Indian Literature and Authors

Nandan Nilekani wrote 'Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation' published in 2008. He was a co-founder of Infosys and later headed the Unique Identification Authority of India. Jaswant Singh, Narayana Murthy, and Shashi Tharoor are also prominent Indians but not the author of this specific book.

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.

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.

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'.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Vijay Tendulkar (1928-2008) was the legendary Marathi playwright who authored 'Ghashiram Kotwal' and 'Sakharam Binder,' both groundbreaking works in Indian theatre. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1984 and passed away in May 2008. His works are known for their social commentary and bold themes.

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.

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.

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.

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.