1. Consider the following newspapers:
- Vande Mataram (Urdu Daily)
- The Panjabee (English Weekly)
- The People (English Weekly)
- Young India (American Edition)
Which of the above were founded by Lala Lajpat Rai?
[A] Only 1, 2 and 4
[B] Only 2, 3 and 4
[C] Only 1, 3 and 4
[D] 1, 2 and 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [1, 2 and 3]
Notes:
Lala Lajpat Rai founded three significant newspapers: the Urdu daily “Vande Mataram,” the English weekly “The Panjabee,” and the English weekly “The People.” While he was associated with the American edition of “Young India,” he did not establish it; it was published by the India Home Rule League of America. Hence, options 1, 2, and 3 are correct.
2. Who revolutionized Punjabi journalism by editing Urdu Daily Ajit and Punjabi Ajit?
[A] Amrita Pritam
[B] Sadhu Singh Hamdard
[C] Bhagat Singh
[D] Surjit Patar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sadhu Singh Hamdard]
Notes:
Sadhu Singh Hamdard edited Urdu Ajit (1944-1957) and Punjabi Ajit (from 1955), transforming Punjabi journalism. He was awarded Padma Shri, pioneered the Punjabi Ghazal, and contributed significantly as a poet, academic, and activist, deeply impacting Punjab’s literary and journalistic landscape.
3. Who patronized the earliest Urdu historical account of Mithila, “Aina-i-Tirhut” (1883)?
[A] Maharaja Kameshwar Singh
[B] Kings of Darbhanga Raj
[C] Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh
[D] Maharaja Rudra Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh]
Notes:
“Aina-i-Tirhut” (1883), written by Bihari Lal Fitrat, is among the earliest Urdu histories of Mithila. It was supported by Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh of Darbhanga Raj, documenting Mithila’s culture, society, geography, economy, and biographies, and is notable for its Persian-influenced Urdu prose.
4. In which year was the Bihar Urdu Academy established?
[A] 1972
[B] 1980
[C] 1965
[D] 1990
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [1972]
Notes:
Bihar Urdu Academy was established in 1972 in Patna. It functions under the Bihar state government to promote Urdu language, offering courses and diplomas, and is a key institution for Urdu literature and culture in Bihar.
5. Who wrote the first comprehensive historical catalog of Mithila in Urdu?
[A] Lakshmi Narayan Sinha
[B] Acharya Ramlochan Saran
[C] Rajeshwar Mishra
[D] Bihari Lal Fitrat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Bihari Lal Fitrat]
Notes:
Bihari Lal Fitrat authored “Aina-i-Tirhut” (1883), the first major historical catalog of Mithila in Urdu. He was a noted historian from Darbhanga, held positions like honorary magistrate, and was multilingual in Maithili, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, and Arabic.
6. Who founded the Urdu daily newspaper ‘Sangam’ in Patna in 1953?
[A] Syed Shahabuddin
[B] Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
[C] Ghulam Sarwar
[D] Sachchidananda Sinha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ghulam Sarwar]
Notes:
Sangam was founded in Patna, Bihar by politician Ghulam Sarwar in 1953 as a weekly, becoming a daily in 1962. He was also its first editor. Sangam became prominent for its anti-Congress stand and significant influence among Urdu readers in post-independence Bihar.
7. In which city is the Pir Mohammad Shah Library, known for preserving rare Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Islamic manuscripts, located?
[A] Surat
[B] Vadodara
[C] Rajkot
[D] Ahmedabad
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ahmedabad]
Notes:
Pir Mohammad Shah Library in Pankore Naka, central Ahmedabad, preserves rare Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Islamic manuscripts, focusing on Muslim literature.
8. In which Urdu journal was Adil Mansuri’s first ghazal published?
[A] Beghadi Mauj
[B] Shama
[C] Adabi Duniya
[D] Biswin Sadi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Beghadi Mauj]
Notes:
Adil Mansuri’s first ghazal was published in the Urdu journal Beghadi Mauj during the late 1940s while he was learning Urdu.
9. Who introduced the Urdu-influenced ghazal style into Gujarati literature?
[A] Kalapi
[B] Dalpatram
[C] Balashankar Kantharia
[D] Narsinh Mehta
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Balashankar Kantharia]
Notes:
Balashankar Kantharia introduced Urdu-influenced ghazal style into Gujarati and wrote the ghazal containing the line ‘Gujare je shire tare jagat no nath te sleje’.
10. In which city was Gujarat’s first Urdu Shafa publication established?
[A] Surat
[B] Ahmedabad
[C] Vadodara
[D] Rajkot
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ahmedabad]
Notes:
Gujarat’s first Urdu shafa (publication) was established in Ahmedabad.
