Question

Consider the following statements about the book 'Being Indian' by Pavan K. Varma:

1) The book won the Vodafone Crossword Book Award for exploring Indian identity and culture.

2) It received the Sahitya Akademi Award for its contributions to Indian English poetry.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

• A. Only statement 1 is correct
• B. Only statement 2 is correct
• C. Both statements 1 and 2 are correct
• D. Neither statement 1 nor 2 is correct

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Only statement 1 is correct

• Book Details: 'Being Indian: The Truth About Why the 21st Century Will Be India's' is a non-fiction book written by Pavan K. Varma, a former diplomat (IFS officer), politician, and author.
• Awards & Recognition: The book won the Vodafone Crossword Book Award for its perceptive analysis of Indian identity, culture, and society.
• Genre & Nature: It is a work of non-fiction focusing on cultural history and contemporary Indian psychology, not poetry. Therefore, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Sahitya Akademi Award: The book did not receive the Sahitya Akademi Award, which is conferred annually by the Sahitya Akademi for outstanding literary merit in recognized Indian languages.
• Other Works by Pavan K. Varma: He has authored notable books such as The Great Indian Middle Class, Becoming Indian, Krishna: The Playful Divine, and Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduism's Greatest Thinker.