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General Studies
Q1. Ustaad Allauddin Khan, a famous Indian musician is associated with _____ musical instrument.
(A) Surbahar
(B) Santoor
(C) Sarod
(D) Sitar
Answer: (C) Sarod
Explanation: Sarod. Awards – Padma Bhusan (1958), Padma Vibhushan (1971), Sangeet Natak Akademi (1954).
Q2. Saswati Sen is the proud recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2004-2005. She is recognized for which dance form?
(A) Kathak
(B) Kuchipudi
(C) Manipuri
(D) Mohiniyattam
Answer: (A) Kathak
Explanation: Kathak. Saswati Sen was a senior disciple of Pandit Birju Maharaj.
Q3. Who among the following was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna?
(A) Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
(B) Girija Devi
(C) Siddheswari Devi
(D) M.S. Subbulakshmi
Answer: (D) M.S. Subbulakshmi
Explanation: M.S. Subbulakshmi is famous for carnatic music and the first Indian classical musician to perform at the United Nations General Assembly in 1966. Awards: Bharat Ratna (1998), Ramon Magsaysay Award (1974), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1956).
Q4. Who among the following was the first Indian musician to receive the Grammy LifeTime Achievement Award?
(A) Bismillah Khan
(B) Pandit Ravi Shankar
(C) Hariprasad Chaurasia
(D) Ustad Zakir Hussain
Answer: (B) Pandit Ravi Shankar
Explanation: (Bharat Ratna in 1999). He won Best Chamber Music Performance for ‘West Meets East’ in 1967. The Grammy Awards are presented annually by the Recording Academy of the United States. The first Grammy Awards ceremony – May 4, 1959. Other Indian Grammy winners – Zubin Mehta (1981, Best Classical Performance), T. H. Vinayakram and Zakir Hussain (1991, Best World Music Album), Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (1993, Best World Music Album).
Q5. Which of the following singer is the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
(A) Sonu Nigam
(B) Asha Bhosle
(C) Neha Kakkar
(D) Arijit Singh
Answer: (B) Asha Bhosle
Explanation: She was honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000. Awards – Padma Vibhushan (2008), Maharashtra Bhushan (2021). Awards : Sonu Nigam – Padma Shri (2022). First recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award was Devika Rani who received it in 1969.
Q6. Saroja Vaidyanathan received Kalidas Samman for classical dance in_________.
(A) 2009 – 10
(B) 2020 – 21
(C) 2001 – 02
(D) 2002 – 03
Answer: (A) 2009 – 10
Explanation: Saroja Vaidyanathan (Bharatanatyam). Her awards: Padma Bhushan (2013), Padma Shri (2002). Bharat Kala Sunder (2006). Book by her :- “The Science of Bharatanatyam”. The first recipients (1980) of the Kalidas Samman – Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer (Classical music) and Mallikarjun Mansur (Classical Music).
Q7. Identify the famous Indian music
personality. In 2011, the Guinness Book
of World Records officially acknowledged
her as the most recorded artist in music
history.
(A) Asha Bhosle
(B) Shreya Ghoshal
(C) Usha Uthup
(D) Alka Yagnik
Answer: (A) Asha Bhosle
Explanation: She has recorded over 12000 songs in more than 20 Indian and foreign languages. The World Records Academy certified her as the “Most Recorded Artist” in the world in September 2009.
Q8. Lata Mangeshkar recorded her first playback song for a ____ film.
(A) Bengali
(B) Punjabi
(C) Marathi
(D) Tamil
Answer: (C) Marathi
Explanation: Lata Mangeshkar – She recorded her first song “Naachu Ya Gade, Khelu Saari Mani Haus Bhaari” in 1942 at age of 13 for Marathi film Kiti Hasaal and recorded her last song ‘Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki’ in 2019.
Q9. Alla Rakha left home at age 12 to learn a musical instrument under the great master (ustad) Mian Qadir Baksh. He became a renowned player of ______.
(A) Sarod
(B) Sarangi
(C) Tabla
(D) Sitar
Answer: (C) Tabla
Explanation: Alla Rakha specialized in Hindustani classical music. He was born in Ghagwal (Jammu and Kashmir). He is a player of Tabla and Pakhawaj. Awards: Padma Shri (1977) and Sangeet Natak Akademi (1982).
Q10. Which among the following is not associated with Tabla?
(A) Shakoor Khan
(B) Jnan Prakash Ghosh
(C) Sabir Khan
(D) Sandeep Das
Answer: (A) Shakoor Khan
Explanation: Sarangi player, related to the Kirana Gharana. Padma Shri (1973).
