Books and Authors MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Books and Authors - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

Key Points

• The National Song of India, 'Vande Mataram', was written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1876 and included in his novel Anandamath, published in 1882.
• It was first sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.
• 'Vande Mataram' translates to "I bow to thee, Mother," and is an ode to India as a motherland.
• The song played a significant role in the Indian independence movement as a source of inspiration and patriotism.
• The first two stanzas of the song were adopted as the National Song of India on January 24, 1950.

Additional Information

• Bankim Chandra Chatterjee:
  • He was a prominent Indian novelist, poet, and journalist, often regarded as one of the pioneers of Bengali literature.
  • His works include Anandamath, Durgeshnandini, and Kapalkundala.
  • He introduced the concept of nationalism and patriotism in Indian literature.
• Significance of 'Vande Mataram':
  • The song symbolizes national pride, unity, and devotion to the motherland.
  • Its verses describe the beauty of India’s natural landscape and emphasize the importance of freedom and independence.
• Rabindranath Tagore's Role:
  • Rabindranath Tagore composed music for 'Vande Mataram' and popularized it during the Indian National Congress sessions.
  • He was deeply influenced by the song's patriotic fervor and contributed to its widespread adoption.
• Anandamath:
  • This novel by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee is set during the Sannyasi Rebellion against British rule in the late 18th century.
  • 'Vande Mataram' is featured prominently in the novel, where it is sung by the revolutionaries.

The correct answer is Mahatma Gandhi.

Key Points

Hind Swaraj

•   It was written by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi expressing his views on Swaraj and Modern civilisation in 1909.
• It is written in a dialogic form i.e., as a discussion between the Reader and the Editor of a journal/newspaper.
• Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule comprises 20 short chapters.
• Primarily Hind Swaraj deals with two issues: 
  • a critique of modern civilization, 
  • the nature and structure of Indian Swaraj and the means and methods to achieve it.
• This book was primarily written in the Gujarati language which was the native language of Mahatma Gandhi.
• It was written during the traveling phase of Gandhiji from London to  South Africa.

Additional Information

The Correct Answer is Kausani

Key Points

• Mahatma Gandhi completed the translation of the Bhagavad Gita's chapter on Anasakti Yoga (The Yoga of Detachment) in 1929 while staying in Kausani, a scenic hill station in present-day Uttarakhand. Deeply moved by the tranquility and natural beauty of the place, Gandhi referred to Kausani as the “Switzerland of India.”
• This translation is spiritually significant and reflects Gandhi's deep engagement with the Gita’s teachings on selfless action and renunciation.

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, wrote and published a book called "A Bunch of Old Letters" in 1958.
• The book is a collection of letters that Nehru wrote to his daughter, Indira Gandhi, between 1928 and 1933, while he was imprisoned in various jails across India for his political activities.
• The letters offer insights into Nehru's personal life, his political views, and his relationship with his daughter.

Additional Information

•  Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India's independence movement, wrote many books throughout his life.
• Some of his most well-known works include:
  • "The Story of My Experiments with Truth" (also known as "My Experiments with Truth"): This is Gandhi's autobiography, which he wrote over a period of many years. The book describes his early life, his political awakening, and his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.
  • "Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule": This book, written in 1909, outlines Gandhi's vision for India's independence and self-rule. It includes his critiques of British colonialism and his proposals for a nonviolent struggle for independence.
  • "Satyagraha in South Africa": This book, published in 1928, describes Gandhi's experiences as a political activist in South Africa, where he first developed his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.
  • "Constructive Programme: Its Meaning and Place": In this book, written in 1941, Gandhi outlines his vision for a self-sufficient, decentralized society based on nonviolence and cooperation.
  • "Key to Health": This book, published in 1948, is a guide to healthy living and natural healing based on Gandhi's own experiences and practices.

The Correct Answer is M. Visvesvaraya.

• M. Visvesvarya an engineer and Politician authored the book "Planned Economy for India" in 1934. 
• In this book, he proposed a ten-year plan with the aim of doubling the income of the country.
• His main emphasis was on industrialization so as to reduce the population dependent on agriculture and to increase the population employed in the industry.
• He received India's highest honour Bharat Ratna in 1955.

Key Points

• Other Important books authored by M Visvesvaraya:
  • ​Reconstructing India (1920)
  • Memories of my working life (1951)
  • Unemployment of India; its cause and cure (1932)
  • Speeches (1917) 

Additional Information 

The correct answer is Mahatma Gandhi.

