While delivering the presidential address, the Congress President who advocated the introduction of Roman script for Hindi language was

1. Milestones of the Indian National Congress (INC) Sessions (basic)

The annual sessions of the Indian National Congress (INC) were not merely political gatherings; they served as the deliberative parliament of the Indian freedom struggle. Each session was a milestone that reflected the evolving aspirations of the nation—moving from humble petitions for administrative reform to the bold demand for absolute sovereignty. Understanding these sessions allows us to see how the leadership adapted to changing geopolitical realities and internal pressures.

One of the most critical turning points was the Lucknow Session of 1916, presided over by A.C. Majumdar. After a decade of internal division following the 1907 Surat Split, the "Moderates" and "Extremists" finally reunited. Majumdar famously noted that the wings of the nationalist party had realized that "united they stand, but divided they fall" Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. | First World War and Nationalist Response | p.301. This unity was essential for the subsequent mass movements led by Mahatma Gandhi.

As the movement matured, the objective shifted from "Dominion Status" (autonomy within the British Empire) to Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence). This historic declaration was made at the 1929 Lahore Session under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru. It was here that the Congress decided to observe January 26th as Independence Day every year and authorized Gandhi to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) | Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation | p.51. This session effectively burned the bridges of compromise with British colonial rule Modern India, Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.) [Old NCERT] | Struggle for Swaraj | p.286.

By the late 1930s, the Congress began planning for a future independent India. At the 1938 Haripura Session, Subhas Chandra Bose was elected President Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. | After Nehru... | p.822. Bose brought a modern, internationalist outlook, advocating for a National Planning Committee. Interestingly, he also proposed a radical linguistic reform: the adoption of the Roman script for Hindustani. Inspired by the modernization efforts in Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Bose argued that a common script would not only foster communal harmony but also make it easier for Indians to learn European languages and engage with the world.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., First World War and Nationalist Response, p.301; History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation, p.51; Modern India, Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.) [Old NCERT], Struggle for Swaraj, p.286; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., After Nehru..., p.822

2. The Ideological Shift: Rise of Left-Wing within INC (intermediate)

During the 1920s and 30s, the Indian National Congress (INC) underwent a profound ideological transformation. This wasn't just about demanding freedom from the British; it was about defining what kind of nation India would become. A younger, more radical generation—led by Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose—began to feel that the older leadership was too cautious. While the 'Old Guard' was comfortable with the idea of Dominion Status (self-rule under the British Crown), these young leaders were inspired by global socialist movements and the Russian Revolution. They demanded nothing less than Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) and a radical restructuring of Indian society to help the poor and the working class Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Simon Commission and the Nehru Report, p.365.

This internal pressure led to the formation of the Independence for India League in 1928 by Nehru and Bose to lobby for the goal of full independence. Their influence was so significant that by 1929, at the Lahore Session, the Congress officially adopted Purna Swaraj as its goal Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II, p.417. However, the shift wasn't just political; it was socio-economic. Leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan believed that political freedom would be hollow without economic equality. This led to the creation of the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) in 1934—a group that functioned within the Congress to push it toward more radical, egalitarian policies NCERT Class XII, Politics in India since Independence, Era of One-party Dominance, p.34.

By the late 1930s, this Left-Wing influence reached its peak when Subhas Chandra Bose became Congress President at the Haripura Session (1938). Bose represented the modernizing, radical face of the movement. He wasn't just interested in traditional reforms; he looked at international models—like Turkey’s modernization under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk—to find ways to unify and modernize India. He even suggested radical ideas like adopting the Roman script for Hindustani to make the language easier to learn and to bridge communal and international gaps. Though some of his ideas were controversial, they demonstrated the Left's commitment to building a scientific, modern, and united India that was ready to take its place on the global stage.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), Simon Commission and the Nehru Report, p.365; A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II, p.417; Politics in India since Independence (NCERT), Era of One-party Dominance, p.34

3. Language Debate in Pre-Independence India (intermediate)

The language debate in pre-independence India was not merely a linguistic choice; it was a profound search for a national identity that could unify a diverse subcontinent. Historically, during the Mughal era, Persian served as the official court language, but as the British consolidated power, the push for an indigenous administrative language grew. By the late 19th century, this transition sparked friction; for instance, the 1870 Bengal government order replacing Urdu with Hindi and the Perso-Arabic script in courts created significant apprehension among Muslim professionals History TN State Board 2024, Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.81. This set the stage for language to become a tool for both communal mobilization and national integration. At the heart of the Congress's strategy was Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Hindustani. He believed a national language should be a "happy combination" of both Sanskritised Hindi and Persianised Urdu, capable of assimilating words from regional and foreign languages Themes in Indian History Part III, Framing the Constitution, p.336. While leaders like Nehru supported this inclusive approach to bridge the North-South and Hindu-Muslim divides, the proposal faced resistance from non-Hindi speaking regions in the South and East, who feared the erosion of their own linguistic heritage Spectrum, Developments under Nehru’s Leadership, p.636. A fascinating and often overlooked chapter in this debate occurred during the Haripura Session of 1938. The Congress President, Subhas Chandra Bose, proposed a radical technical solution: adopting the Roman script for Hindustani. Drawing inspiration from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s modernization of Turkey, Bose argued that a common script would not only facilitate the learning of European languages but also neutralize the communal conflict between the Devanagari and Perso-Arabic scripts. Though he acknowledged it might be unpopular in the short term, he viewed it as a necessary step for modernization and national unification.

Perspective	Advocate	Key Vision
Hindustani	Mahatma Gandhi	A blend of Hindi/Urdu; inclusive and "composite" in character.
Romanized Hindustani	Subhas Chandra Bose	Using Roman script to modernize and reduce script-based communal friction.
Linguistic Regionalism	Southern/Eastern Leaders	Anxiety over Hindi hegemony; preference for retaining English or regional autonomy.

