The correct answer is option 1, Dadabhai Naoroji. Dadabhai Naoroji was a prominent Indian political leader and an early nationalist. He was the first Asian to be elected as a British Member of Parliament in 1892. Naoroji also played a significant role in the Indian National Congress (INC) and was its president on three separate occasions - in 1886, 1893, and 1906.

Let`s analyze the other options to understand why they are not the correct answer:

Option 2, Surendranath Banerjee, was a prominent Indian nationalist and one of the leading figures of the Indian independence movement. However, he was not elected as the President of the Indian National Congress thrice.

Option 3, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, was another influential Indian nationalist and a key leader of the Indian National Congress. While Gokhale made significant contributions to the Congress and the freedom struggle, he did not serve as President of the Congress thrice.

Option 4, Shankaran Nair, was an Indian lawyer and politician. However, he was not elected as the President of the Indian National Congress at any point in history.

In conclusion, Dadabhai Naoroji holds the distinction of