Correct Answer: Dadabhai Naroji

Solution : The correct answer is (a) Dadabhai Naroji.

Dadabhai Naroji, an Indian political and social leader, economist, and early nationalist, was one of the pioneers in addressing poverty in India. In his book "Poverty and Un-British Rule in India," published in 1901, Naroji analyzed the economic exploitation of India by British colonial rule and highlighted the impoverishment of the Indian population. He proposed the concept of the "drain theory" to explain the outflow of wealth from India to Britain, contributing to poverty in the country.

While Naroji discussed poverty and its impact on India, it is important to note that the formal measurement and determination of the poverty line in India were developed and refined by subsequent committees and experts, such as V.K.R.V Rao, Amartya Sen, and P.C. Mahalanobis.

Therefore, while Naroji made significant contributions to the discussion of poverty in India, the specific concept of the poverty line was further developed by later economists and committees.