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Questions and Answers
Who has been appointed as the Executive Chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)?
The Indian Navy has received the first indigenously manufactured Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MALE - UAV) named Drishti 10 Starliner, also known as ________.
Elbit Hermes 900
Which country has been ranked as the strongest military in the Global Firepower's 2024 rankings?
United States
The e-samridhi portal is used for procurement and payment of wheat.
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Which state became the first to map accident black spots as part of Road Safety?
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Which country became the first in the world to launch the RTS, S malaria vaccine for children?
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The first all-girl Sainik School was inaugurated in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
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India's first _____ tourism is to be set up in Gujarat, surrounding Bet Dwarka city.
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Match the following products with their respective states for Geographical Indication (GI) tags:
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Who is the Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2023?
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Which country is Aitana Bonmati from, who won the Best FIFA Women’s Player 2023 award?
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Who became the first Indian woman to receive the Arjuna Award in equestrian games in 2023?
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Match the following winners with their respective categories in the 2023 International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid Chess:
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Which university from Bengaluru was deemed the recipient of the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’ 2023?
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Study Notes
First in News
- Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has inaugurated the 1st Healthy & Hygienic Food Street of the country, PRASADAM, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
- Punjab has become the 1st state to map accident black spots as part of the Road Safety.
- Goa has become the 1st state in the country to launch a model for regenerative tourism.
- Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the 1st pilot project to make jet fuel from alcohol in Pune.
- Cameroon in Africa has become the 1st country in the world to launch the RTS, S malaria vaccine for children into its routine national immunisation services.
- The country’s 1st all-girl Sainik School has been inaugurated in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
- India’s 1st ‘Zero Waste Street Food Festival’ was inaugurated in Delhi.
Polity
- Arvind Panagariya has been appointed as the chairman of the 16th Finance Commission.
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has launched National Single Window System (NSWS) to streamline the import, clinical investigations, and testing of medical devices.
- Jammu and Kashmir has become the 1st Union Territory to implement the PM Vishwakarma Yojana (PMVY).
- The Government is considering a proposal to sell FCI (Food Corporation of India) rice under the 'Bharat' brand.
- India's 1st submarine tourism is to be setup in Gujarat, surrounding Bet Dwarka city.
Schemes in News
- PRITHVI (PRITHVI Vigyan Ministry of Earth Sciences) aims to enhance the understanding of the Earth and its vital signs.
- Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana aims to provide Rooftop Solar (RTS) power systems to 1 crore households.
- ‘Prerana’ Programme is a week-long experiential and inspirational learning program for selected students of class IX to XII.
Economy
- Ministry of Finance has imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of ‘Wheel Loaders‘ from China.
- OLA Electric has become the 1st Electronic Vehicle (EV) company to get Production Linked Incentive (PLI) approval.
- National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has entered into an MOU with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) to develop and report a “Green Cover Index”.
- Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the licence of Hiriyur Urban Co-operative Bank due to inadequate capital and earning prospects.
- National Highway Authority of India has launched the ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag‘ initiative.
Science and Technology
- Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh will be developed as the 1st Artificial Intelligence (AI) city of India.
- NASA has launched 5 payloads to soft land on the surface of the Moon aboard Peregrine Mission One (PM1).
- National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) project has introduced a mobile app ‘Report Fish Disease’ to track and monitor fish diseases across the country.
- Denmark has started a project called Green Fuels Alliance India to strengthen teamwork between India and Denmark in the field of sustainable energy solutions.
- China has launched a new satellite Einstein Probe which is shaped like a lotus to observe violent cosmic phenomena.
- World Health Organization has certified Cabo Verde (also known as Cape Verde) as a malaria-free country.
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has successfully landed Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on the surface of the moon.
- ISRO has developed an improvised Distress Alert Transmitter (DAT).
International Relations
- 5 new countries have joined BRICS in 2024: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras to open a new campus at Kandy in Sri Lanka in 2024.
- India has been elected as the 1st Vice-Chair of the FAO’s COFI Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management.
- The Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (ABCP) had convened its 12th General Assembly in New Delhi.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, in partnership with the Government of Denmark, has launched two “green rooms” in Ukraine.
- Kyrgyzstan declares Snow Leopard as its National Symbol.
National News
- Uttar Pradesh has ranked 1st in the country in Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) for the 3rd consecutive year.
- Tamil Nadu Coir Policy 2024 aims to attract investments worth Rs.3,000 crore in the sector by 2030 and generate 60,000 jobs.
- Gujarat has set a Guinness World Record for the most people performing Surya Namaskar simultaneously.
- Assam government has launched Baayu, India's 100% electric bike taxi service.
- The Ayodhya Airport in Uttar Pradesh is set to be renamed as Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham.
Tamil Nadu News
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has released a book titled ‘Maha Kavithai’ by poet Vairamuthu in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
- Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala jointly released a souvenir to mark the centenary celebrations of Vaikom Satyagraha at Chennai.
- TN BEAT EXPO 2024 – with the theme titled ‘Build Entrepreneurs in Adi Dravidars and Tribals’ conclave was conducted in India.
- The Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024 has attracted record investments of ₹ 6.64 lakh crore.
- All Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres in the State will now be rebranded as ‘Maruthuva Nallavazhu Nilayam’ in both English and Tamil.
