Which of the following books was written by Mahatma Gandhi as his autobiography?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: My Experiments with Truth

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:

This question tests knowledge of autobiographical writings by major Indian leaders. Mahatma Gandhi wrote a famous autobiography that describes his life, experiments with truth, and the development of his philosophy of non violence. Identifying this book correctly is essential in history and general awareness sections of competitive exams.



Given Data / Assumptions:

    • Four books are provided, each linked to important figures or events.

    • Only one of them is Gandhi's autobiography.

    • The question expects you to distinguish between autobiographies, biographies, and historical narratives.

    • We assume standard attributions used in school and college level history texts.



Concept / Approach:

The core method is to map each title to its correct author and genre. Gandhi's autobiography is widely known under the title "An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth", often shortened to "My Experiments with Truth". The other books listed are associated with different leaders or are written by other authors about the freedom movement.



Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Recall that Gandhi wrote an autobiography focusing on his moral and spiritual experiments. Step 2: Remember the title phrase "My Experiments with Truth", which is directly associated with Gandhi. Step 3: Note that "The Discovery of India" is an extensive historical and cultural work by Jawaharlal Nehru. Step 4: Recognise that "India Wins Freedom" is the autobiography of Abul Kalam Azad. Step 5: Understand that "Freedom at Midnight" is a historical narrative by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, not Gandhi's own writing, confirming "My Experiments with Truth" as correct.


Verification / Alternative check:

To verify, you can refer to standard history and political science textbooks, which clearly list "My Experiments with Truth" as Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography. Bibliographies of Nehru and Azad show their respective works, while "Freedom at Midnight" appears under the names of foreign authors. This cross checking confirms that only one option correctly matches Gandhi's autobiography.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

"The Discovery of India" is authored by Jawaharlal Nehru and focuses on the history and culture of India.

"India Wins Freedom" covers the life and reflections of Abul Kalam Azad, not Gandhi.

"Freedom at Midnight" is a narrative about the final year of British rule in India, written by foreign journalists, not an autobiography by Gandhi.



Common Pitfalls:

Students sometimes confuse titles because all these works relate to the freedom movement. Another pitfall is to think that any book about India's independence might be Gandhi's autobiography. Careful association of each book with its correct author and genre is the best way to avoid such mistakes.



Final Answer:

Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography is "My Experiments with Truth".


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