SSC
After independence, the first Governor of West Bengal was:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — C. Rajagopalachari
Detailed Solution
Rajagopalachari. Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, popularly called Rajaji, was the first Governor of West Bengal after independence, from 15 August 1947 to 21 June 1948.
His role in West Bengal:
- He took office at a very difficult time, just after partition, when Bengal had been divided and there were communal tensions and a refugee crisis.
- He worked to maintain peace and order in the newly formed state.
Later positions:
- In June 1948, he became the last Governor-General of India, succeeding Lord Mountbatten.
- He was the only Indian to hold the office of Governor-General.
- He served as Union Home Minister after the death of Sardar Patel.
- He was Chief Minister of Madras from 1952 to 1954.
Earlier career:
- He was a lawyer from Salem and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi.
- He led the Vedaranyam Salt Satyagraha in 1930, parallel to Gandhi's Dandi March.
- He was Premier (Chief Minister) of the Madras Presidency from 1937 to 1939.
He proposed the "C.R. Formula" in 1944 to resolve the deadlock between the Congress and the Muslim League.
Swatantra Party:
In 1959, he founded the Swatantra Party, which opposed the Congress's socialist policies and supported free enterprise.
Honours:
He was among the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna in 1954.
Writings:
He wrote popular retellings of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata in English and Tamil.
His relationship with Gandhi:
His daughter Lakshmi married Gandhi's son Devdas Gandhi.
Nickname:
He was called the "Conscience Keeper" of Gandhi.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Sarojini Naidu was the first Governor of the United Provinces (Uttar Pradesh) and the first woman Governor in independent India.
- ✗Kailash Nath Katju succeeded Rajaji as Governor of West Bengal.
H.C. Mookerjee was Governor of West Bengal later.
Quick tip
Remember: First Governor of West Bengal = C. Rajagopalachari (1947 to 1948); later the last Governor-General of India.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Indian States & Union Territories Questions
View all ›More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Indian States & Union Territories — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Indian States & Union Territories, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers state-wise GK for India: capitals, formation dates, high courts, state animals, birds and flowers, famous places, and the culture, dances and festivals that identify each state and union territory. Questions commonly ask about the newest state or union territory, the state formed on a particular date, the capitals of states, and which high court serves more than one state. Keep a single table per state with its capital, formation year and key facts. Reorganisations such as that of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 change the answers, so make sure your notes are up to date. Practise the Indian states and union territories questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.