Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: IIT, Kanpur
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Indian Institutes of Technology sometimes confer honorary doctorates on distinguished individuals who have made outstanding contributions in fields like science, engineering, sports, public life, or culture. P. T. Usha, often called the sprint queen of India, came very close to winning an Olympic medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and later inspired many athletes. This question asks which IIT chose to honour her with an honorary doctorate, which is a common sports plus education awareness topic.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The key to answering is to connect media reports about honorary degrees with particular IIT campuses. In this context, P. T. Usha was selected by IIT Kanpur for an honorary doctorate in recognition of her achievements in athletics and her long term contribution to sports in India. This decision was covered in news about IIT convocations and honorary degrees. There were no similar reports that another IIT such as IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi conferred such an honour on her at that time, so IIT Kanpur is the correct match.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the question asks specifically which IIT would confer a doctorate on P. T. Usha.
Step 2: Recall that news coverage highlighted IIT Kanpur inviting P. T. Usha for an honorary doctorate at its convocation.
Step 3: Recognise that there are no widely known reports of IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi, or IIT Bombay giving her an honorary degree in the same way.
Step 4: Match this memory with option IIT, Kanpur.
Step 5: Choose IIT, Kanpur as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification is that IIT Kanpur often features in current affairs questions about honorary doctorates, as its convocation news receives broad coverage. When P. T. Usha was selected for an honorary doctorate, multiple education and sports news outlets mentioned IIT Kanpur by name. The absence of similar stories for the other IITs regarding P. T. Usha confirms that Kanpur is the correct campus in this context.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
IIT, Kharagpur: Although it is the oldest IIT, it is not the one reported as conferring the honorary doctorate on P. T. Usha in the news context given by the question.
IIT, Delhi: A major institute, but not the campus linked with this particular recognition.
IIT, Bombay: Another leading institute, but again, available exam oriented sources do not mention IIT Bombay conferring this honorary doctorate on P. T. Usha.
Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes guess based on personal impressions about which IIT is most prestigious or oldest rather than recalling the specific news item. Because all IITs named are well known, guessing without proper recall can easily lead to an incorrect choice. The best way to avoid this is to associate a clear mental picture: P. T. Usha and IIT Kanpur convocation together in one memory bundle.
Final Answer:
The honorary doctorate for former sprint queen P. T. Usha was to be conferred by IIT, Kanpur.
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