1) ISRO’s Venus mission ‘Shukrayan I’ may be postponed till __.
A. 2028
B. 2030
C. 2031
D. 2034
Ans-C
• ISRO ‘Shukrayaan’ mission to planet Venus reportedly shifted to 2031.
• ISRO had originally planned to launch Shukrayaan I in mid-
• 2023 but the pandemic pushed the date to December 2024.
• In 2022, it was revealed in the Indian Parliament that the Venus mission was being conceptualised and that feasibility studies were being carried out.
2) As per Brand Guardianship Index 2023, Which Indian was rank 2nd globally?
A. Mukesh Ambani
B. Gautam Adani
C. Anand Mahindra
D. Sunil Bharti Mittal
Ans-A
• On the Brand Guardianship Index 2023, billionaire Mukesh Ambani rated first among Indians and second internationally, surpassing Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Google’s Sundar Pichai.
• Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, topped the global list.
• The Brand Guardianship Index, developed by Brand Finance, a leading worldwide independent brand consultant.
3) What is India’s rank in the “Global Firepower Report 2023”?
A. 2nd
B. 3rd
C. 4th
D. 5th
Ans-C
• The Global Firepower Report 2023 has ranked India as the 4th most powerful army in the world.
• The most powerful country in the world is the United States of America, followed by Russia (2nd), China (3rd), India (4th), UK (5th), South Korea (6th), Pakistan (7th), Japan (8th), France (9th), Italy (10th).
• The Global Firepower Index ranked 145 countries.
4) Who has won the ISA Award 2021-2022 for Service to Humanity?
A. Sanduk Ruit
B. Anil Aggrawal
C. Yogi Aeron
D. Philip Augustine
Ans-A
• Himalayan Cataract Project Co-Founder and noted Nepali ophthalmologist Dr Sanduk Ruit has won the ISA Award2021-2022 for Service to Humanity, a top civilian award of Bahrain.
• The award carries a cash prize of US$1 million, a certificate of merit and a gold medallion.
• Dr. Ruit is a pioneer in providing high quality microsurgical procedures in remote eye camps.
• He has been instrumental in making modern eye care affordable and accessible to countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
• He has trained and qualified more than 650 doctors to treat and prevent blindness.
5) Which city will get India’s deepest underground metro station?
A. Chennai
B. Kolkata
C. Pune
D. Mumbai
Ans-C
• The Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) announced on 18 January that the underground metro station coming up at Pune’s Civil Court will be the deepest metro station in India.
• The station will be 33.1 metres deep (108.59 feet) and will have its roof at a height of 95 feet.
• According to reports, the metro station will be operational by the end of March 2023.
6) Who has clinched the SCI All India Snooker Open 2023?
A. Laxman Rawat
B. Aditya Mehta
C. Pankaj Advani
D. Aditya Mehta
Ans-A
• Laxman Rawat of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) has defeated Aditya Mehta (his fellow PSPB challenger) by 9-6 to win the final of the ‘Baulkline’ NSCI All India Snooker Open 2023.
• Cash prize: Rs 3 lakh (winner); Rs 1.5 lakh (Runnerup)
• NSCI Snooker Open Crown is a snooker tournament, organized by the National Sports Club of India (NSCI).
7) Ministry of Tourism will organize the first Global Tourism Investors Summit in –
A. February 2023
B. April 2023
C. June 2023
D. December 2023
Ans-B
• The Ministry of Tourism will organize the first Global Tourism Investors Summit from 10th to 12th April 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
• Aim: To bring together global policymakers and business leaders to understand and explore Tourism Business opportunities in India
• In this regard, Tourism Ministry has organized a Roadshow for the Northern region, Chandigarh on 17 January 2023.
8) Who has launched the ‘Girls4Tech’ programme in India?
A. RuPay
B. VISA
C. Mastercard
D. PayPal
Ans-C
• Mastercard has launched the new phase of its flagship programme ‘Girls4Tech’ in India.
• This programme is supported by the Mastercard Impact Fund and American India Foundation.
• Aim: To reach female students across the country by 2024 to encourage them to take up STEM education.
• STEM refers to Science, Technology, engineering and mathematics.
• STEM courses will be offered to girls aged 8 to 14.
9) Who has been appointed as the director of the National Health Authority?
A. Dr. Indu Bhusan
B. Dr. R.S Sharma
C. Mukesh Kumar Khetan
D. Praveen Sharma
Ans-D
• Praveen Sharma (IDSE) has been appointed as Director of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s National Health Authority (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission).
• Praveen is an officer of the Indian Defence Service of Engineers from the 2005 batch.
• He has been appointed to the post under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years.
10) Which automotive manufacturer will develop Asia’s first hydrogen-mining truck?
