Who of the following founded the ‘East India Association’ ?

The East India Association was founded by Dadabhai Naoroji in London on December 1, 1866 [c1, t1, t8]. Known as the 'Grand Old Man of India', Naoroji established this organization to provide a platform for discussing Indian grievances and to present correct information about India to the British public [c1, t6]. The association's membership included both Indians and retired British officials, and it is considered a significant precursor to the Indian National Congress [t2, t3]. While other leaders like Devendra Nath Tagore were associated with the British Indian Association in Calcutta (1851), and C.R. Das and V.D. Savarkar were active in later phases of the national movement, Naoroji was the primary architect of the East India Association in London [t4, t5]. The organization eventually opened branches in major Indian cities like Bombay, Kolkata, and Madras by 1869 [t6].

Sources

1. [1] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 1: Rise of Nationalism in India > 1.6 Naoroji and his Drain Theory > p. 11
2. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Association