Sahitya Akademi — Set 6

Correct Answer: B. February

• **February** = The 'Festival of Letters' is usually organized by the Sahitya Akademi in this month every year. • **Festival of Letters** — This is a week-long event where annual Sahitya Akademi awards are presented, featuring seminars and literary discussions. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: January: The festival is not typically held in January; August: August is incorrect, as the festival is usually in the early part of the year; December: December is not the month for the annual Festival of Letters.

Correct Answer: D. Rs 50,000

• **Rs 50,000** = This is the cash prize for the 'Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize'. • **Rs 50,000** — This award, along with a casket, is given to translators for outstanding work in any of the 24 recognized languages, fostering literary exchange. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Rs 25,000: This amount is incorrect for the Translation Prize; Rs 1,00,000: This amount is typically associated with the main Sahitya Akademi Award, not the Translation Prize; Rs 75,000: This amount is not the correct cash prize for the Translation Prize.

Correct Answer: C. 1956

• **1956** = Amrita Pritam won the Sahitya Akademi Award in this year, becoming the first woman to receive it. • **Amrita Pritam** — She received the award for her Punjabi poem 'Sunehade', marking a landmark moment for women in Indian literature. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 1960: While a significant year for the English award, it was not when Amrita Pritam won; 1955: This was the first year of the award, but she won later; 1958: This year is incorrect for her specific achievement.

Correct Answer: B. Executive Board

• **Executive Board** = This body of the Sahitya Akademi is responsible for the final selection of award winners. • **Jury recommendations** — The Executive Board makes its final decisions based on these recommendations, ensuring a professional and structured process. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: General Council: The General Council is a larger advisory body; Finance Committee: The Finance Committee deals with budgetary matters, not award selections; Advisory Board: Advisory Boards provide recommendations but do not make the final decision.

Correct Answer: A. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

• **Dr. S. Radhakrishnan** = He was the first Vice-President of the Sahitya Akademi. • **Philosopher-statesman** — He was a distinguished figure who later became the President of India, succeeding Jawaharlal Nehru as the second President of the Akademi. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Zakia Mashhadi: She is a contemporary Urdu writer and translator, not the first Vice-President; Suniti Kumar Chatterjee: He was a renowned linguist but not the first Vice-President; Vishnu Bhikaji Kolte: He was a Marathi scholar, not holding this specific position initially.

Correct Answer: B. 22

• **22** = The Sahitya Akademi recognizes all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. • **Eighth Schedule** — This constitutional schedule lists languages like Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Sanskrit, ensuring major regional literatures receive national importance. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 20: This number is incorrect; 18: This number was relevant before further additions to the schedule; 15: This number represents an older count of languages in the Eighth Schedule.

Correct Answer: B. 1996

• **1996** = The 'Bhasha Samman' award was introduced by the Akademi in this year. • **Bhasha Samman** — This award recognizes contributions to unrecognized languages or scholarly work in classical/medieval literature, carrying a plaque and a cash prize. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 1954: This was the year the Sahitya Akademi itself was established, not the Bhasha Samman; 1975: This year is incorrect for the introduction of the Bhasha Samman; 1980: This year is also not when the Bhasha Samman was instituted.

Correct Answer: B. Indian Literature

• **'Indian Literature'** = This is the prestigious bimonthly English journal published by the Sahitya Akademi. • **1957** — It has been a major platform for Indian writing in translation since this year, featuring poetry, short stories, and critical essays. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: The Literary Indian: This is not the correct name of the journal; Sahitya Review: This is not a journal published by the Sahitya Akademi; Voice of India: This is not the official English journal of the Akademi.

Correct Answer: C. Children

• **Children** = The 'Bal Sahitya Puraskar' aims to recognize excellence in writing for this age group. • **Bal Sahitya Puraskar** — This award encourages high-quality creative writing for young readers in India and is given annually in 24 recognized languages. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Senior Citizens: This award is not for senior citizens' literature; College Students: This award does not target college students' writing; Infants: Literature for infants is a very specific niche, and this award is for a broader children's age group.

Correct Answer: C. 7 years

• **7 years** = The 'Sahitya Akademi Award' is given for literary works published within this period before the year of consideration. • **7 years** — This rule ensures that relatively recent and impactful literary works are recognized by the Akademi. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 3 years: This period is too short for consideration; 5 years: While a common timeframe for some awards, it's not the correct duration for this specific award; 10 years: This period is too long, as the award focuses on more recent publications.