The correct answer is option 1: Amitav Ghosh.

Amitav Ghosh is the author of the novel "The Hungry Tide". He is an Indian writer and has written several acclaimed novels, including "The Glass Palace" and "Sea of Poppies". In "The Hungry Tide", Ghosh tells a compelling story set in the Sundarbans, a region in eastern India and Bangladesh. The novel explores themes such as human-animal relationships, environmental conservation, and the clash between tradition and modernity.

Option 2, Arundhati Roy, is a well-known Indian author, but she is not the author of "The Hungry Tide". Arundhati Roy is best known for her novel "The God of Small Things".

Option 3, Shashi Tharoor, is a prominent Indian politician and author, but he is not the author of "The Hungry Tide".

Option 4, Ved Mehta, is an Indian-American writer and journalist, known for his memoirs and non-fiction works. He is not the author of "The Hungry Tide".