Who received the Tansen Samman award in 2018, an honour given for outstanding contribution to Indian classical music?

Introduction / Context:
The Tansen Samman is an important Indian music award named after the legendary musician Tansen. It honours musicians who have made outstanding contributions to Hindustani classical music. Because it is instituted by a state government and linked with a famous music festival, it often appears in general knowledge questions that combine culture, music, and awards. This question focuses on identifying the 2018 recipient among the listed names.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The award is the Tansen Samman.
• The year specified is 2018.
• The options include three named personalities and one None of the above option.
• Only one of these names correctly matches the 2018 recipient.

Concept / Approach:
In 2018 the Tansen Samman was conferred on Manju Mehta, a noted sitar player associated with Hindustani classical music. She is respected for her performances and contribution to training the next generation of musicians. Biren Singh and Divya Patidar Joshi are associated with different domains and recognitions, and they do not match the Tansen Samman for that year. Therefore, the correct approach is to recall that the award is linked to classical music and to identify the classical musician in the options, which is Manju Mehta.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Tansen Samman is a music related award, usually connected with classical music. Step 2: Among the options, identify who is known for classical music performance rather than for other fields or pageantry. Step 3: Recall that Manju Mehta is a well known sitarist and was honoured with the Tansen Samman around 2018. Step 4: Note that Biren Singh and Divya Patidar Joshi are associated with other roles and are not normally cited as recipients of this award. Step 5: Conclude that Manju Mehta is the correct answer and not None of the above.

Verification / Alternative check:
A useful cross check is to remember that the Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior is often the venue where the Tansen Samman is presented. Newspaper reports about the festival typically mention the name of the awardee along with their musical instrument or style. When revising, linking Manju Mehta with sitar and with the Tansen festival helps confirm that she is the right choice for this question. Since the other names are not regularly linked to classical sitar music, this provides an additional verification layer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Biren Singh is known in other public contexts and is not widely reported as a recipient of the Tansen Samman in 2018.
Divya Patidar Joshi is associated with beauty pageants and other achievements, not with this specific classical music award.
None of the above is incorrect because Manju Mehta is actually the 2018 recipient and is present in the list of options.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes get confused when options include names they recognise from news headlines but cannot clearly place in a field. They may also ignore the artistic or cultural nature of the award. To avoid mistakes, first identify the domain of the award, here Hindustani classical music, and then match it with the candidate in the options who is famous in that domain. This systematic approach reduces the chance of random guessing and improves accuracy in award related questions.

Final Answer:
The Tansen Samman award for 2018 was given to the noted sitarist Manju Mehta.