- Padma awardees from Tamil Nadu include Vyjayanthimala Bali, Padma Subrahmanyam, Vijayakant, Joshna Chinappa, Badrappan M, Joe D'Cruz, G.Nachiyar, and Nagaswaram artist Seshampatti T.Sivalingam.
- World Tamils Economic Conference is being held in Chennai.
- Tamil Nadu STEPS Survey-2 aimed at estimating the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) risk factors.
Culture
- Leh Ladakh in India and Lam Dong in Vietnam have launched a historic cultural exchange and tourism collaboration.
- A site at Pulloor, in Virudhunagar is believed to have housed a Samana palli in the 8th Century to 10th Century CE.
- The Government of India has decided to include Farsi (Persian) as one of the nine classical languages in India under the New Education Policy.
- Republic Day parade theme: ‘Viksit Bharat’ and 'Bharat: Loktantra ki Matruka'.
Awards/Prize
- M.S.Swaminathan Award 2024: Prof.B.R.Vice Chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU).
- Ayyan Tiruvalluvar Award, 2024: Thavathiru Balamuruganadimai Swami.
Persons in News
- Justice Sanjiv Khanna has been appointed as the Executive Chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
- Priya Ravichandran has become the 1st woman from the Fire and Rescue Services to be inducted into the IAS.
- Gabriel Attal has become France's youngest and first openly gay Prime Minister.
- Andrew Saberton has been appointed as the Deputy Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
- Anil Kumar Lahoti has been appointed as Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
Important Days
- Global Family Day: January 1 - Embracing Diversity, Strengthening Families
- International Mind-Body Wellness Day: January 3 - Holistic Wellness: Mind, Body, and Soul
- World Braille Day: January 4 - Empowering Through Inclusion and Diversity
- World Day of War Orphans: January 6 - Orphan Lives Matter
- Earth's Rotation Day: January 8 - Honoring the Discovery of Our Planet's Movement
Defence in News
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Indian Navy has received Drishti 10 Starliner (also known as Elbit Hermes 900), the 1st indigenously manufactured Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MALE - UAV).
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Defence Research & Development Organisation has started development trials of indigenous light tank ‘Zorawar’.
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The Indian Army has launched Operation Sarvashakti in Jammu and Kashmir to counteract the revival of terrorism by Pakistan, especially along the mountain ranges of Pir Panjal.
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Havildar Preeti Rajak has become the Army’s 1st woman Subedar.
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Indian Army has opened the India Selfie Point near the Line of Control in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Indian Army will observe the year 2024 as the 'Year of Technology Absorption'.### Military Exercises
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Desert Cyclone: a military exercise between India and the United Arab Emirates
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Exercise Sea Dragon 24: Indian Navy's P8I aircraft participated
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Ex-Ayutthaya: a naval exercise between India and Thailand
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Exercise KHANJAR: a military exercise between India and Kyrgyzstan
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Exercise CYCLONE: a military exercise between India and Egypt
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Exercise Desert Knight: a military exercise between France and the UAE
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SADA TANSEEQ: a military exercise between India and Saudi Arabia
Committees
- Rohit Kumar Singh Committee: formed to prepare guidelines for misleading advertisements in the coaching sector
- Vijayaraghavan Committee: formed to restructure and redefine the role of DRDO
- Idate Commission: formed to address the concerns of Nomadic, Semi-Nomadic, and De-Notified Tribes in India
Indices
- Global Firepower's 2024 rankings: United States ranked as the strongest military in the world
- Global Economic Prospects Report 2024: forecasts a deceleration in global GDP growth from 2.7% in 2023 to 2.4% in 2024
Summits
- 9th India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023: hosted in Faridabad, Haryana, with the theme "Science and Technology for Public Outreach in Amrit Kaal"
- 5th International and 44th All India Criminology Conference: hosted in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- Davos Summit 2024: hosted in Davos, Switzerland
- 19th NAM Summit: hosted in Kampala, Uganda, with the theme "Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence"
Portals
- e-samridhi portal: launched by the Minister of Cooperation for procurement and payment of tur dal
- ERNET: an integrated web portal for educational institutes launched by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
- Nalam Naadi app: launched by the Tamil Nadu School Education department to track students with learning disabilities
Books and Authors
- "Four Stars of Destiny" by Former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane
- "An Uncommon Love: Chitra and Narayana Murthy" by Sudha Divakaruni
- "Gandhi: A Life in Three Campaigns" by M.J. Akbar
- "Conversations with Aurangzeb" by Charu Nivedita, translated into English by Nandini Krishnan
Sports
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’ 2023: awarded to Jain Deemed to be University, Bengaluru, and Odisha Corporate Limited
- Best FIFA Men's Player 2023: Lionel Messi from Argentina
- Best FIFA Women's Player 2023 Award: Aitana Bonmati from Spain
- Divyakriti Singh of Jaipur becomes the first Indian woman to get Arjuna Award in equestrian games
- 2023 International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid Chess title: Magnus Carlsen won the gold medal in men's category, and Koneru Humpy from India won the silver medal in women's category
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Description
This quiz covers various 'firsts' in India and beyond, including initiatives, projects, and achievements in different fields.
