he was a member of the famous nationalist trio called ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’.
He became the President of the Indian National Congress at its Calcutta Special Session in 1920 and founded the Servants of the People Society in 1921. He was also elected to the Central Legislative Assembly.
Among the other options, Aurobindo Ghosh was a revolutionary nationalist and philosopher; Bipin Chandra Pal was a member of ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’; and Motilal Nehru was associated with the Swaraj Party and the Nehru Report. However, the combined clues concerning the biographies, stay in America and membership of the Central Assembly identify Lala Lajpat Rai.