Q11. Who popularised the ‘Pandanallurb Style’ in Bharatanatyam and received Padma Bhusan in 2004?
(A) Kumari Kamala
(B) Madhuri Dixit
(C) Mallika Sarabhai
(D) Alarmel Valli
Answer: (D) Alarmel Valli
Explanation: She was the second youngest dancer to be conferred the Padma Shri (in 1991) from the Government of India, after Vyjayanthimala .
Q12. Who among the following is a celebrated sarod maestro?
(A) Niladri Kumar
(B) Vilayat Khan
(C) N. Ramani
(D) Zarin Sharma
Answer: (D) Zarin Sharma
Explanation: She was a famous Sarod player of Khayal (Agra gharana). Award – Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1988), Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar (1990), Dadasaheb Phalke Academy award (2007).
Q13. The Indian classical dancer Sonal Mansingh was honoured with which of the following awards?
(A) Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri
(B) Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna
(C) Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan
(D) Padma Vibhushan and Padma Shri
Answer: (C) Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan
Explanation: Sonal Mansingh is an Indian classical dancer. She was the youngest recipient of the Padma Bhushan award in 1992. In 2003, she became the second Indian woman dancer to be honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award, after Balasaraswati.
Q14. Vidushi Sharan Rani is famous for playing which musical instrument?
(A) Flute
(B) Sitar
(C) Tabla
(D) Sarod
Answer: (D) Sarod
Explanation: Sarod. She is the first woman sarod player in India. She was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2000.
Q15. Who was popularly known as the Melody Queen in India?
(A) Zarin S Sharma
(B) Lata Mangeshkar
(C) Anuradha Paudwal
(D) Shubha Mudga
Answer: (B) Lata Mangeshkar
Explanation: Lata Mangeshkar. (Nightingale of Bollywood, Voice of the Millennium).
Q16. Sri Deepak Mazumdar received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year
(A) 2016
(B) 2019
(C) 2017
(D) 2018
Answer: (D) 2018
Explanation: 2018 (for his contribution to contemporary dance). Deepak Mazumdar : Founded – Shiladhish Art and Research Institute in Mumbai. Awards and honours – Maharashtra Gaurav; Kala Ratna (Andhra Pradesh), Acharya Nritya Sundaram by the Bharatanjali Trust (2007).
Q17. Who among the following was awarded with ‘Padma Vibhushan’ in the year 1986 and choreographed famous song ‘Kahe Chhed Mohe’ from the movie Devdas and ‘Mohe Rang Do Laal’ from Bajirao Mastani?
(A) Uday Shankar
(B) Bipin Singh
(C) Birju Maharaj
(D) Kelucharan Mohapatra
Answer: (C) Birju Maharaj
Explanation: Birju Maharaj. He was associated with the Kathak (classical dance of Uttar Pradesh) dance form. Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (1964).
Q18. “Bombay” Ramnath is a famous________singer of India.
(A) Carnatic
(B) Folk
(C) Jazz
(D) Hip-hop
Answer: (A) Carnatic
Explanation: Carnatic. Bombay Jayashri Ramnath (Padma Shri in 2021) has sung in multiple languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada. Famous Carnatic singer – M. S. Subbulakshmi, S. Sowmya, M Balamuralikrishna, Nithyasree Mahadevan. Famous folk singers: Mame Khan, Swaroop Khan, Ila Arun, Nooran Sisters, The Wadali Brothers, Malini Awasthi, Dipali Borthakur, Kollangudi Karuppayee. Famous jazz singers: Shankar-Jaikishan, Trilok Gurtu, Louiz Banks. Famous hip-hop singers: Divine, Naezy, Raja Kumari, Brodha V.
Q19. Who among the following was awarded the prestigious title of “Nrityacharya’ conferred by the Maharaja of Manipur?
(A) Rukmini Devi
(B) Uday Shankar
(C) Guru Bipin Singh
(D) Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra
Answer: (C) Guru Bipin Singh
Explanation: (C) Guru Bipin Singh
Q20. Who among the following is widely credited for introducing new forms of music, theatrical performance, language and the ‘Sattriya’ Dance?
