National Awards MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for National Awards - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Ashok Chakra.Key Points

•  Ashok Chakra
  • ​The Ashok Chakra is the top honour for valour during peacetime, followed by the Kirti Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra.
  • It is given in recognition of bravery, selflessness, or other acts of valour off the battlefield.
  • The first recipient was flying lieutenant Suhas Biswas in 1952.
  • It is Param Vir Chakra's counterpart during peacetime.

Additional Information

• Vir Chakra
  • ​In terms of precedence among wartime gallantry decorations, the Vir Chakra is in third place behind the Param Vir Chakra and the Mahavir Chakra.
  • It is given out for bravery displayed when fighting the enemy on land, at sea, or in the air.
  • Brigadier Harbaksh Singh received it for the first time in 1948.
• Param Vir Chakra
  • ​India's highest military honour, the Param Vir Chakra, is given to individuals who exhibit exceptional deeds of valour while fighting.
  • That is the biggest and most obvious display of bravery when the enemy is there.
  • Major Somnath Sharma received it for the first time in 1947.
• ​​Mahavir Chakra
  • ​The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), often known as the "great warrior medal," is the second-highest military decoration in India, behind the Param Vir Chakra.
  • It is given for acts of remarkable bravery against the enemy, whether they take place on land, at sea, or in the air.
  • The British Distinguished Service Order was replaced (DSO). 

The correct answer is Cinema.

Key Points

• The Dada Saheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema, established in 1969 by the Government of India.
• The award is named after Dadasaheb Phalke, regarded as the "Father of Indian Cinema", who directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913.
• This prestigious award is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals.
• The award includes a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medal, a shawl, and a cash prize as recognition of lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
• Notable recipients include legends like Raj Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, and Prithviraj Kapoor.

Additional Information

• Indian Cinema History:
  • Indian cinema began with the release of Raja Harishchandra in 1913.
  • The industry is divided into multiple regional film industries such as Bollywood, Tollywood, Kollywood, and others.
  • India is one of the world's largest producers of films, producing over 1,500 movies annually.
• National Film Awards:
  • The National Film Awards were established in 1954 to honor talent and excellence in Indian cinema.
  • Awards are given in various categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Actor, and Best Director.
  • Winners are selected by a national jury appointed by the Directorate of Film Festivals.
• Contribution of Dadasaheb Phalke:
  • Dadasaheb Phalke is credited with laying the foundation for Indian cinema with his pioneering work.
  • He made several films and short documentaries, contributing immensely to the growth of cinema as an art form in India.
• Significance of the Award:
  • The Dada Saheb Phalke Award serves as a symbol of excellence, honoring legends for their lifetime contributions to the Indian film industry.
  • It inspires filmmakers, actors, and technicians to strive for artistic and technical brilliance in cinema.

​The correct answer is Kamlesh Kumari.

• Kamlesh Kumari was an Indian constable who served with the CRPF and a recipient of the Ashoka Chakra, the highest possible award conferred during peacetime.
• She died on 13 December 2001 after successfully preventing terrorist gunmen and a terrorist suicide bomber from reaching Parliament. She was awarded by President of India on Republic Day in 2002.

Kamlesh Kumari:

Additional Information

• Other winners of Ashok Chakra from UP are:-

1. Major Bhukant Misra
2. Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh
3. Lieutenant Colonel Harsh Uday Singh Gaur
4. Lieutenant Colonel Jas Ram Singh

The correct answer is 1999.

Key Points

• Pt .Ravi Shankar was a renowned Sitarist who was awarded India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999.
• He was also an Indian composer and musician born on 7 April 1920.
• He has been honored with prestigious awards such as Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna, and Grammy Award.
• The "Sitar maestro" was the best-known proponent of the sitar in the second half of the 20th century and influenced many other musicians throughout the world including Beatles guitarist George Harrison.

The correct answer is 1954.

Key Points

• Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian honour in India.
• Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex is eligible for these awards. 
• Bharat Ratna was instituted in the year 1954.
• It is not mandatory that Bharat Ratna be awarded every year.

