Deciphering Nehru's Many-Sided Personality

This question requires understanding the phrase 'a many-sided personality' based on the provided passage about Jawaharlal Nehru. The passage highlights various aspects of his life and interests.

Analyzing the Passage for Clues

The passage states that Nehru "was a many-sided personality." To grasp this meaning, we need to examine the examples given:

• He enjoyed both reading and writing books.
• He also enjoyed fighting political and social evils.
• Additionally, he was involved in resisting tyranny.

The text further elaborates on his balanced nature, mentioning him as both a scientist and a humanist, indicating a breadth of perspectives and engagements.

Defining 'Many-Sided Personality'

In general terms, having a 'many-sided personality' means a person possesses diverse interests, skills, and engages in various activities. It suggests a richness and variety in one's character and pursuits.

Evaluating the Options Against the Passage

Let's look at each option:

• a complex personality: While Nehru might have been complex, 'many-sided' specifically points to the *variety* of interests, which is a distinct aspect from mere complexity.
• a secretive personality: The passage offers no details suggesting secrecy. This option is irrelevant to the description provided.
• a person having varied interests: This option perfectly matches the examples provided in the passage, such as his engagement in intellectual pursuits (reading, writing) and socio-political activism (fighting evils, resisting tyranny). These are clearly diverse interests.
• a capable person: While Nehru was undoubtedly capable, the term 'many-sided' focuses on the *range* and *diversity* of his activities and interests, not solely his overall capability.

Conclusion

The passage uses Nehru's engagement in intellectual, political, and social activities as evidence of his 'many-sided personality'. Therefore, the most fitting interpretation is that he was a person having varied interests.