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Q11 (IAS/2018) History & Culture › National Movement (1857–1947) › Early national politics Official Key

I. 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

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Q. I. He wrote biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna; stayed in America for some time; and was also elected to the Cent…

At a glance

Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 0/10

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This is a classic 'Personality Profile' question. It aggregates three distinct dimensions: literary works, foreign travel, and legislative role. While the specific list of biographies is a niche fact found in Spectrum's appendices or detailed personality notes, the combination of clues allows for triangulation using standard history knowledge.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1: Was Aurobindo Ghosh the author of biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna?
Statement 2: Did Aurobindo Ghosh spend some time living in America?
Statement 3: Was Aurobindo Ghosh elected to the Central Assembly (Central Legislative Assembly of British India)?
Statement 4: Was Bipin Chandra Pal the author of biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna?
Statement 5: Did Bipin Chandra Pal spend some time living in America?
Statement 6: Was Bipin Chandra Pal elected to the Central Assembly (Central Legislative Assembly of British India)?
Statement 7: Was Lala Lajpat Rai the author of biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna?
Statement 8: Did Lala Lajpat Rai spend some time living in America?
Statement 9: Was Lala Lajpat Rai elected to the Central Assembly (Central Legislative Assembly of British India)?
Statement 10: Was Motilal Nehru the author of biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna?

Statement 1

Was Aurobindo Ghosh the author of biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, Shivaji and Shrikrishna?

Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy

Indirect textbook clues

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Swadeshi Movement > p. 804

Strength: 4/5

“Rabindranath Tagore composed several songs to inspire freedom struggle and revived Bengali folk music to rouse national pride. He also set up some swadeshi stores and called for the observance of raksha bandhan (tying of threads on each other's wrists as a sign of brotherhood). Aurobindo Ghosh was in favour of extending the movement to the rest of India. He was appointed as the principal of Bengal National College founded in 1906 to encourage patriotic thinking and an education system related to Indian conditions and culture. He was also the editor of Bande Mataram and through his editorials encouraged strikes, national education etc., in the spirit of the Swadeshi Movement.”

Why relevant

States Aurobindo Ghosh was principal of a nationalist college and editor of Bande Mataram, indicating he wrote/editorialised on historical/political themes.

How to extend

A student could infer that someone who edited a major nationalist paper might also have written biographical or historical essays and then search bibliographies or library catalogues for Aurobindo's authored biographies.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 29: Development of Indian Press > Development of Indian Press ✫ 559 > p. 559

Strength: 3/5

“Bengalee under Surendranath Banerjea, Voice of India under Dadabhai Naoroji, Amrita Bazar Patrika under Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh, Indian Mirror under N.N. Sen, Kesari (in Marathi) and Maharatta (in English) under Balgangadhar Tilak, Sudharak under Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, and Hindustan and Advocate under G.P. Verma. Other main newspapers included, Tribune and Akbhar-i-am in Punjab, Gujarati, Indu Prakash, Dhyan Prakash and Kal in Bombay and Som Prakash, Banganivasi and Sadharani in Bengal. These newspapers were not established as profitmaking business ventures but were seen as rendering national and public service. In fact, these newspapers had a wide reach and they stimulated a library movement.”

Why relevant

Lists major nationalist newspapers and shows journalists/intellectuals commonly produced political and historical writings.

How to extend

Use the pattern that editors/journalists published longer works to justify checking whether Aurobindo published biographies in print or periodicals.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 13: First Phase of Revolutionary Activities (1907-1917) > p. 284

Strength: 2/5

“Prafulla Chaki shot himself dead while Khudiram Bose was tried and hanged. The whole Anushilan group was arrested including the Ghosh brothers, Aurobindo and Barindra, who were tried in the Alipore conspiracy case, variously called Manicktolla bomb conspiracy or Muraripukur conspiracy. (Barindra Ghosh's house was on Muraripukur Road in the Manicktolla suburb of Calcutta.) The Ghosh brothers were charged with 'conspiracy' or 'waging war against the King' – the equivalent of high treason and punishable with death by hanging. Chittaranjan Das defended Aurobindo. Aurobindo was acquitted of all charges with the judge condemning the flimsy nature of the evidence against him.”

Why relevant

Notes Aurobindo Ghosh as a central figure in revolutionary activity and a public figure defended in major trials, implying prominence that could support authorship of notable works.

How to extend

Combine this prominence with library or archival searches for his published works to test if they include biographies of foreign or Indian figures.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 12: Europe in Turmoil > Unification of Italy > p. 184

Strength: 3/5

“Cavour was Mazzini was considered the brain, Garibaldi the soul and Garibaldi the sword-arm of Italian Unification.”

Why relevant

Mentions Mazzini and Garibaldi as key figures of Italian unification—examples of subjects commonly profiled in political/historical biographies.

How to extend

A student could use the fact these are standard biographical subjects to specifically look for Aurobindo's writings on European revolutionaries in bibliographies or catalogues.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The Marathas > 15.2 Shivaji (1627-1680) > p. 226

Strength: 3/5

“Shivaji was born in Shivner near Junnar. He was the son of Shahji Bhonsle by his first wife Jijabai. Shahji was a descendant of the Yadava rulers of Devagiri from his mother's side and the Sisodias of Mewar on his father's side. Shahii Bhonsle served under Shivaji Malik Ambar (1548-1626), former slave, and the Abyssinian minister of Ahmed Shah of Ahmednagar. After the death of Malik Ambar, Shahji played a vital role in its politics. After the annexation of Ahmednagar by the Mughals, he entered the service of the Sultan of Bijapur. Shivaji and his mother were left under the care of Dadaji Kondadev, who administered Shahji Bhonsle's jagirs (land grants given in recognition of military or administrative services rendered) at Poona.”

Why relevant

Describes Shivaji in standard biographical terms, showing Shivaji is a common subject for biographies in Indian history textbooks.

How to extend

Use this to justify searching sources on Shivaji authorship (catalogues, indexes) to see if Aurobindo wrote a biography of Shivaji.

Statement analysis