Khushwant Singh is an Indian novelist and journalist. Singh’s weekly column, “With Malice towards One and All”, carried by several Indian newspapers, is among the most widely-read columns in the country. An IndoAnglican novelist, Singh is best known for his trenchant secularism, his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit. He served as editor of several literary and news magazines, as well as two broadsheet newspapers, through the 1970s and 1980s. He is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan the second highest civilian award in India. Khushwant Singh, one of India’s most well-known and widely read authors, commenced writing The Company of Women when he was eightythree and finished at age eighty-five.

Correct Option: D

Khushwant Singh is an Indian novelist and journalist. Singh’s weekly column, “With Malice towards One and All”, carried by several Indian newspapers, is among the most widely-read columns in the country. An IndoAnglican novelist, Singh is best known for his trenchant secularism, his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit. He served as editor of several literary and news magazines, as well as two broadsheet newspapers, through the 1970s and 1980s. He is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan the second highest civilian award in India. Khushwant Singh, one of India’s most well-known and widely read authors, commenced writing The Company of Women when he was eightythree and finished at age eighty-five.

Harivansh Rai Shrivastav alias Bachchan (27 November 1907 – 18 January 2003), was a noted Indian poet of Chhayavaad literary movement (romantic upsurge) of early 20th century Hindi literature. Prateeksha is one of his famous poems which reads like: “Madhur Prateeksha hi jab itnee, Priye tum aate tab kya hota? Maun raat is bhaanti ki jaise, koi geet veena par baj kar. Abhi abhi soi khoi si, sapno mein taaron par sir dhar. Aur dishaaon se prati-dhwaniyaan, Jagrat swaro si aati hain. Kaan tumhaari taan kahin se, yadi sun paate tab kya hota? Tumne kab di baat, raat ke soone mein tum aane waale. Par aise hi waqt praan mann mere ho uth-te matwaale. Saanse ghoom-ghoom phirphir se, asmanjas ke kshan ginti hain. Milne ki ghadiyaan tum nishchit yadi kar jaate tab kya hota?”

Correct Option: D

Harivansh Rai Shrivastav alias Bachchan (27 November 1907 – 18 January 2003), was a noted Indian poet of Chhayavaad literary movement (romantic upsurge) of early 20th century Hindi literature. Prateeksha is one of his famous poems which reads like: “Madhur Prateeksha hi jab itnee, Priye tum aate tab kya hota? Maun raat is bhaanti ki jaise, koi geet veena par baj kar. Abhi abhi soi khoi si, sapno mein taaron par sir dhar. Aur dishaaon se prati-dhwaniyaan, Jagrat swaro si aati hain. Kaan tumhaari taan kahin se, yadi sun paate tab kya hota? Tumne kab di baat, raat ke soone mein tum aane waale. Par aise hi waqt praan mann mere ho uth-te matwaale. Saanse ghoom-ghoom phirphir se, asmanjas ke kshan ginti hain. Milne ki ghadiyaan tum nishchit yadi kar jaate tab kya hota?”

Arun Shourie is an Indian journalist, author and politician. He served as an economist with the World Bank (1968–72 and 1975–77), a consultant to the Planning Commission, India, editor of the Indian Express and Times of India and a minister in the government of India (1998–2004). He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982. He is an agnostic. Arun Shourie was born in Jalandhar, India. He was the first child of father Hari Dev Shourie and mother Dayawanti Devasher.

Correct Option: B

Arun Shourie is an Indian journalist, author and politician. He served as an economist with the World Bank (1968–72 and 1975–77), a consultant to the Planning Commission, India, editor of the Indian Express and Times of India and a minister in the government of India (1998–2004). He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982. He is an agnostic. Arun Shourie was born in Jalandhar, India. He was the first child of father Hari Dev Shourie and mother Dayawanti Devasher.

Kapalkundala, is a Bengali romance novel by Indian writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Published in 1866,it is a story of a forest-dwelling girl named Kapalkundala,who fell in love and got married to Nabakumar, a young gentleman from Saptagram, but eventually found that she is unable to adjust herself with the city life. Following the success of Chattopadhyay’s first novel Durgeshnandini, he decided to write about a girl who is brought up in a remote forest by a Kapalik (Tantrik sage) and never saw anyone but his foster-father.

Correct Option: B

Kapalkundala, is a Bengali romance novel by Indian writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Published in 1866,it is a story of a forest-dwelling girl named Kapalkundala,who fell in love and got married to Nabakumar, a young gentleman from Saptagram, but eventually found that she is unable to adjust herself with the city life. Following the success of Chattopadhyay’s first novel Durgeshnandini, he decided to write about a girl who is brought up in a remote forest by a Kapalik (Tantrik sage) and never saw anyone but his foster-father.

Based on declassified documents, the book throws new light on the roles played by Mountbatten and the British service chiefs in the Kashmir war of 1947-48 and explains why India took the Kashmir issue to the UN, why it did not carry the war into Pakistan and why it accepted a ceasefire. Examining archival material that has not been looked at previously and attempting an important reassessment of Mountbatten’s role, the book highlights the fact that India’s first Governor-General was not a mere constitutional figurehead. The book shows that he used and abused this authority to ensure that the conflict in Kashmir did not escalate into a full-scale inter-dominion war.

Correct Option: C

Based on declassified documents, the book throws new light on the roles played by Mountbatten and the British service chiefs in the Kashmir war of 1947-48 and explains why India took the Kashmir issue to the UN, why it did not carry the war into Pakistan and why it accepted a ceasefire. Examining archival material that has not been looked at previously and attempting an important reassessment of Mountbatten’s role, the book highlights the fact that India’s first Governor-General was not a mere constitutional figurehead. The book shows that he used and abused this authority to ensure that the conflict in Kashmir did not escalate into a full-scale inter-dominion war.