PREVIOUSLY ASKED IN:
WBPSC Miscellaneous Preliminary 2019
Answer
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Explanation
The 'Khudai Khidmatgar' (Servants of God) was a predominantly Pashtun non-violent resistance movement founded by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in 1929 in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of British India. The members of this movement were popularly known as the 'Red Shirts' (Lal Kurta) because of the red uniforms they wore. Due to his close adherence to Mahatma Gandhi's principles of non-violence (Ahimsa), Ghaffar Khan was affectionately called 'Frontier Gandhi'.
Key Points
- > Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was widely known by his titles 'Frontier Gandhi' and 'Bacha Khan'.
- > He effectively led the Civil Disobedience movement in Peshawar in 1930.
- > In 1987, he became the first non-Indian (foreigner) to be awarded the Bharat Ratna.
- > Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the Aligarh Movement and the Aligarh Muslim University.
- > Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the youngest President of the INC and India's first Education Minister.
Additional Information
Key Organizations in the Freedom Struggle
| Organization | Founder | Year | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khudai Khidmatgar | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan | 1929 | Also called 'Red Shirts', Non-violent |
| Ghadar Party | Lala Hardayal | 1913 | Founded in San Francisco, USA |
| Forward Bloc | Subhas Chandra Bose | 1939 | Formed after leaving INC presidency |
| Swaraj Party | C.R. Das, Motilal Nehru | 1923 | Advocated council entry |
Memory Tips
- Frontier Gandhi: Remember Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan by his popular nickname. His organization, 'Servants of God' (Khudai Khidmatgar), wore red shirts.