Who among the following advocated the construction of initial railways in India for facilitating army movement?
- A.Lord Dalhousie
- B.Lord Lytton
- C.Winston Churchill
- D.Lord Wellesley
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, Lord Dalhousie. In his famous Railway Minute of 1853, Governor-General Lord Dalhousie argued for a network of trunk railway lines, stressing their value for moving troops quickly.
Dalhousie was Governor-General from 1848 to 1856. The first passenger train in India ran from Bombay to Thane on 16 April 1853, during his term. In his minute he set out the military advantage of railways, which would let a smaller army hold a vast territory, along with their commercial benefits, as they would carry raw cotton to the ports and British goods into the interior. He also introduced the telegraph and a cheap uniform postal service, which is why he is called the maker of modern India's communications.
B is wrong because Lord Lytton, Viceroy from 1876 to 1880, is known for the Vernacular Press Act and the Delhi Durbar of 1877. C is wrong because Winston Churchill was a British Prime Minister in the twentieth century. D is wrong because Lord Wellesley, Governor-General from 1798 to 1805, served long before railways existed.
Exam tip: Dalhousie gave India railways, the telegraph and the postal reform; first train Bombay to Thane, 1853.
Practice Questions
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- A.Abul Fazl
- B.Abdul Hamid Lahori
- C.Nawab of Awadh
- D.William Jones
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Read the full explanation →The Truman Doctrine of 1947 was announced to achieve which one of the following ?
- A.Containment of the USSR
- B.Increasing agricultural production in the USA
- C.Offering friendship to Europe
- D.Strengthening the UNO
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1. Women’s Indian Association of 1917 : Margaret Cousins
2. National Council of Women in India of 1925 : Sarala Devi Chaudhurani
3. Bharat Stree Mahamandal of 1910 : Lady Meherbai Tata
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- A.1, 2 and 3
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 2 only
- D.1 only
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Read the full explanation →Which one of the following inscriptions records the history of a guild of silk weavers?
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- B.The Mandasor inscription
- C.The Kudumiyamalai inscription
- D.The Udayagiri Cave inscription
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Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements about Renaissance Humanist culture is NOT true ?
- A.It slackened the control of religion over human life
- B.It believed that human nature was many-sided
- C.It was concerned with good manners
- D.It criticized material wealth, power and glory
Show answer
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