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Question

______ was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1913 and a knighthood in 1915.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2019 (Tier 2) GS Finance & Economics Previous Year Paper (17-Nov-2020)
The correct answer is

Rabindranath Tagore

Understanding the Question: Nobel Prize and Knighthood

The question asks to identify a prominent personality who received two significant honours: the Nobel Prize in 1913 and a knighthood in 1915. This points to a specific historical figure known for their achievements around this time period, particularly in the fields recognised by these awards (Nobel Prize has various categories, knighthood is a British honour).

Analysing the Options

Let's examine each of the provided options to determine who fits the description:

  • Rabindranath Tagore: A highly renowned Indian polymath - poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter. His work significantly reshaped Bengali literature and music, as well as Indian art with contextual modernism.
  • Mother Teresa: An Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. She is known for her humanitarian work.
  • Mahatma Gandhi: The leader of India's non-violent independence movement against British rule. He is an iconic figure in Indian history and philosophy.
  • Sarojini Naidu: An Indian independence activist and poet, known as the 'Nightingale of India'. She was the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress and the first woman Governor of an Indian state.

Identifying the Correct Personality

We need to match the timeline and the specific awards mentioned (Nobel Prize 1913, Knighthood 1915) with the achievements of each person.

  • Rabindranath Tagore: He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West. He was indeed knighted by the British Government in 1915, but he later renounced the knighthood in 1919 following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
  • Mother Teresa: She received the Nobel Peace Prize much later, in 1979. She was never awarded a British knighthood.
  • Mahatma Gandhi: He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times but never received it. He was not awarded a British knighthood, although he did receive the Kaiser-i-Hind medal from the British in 1915, which he later returned.
  • Sarojini Naidu: She was a prominent figure but is not recorded as having received the Nobel Prize or a British knighthood.

Based on this analysis, Rabindranath Tagore is the only personality among the options who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1913 and a knighthood in 1915.

Conclusion: The Laureate and Knight

The individual who received the Nobel Prize in 1913 and a knighthood in 1915 was Rabindranath Tagore. His Nobel Prize was for literature, recognising his immense contribution to poetry, particularly his work 'Gitanjali'. The knighthood was conferred in 1915, although he later gave it up.

Personality Nobel Prize Year Knighthood Year Notes
Rabindranath Tagore 1913 (Literature) 1915 (Renounced 1919) Awarded both as per question timeline.
Mother Teresa 1979 (Peace) Not applicable Awards received much later.
Mahatma Gandhi Never awarded (Nominated) Not awarded (Received Kaiser-i-Hind 1915, returned) Did not receive these specific honours.
Sarojini Naidu Not awarded Not awarded Did not receive these specific honours.

Revision Table: Key Awards and Years

Award Recipient Year Category (if Nobel)
Nobel Prize Rabindranath Tagore 1913 Literature
Knighthood Rabindranath Tagore 1915 British Honour
Nobel Prize Mother Teresa 1979 Peace

Additional Information on Rabindranath Tagore's Honours

Rabindranath Tagore was a figure of immense global standing. His Nobel Prize in 1913 was a landmark achievement, being the first non-European to win the prize for literature. The knighthood from the British government in 1915 recognised his status and contributions, but his decision to renounce it in 1919 was a powerful act of protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, demonstrating his solidarity with the Indian people and his stance against British atrocities. This act further cemented his position as a national hero and conscience keeper.

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