R K Narayan Quiz

#1. In which year was Narayan nominated to the Rajya Sabha for his contributions to literature?

1965

1971

1980

1992

During his entire six-year term in the Rajya Sabha, Narayan was focused on one issue—the plight of school children, especially the heavy load of school books and the negative effect of the system on a child’s creativity, which was something that he first highlighted in his debut novel, Swami and Friends. His inaugural speech was focused on this particular problem, and resulted in the formation of a committee chaired by Prof. Yash Pal, to recommend changes to the school educational system. [Wikipedia]

#2. What was the name of the publishing company started by R K Narayan?

Pustak Mahal

Indian Thought Publications

Westland Publications

Rupa Publications

During the Second World War, being cut off from England, Narayan started his own publishing company, naming it Indian Thought Publications; the publishing company was a success and is still active, now managed by his granddaughter. [Wikipedia]

#3. R K Narayan was born on

11 October 1910

12 November 1892

14 July 1905

10 October 1906

#4. Upon which famous English author's recommendation was R K Narayan's first book published?

Mulk Raj Anand

Graham Greene

Thomas Hardy

Rudyard Kipling

Narayan had sent the manuscript of Swami and Friends to a friend at Oxford, and about this time, the friend showed the manuscript to Graham Greene. Greene recommended the book to his publisher, and it was finally published in 1935. [Wikipedia]

#5. In which of Narayan's books does a tiger recount his story of capture by a circus owner?

A Tiger for Malgudi

Gods, Demons and Others

A Horse and Two Goats

The Man-Eater of Malgudi

#6. Upon what autobiographical event is Narayan's "The English Teacher" based?

His days as a college student

The unsuccessful launching of his journal "Indian Thought"

The death of his wife Rajam

His childhood days with his grandmother

#7. Narayan's first book to get published was

Swami and Friends

The Guide

The English Teacher

The Bachelor of Arts

#8. Which famous English author came to India to meet R K Narayan, but could not do so as not enough people had heard of him?

W Somerset Maugham

P G Wodehouse

Viriginia Woolf

Graham Greene

Somerset Maugham, on a trip to Mysore in 1938, had asked to meet Narayan, but not enough people had heard of him to actually effect the meeting. [Wikipedia]

#9. R K Laxman, R K Narayan's brother, was a famous

cartoonist

scientist

editor at Gemini Studios

movie director

#10. In which year did he receive the Padma Bhushan?

1975

1950

1964

1990

#11. Where is Malgudi actually located?

Kerala

Tamil Nadu

Karnataka

It is a fictional town

#12. In R K Narayan's name, what do the initials R K stand for?

Rampada Krishnamachari

Ramapuram Krishnaswami

Rasipuram Krishnaswami

Ramachandra Krishnamachari

#13. This critically acclaimed novel of R K Narayan was adapted into a Hindi film that won seven Filmfare awards. Name the top-selling book.

Mr Sampath

Waiting for the Mahatma

The man-Eater of Malgudi

The Guide

#14. One of the following books is not written by R K Narayan. Which one?

Talkative Man

The Painter of Signs

The Financial Expert

The Room on the Roof

#15. The novel "The Man-Eater of Malgudi" is about

a taxidermist

a tiger

a temple elephant

a dancer

The Man-eater of Malgudi, revolves around a taxidermist called Vasu who is incredibly egotistical, caring only for himself and ignoring the needs of others. He also believes that he can do whatever he wants.