Additional Information 

• The first three recipients of Bharat Ratna are:
  • C. Rajagopalachari.
  • Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
  • C V Raman.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri was the first person to be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously.
• There is no written provision that Bharat Ratna should be awarded to Indian citizens only.
• Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was the first foreigner to get Bharat Ratna.
• Indira Gandhi was the first woman to get Bharat Ratna.
• Sachin Tendulkar is the first sportsperson to get Bharat Ratna.
• Bharat Ratna was last awarded on 25 January 2019.
• The 2019 recipients of the Bharat Ratna award are:
  • Nanaji Deshmukh (Posthumous).
  • Bhupen Hazarika (Posthumous).
  • Pranab Mukherjee.
• There is no Bharat Ratna for year 2020 to 2023.

Bharat Ratna Award in 2024

• Karpoori Thakur
• Lal Krishna Advani
• PV Narasimha Rao
• Chaudhary Charan Singh
• MS Swaminathan

The correct answer is wildlife protection.

Key Points

• Amrita Devi Bishnoi Award is given to the people for their courage and dedication to protecting wildlife.
• In 1731, the king of Jodhpur in Rajasthan asked one of his ministers to arrange wood for constructing a new palace.
• The minister and workers went to a forest near a village, inhabited by Bishnois, to cut down trees.
• The Bishnoi community is known for its peaceful co-existence with nature.
• The effort to cut down trees by the kings was thwarted by the Bishnois.
• A Bishnoi woman Amrita Devi showed exemplary courage by hugging a tree and daring the king’s men to cut her first before cutting the tree.
• The tree mattered much more to her than her own life.

The correct answer is Indira Gandhi.

Key Points

• Indira Gandhi -
  • She was the first female Prime Minister of India and was conferred with the Bharat Ratna in 1971.
  • She was elected as the president of the Congress party in 1959.
  • In 1966, she was elected as the Prime Minister of India.​

Additional Information

• Sushma Swaraj -
  • She was an Indian politician and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
  • She served as the Minister of External Affairs of India in the first Modi government (2014–2019).
• Sarojini Naidu -
  • She was an Indian political activist and poet.
  • She was the first Indian woman to be the president of the Indian National Congress.
• Pratima Puri -
  • She was an Indian news anchor who was Doordarshan's first newsreader. 

Important Points

• Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian honour of our country.
• It is awarded for exceptional service in the fields of arts, literature, and science and to recognize the highest level of public service.
• The tradition of the Bharat Ratna Award was started in 1954. 

The correct answer is Peepal.

Important Points 

• Bharat Ratna " is India's highest civilian award.
• The award is given "in recognition of exceptional service of the highest order" and is treated without distinction as to race, profession, place, sex, and nationality.
• This award was initially limited to the arts, literature, research, and public services, but in December 2011, the government extended the requirements to include "any field of human endeavour"
• Recipients receive a certificate named Sanad, signed by the President, and a Peepal leaf-shaped medallion made of gold with a circular diameter of 35 mm, with a bursting sun pattern in the middle of the medallion's obverse side.
• Also, in the bottom of the sun design written in Devanagiri script, the words Bharat Ratna are engraved in silver tilt; this was an old design; the new design is also of Peepal leaf made of gold about 59 mm in length, 49 mm in width, and 3.9 mm thickness rimmed with Platinum.
• The inscription on the front side was the same but made of platinum; the reverse side of the medallion has an Indian emblem etched in a bronze tilt and the Indian motto "Satyameva Jayate" is inscribed under the Indian emblem.
• All the configurations of the medallion remained the same except that it has a 59 mm wide ribbon attached to it so that it can be worn around the neck with a few improvements discussed above.
• Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Sir C.V. Raman, and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari were the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna Award in 1954.

Bharat Ratna:

The correct answer is 1999.

Key Points

• Pt .Ravi Shankar was a renowned Sitarist who was awarded India's highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999.
• He was also an Indian composer and musician born on 7 April 1920.
• He has been honored with prestigious awards such as Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna, and Grammy Award.
• The "Sitar maestro" was the best-known proponent of the sitar in the second half of the 20th century and influenced many other musicians throughout the world including Beatles guitarist George Harrison.

The correct answer is 119.

• A total of 119 Padma awards is conferred, including 7Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 102 Padma Shri.

