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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

Kamala Das, also known by her pen name Madhavikutty, is celebrated for her powerful and confessional poetry. What is the title of her first collection of poems?

  1. Summer in Calcutta

  2. The Old Playhouse and Other Poems

  3. The Descendants

  4. My Story
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Kamala Das's first collection of poems, 'Summer in Calcutta', was published in 1965 and established her as a significant voice in Indian poetry.

Multiple choice

Shashi Deshpande's novels often explore the lives of ordinary women in contemporary India. Which of the following is NOT a novel written by her?

  1. The Dark Holds No Terrors

  2. Roots and Shadows

  3. Clear Light of Day

  4. The Inheritance of Loss
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Inheritance of Loss is a novel by Kiran Desai, not Shashi Deshpande.

Multiple choice

Which contemporary Indian woman writer is known for her satirical and humorous take on social and political issues?

  1. Shobhaa De

  2. Jhumpa Lahiri

  3. Anita Nair

  4. Manju Kapur
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Shobhaa De is renowned for her satirical and humorous writing style, often addressing social and political issues in her novels and columns.

Multiple choice

Jhumpa Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel 'Interpreter of Maladies' explores the lives of Indian immigrants in the United States. What is the name of the protagonist in this novel?

  1. Mr. Kapasi

  2. Mrs. Sen

  3. Mr. Das

  4. Mrs. Gupta
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Mr. Kapasi is the protagonist of Jhumpa Lahiri's novel 'Interpreter of Maladies'.

Multiple choice

Anita Nair's novel 'Ladies Coupe' follows the journey of four women from different backgrounds who share a train compartment. What is the name of the train they are traveling on?

  1. The Deccan Queen

  2. The Rajdhani Express

  3. The Shatabdi Express

  4. The Duronto Express
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The four women in Anita Nair's novel 'Ladies Coupe' travel on the Deccan Queen train.

Multiple choice

Manju Kapur's novel 'Difficult Daughters' delves into the lives of three sisters who navigate societal expectations and personal desires. What is the name of the eldest sister?

  1. Virmati

  2. Tara

  3. Anjali

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

Virmati is the eldest sister in Manju Kapur's novel 'Difficult Daughters'.

Multiple choice

Which of these contemporary Indian women writers is known for her historical fiction novels set during the Mughal era?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Anita Desai

  3. Kamala Das

  4. Bharati Mukherjee
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bharati Mukherjee is renowned for her historical fiction novels set during the Mughal era, such as 'Jasmine' and 'The Middleman and Other Stories'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a novel written by Kiran Desai?

  1. The Inheritance of Loss

  2. Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard

  3. The White Tiger

  4. The God of Small Things
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The God of Small Things is a novel written by Arundhati Roy, not Kiran Desai.

Multiple choice

Which contemporary Indian woman writer is known for her exploration of the partition of India in her novels?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Anita Desai

  3. Kamala Das

  4. Bapsi Sidhwa
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bapsi Sidhwa is renowned for her novels exploring the partition of India, including 'Ice-Candy-Man' and 'Cracking India'.

Multiple choice

Which of these contemporary Indian women writers is known for her short stories that often deal with themes of love, loss, and identity?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Anita Desai

  3. Kamala Das

  4. Nayantara Sahgal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Nayantara Sahgal is celebrated for her short stories that explore themes of love, loss, and identity.

Multiple choice

Which contemporary Indian woman writer is known for her novels that explore the lives of women in rural India?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Anita Desai

  3. Kamala Das

  4. Mahasweta Devi
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Mahasweta Devi is renowned for her novels that explore the lives of women in rural India, often addressing issues of social injustice and oppression.

Multiple choice

Which contemporary Indian woman writer is known for her novels that explore the lives of women in the Indian diaspora?

  1. Arundhati Roy

  2. Anita Desai

  3. Kamala Das

  4. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is renowned for her novels that explore the lives of women in the Indian diaspora, often addressing issues of identity, culture, and belonging.

Multiple choice

Which Indian drama was translated into English by Rabindranath Tagore and published as 'The King of the Dark Chamber'?

  1. Shakuntala

  2. Abhijnanashakuntalam

  3. Mrichchakatika

  4. Uttara Ramayana
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Abhijnanashakuntalam, a Sanskrit play by Kalidasa, was translated into English by Rabindranath Tagore and published as 'The King of the Dark Chamber' in 1914.

Multiple choice

Who translated the Sanskrit play 'Mrichchakatika' into English as 'The Little Clay Cart'?

  1. Arthur W. Ryder

  2. Monier Monier-Williams

  3. H.H. Wilson

  4. Max Muller
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Arthur W. Ryder translated the Sanskrit play 'Mrichchakatika' into English as 'The Little Clay Cart' in 1905.

Multiple choice

Which Indian drama was translated into English by A.C. Warder as 'The Serpent and the Rope'?

  1. Nagananda

  2. Malavikagnimitra

  3. Vikramorvasiyam

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

A.C. Warder translated the Sanskrit play 'Nagananda' into English as 'The Serpent and the Rope' in 1963.