Correct Answer: 2

Explanation: The National Education Commission (1964-1966), popularly known as the Kothari Commission, recommended that English be utilized as a "library language" to access global knowledge.

Key Facts:

• Chaired by: Daulat Singh Kothari.
• Timeline: Formed 14th July 1964; Dissolved 29th June 1966.
• It was the first commission for comprehensive education in India.

Language Strategy:

• Implementation of the Three-language formula.
• English cannot be replaced completely; it is needed for worldwide communication and as a library language.
• Emphasis on regional languages, with Hindi as the primary language where established.

Correct Answer: 2) A, C and D

Explanation: Mulk Raj Anand's famous trilogy, often called the Lalu Trilogy, centers on the protagonist Lal Singh.

The Trilogy consists of:

• The Village (1939): Focuses on Lal Singh's rebellion against social norms in his village.
• Across the Black Waters (1939): Depicts his experiences as a soldier in World War I.
• The Sword and the Sickle (1942): Deals with his return to India and involvement in the independence movement.

Note: Private Life of an Indian Prince (1953) and The Road (1961) are other significant works by Anand but are not part of this trilogy.

Correct Answer: 1 (Kenchamma)

Explanation: In Raja Rao's debut novel Kanthapura (1938), the village is believed to be protected by the local deity Kenchamma.

Key Points:

• Narrator: The story is narrated by Achakka, an elderly woman, in the style of a Sthala Purana (legend of a place).
• Protagonist: Moorthy, a young Brahmin who returns from the city inspired by Gandhian philosophy.
• Plot: The novel depicts the impact of the Indian independence movement on a small South Indian village, highlighting the struggle against caste divisions and British rule.

Correct Answer: 2) D, C, A, B, E

Explanation: The chronological order of publication is as follows:

• (D) The Golden Threshold (1905): A collection of poems by Sarojini Naidu.
• (C) Savitri (1950): Sri Aurobindo’s epic poem (though worked on since 1916, it was published in parts and finalized around 1950).
• (A) Time to Change (1952): The debut poetry collection of Nissim Ezekiel.
• (B) Banaras and Other Poems (2015): By the Jnanpith-winning poet Kedarnath Singh.
• (E) Anthropocene: Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation (2022): A contemporary work by Sudeep Sen.

Correct Answer: 2 (Imtiaz Dharker)

Explanation: Imtiaz Dharker (b. 1954) is a Pakistan-born British poet and artist. Her debut collection, Purdah (1989), explores the themes of identity, gender, and the cultural space women occupy.

Notable Works by Imtiaz Dharker:

• Postcards from God (1997)
• I Speak for the Devil (2001)
• The Terrorist at My Table (2006)

Quick Reference for Other Authors:

• Adil Jussawalla: Known for Land's End and Missing Person.
• Agha Shahid Ali: Famous for The Country Without a Post Office.
• Sujata Bhatt: Known for her collection Brunizem.

Correct Answer: 3) C, A, D, B, E

Explanation: The chronological order based on their birth years is as follows:

• (C) Nissim Ezekiel (1924): Often considered the father of post-independence Indian English poetry, he also wrote plays like The Sleepwalkers.
• (A) Asif Currimbhoy (1928): A prolific playwright known for Inquilab and The Goa.
• (D) Gieve Patel (1940): A poet, painter, and playwright known for the play Princes.
• (B) Gurcharan Das (1943): Known for his play Larins Sahib and his later works on Indian economy/philosophy.
• (E) Cyrus Mistry (1956): A Parsi playwright and novelist, famous for Doongaji House.

Correct Answer: 4

Correct Matches:

• Humayun Kabir → Men and Rivers
• Bhabani Bhattacharya → A Goddess Named Gold
• Manohar Malgonkar → Combat of Shadows
• Kamala Markandaya → Possession

Quick Notes:

• Humayun Kabir: Notable educationist; Men and Rivers is his most famous English novel.
• Bhabani Bhattacharya: A social realist; A Goddess Named Gold is a satire on the lure of wealth in a newly independent India.
• Manohar Malgonkar: Often wrote about the army and tea plantations; Combat of Shadows is set in the tea gardens of Assam.
• Kamala Markandaya: Possession explores the relationship between an Indian artist and a British aristocrat.

Correct Answer: 4) B and E

Explanation: A.K. Ramanujan (1929–1993) was a multi-faceted scholar. He was a renowned translator (famous for Speaking of Śiva and Hymns for the Drowning) and a teacher/professor at the University of Chicago, where he shaped South Asian studies.

Key Roles:

• Linguist & Philologist: Expert in English, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Sanskrit.
• Folklorist: Known for his work Folktales from India.
• Poet: Awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award posthumously in 1999.

Correct Answer: 4) B, C and E

Explanation: In 1969, Nissim Ezekiel published Three Plays through the Writers Workshop, which included:

• Nalini: A comedy in three acts.
• Marriage-Poem: A one-act tragicomedy.
• The Sleepwalkers: An Indo-Anglian farce.

Note: Savaksa and Mister Behram are plays written by Gieve Patel, not Ezekiel.

Correct Answer: 3

Correct Matches:

• The Feast of Youth → Harindranath Chattopadhyay
• Hunger → Jayanta Mahapatra
• Writers' Workshop → P. Lal
• Touch → Meena Kandasamy

Detailed Explanation:

• Harindranath Chattopadhyay: Brother of Sarojini Naidu; his debut collection The Feast of Youth (1918) was highly acclaimed.
• Jayanta Mahapatra: "Hunger" is one of his most famous poems, dealing with poverty and social realism. He was the first Indian poet to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for English poetry.
• P. Lal: Founded the Writers Workshop in 1958 in Calcutta, which became a pivotal platform for Indian English poets.
• Meena Kandasamy: An activist-poet; Touch (2006) is her first collection of poetry focusing on caste and gender issues.

Correct Answer: 3) E, D, C, A, B

Explanation: The correct chronological order of publication is:

• (E) To Whom She Will (1955): Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's social comedy set in post-independence Delhi.
• (D) A Bend in the Ganges (1964): Manohar Malgonkar's epic novel covering the era from the 1930s to the Partition.
• (C) Shadow from Ladakh (1966): Bhabani Bhattacharya's Sahitya Akademi-winning novel set against the 1962 Sino-Indian War.
• (A) Two Virgins (1973): Kamala Markandaya's exploration of modernism and tradition in a rural setting.
• (B) The Painter of Signs (1976): R.K. Narayan's story of Raman the sign painter and Daisy the family planning advocate.

Correct Answer: 2) A, C and E

Explanation: Bhasa is one of the earliest known Sanskrit playwrights. His plays were rediscovered in 1912.

• Charudatta (A): The basis for Shudraka's later famous work, Mrichchhakatika.
• Urubhanga (C): A unique Sanskrit tragedy based on the Mahabharata, focusing on Duryodhana's broken thigh.
• Karnabharam (E): A one-act play depicting Karna’s mental state before the final battle.

Note: Ratnavali was written by King Harshavardhana, and Malavikagnimitram was the debut play of Kalidasa.