Though not appreciated in the author’s own lifetime, Vikram Sampath’s “Echoes…

Concept: In sentence-completion / vocabulary-in-context items, first find the contrast or support clue in the sentence (a signal word like “though”, “despite”, “however”, or a clause that restates the missing word’s meaning), then match the blank with the option whose dictionary meaning fits that clue most precisely, not just any word that sounds plausible.

Application: The signal word “Though” sets up a contrast between “not appreciated in the author’s own lifetime” and “has come to be recognized as a ______ work” — so the blank must carry a positive, esteem-laden meaning, not a neutral or negative one. The clause that follows, “this is a two-part biography about a legendary Indian revolutionary leader”, adds that the work is a substantial treatment of an important historical figure, reinforcing why it eventually earned that esteem. Among the options, only “seminal” (meaning highly influential or foundational) carries this positive-esteem sense; the others are all neutral-to-negative.

Cross-check: Reading the completed sentence back confirms the fit: the work moves from unappreciated to esteemed, and “seminal” is the one option that expresses that positive esteem (foundational, highly influential), consistent with the “recognized” clue and the weight of the subject described in the following clause.

Why the other options fail:

• controversial: implies dispute or disagreement, but nothing in the sentence signals controversy; it signals importance.

• negligible: means insignificant, the opposite of a work that has come to be recognized.

• trifling: means trivial or minor, again the opposite of what growing recognition implies.