The non fiction work Maximum City Bombay Lost and Found, which explores the life of Mumbai through reportage and personal stories, is written by which author?

Introduction / Context:
Urban studies and Indian English writing often intersect in books that portray large cities in depth. Maximum City Bombay Lost and Found is a highly regarded non fiction account that examines Mumbai through crime, politics, film, migration and personal observation. This question tests awareness of the author of this influential work and helps strengthen knowledge of contemporary Indian English non fiction.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The book title given is Maximum City Bombay Lost and Found.
• The work is an exploration of Mumbai city life.
• Four options list modern Indian or Indian origin writers.
• We assume standard bibliographic information about the book.

Concept / Approach:
The concept here is again mapping a title to its correct author in the field of literary non fiction. Suketu Mehta is known for his vivid narrative about Mumbai in Maximum City. Other authors listed have their own famous books but not this one. The correct approach is to recall which writer is particularly associated with a deep, journalistic and personal portrait of Mumbai.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Maximum City Bombay Lost and Found is a major book about Mumbai city. Step 2: Recall that Suketu Mehta, an Indian origin writer and journalist, authored this work based on his experiences and research in Mumbai. Step 3: Vikram Seth is primarily a novelist and poet known for A Suitable Boy and related works. Step 4: Upamanyu Chatterjee is the author of novels like English August and does not match this non fiction title. Step 5: Arundhati Roy is known for The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, not for Maximum City. Step 6: Therefore, the correct author is Suketu Mehta.

Verification / Alternative check:
Checking any library record or book seller listing for Maximum City Bombay Lost and Found clearly identifies Suketu Mehta as the author. The book has been widely reviewed in newspapers and magazines where his name appears prominently. It has also been cited in many discussions about Mumbai, further confirming the attribution.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Vikram Seth: Famous for fiction and poetry, not for this non fiction account of Mumbai.
Upamanyu Chatterjee: Known for satirical novels, but not for a detailed non fiction city study like Maximum City.
Arundhati Roy: A major writer and activist, yet her principal works are different titles and do not include this one.

Common Pitfalls:
Because several modern Indian writers have written on cities, students may mix up authors based on partial memory. Another error is to associate Mumbai writing automatically with film related authors. To avoid confusion, note that Maximum City is specifically tied to Suketu Mehta, who blends reportage and personal narrative in this work.

Final Answer:
Maximum City Bombay Lost and Found is written by Suketu Mehta.