Indian Literature and Authors

Katherine Mayo, an American journalist, wrote 'Mother India' (1927), a highly critical book about Indian society that provoked widespread outrage among Indians. Sarojini Naidu and Nehru were Indian leaders, Rajiv Gandhi was a later Prime Minister.

Vikas Swarup, an Indian diplomat, wrote 'Q & A' (2005), the novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire. The book adapts the same premise of a slumdweller winning a quiz show through life experience. Aravind Adiga wrote White Tiger, Chetan Bhagat wrote Five Point Someone, and Vikram Seth wrote A Suitable Boy.

'Q & A' by Vikas Swarup (published as 'Slumdog Millionaire' in some markets) is the source novel. The White Tiger is by Aravind Adiga (also about Indian poverty but different story). A Suitable Boy is by Vikram Seth. One Night @ the Call Center is by Chetan Bhagat.

Osho (Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh), the influential spiritual guru, wrote extensively about Krishna's philosophy and stated that "the future belongs to Krishna" in his book titles and discourses. This reflects his interpretation of Krishna's teachings as being relevant for future humanity. Vanamali and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati are other Krishna devotees, but this specific quote is associated with Osho.

In the 1993 film Damini, the maid is raped by the protagonist's brother during Holi celebrations, which becomes the central incident driving the film's plot. This event triggers the courtroom drama where Damini fights for justice.

Maithili Sharan Gupt was a famous Hindi poet who wrote 'Saket', an epic poem based on the Ramayana. 'Shakuntala' was written by Kalidasa, and 'Satyartha Prakash' by Dayanand Saraswati.

Sarojini Naidu, known as the 'Nightingale of India', is the author of the poetry collection 'The Song of India'. She was a prominent poet and a leader in the Indian independence movement.

Ratnawali was a Sanskrit play written by Emperor Harsha (Harsha Vardhan), who ruled in the 7th century CE. Harsha was not only a capable ruler but also a patron of arts and literature, composing three plays: Ratnavali, Priyadarshika, and Nagananda. Tulsidas wrote Ramcharitmanas much later (16th century), Kalidasa was a classical Sanskrit poet from the Gupta period (4th-5th century), and Premchand was a modern Hindi-Urdu writer (20th century).

Vish Vriksha (The Poison Tree) is a novel by Bankimchandra Chatterjee, published in 1873. The novel explores the theme of forbidden love and its consequences in 19th-century Bengali society. Bankimchandra is also famous for writing 'Anandamath' which contains India's national song 'Vande Mataram'. Annie Besant was a theosophist and social reformer, Tulsidas was a medieval poet, and Kalidasa was a classical Sanskrit dramatist.

'We Indians' was written by Khushwant Singh (1915-2014), one of India's most famous journalists, novelists, and historians. The book is a collection of essays reflecting on Indian identity, culture, and society. Khushwant Singh was known for his lucid writing style and candid observations about Indian life. H.G. Wells was a British science fiction writer, James Jeans was a British physicist and astronomer, and Thomas Moore was an Irish poet.

Yashodhara is a poetic play by Maithili Sharan Gupt (1886-1964), one of the most important figures in modern Hindi literature. The play is about the wife of Prince Siddhartha (who became the Buddha). Maithili Sharan Gupt was a pioneer of Khari Boli poetry and wrote several important works including 'Bharat-Bharati' and 'Jayadrath Vadh'. Khushwant Singh is a modern novelist, Bankimchandra wrote in Bengali, and Sarojini Naidu was known as the 'Nightingale of India'.

Shakuntala is a famous Sanskrit play by Kalidasa (also spelled Kalidas), considered one of the greatest playwrights in classical Sanskrit literature. It tells the love story of King Dushyanta and Shakuntala, based on themes from the Mahabharata. Kalidasa wrote during the Gupta period (approx 4th-5th century CE) and his other major works include 'Meghaduta' and 'Abhijnanasakuntalam' (the more complete version of Shakuntala). Maithili Sharan Gupt and Tulsidas wrote much later in Hindi, and Swami Dayanand was a 19th-century social reformer.

Veeramamunivar (Constanzo Beschi) was an Italian Jesuit missionary born in Italy (1680) who made monumental contributions to Tamil literature including grammatical works and dictionaries. The parenthetical hint refers to a common mnemonic used in TN school exams.

Khushwant Singh authored 'Sahibs Who Loved India,' which profiles British colonialists who developed a genuine affection for India and its culture. The book explores unusual relationships between Indians and British officers who went beyond typical colonial attitudes, featuring figures like Allan Octavian Hume and others who contributed positively to India.

Devendra Prabhudesai, a sports journalist and author from Mumbai, wrote the biography 'The Nice Guy Who Finished First' on Rahul Dravid. He has written multiple books on Indian cricketers.