1. In Indian musical terminology, what is the feminine of Raga?

Ans : Ragini 2. What term is used for initiation into Sikhism? Ans : Pahul 3. In Hindu mythology, what is the name of the auspicious jewel Lord Vishnu wears on a pendant around his neck? Ans : Kaustubham 4. What name was given to the city of Yathrib by Prophet Mohammed? Ans : Medina 5. According to legend, which deity was Ved Vyasa's scribe as he dictated the story of the Mahabharata? Ans : Ganesha 6. Consider the following statements about Sikh Gurus: 1. Banda Bahadur was appointed as the military leader of the Sikhs by Guru Tegh Bahadur. 2. Guru Arjan Dev become the Sikh Guru after Guru Ram Das. 3. Guru Arjan Dev gave to Sikhs their own script- Gurumukhi. Which of the statements gives is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 3 (d) 1 and 2 Ans : D 7. Who among the following is well known as an exponent of flute? (a) Debu Choudhuri (b) Madhup Mudgal (c) Ronu Mazumdar (d) Shafaat Ahmad Ans : C 8. Which one of the following four Vedas contains an account of magical charms and spells? (a) Rig-veda (b) Yajur-veda (c) Atharva-veda (d) Sama-veda Ans : C 9. What is the interval between two 'Maha Kumbh' melas at the same place? (a) 6 years (b) 10 years (c) 12 years (d) 15 years Ans : C 10. Who amongst the following is regarded as the historical founder of Jainism?

(a) Mahavira (b) Sisunaga (c) Rishabha (d) Gautama Ans : A 11. Which Ragamala depicts the martial arts by introducing horsemen in battle? Ans : Nataraga/ Natanarayana 12. What is the name of the elephant which serves as the mount of Lord Indra? Ans : Airavata 13. Name the sea demoness known for trapping birds by illusion, who tried to obstruct Hanuman on his way to Lanka? Ans : Simhika 14. Which traditional Asian performing art derives its name from the Japanese words for 'singing', 'dancing' and 'acting'? Ans : Kabuki 15. Who founded 'Yoga Shastra' the school of Hindu philosophy Ans : Patanjali 16. Who established Khalsa the Sikh order Ans : Guru Gobind Singh 17. The Meenakshi temple at Madurai is the monument of (a) Cholas (b) Cheras (c) Pallavas (d) Pandyas Ans : D 18. Tirupati temple of Lord Venkateswara is situated in which state Ans : Andhra Pradesh 19. Which indian state banned the forceful religious conversions Ans : Tamil Nadu 20. Bhagavata Mela is a folk dance of Ans : Andhra Pradesh 21. The famous Sun Temple is located in which Indian state

Ans : Orissa 22. Pungi is a dance form related to the state Ans : Himachal Pradesh 23. Garba a popular folk dance is associated with Indian state Ans : Gujarat 24. Bhangra is the folk dance of which Indian state Ans : Punjab 25. Who is the director of the Sanskrit film Adi Sankara Ans : G.V. Iyer 26. Which is the first Sanskrit film produced in India Ans : Adi Sankara 27. Which is the first talkie film Ans : The Jazz Singer in 1927 28. Who is known as Barefoot Painter Ans : M.F.Hussain 29. The Mohiniyattam dance form was developed in which state Ans : Kerala 30. Which of the following is the most prevalent folk dance of Uttar Pradesh (a) Naati (b) Bhangra (c) Tamasha (d) Nautanki Ans : D 31. Which of the following is a classical dance form of Andhra Pradesh (a) Odissi (b) Kuchipudi (c) Kathakali (d) Mohiniyattam Ans : B 32. The role of religion has been (a) to bring people closer (b) to provide faith to people in distress (c) Harmonizing (d) All the above

Ans : D 33. In which tribe the divorced women is most respected (a) Korawa of Mizapur (b) Santhals (c) Lushai of Assam (d) Khasi tribe Ans : A 34. The shuddi movement to bring back to the Hindufold people converted to other religions from Hinduism was launched by Ans : Arya Samajam 35. Which of the following is not a varna (group) of the Aryan society (a) Vaishyas (b) Brahmanas (c) Shudras (d) Sabhas Ans : D 36. Which of the societies practiced polyandry (a) Nyinba of Nepal (b) Medieval of Europeans (c) Wodabe of Africa (d) Todas of India Ans : D 37. What is the most essential element of nationality (a) A common race (b) A common language (c) A common religion (d) Corporate sentiment Ans : C 38. Marriage in which the bridegroom gets the bride in exchange of some money (a) Asura (b) Brahma (c) Rashasa (d) Prajapatia Ans : B 39. A childless widow who could cohabit with her brother-in-law until the birth of a son. This practice was known as (a) Niyoga (b) Levirate (c) Sororate (d) Nantru Ans : A 40. God created society just as he did the animate and inanimate objects of the world. This view comes from the (a) Divine Origin Theory (b) Evolution Theory (c) Religious Theory

Ans : A 41. Who is considered as the father of Jainism Ans : Mahavira 42. The oldest Veda is (a) Atharva Veda (b) Rig Veda (c) Yajur Veda (d) Sama Veda Ans : B 43. Ramakrishna Mission was established by Ans : Swami Vivekananda 44. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela was held at (a) Nasik (b) Ujjain (c) Prayag (d) Haridwar Ans : A 45. Who was the first recipient of a scholarship offered by the Indian Society of Oriental Arts in 1907 Ans : Nandala Bose 46. Who is the director of Pather Pachali Ans : Satyajit Ray 47. Who was the director of the movie Salaam Bombay Ans : Mira Nair 48. With which musical instrument is Shiv Kumar Sharma associated (a) Tabala (b) Santoor (c) Sitar (d) Shehnai Ans : B 49. Keleucharan Mahapatra was an exponent in Ans : Odissi 50. Dandiya Ras is a dance form of which state (a) Kerala (b) Bengal (c) Gujarat (d) Maharashtra Ans : C