Key Points

Hind Swaraj

•   It was written by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi expressing his views on Swaraj and Modern civilisation in 1909.
• It is written in a dialogic form i.e., as a discussion between the Reader and the Editor of a journal/newspaper.
• Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule comprises 20 short chapters.
• Primarily Hind Swaraj deals with two issues: 
  • a critique of modern civilization, 
  • the nature and structure of Indian Swaraj and the means and methods to achieve it.
• This book was primarily written in the Gujarati language which was the native language of Mahatma Gandhi.
• It was written during the traveling phase of Gandhiji from London to  South Africa.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Dadabhai Naoroji.

Key Points

• Dadabhai Naoroji: 
  • He wrote the book 'Poverty and Un British Rule in India'. Hence, Option 4 is correct.
  • Dadabhai Naoroji was popularly known as the 'Grand Old Man of India'.
  • He is the first Indian to become a member of the British Parliament.
  • He helped found the London Indian Society and East India Association.
  • In 1885, Naoroji became a vice-president of the Bombay Presidency Association.
  • He was Congress president thrice, in 1886, 1893, and 1906.

Additional Information

• Major writings of Dada Bhai Naroji were as follows:
  • Poverty in India
  • The manners and customs of the Parsees
  • Condition of India
  • Admission of educated natives into the ICS
  • The wants and means of India 

The correct answer is Dayanand Saraswati. 

Key Points

• Dayanand Saraswati was born as Mool Shankar Tiwari in 1824 at Morvi (Gujarat).
• He left home at the age of 21 and lived an ascetic life for 25 years.
• He gave the slogan, ‘Go back to the Vedas’ and ‘the Vedas are the source of all knowledge'.
• He was the founder of Arya Samaj.
• He translated the Vedas and wrote three books:
  • Satyartha Prakash in Hindi
  • Veda Bhasya Bhumika, an introduction to his Vedic commentary, and
  • Veda Bhasya, a Vedic commentary in Sanskrit on the Yajurveda and Rig-Veda.

The correct answer is Mahatma Gandhi.

Key Points

• Young India:
  • Young India was a weekly paper or journal in English published by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi from 1919 to 1931. 
  • Gandhi wrote various quotations in this journal that inspired many.
  • He used Young India to spread his unique ideology and thoughts regarding the use of nonviolence in organizing movements and to urge readers to consider, organize, and plan for India's eventual independence from Britain.
  • A Young India copy from 1919. In 1933 Gandhiji started publishing a weekly newspaper, Harijan, in English. Harijan, which means "People of God", and was also Gandhi's term for the untouchable caste - lasted until 1948.
  • During this time Gandhi also published Harijan Bandu in Gujarati, and Harijan Sevak in Hindi.
  • All three papers focused on India's and the world's social and economic problems.

Additional Information

• Writing in the journal Young India in 1931, Gandhiji said, "I cannot possibly bear the idea that a man who has got wealth should have the vote, but that a man who has got character but no wealth or literacy should have no vote, or that a man who works honestly by the sweat of his brow day in and day out should not have the vote for the crime of being a poor man.

The correct answer is MarathiKey Points 

• The Gulamgiri by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule is regarded as one of the earliest tracts opposing the caste system.
• It was written in 1873 in Marathi language
• In 1885, it was published.
• It uses a 16-part essay and four lyrical pieces to criticise the caste system.
• It is written as a conversation between a character named Dhondiba and Jotiba. 

Additional Information 

• Jyotiba Phule (11 April 1827 – 28 November 1890) was a Maharashtra-born Indian social reformer, writer, and anti-caste crusader.
• He and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were forerunners in India when it came to women's education.
• In 1848, Phule established his first girls-only school in Pune in Tatyasaheb Bhide's house, also known as Bhidewada.
• In order to secure equal rights for members of lower castes, he founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) along with his adherents.

The correct answer is Mahatma Gandhi.

• Mahatma Gandhi is considered the father of the nation in India.
  • Mahatma Gandhi went to South Africa for practising law in 1893.
  • He returned to India on 9 January 1915.
  • Gandhi's first major satyagraha was in 1917 with the Champaran agitation in Bihar.
  • 'Hind Swaraj' was written by Mahatma Gandhi in 1909.
  • Mahatma Gandhi founded the Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1932.
  • He was assassinated on 30 January 1948.

