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Prelims 2026 paper

UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 · Question 19 · Music, dance & theatre

Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the famous classical singer from Karnataka, represented the:

Prelims 2026 · Q19

Music, dance & theatre Medium Provisional key

Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the famous classical singer from Karnataka, represented the:

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana

Mallikarjun Mansur of Dharwad was a Hindustani classical singer of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. Manji Khan, the eldest son of Alladiya Khan, who founded that gharana, took him as a pupil.

  • ✓ (d) The Dharwad district's own account records that Manji Khan, eldest son of Alladiya Khan, the founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, took Mansur under his wings; The Hindu also calls him an artiste of the Atrauli gharana.
  • ✗ (b) Mansur is not placed in the Gwalior gharana: the decisive training in the official account comes from Manji Khan of the Jaipur-Atrauli line.
  • ✗ (a) Nothing in the official account links Mansur with the Agra gharana; his guru belonged to the Jaipur-Atrauli line.

Remember · Jaipur-Atrauli gharana (founder Alladiya Khan): Mallikarjun Mansur of Dharwad learnt from Alladiya Khan's son Manji Khan.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper I (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·

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