Who among the following is a distinguished painter, renowned in the field of Indian art?

Introduction / Context:
Questions about famous personalities often ask candidates to match an artist with their correct field, especially when the options include people from different performing and visual arts. India has produced many celebrated dancers, musicians and painters. Amrita Sher-Gil is a key figure in modern Indian painting and is frequently mentioned in art history. This question checks whether learners can identify her as the distinguished painter among mainly classical dancers.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The options list Uday Shankar, Sonal Mansingh, Amrita Sher-Gil, Yamini Krishnamurthy and Rukmini Devi Arundale.
• Four of these are renowned primarily as dancers or dance revivalists.
• Only one is primarily known as a painter.
• We assume basic awareness of major Indian cultural personalities.

Concept / Approach:
Amrita Sher-Gil was a pioneering modernist painter whose work blended European techniques with Indian themes and subjects. The other names in the list Uday Shankar, Sonal Mansingh, Yamini Krishnamurthy and Rukmini Devi Arundale are all associated with classical dance and choreography, not painting. Thus, the key is to distinguish between performing arts (dance) and visual arts (painting) and choose the only painter in the list.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Amrita Sher-Gil's paintings often depict rural India, women and everyday life, and are displayed in major galleries.Step 2: Remember that she is often described as one of the greatest avant-garde women painters of early twentieth century India.Step 3: Identify that Uday Shankar was a pioneer of modern Indian dance, Sonal Mansingh and Yamini Krishnamurthy are renowned classical dancers, and Rukmini Devi Arundale revived Bharatanatyam.Step 4: Recognise that all these other artists are associated mainly with dance, not painting.Step 5: Select Amrita Sher-Gil as the distinguished painter.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, think of which name you have seen in connection with art exhibitions or museums rather than stage performances. Amrita Sher-Gil's works are discussed in books on modern Indian art and are part of important public collections. In contrast, the other names appear in discussions of classical dance festivals and choreography. This clear separation of domains confirms that Amrita Sher-Gil is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Uday Shankar is famous for creating a modern style of Indian dance and for his work in dance drama. Sonal Mansingh is a leading exponent of Odissi and Bharatanatyam. Yamini Krishnamurthy is a renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer. Rukmini Devi Arundale played a crucial role in reviving Bharatanatyam and founding Kalakshetra. None of them are primarily known as painters, so selecting any of these would misidentify their artistic field.

Common Pitfalls:
Because all the names are associated with the arts, candidates who have only a vague idea may not distinguish between dance and painting and may choose an option at random. Another pitfall is to confuse Amrita Sher-Gil with dancers because her name sounds less familiar than some of the iconic dancers. To avoid this, it helps to create a mental split: Amrita Sher-Gil painting, the others dance. Such simple associations make questions like this very easy to answer.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Amrita Sher-Gil.