Key Points

• About Padma Awards:
  • The Padma Awards are announced annually on Republic Day (26th January).
  • Instituted in 1954, it is one of the highest civilian honors of India.
• Objective:
  • The Award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
• Categories:
  • The Awards are given in three categories:
    • Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service)
    • Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order) 
    • Padma Shri (distinguished service)
• Padma Vibhushan is highest in the hierarchy of Padma Awards followed by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

The correct answer is option 3, i.e. Literature.

• Jnanpith Award is a literary award presented by the Bhartiya Jnanpith organization to Indian writers every year.
• The first Jnanpith award was given to G.Sankara Kurup (Malayalam) in 1965 for his novel "Odakkuzhal" (The Bamboo Flute).
• The winner is given a cash prize of Rs.11 lakh and a bronze replica of Goddess Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning.
• The first woman writer to be awarded this award was Ashapoorna Devi, a Bengali writer in 1976.
• Bhartiya Jnanpith organization was founded in 1944 by industrialist and philanthropist Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain.

Important Points

The correct answer is Padma Bhushan.

• Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian honour in India.

Key Points

• Padma Bhushan:
  • The award is given for distinguished service of a high order in any field, including service rendered by government servants.
  • It is the third-highest civilian honour in India.
  • It was first awarded in 1954.
• Bharat Ratna:
  • The highest civilian award is given for exceptional service the advancement of art, literature and science, and in recognition of public service of the highest order.
  • Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was the first foreigner to be honoured with this award in 1987.
• Padma Vibhushan:
  • The award is given for exceptional and distinguished services in any field including service rendered by government servants.
  • It is the second-highest civilian honour in India.
• Padma Shri:
  • The award is given for distinguished service in any field including service rendered by government servants.
  • It is the fourth-highest civilian honour in India.

Additional Information

• Arjuna Award:
  • The Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the Government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National Sports.
• Dada Saheb Phalke Award:
  • Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema.
  • It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals (an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting).
  • The award prize consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a shawl. 
  • The award is given to people for their outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. 
  • It was first presented in 1969.
  • The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, "the first lady of Indian cinema".

The correct answer is Kathakali.Key Points

• Shri Sadanam II ~ Balakrishnan won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to Kathakali.
• He was Born in 1944 in Taliparamba village in northern Kerala.
• Shri Sadanam Puthiyaveetil Balakrishnan received his initial training in Kathakali from Shri Kurumathur Narayanan Namboodiripad at Kannur.
• After a short stint as a teacher in Kerala, Shri Balakrishnan joined the International Centre for Kathakali, New Delhi, in 1974.
• Shri Balakrishnan has also authored a book on Kathakali.
• Among various honors and awards, Shri Sadanam Balakrishnan has received the Parishad Samman of Sahitya Kala Parishad; Delhi.

Important PointsThe Sangeet Natak academy currently confers classical status on eight Indian classical dance styles:

Additional InformationLavani-

• Lavani is a folk dance from Maharashtra.
• It is a combination of traditional song and dance, which is particularly performed to the beats of the Dholki which is a percussion instrument.
• It is noted for its powerful rhythm and has contributed substantially to the development of Marathi folk theatre.
• It is performed by beautiful women wearing nine yards sarees and dancing to the beats of a drum-like instrument called a dholak.

Bharatnatyam-

• Bharatnatyam is the oldest Indian classical dance 
• It originated hundreds of years ago in the state of Tamilnadu.
• This dance form expresses the religious themes and spiritual ideas of South India.
• The ancient Tamil epic Silappatikaram contains the description of Bharatnatyam.

Kuchipudi-

• One of the eight principal Indian classical dances is Kuchipudi.
• It comes from the Andhra Pradesh state of India, specifically the village of Kuchipudi.
• Kuchipudi was created as a way to worship Krishna, a Hindu deity.
• Kuchipudi is renowned for its dynamic storytelling, dramatic characterization, outstanding, rapid dancing, and expressive eye movements.

The correct answer is Odissi.

Key Points

• Odissi is one of the 8 classical dances of India recognized by the Sangeet Natak Academy.
• Odissi is a major ancient classical dance that originated in the Indian state of Orissa.
• The famous dancers of Odissi are -
  • Sujata Mohapatra, Kelucharan Mohapatra, Ratikant Mohapatra, Gangadhar Pradhan, etc.
• Kelucharan Mohapatra is the first person to receive the Padma Vibhusan from Orissa.

Additional Information