Who among the following is a well known Cine Actor/Actress of India cinema? 1 2 3 4 Priyanka chopra Anjali Bhagat Zaheer Khan Sania Mirza Ans: 1 Q. Which one of the following is not a formal agency of social control? 1 Teachers 2 Courts 3 Family 4 Police Ans: 1 Q. Which of the statements given below about Vivekananda are correct? 1. He believed that Vedanta was fully rational. 2. He criticized his countrymen for having lost touch with the outside world. 3. he condemned the caste system. 4. He considered the Veda to be infallible. Select the correct answer using the code given below1 1, 3 and 4 2 1, 2 and 3 3 2, 3 and 4 4 1 and 2 only Ans: 1 Q. The bothers Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha are 1 Tabla players 2 Kathak dancers 3 Dhrupad vocalists 4 Sarod maestros Ans: 3 Q. Who among the following is the author of a collection of poems called "Golden Threshold"? 1 Sarojini Naidu 2 Aruna Asaf Ali 3 Annie Besant 4 Vijayalakshmi Pandit Ans: 1 Q. Who wrote the line:'A thing of beauty is a joy for ever'? 1 John Keats

2 P.B. Shelley 3 William Wordsworth 4 Robert Browning Ans: 1 Q. The novel 'White Tiger' which won the Booker Prize 2008 is authore by 1 Kiran Desai 2 V.S.Naipaul 3 Arundhati Roy 4 Aravind Adiga Ans: 4 Q. 'Neela Chand' is a novel written by 1 Subhash Mukhopadhyay 2 Shiv Prasad Singh 3 Ramakant Rath 4 Ram Vilas Sharma Ans: 2 Q. Mallika Sarabhai is associated with which of following fields? 1 Social service 2 Classical music 3 Sports 4 Classical dance Ans: 4 Q. Who amongst the following is a famous Sarod player? 1 Amjad Ali Khan 2 Zakir Hussain 3 Hari Prasad Chourasia 4 Shiv Kumar Sharma Ans: 1

The festival Bihu held in which State? 1 2 3 4 Mizoram Assam Punjab Manipur

Ans: 2 Q. Tripti Mitra was associated with which of following fields? 1 Stage Acting 2 Social Service 3 Dance 4 Vocal Music Ans: 1 Q. With which of the following is Begum Akhtar associated? 1 Painting 2 Vocal Music 3 Classical Dance 4 Writing Ans: 2 Q. Who was the author of 'Pather Dabi'? 1 Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay 2 Satinath Bhaduri 3 Rabindranath Tagore 4 Tarasankar Bandopadhyay Ans: 1 Q. People of the Sundarbans derives livelihood basically from 1 Fishing 2 Tourism 3 Construction of barrages and embankments 4 Rain-fed monocropping Ans: 1 Q. Where was the first World Classical Tamil Conference held? 1 Trichinapalli 2 Coimbatore 3 Chennai 4 Mammallapuram (Mahabalipuram) Ans: 2 Q. 'Before Memory Fades - an Autobiography' is written by 1 Vikram Seth 2 Fali S. Nariman 3 Prem Shankar Jha 4 Archana Upadhyay Ans: 2 Q. Elizabeth Hawley is well-known for her writings relating to which one of the following? 1 Himalayan expeditions

2 Historical monuments in India 3 Regional dances in India 4 Wildlife in India Ans: 1 Q. The book 'The Masque of Africa' is the book written by1 V.S. Naipaul 2 Raghav Bahl 3 Tony Blair 4 M.S.Swaminathan Ans: 1 Q. Who is the author of the book Patron of the Poor: Cast Politics and Policy Making in India? 1 Greg Lindsay 2 Narayan Lakshman 3 Khushwant Singh 4 Arundhuti Roy Ans: 2

The book "Unto the Last" which influenced Gandhiji, was written by? 1 2 3 4 Pushkin Ruskin Bond John Ruskin Stalin Ans: 3 Q. Which State is known for its folk-dance Garba? 1 Gujarat 2 Rajasthan 3 Maharashtra 4 Punjab Ans: 1

Q. Who is the Author of the book,Amitabh- the Making of the Superstar? 1 Tushar Raheja 2 Vijay Singhvi 3 Susmita Das Gupta 4 Raj Kamal Jha Ans: 3 Q. Who amongst the following is the author of the book The Algebra of Infinite Justice? 1 Kiran Desai 2 Anita Desai 3 Arundhati Roy 4 Anita Nair Ans: 3 Q. Who among the following is a famous 'flute' player? 1 Ravi Shankar 2 Shiv Kumar Sharma 3 Zakir Hussain 4 Hariprasad Chaurasia Ans: 4 Q. Begum Akhtar is related to 1 Music 2 Dance 3 Writing 4 Painting Ans: 1 Q. Who was the Indian to make a movie? 1 H.S. Bhatwaddekar 2 Ardeshir Irani 3 Dhundiraj Govind Phalke 4 V. Shantaram Ans: 1 Q. 'Pulizer prizes are awarded to Americans for excellence in 1 Films 2 Social Work 3 Journalism 4 Medicine Ans: 3 Q. Gateway of india was built in 1 1911 2 1927 3 1857

4 1947 Ans: 1 Q. The book "Truth, Love and A Little Malice" is written by 1 Tarun Tejpal 2 Vikram Seth 3 Khushwant Singh 4 Nirad C. Chaudhuri Ans: 3

