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Who among the following leaders did not believe in the drain theory of Dadabhai Naoroji ?
Explanation
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan did not subscribe to Dadabhai Naoroji’s drain theory. Early nineteenth‑century intellectuals, among whom Sir Syed is classed, initially viewed British rule as a civilising and modernising force and therefore did not emphasise Naoroji’s economic critique of colonialism [2]. By contrast, contemporaries like Romesh Chunder Dutt and M.G. Ranade engaged directly in economic analyses akin to Naoroji’s work (Dutt explicitly produced an Economic History that paralleled Naoroji’s compilation of wealth drain) and nationalist leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak were part of the broader anti‑colonial critique that incorporated economic exploitation themes [4]. Hence the correct answer is Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (option 4).
Sources
- [1] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 28: Economic Impact of British Rule in India > Nationalist Critique of Colonial Economy > p. 548
- [2] https://www.msuniv.ac.in/images/distance%20education/learning%20materials/ug%20pg%202023/pg%202021/MA%20history%20%202023%20%20english%20medium/SHYM32_III%20Sem_Intellectual_History_of_India.pdf
- [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Colonial Era in India > The drain of India's wealth > p. 98
- [4] https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/hess208.pdf