Social Reformers — Set 4

Correct Answer: C. Ela Bhatt

• **Ela Bhatt** = She founded the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) to organize women workers and provide financial security. • **1972** — This is the year Ela Bhatt started SEWA, which became the largest trade union of informal workers globally. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Medha Patkar]: known for Narmada Bachao Andolan; [Aruna Roy]: known for Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and Right to Information movement; [C.P. Krishnan Nair]: known for founding the Leela Group of hotels.

Correct Answer: D. Swami Vivekananda

• **Swami Vivekananda** = He established the Ramakrishna Mission to propagate the philosophy of his teacher, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, through social service. • **1897** — This is the year Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission, headquartered at Belur Math. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Keshab Chandra Sen]: associated with Brahmo Samaj of India; [Ramakrishna Paramahansa]: was Swami Vivekananda's guru, the mission is named after him but not founded by him; [Sarada Devi]: was Ramakrishna Paramahansa's spiritual consort and played a significant role in the mission, but not its founder.

Correct Answer: C. Raja Ram Mohan Roy

• **Raja Ram Mohan Roy** = He founded the Atmiya Sabha in Calcutta as an intellectual precursor to the Brahmo Samaj. • **1815** — This is the year Raja Ram Mohan Roy established the Atmiya Sabha for philosophical and religious discussions. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Dwarkanath Tagore]: was a prominent entrepreneur and supporter of reform, but not the founder of Atmiya Sabha; [Debendranath Tagore]: later led the Brahmo Samaj after Roy's death; [Radhakanta Deb]: was a conservative Hindu leader, opposed to Ram Mohan Roy's reforms.

Correct Answer: B. B.R. Ambedkar

• **B.R. Ambedkar** = He launched the weekly journal 'Mooknayak' (Leader of the Silent) to voice the issues of the oppressed communities. • **1920** — This is the year B.R. Ambedkar started 'Mooknayak', marking his first venture into journalism. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Jyotirao Phule]: founded Satyashodhak Samaj and wrote 'Gulamgiri'; [Periyar]: known for the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu; [E.V.R. Periyar]: same as Periyar, just the full name.

Correct Answer: B. Pandita Ramabai

• **Pandita Ramabai** = She was an eminent Sanskrit scholar and social reformer known for championing women's rights and founding the Mukti Mission. • **'Pandiita'** — This title was conferred upon Ramabai by the University of Calcutta in recognition of her Sanskrit scholarship. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Savitribai Phule]: a pioneer of women's education in India, but not known for receiving this specific title; [Anandibai Joshi]: one of the first Indian women to obtain a medical degree; [Muthulakshmi Reddi]: first woman legislator in India and a social reformer.

Correct Answer: B. B.R. Ambedkar

• **B.R. Ambedkar** = He founded the All India Scheduled Castes Federation as a political party dedicated to advancing the rights of Scheduled Castes. • **1942** — This is the year B.R. Ambedkar established the All India Scheduled Castes Federation, a successor to his Independent Labour Party. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Jagjivan Ram]: a prominent Dalit leader and politician, but not the founder of this federation; [K.R. Narayanan]: later became the President of India, but not associated with founding this group; [Mayawati]: a contemporary Dalit political leader, born much later.

Correct Answer: D. Harbilas Sarda

• **Harbilas Sarda** = He introduced the Child Marriage Restraint Act, popularly known as the Sarda Act, which aimed to curb child marriages. • **1929** — This is the year the Sarda Act, a landmark legislation, was passed, fixing minimum marriage ages at 14 for girls and 18 for boys. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Behramji Malabari]: a Parsi social reformer who advocated for child marriage reform; [Mahadev Govind Ranade]: a prominent social reformer and judge who worked on women's rights; [Dhondo Keshav Karve]: a social reformer and educator who championed women's education and widow remarriage.

Correct Answer: D. Bindeshwar Pathak

• **Bindeshwar Pathak** = He founded Sulabh International, an NGO dedicated to eradicating manual scavenging and promoting affordable sanitation solutions. • **1970** — This is the year Bindeshwar Pathak established Sulabh International, which became a pioneer in sanitation and hygiene solutions. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Manish Sisodia]: an Indian politician, not associated with Sulabh International; [Ishwar Dass]: not a widely recognized figure in this context; [B.R. Ambedkar]: a social reformer known for advocating for Dalit rights and authoring the Constitution, but not for Sulabh International.

Correct Answer: D. Sarala Devi Chaudhurani

• **Sarala Devi Chaudhurani** = She founded the Bharat Stree Mahamandal in 1910, aiming to unite women across India for their collective welfare and promote education. • **1910** — This is the year Sarala Devi Chaudhurani established the Bharat Stree Mahamandal, considered India's first major women's organization. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Margaret Cousins]: an Irish educationist and Theosophist who played a role in the Indian women's movement, co-founded All India Women's Conference; [Sarojini Naidu]: a prominent poet and political activist, the 'Nightingale of India'; [Annie Besant]: a Theosophist, social reformer, and political activist, president of Indian National Congress.

Correct Answer: B. Madam Bhikaji Cama

• **Madam Bhikaji Cama** = Known as the 'Mother of Indian Revolution', she was a revolutionary who championed Indian independence and social justice from exile. • **1907** — This is the year Madam Cama unfurled the first version of the Indian national flag in Stuttgart, Germany. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Rani Lakshmibai]: a queen of Jhansi and a key figure in the 1857 Indian Rebellion, but not known for working abroad; [Aruna Asaf Ali]: an Indian independence activist, known for hoisting the flag during the Quit India Movement; [Kasturba Gandhi]: Mahatma Gandhi's wife, actively involved in the freedom struggle within India.