Analyzing Key Personalities in Indian History

The question asks us to identify the correctly matched pairs among prominent figures of Indian history and their contributions or associations. Let's evaluate each statement:

Statement 1: Ferozeshah Mehta - Disciple of Gokhale

This statement claims that Ferozeshah Mehta was a disciple of Gopal Krishna Gokhale. This is incorrect. Ferozeshah Mehta was a senior contemporary and political leader alongside Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Gokhale considered Mahadev Govind Ranade as his political guru, not Ferozeshah Mehta.

Statement 2: Gopal Krishna Gokhale - Servants of India Society

This statement associates Gopal Krishna Gokhale with the Servants of India Society. This is correct. Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society in 1905 in Pune, Maharashtra. The aim was to train Indians in social service and public life.

Statement 3: Dadabhai Naoroji - Drain Theory

This statement links Dadabhai Naoroji with the Drain Theory. This is correct. Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the 'Grand Old Man of India', was the foremost proponent of the Drain Theory, which explained how Britain was extracting wealth from India, leading to its impoverishment. He detailed this in his book, "Poverty and Un-British Rule in India".

Statement 4: S.N. Banerjee - Safety Valve Theory

This statement connects S.N. Banerjee (Surendranath Banerjee) with the Safety Valve Theory. This is incorrect. While Surendranath Banerjee was a key leader and one of the founders of the Indian National Congress (INC), the Safety Valve Theory is primarily associated with Lala Lajpat Rai. Rai argued that the INC was founded by A.O. Hume as a 'safety valve' to prevent a popular uprising against British rule, a view supposedly based on information from William Wedderburn.

Summary of Statements

Based on the analysis, statements (2) and (3) are correct.

Correct Option Identification

We found that statement (2) (Gopal Krishna Gokhale - Servants of India Society) and statement (3) (Dadabhai Naoroji - Drain Theory) are the correct matches.

Looking at the provided options:

• Option 1: (2) and (3) are correct
• Option 2: (1) and (2) are correct
• Option 3: (2) and (4) are correct
• Option 4: (3) and (4) are correct

Option 1 correctly identifies statements (2) and (3) as correct.

Revision Table: Key Indian Personalities & Contributions

Additional Information: Important Concepts

Servants of India Society

Founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1905, the Servants of India Society was dedicated to national service. Members were required to take a vow of poverty and serve the country selflessly for a lifetime. The society trained workers to work among the poor and tribal people, promote education, and oppose social evils like caste discrimination.

Drain Theory

Propounded by Dadabhai Naoroji, Romesh Chunder Dutt, and others, the Drain Theory argued that the British were extracting wealth from India through various means, including salaries and pensions of British officials, military expenditure, and profits from trade, without a corresponding return. This continuous drain of resources, they argued, was the primary cause of India's poverty under British rule.

Safety Valve Theory

This theory suggests that the Indian National Congress was founded by A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, with the implicit consent of the Viceroy, Lord Dufferin, to serve as a 'safety valve'. The idea was to provide a platform for educated Indians to express their grievances peacefully, thus preventing a violent rebellion against British rule. This theory was popularised by Lala Lajpat Rai in his book "Unhappy India".