Question 1

Indian literature (Jnanpith laureate): Identify the language of Dr. Masti Venkatesh (Venkatesha) Iyengar's writings.  Full question: In which language did Dr. Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, noted as 'Masti', primarily write?  Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Fact Masti Venkatesha Iyengar (pen name 'Masti') was a celebrated Kannada writer and Jnanpith awardee. Common confusion Despite cultural proximity to other Dravidian languages, his oeuvre is squarely in Kannada literature. Final Answer Kannada.

Question 2

Famous quotations attribution: Name the person associated with the saying ‘‘God helps those who help themselves’’.  Full question: Who is popularly credited with the proverb ‘‘God helps those who help themselves’’ in general-knowledge sources?  Choo…

Accepted Answer

Attribution The proverb is commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin (e.g., Poor Richard's Almanack tradition). Scholarly notes trace earlier forms (e.g., Algernon Sidney), but exam keys typically accept Franklin. Why others are incorrect The quote is not standardly credited to Gandhi, Lincoln, Aristotle, or Vivekananda in basic GK contexts. Final Answer Benjamin Franklin.

Question 3

Classical Sanskrit drama: Identify the author of ‘‘Mṛcchakaṭika’’ (The Little Clay Cart).  Full question: ‘‘Mirchchhakatika’’/‘‘Mṛcchakaṭika’’ was written by which ancient Indian playwright?  Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Fact Mṛcchakaṭika (‘‘The Little Clay Cart’’) is traditionally attributed to Śūdraka (Shudraka), noted for its realistic social themes and character depth. Eliminating distractors Kālidāsa, Bhāsa, Viśākhadatta, and Bhavabhūti authored other classics (e.g., Abhijñānaśākuntalam, Svapnavāsavadatta, Mudrārākṣasa, Mālatīmādhava) but not Mṛcchakaṭika. Final Answer Śūdraka (Shudraka).

Question 4

Children’s classics: Identify the author whose book inspired the TV serial ‘‘Alice in Wonderland’’.  Full question: ‘‘Alice in Wonderland’’ (TV adaptation) is based on a book written by which author?  Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Fact Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, which inspire many film/TV adaptations. Why others are incorrect Barrie wrote Peter Pan, Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Blyton and Dahl wrote other children's classics. Final Answer Lewis Carroll.

Question 5

Mathematics biography: Identify the subject of ‘‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’’ by Robert Kanigel.  Full question: The book ‘‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’’ (biography) by Robert Kanigel chronicles the life of which mathematician?  Choose the correct opti…

Accepted Answer

Fact Robert Kanigel's acclaimed biography The Man Who Knew Infinity details the extraordinary life and mathematics of Srinivasa Ramanujan, including his collaboration with G. H. Hardy at Cambridge. Eliminating distractors Turing, Wiles, Gauss, and Erdős are eminent mathematicians but not the subject of this specific biography. Final Answer Srinivasa Ramanujan.

Question 6

Authors & literature: Identify the writer of the book titled "Forbidden Verses". Context: This work is associated with classical Arabic poetry of the Abbasid era and is often linked to bold, wine-themed and love poetry. Choose the correct author fro…

Accepted Answer

Given data Book title: Forbidden Verses. Task: identify its author. Concept/Approach Collections titled or marketed as Forbidden Verses typically present translations of poetry by the classical Arabic poet Abu Nuwas (8th–9th century), famed for his hedonistic, wine and love poetry. Elimination Rushdie, Nasrin, Lawrence, and Khayyam wrote influential works, but the title aligns with anthologized translations of Abu Nuwas's poems. Final Answer Abu Nuwas.

Question 7

Authors & India studies: Who wrote the non-fiction book "No Full Stops in India"? Context: The work is a collection of essays and reportage about India's people, politics, and change by a veteran foreign correspondent. Choose the correct author.

Accepted Answer

Given data Title: No Full Stops in India. Identify the author. Approach The essay collection is by former BBC correspondent Mark Tully, known for his long reporting career in India. Final Answer Mark Tully.

Question 8

Vikram Seth bibliography: Which of the following books is authored by Vikram Seth? Context: Consider Seth's major literary works spanning novels in verse and prose. Choose the correct title written by Vikram Seth.

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach Vikram Seth wrote A Suitable Boy (and also The Golden Gate, An Equal Music). Why others are incorrect The God of Small Things — Arundhati Roy. Midnight's Children — Salman Rushdie. Train to Pakistan — Khushwant Singh. The White Tiger — Aravind Adiga. Final Answer A Suitable Boy.

Question 9

Global affairs literature: Identify the author of "Preparing for the Twenty-First Century". Context: This influential 1990s non-fiction work discusses demographic, technological, and economic challenges for nations. Choose the correct author.

Accepted Answer

Approach Paul Kennedy, a historian at Yale, authored Preparing for the Twenty-First Century, analyzing future global shifts. Elimination Toffler wrote Future Shock, Friedman The World Is Flat, Fukuyama The End of History, Drucker multiple management texts. Final Answer Paul Kennedy.

Question 10

Ancient grammar treatise: Who is the author of the Sanskrit work "Ashtadhyayi"? Context: Foundational text of Paninian grammar comprising eight chapters that systematize Sanskrit morphology and syntax. Choose the correct ancient scholar.

