With reference to Indian political and autobiographical writing, which of the following statements about "The Great Indian Novel", "A Foreign Policy For India" and "Wings of Fire" are correct?

Introduction / Context:
This question combines three important books related to Indian politics and autobiography and asks which statements about their authors are correct. Candidates must know that "The Great Indian Novel" is by Shashi Tharoor, "A Foreign Policy For India" is by I.K. Gujral, and "Wings of Fire" is the autobiography of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The statements given intentionally mix one incorrect attribution with two correct ones, so careful evaluation of each is required.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Statement 1: The author of "The Great Indian Novel" is A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
• Statement 2: The author of "A Foreign Policy For India" is I.K Gujral.
• Statement 3: "Wings of Fire" is an autobiography of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
• The question asks which statements are correct.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is again statement based validation. Each statement is checked against known facts. "The Great Indian Novel" is a satirical political novel by Shashi Tharoor, not by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, so statement 1 is false. "A Foreign Policy For India" is correctly attributed to I.K. Gujral, making statement 2 true. "Wings of Fire" is the celebrated autobiography of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, making statement 3 true. Therefore, the correct answer must list statements 2 and 3 as correct and exclude statement 1.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Evaluate statement 1. "The Great Indian Novel" recasts the Mahabharata as a political satire and is well known as the work of Shashi Tharoor. Attributing it to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is therefore incorrect. Step 2: Evaluate statement 2. I.K. Gujral, a former Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister, did write "A Foreign Policy For India", outlining his views on diplomacy and India's external relations. So statement 2 is correct. Step 3: Evaluate statement 3. "Wings of Fire" is a widely read autobiography of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, covering his life from childhood to his role in India's missile and space programs. This statement is correct. Step 4: Collect the correct statements: 2 and 3 are correct; 1 is incorrect. Step 5: Compare with the options: A = 1 and 2; B = 2 and 3; C = 1 and 3; D = 1, 2 and 3. Step 6: Option B lists "2 and 3", matching our analysis, so option B is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
For verification, recall the authors' names as they appear on book covers or in exam guides. "The Great Indian Novel" always appears under Shashi Tharoor's name, not Kalam's, confirming that statement 1 is wrong. "A Foreign Policy For India" is associated with I.K. Gujral, reflecting his diplomatic experience, supporting statement 2. "Wings of Fire" is always introduced as the autobiography of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, frequently cited in motivational contexts, confirming statement 3. These consistent associations across multiple sources validate the conclusion that only statements 2 and 3 are correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A claims statements 1 and 2 are correct, but statement 1 incorrectly attributes "The Great Indian Novel" to Kalam, so option A is wrong. Option C claims statements 1 and 3 are correct, but statement 1 is false, making option C invalid. Option D claims all three statements are correct, which again includes the false statement 1 and is therefore incorrect. Only option B, which identifies statements 2 and 3 as correct while excluding 1, aligns with the factual situation.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to assume that any book with "India" in the title might be by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and to accept statement 1 without thinking about Shashi Tharoor's authorship. Another trap is to mix up political leaders and attribute foreign policy books to any senior figure such as L.K. Advani or others, rather than specifically to I.K. Gujral. To avoid such mistakes, candidates should remember one or two signature titles for each major figure: "The Great Indian Novel" for Shashi Tharoor, "A Foreign Policy For India" for I.K. Gujral, "India 2020" and "Wings of Fire" for A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This simple mapping helps keep authorship clear.

Final Answer:
2 and 3