1. Who was the first Indian to receive an Oscar?
[A] Bhanu Athaiya
[B] Shabana Azmi
[C] Satyajit Ray
[D] Naseeruddin Shah
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bhanu Athaiya]
Notes:
Bhanu Athaiya, an eminent costume designer in Indian cinema, became the first Indian to clinch an Oscar. Her ideation and implementation of costumes grace over 100 films and spans over several decades from the 1950s. She collaborated with proficient filmmakers such as Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Ashutosh Gowariker, including international directors like Conrad Rooks and Richard Attenborough. She also won two prestigious National Film Awards, in 1991 and 2002, demonstrating her exceptional skills and contribution to the film industry.
2. Kambala Sport is held in which state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Gujarath
[C] Tamilnadu
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Karnataka]
Notes:
Kambala is an annual buffalo race held in Karnataka and also in some parts of Kerala such as Kasaragod.
3. Chakan Gaan-Ngai, a post-harvest festival is celebrated in __:
[A] Manipur
[B] Sikkim
[C] Meghalaya
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Manipur]
Notes:
Celebration of the biggest post-harvest festival of the Zeliangrong community, Chakan Gaan-Ngai, also popularly known as Gaan-Ngai was kick-started in Manipur recently with different organizations celebrating the festival in their own manner with traditional gaiety and religious fervour. The State Level celebration of the festival was organized by State Level Gaan Ngai-2013 Committee at Langol Tarung village with Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh as Chief Guest.
4. Where is the Tagore Centre for the Study of Culture and Civilization ?
[A] Shimla
[B] Kolkata
[C] Chennai
[D] Dehrdun
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Shimla]
Notes:
To pay a befitting tribute to the man of letters, Nobel Laureate, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, on his 150th birth anniversary, the Government of India has set up a ‘Tagore Centre for the Study of Culture and Civilization’ (TCSCC) at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Shimla. The objectives of the Centre include: to encourage the study of Tagore’s work; support translations of Tagore’s work into other Indian languages; promote comparative study of his work with poets, artists and writers in other parts of India and the world; study the elements of his Humanist philosophy and his cosmopolitanism; and explore his concerns regarding the relationship between science and society.
5. The Varkari sect in Maharashtra was founded by __?
[A] Tukaram
[B] Namdev
[C] Visoba Khechar
[D] Dhyaneshwar
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Correct Answer: D [Dhyaneshwar]
Notes:
The sect is believed to have originated in Karnataka and migrated to Maharashtra later. The followers of the sect believe that Dnyaneshwar laid the foundation stone, which is evident from the saying “Dnyanadev rachila paya”
6. Where is the headquarters of the National Film Archive of India located?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Pune
[C] New Delhi
[D] Kolkata
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Pune]
Notes:
The headquarters of the National Film Archive of India is located in Pune, Maharashtra. The main duty of the archive is to trace, acquire and preserve for posterity the heritage of Indian cinema. It was established in 1964 pursuant to the recommendations of the Indian government’s Film Inquiry Committee of 1951. The archive is the largest film library in India, storing more than 12,000 feature films and 16,000 short films.
7. Which chapter of Mahabharata deals with fruitless efforts to bring about peace between the Kurus and the Pandavas ?
[A] Vana Parva
[B] Virat Parva
[C] Udyog Parva
[D] Drona Parva
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Udyog Parva]
Notes:
Udyog Parva of Mahabharata deals with fruitless efforts to bring about peace between the Kurus and the Pandavas. There are 18 parvas.
8. Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the highest literary award of which among the following Governments?
[A] Kerala
[B] Tamil nadu
[C] Karnataka
[D] Andhra Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Kerala]
Notes:
The Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the highest literary award conferred by the Government of Kerala. Established in 1993, it honors contributions to Malayalam literature and is named after Ezhuthachan, a revered poet often regarded as the father of the Malayalam language. The award aims to promote and recognize literary excellence in Kerala.
9. Which of the following Sikh Guru composed Adi Granth ?
[A] Guru Nanak
[B] Guru Govind Singh
[C] Guru Arjun Dev
[D] Guru Hargovind
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Guru Arjun Dev]
Notes:
Guru Arjun Dev ji, the 5th Guru of Sikhs composed and collected the hymns of the previous Sikh gurus and laid the foundation of holy book of Sikhs known as Guru Granth Sahib (or Adi granth).
10. With reference to Indian culture, what is Nabakalebara?
[A] An annual Hindu festival held in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram
[B] A festival observed in the Jagannath Temple at Puri.
[C] A festival held on the occasion of Makar Sankranti at Sagardwip Island near Kolkata.
[D] A festival observed once in six years at Ganga Ghats, of Varanasi.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [A festival observed in the Jagannath Temple at Puri.]
Notes:
Nabakalebara is a festival observed in the Shree Jagannath Temple at Puri. It marks a symbolic recreation of wooden forms of the four deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana at Jagannath temple. The occasion occurs every 12th or 19th year of the previous Nabakalebara. The event was in news because Department of Economic Affairs says that coins minted in July 2015, have Lord Jagannath”s depiction incorrect, and calls for more designs.