Q. With which of the following books is Hobbes associated? 1 Lectures on Jurisprudence 2 Social Contract 3 Republic 4 Leviathan Ans: 4 Q. In Uttar Pradesh, the famous place of pilgrimage of both Jain and Baudh is at 1 Devipatan 2 Kaushambi 3 Kushinagar 4 Saranath Ans: 2 Q. Kartik is a folk dance of 1 Bundelkhand 2 Avadh 3 Purvanchal 4 Rohilkhand Ans: 1 Q. Kartik is a folk dance of1 Bundelkhand 2 Avadh 3 Purvanchal 4 Rohilkhand Ans: 1

Q. Bhatkhande Sangeet Sansthan, Lucknow became a Deemed University in1 1998 2 2001 3 2003 4 2004 Ans: 2 Q. Yakshagan is the Famous dance form of the State of1 Orrisa 2 Andhra Pradesh 3 Tamil Nadu 4 Karnataka Ans: 4 Q. 'BAFTA' award is associated with1 Banking Sector 2 Cinema 3 Insurance Sector 4 Tourism Ans: 2 Q. The Author of the book 'One Night @The Call Centre' is1 Anurag Mathur 2 Vikram Seth 3 Jhumpa Lahiri 4 Chetan Bhagat Ans: 4 Q. Jnanpith Award is conferred to those in the field of 1 Literature 2 History 3 Drama 4 Dance Ans: 1 Q. Who expounded the theory of 'Advaita'? 1 Ramanuja 2 Sri Shankaracharya 3 Madhavacarya 4 Swami Vivekananda Ans: 2

Q. Which of the following awards is given for the excellence in the field of literature in India? 1 Arjun Award 2 Bharatiya Jnanpith Award 3 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award 4 Dronacharya Award Ans: 2 Q. Which of the following festivals is not a harvest festival of India? 1 Onam 2 Pongal 3 Lohri 4 All of these Ans: 4 Q. The "Kumbha Mela" is held once in 1 7 years 2 5 years 3 10 years 4 12 years Ans: 4 Q. The most important and the main musical instrument in 'Nautanki' form of folk theatre is 1 Nagara 2 Tabla 3 Flute 4 Mohuri Ans: 1 Q. 'Kuchipudi' is a dance style of 1 Kerala 2 Tamil Nadu 3 Karnataka 4 Andhra Pradesh Ans: 4 Q. Which of the following awards is given for excellence in the field of Literature? 1 Tansen Sanman 2 Saraswati Sanman 3 Kalidas Sanman 4 Arjun Award Ans: 2 Q. "Oscar Awards" are given for the excellence in the field of ______. 1 Social Service 2 Film 3 Sports

4 Journalism Ans: 2 Q. Who received the best Actor Award at the 56th National Film Award? 1 Upendra Limaya 2 Amitabh Bachchan 3 Arjun Rampal 4 None of the above Ans: 1 Q. The CNN-IBN India of the year 2009 is 1 A.R.Rahman 2 Sachin Tendulkar 3 Mukesh Ambani 4 Sania Mirza Ans: 1 Q. 'Romancing with Life' is a book written by 1 Dilip Kumar 2 Debasheesh Dutta 3 Dev Anand 4 Hema Malini Ans: 3

Q. Who among the following is the recipient of Dada Saheb Phalke Award? 1 Javed Akhtar 2 Akkineni Nageshwar Rao 3 Manoj Kumar 4 Subhash Ghai Ans: 2 Q. The author of the book 'My Experiments With Truth' is 1 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad 2 Govind Vallabh Pant 3 M.K. Gandhi 4 Tara Ali Beg Ans: 3 Q. Who among the following is the author of a collection of poems called Golden Threshold? 1 Aruna Asaf Ali

2 Annie Besant 3 Sarojini Naidu 4 Vijayalakshmi Pandit Ans: 3 Q. The author of the book "India Wins Freedom" is 1 Kuldeep Nayyar 2 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad 3 Jawaharlal Nehru 4 Indira Gandhi Ans: 2 Q. Yakshagan is the famous dance form of the State of 1 Andhra Pradesh 2 Orissa 3 Karnataka 4 Tamil Nadu Ans: 3 Q. "James Bond" is a character created by 1 Ian Fleming 2 Perry Masion 3 Agatha Christie 4 Wode House Ans: 1 Q. Who is the author of the book "The Argumentative Indian"? 1 V. S. Naipaul 2 Vikram Seth 3 Sashi Tharoor 4 Amartya Sen Ans: 4 Q. Rabindranath Tagore was awarded Noble Prize for his literary work named 1 Geetanjali 2 Rajtarangini 3 Chokher Bali 4 Kapal Kundala Ans: 1 Q. Amrita Pritam's work "A Revenue Stamp" is 1 A book of stories 2 A novel 3 A biography 4 An autobiography Ans: 4

Q. The poetic work "Rashmirathi" was written by 1 Maithilisharan Gupt 2 Mahadevi Verma 3 Ramdhari Singh Dinkar 4 Surya Kant Tripathi Nirala Ans: 3 Q. The Harry Potter series is written by 1 K K Rowling 2 K J Rowling 3 J K Rowling 4 A K Rowling Ans: 3 Q. The author of Anna Karenina is 1 Tony Morrison 2 Emily Dickinson 3 Leo Tolstoy 4 G. B. Shaw Ans: 3 Q. Which one of the following flim was made by Satyajit Ray for Children? 1 Ashani Sanket 2 Pather Pachali 3 Charu Lata 4 Sonar Killa Ans: 4 Q. The author of the book "India Wins Freedom" is 1 Kuldeep Nayyar 2 Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad 3 Jawaharlal Nehru 4 Indira Gandhi Ans: 2 Q. Sandeep Pandey, the winner of Raman Magsaysay Award, is mainly an activist in 1 prevention of child marriages 2 promotion of communal harmony 3 environmental protection 4 education and livelihood projects for Dalits Ans: 4 Q. The novel "White Tiger" which won the Man Booker Prize, 2008 is authored by 1 Arundhati Roy 2 V.S. Naipaul 3 Kiran Desai

