Awards and Honours PYQs – Static GK, SSC & Railway

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Midnight's Children
'Midnight's Children' by Salman Rushdie won the 1981 Booker Prize. The novel narrates the story of children born at the moment of India's independence and uses magical realism to explore post-colonial Indian history. It also won the Booker of Bookers (1993) and the Best of the Booker (2008).
Option 1 (Shame): Published in 1983; shortlisted for the 1983 Booker Prize but did not win.
Option 2 (The Satanic Verses): Published in 1988; shortlisted for the 1988 Booker Prize but did not win.
Option 4 (The Golden House): Published in 2017; not a Booker Prize winner.

Correct Answer: Option 4 – R.K. Narayan
R.K. Narayan (Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, 1906–2001), the beloved author of the Malgudi Days series and novels like 'The Guide', 'Swami and Friends', 'The Bachelor of Arts', wrote primarily in English. The Jnanpith Award is given for outstanding contribution to Indian literature written in languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution — R.K. Narayan wrote in English, which is not in the Eighth Schedule. Thus he was not a Jnanpith recipient (though he received Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan).
Option 1 (Gulzar): Received the 58th Jnanpith Award (2023) for his contributions to Urdu literature. He is a legendary lyricist, poet, and filmmaker.
Option 2 (Jagadguru Rambhadracharya ): Received the 57th Jnanpith Award (2023) for Sanskrit literature — a noted Sanskrit scholar and spiritual leader.
Option 3 (Vinod Kumar Shukla): Received the 59th Jnanpith Award (2024) for his contributions to Hindi literature — renowned for novels like ' Naukar ki Kameez' and ' Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi '.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Lords of the Deccan
'Lords of the Deccan: Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas' by Anirudh Kanisetti (published 2022) explores the history of Southern India from approximately 550–1200 CE, covering powerful dynasties like the Chalukyas , Rashtrakutas, and Cholas. The book was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar (Young Writers' Award) for its scholarly yet accessible narrative on a less-documented period of Indian history.
Option 1 (India After Gandhi): Written by Ramachandra Guha; not by Anirudh Kanisetti.
Option 2 (The Anarchy): Written by William Dalrymple about the East India Company; not by Kanisetti.
Option 4 (The Argumentative Indian): Written by Amartya Sen; not by Kanisetti.

Correct Answer: Option 3 – Sports
The Arjuna Award is India's second-highest sporting honour , awarded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognize outstanding achievement in sports over a period of four consecutive years. It was established in 1961. Recipients receive a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a certificate of honour , ceremonial dress, and a cash prize.
Option 1 (Literature): Literary excellence is recognized by the Sahitya Akademi Award and Jnanpith Award.
Option 2 (Science): Scientific achievement is recognized by the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize and Padma awards.
Option 4 (Music): Musical excellence is recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and national honours .