Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Bezwada Wilson and T. M. Krishna
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
The Ramon Magsaysay Award recognises individuals and organisations in Asia for integrity, courage in service, and transformative work in society and culture. India often features prominently among its awardees. In 2016, two Indian personalities from very different fields were honoured: one for social activism against manual scavenging and another for creatively expanding the boundaries of classical music and public discourse. This question asks you to identify the correct pair from the given options.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In 2016, the Indian recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award were Bezwada Wilson and T. M. Krishna. Bezwada Wilson was recognised for his work in eliminating manual scavenging and uplifting sanitation workers. T. M. Krishna, a Carnatic vocalist, was honoured for challenging traditional boundaries in classical music and using art for social change and inclusion. Arvind Adiga is a novelist who won the Booker Prize but is not a Magsaysay 2016 awardee, and Satish Gujral is a painter and architect associated with other honours. Therefore, the only correct pair that matches the 2016 Magsaysay list is Bezwada Wilson and T. M. Krishna.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the question is about pairs, not individual names, and that the year 2016 is specified.
Step 2: Remember that two Indians received the Magsaysay Award that year: activist Bezwada Wilson and musician T. M. Krishna.
Step 3: Examine each option to see which one contains both those names together.
Step 4: Option a lists Bezwada Wilson and T. M. Krishna, which matches your memory.
Step 5: Select option a as the correct answer and reject the others.
Verification / Alternative check:
An effective verification strategy is to recall the distinct fields for which the two awardees were recognised. News reports emphasised that one award went to a campaigner against manual scavenging and another to a Carnatic musician who used his art to address caste and social barriers. This combination of activism and art makes the 2016 Indian pair unique. Once you remember that the activist is Bezwada Wilson and the musician is T. M. Krishna, it becomes easy to pick the correct pair among the options.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
T. M. Krishna and Arvind Adiga is incorrect because Arvind Adiga is a novelist associated with the Booker Prize, not the 2016 Magsaysay Award.
Arvind Adiga and Bezwada Wilson is also wrong because Adiga did not receive the award and this pair does not match the official list.
T. M. Krishna and Satish Gujral is incorrect because Satish Gujral is a painter and architect and does not appear as a 2016 Magsaysay awardee.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes recognise only one name correctly and then guess the second, leading to wrong pair selection. Another mistake is confusing Magsaysay awardees with winners of other international prizes such as the Booker Prize or Nobel Prize. To avoid this, always remember 2016 Magsaysay India as a two name pair: Bezwada Wilson for social activism and T. M. Krishna for transforming Carnatic music and public debate.
Final Answer:
The pair of Indians selected for the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2016 is Bezwada Wilson and T. M. Krishna.
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