Who among the following Indian leaders founded the Phoenix Settlement as a community experiment in South Africa?

Introduction / Context:
Before returning to India to lead the national movement, Mahatma Gandhi spent many years in South Africa, where he experimented with simple living, community organization, and the practice of satyagraha. One of his important initiatives there was the founding of the Phoenix Settlement, which became a model for communal living and self reliance. This question asks you to identify the Indian leader who established this settlement.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The institution mentioned is the Phoenix Settlement.
• The location is South Africa, not India.
• The options include Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar, Rabindranath Tagore, and Swami Vivekananda.
• You must choose which leader was responsible for founding this settlement.

Concept / Approach:
Mahatma Gandhi established the Phoenix Settlement in 1904 near Durban in South Africa. He created it as a self sufficient community for himself, his family, and co workers in his newspaper and political activities. The settlement emphasised simple living, manual labour, and the values of truth and non violence. The other leaders listed were important in different contexts: Ambedkar as a social reformer and architect of the Constitution, Tagore as a poet and founder of Santiniketan in India, and Vivekananda as a spiritual teacher. None of them founded Phoenix Settlement in South Africa.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Gandhi legal and political career in South Africa laid the foundation for his later leadership in India. Step 2: Remember that during this period he established two community settlements, Phoenix Settlement near Durban and later Tolstoy Farm near Johannesburg. Step 3: The Phoenix Settlement was founded in 1904 and was associated with his printing press and the newspaper Indian Opinion. Step 4: B R Ambedkar activities were concentrated in India and focused on social justice and rights of depressed classes, not on settlements in South Africa. Step 5: Rabindranath Tagore founded Visva Bharati at Santiniketan in India, while Swami Vivekananda promoted the Ramakrishna Mission, so neither of them is linked with Phoenix Settlement.

Verification / Alternative check:
Biographical accounts of Gandhi clearly describe the founding of Phoenix Settlement as a turning point in his experiments with communal life and simple living. They emphasise that this settlement and later Tolstoy Farm were practical training grounds for satyagraha and cooperative living. In contrast, standard biographies of Ambedkar, Tagore, and Vivekananda do not mention any such settlement in South Africa, confirming that Gandhi is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
B. R. Ambedkar: He worked mainly in India on social and political reforms and did not establish a community settlement in South Africa.

Rabindranath Tagore: He founded educational and cultural institutions in India, especially at Santiniketan, but there is no Phoenix Settlement in his life story.
Swami Vivekananda: Although he travelled widely and inspired many institutions, he did not create this particular settlement in South Africa.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up Phoenix Settlement with Tagore Santiniketan because both are associated with alternative community living and education. Others may vaguely remember South Africa in Gandhi life but forget the specific names of the settlements. A useful memory aid is to associate Phoenix with Gandhi printing press and Tolstoy Farm with his admiration for Leo Tolstoy ideas, both located in South Africa.

Final Answer:
The Phoenix Settlement in South Africa was founded by Mahatma Gandhi.