Question

The Prarthana samaj has been established by__________ .
A.Raja Ram Mohan Roy
B.Atmaram Pandurang
C.Swami Vivekanand
D.MN Roy

Answer 1

Hint: Prarthana Samaj was established in 1867 to remove caste restrictions, abolish child marriage and encourage the education of women. One of the famous reformer who worked on social and religious reforms founded this organisation.

Complete Step by Step answer: Prarthana Samaj was a movement for religious and social reforms in Bombay, India. It was founded by Dadoba Pandurang and his brother Atmaram Pandurang in 1867 to make people believe in one God. After some time, Mahadev Govind Ranade also joined it and from then it became popular.
Prarthana Samaj gave priority to social reform after examining the relationship between the contemporary social and cultural system and religious beliefs. In religious meetings, they took Hindu, Buddhism and Christian texts to make reforms. They stood for abolishing child marriage and infanticide, education opportunities of women, remarriage of widows and even tried to end the caste system.
Looking at the options given:

Option A. Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Brahmo Samaj which was also an organisation for social reform. It is an incorrect option.

Option B. Atmaram Pandurang was the brother of Dadoba Pandurang. They both founded Prarthana Samaj to help women in the society. This is the correct answer.

Option C. Swami Vivekananda stressed the ideal of salvation through social service and selfless action. He started Ramakrishna Mission which was named after his Guru. It is an incorrect option.

Option D. M.N. Roy was an Indian Revolutionary, Social activist & Practical theorist who founded Radical democratic party.

Note: Prarthana samaj is also known as a ‘prayer society’ in Sanskrit. It was based on earlier reform movements and spread to Southern India by Telugu reformer Kundukuri Veersalingam.