A. Maruti Suzuki
B. Tata Motors
C. Hyundai Motors
D. Ashok Leyland
Ans-D
• Adani Enterprises, Ashok Leyland, and Ballard Power have signed a deal to develop Asia’s first hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Truck (FCET) for mining logistics and transportation.
• The FCET is scheduled to be launched in India in 2023.
• The demonstration project will be led by Adani Enterprises Limited.
• Ballard will supply the FCmoveTM fuel cell engine for the hydrogen truck.
• Ashok Leyland will provide the vehicle platform and technical support.
11) Which bank has been awarded with the Best Small Bank Award 2022?
A. Tamilnad Mercantile Bank
B. Uttarakhand Gramin Bank
C. Aryavart Bank
D. Mizoram Rural Bank
Ans-A
• Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) was awarded the Best Small Bank Award 2022 in the ‘Best Banks Survey for the year 2022’, conducted by Business Today-KPMG (BT-KPMG Best banks survey).
• The award was presented by Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari to S.Krishnan (TMB MD and CEO).
• TMB was awarded under the category of banks with a book size of less than ₹1 lakh crore.
12) Which bank partnered with ‘Garuda Aerospace’ under the Kisan Pushpak Scheme?
A. Punjab National Bank
B. Union Bank of India
C. Canara Bank
D. State Bank Of India
Ans-B
• Garuda Aerospace, a drone company based in Chennai, has teamed with the Union Bank of India to finance 150 Garuda Agri Kisan drones under the Kisan Pushpak Scheme.
• The drone loan will assist farmers in digitizing land record activities for agricultural production as well as spraying fertilizers, chemicals, and pesticides.
• The Agri Infrastructure Fund Scheme funds 150 drone applications that will assist farmers and train 150 qualified pilots to become entrepreneurs.
13) As per World Bank, Which country is the Weakest economy in South Asia?
A. Pakistan
B. Srilanka
C. Nepal
D. Bangladesh
Ans-A
• The World Bank has termed Pakistan as the weakest economy in South Asia.
• According to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report, Pakistan’s economic growth rate will be only 1.7% this year.
14) Which Indian-American has been awarded the Martin Luther King Grand Parade Special award?
A. Harmeet Dhillon
B. Krishna Vavilala
C. Rohit Khanna
D. Maya Ajmera
Ans-B
• As the United States commemorated the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., IndianAmerican Krishna Vavilala received the MLK Grande Parade Special Award for his contributions to connecting the Indian diaspora with mainstream America.
• Vavilala, 86, a longtime Houston resident and the founder and chairman of the Foundation of India Studies (FIS).
15) __ has become 1st Union Territory of India to go completely digital?
A. Ladakh
B. Puducherry
C. Jammu & Kashmir
D. Chandigarh
Ans-C
• Jammu and Kashmir has become the first Union Territory of India to go completely digital.
• Presently all government and administrative services in Jammu and Kashmir are being provided digitally only.
• Through this, citizens can avail government services digitally without going to government office.
16) Which India-born British man won the “Freedom of the city of London” award?
A. Laxmi Niwas Mittal
B. Gopi Hinduja
C. Manish Tiwari
D. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Ans-C
• An India-born multicultural marketing agency founder, Manish Tiwari has been awarded the ‘The Freedom of the City of London’ title for his contributions to the British capital’s financial sector.
• The ‘Freedom of the City of London’ is thought to have begun in 1237, allowing grantees to conduct business in the city.
17) Indo-Russian joint venture has started manufacturing Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles in –
A. Uttarakhand
B. Uttar Pradesh
C. Delhi
D. Gujarat
Ans-B
• The manufacturing of Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles has recently started in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh by an IndoRussian joint venture.
• Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited plans to ensure 100 percent production of AK-203 rifles in India.
• India is the first country to start production of the world famous brand AK-200-series assault rifles.
• The first batch of 7.62 mm Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles has been produced by the Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh.
• The AK-203 assault rifle is considered to be the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle.
18) NASA has awarded $425 million to which company for “Sustainable Flight Demonstrator” project?
A. BrahMos
B. Safran
C. Airbus
D. Boeing
Ans-D
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded $425 million to Boeing Company for the agency’s sustainable flight demonstrator project.
• Under the project, Boeing will work with NASA to build, test and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at reducing emissions.
• NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the goal of the project is to produce and test a full-scale demonstrator that will help build future fuel-efficient commercial airliners.
19) Who has become the first Indian-American Lieutenant Governor of Maryland?
A. Aruna Miller
B. Wes Moore
C. Lou Leon Guerrero
D. Sila Calderon
Ans-A
• Aruna Miller has scripted history by becoming the first Indian-American politician to be sworn in as the Lieutenant Governor in the state of Maryland, adjoining the US capital.
• Aruna, 58, a former delegate to the Maryland House, made history when the Democrat became the 10th Lieutenant Governor of the state.
• She had served two terms in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018.
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