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

Who translated the Sanskrit play 'Uttara Ramayana' into English as 'The Later Ramayana'?

  1. H.H. Wilson

  2. Monier Monier-Williams

  3. Arthur W. Ryder

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

H.H. Wilson translated the Sanskrit play 'Uttara Ramayana' into English as 'The Later Ramayana' in 1841.

Multiple choice

Who translated the Sanskrit play 'Malavikagnimitra' into English as 'Malavika and Agnimitra'?

  1. Monier Monier-Williams

  2. Arthur W. Ryder

  3. H.H. Wilson

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

Monier Monier-Williams translated the Sanskrit play 'Malavikagnimitra' into English as 'Malavika and Agnimitra' in 1872.

Multiple choice

Which Indian drama was translated into English by W.J. Johnson as 'The Clay Cart'?

  1. Mrichchakatika

  2. Abhijnanashakuntalam

  3. Vikramorvasiyam

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

W.J. Johnson translated the Sanskrit play 'Mrichchakatika' into English as 'The Clay Cart' in 1928.

Multiple choice

Who translated the Sanskrit play 'Vikramorvasiyam' into English as 'Urvashi Won by Valour'?

  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 'Vikramorvasiyam' into English as 'Urvashi Won by Valour' in 1915.

Multiple choice

Who translated the Sanskrit play 'Mudrarakshasa' into English as 'The Signet Ring of Rakshasa'?

  1. Monier Monier-Williams

  2. Arthur W. Ryder

  3. H.H. Wilson

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

Arthur W. Ryder translated the Sanskrit play 'Mudrarakshasa' into English as 'The Signet Ring of Rakshasa' in 1912.

Multiple choice

Who translated the Sanskrit play 'Sabha Parva' into English as 'The Book of the Assembly'?

  1. Arthur W. Ryder

  2. Monier Monier-Williams

  3. H.H. Wilson

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

J.A.B. van Buitenen translated the Sanskrit play 'Sabha Parva' into English as 'The Book of the Assembly' in 1975.

Multiple choice

Which literary scholar is known for his work on postcolonial literature?

  1. Edward Said

  2. Gayatri Spivak

  3. Homi K. Bhabha

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

Edward Said was a Palestinian-American literary critic and theorist who is known for his work on postcolonial literature. His book "Orientalism" is considered to be a seminal work in the field of postcolonial studies.

Multiple choice

Who is considered the father of modern Hindi literature?

  1. Premchand

  2. Rabindranath Tagore

  3. Harivansh Rai Bachchan

  4. Bhartendu Harishchandra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bhartendu Harishchandra is widely regarded as the father of modern Hindi literature for his pioneering contributions to the development of the language and its literary forms.

Multiple choice

Which Indian novel is considered a masterpiece of realism and social commentary?

  1. Godan

  2. Gaban

  3. Nirmala

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

Premchand's 'Godan' is widely acclaimed as a masterpiece of realism and social commentary, delving into the lives of Indian farmers and the challenges they face.

Multiple choice

Who is the author of the famous poem 'Gitanjali'?

  1. Rabindranath Tagore

  2. Kazi Nazrul Islam

  3. Sarojini Naidu

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

Rabindranath Tagore's 'Gitanjali', a collection of poems, earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, making him the first non-European to receive the prestigious award.

Multiple choice

Which Indian poet is known as the 'Nightingale of India'?

  1. Rabindranath Tagore

  2. Kazi Nazrul Islam

  3. Sarojini Naidu

  4. Subramania Bharati
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Sarojini Naidu, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement, is often referred to as the 'Nightingale of India' for her melodious and evocative poetry.

Multiple choice

Which Indian poet is known as the 'Poet of the People'?

  1. Rabindranath Tagore

  2. Kazi Nazrul Islam

  3. Sarojini Naidu

  4. Subramania Bharati
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Kazi Nazrul Islam, a revolutionary poet and musician, is often referred to as the 'Poet of the People' for his powerful and inspiring poetry that resonated with the masses during the Indian independence movement.

Multiple choice

Who is the author of the famous novel 'Train to Pakistan'?

  1. Khushwant Singh

  2. Amrita Pritam

  3. Saadat Hasan Manto

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

Khushwant Singh's 'Train to Pakistan' is a poignant novel that explores the human cost of the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.

Multiple choice

Which Indian novel is considered a classic of post-colonial literature?

  1. Midnight's Children

  2. The God of Small Things

  3. A Suitable Boy

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

Salman Rushdie's 'Midnight's Children' is widely regarded as a classic of post-colonial literature, exploring the complex history and cultural identity of India after independence.

Multiple choice

Who is the author of the famous poem 'Where the Mind is without Fear'?

  1. Rabindranath Tagore

  2. Kazi Nazrul Islam

  3. Sarojini Naidu

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

Rabindranath Tagore's poem 'Where the Mind is without Fear' is a powerful expression of his vision for a free and enlightened India.