Which Indian social theorist argued that the idea of a homogenised nation state reflects the cultural arrogance of post Enlightenment Europe?

Introduction / Context:
Modern Indian social theory includes critical reflections on colonialism, modernity and the nation state. Some theorists have argued that the notion of a single homogenised nation is not universal but rooted in a specific European historical experience, especially after the Enlightenment. This question asks which Indian social theorist described the idea of a homogenised nation state as an expression of the cultural arrogance of post Enlightenment Europe.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The options list Ashis Nandy, Partha Chatterjee, T. K. Oommen and Rajni Kothari.
• The key phrase in the question is cultural arrogance of post Enlightenment Europe.
• We assume some familiarity with the themes and writings of these thinkers.

Concept / Approach:
Ashis Nandy is known for his critique of modernity, colonialism and the importation of Western categories into Indian social and political life. He often questions the universality of Western models, including the modern nation state. Partha Chatterjee writes on nationalism and postcolonial theory but uses somewhat different language. T. K. Oommen and Rajni Kothari contribute to sociology and political science in other ways. The phrase about cultural arrogance closely matches the style and argument of Ashis Nandy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider Ashis Nandy. His work often challenges the assumption that Western modernity provides the only legitimate standards for politics and culture. He criticises attempts to impose a uniform model of the nation state on diverse societies. Step 2: The expression cultural arrogance of post Enlightenment Europe reflects a critique of how European powers and intellectual traditions universalised their own experiences and treated them as norms for the rest of the world. This fits Ashis Nandy critical stance. Step 3: Partha Chatterjee has written influentially on nationalism and the postcolonial nation, but his arguments usually focus on concepts like inner and outer domains and the difference between national and civil society, rather than using this exact phrase. Step 4: T. K. Oommen has contributed to the sociology of nation and citizenship, but he is not generally associated with this specific formulation about cultural arrogance of Europe. Step 5: Rajni Kothari focused on Indian democracy, state and political parties, and while he was critical of centralised power, this particular phrase does not typically describe his core ideas. Step 6: Given this, the social theorist most closely linked to the phrase in the question is Ashis Nandy.

Verification / Alternative check:
Examination guides on Indian social thought and previous year question explanations attribute this specific idea to Ashis Nandy. His writings, such as those on the culture of politics and the critique of secularism, repeatedly challenge Western universalist assumptions and highlight the ways in which European models are presented as superior. This context supports the association of the phrase with his work and not with the other theorists listed.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Partha Chatterjee is an important theorist of nationalism but uses a different conceptual vocabulary, so attributing this exact phrase to him would be inaccurate.
• T. K. Oommen does not usually frame his critique in this way and is not commonly linked with this statement.
• Rajni Kothari focuses more on democratic politics and state society relations rather than on the specific cultural critique of post Enlightenment Europe described in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is to guess based on general familiarity with names rather than on the specific content of their theories. All four are respected scholars, so candidates may be tempted to choose randomly. Another mistake is to associate any postcolonial criticism with Partha Chatterjee without checking whether the question refers to his distinctive ideas or to those of Ashis Nandy. Reading short summaries of each thinker main contributions can help avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
Ashis Nandy