Assertion: Indian Nationalist leaders in the twentieth century regarded Asoka as an inspiring figure.

Reason: Asoka was more powerful and industrious, as also more humble than later rulers who adopted grandiose titles.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The correct answer is Option 1 - Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The assertion is valid as nationalist leaders in the twentieth century did indeed regard Asoka as an inspiring figure. The reason provided captures important qualities of Asoka that contributed to his inspirational status, though the emphasis for nationalist leaders was likely on his moral and ethical governance rather than solely on his power and industriousness.

When historians began reconstructing early Indian history in the nineteenth century, the emergence of the Mauryan Empire was regarded as a major landmark. India was then under colonial rule, and was part of the British empire. Nineteenth and early twentieth century Indian historians found the possibility that there was an empire in early India both challenging and exciting. Also, some of the archaeological finds associated with the Mauryas, including stone sculpture, were considered to be examples of the spectacular art typical of empires. Many of these historians found the message on Asokan inscriptions very different from that of most other rulers, suggesting that Asoka was more powerful and industrious, as also more humble than later rulers who adopted grandiose titles. So it is not surprising that nationalist leaders in the twentieth century regarded him as an inspiring figure.