Accepted Answer

Concept The Ashtadhyayi is the seminal eight-chapter grammar composed by Panini. Notes Patanjali authored the Mahabhashya (commentary on Panini); Katyayana wrote Varttikas; Kalidasa and Bhartrhari are from literature/linguistic philosophy respectively. Final Answer Panini.

Question 11

Indian cinema — directors: Who directed the internationally acclaimed film "Salaam Bombay"? Context: The film portrays street children in Mumbai and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Choose the correct director.

Accepted Answer

Fact Salaam Bombay! (1988) was directed by Mira Nair. Context The film won the Camera d'Or at Cannes and earned global acclaim for its realistic depiction. Final Answer Mira Nair.

Question 12

Classic literary characters: The famous character "Pickwick" belongs to which author? Context: Consider the creator of "The Pickwick Papers", a serialized 19th-century novel introducing Samuel Pickwick, Esq. Choose the correct author.

Accepted Answer

Approach Samuel Pickwick is the protagonist of The Pickwick Papers, by Charles Dickens. Final Answer Charles Dickens.

Question 13

World literature: Who wrote the novel "Crime and Punishment"? Context: A psychological realist work set in St. Petersburg exploring guilt, morality, and redemption. Choose the correct author.

Accepted Answer

Fact Crime and Punishment was authored by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1866). Context Central character: Rodion Raskolnikov; themes include alienation, moral philosophy, and the psychology of crime. Final Answer Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Question 14

Cinema trivia: Which English (Hollywood) film was the first to be dubbed into Hindi for the Indian market? Context: Consider early 1990s mainstream studio releases that popularized Hindi dubbing for nationwide reach. Choose the correct film title.

Accepted Answer

Given data Identify the first widely cited English film dubbed into Hindi. Concept/Approach General-knowledge sources commonly credit Disney's Aladdin (1992) as the earliest mainstream English film dubbed into Hindi for a pan-India audience, predating the broader mid-1990s wave. Note Some informal sources mention other early titles, but the standard quiz-bank answer is Aladdin. Final Answer Aladdin.

Question 15

Political philosophy quotations: Who authored the famous statement, 'That government is best which governs least'? Context: This maxim about limited government is closely associated with a 19th-century American thinker's essay on civil authority. Ch…

Accepted Answer

Concept/Approach The maxim is widely associated with Henry David Thoreau from his essay Resistance to Civil Government (commonly titled Civil Disobedience), arguing for minimal state interference. Clarification Though sometimes attributed to Jefferson, the phrasing and argument are classically linked to Thoreau's transcendentalist critique of government. Final Answer Henry David Thoreau.

Question 16

Film direction (world cinema GK): Name the director of the Oscar-winning biographical film ‘‘Gandhi’’ (1982). Full question: Who directed the world-famous film ‘‘Gandhi’’ depicting the life of Mahatma Gandhi? Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Context The epic biographical film Gandhi (1982) won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Fact It was directed by Richard Attenborough; Ben Kingsley starred as Mahatma Gandhi. Eliminating distractors Satyajit Ray and Shyam Benegal are eminent Indian directors, David Lean and Mira Nair are celebrated internationally, but none directed Gandhi. Final Answer Richard Attenborough.

Question 17

Indian literature: Identify the author of the novel ‘‘Waiting for the Mahatma’’. Full question: The author of the book ‘‘Waiting for the Mahatma’’ is who among the following noted writers? Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Context Waiting for the Mahatma is a celebrated Indian English novel set against India’s freedom struggle. Fact It was written by R. K. Narayan, known for creating the fictional town of Malgudi. Why others are incorrect Anand (e.g., Untouchable), Singh (e.g., Train to Pakistan), Rao (Kanthapura) and Deshpande wrote different works. Final Answer R. K. Narayan.

Question 18

Indian authors: Identify the author of ‘‘The Naked Triangle’’ (also known as ‘‘Naked Triangle’’). Full question: Who is the author of the work titled ‘‘Naked Triangle’’ in modern Indian literature? Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Context Balwant Gargi was a noted Indian playwright and novelist. Fact He authored The Naked Triangle (often cited simply as Naked Triangle), a work known in Indian English/literary circles. Eliminating distractors Bond, Anand, Markandaya, and Seth are major authors but did not write this title. Final Answer Balwant Gargi.

Question 19

Contemporary fiction: Name the author of the controversial novel ‘‘The Satanic Verses’’. Full question: The book ‘‘Satanic Verses’’ was written by which author of Indian origin? Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Fact Salman Rushdie authored The Satanic Verses (1988), a landmark work in postmodern literature. Notes The novel drew worldwide attention and controversy; however, as a GK item the author attribution is straightforward. Final Answer Salman Rushdie.

Question 20

Modern history writing: Identify the author of ‘‘The Gathering Storm’’. Full question: ‘‘The Gathering Storm’’—a volume in a famous multi-part history—was written by which statesman-author? Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Context The Gathering Storm is Volume I of The Second World War by Churchill. Fact Authored by Winston Churchill, it covers the interwar years and the lead-up to WWII. Distractors Nehru wrote The Discovery of India; Roosevelt did not author this volume; Russell and Toynbee produced other works. Final Answer Winston Churchill.

Books and Authors Questions