1. Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, who was recently on state visit to India, is Sultan and Prime Minister of which country?
A. Qatar
B. Oman
C. Yemen
D. Iran
- Sultan Haitham bin Tarik was on state visit to India from December 16, 2023. Trade between India and Oman has a history of several millenniums and archaeological excavations in Oman have unearthed evidence to show Indo-Oman trade during the Classical Age dated to circa third century BCE. Later, Oman had links with the Indians through Gujarat, and with Tamilakam along the Malabar Coast.
2. Kashi Tamil Sangamam, that was recently inaugurated, is an initiative of which ministry?
A. Ministry of Culture
B. Ministry of Cooperation
C. Ministry of Education
D. Ministry of Tourism
- Kashi Tamil Sangamam is an initiative by the Ministry of Education, government of India aimed at celebrating the civilizational connect between Kashi (Varanasi) and Tamil Nadu. Being held from December 17-31 this year, it involves cultural groups from Tamil Nadu showcasing various art forms in Kashi.
- The objectives are to revive ancient bonds between the two knowledge and cultural centres, and provide a platform for exchange of literature, philosophy, spirituality, music, dance and more. 27 shops showcasing special products of both regions have also been set up.
3. Kas Plateau, that was recently making news, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in which country?
A. India
B. Russia
C. China
D. UAE
- Kas Plateau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Maharashtra. Renowned for its vibrant Kas Flower festival, the plateau features a rich tapestry of flora and fauna. Often referred to as Maharashtra’s Valley of Flowers, Kaas Plateau is a place that turns into a floral wonderland during the monsoon season. It falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster of the Western Ghats, and it became a part of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2012.
4. The term “SWAMIH Investment Fund” that was recently making news, is related to which sector?
A. Automobile
B. Real Estate
C. Education
D. Pharmaceutical
- The Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment Fund I is a social impact fund that aims to complete stalled and stressed residential projects. It was announced by the finance minister in 2019. Recently, real estate developers’ body NAREDCO recommended in its pre-budget submissions that the government allocate Rs 50,000 crore more to the SWAMIH fund.
5. What is ‘Bhashini’ that was recently making news?
A. Blockchain based data security system
B. AI-led language translation system
C. Cloud computing infrastructure
D. Virtual Reality gaming platform
- ‘Bhashini’ is an AI-led language translation system that enables people to speak in their own language while talking to speakers of other Indian languages.
- Its aim is to facilitate convenient internet and digital service accessibility in Indian languages, incorporating voice-based access, and fostering the generation of content in these languages. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi utilized ‘Bhashini’ during his speech at the Kashi Tamil Sangamam event in Varanasi on December 18th.
6. Who is currently (December, 2023) India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations?
A. Arindam Bagchi
B. Indra Mani Pandey
C. Ruchira Kamboj
D. K Nandini Singla
- Recently, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, addressed the UNSC Open Debate on Small Arms to highlight India’s suffering from cross-border terrorism executed using smuggled weapons. A veiled critique of Pakistan, she emphasized that such illicit arms trafficking by non-state actors necessitates coordinated efforts to identify points of diversion.
7. Which city houses the world’s largest diamond bourse inaugurated by PM Modi recently?
A. Mumbai
B. Surat
C. Baroda
D. Pune
- Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Surat Diamond Bourse near Surat city of Gujarat, which is deemed the global centerpiece for the international diamond trading market with over 4,500 offices across 67 lakh square feet of space. Positioned as a hub for import-export, retail and banking, this structure inside the DREAM City complex supersedes prior records for floor area dedicated to the precious stone industry.
8. What is the expanded form of the SAMAR air defense system tested by the Indian Air Force recently?
A. Strategic Aerial Munition for Adaptive Response
B. Surface-to-Air Missile for Assured Retaliation
C. Supersonic Airborne Missile for Assertive Repulsion
D. Supersonic Airborne Mechanism for Advanced Repulsion
- The Indian Air Force successfully test fired the SAMAR air defense system it has indigenously developed, with SAMAR expanded as Surface-to-Air Missile for Assured Retaliation. Composed of a twin-turret missile launcher based on repurposed vintage air-to-air missile infrastructure, it is equipped to neutralize aerial threats at up to 2.5 Mach speeds.
9. Tembhu lift irrigation project, that was making news recently, is located in which state?
A. Goa
B. Maharashtra
C. Karnataka
D. Gujarat
- The Maharashtra state cabinet recently approved over Rs 7,370 crores to extend the Tembhu lift irrigation project, under construction since 1996. Water from the Krishna River will now reach drought-prone areas spanning three districts – Sangli, Satara and Solapur, covering over 1 lakh hectares.
10. Luna Crater, that was recently in news, is located in which state?
A. Gujarat
B. Maharashtra
C. Odisha
D. Karnataka
- Researchers from Kerala University have confirmed the remote area of Luna in Kutch, Gujarat as the site of a meteorite impact crater dating back approximately 6,900 years. This coincides with the thriving phase of the Indus Valley Civilization, whose prominent site Dholavira lies 200km away. With evidence of high-temperature minerals proving a young crater of 1.88km diameter, the meteor is estimated to be 200m wide.
11. Which country is leading the 10-nation military force to protect shipping in the Red Sea after attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels?
A. France
B. UK
C. United States
D. Italy
- United States announced a 10-nation military force to protect shipping in the Red Sea after attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on vessels with alleged Israel links forced companies to suspend operations. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Seychelles, the UK would join the “multinational security initiative” against the “challenge posed by this non-state actor.” The US and UK navies shot down 15 Houthi drones over the weekend.
- At least 12 shipping firms including Maersk have paused Red Sea transit over safety concerns. The attacks have rerouted global trade around Africa, imposing higher costs and delays. About 12% of world trade including 30% of containers passes through the Red Sea, which connects to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
12. Which city was host to the inaugural India Strategy Conference held recently on December, 2023?
A. Hyderabad
B. Bengaluru
C. Chennai
D. Mumbai
- The inaugural India Strategy Conference brought together experts to discuss opportunities and challenges shaping 21st-century industries. Aimed at fostering interactions between academia and industry to position India as a global center for strategic excellence, the conference was a collaborative initiative by IIM Bangalore, Confederation of Indian Industry CSO Forum, IIM Ahmedabad, and ISB Hyderabad.
- Key themes included sustainability, technology, digital disruption, and capitalizing on global opportunities. Discussions focused on long-term planning, sustainability commitments, waste management initiatives, adapting to new technologies, and navigating digital disruption.
13. Recently, Goa Liberation Day was observed on December 19th. For how many years, Goa remained a territory of Portugal?
A. 298 years
B. 325 years
C. 395 years
D. 461 years
- December 19th, is Goa Liberation Day, which marks the day in 1961 when India’s army freed Goa from 450 years of Portuguese colonial rule. Observed annually, Goa Liberation Day celebrates the official integration of Goa into the Indian Union after centuries under Portugal. On this day, India captured Goa, Daman and Diu, ending 451 years of Portuguese rule.
