Question

Which among the following autobiographies by Indian women is the earliest?

• A. Ramabai Ranade: Our Life Together
• B. Rasasundari Devi : My Life
• C. Urmila Pawar: The Weave of My Life
• D. Lakshmibai Tilak: The Memoirs of a Spirited Wife

Hint:

Remembering literary "firsts" is crucial for competitive exams. Rasasundari Devi's Amar Jiban (1876) is a landmark text in Indian literature, being the first autobiography by an Indian woman. Associate this title with its historical significance.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks to identify the first autobiography published among the given options, all of which were written by Indian women.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's look at the publication dates of these autobiographies:
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Rasasundari Devi: My Life (Amar Jiban): Originally written in Bengali, the first part of this groundbreaking work was published in 1876. It is widely considered to be the first autobiography written by an Indian woman. } \\ \bullet & \text{Ramabai Ranade: Our Life Together (Amachya Ayushyatil Kahi Athavani): This Marathi autobiography was published in 1910. } \\ \bullet & \text{Lakshmibai Tilak: The Memoirs of a Spirited Wife (Smruti Chitre): This Marathi work was published in parts between 1934 and 1937. } \\ \bullet & \text{Urmila Pawar: The Weave of My Life (Aaydan): This is a contemporary Dalit autobiography, published in Marathi in 2003. } \\ \end{array}\] Comparing the publication dates, Rasasundari Devi's My Life (1876) is the earliest.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct answer is option (B).