Who is the author of the political memoir "The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh"?

Introduction / Context:
"The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh" is a political memoir that attracted wide media attention in India. It is frequently used in general knowledge exams to test awareness of contemporary political books and their authors. The objective of this question is to identify Sanjaya Baru as the writer, distinguishing him from other well known Indian political figures named in the options.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The title is a detailed political memoir about former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
• The options list prominent Indian politicians and policy makers.
• The author served closely with Manmohan Singh, giving insider information in the book.
• We assume only one of the listed names actually wrote this memoir.

Concept / Approach:
The concept tested is the ability to connect a widely discussed political book with its author. Sanjaya Baru was the media advisor and spokesperson to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. His memoir gives an insider account of the Prime Minister's office. While other options are also key political personalities, they did not author this particular book. The correct approach is to recall who among them worked as Singh's media advisor and later wrote a memoir based on that experience.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the book is about the making and unmaking of Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister. Step 2: Remember that Sanjaya Baru served as media advisor to Manmohan Singh during his tenure in office. Step 3: Recognise that after leaving the post, Baru wrote a controversial memoir titled "The Accidental Prime Minister". Step 4: Examine the other options. P. Chidambaram is a senior leader and former finance minister, not the author of this account. Step 5: Montek Singh Ahluwalia is an economist and former deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, not the writer of this memoir. Step 6: Manmohan Singh is the subject of the book, not its author. Step 7: Pranab Mukherjee wrote his own memoirs, but their titles are different and focus on his political journey. Step 8: Therefore, the only correct author is Sanjaya Baru.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Various news reports and book reviews clearly identify Sanjaya Baru as the author of "The Accidental Prime Minister". Exam guides also list the pairing "The Accidental Prime Minister – Sanjaya Baru" as a standard fact. None of the other political figures listed are ever mentioned as authors of this particular book, so cross checking media coverage and preparation material confirms the correctness of this answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
P. Chidambaram has authored articles and books on economics and law, but not this memoir about Manmohan Singh. Montek Singh Ahluwalia has written policy related works and given interviews, but he did not write "The Accidental Prime Minister". Manmohan Singh is the central figure described in the book, not the person who wrote it. Pranab Mukherjee has his own multi volume memoirs, but their titles and focus are distinct.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates mistakenly assume that any senior political leader mentioned in the options must be the author, especially if they know that leader wrote some books. Others may think Manmohan Singh himself wrote the memoir because his name appears in the subtitle. The key is to recall that this is an insider account written by his media advisor, Sanjaya Baru, rather than an autobiography of the former Prime Minister.

Final Answer:
The memoir "The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh" was written by Sanjaya Baru.