Saraswati Award — Set 5
Awards & Honors · सरस्वती पुरस्कार · Questions 41–50 of 50
The Saraswati Samman is considered the highest literary honor in India after which award?
Correct Answer: B. Jnanpith Award
• **Jnanpith Award** = The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honor, followed by the Saraswati Samman. • **Jnanpith Award** — It is given for overall contribution to Indian literature, representing the pinnacle of literary achievement. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Sahitya Akademi Award]: A prestigious national award, but generally considered a step below Jnanpith; [Vyas Samman]: Awarded for Hindi works only by the same foundation; [Bihari Puraskar]: Awarded for Hindi/Rajasthani works by writers from Rajasthan.
Harivansh Rai Bachchan, the first Saraswati Samman winner, is the father of which famous actor?
Correct Answer: C. Amitabh Bachchan
• **Amitabh Bachchan** = Amitabh Bachchan is the son of the legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan. • **1991** — Harivansh Rai Bachchan was the first recipient of the Saraswati Samman in 1991, known for his iconic works like 'Madhushala'. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Raj Kapoor]: A legendary actor and filmmaker, but unrelated to Harivansh Rai Bachchan; [Dilip Kumar]: A celebrated actor of Indian cinema, but not related; [Dev Anand]: A famous actor and producer, but not related.
The Vyas Samman is restricted to works written in which of these languages?
Correct Answer: C. Hindi
• **Hindi** = The Vyas Samman is given only to works written in **Hindi**. • **Hindi** — It is an award specifically designed to promote and recognize literary excellence within the Hindi language. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Sanskrit]: Not the language for which Vyas Samman is awarded; [English]: Not the language for which Vyas Samman is awarded; [All scheduled languages]: This describes the Saraswati Samman, not the Vyas Samman.
Which organization presents the annual Saraswati and Vyas Samman?
Correct Answer: B. K.K. Birla Foundation
• **K.K. Birla Foundation** = The K.K. Birla Foundation presents the annual Saraswati and Vyas Samman. • **1991** — The foundation was established in 1991 to support and recognize excellence in Indian literature, philosophy, and art. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Sahitya Akademi]: A separate autonomous organization that gives the Sahitya Akademi Award; [National Book Trust]: A government body for book promotion; [Bharatiya Jnanpith]: Presents the Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary honor.
Who was the first recipient of the Vyas Samman in 1991?
Correct Answer: A. Ram Vilas Sharma
• **Ram Vilas Sharma** = Dr. Ram Vilas Sharma received the inaugural Vyas Samman for his linguistic research and literary criticism. • **1991** — He was a master of Hindi criticism, and his work provided a scientific basis for the evolution of the Hindi language. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Dharamvir Bharati]: A renowned Hindi writer and poet, but not the first recipient; [Shiv Prasad Singh]: A distinguished Hindi novelist and critic; [Hazari Prasad Dwivedi]: A prominent Hindi novelist, literary historian, and critic, but not the first recipient.
The Saraswati Samman recipient is given a plaque, a citation, and a statue of which goddess?
Correct Answer: C. Saraswati
• **Saraswati** = Recipients receive a citation and a plaque featuring the image of Goddess Saraswati. • **Goddess Saraswati** — As the goddess of wisdom and arts, she represents the spiritual inspiration for authors. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lakshmi]: Goddess of wealth, not primarily associated with literary awards; [Durga]: Goddess of power and strength, not the arts; [Parvati]: Goddess of fertility and love, not specifically literature.
Which Indian language was the medium for the work 'Chequebook' by Vasdev Mohi?
Correct Answer: A. Sindhi
• **Sindhi** = Vasdev Mohi won the Saraswati Samman for his Sindhi short story collection 'Chequebook'. • **2019** — Vasdev Mohi won the Saraswati Samman for his work in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Dogri]: Another Indian language, but 'Chequebook' was not written in it; [Konkani]: A language primarily spoken in Goa and surrounding regions, not the medium for this work; [Sanskrit]: An ancient Indian language, not the language of 'Chequebook'.
To be eligible for these awards, the work must have been published within how many years prior to the award year?
Correct Answer: B. 10 years
• **10 years** = Both the Saraswati and Vyas Samman require the work to have been published in the preceding 10 years. • **10 years** — This rule ensures that the awards recognize contemporary literary achievements. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [5 years]: An incorrect duration for the eligibility criteria; [15 years]: Longer than the actual eligibility period; [20 years]: Much longer than the required publication window.
Who won the Saraswati Samman 2022 for the Tamil memoir 'Surya Vamsam'?
Correct Answer: A. Sivasankari
• **Sivasankari** = Sivasankari won the Saraswati Samman 2022 for the Tamil memoir 'Surya Vamsam'. • **2022** — Sivasankari was awarded the 32nd Saraswati Samman in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Pratibha Ray]: An Odia writer, not the recipient for 2022; [Sugathakumari]: A Malayalam poet and activist, not this award's recipient; [S.L. Bhyrappa]: A prominent Kannada novelist, not the winner of this specific award.
Which sage is the Vyas Samman named after?
Correct Answer: B. Ved Vyas
• **Ved Vyas** = The Vyas Samman is named after Ved Vyas, the legendary author of the Mahabharata. • **Ved Vyas** — He is considered the 'Guru of Gurus' and a symbol of Indian intellectual and literary tradition. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Valmiki]: Author of Ramayana, but not the namesake of the Vyas Samman; [Agastya]: A revered Vedic sage, not the inspiration for this award's name; [Kalidasa]: A classical Sanskrit writer, known for his plays and poetry, but not associated with the Vyas Samman's naming.