4 Aravind Adiga Ans: 4 Q. An ancient cave containing a mural of 55 panels on the life of Buddha has been recently discovered at 1 Sanchi 2 Bodh Gaya 3 Mustang (Nepal) 4 Lhasa Ans: 3 Q. Dandiya Ras is a dance form of which state 1 Kerala 2 Bengal 3 Gujarat 4 Maharashtra Ans: 3 Q. With which musical instrument is Shiv Kumar Sharma associated 1 Tabala 2 Santoor 3 Sithar 4 Shehnai Ans: 2 Q. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela was held at 1 Nasik 2 Ujjain 3 Prayag 4 Haridwar Ans: 1

Q. A childless widow who could cohabit with her brother-in-law until the birth of a son. This practice was known as 1 Niyoga 2 Levirate 3 Sororate 4 Nantru Ans: 1 Q. What is the most essential element of nationality

1 A common race 2 A common language 3 A common religion 4 Corporate sentiment Ans: 3 Q. Which of the societies practiced polyandry 1 Nyinba of Nepal 2 Medieval of Europeans 3 Wodabe of Africa 4 Todas of India Ans: 4 Q. Which of the following is not a varna (group) of the Aryan society 1 Vaishya 2 Shudras 3 Brahmanas 4 Sabhas Ans: 4 Q. In which tribe the divorced women is most respected 1 Korawa of Mizapur 2 Santhals 3 Lushai of Assam 4 Khasi tribe Ans: 1 Q. The role of religion has been 1 to bring people closer 2 to provide faith to people in distress 3 Harmonizing 4 All the above Ans: 4 Q. Which of the following is a classical dance form of Andhra Pradesh 1 Odissi 2 Kuchipudi 3 Kathakali 4 Mohiniyattam Ans: 2 Q. Which of the following is the most prevalent folk dance of Uttar Pradesh 1 Naati 2 Bhangra 3 Tamasha 4 Nautanki

Ans: 4 Q. The Meenakshi temple at Madurai is the monument of 1 Cholas 2 Pallavas 3 Pandyas 4 Cheras Ans: 3 Q. Who amongst the following is regarded as the historical founder of Jainism? 1 Mahavira 2 Sisunaga 3 Rishabha 4 Gautama Ans: 1

Q. What is the interval between two 'Maha Kumbh' melas at the same place? 1 6 years 2 10 years 3 12 years 4 15 years Ans: 3 Q. Which one of the following four Vedas contains an account of magical charms and spells? 1 Rig-veda 2 Yajur-veda 3 Atharva-veda 4 Sama-veda Ans: 3 Q. Who among the following is well known as an exponent of flute? 1 Debu Choudhuri 2 Madhup Mudgal 3 Ronu Mazumdar 4 Shafaat Ahmad Ans: 3

Q. How many members are there in the VidhanSabha in Uttar Pradesh ? 1 540 2 504 3 304 4 404 Ans: 4 Q. Where is the oldest museum of the Uttar Pradesh situated ? 1 Allahabad 2 Lucknow 3 Mathura 4 Varanasi Ans: 2 Q. In which of the following cities in the Uttar Pradesh is sulehkul festival, the symbol of Hindu Muslim unity organised? 1 Meerut 2 Aligarh 3 Lucknow 4 Agra Ans: 4 Q. Which of the following Shankracharya ? 1 Badrinath 2 Ayodhya 3 Prayag 4 Varanasi Ans: 1 Q. In which city of the Uttar Pradesh is Pura Banaspati Birbal Sahani Institute situated? 1 Saharanpur 2 Kanpur 3 Lucknow 4 Jhansi Ans: 3 Q. By which districts tribe is the 'Shera Dance' done in Uttar Pradesh? 1 Gorakhpur 2 Lalitpur 3 Allahabad 4 Varanasi Ans: 2 Q. Which of the following pairs is wrong? 1 Thumra-dance song cities was the place of reinstallation of Hindu religion by

2 Sanjeeni-romantic song 3 Lehchari-festival 4 Kharatitiya-festival Ans: 3

Q. Bharat Kala Bhawan Museum is situated in 1 Agra 2 Lucknow 3 Allahabad 4 Varanasi Ans: 4 Q. Who authored the 'Gitanjali', an anthology of poems ? 1 Sumitranandan Pant 2 Makhanlal Chaturvedi 3 Rabindranath Tagore 4 Maithili Sharan Gupt Ans: 3 Q. The Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Shanta Sinha known as 1 a campaigner for urban sanitation 2 an organiser of rain-water harvesting schemes 3 an activist for the welfare of poor rural women 4 an anti-child labour activist Ans: 4 Q. Which of the following authors won the Booker Prize twice? 1 Margaret Atwood 2 Ian Mc Ewan 3 J. M. Coetzee 4 Graham Swift Ans: 3 Q. Who among the following has been awarded the Sydney peace Prize 2004 for her work in social campaigns and advocacy to non-violence? 1 Aparna Sen 2 Arundharti Rai 3 Medha Padkar 4 None of these

