Overcoming physical disabilities (Evelyn Glennie) and the life of Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan

Evelyn Glennie’s greatest challenge was her hearing disability. She lost much of her hearing at a young age, but learned music by sensing vibrations through different parts of her body and became a renowned percussionist. Visual impairment was not her difficulty. Exam tip: remember Evelyn as the hearing-impaired musician who learned to feel music through vibrations.

Evelyn's hearing problem was noticed at about the age of eight. Remember age-related facts carefully.

By eleven, Evelyn had become almost totally deaf. In such questions, match the age and condition correctly.

Ron Forbes taught Evelyn to feel the vibrations of sound. Remember the teacher and his contribution together.

He asked Evelyn to feel sound through the body. The key clue is vibration and experience.

Although Evelyn Glennie was profoundly deaf, she experienced sound through vibrations felt in her body, especially through her hands and feet. Therefore, ‘Through vibrations’ is correct. Colours, smell, and taste are not ways of sensing sound. Exam tip: Remember that vibrations were the basis of Evelyn’s understanding of music.

Evelyn Glennie became a renowned percussionist. Despite severe hearing loss, she learned to sense sound through vibrations and performed on percussion instruments. The shehnai player was Ustad Bismillah Khan, so option C does not describe Evelyn. Exam tip: Remember Evelyn Glennie as the deaf percussionist.

Evelyn studied at the Royal Academy of Music. The institution's name is important for exams.

Evelyn succeeded through hard work and determination. In message-based questions, choose positive qualities.

Evelyn treated disability as a challenge and moved ahead. In value-based questions, take the lesson from struggle.

Evelyn's life teaches self-confidence and practice. In exams, write the life message clearly.

She felt the vibrations of music in her body. In easy questions, recognize the word vibrations.

Evelyn's courage and success inspired people. In inspiration-based questions, notice character traits.

Ustad Bismillah Khan was a world-famous shehnai player. He gave this folk instrument a respected place on classical music stages. The tabla is a percussion instrument, so it is not the correct answer. Exam tip: Remember Bismillah Khan with the shehnai and Varanasi.

Ustad Bismillah Khan was born on 21 March 1916 in Dumraon, Bihar. He later gave the shehnai a new identity through his work in Varanasi, so Uttar Pradesh may be confused with his birthplace. Exam tip: Remember his birthplace and main place of work separately.

Ali Bux was Bismillah Khan’s maternal uncle and guided him in learning the shehnai. He played the shehnai at the Vishnu Temple in Varanasi. Therefore, the option saying ‘father and court musician’ is incorrect; Bismillah Khan’s father was Paigambar Bux. Exam tip: Remember the family relationships in the chapter along with each musician’s instrument and place of work.

Ustad Bismillah Khan loved Banaras (Varanasi) deeply. He was closely attached to the Ganga and to the city’s cultural and religious atmosphere, and he did not wish to leave Banaras even when offered opportunities to settle abroad. Chennai, Jaipur and Kolkata are not identified in the chapter as his beloved home city. Exam tip: Remember the association of Bismillah Khan with Banaras and the Ganga.

Ustad Bismillah Khan had a deep emotional bond with Banaras (Varanasi) and the River Ganga. The chapter highlights his love for the Ganga and his city as a reason why he did not want to settle abroad. The Yamuna and the other rivers are not linked with this episode. Exam tip: Remember Bismillah Khan with Banaras, the Ganga, and the shehnai.

He gave the shehnai a high place in Indian classical music. This is the key point in contribution questions.

Bismillah Khan played Raga Kafi at the Red Fort on 15 August 1947, on the occasion of India’s Independence Day. Therefore, Kafi is the correct answer. Yaman, Darbari and Bhairav are also well-known ragas, but the lesson specifically links the Red Fort episode with Raga Kafi. Exam tip: Remember Bismillah Khan with the shehnai and Raga Kafi.