Context:
Prime Minister remembered Chettur Sankaran Nair who was sued by Lieutenant Governor of Punjab Michael O’Dwyer for accusing him of 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Chettur Sankaran Nair:
- Born in 1857 in Malabar (now Kerala).
- Youngest President of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1897; the only Malayali to hold this post.
- Appointed to Raleigh University Commission by Lord Curzon (1902).
- Knighted in 1912 and honored as Companion of the Indian Empire in 1904.
- Permanent judge at Madras High Court (1908) known for reform-oriented judgments.
- Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council overseeing education (1915).
- Passed away in 1934
Role in the Freedom Movement:
- Advocated for India’s self-rule and contributed to the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms (1919), which increased Indian administrative participation.
- Resigned from the Viceroy’s Council after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919
- Accused O’Dwyer of responsibility for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in his book.
- Lost the defamation trial in England (1922), exposing bias in the British legal system.
- Refused to apologize despite the penalty waiver offer, strengthening nationalist sentiments.
Source: IE
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
1. The first woman President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu.
2. The first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress was Badruddin Tyabji.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is not correct. Annie Besant was the first woman President of Indian National Congress (INC).