Explanation
Lord Ripon is known as the 'Father of Local Government in India'. He was the Viceroy of India from 1880 to 1884. During his tenure, he introduced a number of reforms aimed at decentralizing power and giving greater autonomy to local bodies. He believed that the people of India should have a greater say in the governance of their own affairs and that local bodies could play an important role in this regard. Lord Ripon's efforts led to the passing of the Local Self-Government Act in 1882, which laid the foundation for the establishment of local bodies in India. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.
