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Indian HistoryHardAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2017, GS Paper I

Which one of the following was a very important seaport in the Kakatiya kingdom?

  1. A.Kakinada
  2. B.Motupalli
  3. C.Machilipatnam (Masulipatnam)
  4. D.Nelluru

Correct answer

B. Motupalli

Explanation

The correct answer is B, Motupalli. Motupalli, on the Andhra coast, was the chief seaport of the Kakatiya kingdom of Warangal.

The Kakatiyas ruled the Telugu country from Warangal between the 12th and early 14th centuries. Ganapatideva issued the Motupalli abhaya-sasana (pillar inscription) of 1244-45, which promised safety and fixed duties to foreign merchants trading at the port. The Venetian traveller Marco Polo, who visited around 1293 during the rule of Queen Rudramadevi, described the kingdom and its fine diamonds and textiles while speaking of Motupalli. Today the site lies in the Bapatla area of Andhra Pradesh.

A is wrong because Kakinada grew into a major port much later, under colonial rule. C is wrong because Machilipatnam became famous as a port of the Golconda kingdom and of European companies in the 16th and 17th centuries. D is wrong because Nellore was an inland town on the Penna river, not the Kakatiya seaport.

Exam tip: Kakatiyas = Warangal capital, Motupalli port, Marco Polo visited under Rudramadevi.

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Q1.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2018, GS Paper IMedium

Economically, one of the results of the British rule in India in the 19th century was the

  1. A.increase in the export of Indian handicrafts
  2. B.growth in the number of Indian owned factories
  3. C.commercialization of Indian agriculture
  4. D.rapid increase in the urban population
Show answer
Correct answer: C. commercialization of Indian agriculture

British rule pushed Indian farmers to grow crops for sale and export rather than for their own food. Heavy land revenue had to be paid in cash, so peasants turned to cash crops such as indigo, cotton, jute, opium, tea and sugarcane, which fed British industry and trade.

Q2.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2022, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following freedom fighters:

1. Barindra Kumar Ghosh

2. Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee

3. Rash Behari Bose

Who of the above was/were actively associated with the Ghadar Party?

  1. A.1 and 2
  2. B.2 only
  3. C.1 and 3
  4. D.3 only
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 3 only

Of the three, only Rash Behari Bose worked actively with the Ghadar Party. The Ghadar Party was founded in 1913 at San Francisco by Indians in North America, with Lala Har Dayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna among its leaders.

Q3.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2025, GS Paper IMedium

Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of 'Harijans' in his political and social programme?

  1. A.The Poona Pact
  2. B.The Gandhi-Irwin Agreement (Delhi Pact)
  3. C.Arrest of Congress leadership at the time of the Quit India Movement
  4. D.Promulgation of the Government of India Act, 1935
Show answer
Correct answer: A. The Poona Pact

After the Poona Pact of September 1932, Gandhi made the upliftment of the Harijans a central part of his work.

Q5.Indian HistoryAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2024, GS Paper IMedium

Consider the following pairs:

(Party : Its Leader)

1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh : Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee

2. Socialist Party : C. Rajagopalachari

3. Congress for Democracy : Jagjivan Ram

4. Swatantra Party : Acharya Narendra Dev

How many of the above are correctly matched?

  1. A.Only one
  2. B.Only two
  3. C.Only three
  4. D.All four
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Only two

Pairs 1 and 3 are correct; the leaders in pairs 2 and 4 have been swapped. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951.