AGopala Krishna Gokhale
BBal Gangadhar Tilak
CSardar Vallabhai Patel
DV.D. Savarkar
Answer:
B. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Read Explanation:
Historical Context & Foundation
The Deccan Education Society (DES) was established in 1884 in Pune (then Poona) by a group of highly educated, nationalist young leaders. The primary vision was to revolutionize the Indian education system by making it independent of British government control, culturally relevant, and affordable to the masses. The founders firmly believed that national awakening could only be achieved through qualitative education that fostered free thought and national pride.
Why Bal Gangadhar Tilak is the Correct Option
Among the choices provided, Bal Gangadhar Tilak (alongside Gopal Ganesh Agarkar and Vishnushastri Chiplunkar) was one of the core foundational pillars of this movement.
In 1880, this group initially set up the New English School in Pune to provide low-cost English education.
Encouraged by its massive success, they formally expanded their efforts by creating the Deccan Education Society in 1884.
Just a year later, in 1885, under the banner of the DES, they established Fergusson College, which went on to become an iconic crucible for India's nationalist movement.
Analysis of the Other Options
Gopala Krishna Gokhale: While Gokhale was an invaluable asset to the Deccan Education Society, he was not a founding member. He joined the society a few years later, in 1886, as a young professor at Fergusson College. He eventually took a lifelong vow of poverty to serve the society before moving on to establish the Servants of India Society in 1905.
V.D. Savarkar: Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was a student of history and political science at Fergusson College (managed by the DES) between 1902 and 1905. While he began his political activism and formed the Mitra Mela (later Abhinav Bharat Society) during his college years here, he was not born when the society was founded in 1884.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: Patel operated primarily out of Gujarat and Bombay during his early legal and political career. He had no direct involvement with the establishment or operations of the Deccan Education Society in Pune