Ans: 2 Q. U-Tant award is given for: 1 Social Service 2 Contribution to east-west understanding 3 Community leadership 4 Journalism Ans: 1 Q. Name the film which won 11 Oscars at the 76th Annual Academy Awards 1 The lord of Rings: The Return of the King 2 Mystic River 3 Cold Mountain 4 Monster Ans: 1 Q. Find out the odd one 1 Nobel Prize 2 Magsaysay Award 3 Commonwealth Writers Prize 4 Jnanapith Award Ans: 4 Q. "The Vedas contain all the truth", was interpreted by: 1 Swami Vivekananda 2 Swami Dayanand 3 Swami Shraddhanand 4 S. Radhakrishnan Ans: 2 Q. Who wrote a book describing the theory of economic drain of India during British rule? 1 Lala Lajpat Rai 2 Dadabhai Naoroji 3 Mahatma Gandhi 4 Jawaharlal Nehru Ans: 1

Q. The famous book 'Anandmath' has been authorised by 1 Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya 2 Rabindranath Tagore 3 Sarojini Naidu 4 Sri Aurobindo Ans: 1 Q. 'Beyond time' is the book written by 1 Namita Gokhale 2 Ruskin Bond 3 William Balrymple 4 None of these Ans: 4 Q. "Does IT matter" is a book written by 1 Nicholas Carr 2 Bill Gates 3 N. R. Narayanan 4 Thomas D. Harris Ans: 1 Q. Who is the author of "A Passage to England"? 1 E.M. Forster 2 Nirad C. Chaudhari 3 G.B. Shaw 4 Winston Churchill Ans: 2 Q. One among the following is not a Harry Potter story 1 Chamber of secrets 2 The philosopher's stone 3 Half blood prince 4 Naked Truth Ans: 4 Q. 'Sonia, a Biography' was written by 1 Sonia Gandhi 2 Rasheed Kidvai 3 Arundhathi Roy 4 V.K. Madhavan Kutty Ans: 2 Q. One among the following is not written by Kalidasa 1 Saakunthalam 2 Raghu Vamsam 3 Rith Samharam

4 Kaavyadooth Ans: 4 Q. 'Man-The Maker of His Own Destiny' book was written by 1 V.S. Naipaul 2 Mahatma Gandhi 3 Guenter Grass 4 Swami Vivekananda Ans: 4 Q. Author of the book - 'Between Hope and History' 1 Abraham Lincoln 2 Bill Clinton 3 E.M. Forster 4 Paul Kennedy Ans: 2 Q. Mulk Raj Anand is the author of 1 The Post Office 2 Gora 3 India Wins Freedom 4 Coolie Ans: 4

Q. The Sanskrit poet called as the Indian Shakespeare? 1 Kalidasa 2 Thulasidas 3 Sudraka 4 Kautilya Ans: 1 Q. Kishen Maharaj famous for? 1 Vocal 2 Sitar 3 Tabla 4 Kattak Dance Ans: 3 Q. What was the pen name of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhaye? 1 Kamla Kant 2 Anila Devi 3 Jarasandha

4 Dhananjoy Bairagi Ans: 1 Q. What was the pen name of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhaye? 1 Anila Devi 2 Kamla Kant 3 Jarasandha 4 Rupdarshi Ans: 1 Q. "Bhanu Singha" was the pen name of famous writer? 1 Bankin Chandra Chattopadhaye 2 Rabindra Nath Tagore 3 Abanindra Nath Thakur 4 Sarat Chandra Chattopadhaye Ans: 2 Q. What is the real name of Merilin Monro? 1 Merilin Monro 2 Norma Jean Bekar 3 Dorothi Manro 4 Kathrin Bekar Ans: 2 Q. What is the meaning of "Chemolangma" in Tebetan Language? 1 Mount Everest 2 Kanchanjangha 3 Himalaya 4 Tibet Ans: 1 Q. With which one of the following dance form is Madhavi Mudgal associated? 1 Bharat Natyam 2 Odissi 3 Kathak 4 Kathakali Ans: 2 Q. Who is the author of the book 'The Rights of Man'? 1 Thomas Hardy 2 Thomas Mann 3 Thomas Moore 4 Thomas Paine Ans: 4

Q. The words 'Satyameva Jayate' in the State Emblem of India, have been adopted from which one of the following? 1 Brahma Upanishad 2 Mudgala Upanishad 3 Maitreyi Upanishad 4 Mundaka Upanishad Ans: 4

Q. Which one of the following has been proclaimed by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritages of humanity? 1 Purana 2 Ramlila 3 Geeta 4 Mahabharata Ans: 3 Q. 'Asian Drama', by gunnar Karl Myrdal, is a book on which of the following subjects? 1 Theatre Movements in asia 2 Economics 3 International Politics 4 Look East Policy of India Ans: 2 Q. Who amongst the following is the author of the book' colours of the rainbow'? 1 A. V. Kamath 2 Anita Nayyar 3 Pritish Nandy 4 Ranjita Biswas Ans: 4 Q. Magasaysay Awards are NOT given in which of the following categories? 1 Literature 2 Peace and International Understanding 3 Music 4 Public Service Ans: 3 Q. Who amonst the following is the author of the book 'Freedom from Fear'? 1 Nelson Mandela 2 Aung San Suukyi 3 Taslima Nasreen

