1. Which state has topped in medal tally by securing 105 medals at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games 2023?
(A) Haryana
(B) Uttar Pradesh
(C) Tamil Nadu
(D) Maharashtra
(E) Punjab
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
The first-ever Khelo India Para Games concluded in New Delhi,
Haryana won the inaugural title by securing 105 medals including 40 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronze.
Uttar Pradesh came second with 62 medals including 25 gold, 23 silver, and 14 bronze.
Tamil Nadu finished third with 20 gold, eight silver, and 14 bronze medals.
KIPG 2023 is the latest addition to the government of India’s Khelo India initiative, which also includes the Khelo India Youth Games, Khelo India University Games and Khelo India Winter Games.
2. Who has won his maiden Senior National 15-Red snooker title?
(A) Paras Gupta
(B) Sourav Kothari
(C) Md Hussain Khan
(D) Jeet Advani
(E) Subhash Agarwal
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
Sourav Kothari of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) won his maiden Senior National 15-Red snooker title, beating Paras Gupta of Uttar Pradesh 6-2 in the final.
Kothari beat Md Hussain Khan (RSPB) 5-0 in the semifinals and prevailed over Gupta 58-46, 72-34, 0-64, 59-25, 61-54, 21-57, 64-8, 64-25 in the final.
He had defeated his PSPB colleague Advani in the round-of-32.
3. Which of the following is the world’s largest meditation centre, launched recently by PM Modi?
(A) Kanha Shanti Vanam
(B) Parmarth Niketan
(C) Swarved Mahamandir
(D) Vetri Meditation Center
(E) Brahmarshi Patriji Sansthan
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
PM Modi launched world’s largest meditation centre Swarved Mahamandir.
Swarved Mahamandir is a magnificent seven-floor temple with 125-petal lotus domes.
It is located in Umaraha area of Varanasi.
The Prime Minister and UP CM Yogi Adityanath took a tour of the center that can seat 20,000 people at a time for meditation.
The Mahamandir houses the idol of Sadguru Sadafal Deoji Maharaj, a 19th-century spiritual leader and the founder of Vihangam Yoga.
4. Which film has won Best film award at Kolkata International Film Festival?
(A) You Are My Spring
(B) He Is Psychometric
(C) Bad and Crazy
(D) Children of Nobody
(E) Children of a Lesser God
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
219 films from 39 countries were screened at Kolkata International Film Festival at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata.
Israeli film ‘Children of Nobody’ directed by Erez Tadmor, has won the Best Film award under International Competition in Innovation Moving Images.
The Best Director award was bagged by Carlos Daniel Malave.
Anjan Dutta’s ‘Chalchitro Ekhon’ bagged the Special Jury Award.
5. How much Oman-India joint fund was announced to boost investment into India’s growing sectors?
(A) $300m
(B) $400m
(C) $200m
(D) $500m
(E) $100m
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
India & Oman to conclude Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
PM Modi and Oman’s Sultan Haitham adopted a vision for bilateral cooperation expansion and fast-tracked a comprehensive partnership agreement.
They discussed Israel-Hamas conflict, terrorism, and a two-state solution for Palestine.
A $300m Oman-India joint fund was announced to boost investment into India’s growing sectors.
6. Which state has recorded highest number of deaths in 2022 from Tiger attacks?
(A) Madhya Pradesh
(B) Maharashtra
(C) Tamil Nadu
(D) Rajasthan
(E) Uttar Pradesh
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
In 2022, India reported 112 tiger-attack deaths, with most in Maharashtra (85), according to Minister Bhupinder Yadav.
Over five years, tiger attacks caused 302 human deaths.
Measures are proposed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority to mitigate clashes, with compensations amounting to over INR 14.78 crores provided in 2022.
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.
It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it.
7. International Migrants Day has recently celebrated on which day of December 2023?
(A) 16 December
(B) 17 December
(C) 18 December
(D) 19 December
(E) 20 December
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
International Migrants Day is celebrated every year on 18 December.
This day is celebrated to appreciate the important contribution made in solving the challenges faced by the migrants.
The theme of International Migrants Day 2023 is “Promoting Safe Migration”.
Celebrating it was started in the year 2000.
8. Who has been appointed by the Israeli government as the new Ambassador to India?
(A) Ron Malka
(B) Nor Gillon
(C) Shlomo Argov
(D) Reuven Azar
(E) David Shaltiel
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
The Israeli government recently approved the appointment of Reuven Azar as the new Ambassador to India.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry also said in a statement that Reuven will also serve as non-resident ambassador to Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
Azar currently serves as Israel’s Ambassador to Romania.
He will replace Naor Gillon, who has been serving as Israel’s Ambassador to India since 2021.
9. Which Indian recently successfully climbed Antarctica’s highest peak ‘Mount Vinson’?
(A) Sheikh Hasan Khan
(B) Arunima Sinha
(C) Premlata Agrawal
(D) Anshu Jamsenpa
(E) Luv Raj Singh Dharamshaktu
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Kerala government employee Sheikh Hasan Khan has conquered Antarctica’s highest peak ‘Mount Vinson’.
This is the fifth highest peak conquered by him.
Mount Vinson is 4,892 meters (16,050 ft) above sea level.
Apart from Mount Vinson, Khan has conquered four other high peaks, Mount Everest in Asia, Mount Denali in North America, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mount Elbrus in Europe.
10. In December 2023, which missile has made record by hitting four targets at once at 25km?
(A) Prithvi
(B) Akash
(C) Dhanush
(D) Nirbhay
(E) Shaurya
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
Akash missile made record by hitting four targets at once at 25km
The Akash, with a range of up to 25 km, is a short-range surface to air missile primarily used for protecting vulnerable areas and points from air attacks.
India became first country to demonstrate the capability of engagement of 4 aerial targets simultaneously at 25Km ranges by command guidance using single firing unit.
This capability was displayed at the ‘Astrashakti’ military exercise.