General Knowledge (GK) is a very important part of competitive exams. One of the most common topics in GK is the “List of Awards, Fields, and First Awardees.” This topic is not only interesting but also very useful for exams like UPSC, SSC, Banking, and others. Let’s understand why this topic is so important and how it can help you in your preparation.
Awards are given to people or organizations for their great work in fields like science, literature, sports, and social work. Some famous awards are the Nobel Prize, Bharat Ratna, and Oscar Awards. Knowing about these awards, the fields they are given for, and the first person to receive them can help you answer many questions in exams.In this blog, we will share a simple list of awards, their fields, and the first person to receive them. This will help you learn and remember this topic easily. Whether you are just starting your preparation or revising for exams, this guide will make your GK stronger.
Complete List of Awards, Fields, and First Awardees:
| Award Name | Field | First Awardee | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bharat Ratna | Highest Civilian Award (India) | Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari, Dr. C.V. Raman | 1954 |
| Padma Vibhushan | Civilian Honor (India) | Satyendra Nath Bose, Nandalal Bose, Zakir Husain, Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, V.K. Krishna Menon | 1954 |
| Padma Bhushan | Civilian Honor (India) | 23 recipients including Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. B.C. Roy | 1954 |
| Padma Shri | Civilian Honor (India) | 22 recipients including Pandit Ravi Shankar, Dhyan Chand | 1954 |
| Nobel Prize | Various Fields (Global) | Multiple (for different categories) | 1901 |
| Nobel Prize in Physics | Physics | Wilhelm Röntgen (X-rays) | 1901 |
| Nobel Prize in Chemistry | Chemistry | Jacobus Henricus van ‘t Hoff | 1901 |
| Nobel Prize in Medicine | Medicine | Emil von Behring (Diphtheria Serum) | 1901 |
| Nobel Prize in Literature | Literature | Sully Prudhomme | 1901 |
| Nobel Peace Prize | Peace | Henry Dunant & Frédéric Passy | 1901 |
| Nobel Prize in Economics | Economics | Ragnar Frisch & Jan Tinbergen | 1969 |
| Ramon Magsaysay Award | Public Service, Leadership | Vinoba Bhave (India) | 1958 |
| Oscar (Academy Award) | Film Industry (Global) | Emil Jannings (Best Actor), Janet Gaynor (Best Actress) | 1929 |
| Grammy Awards | Music Industry (Global) | Various (first edition) | 1959 |
| Man Booker Prize | Literature (English Fiction) | P.H. Newby (for “Something to Answer For”) | 1969 |
| Pulitzer Prize | Journalism, Literature, Music | Jean Jules Jusserand (History) | 1917 |
| Jnanpith Award | Indian Literature | G. Sankara Kurup (Malayalam) | 1965 |
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Indian Cinema | Devika Rani | 1969 |
| Arjuna Award | Sports (India) | Salim Durrani (Cricket) | 1961 |
| Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (Now Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna) | Sports (India) | Viswanathan Anand (Chess) | 1991-92 |
| Gallantry Awards (Param Vir Chakra) | Bravery (Indian Military) | Major Somnath Sharma (Posthumous) | 1947 |
National Awards (India)
- Bharat Ratna
- India’s highest civilian award, given for exceptional service in art, literature, science, and public services.
- Padma Awards
- Divided into Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri, these are awarded for distinguished contributions in various fields.
- Gallantry Awards
- Includes awards like Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra for acts of bravery in the battlefield and peace times.
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- India’s highest award in cinema, given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contributions to Indian cinema.
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
- Now renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, it is the highest sporting honor in India.
- Sahitya Akademi Award
- Awarded for outstanding work in literature in various Indian languages.
- Jnanpith Award
- Given for exceptional contributions in Indian literature.
International Awards
- Nobel Prize
- A prestigious international award given annually in six categories: Peace, Literature, Chemistry, Physics, Medicine, and Economic Sciences.
- Oscar Awards (Academy Awards)
- Given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for excellence in cinematic achievements.
- Pulitzer Prize
- An American award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, and online journalism, literature, and musical composition.
- Booker Prize
- A prestigious literary prize awarded annually for the best original novel written in English.
- Ramon Magsaysay Award
- Often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize, it is awarded for outstanding contributions to public service, leadership, journalism, literature, and the creative arts.
- UNESCO Peace Prize
- Given to individuals or groups that contribute to world peace.
Sports Awards (India)
- Arjuna Award
- Presented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India for excellence in sports.
- Dronacharya Award
- Given to outstanding coaches in sports and games.
- Dhyan Chand Award
- A lifetime achievement award in sports and games.
Scientific and Research Awards
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize
- India’s highest award for excellence in science and technology.
- Abel Prize
- An international prize awarded annually by the King of Norway to one or more outstanding mathematicians.
- Lasker Award
- Often considered America’s most prestigious biomedical research award.
- Fields Medal
- A highly prestigious award in mathematics, awarded every four years to mathematicians under 40.
Environmental and Humanitarian Awards
- Champions of the Earth Award
- The United Nations’ highest environmental honor, awarded to outstanding environmental leaders.
- Goldman Environmental Prize
- Known as the “Green Nobel,” awarded to grassroots environmental activists.
- Right Livelihood Award
- Known as the “Alternative Nobel,” awarded to those who offer practical and exemplary answers to global problems.
Other Notable Awards
- Templeton Prize
- Recognizes individuals whose work has advanced the spiritual dimension of life.
- UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize
- Awarded for contributions to literacy, focusing on mother language-based literacy development.
- Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership
- Awarded to outstanding African leaders.
Top 10 FAQs on “List of Awards, Fields, and First Awardees:
1. Who was the first Nobel Prize winner?
Answer: The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen won the Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering X-rays.
2. Who was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize?
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
3. What is the Bharat Ratna, and who was the first recipient?
Answer: The Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award. The first recipients were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C.V. Raman in 1954.
4. Who won the first Oscar Award?
Answer: Emil Jannings won the first Oscar Award for Best Actor in 1929.
5. What is the Fields Medal, and who were the first winners?
Answer: The Fields Medal is the most prestigious award in mathematics. The first winners were Lars Ahlfors and Jesse Douglas in 1936.
6. Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize?
Answer: Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and later in Chemistry in 1911.
7. What is the Pulitzer Prize, and who was the first winner?
Answer: The Pulitzer Prize is awarded for achievements in journalism, literature, and music. Herbert Bayard Swope was the first winner in 1917 for reporting.
8. Who was the first Indian to win the Booker Prize?
Answer: Arundhati Roy was the first Indian to win the Booker Prize in 1997 for her novel The God of Small Things.
9. What is the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and who was the first Indian to win it?
Answer: The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often called the “Nobel Prize of Asia.” Vinoba Bhave was the first Indian to win it in 1958 for his social work.
10. Who was the first recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award?
Answer: The Dada Saheb Phalke Award is India’s highest award in cinema. Devika Rani was the first recipient in 1969.
