General Awareness ยท English Language

Indian Literature and Authors

9,599 Questions

Indian Literature and Authors is a crucial topic for competitive exams, focusing on famous writers, notable books, and literary awards. Questions cover various regional, postcolonial, and historical texts. This collection helps test takers prepare effectively for general awareness sections.

Famous Indian authorsNotable Indian novelsPostcolonial literatureLiterary award winnersRegional Indian literature

Indian Literature and Authors Questions

Multiple choice

Who wrote the novel Midnight's Children?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Salman Rushdie

  3. Amitav Ghosh

  4. Vikram Seth
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Salman Rushdie is an Indian-born British writer whose novel Midnight's Children won the Booker Prize in 1981.

Multiple choice

Which Indian diaspora writer is known for the novel The Hungry Tide?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Salman Rushdie

  3. Amitav Ghosh

  4. Vikram Seth
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Amitav Ghosh is an Indian writer whose novel The Hungry Tide won the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 2005.

Multiple choice

Who wrote the novel A Suitable Boy?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Salman Rushdie

  3. Amitav Ghosh

  4. Vikram Seth
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Vikram Seth is an Indian poet and novelist whose novel A Suitable Boy was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1993.

Multiple choice

Which Indian diaspora writer is known for the novel The Namesake?

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri

  2. Bharati Mukherjee

  3. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

  4. Mira Nair
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Jhumpa Lahiri is an Indian-American writer whose novel The Namesake won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2003.

Multiple choice

Who wrote the novel Jasmine?

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri

  2. Bharati Mukherjee

  3. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

  4. Mira Nair
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Bharati Mukherjee is an Indian-American writer whose novel Jasmine won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 1989.

Multiple choice

Which Indian diaspora writer is known for the novel Sister of My Heart?

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri

  2. Bharati Mukherjee

  3. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

  4. Mira Nair
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an Indian-American writer whose novel Sister of My Heart won the American Book Award in 1996.

Multiple choice

Who wrote the novel The Namesake?

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri

  2. Bharati Mukherjee

  3. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

  4. Mira Nair
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Jhumpa Lahiri is an Indian-American writer whose novel The Namesake won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2003.

Multiple choice

Which Indian diaspora writer is known for the novel Monsoon?

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri

  2. Bharati Mukherjee

  3. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

  4. Mira Nair
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Mira Nair is an Indian-American filmmaker whose novel Monsoon was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2000.

Multiple choice

Who wrote the novel The Mistress of Spices?

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri

  2. Bharati Mukherjee

  3. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

  4. Mira Nair
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an Indian-American writer whose novel The Mistress of Spices was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction in 1998.

Multiple choice

Which Indian diaspora writer is known for the novel Interpreter of Maladies?

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri

  2. Bharati Mukherjee

  3. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

  4. Mira Nair
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Jhumpa Lahiri is an Indian-American writer whose novel Interpreter of Maladies won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2000.

Multiple choice

Which Indian diaspora writer is known for the novel Waiting?

  1. Ha Jin

  2. Yiyun Li

  3. Gish Jen

  4. Amy Tan
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Ha Jin is a Chinese-American writer whose novel Waiting won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1999.

Multiple choice

Which Indian diaspora writer is known for the novel Kinder Than Solitude?

  1. Ha Jin

  2. Yiyun Li

  3. Gish Jen

  4. Amy Tan
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Yiyun Li is a Chinese-American writer whose novel Kinder Than Solitude won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction in 2010.

Multiple choice

In 'A Passage to India', E.M. Forster examines the clash between British colonial values and Indian cultural beliefs. How does he portray the tension between these two opposing forces?

  1. Through the interactions between British characters and Indian characters.

  2. By contrasting the British legal system with traditional Indian customs.

  3. By exploring the impact of colonialism on the Indian social structure.

  4. All of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Forster employs various techniques to portray the tension between British colonial values and Indian cultural beliefs. He delves into the interactions between British and Indian characters, highlighting their differing perspectives and misunderstandings. He also contrasts the British legal system with traditional Indian customs, exploring the clash between Western and Eastern values.

Multiple choice

In 'The Kite Runner', Khaled Hosseini examines the themes of class, ethnicity, and redemption in Afghanistan. How does he portray the social hierarchy and the struggles faced by the marginalized characters?

  1. By contrasting the privileged life of Amir with the impoverished existence of Hassan.

  2. By highlighting the ethnic tensions between the Pashtuns and the Hazaras.

  3. By exploring the impact of war and political turmoil on the lives of ordinary Afghans.

  4. All of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Hosseini employs various techniques to portray the social hierarchy and the struggles faced by the marginalized characters in 'The Kite Runner'. He contrasts the privileged life of Amir with the impoverished existence of Hassan, highlighting the stark class divide. He also explores the ethnic tensions between the Pashtuns and the Hazaras, as well as the impact of war and political turmoil on the lives of ordinary Afghans.

Multiple choice

In 'The God of Small Things', Arundhati Roy delves into the lives of two fraternal twins, Rahel and Estha, growing up in a small town in Kerala, India. How does she explore the themes of class, caste, and religion in the novel?

  1. By contrasting the privileged lifestyle of the twins with the poverty and oppression faced by the lower castes.

  2. By highlighting the social and cultural barriers that shape the lives of the characters.

  3. By exploring the impact of religious beliefs and traditions on the characters' relationships and choices.

  4. All of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Roy employs various techniques to explore the themes of class, caste, and religion in 'The God of Small Things'. She contrasts the privileged lifestyle of the twins with the poverty and oppression faced by the lower castes, highlighting the stark social divide. She also explores the impact of religious beliefs and traditions on the characters' relationships and choices, as well as the social and cultural barriers that shape their lives.