Question

Who among the following were the foreigners who served as the President of the Indian National Congress? i George Yule ii. William Wedderburn iii. Alfred Webb iv. Henry Cotton v. Annie Besant

• A. Only i, iii & v
• B. Only ii, iii & v
• C. Only i, ii , iv &v
• D. All the above

Answer 1

Answer:

D. All the above

Foreign Presidents of the Indian National Congress

• The Indian National Congress (INC), founded in 1885, had several non-Indian individuals who served as its President, reflecting its initial broad-based appeal and the participation of sympathetic British and European individuals in India's political awakening.

• These foreign presidents played a significant role in lending credibility and a wider perspective to the nascent nationalist movement.

Prominent Foreign Presidents:

• George Yule:

  • He was the first non-Indian to become the President of the Indian National Congress.

  • Presided over the Fourth Session of the INC in Allahabad in 1888.

  • A Scottish merchant based in Calcutta, he was a prominent businessman and a vocal advocate for Indian rights.

• William Wedderburn:

  • A retired British civil servant who served as the INC President twice.

  • His first tenure was at the Fifth Session in Bombay in 1889.

  • He again presided over the Allahabad Session in 1910.

  • He was a close associate and biographer of Allan Octavian Hume, the founder of the INC.

  • He was also a Member of Parliament in the UK and was actively involved in the Indian parliamentary committee.

• Alfred Webb:

  • An Irish Member of Parliament, he served as the President of the INC.

  • He presided over the Tenth Session of the INC in Madras in 1894.

  • His presidency highlighted the international support for India's cause, particularly from Irish nationalists who themselves were fighting for self-rule.

• Henry Cotton:

  • A British civil servant who had a distinguished career in India, he was sympathetic to Indian aspirations.

  • He presided over the Twentieth Session of the INC in Bombay in 1904.

  • He authored 'New India, or India in Transition' and was a strong advocate for administrative reforms in India.

• Annie Besant:

  • An Irish socialist, Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer, orator, and politician.

  • She was the first woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress.

  • She presided over the Calcutta Session in 1917.

  • She was a leading figure in the Indian Home Rule Movement, which she co-founded with Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1916.

  • Her election marked a significant moment for women's involvement in the freedom struggle.