Additional Information

• Notable works of Mahatma Gandhi are:
  • The story of my experiments with truth.
  • Hind Swaraj or Indian home rule.
  • From Yeravda Mandir.
  • Satyagraha in South Africa.
  • India of my dreams
• The  English daily newspaper 'The Hitavad' was founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1911 in Nagpur.
• Arctic home of Aryans and Gita Rahasya are the two major works of Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
• Notable works of Jawaharlal Nehru are:
  • The discovery of India.
  • Glimpses of world history.
  • An Autobiography.
  • Letters from a father to his daughter.

The correct answer is A Bunch of Old Letters.

Key Points

• A Bunch of Old Letters was written by Jawaharlal Nehru.
• The Letters In This Volume, Written By Some Of The Leading Figures Of Our Times, Cover The Three Eventful Decades Leading Up To India S Independence In 1947.
• Many Of The Letters Are From Those Most Closely Involved In The Freedom Struggle Among Them, Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Rabindranath Tagore, Sarojini Naidu, Maulana Azad, Vallabhbhai Patel And Jayaprakash Narayan.
• Of Particular Interest Is The Long Correspondence Between Subhas Chandra Bose And Nehru, Which Covers The Crisis During The Tripuri Congress In 1939, And Reflects The Two Leaders Sharply Differing Views On The Mobilization Of National Resistance To British Rule.
• Equally Fascinating Are The Letters From Mahatma Gandhi, Which Reveal His Acute Political Instincts As Well As His Deep Humanity And His Genuine Respect For Dissent.
• The Letters Also Bear Testimony To Jawaharlal Nehru S Extraordinary Gift For Friendship, And The Respect And Admiration He Evoked, Both Personally And For The Cause Of Indian Independence, From World Figures As Diverse As George Bernard Shaw, Romain Rolland, Clare Boothe Luce, Edward Thompson, Chiang Kai-Shek And Bertrand Russell, Among Others. A Bunch Of Old Letters Is Essential Reading For An Understanding Of The History Of National Movement.

Additional Information

The correct answer is Swami Vivekanand.

Important Points:

• Swami Vivekanand was the religious guru who influenced Indian as well as western philosophy through his teachings.
• He was born as Narendranath Datta on 12 January 1863.
• He was the chief disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramhamsa.
• He founded Ramakrishna Matha and started the Ramakrishna Mission.
• He gave his most famous speech at the Parliament of World's religions in Chicago in 1893.
• Swami Vivekanand wrote the book 'Raja Yoga' and the book was published in July 1896.
• The book was his interpretation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. 

The correct answer is Savitribai Phule.

Important Points:

• Savitribai Phule was born on 3 January 1831 at Naigaum (Satara, Maharashtra).
• She was married to Jyotiba Phule at the age of nine.
• Savitribai received early education from her husband and started teaching other women in society.
• After completing her teacher's training, she along with her husband established the first women's school in 1848.
• She worked against gender and caste-based discrimination and was a great advocate of women's education. 
• She became a prolific writer and published two books:

1. Kavya Phule (1854)
2. Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar (1892).

• She also wrote the poem entitled, 'Go, Get Education' to inspire the oppressed section of the Indian population to obtain a basic formal education.

The correct answer is Dadabhai Naoroji.

Key Points

• Dadabhai Naoroji wrote the book 'Poverty and Un British Rule in India'.  
• Dadabhai Naoroji was popularly known as the 'Grand Old Man of India'.
• He is the first Indian to become a member of the British Parliament.
• He helped found the London Indian Society and East India Association.
• In 1885, Naoroji became a vice-president of the Bombay Presidency Association.
• He was Congress president thrice, in 1886, 1893, and 1906.

Additional Information 

• Major writings of Dada Bhai Naoroji were as follows:
  • Poverty in India
  • The manners and customs of the Parsees
  • Condition of India
  • Admission of educated natives into the ICS
  • The wants and means of India 
• An Era of Darkness is a book written by Shashi Tharoor.
• The Light of Asia: The Poem that Defined The Buddha is a book written by Jairam Ramesh.
• The Ancient Wisdom, Man Whence How and Whithera and Man and His Bodies (Dodo Press) are some books written by Annie Besant.