SSC
The Sangeet Natak Akademi was inaugurated by the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, on:
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Answer: Option A — 28 January 1953
Detailed Solution
The Sangeet Natak Akademi was inaugurated by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on 28 January 1953.
About the Sangeet Natak Akademi:
- It was set up by a resolution of the Ministry of Education in 1952 and inaugurated in 1953.
- It is India's national academy for music, dance and drama (the performing arts).
- It was the first of the three national academies of arts set up by the Government of India after independence.
Its first Chairman was Justice P. V. Rajamannar.
It is registered as a society and is fully funded by the Ministry of Culture.
Its headquarters is at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
Its functions:
- To preserve and promote India's traditions of music, dance and drama, including classical, folk and tribal forms.
- To give awards and fellowships to eminent artists.
- To document, record and archive performances.
- To support research, training and festivals.
Awards:
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship ("Akademi Ratna"): the highest honour, given to a small number of eminent artists.
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award ("Akademi Puraskar"): given every year to artists in various fields.
- Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar: started in 2006 for young artists under 40.
Its constituent units and institutions:
- Kathak Kendra (National Institute of Kathak Dance), New Delhi.
- Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy, Imphal.
- Sattriya Kendra, Guwahati.
- Kutiyattam Kendra, Thiruvananthapuram.
- It recognises eight classical dance forms of India: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi and Sattriya.
The other national academies:
- Sahitya Akademi (literature): inaugurated on 12 March 1954.
- Lalit Kala Akademi (visual arts): inaugurated on 5 August 1954.
- The National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, began as a unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1959 and became independent in 1975.
Why not the other options?
- ✗12 March 1954 is when the Sahitya Akademi was inaugurated.
- ✗5 August 1954 is when the Lalit Kala Akademi was inaugurated.
- ✗26 January 1950 is when the Constitution came into force.
Quick tip
Remember: Sangeet Natak Akademi = inaugurated 28 January 1953 by Rajendra Prasad (music, dance, drama; HQ Rabindra Bhavan, Delhi; first chairman P. V. Rajamannar); Sahitya Akademi = 12 March 1954; Lalit Kala = 5 August 1954; NSD = 1959.
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Art & Culture Personalities — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Art & Culture Personalities, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the people behind India's art and culture: classical and folk dancers, vocalists and instrumentalists, painters, sculptors, theatre and film personalities, and the gurus who founded or revived art forms. Questions also cover the art form each person is known for and the honours they have received. Exams typically name a person and ask for their art form, or name an art form and ask who popularised it. Recent Padma award winners from the arts appear often, so link each name to the field and state the award was given for. Since award lists change every year, always revise from the latest official list rather than relying on older notes. Practise the art and culture personalities questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.