Who was serving as the President of the Indian National Congress at the time of Indian independence in August 1947?

Introduction / Context:
The Indian National Congress played a central role in the freedom struggle and had a tradition of electing Presidents for various sessions. At key historical moments, the identity of the Congress President can be an important fact for examinations. This question asks who was the President of the Indian National Congress at the time of Indian independence in August 1947, just as British rule ended and India became independent.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The options include Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, J. B. Kripalani, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajendra Prasad.
- The specific time point is around August 1947, when India gained independence.
- The learner is expected to distinguish between Congress Presidents of different years and those who later held high offices in independent India.
- It is assumed that the Congress session and leadership immediately before independence is being referred to.

Concept / Approach:
J. B. Kripalani, also known as Acharya Kripalani, was the President of the Indian National Congress at the time of independence. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad had served as Congress President earlier during critical years of the freedom movement. Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajendra Prasad also held the Congress presidency at different times but not at the specific moment of independence. The approach is to recall that Kripalani presided over the Congress during the crucial transition to independence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that different leaders served as Congress Presidents at various annual sessions, with names rotating across years. Step 2: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was Congress President in the early 1940s, including periods around the Quit India Movement, but by 1947 a different leader had taken over. Step 3: Jawaharlal Nehru served as Congress President in several earlier years and later became the first Prime Minister of independent India, but he was not holding the presidency at the moment of independence. Step 4: Rajendra Prasad served as Congress President around the time of the Constituent Assembly and later became the first President of India, but again he was not the Congress President in August 1947. Step 5: J. B. Kripalani was elected President of the Indian National Congress during the period immediately preceding and coinciding with independence in 1947. Step 6: Therefore, the correct answer is J. B. Kripalani.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical records of Congress sessions and standard modern Indian history textbooks list J. B. Kripalani as the Congress President at the time of independence. They mention his interactions with other leaders during the transfer of power and his role in representing the Congress at that critical juncture. Maulana Azad, Nehru and Prasad are listed as Presidents for other years and contexts, which confirms that Kripalani held the office in 1947.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, is wrong because although he was an important Congress President and a towering leader, his term in that office ended before independence.

Option C, Jawaharlal Nehru, is wrong because he was not Congress President in August 1947, although he became the first Prime Minister of India at that time.

Option D, Rajendra Prasad, is wrong because he was not the Congress President at independence; he later became President of the Constituent Assembly and then the first President of the Republic of India.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to assume that major national leaders like Nehru or Azad must have been Congress President at every significant moment, including independence, without recalling the exact sequence of office holders. Another error is to confuse the roles of Congress President, Prime Minister and President of India, which are distinct offices. To avoid these mistakes, students should memorise a short list of Congress Presidents corresponding to key events like the Non Cooperation Movement, Quit India Movement and independence.

Final Answer:
At the time of Indian independence in August 1947, the President of the Indian National Congress was J. B. Kripalani.