Bharat Ratna — Set 3

Correct Answer: D. None of these

• **None of these** = No former President of India was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2024. • **2024** — This year saw Karpoori Thakur, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and Chaudhary Charan Singh honored posthumously, but not any former Presidents. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Pranab Mukherjee]: He received the Bharat Ratna in 2019 while he was still alive; [A.P.J. Abdul Kalam]: He received the Bharat Ratna in 1997, not 2024; [K.R. Narayanan]: He was not awarded the Bharat Ratna.

Correct Answer: A. None of these

• **None of these** = Rabindranath Tagore, the first Indian Nobel laureate in Literature, was never awarded the Bharat Ratna as he passed away before its institution. • **1913** — Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature in this year, but the Bharat Ratna was instituted much later, in 1954. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Bankim Chandra]: He was a novelist and poet, not a Nobel laureate, and passed away before the Bharat Ratna existed; [Sarojini Naidu]: She was a poet and political activist, not a Nobel laureate, and did not receive the Bharat Ratna; [Rabindranath Tagore]: He won the Nobel Prize but died in 1941, before the Bharat Ratna was established in 1954.

Correct Answer: A. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

• **Maulana Abul Kalam Azad** = He was India's first Education Minister and was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992. • **November 11** — His birthday is celebrated as National Education Day in India, honoring his contributions to education. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Jawaharlal Nehru]: He was the first Prime Minister, not Education Minister, and received the Bharat Ratna in 1955; [Zakir Hussain]: He served as President, not first Education Minister, and received the Bharat Ratna in 1963; [S. Radhakrishnan]: He served as President, not first Education Minister, and received the Bharat Ratna in 1954.

Correct Answer: C. Assam

• **Assam** = Bhupen Hazarika, the famed musician and filmmaker, hailed from this northeastern Indian state. • **2019** — In this year, Bhupen Hazarika was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, recognizing his cultural contributions. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [West Bengal]: While culturally rich, Bhupen Hazarika did not belong to West Bengal; [Odisha]: This state is not associated with Bhupen Hazarika's origin; [Manipur]: This state is also not associated with Bhupen Hazarika's origin.

Correct Answer: D. M.S. Subbulakshmi

• **M.S. Subbulakshmi** = She was the first woman musician, and indeed the first musician ever, to be awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1998. • **1998** — In this year, M.S. Subbulakshmi made history by becoming the first musician to receive India's highest civilian honor. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lata Mangeshkar]: She received the Bharat Ratna in 2001, after M.S. Subbulakshmi; [Begum Akhtar]: She was a renowned ghazal singer but did not receive the Bharat Ratna; [Asha Bhosle]: She is a legendary playback singer but has not received the Bharat Ratna.

Correct Answer: C. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

• **Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel** = He is famously known as the 'Iron Man of India' for his pivotal role in integrating princely states. • **1991** — Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in this year for his nation-building efforts. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lala Lajpat Rai]: He was known as 'Punjab Kesari'; [Bal Gangadhar Tilak]: He was known as 'Lokmanya'; [Bipin Chandra Pal]: He was a member of the Lal Bal Pal triumvirate but not called 'Iron Man'.

Correct Answer: C. 7a

• **7a** = Bharat Ratna recipients hold this rank in the Indian order of precedence, indicating their high official standing. • **7a rank** — This position places them after Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, and former Presidents in the protocol hierarchy. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [5th]: This rank is for former Presidents and Deputy Prime Ministers; [7th]: This rank is for Chief Ministers within their states and Cabinet Ministers in their order; [9th]: This rank is for Judges of the Supreme Court and Chairpersons of UPSC/CEC.

Correct Answer: D. Mother Teresa

• **Mother Teresa** = Born outside India, she became an Indian citizen in 1950 and was the first to receive the Bharat Ratna as an Indian national. • **1980** — Mother Teresa received the Bharat Ratna in this year, thirty years after acquiring Indian citizenship. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan]: He was born outside India and received the Bharat Ratna (1987), but was not an Indian citizen at the time; [Annie Besant]: She was born outside India and a prominent leader but not a Bharat Ratna recipient; [Nelson Mandela]: He was a foreign national (South African) when he received the Bharat Ratna (1990).

Correct Answer: D. Atal Bihari Vajpayee

• **Atal Bihari Vajpayee** = He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2015, sharing the honor with Madan Mohan Malaviya. • **2015** — In this year, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a distinguished statesman and former Prime Minister, received India's highest civilian award. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Pranab Mukherjee]: He received the Bharat Ratna in 2019; [Narendra Modi]: He has not received the Bharat Ratna; [L.K. Advani]: He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024.

Correct Answer: C. Devanagari

• **Devanagari** = The words 'Bharat Ratna' are embossed on the medal in this script, which is used for Hindi and other Indian languages. • **Traditional script** — Its usage on the medal symbolizes India's national identity and rich cultural heritage. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Brahmi]: This is an ancient Indian script, not used for the Bharat Ratna inscription; [Kharosthi]: This is another ancient script, historically used in northwest India; [Roman]: This script is used for English and many European languages, not for the Bharat Ratna inscription.