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Question 42 of 42 · Miscellaneous GK
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The Banaras Hindu University (BHU), established in 1916, was founded by:

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Answer: Option D — Madan Mohan Malaviya

Detailed Solution

The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916, with the support of Annie Besant and others.

About the founding of BHU:

  • Malaviya had long dreamed of a great university that would combine ancient Indian learning with modern science and technology.
  • He travelled across India to collect funds, receiving donations from princes, businessmen and ordinary people.
  • The Banaras Hindu University Act was passed in 1915.
  • The foundation stone was laid on 4 February 1916 (Vasant Panchami) by the Viceroy, Lord Hardinge.
  • Gandhi attended the foundation ceremony and gave a famous speech, in which he criticised the wealthy princes for their jewels and the use of English in Indian education.
  • Annie Besant's Central Hindu College (founded 1898) at Banaras became the nucleus of the new university.
  • Maharaja Prabhu Narayan Singh of Banaras donated land for the campus.

About BHU:

  • It is one of the largest residential universities in Asia.
  • Its campus has the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple (New Vishwanath Temple), built by the Birla family.
  • It is a central university, and includes an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-BHU).

About Madan Mohan Malaviya:

  • He was born on 25 December 1861 at Allahabad.
  • He was President of the Indian National Congress four times (1909, 1918, 1932 and 1933).
  • He was a founder of the Hindu Mahasabha (1915) and worked for social reform and education.
  • He started the newspaper "The Leader" (Allahabad) and was associated with the "Hindustan Times".
  • He popularised the slogan "Satyameva Jayate".
  • He was called "Mahamana" (great-hearted).
  • He was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2015.

Other universities founded by Indians:

  • Aligarh Muslim University (from the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College founded by Syed Ahmad Khan).
  • Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan (Rabindranath Tagore).

SNDT Women's University (D. K. Karve).

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj.
  • ✗Tilak and Lajpat Rai were nationalist leaders.

Quick tip

Remember: BHU (1916) = Madan Mohan Malaviya ("Mahamana"; four-time Congress President; "Satyameva Jayate"); Central Hindu College of Annie Besant was its nucleus.

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Miscellaneous GK — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Miscellaneous GK, 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 collects general knowledge questions that do not fit neatly into a single category, such as national symbols, famous nicknames of places, important events, entertainment, and facts that cut across history, geography and culture. Because these questions come from many areas, the best preparation is broad revision and regular practice. Read each explanation carefully, since it often includes a related fact that is tested in a different form. Keep a notebook of facts you get wrong and revise it before the exam. Practise the miscellaneous GK 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.

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