Modern Literature — Set 6

Correct Answer: D. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

• **A.P.J. Abdul Kalam** = He co-authored this book to describe his journey from a modest background to leading India's missile program. • **11th** — He served as the 11th President of India and was known as the 'People's President'. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [K.R. Narayanan]: Former President of India, but not the author of 'Wings of Fire'; [Pranab Mukherjee]: Former President of India, but not the author of 'Wings of Fire'; [Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]: Former President of India and philosopher, but not the author of 'Wings of Fire'.

Correct Answer: D. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay

• **Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay** = His 'Devdas' is a classic story of unrequited love and self-destruction. • **last century** — It has been adapted into numerous films in various Indian languages over the last century. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay]: Authored 'Pather Panchali', not 'Devdas'; [Manik Bandyopadhyay]: A prominent Bengali novelist, but not the author of 'Devdas'; [Rabindranath Tagore]: Authored 'Gitanjali', not 'Devdas'.

Correct Answer: A. Amitav Ghosh

• **Amitav Ghosh** = He is one of the most prominent contemporary Indian writers in English. • **1989** — 'The Shadow Lines' won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1989. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Kiran Desai]: Authored 'The Inheritance of Loss' (won Booker in 2006), not 'The Shadow Lines'; [Arun Joshi]: An Indian novelist known for his existentialist themes, but not the author of 'The Shadow Lines'; [Shashi Tharoor]: A well-known author and politician, but not the author of 'The Shadow Lines'.

Correct Answer: C. R.K. Narayan

• **R.K. Narayan** = His 'Malgudi Days' portrays the everyday life and humor of people in a fictional town in South India. • **popular television series** — The stories were later adapted into a very popular television series. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Anita Desai]: A novelist known for her works on alienation and identity, but not the author of 'Malgudi Days'; [Mulk Raj Anand]: Authored 'Untouchable' and 'Coolie', not 'Malgudi Days'; [Ruskin Bond]: A popular Indian author of children's books and short stories, but not the author of 'Malgudi Days'.

Correct Answer: A. Verghese Kurien

• **Verghese Kurien** = He is known as the 'Milkman of India' for leading the world's largest dairy development program. • **Padma Vibhushan** — He received the Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to the White Revolution. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Homi Bhabha]: Known as the 'Father of the Indian Nuclear Programme', not the pioneer of the White Revolution; [Vikram Sarabhai]: Known as the 'Father of the Indian Space Programme', not the pioneer of the White Revolution; [M.S. Swaminathan]: Known as the 'Father of the Green Revolution' in India, not the White Revolution.

Correct Answer: A. Kiran Desai

• **Kiran Desai** = She, daughter of novelist Anita Desai, won the prize for her second novel. • **2006** — 'The Inheritance of Loss' won the Man Booker Prize in 2006. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Jhumpa Lahiri]: Authored 'Interpreter of Maladies' (won Pulitzer in 2000), not 'The Inheritance of Loss'; [Arundhati Roy]: Authored 'The God of Small Things' (won Booker in 1997), not 'The Inheritance of Loss'; [Anita Desai]: Renowned novelist and mother of Kiran Desai, but not the author of 'The Inheritance of Loss'.

Correct Answer: D. Subhadra Kumari Chauhan

• **Subhadra Kumari Chauhan** = She was a famous Hindi poetess whose works often focused on nationalism and courage. • **Rani Lakshmibai** — This poem celebrates Rani Lakshmibai and is one of the most recited patriotic poems in India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Sarojini Naidu]: Known as the 'Nightingale of India', a poet and political activist, but not the author of 'Jhansi Ki Rani'; [Shakuntala Devi]: A famous Indian mental calculator, not a poet; [Mahadevi Varma]: A prominent Hindi poet and essayist, but not the author of 'Jhansi Ki Rani'.

Correct Answer: C. Jhumpa Lahiri

• **Jhumpa Lahiri** = Her collection of short stories deals with the immigrant experience and cultural conflicts of Indians in the US. • **2000** — 'Interpreter of Maladies' won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Bharati Mukherjee]: An Indian-American writer, but not the author of 'Interpreter of Maladies'; [Kamila Shamsie]: A Pakistani-British novelist, but not the author of 'Interpreter of Maladies'; [Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni]: An Indian-American author, but not the author of 'Interpreter of Maladies'.

Correct Answer: D. Dayanand Saraswati

• **Dayanand Saraswati** = He founded the Arya Samaj and wrote this book to advocate for a return to Vedic principles. • **Arya Samaj** — He founded the Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement, to promote Vedic values. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Raja Ram Mohan Roy]: A social reformer and founder of Brahmo Samaj, but not the author of 'Satyarth Prakash'; [Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar]: A key figure of the Bengal Renaissance, but not the author of 'Satyarth Prakash'; [Swami Vivekananda]: A chief disciple of Ramakrishna and founder of Ramakrishna Mission, but not the author of 'Satyarth Prakash'.

Correct Answer: A. Arundhati Roy

• **Arundhati Roy** = She wrote 'The God of Small Things', a novel set in Kerala exploring caste, forbidden love, and family. • **1997** — The novel won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997, making her the first Indian to win this prestigious award. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Jhumpa Lahiri]: Authored 'Interpreter of Maladies' (won Pulitzer in 2000), not 'The God of Small Things'; [Amitav Ghosh]: Authored 'The Shadow Lines' (won Sahitya Akademi Award in 1989), not 'The God of Small Things'; [Kiran Desai]: Authored 'The Inheritance of Loss' (won Booker in 2006), not 'The God of Small Things'.