The famous monument Gateway of India on the Mumbai waterfront was constructed under the authority of which ruling power to commemorate a British royal visit?

Introduction / Context:
The Gateway of India is one of the most iconic monuments in Mumbai and a well known landmark of modern Indian history. It was built on the Apollo Bunder waterfront and has strong symbolic connections with British imperial rule as well as the later departure of British troops. This question asks which authority built this monument, linking architectural history with colonial political power.

Given Data / Assumptions:
We know that the Gateway of India commemorates the visit of King George the Fifth and Queen Mary to India in the early twentieth century. The options include Indian figures like Guru Ramdas, Maharaja Pratap Singh, and Rabindranath Tagore, along with British Government and Bombay Presidency Council. We assume that the learner recognises that the structure was planned and executed during the period of British rule, under the administration of the colonial government in India.

Concept / Approach:
The Gateway of India was designed by the British architect George Wittet and its construction was sanctioned by the Government of India and the Bombay government to commemorate the royal visit of 1911. Although local councils and princely states sometimes funded public works, the Gateway was clearly a project of the British administration. Indian leaders and thinkers like Guru Ramdas, Maharaja Pratap Singh, and Rabindranath Tagore had no role in commissioning this monument, which served as a ceremonial entrance for British dignitaries arriving by sea.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Gateway of India is a colonial era monument built during British rule in Bombay. Step 2: Remember that it commemorates the visit of British monarchs George the Fifth and Queen Mary in 1911. Step 3: Recognise that such an imperial commemorative structure would naturally be commissioned by the British Government. Step 4: Check the options and note that Indian personalities listed were not responsible for planning or funding the monument. Step 5: Select British Government as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Tourist guides, official heritage documents, and history textbooks all describe the Gateway of India as a structure built by the British authorities in Bombay. They clearly state that the monument was designed by George Wittet and commissioned by the Government of India and the Bombay government. Photographs from the period also show British officials at the ceremonial opening. There is no source that attributes the construction to Indian rulers or reformers, which confirms that the British Government was responsible.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Guru Ramdas is wrong because he was a Sikh religious leader from an earlier period and has no connection with colonial Mumbai. Maharaja Pratap Singh could be associated with princely states in India but did not commission this monument. Rabindranath Tagore was a poet and philosopher, not a government authority building imperial gateways. The Bombay Presidency Council would have been an administrative unit under the larger British Government, but the project is conventionally attributed to the British Government as a whole. Therefore, British Government is the best and most accurate choice.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates might be tempted to choose a princely ruler or a local body because they think local funds were involved. Others may simply guess a familiar Indian name like Rabindranath Tagore. To avoid these mistakes, remember the visual symbolism of the Gateway of India as a colonial arch through which British dignitaries passed. Its style and purpose clearly indicate that it is a product of British imperial planning, not indigenous initiative.

Final Answer:
The Gateway of India in Mumbai was built by the British Government to commemorate a British royal visit.