80. Which country’s highest civilian honour is the Order of Zayed?
[UPSC CAPF — 2019]
(A) United Arab Emirates
(B) Saudi Arabia
(C) Pakistan
(D) Qatar
Answer: (A) United Arab Emirates
Explanation: The Order of Zayed is the highest civilian decoration of the United Arab Emirates. It commemorates Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, a founding leader of the federation. Recipients often include foreign heads of state.
79. Who received the Saraswati Samman for 2018?
[UPSC CAPF — 2019]
(A) Mahabaleshwar Sail
(B) Sitanshu Yashaschandra
(C) K. Siva Reddy
(D) Padma Sachdev
Answer: (C) K. Siva Reddy
Explanation: Telugu poet K. Siva Reddy won for his poetry collection Pakkaki Ottigilite. Saraswati Samman is awarded by the K. K. Birla Foundation for outstanding literary works in eligible Indian languages.
78. Who was the first Indian-origin Pulitzer Prize recipient?
[SSC CGL Tier-I — 2019]
(A) Siddhartha Mukherjee
(B) Jhumpa Lahiri
(C) Gobind Behari Lal
(D) Geeta Anand
Answer: (C) Gobind Behari Lal
Explanation: Gobind Behari Lal shared the Pulitzer Prize for Reporting in 1937, preceding better-known Indian-origin winners in fiction, poetry and nonfiction. The category being tested here is journalism rather than an award for a novel.
77. For which field is Saraswati Samman given?
[SSC MTS — 2019]
(A) Dance
(B) Music
(C) Journalism
(D) Literature
Answer: (D) Literature
Explanation: Saraswati Samman honours an outstanding literary work in an Indian language recognised for the prize. Instituted by the K. K. Birla Foundation in 1991, it is distinct from the performing arts honours of Sangeet Natak Akademi.
76. Which Indian sports award recognises lifetime achievement after a sporting career?
[SSC MTS — 2019]
(A) Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
(B) Arjuna Award
(C) Dhyan Chand Award
(D) Dronacharya Award
Answer: (C) Dhyan Chand Award
Explanation: The Dhyan Chand Award was instituted in 2002 for lifelong contribution by sportspersons. The Dronacharya Award is chiefly for coaches, and the Khel Ratna recognises exceptional performance. These categories test distinct aspects of sporting achievement.
75. Which Indian wrestler received a Laureus World Sports Award nomination in 2019?
[SSC GD Constable — 2019]
(A) Anirban Chatterjee
(B) Dutee Chand
(C) Pankaj Advani
(D) Vinesh Phogat
Answer: (D) Vinesh Phogat
Explanation: Vinesh Phogat was nominated for the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year honour after winning wrestling gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. A nomination must be distinguished from winning the international award.
74. In what field is the Jnanpith Award presented?
[SSC GD Constable — 2019]
(A) Cinema
(B) Medicine
(C) Literature
(D) Social work
Answer: (C) Literature
Explanation: The Jnanpith Award honours outstanding literary contributions. Its first recipient in 1965 was Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup. It is conferred by Bharatiya Jnanpith, not by the Sahitya Akademi or the film-award authorities.
73. Who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for the novel Less?
[WBCS Prelims — 2019]
(A) Anthony Doerr
(B) Jennifer Egan
(C) Colson Whitehead
(D) Andrew Sean Greer
Answer: (D) Andrew Sean Greer
Explanation: Andrew Sean Greer won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Less, a comic novel following a writer on an international journey. The exam year and the publication or award year are different.
72. Which young woman from Chhattisgarh received the 2017–18 President’s National Service Scheme award?
[CGPSC State Service Prelims — 2019]
(A) Ragini Bissa
(B) Priyanka Bissa
(C) Kusumlata
(D) Pushpalata
Answer: (B) Priyanka Bissa
Explanation: Priyanka Bissa, an NSS volunteer from Chhattisgarh, received a national recognition for volunteer service. The National Service Scheme involves youth participation in community programmes and social awareness, separate from competitive sports and literary honours.
71. Which ministry is responsible for organising India’s National Film Awards?
[RRB Group D — 2018]
(A) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
(B) Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
(C) Ministry of Culture
(D) Ministry of Home Affairs
Answer: (A) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Explanation: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting administers the National Film Awards through India’s film-policy and festival infrastructure. The awards celebrate filmmaking in many Indian languages, unlike the private Filmfare or IIFA ceremonies.