Sources: Themes in Indian History Part III, Framing the Constitution, p.336; History TN State Board 2024, Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.81; Spectrum, Developments under Nehru’s Leadership, p.636

4. Global Influences: The Turkish Model of Modernization (intermediate)

Concept: Global Influences: The Turkish Model of Modernization

5. Haripura Session (1938) and Bose’s Vision (exam-level)

The Haripura Session of 1938 marked a pivotal moment in the Indian National Congress, as it saw the rise of Subhas Chandra Bose to the presidency. Having resigned from the Indian Civil Service in 1921 to join the freedom struggle, Bose brought a militant, modernist, and highly organized approach to the national movement Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, p.456. While he shared the goal of Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) with leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, his vision for achieving it—and for building a post-independent India—often diverged from the Gandhian path.

At Haripura, Bose articulated a forward-looking vision that emphasized state-led industrialization and scientific modernization. He was instrumental in setting up the National Planning Committee (NPC) in 1938, with Nehru as its chairman. This committee was the ideological ancestor of the post-independence Planning Commission, reflecting Bose’s belief that the state must intervene in the economy to promote welfare and rapid growth, a concept inspired by the Soviet Union's planning success Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, p.645.

A particularly unique aspect of Bose’s Haripura address was his proposal for a national language. He advocated for Hindustani (a blend of Hindi and Urdu) but suggested it be written in the Roman script. Inspired by the modernization reforms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey, Bose believed this would bridge the communal divide between the Devanagari and Persian-Arabic scripts and make Indian languages more accessible to the international community. Though he knew this would be unpopular in the short term, he viewed it as a necessary step for national unification and modernization.

Feature	Bose's Vision (Haripura 1938)	Gandhian Vision
Economy	Large-scale industrialization and state planning.	Village-based industries and self-sufficiency (Charkha).
Strategy	Militant opposition; take advantage of Britain's crises.	Non-violent struggle; focus on moral persuasion.
Script	Proposed Roman script for Hindustani for unity.	Favored Indian scripts (Devanagari/Urdu).

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Quit India Movement, Demand for Pakistan, and the INA, p.456; A Brief History of Modern India, Developments under Nehru’s Leadership (1947-64), p.645

6. The Proposal for Roman Script for Hindustani (exam-level)

In the late 1930s, as the Indian National Congress moved closer to the vision of a free India, the debate over a national language became increasingly central. While the general consensus favored Hindustani—a blend of Hindi and Urdu that served as a lingua franca across North India—the choice of script remained a point of friction. It was in this context that Subhas Chandra Bose, during his presidential address at the Haripura Session in 1938, made a bold and unconventional proposal: the adoption of the Roman script for Hindustani.

Bose was a leader who often diverged from the mainstream Gandhian path, seeking modern, efficient solutions for national unity (A Brief History of Modern India, Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II, p.417). His advocacy for the Roman script was rooted in two primary objectives:

• Communal Harmony: By bypassing the rivalry between the Devanagari script (associated with Hindi) and the Perso-Arabic script (associated with Urdu), Bose believed the Roman script could provide a "neutral" ground, easing the communal tensions tied to linguistic identity.
• Modernization and Global Connectivity: Bose was deeply impressed by the reforms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey, who had successfully replaced the Arabic script with the Roman alphabet to modernize the Turkish language and increase literacy. Bose argued that this move would make it easier for Indians to learn European languages and for the world to engage with Indian culture.

While most modern Indian scripts, including Devanagari and Bengali, share a common ancestry in the ancient Brahmi script (Themes in Indian History Part I, Kings, Farmers and Towns, p.46), the logistical challenges of transcribing diverse sounds into a foreign script were significant. As noted in contemporary linguistic studies, transcribing Persian-derived terms into Roman characters often led to multiple spellings, such as "Khalji" vs "Khilji" (Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.23). Despite Bose's insistence that this was the "wisest long-term solution," the proposal remained unpopular and was eventually sidelined. By the time of the Constituent Assembly, the focus shifted toward a compromise where Hindi in the Devanagari script was designated as the official language (A Brief History of Modern India, Developments under Nehru’s Leadership (1947-64), p.636).

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II, p.417; Themes in Indian History Part I, Kings, Farmers and Towns, p.46; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.23; A Brief History of Modern India, Developments under Nehru’s Leadership (1947-64), p.636

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

You have recently explored the rising ideological shifts within the Indian National Congress during the late 1930s, particularly the clash between traditionalist visions and the modernizing, radical outlook of the younger leadership. This question bridges your knowledge of the Haripura Session (1938) and the specific cultural policies proposed to achieve national integration. By understanding that Subhas Chandra Bose represented a pragmatic and internationally-inspired perspective, you can see why he advocated for the Roman script—a move intended to simplify the linguistic divide and align India with modernization efforts, famously inspired by the script reforms in Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

To arrive at the correct answer, (D) Subhas Chandra Bose, you must differentiate between the various leaders' approaches to the "language question." Reasoning through the options reveals that while Mahatma Gandhi (A) was a fierce proponent of Hindustani, he insisted on using both Devanagari and Persian scripts to bridge the Hindu-Muslim gap, rather than adopting a European one. Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru (B) and Abul Kalam Azad (C) focused on the synthesis of existing Indian linguistic traditions. UPSC often uses these figures as "traps" because of their heavy involvement in the Hindustani movement; however, only Bose’s presidential address specifically proposed the Roman script as a scientific, long-term solution for national unity and global connectivity, despite knowing it would be initially unpopular.

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