In Indian English literature, who is the author of the acclaimed novel "The Hungry Tide"?

Introduction / Context:
This question checks your awareness of serious Indian English fiction. "The Hungry Tide" is a widely respected novel that explores ecology, human life and social issues in the Sundarbans region. It is considered part of modern literary fiction rather than light popular reading, so remembering its author is important for competitive exams that test deeper reading culture.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The title "The Hungry Tide" is given.
• Possible authors listed are Amitav Ghosh, Mitali Meelan, Ravinder Singh and Sudha Murty.
• Exactly one of these authors wrote the novel.

Concept / Approach:
Amitav Ghosh is a well known Indian novelist whose works often focus on history, migration and the environment, such as "The Shadow Lines" and the Ibis trilogy. "The Hungry Tide" is one of his key novels set in the Sundarbans. Mitali Meelan and Ravinder Singh write mainly young adult and romance fiction, while Sudha Murty is known for simple, moral stories and non fiction. Understanding an author's usual themes and style helps to match them with the correct title.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that "The Hungry Tide" deals with the lives of people and wildlife in the tidal lands of the Sundarbans, mixing environmental and human concerns. Step 2: Amitav Ghosh is famous for novels that blend detailed research with storytelling, and "The Hungry Tide" is one of his well known works. Step 3: Mitali Meelan is a more recent author and is not associated with this widely studied novel. Step 4: Ravinder Singh writes romantic fiction and has not written "The Hungry Tide". Step 5: Sudha Murty's works are usually simple narratives and inspirational stories; she is not the author of this particular novel. Step 6: Hence the only correct answer is Amitav Ghosh.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick search in any library catalogue or publisher site shows "The Hungry Tide" under Amitav Ghosh's name. Academic articles and book reviews also consistently credit him as the author. You will not find credible references linking this title to the other names given in the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Mitali Meelan is wrong because her bibliography does not include "The Hungry Tide".
• Ravinder Singh is wrong because his focus is romance, not environmental literary fiction.
• Sudha Murty is wrong because while she is a prominent author, she has written other kinds of stories and not this novel.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to pick a familiar name without remembering specific titles. Another pitfall is confusing serious literary fiction with light popular fiction. Linking "The Hungry Tide" with Amitav Ghosh in your memory, especially along with its Sundarbans setting, will help in many similar questions.

Final Answer:
The novel "The Hungry Tide" is written by Amitav Ghosh.