Who among the following is credited with founding the Indian National Congress in 1885?
Allan Octavian Hume
The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded in 1885, and the person credited with its creation is Allan Octavian Hume, a retired officer of the British Indian Civil Service.
Background: A.O. Hume envisioned the Congress as a platform where educated Indians could voice grievances and hold constructive dialogue with the colonial government. He is often described as the "Father of the Indian National Congress." Its very first session met in Bombay in December 1885 with 72 delegates, and was presided over by Womesh Chandra (W.C.) Bonnerjee, the first President of the INC.
Why the other names are incorrect:
- Lord Ripon was the Viceroy (1880–1884) known for the Ripon Resolution on local self-government and the Ilbert Bill, but he did not found the Congress.
- Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy in office when the Congress was first convened in 1885; some accounts say he was aware of Hume's plan, but he was not its founder.
- Lord Curzon served much later (1899–1905) and is remembered for the Partition of Bengal (1905), which he championed — the opposite of nationalist mobilisation.
Hence the correct answer is Allan Octavian Hume.
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Important Questions from Foundation of the Indian National Congress
Who among the following was not present in the founding session of the Indian National Congress?
Who along with Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party within the Congress to argue for a return to council politics?
The number of delegates who attended the first session of the Indian National Congress was
Which factors contributed towards the establishment of the Indian National Congress?
(a) The impact of the uprising of 1857.
(b) Revolution in the means of transport.
(c) The contribution of the Indian newspapers.
(d) Pressure from the International community.
- Who is most commonly associated with the 'safety valve' theory regarding the formation of the Indian National Congress?