(A) Padma Subrahmanyam
(B) Srimanta Sankardev
(C) Uday Shankar
(D) Shovana Narayan
Answer: (B) Srimanta Sankardev
Explanation: He is widely credited with building on past cultural relics and devising new forms of music (Borgeet), theatrical performance (Ankia Naat, Bhaona), dance (Sattriya), literary language (Brajavali). Popular Sattriya Dancers – Guru Jatin Goswami, Ranjumoni Saikia, Guru Ghanakanta Bora,Manik Barbayan and Bhabananda Barbayan and Late Moniram Dutta.
Q21. Brij Bhushan Kabra is associated with which of the following musical instruments?
(A) Guitar
(B) Violin
(C) Shehnai
(D) Flute
Answer: (A) Guitar
Explanation: Brij Bhushan Kabra is related to the Jodhpur royal family. He was the first artist to play ragas on the guitar.
Q22. Who is noted as a pristine Indian Classical Dancer to perform at Salzburg Festival in 2015?
(A) Tanjore Balasaraswati
(B) Kumari Kamala
(C) Alarmel Valli
(D) V. Satyanarayana Sarma
Answer: (C) Alarmel Valli
Explanation: An exponent of the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam. Awards – Padma Bhushan (2004), Chevalier of Arts and Letters award (2004), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2001).
Q23. Jayanthi Kumaresh is one of the foremost exponents of _____.
(A) santoor
(B) tabla
(C) sitar
(D) veena
Answer: (D) veena
Explanation: Jayanthi Kumaresh is known for her mastery of the Saraswati veena, a plucked string instrument that is one of the most important instruments in Carnatic music. Awards – Sangeet shikhar samman award (2019); Music academy award (2015).
Q24. Ali Akbar Khan is associated with which of these instruments?
(A) Shehnai
(B) Sarod
(C) Tabla
(D) Sitar
Answer: (B) Sarod
Explanation: Ali Akbar Khan: Gharana – Maihar. He established a music school in Calcutta in 1956, and the Ali Akbar College of Music in 1967. He created Raag Chandranandan (‘Moonstruck’) in the 1940s. Awards – Padma Bhushan (1967) and Padma Vibhushan (1989).
Q25. In 2019, the Government of India honoured Milena Salvini, an Italian-born Kathakali dancer, with which of the following awards?
(A) Padma Shri
(B) Bharat Ratna
(C) Padma Vibhushan
(D) Padma Bhushan
Answer: (A) Padma Shri
Explanation: Obtained a two-year scholarship to train in Kathakali at the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1962.
Q26. Nahid Siddiqui was awarded Milapfest’s Lifetime Achievement Award in October 2017. She is recognized for which dance form?
(A) Odissi
(B) Sattriya
(C) Kuchipudi
(D) Kathak
Answer: (D) Kathak
Explanation: Nahid Siddiqui (born in Pakistan), A disciple of two great teachers: Maharaj Kathak (Pakistan) and Birju Maharaj. Other Awards – Pride of Performance (1994), Time Out Award (1991), British Cultural Award, International Dance Award.
Q27. Which famous female personality received the Padma Shri award for Manipuri classical dance?
(A) Kalabati Devi
(B) Devyani Chalia
(C) Elam Endira Devi
(D) Charu Mathur
Answer: (C) Elam Endira Devi
Explanation: Elam Endira Devi (Manipur). She is an Indian classical dancer and teacher. She performed in the film ‘Matamgi Manipur’, which won the National Film Award (1972). Other awards – Excellence Award, Nritya Rani Upadhi, Best Actress Award.
Q28. Indore gharana is one of the vocal gharanas of Indian classical music. It was founded by _____.
(A) Ustad Amir Khan
(B) Doreswamy V. Iyengar
(C) Dr. Lakshminarayana Subramaniam
(D) Ustad Bundu Khan
Answer: (D) Ustad Bundu Khan
Explanation: Ustad Amir Khan. Other disciples of Indore gharana – Pandit Amarnath, Shankar Lal Mishra, Kankana Banerjee, Purvi Mukherjee. Other gharana and its founder – Gwalior Khayal style (Ustad Nathan Pir Baksh), Agra (Hajisujan Khan), Rangeela (Faiyyaz Khan), Jaipur (Alladiya Khan).
Q29. Which famous Indian dancer was given the title of Asthana Narthaki (“Resident Dancer”) by the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam temple, India?
(A) Manjamma Jogati
(B) Yamini Krishnamurthy
(C) Rukmini Devi Arundale
(D) Laxmi Narayan Tripathi
Answer: (B) Yamini Krishnamurthy
Explanation: (B) Yamini Krishnamurthy
Q30. Who among the following is not associated with the Kuchipudi dance form?
