General Awareness ยท English Language

Indian Literature and Authors

9,907 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

Which Indian author's work has been translated into more than 40 languages, making her one of the most widely translated Indian writers?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Anita Desai

  3. Jhumpa Lahiri

  4. Bharati Mukherjee

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Arundhati Roy's novel "The God of Small Things" won the Booker Prize in 1997 and has been translated into more than 40 languages.

Multiple choice

Who is the author of the novel "The White Tiger", which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2008?

  1. Aravind Adiga

  2. Vikram Chandra

  3. Amitav Ghosh

  4. Kiran Desai

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Aravind Adiga's novel "The White Tiger" was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2008 and has been translated into more than 30 languages.

Multiple choice

Who is the author of the novel "The Inheritance of Loss", which won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2006?

  1. Kiran Desai

  2. Arundhati Roy

  3. Anita Desai

  4. Jhumpa Lahiri

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Kiran Desai's novel "The Inheritance of Loss" won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2006 and has been translated into more than 30 languages.

Multiple choice

Which Indian book, written in Malayalam, is considered a classic of modern Indian literature?

  1. Chemmeen

  2. Randamoozham

  3. Oru Desathinte Katha

  4. Yayati

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Chemmeen, a novel by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, is considered a classic of modern Indian literature and has been translated into several languages.

Multiple choice

Who is the author of the novel "The Great Indian Novel", which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1997?

  1. Shashi Tharoor

  2. Vikram Seth

  3. Amitav Ghosh

  4. Arundhati Roy

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Shashi Tharoor's novel "The Great Indian Novel" was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1997 and has been translated into more than 20 languages.

Multiple choice

Who is the author of the novel "The Hungry Tide", which won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2006?

  1. Amitav Ghosh

  2. Kiran Desai

  3. Arundhati Roy

  4. Anita Desai

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Amitav Ghosh's novel "The Hungry Tide" won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2006 and has been translated into more than 20 languages.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a postcolonial Indian novel that addresses issues of caste discrimination?

  1. Midnight's Children

  2. The God of Small Things

  3. Untouchable

  4. The Inheritance of Loss

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Mulk Raj Anand's "Untouchable" is a powerful novel that delves into the harsh realities of caste discrimination in India, particularly focusing on the experiences of the Dalit community.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a postcolonial Indian novel that explores the experiences of women in a patriarchal society?

  1. The Great Indian Novel

  2. The Shadow Lines

  3. The Hungry Tide

  4. Ice Candy Man

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bapsi Sidhwa's "Ice Candy Man" is a novel that tells the story of a young Parsi girl growing up in Lahore during the partition of India, highlighting the challenges and complexities faced by women in a patriarchal society.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a postcolonial Indian novel that addresses issues of economic inequality?

  1. The White Tiger

  2. The Namesake

  3. The Glass Palace

  4. The Illicit Happiness of Other People

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Aravind Adiga's "The White Tiger" is a novel that follows the journey of Balram Halwai, a poor villager who migrates to Delhi in search of a better life, highlighting the stark economic disparities in Indian society.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a postcolonial Indian novel that explores the cultural diversity of the country?

  1. The Guide

  2. The Shadow Lines

  3. The Inheritance of Loss

  4. The Hungry Tide

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Amitav Ghosh's "The Shadow Lines" is a novel that follows the lives of two families from different parts of India, highlighting the cultural diversity and interconnectedness of the country.

Multiple choice

Who is considered the father of the modern Indian novel?

  1. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

  2. Rabindranath Tagore

  3. Premchand

  4. Munshi Premchand

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee is considered the father of the modern Indian novel. His novel Anandamath is considered to be the first major Indian novel.

Multiple choice

Who is considered the father of the modern Indian short story?

  1. Rabindranath Tagore

  2. Premchand

  3. Munshi Premchand

  4. Saadat Hasan Manto

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Premchand is considered the father of the modern Indian short story. He is known for his stories about the lives of ordinary people in rural India.

Multiple choice

Who is considered the greatest poet of modern Urdu literature?

  1. Mirza Ghalib

  2. Allama Iqbal

  3. Faiz Ahmed Faiz

  4. Nida Fazli

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Allama Iqbal is considered to be the greatest poet of modern Urdu literature. He is also known for his philosophical and political writings.

Multiple choice

Who is considered the father of the modern Indian novel in Bengali?

  1. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

  2. Rabindranath Tagore

  3. Premchand

  4. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee is considered the father of the modern Indian novel in Bengali. His novel Anandamath is considered to be the first major Indian novel in Bengali.

Multiple choice

Which of the following historical events had a profound impact on Indian literature, leading to the emergence of trauma-centric narratives?

  1. The Indian Rebellion of 1857

  2. The Partition of India in 1947

  3. The Bhopal Gas Tragedy in 1984

  4. The Gujarat Riots in 2002

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Partition of India in 1947 resulted in widespread displacement, violence, and trauma, which left an indelible mark on Indian literature. Many writers explored the themes of loss, separation, and the search for identity in the aftermath of this event.