Sahitya Akademi — Set 5

Correct Answer: B. 1954

• **1954** = The Sahitya Akademi was formally inaugurated by the Government of India in this year. • **12 March 1954** — This is the specific date of the formal inauguration, marking its establishment to promote literary dialogue. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 1950: The Akademi was not inaugurated in 1950; 1947: This is the year of India's independence, not the Akademi's inauguration; 1952: The Akademi was not inaugurated in 1952.

Correct Answer: A. 24

• **24** = This is the total number of languages currently recognized by the Sahitya Akademi for its annual awards. • **22 languages** — These are from the Eighth Schedule, which, along with English and Rajasthani, make up the total 24 recognized languages. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 22: This is the number of languages in the Eighth Schedule, but not the total recognized by the Akademi; 25: This is not the correct total number of languages recognized by the Akademi; 20: This is not the correct total number of languages recognized by the Akademi.

Correct Answer: C. Makhanlal Chaturvedi

• **Makhanlal Chaturvedi** = He was the first recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for Hindi literature. • **1955** — He received the first-ever Sahitya Akademi Award for Hindi in this year for his poetic work 'Him Taringini'. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Premchand: He was a renowned Hindi writer but not the first recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award; Ramdhari Singh Dinkar: He was a prominent Hindi poet but not the first recipient; Sumitranandan Pant: He was a famous Hindi poet but not the first recipient.

Correct Answer: D. Rs 1,00,000

• **1,00,000 रुपये** = This is the current cash prize amount awarded to the winners of the main Sahitya Akademi Award. • **5,000 रुपये** — This was the initial prize amount in **1955**, which has been increased over the years. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Rs 5,00,000: This is a significantly higher amount than the current prize; Rs 2,00,000: This is a higher amount than the current prize; Rs 50,000: This is a lower amount than the current prize.

Correct Answer: C. Satyajit Ray

• **Satyajit Ray** = The iconic logo of the Sahitya Akademi was designed by this filmmaker. • **Skilled calligrapher and illustrator** — Satyajit Ray possessed these additional talents, contributing to his ability to design the iconic logo. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Nandalal Bose: He was a famous painter and an associate of Santiniketan, but did not design the logo; M.F. Husain: He was a prominent modern Indian painter, but not the logo designer; Raja Ravi Varma: He was a celebrated Indian painter of the 19th century, but did not design the logo.

Correct Answer: C. Rajasthani

• **Rajasthani** = It is one of the two languages recognized by the Sahitya Akademi but not included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. • **Two** — Rajasthani and English are the two languages recognized by the Akademi outside the 8th Schedule. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Sanskrit: It is a classical language and part of the 8th Schedule; Dogri: It is recognized and included in the 8th Schedule; Sindhi: It is recognized and included in the 8th Schedule.

Correct Answer: D. 21

• **21** = The Sahitya Akademi Fellowship is restricted to this number of living fellows at any given time. • **21** — This limitation makes it the most exclusive literary honor in India. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 10: This number is too low for such a prestigious and limited fellowship; 50: This number is too high, diminishing its exclusivity; 30: This number is incorrect and does not reflect the actual restriction.

Correct Answer: A. R.K. Narayan

• **R.K. Narayan** = He was the first Indian to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for English literature. • **1960** — He was awarded for his famous novel 'The Guide' in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Mulk Raj Anand: He was also a prominent Indian English writer but not the first recipient; Raja Rao: He was an important figure in Indian English literature but won later; Nirad C. Chaudhuri: He was a notable writer but did not receive the first award for English literature.

Correct Answer: B. New Delhi

• **New Delhi** = The headquarters of the Sahitya Akademi is located here, specifically in Rabindra Bhavan. • **Rabindra Bhavan** — This building serves as the administrative and cultural center for the Akademi's activities and houses a multi-lingual library. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Mumbai: Mumbai is a major cultural hub but not the Akademi's headquarters; Kolkata: Kolkata is a significant literary city but not the headquarters; Bengaluru: Bengaluru is a prominent Indian city but not where the Sahitya Akademi is based.

Correct Answer: A. Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar

• **Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar** = This award is specifically for Indian writers under the age of 35. • **35** — This age limit encourages and recognizes new and emerging talent in 24 recognized languages. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bhasha Samman: This award recognizes contributions to unrecognized languages or classical literature; Bal Sahitya Puraskar: This award is specifically for children's literature, not young adult writers; Translation Prize: This award is for outstanding translations of literary works.