(A) Ghanakanta Bora Barbayan
(B) Vyjayanti Kashi
(C) Vempati Chinna Satyam
(D) Radha Reddy
Answer: (A) Ghanakanta Bora Barbayan
Explanation: Ghanakanta Bora Barbayan (Sattriya dance): Awards – Padma Shri (2013), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2001).
Q31. Who among the following is a sitar maestro of global acclaim?
(A) Bismillah Khan
(B) Girija Devi
(C) Shahid Parvez Khan
(D) Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
Answer: (C) Shahid Parvez Khan
Explanation: Shahid Parvez Khan. Awards – Kalajyothi Lifetime Achievement Award (2020), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006), Padma Shri Award (2012).
Q32. He is also known as the God of ghatam. Who is ‘He’ in the preceding line?
(A) Ustad Bundu Khan
(B) Pandit Ravi Shankar
(C) TH Vinayakram
(D) Ustad Bismillah Khan
Answer: (C) TH Vinayakram
Explanation: TH Vinayakram. He is a percussionist and plays Carnatic music with the ghatam. Awards: Padam Shri (2002), Padam Bhushan (2014).
Q33. Which former Miss India, also the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, popularised Indian classical dance in the west?
(A) Leela Naidu
(B) Lona Pinto
(C) Peace Kanwal
(D) Indrani Rahman
Answer: (D) Indrani Rahman
Explanation: Indrani Rahman. She was the first South Asian to compete in the Miss Universe pageant (1952). Indrani was a successful classical dancer in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi. In 1961, she became the first dancer to be a part of the Asia Society tour. Awards – Femina Miss India (1952), Padma Shri (1969), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1981).
Q34. M.S. Gopalakrishnan mastered both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music. He was the master of _.
(A) Sarangi
(B) violin
(C) sitar
(D) Santoor
Answer: (B) violin
Explanation: Violin. Awards and Honours:- Padma Bhushan (2012), Padma Shri (1975), Sangeet Natak Akademi (1982), Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna (2012), Kalaimamani (Tamil Nadu) – 1978.
Q35. Budhaditya Mukherjee is associated with which of the following musical instruments?
(A) Sitar
(B) Veena
(C) Violin
(D) Sarangi
Answer: (A) Sitar
Explanation: Budhaditya Mukherjee : First-ever musician to perform at the House of Commons, London.
Q36. Shri Mani Prasad is associated with which form of music?
(A) Fusion Music
(B) Folk Music
(C) Carnatic vocal music
(D) Hindustani vocal music
Answer: (D) Hindustani vocal music
Explanation: Hindustani vocal music. Pandit Mani Prasad was an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana gharana (singing style). He was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2019. Hindustani music is the classical music of the Northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. Carnatic Music originated from Southern India, the city of Hyderabad and other Dravidian-speaking regions of India.
Q37. Shri Jatin Goswami received several honours for his contribution to
(A) Bharatnatyam Dance
(B) Kathak Dance
(C) Sattriya Dance
(D) Manipuri Dance
Answer: (C) Sattriya Dance
Explanation: Sattriya dance (Assam): Awards and Honours:- Padma Shri (2008), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2004), Silpi Divas Award (1994), Sangeet Jyoti Award (2004), Assam Natya Sanmilon Award (1997), Hiraprova – Chandrakanta Award (2006).
Q38. With which of the following classical dance forms is Deepika Reddy associated?
(A) Manipuri
(B) Kuchipudi
(C) Kathak
(D) Sattriya
Answer: (B) Kuchipudi
Explanation: Kuchipudi (Classical dance of Andhra Pradesh): Guru Smt. Vijaya Prasad, Shri Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry, Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Shobha Naidu, Raja and Radha Reddy, Kaushalya Reddy, Yamini Reddy, Bhavana Reddy, Atisha Pratap Singh, Arunima Kumar.
Q39. The poet saint Kabir Das was born in sometime in the 15th century.
(A) Kashi
(B) Amritsar
(C) Somnath
(D) Agra
Answer: (A) Kashi
Explanation: Kashi (Uttar Pradesh). Kabir was a 15th century mystic poet, saint of the Bhakti Movement. Books – Bijak, Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth, and Kabir Granthawali. His verses are found in Sikhism’s scripture Guru Granth Sahib. Saint Kabir was the contemporary of Guru Nanak and Delhi Sultan Sikandar Lodhi.
Q40. Aditi Mangaldas is a leading dancer & Choreographer in the classical Indian dance form of_________.
