Indian Literature and Authors

M.S. Swaminathan, renowned agricultural scientist and father of India's Green Revolution, authored 'Toward a Hunger Free World'. His work focuses on food security and sustainable agriculture. Abdul Kalam writes about science and nation-building, Amartya Sen on welfare economics, and Ashok Lahiri on economic policy.

Indra Sinha is the author of "Animal People" (also published as "The Animal's People"), a novel that won critical acclaim including Best Book of the Year recognition. The book deals with the Bhopal gas tragedy. V.S. Naipaul, William Dalrymple, Bill Clinton, and John Banville are all renowned authors but not associated with this particular book.

Vikram Seth, the renowned Indian author, wrote 'Two Lives' published in 2005. The book is a memoir/biography focusing on his Indian uncle Shanti Behari Seth and his German Jewish aunt Henny Caro, telling their story across continents and through tumultuous times including World War II. Vikram Seth is known for works like 'A Suitable Boy' and 'The Golden Gate', while the other authors listed wrote different books.

Correct Answer: Abu Nuwas

William Dalrymple authored 'The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi 1857', a historical account of the 1857 uprising and the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. The book uses contemporary sources and eyewitness accounts to reconstruct events. Note that option B has a typo - it should be 'Dalrymple' not 'Dalrymple'.

Vikram Seth wrote 'A Suitable Boy' (1993), one of the longest novels in English. Khushwant Singh, R.K. Narayan, and Arundhati Roy are all celebrated Indian authors, but Seth is the author of this specific work.

Sunil Gavaskar wrote the autobiography 'Sunny Days' about his cricket career. The book details his journey from childhood to becoming one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket history. The title plays on his nickname 'Sunny' given by his uncle.

Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children" won the Best of Booker Award in 2008, a special prize celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Booker Prize. Arvind Adiga won the 2008 Booker Prize for "The White Tiger", while Arundhati Roy won in 1997 for "The God of Small Things".

"Waiting for Mahatma" was written by R.K. Narayan and published in 1955. The novel explores Gandhi's influence through the character Sriram, a young man who becomes involved in the independence movement. Note that option B has a typo - it should be "Narayan" not "Naraian".

Indomitable Spirit (2005) was APJ Abdul Kalam's latest book at the time this question was likely written, co-authored with Arun Tiwari. The book focuses on empowering youth through education, courage, and perseverance. Note: This is temporally unstable as Kalam authored more books later; the answer was correct circa 2005-2006.

Jayadeva, a 12th-century Sanskrit poet from Odisha, wrote the 'Gita Govinda', a lyrical poem celebrating the love between Krishna and Radha. Vidyapati wrote in Maithili, Surdas was a Krishna devotee who wrote 'Sursagar', and Mirabai wrote devotional bhajans to Krishna, but none authored the Gita Govinda.

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) wrote 'Hard Times' in 1854, a social novel criticizing industrial society and utilitarian philosophy. Vinay Tendulkar is a modern Indian playwright (not 'Tendulakar'), and M. Tendulkar (likely referring to Mahasweta Devi or similar) is a contemporary writer. Tulsidas wrote 'Ramcharitmanas' in medieval Hindi.

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (1888-1975), philosopher and former President of India, wrote 'The Hindu View of Life' (1926), presenting Hindu philosophy to Western audiences. Kalidas wrote Sanskrit plays like 'Shakuntala', while Z.A. Bhutto and B. Bhutto were Pakistani political figures.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1928-1979), former Prime Minister of Pakistan, wrote 'If I Am Assassinated' in 1979 while in prison, predicting his own execution. J.P. (Jayaprakash) Narayan was an Indian political leader, J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter series, and Kabir was a medieval mystic poet.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) wrote 'Kubla Khan' in 1797, a romantic poem inspired by a dream. Kalidas wrote Sanskrit literature, H.G. Wells wrote science fiction, and Salman Rushdie is a contemporary author. The poem was published in 1816.