Award-Winning Books
Delhi Police Exams - GK Section
Introduction to Award-Winning Books
Books that win top literary awards become milestones in India's cultural history. These awards and their winners are frequently tested in Delhi Police, SSC, UPSC exams. Make sure you know the author, award and theme for every major book on this list.
Memory Trick: B–S–J = Booker, Sahitya, Jnanpith. (Books Shine Joyfully!)
Booker Prize Winners (International)
The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy
- Award: Booker Prize (1997)
- Author: Arundhati Roy
- Theme: Caste & forbidden love in Kerala
- Significance: First Indian woman to win Booker
Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
- Award: Booker Prize (1981)
- Author: Salman Rushdie
- Theme: India’s journey after independence
- Achievement: Booker of Bookers (1993), Best of Booker (2008)
Sahitya Akademi Award Winners (National)
Pather Panchali – Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
- Award: Sahitya Akademi Award (Bengali)
- Author: Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
- Language: Bengali
- Theme: Poverty, innocence, human spirit
- Significance: Film adaptation by Satyajit Ray
Mrityunjay – Shivaji Sawant
- Award: Sahitya Akademi Award (Marathi)
- Author: Shivaji Sawant
- Language: Marathi
- Theme: Karna’s story from Mahabharata
- Meaning: “Conqueror of Death”
Jnanpith Award Winners (Supreme Indian Literary Honour)
Qurratulain Hyder – Aag Ka Dariya
- Award: Jnanpith Award (1989)
- Author: Qurratulain Hyder
- Language: Urdu
- Theme: Partition & Indian civilization
- Significance: “River of Fire”
Amitav Ghosh – Jnanpith Award 2018
- Award: Jnanpith Award (2018)
- Author: Amitav Ghosh
- Language: English
- Theme: Colonialism, environment, migration
- Significance: First English-language writer to win Jnanpith
Summary Table – Award-Winning Books
| Award Type | Book Title | Author | Language / Year | Key Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booker Prize | The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy | English / 1997 | Caste & love in Kerala |
| Booker Prize | Midnight’s Children | Salman Rushdie | English / 1981 | India’s Independence & magic realism |
| Sahitya Akademi | Pather Panchali | Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay | Bengali | Poverty & humanity |
| Sahitya Akademi | Mrityunjay | Shivaji Sawant | Marathi | Life of Karna |
| Jnanpith | Aag Ka Dariya | Qurratulain Hyder | Urdu | Partition & culture |
| Jnanpith (2018) | — | Amitav Ghosh | English | Colonial & environmental themes |
PYQs (Delhi Police, SSC & State Exams)
Who wrote The God of Small Things?
A) Anita Desai B) Arundhati Roy C) Jhumpa Lahiri D) Kiran Desai
Show Answer
B) Arundhati Roy
Who received the Booker Prize in 1981 for Midnight’s Children?
A) Salman Rushdie B) Arundhati Roy C) Vikram Seth D) Amitav Ghosh
Show Answer
A) Salman Rushdie
Pather Panchali was written by —
A) Satyajit Ray B) Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay C) Rabindranath Tagore D) Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Show Answer
B) Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
The novel Mrityunjay is based on which Mahabharata character?
A) Arjuna B) Bhima C) Karna D) Krishna
Show Answer
C) Karna
The Jnanpith Award 2018 was conferred upon —
A) Arundhati Roy B) Amitav Ghosh C) Vikram Seth D) Ruskin Bond
Show Answer
B) Amitav Ghosh
Aag Ka Dariya was written by —
A) Qurratulain Hyder B) Amrita Pritam C) Ismat Chughtai D) Saadat Hasan Manto
Show Answer
A) Qurratulain Hyder
The Sahitya Akademi Award is given for —
A) Cinema Excellence B) Literary Contribution in Indian Languages C) Political Service D) Teaching Innovation
Show Answer
B) Literary Contribution in Indian Languages
The God of Small Things is set in which Indian state?
A) Tamil Nadu B) Kerala C) West Bengal D) Odisha
Show Answer
B) Kerala
The novel Mrityunjay is written in which Indian language?
A) Hindi B) Bengali C) Marathi D) Urdu
Show Answer
C) Marathi
Aag Ka Dariya means —
A) River of Light B) River of Fire C) Ocean of Life D) Fire of Soul
Show Answer
B) River of Fire
Quick Revision – Awards at a Glance
| Award | Given By | Scope | Famous Indian Winners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booker Prize | UK-based | International | Arundhati Roy, Salman Rushdie, Kiran Desai, Aravind Adiga |
| Sahitya Akademi Award | Govt. of India | National | Premchand, Shivaji Sawant, Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay |
| Jnanpith Award | Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust | Supreme Indian Literary | Qurratulain Hyder, Amitav Ghosh, Mahasweta Devi |
Final Concept Recap
- Booker Prize – International honour for English novels (Roy, Rushdie)
- Sahitya Akademi Award – National literary excellence (Bandyopadhyay, Sawant)
- Jnanpith Award – Supreme Indian literary recognition (Hyder, Ghosh)
Roy and Rushdie ruled the world, Sawant and Hyder ruled India’s words!
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