Lata Mangeshkar was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in which year?

The correct answer is C, 1969. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was introduced in 1969 by the Government of India, as part of the celebration of the birth centenary of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, and it has been conferred each year since on one person for a lifetime's contribution to Indian cinema. Option A is wrong because 1954 is the year in which the National Film Awards themselves began, as well as the year the Bharat Ratna was instituted, which makes it the strongest distractor in this set. Option B is wrong because 1961 has no connection with the award. Option D is wrong because 1973 is simply a later year in the series, by which time four recipients had already been honoured. The pair worth remembering together is 1954 for the National Film Awards and 1969 for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

The correct answer is A, Devika Rani. Devika Rani, an actress and producer often described as the first lady of Indian cinema, received the first Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969, so the very first recipient of the honour was a woman. Option B is wrong because Kanan Devi, the singer and actress of the Bengali screen, received the award in 1976. Option C is wrong because Durga Khote received it in 1983. Option D is wrong because Ruby Myers, who acted under the name Sulochana and was among the biggest stars of the silent era, received it in 1973. All four are women from the early decades of Indian cinema, which is why the question turns entirely on the year 1969 and the name attached to it.

The correct answer is B, Raja Harishchandra. Dadasaheb Phalke wrote, produced and directed Raja Harishchandra, released in 1913, which is recognised as the first full-length Indian feature film, and it is for this that he is called the father of Indian cinema. Option A is wrong because Alam Ara, made by Ardeshir Irani and released in 1931, was the first Indian talkie, that is the first film with sound, and it is the fact most often confused with this one. Option C is wrong because Kisan Kanya of 1937 is remembered as the first indigenously processed colour film of India. Option D is wrong because Pundalik, of 1912, was a filmed stage performance and is not counted as the first full-length Indian feature. The chain of firsts worth memorising is Raja Harishchandra in 1913 for the feature film, Alam Ara in 1931 for sound and Kisan Kanya in 1937 for colour.

The correct answer is B, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The award is conferred by the Government of India through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and is presented at the annual National Film Awards ceremony, the recipient being chosen by a committee of eminent persons from the film industry. Option A is wrong because the Ministry of Culture handles the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the Sahitya Akademi and the Lalit Kala Akademi, and the arts they cover, but not the film awards. Option C is wrong because the Ministry of Education is concerned with schools, universities and literacy. Option D is wrong because the Ministry of Home Affairs administers the Padma awards and the Bharat Ratna, which is a different family of honours and a common source of confusion.

The correct answer is A, Swarna Kamal, the Golden Lotus. The recipient is given the Swarna Kamal or Golden Lotus medallion, along with a shawl and a cash prize, at the National Film Awards ceremony. Option B is wrong because the Rajat Kamal, the Silver Lotus, is given for several of the other categories of the National Film Awards, such as the best actor and the best director, so the two lotuses must be kept apart. Option C is wrong because the Ashoka Chakra is a gallantry award of an entirely different kind, given for bravery in peacetime. Option D is wrong because the Golden Peacock is the top prize of the International Film Festival of India, an award for a film rather than a lifetime honour for a person.