Famous Personalities — Set 3

Correct Answer: B. Morarji Desai

Morarji Desai was the first Gujarati to receive the Bharat Ratna, awarded to him in 1991. He served as India's Prime Minister from 1977 to 1979 as the leader of the Janata Party coalition government, making him the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. Morarji Desai also received the Pakistan's highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, making him one of the few individuals to receive the highest civilian awards from both India and Pakistan. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna in 1991.

Correct Answer: B. 1977-1979

Morarji Ranchhodji Desai served as the Prime Minister of India from March 24, 1977 to July 28, 1979, leading the Janata Party government that defeated Indira Gandhi's Congress party after the Emergency period. He was born on February 29, 1896, in Bhadeli village of Surat district, Gujarat, and was known for his strong moral convictions and advocacy of prohibition. Desai's government also witnessed the restoration of press freedom and civil liberties after the Emergency.

Correct Answer: C. 1960s

The correct answer is 1960s. The iconic Amul butter advertisements featuring the 'Amul girl' — a chubby little girl in a polka-dotted dress — were created in 1966 by advertising agency ASP (Advertising and Sales Promotion Co.) for Amul, based in Anand, Gujarat. The campaign, running for over five decades, holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running advertising campaign. The Amul girl has been used to comment on current events with witty and topical captions, making her one of India's most recognizable advertising mascots.

Correct Answer: C. Vadodara

The correct answer is 'Vadodara'. Vadodara correctly answers the question about subramaniam chandrasekhar, who won the nobel prize in physics (1983), had his early education in which city of gujarat. This is an important fact in the topic of famous personalities from Gujarat, which is regularly tested in competitive exams such as RRB NTPC, SSC CGL, UPSC, and state PSC examinations. A thorough understanding of famous personalities from Gujarat helps candidates score well in the General Knowledge section.

Correct Answer: B. Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA)

Elaben Bhatt (1933-2022) founded the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in 1972, a trade union and movement for women working in the informal economy such as vegetable vendors, home-based workers, and construction laborers. SEWA has grown into one of the world's largest organisations of informal women workers with over 2 million members. Ela Bhatt received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan for her contributions to women's empowerment and labor rights.

Correct Answer: A. 182 metres

The Statue of Unity, depicting Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, stands at 182 metres (597 feet) tall on the Narmada River near Kevadia in Narmada district, Gujarat, making it the world's tallest statue. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018, Sardar Patel's birth anniversary, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. The statue is nearly twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the USA and has become one of India's most visited tourist attractions.

Correct Answer: A. Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha philosophy

The Chipko Movement of 1973, where villagers hugged trees to prevent their felling, was directly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha philosophy of non-violent resistance. The movement was led by activists like Sundarlal Bahuguna and Chandi Prasad Bhatt in Uttarakhand (then Uttar Pradesh). Gandhi's method of non-violent protest, developed during his years in Gujarat at Sabarmati Ashram, became the template for environmental activism worldwide.

Correct Answer: B. President of the Central Legislative Assembly

Vithalbhai Patel (1873-1933), elder brother of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, became the first Indian President of the Central Legislative Assembly (1925-1930) at a time when this was one of the highest positions attainable by an Indian under British rule. Born in Karamsad, Gujarat, he was a barrister and freedom fighter who championed Indian interests in the legislature. Vithalbhai Patel was a strong supporter of the Civil Disobedience Movement and opposed British policies through parliamentary means.

Correct Answer: B. Textile and polyester yarn trading

Dhirubhai Ambani started Reliance Industries in 1966 initially as a textile and polyester yarn trading company, which he later expanded into manufacturing with a textile mill in Naroda, Ahmedabad. He transformed Reliance from a small trading firm into India's largest company by market capitalization through his vision of backward integration — going from textiles to polyester, then to petrochemicals, and finally to oil and gas. Ambani was also a pioneer of equity democratization in India, bringing the stock market within reach of millions of ordinary investors.

Correct Answer: B. Textile industry of Ahmedabad

Ambalal Sarabhai (1890-1967) was a leading textile industrialist and owner of the famous Calico Mills in Ahmedabad, making the Sarabhai family one of the most prominent industrial houses in India. He was also a great patron of arts, culture, and social welfare, and was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Ambalal's home, the Retreat House, became famous when Mahatma Gandhi stayed there during his negotiations with textile mill workers, leading to the founding of Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association (TLA) in 1917.