Honours and Awards
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Honours and Awards – Quick Revision
Honours and Awards is a crucial section in General Knowledge for almost all competitive examinations including SSC, Banking, Railway, UPSC, Defence, Insurance, CAT, State PSC, and other government exams.
This quick revision guide covers important facts about Civilian Awards, Gallantry Awards, Sports Awards, Literary Awards, Nobel Prize winners, Oscar winners, and other prestigious honours. It is designed for last-minute revision and quick recall of award-related facts.
About This Quick Revision
Complete guide to Honours and Awards for competitive exams:
Civilian Awards
- Bharat Ratna
- Padma Vibhushan
- Padma Bhushan
- Padma Shri
Gallantry Awards
- Param Vir Chakra
- Ashoka Chakra
- Mahavir Chakra
- Shaurya Chakra
Sports Awards
- Khel Ratna
- Arjuna Award
- Dronacharya Award
- Dhyan Chand Award
Literary Awards
- Jnanpith Award
- Sahitya Akademi Award
- Booker Prize
- Nobel Prize in Literature
Nobel Prize Winners
- Tagore, Raman, Khorana
- Mother Teresa
- Amartya Sen, Kailash Satyarthi
- Abhijit Banerjee
Oscar Winners
- Bhanu Athaiya
- Satyajit Ray
- A.R. Rahman
- Gulzar, Resul Pookutty
Film & Art Awards
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- Oscar Awards
- National Film Awards
- Filmfare Awards
Quick Revision Facts
- First Recipients
- Highest Awards
- Category-wise Facts
- Important Years
Key Topics Covered
This quick revision guide covers important Honours and Awards topics for competitive exams:
| Category | Award | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian Awards | Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri | Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award (est. 1954) |
| Gallantry Awards | Param Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Shaurya Chakra | Param Vir Chakra is the highest gallantry award (wartime) |
| Sports Awards | Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, Dhyan Chand Award | Khel Ratna is the highest sports award (est. 1991) |
| Literary Awards | Jnanpith, Sahitya Akademi, Booker Prize, Nobel Literature | Jnanpith is the highest literary award in India |
| Nobel Prize | Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Peace, Economics | First Indian winner: Rabindranath Tagore (1913) |
| Oscar Awards | Indian winners at the Academy Awards | First Indian winner: Bhanu Athaiya (1982) |
| Film Awards | Dadasaheb Phalke Award, National Film Awards | Highest film award in India: Dadasaheb Phalke |
Quick Reference Tables
Civilian Awards of India
| Award | Category |
| Bharat Ratna | Highest civilian award |
| Padma Vibhushan | Second highest civilian award |
| Padma Bhushan | Third highest civilian award |
| Padma Shri | Fourth highest civilian award |
Gallantry Awards
| Award | Type | Description |
| Param Vir Chakra | Wartime | Highest gallantry award |
| Ashoka Chakra | Peacetime | Highest gallantry award |
| Mahavir Chakra | Wartime | Second highest gallantry |
| Shaurya Chakra | Peacetime | Third highest gallantry |
Nobel Prize Winners (India)
| Name | Year | Category |
| Rabindranath Tagore | 1913 | Literature |
| C.V. Raman | 1930 | Physics |
| Mother Teresa | 1979 | Peace |
| Amartya Sen | 1998 | Economics |
| Kailash Satyarthi | 2014 | Peace |
Oscar Winners (India)
| Name | Year | Category |
| Bhanu Athaiya | 1982 | Costume Design |
| Satyajit Ray | 1992 | Lifetime Achievement |
| A.R. Rahman | 2009 | Original Score |
| Gulzar | 2009 | Original Song |
| Resul Pookutty | 2009 | Sound Mixing |
Why This Quick Revision is Important
Complete Award Coverage
Covers Civilian, Gallantry, Sports, Literary, Nobel, and Oscar awards in one guide.
Quick Reference Tables
Award names, categories, and winners presented in easy-to-remember tables.
