Understanding the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha

The question asks about the founders of the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha, also known as the Religious Reform Association. This was a significant socio-religious reform movement started in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1851 by a group of educated Parsis. The primary aim of the association was to reform the Parsi community in India, bringing back the original purity of Zoroastrianism and removing various social evils that had crept in. They advocated for reforms in social customs, education, and the position of women within the community.

Key Founders of the Religious Reform Association

The Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha was founded by several prominent Parsi intellectuals and social reformers. Key figures involved in its establishment included:

• Dadabhai Naoroji
• S.S. Bengalee
• Naoroji Furdonji
• K.R. Cama

These individuals worked together to publish journals like 'Rast Goftar' (Truth Teller) to spread their reformist ideas among the Parsi population.

Analyzing the Given Options

Let's examine the provided options to identify who among them was a founder of the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha:

1. Muhammad Iqbal: Muhammad Iqbal was a philosopher, poet, and politician from British India who is widely regarded as having inspired the Pakistan Movement. He was not associated with the Parsi reform movement Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha.
2. Aatmarang Pandurang: Atmaram Pandurang was an Indian physician and social reformer. He is best known as one of the founders of the Prarthana Samaj in 1867, a different reform society focused on Hindu community issues, primarily in Maharashtra. He was not a founder of the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha.
3. Kesub Chandra Sen: Keshub Chandra Sen was a Hindu philosopher and social reformer who was a prominent leader of the Brahmo Samaj, another reformist movement in Hinduism, primarily active in Bengal. He was not involved with the Parsi Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha.
4. Dadabhai Naoroji: Dadabhai Naoroji was a towering figure in Indian history, known as the "Grand Old Man of India". He was an intellectual, educator, cotton trader, and politician who served as a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom House of Commons. He was indeed one of the key founders of the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha.

Based on the historical information about the founders of the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha, Dadabhai Naoroji is clearly one of the individuals who established this association.

Conclusion: Identifying the Founder

The question asks to identify one of the founders of the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha from the given options. Our analysis confirms that Dadabhai Naoroji was a prominent founder of this important Parsi reform society.

Revision Table: Key Reform Societies and Founders

Additional Information: Dadabhai Naoroji and Parsi Reforms

Dadabhai Naoroji's involvement in the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha highlights his multifaceted commitment to social progress alongside his political and economic activities. The Sabha aimed to modernize the Parsi community by promoting education, especially for girls, and eradicating practices like child marriage. Naoroji and his colleagues believed that reforming their own community was a necessary step towards achieving broader social and political advancement in India.

His work with the Rahnumai Mazdayasnan Sabha demonstrates the vibrant reform movements that were taking place across different communities in 19th-century India, seeking to address social issues and promote modern values while also engaging with their religious heritage.