General Awareness · 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
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Mannu Bhandari
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Salman Rushdie
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Arundhati Roy
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V.S Naipaul
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Mannu Bhandari received the Vyas Samman in 2008 for her autobiography 'Ek Kahani Yah Bhi'. The Vyas Samman is a Hindi literary award. Salman Rushdie, Arundhati Roy, and V.S. Naipaul are major writers but unrelated to this specific Hindi literary award.
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Mannu Bhandari
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Salman Rushdie
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Arundhati Roy
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V.S Naipaul
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Mannu Bhandari received the Vyas Samman 2008 for her autobiographical work 'Ek Kahani Yah Bhi,' which chronicles her literary journey and personal experiences. The other options are notable authors but not recipients of this specific Hindi literary award in 2008.
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R. K. Narayan
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Chetan Bhagat
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Aravind Adiga
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Ruskin Bond
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Chetan Bhagat wrote 'The 3 Mistakes of My Life', published in 2008. This novel tells the story of three friends in Ahmedabad and their struggles with business, cricket, and religious tensions. Chetan Bhagat is known for bestselling contemporary Indian fiction including 'Five Point Someone' and '2 States'.
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Frederick E.
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E. M. Forster
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Arthur Conan
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Alice Moore
B
Correct answer
Explanation
E.M. Forster is the correct author of A Passage to India (1924), a novel exploring British-Indian relations during the colonial era. Frederick E. and Arthur Conan are distractors - Arthur Conan Doyle wrote Sherlock Holmes stories, not this colonial novel.
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Ruskin Bond
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R. K. Narayan
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Chetan Bhagat
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Khushwant Singh
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Chetan Bhagat, a popular contemporary Indian author, wrote The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008) about three friends in Gujarat. Ruskin Bond and R.K. Narayan are acclaimed Indian writers from earlier generations, not the author of this modern novel.
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Amitav Ghosh
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Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan
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Arvind Adiga
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Chetan Bhagat
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Jhumpa Lahiri
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Chetan Bhagat (born 1974) is the correct answer, though the question contains an error - he attended IIT Delhi, not IIT Ahmedabad. He is indeed a bestselling English-language novelist in India, and '2 States' is about relationships with families. The other options are incorrect.
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Arundhati Roy
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Sidney Sheldon
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Chetan Bhagat
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Salman Rushdie
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Salman Rushdie wrote "Midnight's Children" (1981), which won the Booker Prize. The novel is considered a landmark work of postcolonial literature and magical realism. Arundhati Roy wrote "The God of Small Things", Sidney Sheldon wrote popular thrillers, and Chetan Bhagat writes contemporary Indian fiction.
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Kiran Desai
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Amitav Ghosh
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Linda Grant
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Aravind Adiga
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Aravind Adiga's 'The White Tiger' won the Booker Prize in 2008. The novel explores the dark side of India's economic growth through its protagonist's journey from poverty to success as an entrepreneur. Kiran Desai won the Booker for 'The Inheritance of Loss' (2006), while Amitav Ghosh is renowned for 'The Shadow Lines' and other works.
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ONE NIGHT AT THE CALL CENTER
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THE THREE MIISTAKES OF MY LIFE
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FIVE POINT SOMEONE
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INHERITENCE OF LOSS
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The 2008 Bollywood film 'Hello' starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif was adapted from Chetan Bhagat's debut novel 'One Night @ the Call Center' (2005). The movie explores the lives and struggles of call center employees in India, similar to the book's narrative.
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Tulsidas
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Kalidas
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Harsha Vardhan
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Prem Chand
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Ratnavali (also spelled Ratnawali) is a Sanskrit play written by King Harsha Vardhan in the 7th century CE. He was a renowned ruler of Kannauj and a great patron of arts and literature. The play is a four-act romantic comedy about a king and a merchant's daughter.
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Saket
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Satyartha Prakash
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Shakuntala
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Savitri
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Maithili Sharan Gupt (1886-1964) was a prominent Hindi poet who wrote 'Saket' (1932), a poetic work based on the Ramayana from Urmila's perspective. 'Satyartha Prakash' was by Swami Dayanand, while 'Shakuntala' and 'Savitri' are associated with Kalidas. Gupta was a pioneer of Khari Boli poetry.
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Firdausi
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Sarojini Naidu
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Lala Lajpat Rai
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Sri Aurobindo Ghosh
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Sarojini Naidu, known as the Nightingale of India, wrote 'The Song of India' (also called 'The Song of India' collection). Firdausi was a Persian poet, Lala Lajpat Rai a freedom fighter, and Sri Aurobindo a philosopher-yogi. Naidu was a poet and first female governor of an Indian state.
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Bankimchandra Chatterjee
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Annie Basant
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Tulsidas
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Kalidas
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay wrote 'Vish Vriksha' (The Poison Tree), a Bengali novel exploring themes of widow remarriage and social reform. He also wrote 'Anandamath' and the national song 'Vande Mataram'. Annie Besant was a theosophist, Tulsidas a medieval poet, and Kalidas an ancient playwright.
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H.G. Wells
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Khushwant Singh
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James Jeans
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Thomas Moore
B
Correct answer
Explanation
'We Indians' is a book written by Khushwant Singh, published in 1990. It is a collection of essays that reflect on Indian society, culture, politics, and the author's personal observations about India and its people. H.G. Wells wrote science fiction and historical works, while James Jeans was a physicist and astronomer.
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Maithili Sharan Gupt
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Khushwant Singh
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Bankimchandra Chatterjee
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Sarojini Naidu
A
Correct answer
Explanation
'Yashodhara' is a famous poetic work by Maithili Sharan Gupt, a prominent Hindi poet. It tells the story of Yashodhara, the wife of Gautama Buddha, and is considered one of his most important works. Khushwant Singh, Bankimchandra Chatterjee, and Sarojini Naidu wrote different types of literature.