AWARDS & HONOURS
Literary Awards
Tamil Writer Vairamuthu Selected for 60th Jnanpith Award
Renowned Tamil lyricist and author Vairamuthu has been chosen to receive the 60th Jnanpith Award for 2025.
He becomes only the third Tamil writer to receive this honor, following Akilan (1975) and Jayakanthan (2002).
The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honor, carrying a cash prize of ₹11 lakh.
Significance: This recognition highlights the rich literary contributions of the Tamil language to the Indian cultural landscape.
He becomes only the third Tamil writer to receive this honor, following Akilan (1975) and Jayakanthan (2002).
The Jnanpith Award is India's highest literary honor, carrying a cash prize of ₹11 lakh.
Significance: This recognition highlights the rich literary contributions of the Tamil language to the Indian cultural landscape.
Key Facts / Static GK
Jnanpith Award Institution: 1961.
First Recipient: G. Sankara Kurup (1965) for 'Odakkuzhal' (Malayalam).
Awarding Body: Bharatiya Jnanpith.
First Recipient: G. Sankara Kurup (1965) for 'Odakkuzhal' (Malayalam).
Awarding Body: Bharatiya Jnanpith.
Practice Quiz — 16 March 2026
Q1. Who administered the oath of office to Syed Ata Hasnain as the Governor of Bihar?
Answer: (C) Chief Justice of Patna High Court — As per the Constitution of India, the oath of office to a Governor is administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court of that state. In this case, Chief Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo of the Patna High Court administered the oath.
Q2. Which Union Ministry was primarily responsible for organizing the 'Purple Fest' at Rashtrapati Bhavan?
Answer: (C) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment — The 'Purple Fest' is an initiative focused on Divyangjan (Persons with Disabilities), which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Q3. What is the new revised fee for the NHAI FASTag Annual Pass for the financial year 2026-27?
Answer: (C) ₹3,075 — The NHAI has revised the FASTag Annual Pass fee from ₹3,000 to ₹3,075 for the financial year 2026-27, effective April 1, 2026.
Q4. Tuticorin Airport, which was recently renamed Thoothukudi Airport, is located in which Indian state?
Answer: (D) Tamil Nadu — The airport is located in the state of Tamil Nadu. The renaming was approved to reflect the local name of the city, Thoothukudi.
Q5. The festival of 'Chapchar Kut' is associated with which Indian state?
Answer: (C) Mizoram — Chapchar Kut is the most important traditional spring festival of the Mizo people in Mizoram, celebrated after the completion of jhum cultivation tasks.
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