Who is the author of the contemporary Indian English novel "The Hungry Tide"?

Introduction / Context:
"The Hungry Tide" is a well known contemporary Indian English novel that is frequently mentioned in questions on modern literature and important Indian authors. This question checks whether you can correctly recall which writer created this particular work. Such questions are important because they test awareness of not only classical writers but also post independence authors who write about current social and environmental themes in India.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The book title given is "The Hungry Tide". • Four Indian authors are listed in the options. • The task is to choose the author who actually wrote this novel. • No knowledge of the full storyline is required, only the correct author name.

Concept / Approach:
Books and authors questions work mostly on recognition and recall. "The Hungry Tide" is a novel set in the Sundarbans region and deals with issues like ecology, displacement, and human relationships. These themes are closely linked to the work of Amitav Ghosh, who is famous for writing about history, migration, and the environment. The approach is to connect the title with the broader writing style and subjects of the authors in the options, and then pick the one whose work clearly matches "The Hungry Tide".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the title "The Hungry Tide" refers to a serious literary novel rather than light romance or simple youth fiction. Step 2: Recall that Amitav Ghosh is a major Indian English novelist known for books like "The Shadow Lines", "The Glass Palace", and "The Hungry Tide". Step 3: Compare the writing profile of the other authors, who are more associated with popular or different types of writing. Step 4: Recognise that among the given options, Amitav Ghosh is the only author connected with a novel about the Sundarbans and riverine ecology. Step 5: Select the option that names Amitav Ghosh as the author.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can remember that "The Hungry Tide" appears in lists of Amitav Ghosh novels along with works like "Sea of Poppies" and "River of Smoke". It is also often mentioned in environmental literature discussions relating to the Sundarbans. If you search memory for books by the other authors, you will recall that Ravinder Singh and Mitali Meelan mainly write contemporary romance or youth oriented fiction, while Sudha Murty writes simple and inspiring stories and non fiction, not this specific novel. This cross check supports that Amitav Ghosh is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mitali Meelan is known for young adult and contemporary fiction, and has not written "The Hungry Tide". Ravinder Singh is famous for popular romance novels like "I Too Had a Love Story", not for this literary environmental novel. Sudha Murty writes widely read story collections and non fiction but is not the author of "The Hungry Tide".

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to randomly guess any Indian author when you cannot immediately recall the correct name. Another pitfall is confusing different contemporary authors because many names are promoted together in bookshops. To avoid these issues, it helps to remember a short list of big names and their most famous books, for example, pairing Amitav Ghosh with "The Hungry Tide" and "The Glass Palace". Writing a small chart or flashcards for books and authors can significantly improve accuracy in this area of general knowledge.

Final Answer:
The contemporary Indian English novel "The Hungry Tide" was written by Amitav Ghosh, so the correct option is the one naming Amitav Ghosh as the author.