Who is the author of the book titled Citizen and Society, which reflects on public life and constitutional values in India?

Introduction / Context:
Many Indian political leaders and public figures write books that explore democracy, citizenship and constitutional values. Citizen and Society is one such work. Knowing who wrote it is useful for aspirants preparing for exams that cover Indian polity, governance and contemporary books and authors, since such titles are frequently used in objective questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The book title is Citizen and Society.
• The book relates to themes of citizenship and social responsibility.
• Four options list prominent Indian personalities.
• We assume standard information about political memoirs and essays in India.

Concept / Approach:
The concept tested is authorship recognition within political and social commentary. Citizen and Society is a collection of lectures and writings by Hamid Ansari, former Vice President of India. The other options correspond to figures known for different contributions and books. The correct approach is to link each option to the books they are most famously associated with and then match Citizen and Society to Hamid Ansari.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the title Citizen and Society suggests reflections on public life by a senior political figure. Step 2: Recall that Hamid Ansari, the former Vice President of India, authored or compiled Citizen and Society based on his speeches and addresses. Step 3: Pranab Mukherjee wrote several books including The Dramatic Decade and The Turbulent Years, but not Citizen and Society. Step 4: Nandan Nilekani is known for books like Imagining India linked to technology and policy. Step 5: Satyajit Ray was a legendary film maker and writer of fiction and essays, not the author of this particular political work. Step 6: Therefore, the correct author is Hamid Ansari.

Verification / Alternative check:
Checking official government press releases and publisher catalogues shows that Citizen and Society is authored by Hamid Ansari. The book is often mentioned in connection with his tenure as Vice President, and reviews describe it as a compilation of his speeches and reflections. These references confirm the match without ambiguity.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Pranab Mukherjee: Authored different memoir style works on politics and governance, but not this one.
Nandan Nilekani: Known more for technology and policy analysis than for this constitutional reflection volume.
Satyajit Ray: A creative artist and writer in cinema and fiction, unrelated to Citizen and Society.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is confusing Citizen and Society with other books having similar themes of democracy or governance and misattributing it to Pranab Mukherjee. Candidates should prepare a short list of political leaders and at least one key title written by each, so that they can quickly recall which name pairs with which book during the exam.

Final Answer:
The book Citizen and Society is written by Hamid Ansari.