Page 299 - New Medley 5 Semester 2

The British rulers introduced a

modern system of education in India.
Some educated Indians, such as Raja

Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra
Vidyasagar, Debendranath Tagore,

Swami Dayananda and many others
worked against the evils in the society.

They encouraged education of women
and remarriage of widows. Swami Dayananda Debendranath Tagore

• Critical thinking

Tick () the right options.
1. Traders from America/Portugal started visiting India.
2. The British exploited farmers/doctors.
3. The last Mughal emperor was Aurangzeb/Bahadur Shah Zafar II.

Rise of Nationalism

Now the Indians realised that they were treated as slaves in their own
country by the British. This feeling led to the formation of associations
and institutions. The leaders talked to the people against British rule in

India. The British wanted to make India poor and backward. This feeling

united the Indians.

Now the people wanted to put an end to British rule. Indians from all
walks of life supported the cause for freedom and joined the struggle

to achieve it. Indians felt the need for a united group which could fight
for the rights of people. This resulted in the formation of the Indian

National Congress in 1885.

A retired British officer, A.O. Hume, helped found the Indian National

Congress. He wanted to develop a meaningful relationship between the
Indian people and the British government through this organisation. The

first meeting of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay (now
Mumbai), under the Presidentship of W.C. Bonnerjee.

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