Year & Category Facts
Important years, first recipients, and category-specific facts for quick recall.
High Exam Weightage
Honours and Awards questions appear frequently in all competitive examinations.
Competitive Exams Covered
- SSC CGL
- SSC CHSL
- SSC MTS
- Bank PO & Clerk
- IBPS Exams
- Railway Recruitment Exams
- UPSC CSAT
- Defence Exams
- Insurance Exams
- CAT
- State Government Exams
Quick Revision Examples
Question 1:
What is the highest civilian award of India and when was it established?
Answer: Bharat Ratna – Established in 1954
Key Fact: The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India. It was established in 1954 and can be awarded for exceptional service in any field. The first recipients were C. Rajagopalachari, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, and C.V. Raman in 1954.
Question 2:
What are the four Padma Awards in order of precedence?
Answer: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri
Key Fact: The three Padma Awards are: Padma Vibhushan (second highest), Padma Bhushan (third highest), and Padma Shri (fourth highest). Bharat Ratna is the highest. Padma awards are announced on Republic Day each year.
Question 3:
What is the highest gallantry award of India during wartime and its peacetime equivalent?
Answer: Wartime: Param Vir Chakra; Peacetime: Ashoka Chakra
Key Fact: The Param Vir Chakra is the highest gallantry award for wartime. The Ashoka Chakra is the highest gallantry award for peacetime. Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (1947).
Question 4:
What is the highest sports award of India and when was it established?
Answer: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna – Established in 1991
Key Fact: The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna is the highest sports award in India. It was established in 1991. The first recipient was Vishwanathan Anand (Chess). In 2021, it was renamed to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna.
Question 5:
What is the Arjuna Award and who was the first recipient?
Answer: Arjuna Award – Excellence in Sports; First recipient was G.S. Randhawa (1961)
Key Fact: The Arjuna Award is given for outstanding performance in sports. It was introduced in 1961. The first recipient was G.S. Randhawa (Athletics).
Question 6:
What is the highest literary award of India and who was the first recipient?
Answer: Jnanpith Award – First recipient: G. Sankara Kurup (1965)
Key Fact: The Jnanpith Award is the highest literary award in India. It was established in 1961. The first recipient was Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup in 1965.
Question 7:
What is the highest film award of India and who was the first recipient?
Answer: Dadasaheb Phalke Award – First recipient: Devika Rani (1969)
Key Fact: The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest award in Indian cinema. It was established in 1969. The first recipient was Devika Rani, the first lady of Indian cinema.
Question 8:
Who was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize and in which year?
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore – Nobel Prize in Literature (1913)
Key Fact: Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection of poems "Gitanjali."
Question 9:
Who was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize in Science and in which year?
Answer: C.V. Raman – Nobel Prize in Physics (1930)
Key Fact: C.V. Raman was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize in Science. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for the discovery of the Raman Effect.
Question 10:
Who was the first Indian to win an Oscar and in which year?
Answer: Bhanu Athaiya – Oscar for Costume Design (1982)
Key Fact: Bhanu Athaiya was the first Indian to win an Oscar. She won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for the film "Gandhi" in 1982.
Question 11:
Who are the Indian Oscar winners in 2009 for the film "Slumdog Millionaire"?
Answer: A.R. Rahman (Original Score), Gulzar (Original Song), Resul Pookutty (Sound Mixing)
Key Fact: In 2009, three Indians won Oscars for the film "Slumdog Millionaire" – A.R. Rahman for Original Score, Gulzar for Original Song ("Jai Ho"), and Resul Pookutty for Sound Mixing.
Final Takeaway
Honours and Awards is a vital section in all competitive exams. Regular revision of key facts about Civilian Awards, Gallantry Awards, Sports Awards, Literary Awards, Nobel Prize winners, and Oscar winners can significantly improve your score.
This quick revision guide serves as a comprehensive resource for last-minute preparation. Focus on remembering award names, categories, first recipients, and important years presented in tables for quick recall during exams.
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