Literary Awards in India Practice Questions
20 free Literary Awards in India practice questions for the Static GK. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
Which is the highest literary award in India?
- A Sahitya Akademi Award
- B Jnanpith Award
- C Saraswati Samman
- D Vyas Samman
Correct answer: Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is the highest literary honor in India, presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith. It recognizes outstanding contribution towards literature and was first awarded in 1965.
Who was the first recipient of the Jnanpith Award?
- A Sumitranandan Pant
- B Asha Purna Devi
- C Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa
- D G. Sankara Kurup
Correct answer: G. Sankara Kurup
Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup won the first Jnanpith Award in 1965 for his anthology 'Odakkuzhal'. The award included a citation plaque, a bronze replica of Saraswati, and a cash prize.
The Sahitya Akademi Award is given for works in how many Indian languages (including English and Rajasthani)?
- A 22
- B 20
- C 24
- D 25
Correct answer: 24
The Sahitya Akademi Award recognizes literary merit in 24 languages. These include the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, plus English and Rajasthani.
Who was the first woman to win the Jnanpith Award?
- A Mahasweta Devi
- B Amrita Pritam
- C Asha Purna Devi
- D Qurratulain Hyder
Correct answer: Asha Purna Devi
Bengali novelist Asha Purna Devi became the first woman to receive the Jnanpith Award in 1976. She was honored for her novel 'Pratham Pratishruti'.
Which organization institutes the Saraswati Samman and the Vyas Samman?
- A Sahitya Akademi
- B Bharatiya Jnanpith
- C K.K. Birla Foundation
- D Ministry of Culture, Government of India
Correct answer: K.K. Birla Foundation
The K.K. Birla Foundation established the Saraswati Samman and Vyas Samman in 1991. These are among the most prestigious private literary awards in India.
The Vyas Samman is awarded annually to outstanding literary work in which language?
- A Sanskrit
- B Hindi
- C Urdu
- D Any Indian language
Correct answer: Hindi
The Vyas Samman is specifically dedicated to Hindi literature published in the past 10 years. It was first awarded to Ram Vilas Sharma for his work 'Bharat ke Pracheen Bhasha Parivar aur Hindi'.
Which of the following awards is exclusively given to works written in Sanskrit?
- A Moortidevi Literary Award
- B Saraswati Samman
- C Kalidas Samman
- D Vachaspati Puraskar
Correct answer: Vachaspati Puraskar
The Vachaspati Puraskar, instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation, is given specifically for outstanding contributions to Sanskrit literature. It was started in 1992.
Who was the first recipient of the Saraswati Samman?
- A Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari
- B Balamani Amma
- C Ramakant Rath
- D Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Correct answer: Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Renowned Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan was the first recipient of the Saraswati Samman in 1991. He received it for his four-volume autobiography.
The 'Moortidevi Award' is presented annually by which organization?
- A Sahitya Akademi
- B Bharatiya Jnanpith
- C Sangeet Natak Akademi
- D Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan
Correct answer: Bharatiya Jnanpith
The Moortidevi Award is an annual literary honor in India presented by the Bharatiya Jnanpith. It is given for books, written in any Indian language or English, that emphasize Indian philosophy and culture.
Who was the first English writer to be honored with the Jnanpith Award?
- A R.K. Narayan
- B Vikram Seth
- C Amitav Ghosh
- D Anita Desai
Correct answer: Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh became the first English-language writer to win the Jnanpith Award in 2018. This was a significant milestone as the award was traditionally focused on Indian regional languages.
Which award is given by the Government of India for translation of literary works?
- A National Anuvad Samman
- B Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize
- C Bhasha Samman Puraskar
- D Bharatiya Jnanpith Translation Award
Correct answer: Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize
The Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize is awarded annually to the best translations of creative and critical works in any of the 24 languages recognized by the Akademi. It was instituted in 1989.
The 'Bhasha Samman' is awarded by Sahitya Akademi to writers for their contribution to which category?
- A Languages spoken outside India entirely
- B Only the officially recognized classical Sanskrit language
- C Languages not formally recognized by the Akademi
- D Exclusively the Sanskrit language
Correct answer: Languages not formally recognized by the Akademi
The Bhasha Samman is given to writers, scholars, and translators for their contribution to languages that are not formally recognized by the Sahitya Akademi. It aims to encourage efforts in all Indian languages.
In which year was the Sahitya Akademi established?
- A 1947
- B 1950
- C 1954
- D 1960
Correct answer: 1954
The Sahitya Akademi was inaugurated by the Government of India on March 12, 1954. It functions as an autonomous organization to promote Indian literature.
Who won the first Sahitya Akademi Award for English literature?
- A Mulk Raj Anand
- B R.K. Narayan
- C Raja Rao
- D Nirad C. Chaudhuri
Correct answer: R.K. Narayan
R.K. Narayan was the first winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award in English in 1960 for his novel 'The Guide'. He is one of the most celebrated early Indian novelists writing in English.
Which of these is a prestigious literary award specifically for the state of Kerala?
- A Vallathol Puraskaram
- B Ezhuthachan Puraskaram
- C Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- D Tansen Samman
Correct answer: Ezhuthachan Puraskaram
The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the highest literary honor given by the Kerala State Government. It is named after Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, the father of the Malayalam language.
The Tagore Ratna and Tagore Puraskar are associated with which institution?
- A Sangeet Natak Akademi
- B Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
- C Sahitya Akademi
- D Ministry of Culture
Correct answer: Sangeet Natak Akademi
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna and Tagore Puraskar were instituted to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. They recognize contributions to performing arts and literature.
Which Hindi poet was the first to receive the Jnanpith Award?
- A Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
- B Sumitranandan Pant
- C Sachchidananda Vatsyayan
- D Mahadevi Varma
Correct answer: Sumitranandan Pant
Sumitranandan Pant was the first Hindi writer to receive the Jnanpith Award in 1968. He was honored for his collection of poems titled 'Chidambara'.
The Bihari Puraskar, given by the K.K. Birla Foundation, is reserved for writers from which state?
- A Bihar
- B Rajasthan
- C Uttar Pradesh
- D Madhya Pradesh
Correct answer: Rajasthan
Despite its name, the Bihari Puraskar is awarded to writers of Rajasthani origin for their work in Hindi or Rajasthani. It is named after the famous poet Bihari Lal.
Which award is known as the 'Nobel Prize of India' in the field of literature?
- A Bharat Ratna
- B Jnanpith Award
- C Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
- D Saraswati Samman
Correct answer: Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is often referred to as the 'Nobel Prize of India' for literature due to its prestige and status as the highest literary recognition in the country.
The 'Pampa Award' is the highest literary honor of which Indian state?
- A Andhra Pradesh
- B Tamil Nadu
- C Karnataka
- D Telangana
Correct answer: Karnataka
The Pampa Award (Pampa Prashasti) is the highest literary award conferred by the State Government of Karnataka. It was established in 1987 and named after the first Kannada poet, Adikavi Pampa.