Saraswati Award — Set 3

Correct Answer: A. Sitanshu Yashaschandra

• **Sitanshu Yashaschandra** = He is a leading Gujarati poet and playwright who received the Saraswati Samman in 2017 for his poetry collection 'Vakhar'. • **2017** — This was the year Sitanshu Yashaschandra was awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman for his contribution to Gujarati poetry. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Dhiruben Patel]: A Gujarati writer, but not the winner for 'Vakhar'; [Raghuveer Chaudhari]: Won Jnanpith Award, but not Saraswati Samman for 'Vakhar'; [Chandrakant Bakshi]: A prominent Gujarati writer, but not the recipient of this award.

Correct Answer: B. 4 Lakh Rupees

• **4 Lakh Rupees** = The Vyas Samman, a prestigious Hindi literary award, currently carries a cash prize of this amount. • **K.K. Birla Foundation** — This foundation established the Vyas Samman in 1991, recognizing outstanding literary contributions in Hindi. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [2 Lakh Rupees]: Incorrect, the prize amount is higher; [6 Lakh Rupees]: Incorrect, the prize amount is lower; [8 Lakh Rupees]: Incorrect, the prize amount is significantly lower than this.

Correct Answer: D. None of these

• **None of these** = The actual work by Prabha Varma chosen for the Saraswati Samman 2023 was 'Roudra Sathwikam', which was not listed in the options. • **2023** — This year, Prabha Varma's Malayalam poetic work 'Roudra Sathwikam' was recognized with the prestigious Saraswati Samman. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Raudram]: While a work by Prabha Varma, it was not the specific one awarded in 2023; [Souparnika]: A notable work by Prabha Varma, but not the Saraswati Samman recipient; [Pakshe]: Another work by Prabha Varma, but not the one for which he received the 2023 award.

Correct Answer: D. Nasira Sharma

• **Nasira Sharma** = She received the Vyas Samman in 2019 for her poignant Hindi novel 'Kagaz Ki Nav'. • **2019** — This was the year Nasira Sharma was awarded the 29th Vyas Samman for her notable contribution to Hindi literature. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Chitra Mudgal]: A renowned Hindi writer, but not the winner of Vyas Samman for this work; [Mamta Kalia]: Won Vyas Samman in 2017 for 'Dukham Sukham'; [Sunita Jain]: A Hindi author and scholar, but not the recipient of this award for 'Kagaz Ki Nav'.

Correct Answer: D. Sindhi

• **Sindhi** = Vasdev Mohi, the Saraswati Samman winner of 2019, wrote predominantly in this language, reflecting the experiences of the Sindhi community. • **2019** — Vasdev Mohi was awarded the Saraswati Samman for his short story collection 'Chequebook', a significant work in Sindhi literature. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Konkani]: A recognized Indian language, but not Mohi's primary language of work; [Sanskrit]: An ancient Indian language, not the language Mohi wrote in; [Dogri]: A language from the Jammu region, but not the language of Vasdev Mohi's award-winning work.

Correct Answer: A. Mamta Kalia

• **Mamta Kalia** = She is the Hindi writer who was awarded the Vyas Samman in 2017 for her novel 'Dukham Sukham'. • **2017** — Mamta Kalia received the Vyas Samman for her Hindi novel 'Dukham Sukham', which portrays the lives of a lower-middle-class family. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Nasira Sharma]: Won Vyas Samman in 2019 for 'Kagaz Ki Nav'; [Mridula Garg]: A celebrated Hindi author, but not the winner for 'Dukham Sukham'; [Krishna Sobti]: Won the Jnanpith Award, but not the Vyas Samman for this specific work.

Correct Answer: A. M. Veerappa Moily

• **M. Veerappa Moily** = This politician and prolific Kannada writer was awarded the Saraswati Samman in 2014 for his epic work 'Ramayana Mahanveshanam'. • **2014** — M. Veerappa Moily received the Saraswati Samman, recognizing his significant contribution to Kannada literature with his five-volume epic. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [S.L. Bhyrappa]: A noted Kannada novelist, but not the recipient of this specific award; [U.R. Ananthamurthy]: A celebrated Kannada writer and Jnanpith recipient, but not the Saraswati Samman winner for this work; [Girish Karnad]: An acclaimed playwright and actor, but not the recipient of this award.

Correct Answer: A. Amrit Rai

• **Amrit Rai** = He, the son of Munshi Premchand, authored the acclaimed biography 'Premchand: Kalam ka Sipahi' and received the Vyas Samman for it. • **'Premchand: Kalam ka Sipahi'** — This biographical work offers profound insights into the life and literary contributions of the iconic Hindi writer Munshi Premchand. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Ram Vilas Sharma]: A prominent Hindi critic, but not the author of this biography; [Shivmangal Singh Suman]: A celebrated Hindi poet, not the writer of this book; [Vishnu Prabhakar]: Authored 'Awara Masiha', a biography of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, not Premchand.

Correct Answer: C. 2015

• **2015** = The cash prize for the Saraswati Samman was increased to **15 Lakh Rupees** in this year by the K.K. Birla Foundation. • **K.K. Birla Foundation** — This foundation established the Saraswati Samman in 1991, and periodically revises the prize money to maintain its prestige. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [2005]: The prize money was not increased to 15 Lakhs in this year; [2010]: The prize money was not increased to 15 Lakhs in this year; [2019]: The increase to 15 Lakhs happened earlier, not in this year.

Correct Answer: A. Sharankumar Limbale

• **Sharankumar Limbale** = He was awarded the Saraswati Samman in 2020 for his Marathi historical novel 'Sanatan'. • **2020** — This was the year Sharankumar Limbale received the Saraswati Samman, making him the first Dalit writer to achieve this honor. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Bhalchandra Nemade]: A Jnanpith Award winner, but not the Saraswati Samman recipient for 'Sanatan'; [Vijay Tendulkar]: A prominent Marathi playwright, but not the winner of this award; [Vinda Karandikar]: A Marathi poet and Jnanpith Award recipient, but not the Saraswati Samman winner for 'Sanatan'.