4 Benazir Bhutto Ans: 2 Q. Vyas Sanman is given for excellence in the field of 1 Music 2 Literature 3 Social Service 4 Sports Ans: 2 Q. Who amongst the following is the author of the book 'Red'? 1 Irwin Allan Sealy 2 Suketu Mehta 3 C. Raja Mohan 4 M. J. Akbar Ans: 1 Q. Kuchipudi dance originated in 1 Orissa 2 Karnataka 3 Kerala 4 Andhra Pradesh Ans: 4 Q. Uttar Pradesh's `Yash Bharti' award 2006 has been awarded to which among the following actors? 1 Shabana Azmi 2 Abhishek Bachchan 3 Jaya Bachchan 4 Amitabh Bachchan Ans: 3 Q. `Rainbow' is 1 An ice-cream 2 Prasar Bharti's FM Channel 3 A suitcase 4 A musical group Ans: 2

Q. R. K. Laxman is a renowned 1 Writer

2 Cartoonist 3 Journalist 4 Cricketer Ans: 2 Q. Who wrote the line " A thing of beauty is a joy forever"? 1 Robert Browning 2 John Keats 3 P. B. Shelly 4 William Wordsworth Ans: 2 Q. Kathak is classical dance of 1 North India 2 Manipur 3 Tamil Nadu 4 Kerala Ans: 1

59th National Film Awards: Winners List

Winners in selected major categories at the 59th National Film Awards

125

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Best Feature Film: 'Devur' (Marathi) & 'Byari' (Kannada) Best Director: Gurvinder Singh, 'Anhe Ghorey Da Daan' Best Actor: Girish Kulkarni, 'Deool'

Best Actress: Vidya Balan, 'The Dirty Picture' Best Supporting Actor: Appu Kutty, 'Azhagar Samiyin Kuthirai' (Tamil) Best Supporting Actress: Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi, 'Phijigee Mani' (Manipuri) Best Editing: Praveen KL, 'Aranyaa Kandam' Best Child Artist: Partho Gupte, 'Stanley Ka Dabba' and 'Chillar Party' cast Best Film on Social Issues: 'Inshallah' (Ashvin Kumar) and 'Mindscape' (Arun Chadha) Best Non Feature Film: 'And We Play On' Best Debut Film of a Director: 'The Silent Poet' (Manipuri) Best Children's Film: 'Chillar Party' Best Music Direction: Neel Dutt, 'Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona' Best Background Score: 'Laptop', Mayookh Bhaumik Best Singer (Female): Rupa Ganguly Best Singer (Male): Anand Bhate Best Lyrics: 'I Am', Amitabh Bhattacharya Best Screenplay (Adapted): 'Shala', Avinash Deshpande Best Screenplay (Original): 'Chillar Party', Vikas Behl & Nitish Tiwari Best Dialogue: Girish Kulkarni, 'Deool' Best Make Up Artist: Vijram Gaekwad, 'The Dirty Picture' and 'Bal Gandharva' Best Special Effects: 'Ra.One' Best Costume Design: Niharika Khan, 'The Dirty Picture' and Neeta Lulla, 'Bal Gandharva' Best Choreography: Bosco-Caeser for "Senorita..." from 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' Best Hindi Film: 'I Am'

Best Marathi Film: 'Shaala' Best Kannada Film: 'Kurmavatara' Best Bengali Film: 'Ranjana Ami Aar Ashbona' Best Malayalam Film: 'Indian Rupee' Best Tamil Film: 'Vaagai Sooda Vaa' Best Dogri Film: 'Dille Ch Vasya Koi' Best Manipuri film: 'Phijigee Mani' Best Punjabi Film: 'Anne Gode Da Daan' Special Mention: Director Shari for 'Adi Madhyantam' (Malayalam Film) and Mallika for 'Byari' (Kannada Film) Best film critic: Manoj P Pujari Best Book Award: Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Balaji Vittal for 'R.D. Burman The Man, The Music' Indira Gandhi award for debut film director: Thiagarajan Kumararaja for 'Aaranya Kaandam' Special Jury Award: Anjan Dutta for 'Ranjana Ami Aar Ashbo Na'

INDIAN AWARDS & HONORS

Indian Patriotic Awards:
Bharat Ratna Bharat Ratna (translates to Jewel of India or Gem of India in English) is India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna carry no special title nor any other honorifics, but they do have a place in the Indian order of precedence. The award was established by the first President of India, Rajendra Prasad, on January 2, 1954. Along with other major national honours, such as the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, the awarding of the Bharat Ratna was suspended from July 13, 1977 to January 26, 1980. The honour has been awarded to forty persons, a list which includes two non-Indians and a naturalized Indian citizen. Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh are the states with the most number of awardees (7 each). Originally, the specifications for the award called for a circular gold medal carrying the state emblem and motto, among other things. It is uncertain if a design in accordance with the original specifications was ever made. The actual award is designed in the shape of a peepul leaf and carries with the words "Bharat Ratna", inscribed in Devanagari script. The reverse side of the medal carries the state emblem and motto. The award is attached to a two-inch long ribbon, and was designed to be worn around the recipient's neck. Gandhi Peace Prize The International Gandhi Peace Prize, named after Mahatma Gandhi, is awarded annually by the government of India. As a tribute to the ideals espoused by Gandhi, the Government of India launched the International Gandhi Peace Prize in 1995 on the occasion of

the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This is an annual award given to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods. The award carries Rs. 10 million in cash, convertible in any currency in the world, a plaque and a citation. It is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, creed or sex. A jury consisting of the Prime Minister of India, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Chief Justice of India and two other eminent persons decides the awardee each year. Ordinarily, only proposals coming from competent persons invited to nominate are considered. However, a proposal is not taken as invalid for consideration by the jury merely on the ground of not having emanated from competent persons. If, however, it is considered that none of the proposals merit recognition, the jury is free to withhold the award for that year. Only achievements within 10 years immediately preceding the nomination are considered for the award; an older work may, however, be considered if its significance has not become apparent until recently. A written work, in order to be eligible for consideration, should have been published. Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan is India's second highest civilian honour. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It is awarded to recognize exceptional and distinguished service to the nation in any field, including government service. The award was suspended between 1977 and 1980. No award was made between 1992 and 1998 as well. The award was established by Presidential decree on 2 January 1954. It comes after the Bharat Ratna and before the Padma Bhushan. Padma Vibhushan was originally established as the Pahela Varg (First Class) of a three-class "Padma Vibhushan" awards. However the structure was changed in 1955 and there is no record of the award being presented to any of the recipients in the original structure. Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established on January 2, 1954 by the President of India. It stands third in the hierarchy of civilian awards, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Sri. It is awarded to recognize distinguished service of a high order to the nation, in any field.

