A.O. Hume not only founded the Congress but also served as its first General Secretary from 1885 to 1906.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale presided over the 1905 Benaras session, which formalized the Congress's opposition to the Partition of Bengal and supported the Swadeshi movement.

The Swaraj Party was formed within the Congress by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru after the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement, advocating for entry into legislative councils.

Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal were the assertive nationalist leaders known as the Extremists.

Aurobindo Ghosh criticized the Early Nationalists (Moderates) and their method of petitions and prayers, referring to the Congress as a 'begging institute'.

Rabindranath Tagore's 'Jana Gana Mana' was first sung at the Calcutta session of the INC on December 27, 1911.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's 'Vande Mataram' was first sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Calcutta session of the INC.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the President from 1940 to 1946 (Ramgarh Session). No sessions were held during these years due to World War II and the Quit India Movement, making his tenure the longest continuous one.

Lala Lajpat Rai used the 'Safety Valve Theory' in his paper 'Young India' in 1916, suggesting that Hume formed the Congress to provide a safe outlet for growing Indian discontent to protect the British Empire.

The Faizpur session of 1937, presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first session of the Congress to be held in a rural area (village).