(A) Bharatanatyam
(B) Kuchipudi
(C) Kathakali
(D) Kathak
Answer: (D) Kathak
Explanation: Kathak. Awards Received by Aditi Mangaldas – National Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2013.
Q41. Abdul Karim Khan was the exponent of which school of Hindustani Music?
(A) Jaipur Gharana
(B) Gwalior Gharana
(C) Delhi Gharana
(D) Kirana Gharana
Answer: (D) Kirana Gharana
Explanation: Kirana Gharana. He introduced Hindustani Khayal singing and Indian classical music. Jaipur gharana (founder: Alladiya Khan). Delhi gharana (founder: Hazrat Ameer Khusro).
Q42. Who among the following was the guru of Pandit Ravi Shankar ?
(A) Bismillah Khan
(B) Amjad Ali Khan
(C) Ali Akbar Khan
(D) Allaudin Khan
Answer: (D) Allaudin Khan
Explanation: Allauddin Khan (Sarod player) was the guru of Pandit Ravi Shankar. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan (1958) and the Padma Vibhushan (1971), Sangeet Natak Akademi award and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (1954).
Q43. Which of the following pairs of musicians and their instruments are INCORRECT?
(A) K Vaidyanathan – Sitar
(B) Pt. Ram Narayan – Sarangi
(C) Ustad Vilayat Khan – Sitar
(D) Bismillah Khan – Shehnai
Answer: (A) K Vaidyanathan – Sitar
Explanation: Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was an Indian classical music violinist and music composer
Q44. Bimbavati Devi is an exponent of which Indian dance form?
(A) Chhau
(B) Manipuri
(C) Odissi
(D) Kathakali
Answer: (B) Manipuri
Explanation: Manipuri. She is the daughter of Guru Bipin Singh and Guru Kalavati Devi.
Q45. In which state is the Maihar court where Baba Allauddin Khan was a musician?
(A) Tripura
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Madhya Pradesh
(D) Chhattisgarh
Answer: (C) Madhya Pradesh
Explanation: Madhya Pradesh. Baba Allauddin Khan (Sarod player) laid the foundation of Maihar Gharana and became the court musician for the Maharaja of Maihar.
Q46. Who among the following is known as a pioneering dance educationist and a prominent Mohiniyattam exponent?
(A) Madhavi Mudgal
(B) Shagun Butani
(C) Mohanrao Kallianpurkar
(D) Dr Kanak Rele
Answer: (D) Dr Kanak Rele
Explanation: Dr. Kanak Rele. She is the founder-director of the Nalanda Dance Research Centre (1967) and the founder-principal of the Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya in Mumbai. Awards and Honors: Padma Shri (1990), Kalidas Samman (Madhya Pradesh, 2006), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1994), Padma Bhushan (2013).
Q47. Birju Maharaj was awarded which of the following awards in 2012?
(A) Sangam Kala Award
(B) Filmfare Award
(C) National Film Award
(D) Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Answer: (C) National Film Award
Explanation: National Film Award. National Film Award for Best Choreography for Unnai Kaanaathu (2012).
Q48. An exponent of Hindustani classical music, Gangubai Hangal was an eminent singer to have hailed from the gharana of the Hindustani Khyal family.
(A) Patiala
(B) Kirana
(C) Agra
(D) Gwalior
Answer: (B) Kirana
Explanation: Kirana gharana. Awards and Honors: Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy Award (1962), Padma Bhushan (1971), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1973), Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (1996), and Padma Vibhushan (2002).
Q49. Rajashree Shirke was given which of the following prestigious dance awards of 2013 for her excellence in Kathak?
(A) Sangeet Natak Academy Award
(B) Padma Shri
(C) Kalidas Samman
(D) National Film Award
Answer: (A) Sangeet Natak Academy Award
Explanation: Sangeet Natak Academy Award. Awards and Honors: Mumbai Mayor’s Award for Women Achievers of the Year, Best Shikshak for the year 2007, and Title “Khosrovani” by Halim Academy of Sitar. Shambhu Maharaj was the first Kathak dancer to win Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1955.
Q50. Who among the following Indian classical musicians has an auditorium named after it in Tehran, Iran?
(A) Ustad Bismillah Khan
(B) Ustad Sultan Khan
(C) Ustad Zakir Hussain
(D) Ustad Vilayat Khan
Answer: (A) Ustad Bismillah Khan
Explanation: Ustad Bismillah Khan (shehnai) – Become the third classical musician of India after M. S. Subbalakshmi and Ravi Shankar to be awarded the Bharat Ratna (2001).