Padma Shri Padma Shri (also spelt Padma Shree, Padmashree, Padma Sree and Padma Sri) is an award given by the Government of India generally to Indian citizens to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Social Service and public life. (The word "Padma" (Sanskrit) means "Lotus".) It stands fourth in the hierarchy of civilian awards after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. On its obverse, the words "Padma" and "Shri", in Devanagari, appear above and below the lotus flower. The geometrical pattern on either side is in burnished bronze. All embossing is in white gold. In 1960 Dr.M.G.Ramachandran refused to accept the award as the wordings of the award is in Hindi. As of February 2008, 2095 people have received the award. Pravasi Bharatiya Samman The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is an award constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, to honor exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession. The award is given by the President of India. Dadasaheb Phalke Award The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is an annual award given by the Indian government for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered the father of Indian cinema. The award for a particular year is given during the end of the following year along with the National Film Awards. The Bombay High Court had directed the Directorate of Film Festivals of India (DFFI) to consider uncensored films for the competition, a case which DFFI contested and won in the Supreme Court in late 2006.

Military Gallantry Medals:

Param Vir Chakra The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence

of the enemy, similar to the British Victoria Cross, US Medal of Honor, or French Legion of Honor. It can be awarded posthumously with many of the awards having been awarded posthumously. Param Vir means "Bravest of the Brave" in Sanskrit. (Param = Highest; Vr = Brave (warrior); Chakra = wheel/medal). The PVC was established on 26 January 1950 (the date of India becoming a republic), by the President of India, with effect from 15 August 1947 (the date of Indian independence). It can be awarded to officers or enlisted personnel from all branches of the Indian military. It is the second highest award of the government of India after Bharat Ratna (amendment in the statute on 26 January 1980 resulted in this order of wearing). It replaced the former British colonial Victoria Cross (VC), (see List of Indian Victoria Cross recipients). Provision was made for the award of a bar for second (or subsequent) awards of the Param Vir Chakra. To date, there have been no such awards. Award of the decoration carries with it the right to use P.V.C. as a post-nominal abbreviation. The award also carries a cash allowance for those under the rank of lieutenant (or the appropriate service equivalent) and, in some cases, a cash award. On the death of the recipient, the pension is transferred to the widow until her death or remarriage. The paltry amount of the pension has been a rather controversial issue throughout the life of the decoration. By March 1999, the stipend stood at Rs. 1500 per month. In addition, many states have established individual pension rewards that far exceeds the central government's stipend for the recipients of the decoration. Subedar Major Bana Singh of the Eighth Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry was the only serving personnel of the Indian defence establishment with a Param Vir Chakra till the Kargil operations. Ashoka Chakra The Ashoka Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peace time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or selfsacrifice" other than in the face of the enemy. The decoration may be awarded either to military or civilian personnel and may be awarded posthumously. Subsequent awards of the Ashoka Chakra are recognized by a bar to the medal ribbon (to date, none have been awarded). It is possible for a recipient to be awarded the Kirti Chakra or Shaurya Chakra in addition for separate acts of gallantry.

The medal was originally established on 4 January 1952 as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class I" as the first step of a three-class sequence of noncombatant bravery decorations. In 1967, these decorations were removed from the "class-based" system and renamed as the Ashoka Charkra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra. This is an important point in understanding the independent Indian view of decorations. It would also lead to changes in the Padma Vibhushan series, the distinguished service medal series, the life saving medal series, and the Defence Security Corps medal series. From 1 February 1999, the central government instituted a monthly stipend for Ashoka Chakra recipients of Rs. 1400. Jammu and Kashmir awarded a cash award of Rs. 1500 (ca. 1960) for recipients of this award. Obverse: Circular gold gilt, 1-3/8 inches in diameter. In the center, the chakra (wheel) of Ashoka, surrounded by a lotus wreath and with an ornate edge. Suspended by a straight bar suspender. The medal is named on the edge. Reverse: Blank in the center, with "Ashoka Chakra" in Hindi along the upper edge on the medal and the same name in English along the lower rim, "ASHOKA CHAKRA". On either side is a lotus design. The center is blank, perhaps with the intent that details of the award be engraved there. There is no indication of the class on the pre-1967 awards, and, in fact, there is no difference between these medals and the post-1967 awards. Ribbon: 32 mm, dark green with a 2 mm central saffron stripe. Dark green 15 mm, saffron 2 mm, dark green 15 mm. Maha Vir Chakra The Maha Vira Chakra (MVC) is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Vira Chakra means Great Hero Wheel. In Sanskrit Maha = Great, Vira = Hero and Chakra = Wheel. The medal is made of standard silver and is circular in shape. Embossed on the obverse is a five pointed heraldic star with circular center-piece bearing the gilded state emblem of India in the center. The words "Mahavira Chakra" are embossed in Devanagari and English on the reverse with two lotus flowers in the middle. The decoration is worn on the left breast with a half-white and half-orange riband about 3.2 cm in width, the orange being near the left shoulder. More than 155 acts of bravery and selfless courage have been recognized since the inception of the medal. The most MVCs awarded in a single conflict was in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, when eleven were given to the Indian Air Force.

