Jnanpith Award — Set 6

Correct Answer: B. Kuvempu

• **Kuvempu** = K.V. Puttappa, known as Kuvempu, was the first Kannada writer to win the Jnanpith Award. • **1967** — Kuvempu won the award in this year, sharing it with Gujarati poet Umashankar Joshi, and is celebrated as the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [D.R. Bendre]: another eminent Kannada writer, received the Jnanpith in 1973; [Masti Venkatesha Iyengar]: a well-known Kannada author, received the Jnanpith in 1983; [V.K. Gokak]: a prominent Kannada writer, received the Jnanpith in 1990.

Correct Answer: A. Yama

• **Yama** = Mahadevi Varma received the Jnanpith Award for her celebrated poetry collection 'Yama'. • **1982** — Mahadevi Varma was honored in this year for 'Yama', distinguishing her as a prominent figure in Hindi literature. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Nihar]: one of her earlier poetry collections; [Rashmi]: another poetry collection by Mahadevi Varma; [Niraja]: also a poetry collection by her, but 'Yama' earned her the Jnanpith.

Correct Answer: B. Firaq Gorakhpuri

• **Firaq Gorakhpuri** = He was the first Urdu poet to receive the Jnanpith Award. • **1969** — Firaq Gorakhpuri won the Jnanpith Award in this year for his significant work 'Gul-e-Naghma'. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Qurratulain Hyder]: a renowned Urdu novelist, received the Jnanpith in 1989; [Ali Sardar Jafri]: a prominent Urdu poet, received the Jnanpith in 1997; [Shahryar]: another notable Urdu poet, received the Jnanpith in 2008.

Correct Answer: B. Karnataka

• **Karnataka** = Authors from this state, primarily writing in Kannada, have received the maximum number of Jnanpith Awards. • **eight** — This is the total number of Jnanpith laureates from Karnataka, marking it as a state with a vibrant literary tradition. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Uttar Pradesh]: has produced several Jnanpith winners in Hindi, but not the highest overall; [West Bengal]: has many celebrated Bengali authors, but fewer Jnanpith winners than Karnataka; [Kerala]: has notable Malayalam authors, but not the highest number of Jnanpith recipients.

Correct Answer: A. Gopinath Mohanty

• **Gopinath Mohanty** = He was the first Odia writer to win the Jnanpith Award. • **1973** — Gopinath Mohanty received the Jnanpith Award in this year for his novel 'Mati Matal', depicting rural and tribal life. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Sachidananda Routray]: a prominent Odia poet, received the Jnanpith in 1986; [Sitakant Mahapatra]: an eminent Odia poet, received the Jnanpith in 1993; [Pratibha Ray]: a celebrated Odia novelist, received the Jnanpith in 2011.

Correct Answer: C. ₹11 Lakh

• **₹11 Lakh** = The Jnanpith Award currently includes a cash prize of 11 lakh rupees. • **11 lakh rupees** — This substantial monetary prize is a significant recognition for literary excellence in India, having increased periodically over time. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [₹5 Lakh]: was an earlier prize amount; [₹7 Lakh]: not the current prize amount for Jnanpith; [₹21 Lakh]: a higher amount, not the current Jnanpith prize.

Correct Answer: B. Amrita Pritam

• **Amrita Pritam** = She was the first woman from Punjab to receive the Jnanpith Award, recognized for her contributions to Punjabi and Hindi literature. • **1981** — Amrita Pritam won the award in this year for her collection 'Kagaz Te Canvas', known for her poignant writing on the Partition of India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Dalip Kaur Tiwana]: a notable Punjabi novelist, but not the first woman recipient; [Prabhjot Kaur]: a respected Punjabi poet; [Ajit Caur]: a prominent Punjabi writer.

Correct Answer: A. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya

• **Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya** = He was the first Assamese writer to win the Jnanpith Award. • **1979** — Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya was honored in this year for his novel 'Mrityunjay', a pioneer of modern Assamese literature. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Mamoni Raisom Goswami]: a prominent Assamese writer, received the Jnanpith in 2000; [Nilmani Phookan]: an eminent Assamese poet, received the Jnanpith in 2021; [Homen Borgohain]: a notable Assamese writer and journalist.

Correct Answer: C. None

• **None** = No Konkani writer, or any writer for that matter, has won the Jnanpith Award twice, as it is a one-time lifetime achievement award. • **once** — The Jnanpith Award is given only once to an individual author for their lifetime contribution, not multiple times. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Ravindra Kelekar]: a Konkani writer who won the Jnanpith once in 2006; [Damodar Mauzo]: another Konkani writer who won the Jnanpith once in 2021; [Pundalik Naik]: a celebrated Konkani writer, but has not won the Jnanpith Award.

Correct Answer: C. 2006

• **2006** = The first Jnanpith Award for the Sanskrit language was given in this year. • **Satyavrat Shastri** — He was the first Sanskrit scholar to receive the Jnanpith Award in 2006, marking a landmark moment for classical language scholarship. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [1965]: the year the first Jnanpith Award was generally given (to G. Sankara Kurup for Malayalam); [1985]: not the year for the first Sanskrit Jnanpith; [2015]: not the year for the first Sanskrit Jnanpith.