SSC
'Aatish-e-Chinar' (Flames of the Chinar) is the autobiography of:
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Answer: Option C — Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah
Detailed Solution
"Aatish-e-Chinar" ("Flames of the Chinar") is the autobiography of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the most prominent political leader of Jammu and Kashmir in the 20th century. It was written in Urdu and published after his death in the 1980s. An abridged English translation, "Flames of the Chinar", was prepared by Khushwant Singh (1993).
About the book:
It describes his childhood in Soura near Srinagar, his education at Aligarh Muslim University, his struggle against the autocratic rule of the Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh, and his role in the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India.
It also covers his long imprisonment by the Government of India (1953-1964 and later) and his return to power in 1975.
The chinar tree, whose leaves turn a fiery red in autumn, is a symbol of Kashmir.
About Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (1905-1982):
- He was known as "Sher-e-Kashmir" (Lion of Kashmir).
- In 1932, he founded the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, which was renamed the National Conference in 1939 to include people of all religions.
- In 1946, he launched the "Quit Kashmir" movement against Maharaja Hari Singh.
- After the accession of the state to India in October 1947, he became head of the emergency administration and then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1948-1953).
- His party's "Naya Kashmir" manifesto included land reforms ("land to the tiller").
- He was dismissed and arrested in 1953.
- After the Indira-Sheikh Accord of 1975, he became Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and held the post until his death in 1982.
- His son, Farooq Abdullah, and grandson, Omar Abdullah, have also been Chief Ministers of the state (and Union Territory).
Other leaders of Jammu and Kashmir:
- Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad: Prime Minister of J&K (1953-1963).
- Mufti Mohammad Sayeed: founder of the PDP; first Muslim Union Home Minister (1989).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Farooq Abdullah is Sheikh Abdullah's son.
- ✗Mufti Mohammad Sayeed founded the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
- ✗Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad succeeded Sheikh Abdullah in 1953.
Quick tip
Remember: "Aatish-e-Chinar" = Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah ("Sher-e-Kashmir"; founded the Muslim Conference 1932, renamed National Conference 1939; "Naya Kashmir"; CM 1975-82).
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Books & Authors — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Books & Authors, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers famous books and their authors, including ancient Indian texts, works of the freedom struggle, classic and modern literature, autobiographies of famous people, and recently published books by well-known personalities. Questions usually name a book and ask for its author, or the other way round. Ancient and historical books, such as Arthashastra (Kautilya), Indica (Megasthenes) and Gitanjali (Rabindranath Tagore), are tested most often. Autobiographies are another favourite, so learn titles such as 'My Experiments with Truth' (Mahatma Gandhi) and 'Wings of Fire' (A. P. J. Abdul Kalam). Practise the books and authors questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.