Question

Difficulty: MediumRise of Indian Nationalism and Early Phase of the Indian National Congress

In December 1883, a major political conference brought together representatives from across India in Calcutta, serving as a direct all-India precursor to the Indian National Congress before officially merging with it during the 1886 session. Which organization convened this initiative under the leadership of Surendranath Banerjea and Anandamohan Bose?

  1. The Indian AssociationAnswer
  2. B
    The East India Association
  3. C
    The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
  4. D
    The Madras Native Association

Answer

The Indian Association organized the National Conference in Calcutta in December 1883.
The Indian Association, founded in 1876 by Surendranath Banerjea and Anandamohan Bose, played a seminal role in unifying early nationalist voices. In December 1883, it convened the All-India National Conference in Calcutta, which served as a crucial forerunner to the Indian National Congress. The conference brought together nationalist leaders to discuss civil service age limits, legislative representation, and administrative reforms, before eventually merging with the INC during its second session in 1886.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the organization founded by Surendranath Banerjea and Anandamohan Bose in 1876 in Calcutta.
The organization in question is the Indian Association (also known as the Indian National Association).
It was established to create a strong body of public opinion and unify Indian political aspirations.
2
Analyze the major national initiative taken by this organization in December 1883.
It convened the first National Conference in Calcutta from December 28 to 30, 1883, attracting delegates from major provinces across India.
This served as the first major prototype for an all-India political gathering.
3
Verify its relationship and eventual merger with the Indian National Congress.
Because its second National Conference coincided with the inaugural session of the INC in December 1885, the Indian Association subsequently merged with the Indian National Congress at its second session in Calcutta in 1886.
This consolidated early nationalist efforts into a single unified national platform.

Key Concept

Pre-Congress political associations and precursors to the Indian National Congress
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