Provision was made for the award of a bar for a second award of the Maha Vira Chakra, the first two being awarded in 1965. To date, there are six known awards of a first bar: Wing Commander Jag Mohan Nath (1962 and 1 September 1965), Major General Rajindar Singh (19 March 1948 and 6 September 1965), General Arun Shridhar Vaidya (16 September 1965 and 5 December 1971), Wing Commander Padmanabha Gautam (6 September 1965 and 5 December 1971 [posthumous]), Colonel Chewang Rinchen (July 1948 and 8 December 1971), and Brigadier Sant Singh (2 November 1965 and January 1972),. No second bars have been awarded. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use M.V.C. as a postnominal abbreviation. Vir Chakra Vira Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation (note the care to distinguish this abbreviation from that for the Victoria Cross (V.C.). It is third in precedence in the war time gallantry awards and comes after the Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra. Provision was made for the award of a bar for a second award of the Vira Chakra, with the first three awards of such a bar coming in 1948. The award carries with it a cash allowance and, in some cases, a lump sum cash award. This has been a rather controversial issue throughout the life of the decoration. From 1 February 1999, the central government set a monthly stipend of Rs. 850 for recipients of the award. In addition, many states have established individual pension rewards for the recipients of the decoration. Established: Established by the President of India on 26 January 1950 (with effect from 15 August 1947). The statutes were amended 12 January 1952 to readjust the order of wearing as new decorations were established. Obverse: 1-3/8 inch circular silver medal. A five pointed star, with the chakra in the center, and, on this, the domed gilded state emblem. The decoration is named on the rim and suspended from a swiveling straightbar suspender. The decoration is almost always named and dated on the edge. Reverse: Around a plain center, two legends separated by lotus flowers; above Vir Chakra in Hindi and in English. Ribbon: 32 mm, half dark blue and half orange-saffron. Dark blue 16 mm, saffron 16 mm. Shaurya Chakra Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with

the enemy. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, sometimes posthumously. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra. It is generally awarded for Counter-Insurgency ops & actions against the enemy during peace-time. It is third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards and comes after Ashoka Chakra and Kirti Chakra. It precedes the Sena Medal. Before 1967, the award was known as the Ashoka Chakra, Class III. Subsequent awards of the Shaurya Chakra are recognized by a bar to the medal ribbon (to date, none have been awarded). It is possible for a recipient to be awarded the Ashoka Chakra or Kirti Chakra in addition for separate acts of gallantry. From 1 February 1999, the central government set a monthly stipend of Rs. 750 for recipients of the award. Jammu and Kashmir awards a cash award of Rs. 700 (ca. 1960) for recipients of the Shaurya Chakra. Established: Established as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class III" by the President of India, 4 January 1952 (with effect from 15 August 1947). The statutes were revised and the decoration renamed on 27 January 1967. Obverse: Circular bronze, 1-3/8 inches in diameter. In the center, the chakra (wheel) of Ashoka, surrounded by a lotus wreath and with an ornate edge. Suspended by a straight bar suspender. The medal is named on the edge. Reverse: For pre-1967 awards, the medal is blank in the center, with "Ashoka Chakra" in Hindi along the upper edge on the medal and the same name in English along the lower rim, "ASHOKA CHAKRA". On either side is a lotus design. The center is blank, perhaps with the intent that details of the award be engraved there. There is no indication of the class on the pre-1967 awards. For the post-1967 awards, the, names are changed to "Shauryua Chakra" in Hindi above and "SHAURYA CHAKRA" below. Ribbon: 30 mm, dark green with three 2 mm orange stripes. Dark green 6 mm, orange 2 mm, dark green 6 mm, orange 2 mm, dark green 6 mm, orange 2 mm, dark green 6 mm. Kirti Chakra Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra. It is second in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards; it comes after Ashoka Chakra and before Shaurya Chakra. Before 1967, the award was known as the Ashoka Chakra, Class II.

Subsequent awards of the Kirti Chakra are recognized by a bar to the medal ribbon (to date, none have been awarded). It is possible for a recipient to be awarded the Ashoka Chakra or Shaurya Chakra in addition for separate acts of gallantry. From 1 February 1999, the central government set a monthly stipend of Rs. 1050 for recipients of the award. Jammu and Kashmir awards a cash award of Rs. 1000 (ca. 1960) for recipients of the Kirti Chakra. Established: Established as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class II" by the President of India, 4 January 1952 (with effect from 15 August 1947). The statutes were revised and the decoration renamed on 27 January 1967. Obverse: Circular silver, 1-3/8 inches in diameter. In the center, the chakra (wheel) of Ashoka, surrounded by a lotus wreath and with an ornate edge. Suspended by a straight bar suspender. The medal is named on the edge. Reverse: For pre-1967 awards, the medal is blank in the center, with "Ashoka Chakra" in Hindi along the upper edge on the medal and the same name in English along the lower rim, "ASHOKA CHAKRA". On either side is a lotus design. The center is blank, perhaps with the intent that details of the award be engraved there. There is no indication of the class on the pre-1967 awards. For the post-1967 awards, the, names are changed to "Kirti Chakra" in Hindi above and "KIRTI CHAKRA" below. Ribbon: 30 mm, dark green with two 2 mm saffron stripes. Dark green 8.5 mm, saffron 2 mm, dark green 9 mm, saffron 2 mm, dark green 8.5 mm.

Military Distinguished Service Medals:

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal