Introduction Indian martial arts represent a significant yet often overlooked aspect of India's rich cultural…
MCQs with answers on “The Role of Indian Literature in Shaping National Identity”
1. Who is considered the father of modern Indian literature?
a) Rabindranath Tagore
b) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
c) Sri Aurobindo
d) Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar
Answer: b) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
2. The poem “Vande Mataram” was written by which famous Indian writer?
a) Rabindranath Tagore
b) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
c) Kavi Pradeep
d) Aurobindo Ghosh
Answer: b) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
3. Which of these novels was written by Rabindranath Tagore?
a) The Discovery of India
b) Gitanjali
c) Anandmath
d) Swami Vivekananda’s Autobiography
Answer: b) Gitanjali
4. Who wrote the famous book “The Argumentative Indian”?
a) Chetan Bhagat
b) Amartya Sen
c) Arundhati Roy
d) Shashi Tharoor
Answer: b) Amartya Sen
5. The book “India Unbound” was authored by which prominent Indian writer?
a) Vikram Seth
b) Gurcharan Das
c) Khushwant Singh
d) Arundhati Roy
Answer: b) Gurcharan Das
6. Which Indian literary work is considered a pioneer in defining the Indian national identity during the colonial period?
a) Ramayana
b) Mahabharata
c) Gitanjali
d) Anandmath
Answer: d) Anandmath
7. Who is regarded as the pioneer of Indian writing in English?
a) Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar
b) Rabindranath Tagore
c) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
d) Mulk Raj Anand
Answer: c) Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
8. Which novel by Shashi Tharoor focuses on India’s post-independence journey?
a) The Elephant, the Tiger, and the Cell Phone
b) The Great Indian Novel
c) The Five Dollar Smile
d) Riot: A Love Story
Answer: b) The Great Indian Novel
9. What theme is primarily explored in Indian literature during the nationalist movement?
a) Freedom and patriotism
b) Spirituality and mysticism
c) Caste and class struggles
d) Rural life
Answer: a) Freedom and patriotism
10. Who is the author of “A Passage to India,” which examines the British colonial impact on Indian society?
a) E. M. Forster
b) R. K. Narayan
c) V. S. Naipaul
d) Salman Rushdie
Answer: a) E. M. Forster
11. Which Indian poet is associated with the development of modern Indian poetry in English?
a) Sarojini Naidu
b) Kamala Das
c) Agha Shahid Ali
d) Nissim Ezekiel
Answer: d) Nissim Ezekiel
12. The book “The Discovery of India” was written by which prominent leader and writer?
a) Jawaharlal Nehru
b) Subhas Chandra Bose
c) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
d) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: a) Jawaharlal Nehru
13. Which of the following works was written by Kamala Das?
a) The Guide
b) My Story
c) The God of Small Things
d) Midnight’s Children
Answer: b) My Story
14. Who wrote “Midnight’s Children,” which explores post-independence India?
a) Vikram Seth
b) Salman Rushdie
c) Arundhati Roy
d) Kiran Desai
Answer: b) Salman Rushdie
15. The famous Indian literary figure, Rabindranath Tagore, won which prestigious award?
a) Booker Prize
b) Padma Bhushan
c) Sahitya Akademi Award
d) Nobel Prize in Literature
Answer: d) Nobel Prize in Literature
16. “The White Tiger,” a novel focusing on India’s social and economic structure, was written by:
a) Arundhati Roy
b) Chetan Bhagat
c) Kiran Desai
d) Aravind Adiga
Answer: d) Aravind Adiga
17. Who authored the famous work “The God of Small Things”?
a) Aravind Adiga
b) Kiran Desai
c) Arundhati Roy
d) Shashi Tharoor
Answer: c) Arundhati Roy
18. Which Indian writer’s works are often regarded as an exploration of the Indian diaspora experience?
a) R. K. Narayan
b) Kamala Das
c) V. S. Naipaul
d) Mulk Raj Anand
Answer: c) V. S. Naipaul
19. Which genre of literature became an important medium for expressing nationalist aspirations during colonial India?
a) Drama
b) Poetry
c) Fiction
d) Journalism
Answer: b) Poetry
20. Who wrote the book “Untouchable,” a novel that exposes the social discrimination faced by Dalits in India?
a) Mulk Raj Anand
b) R. K. Narayan
c) Ismat Chughtai
d) Kamala Das
Answer: a) Mulk Raj Anand
21. In which Indian language did the writer Mahatma Gandhi primarily write his literary works?
a) Marathi
b) Hindi
c) Gujarati
d) Bengali
Answer: c) Gujarati
22. Who is known for his famous work “The Discovery of India,” which was written during his imprisonment?
a) Subhas Chandra Bose
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
d) Rajendra Prasad
Answer: b) Jawaharlal Nehru
23. Who was the author of the famous novel “Train to Pakistan,” focusing on the impact of Partition on India?
a) Khushwant Singh
b) Mulk Raj Anand
c) Ismat Chughtai
d) Arundhati Roy
Answer: a) Khushwant Singh
24. Which of the following themes is often explored in post-independence Indian literature?
a) Colonial legacy
b) Partition
c) Nationalism
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
25. Which literary work by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay inspired many to join the Indian freedom movement?
a) Gitanjali
b) Anandmath
c) The Discovery of India
d) Freedom Struggle in India
Answer: b) Anandmath
26. The book “The White Tiger” addresses the theme of:
a) The downtrodden in society
b) Caste discrimination
c) Social mobility and corruption
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
27. Who wrote the famous novel “A Fine Balance,” which explores the life of individuals in post-independence India?
a) Arundhati Roy
b) Rohinton Mistry
c) Vikram Seth
d) Kiran Desai
Answer: b) Rohinton Mistry
28. Who among the following is known for his contributions to Indian literature and philosophy during the colonial period?
a) Aurobindo Ghosh
b) Kiran Desai
c) Mulk Raj Anand
d) R. K. Narayan
Answer: a) Aurobindo Ghosh
29. Which writer’s works often depict the complexities of post-colonial India’s social structure?
a) Kamala Das
b) R. K. Narayan
c) V. S. Naipaul
d) Salman Rushdie
Answer: c) V. S. Naipaul
30. Who is the author of “The Guide,” which explores the tension between Indian traditions and modernity?
a) Mulk Raj Anand
b) R. K. Narayan
c) Shashi Tharoor
d) Ismat Chughtai
Answer: b) R. K. Narayan
These questions and answers will test the candidate’s understanding of Indian literature and its role in shaping national identity and the nation’s cultural history.
