1. By which year ISRO has decided to achieve debris-free space?
(A) 2030
(B) 2027
(C) 2035
(D) 2032
(E) 2040
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath announced in April 2024 that India aims to achieve debris-free space by 2030.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath made this announcement while addressing the 42nd Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) annual meeting in Bengaluru.
During this, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said that as far as future space exploration and space utilization is concerned, ISRO has a very clear plan.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath is also the Secretary of the Department of Space.
According to ISRO Chairman S Somanath, currently, we have 54 spacecraft in orbit, along with some other non-functional objects.
2. What is the GDP growth projection of India by the IMF for FY 2024-25?
(A) 6.8%
(B) 5.2%
(C) 4.6%
(D) 8.2%
(E) 2.7%
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth projection to 6.8 percent for the financial year (FY) 2024-25, which is an increase of 30 basis points from its January forecast of 6.5 percent.
In addition, the report projected global growth to continue at the same pace of 3.2 percent in FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26.
GDP measures the total value of all goods and services produced in a country within a given time period, such as a quarter or a year.
The World Economic Outlook is published twice a year, in April and October, and is a survey of the IMF.
3. What is the theme of ‘World Hemophilia Day’ 2024?
(A) Equitable access for all: recognizing all bleeding disorders
(B) Access for All: Prevention of Hemophilia
(C) Access for All: Partnership. Policy. Progress.
(D) Adapting to change: sustaining care in a new world
(E) To carry the motive of the World Federation of Hemophilia
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Every year on April 17th, ‘World Hemophilia Day’ is observed.
The theme of this year’s World Hemophilia Day is ‘Equitable access for all: recognizing all bleeding disorders’.
The foundation of World Hemophilia Day was laid in 1989 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH).
The date of celebrating Health Day was set on April 17 each year to honor the organization’s founder Frank Schnabel.
Frank Schnabel played an important role in advocating hemophilia awareness and treatment.
He also dedicated his life to improving the lives of people suffering from this disorder.
The term hemophilia is a shortened form of the term haemorrhaphilia which was coined by Professor Dr Schönlein of the University of Zurich and his student Friedrich Hopff.
4. Who will launch the Proba-3 mission of the European Space Agency?
(A) SpaceX
(B) NASA
(C) ISRO
(D) Blue Origin
(E) JAXA
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
In a remarkable display of cutting-edge space technology, India is set to launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) revolutionary Proba-3 mission in September 2024.
This groundbreaking mission is set to achieve a world-first in precision formation flying, using two satellites that have been designed to operate together in perfect unison, forming a ‘large rigid structure’ amidst the vastness of space.
The Proba-3 mission is a remarkable feat of engineering and innovation and marks a significant milestone in the quest to explore the final frontier.
The Proba-3 mission aims to overcome this challenge by using an artificial eclipse in space, providing an unprecedented view of the corona closer to the solar rim than ever before.
India sent a solar mission into space on September 2, 2023. It took around 127 days and traveled about 1.5 million kilometers to reach its final destination.
5. Who was awarded the International Literary Prize in April 2024?
(A) Channappa Uttangi
(B) Mamta ji Sagar
(C) Gangadhar Chittal
(D) T Sunandamma
(E) Bhargavi Rao
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
Kannada poet, Mamta Ji Sagar was honored with the World Literary Prize for her contribution to literature by the World Organization of Writers (WOW) in April 2024.
Mamta is currently a facilitator at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design, and Technology in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
In recent years, Mamta ji Sagar has been honored with many awards in the country and abroad. These mainly include the following:
British Center for Literary Translation
University of East Anglia
Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship (2015)
Sanchi Honnamma Poetry Appreciation in UK (2019)
Bhasha Bharati Translation Award (2019).
6. Who has been announced to be given the Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar Award for the year 2024?
(A) Narendra Modi
(B) Asha Bhosle
(C) Alka Yagnik
(D) Amitabh Bachchan
(E) Hridaynath Mangeshkar
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Famous Hindi cinema actor Amitabh Bachchan will be honored with the third Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award to be held this year.
The award was announced at a press conference organized by the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smriti Pratisthan Public Charitable Trust and the Mangeshkar family on 16 April 2024 in Mumbai.
This award was started by the Trust and the Mangeshkar family in the year 2022 in the memory of Bharat Ratna and Swara Kokila late Lata Mangeshkar.
Earlier, in the years 2022 and 2023, this award was given to PM Narendra Modi and singer Asha Bhosle respectively.
Amitabh will be given this award on 24 April 2024 in Mumbai on the occasion of the 82nd death anniversary of Lata Mangeshkar’s father Deenanath Mangeshkar.
The ceremony will be organized on April 24 at Deenanath Mangeshkar Natyagraha, Vile Parle, Mumbai.
7. According to data from the Global Forest Watch monitoring project, which state has the highest tree cover loss?
(A) Mizoram
(B) Nagaland
(C) Manipur
(D) Assam
(E) Tripura
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Since 2000, India has lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover, which is a six percent decrease, according to data from the Global Forest Watch monitoring project.
From 2002 to 2023, the country lost 4,14,000 hectares of forest, making up 18% of its total tree cover loss in the same period.
The data provided by Global Forest Watch (GFW) indicates that five states accounted for 60% of all tree cover loss between 2001 and 2023.
Among these states, Assam had the highest tree cover loss of 324,000 hectares, which is significantly higher than the average loss of 66,600 hectares.
Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur also experienced significant tree cover loss, with 312,000 hectares, 262,000 hectares, 259,000 hectares, and 240,000 hectares lost, respectively.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, India had the second-highest rate of deforestation in the world between 2015 and 2020, with a loss of 668,000 hectares per year.
8. Recently, who won the silver medal in the Khelo India NTPC National Ranking Archery Competition?
(A) Sheetal Devi
(B) Deepika Kumari
(C) Shailja Sinha
(D) Muskan Singh
(E) Aditi Swami
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Asian Para Games gold medallist Sheetal Devi won the silver medal in the Khelo India NTPC National Ranking Archery Championship.
While Ekta Rani of Haryana won the gold medal.
Shital was awarded the Arjuna Award for winning two gold and a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games earlier this year.
Rakesh Kumar became India’s first-ever gold medallist in the World Archery Para Championships.
9. Recently Surbjit Jaibeli Baldev passed away, he was related to which field?
(A) Journalism
(B) Science
(C) Singing
(D) Politics
(E) Sports
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
Famous South African singer of Indian origin Surabjit Jaybelly Baldeo passed away at the age of 66.
He was a prominent participant in almost every Indian music show. He was famous by the name “Barry”.
10. Where was the 23rd session of the ‘United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues’ held?
(A) New Delhi
(B) Paris
(C) New York
(D) The Hague
(E) London
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
The 23rd session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was held in New York, United States.
It was formed in the year 2000 as an advisory body of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is the UN’s central coordinating body for matters relating to the concerns and rights of the world’s indigenous peoples.
The forum was created in 2000 as an outcome of the UN’s International Year for the World’s Indigenous People in 1993, within the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995–2004).
It is an advisory body within the framework of the United Nations System that reports to the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).