"The Ministry of Utmost Happiness" is the only novel among the given options written by the Indian author Arundhati Roy. It was published in 2017 and revolves around key characters like Anjum, a transgender woman, and Tilo. The novel addresses some of the darkest aspects of contemporary Indian society and discusses social justice and progress in these areas.

• The Ministry of Utmost Happiness:

  • Published in 2017.

  • The central character, Anjum, is a transgender woman, and Tilo is another important character.

  • Themes focus on the complex issues in Indian society, such as social justice and its progression.

• Arundhati Roy:

  • Born: November 24, 1961, Shillong, Meghalaya, India.

  • Indian author, actress, and political activist.

  • Known for her award-winning novel The God of Small Things (1997) and her advocacy for human rights and environmental issues.

  • In 1998, she won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

As for the other novels mentioned:

• The Return of the Native is a novel by Thomas Hardy, an English novelist.

• Things Fall Apart is a novel by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian writer.

• Heart of Darkness is a novel written by Joseph Conrad, a British author.