UPSC Prelims 2006 Q39: Art & Culture – Literature & Languages
Which of the following is not correctly matched?
Prominent Indian Writer : Language
- (a) Raja Rao : Telugu
- (b) Gobind Trimbuk Deshpande : Marathi
- (c) Subramaniyam Bharati : Tamil
- (d) Tara Shankar Joshi : Gujarati
Answer: (a) Raja Rao : Telugu
Explanation
Prominent Indian writers and their languages
| Writer | Language | Matched correctly? |
|---|---|---|
| Raja Rao | English (author of *Kanthapura*) | No: Telugu is wrong |
| Gobind Trimbuk Deshpande | Marathi | Yes |
| Subramaniyam Bharati | Tamil | Yes |
| Tara Shankar Joshi | Gujarati | Accepted as correct in the key |
The only pair that is not correctly matched is Raja Rao : Telugu, since Raja Rao wrote in English.
Answer: (a) Raja Rao : Telugu.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Raja Rao wrote in English, not Telugu, so this pair is wrongly matched.
- (b) Incorrect. Gobind Trimbuk Deshpande is accepted as a Marathi writer.
- (c) Incorrect. Subramaniyam Bharati wrote in Tamil, so this pair is correct.
- (d) Incorrect. This pair is accepted as correctly matched in the published key.
Key point
Raja Rao wrote in English, not Telugu, so the Raja Rao-Telugu pairing is the incorrect one.
Remember
Raja Rao wrote in English.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a South Indian name implies Telugu.
- Not recalling that Kanthapura and *The Serpent and the Rope* are in English.
- Confusing Subramania Bharati with writers of other languages.
Exam tip
Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand and R. K. Narayan: Indian writers in English.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Raja Rao
- Sahitya Akademi — Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature