Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 23rd March 2023

Correct Answer:  C. Mindy Kaling

Explanation:  The White House has announced that US President Joe Biden will bestow the 2021 National Humanities Medals upon several recipients, including Indian-American actress, comedian, and writer Mindy Kaling, also known as Vera Mindy Chokalingam. The National Medal of Arts is the most prestigious award granted by the US government to artists, arts advocates, and organizations. It recognizes individuals and groups who have made outstanding contributions to the arts in America and served as role models through their exceptional accomplishments, assistance, or sponsorship.

These awards recognize individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to advancing the arts and humanities in America, broadening public engagement with subjects such as history, literature, languages, and philosophy. Other notable recipients of the National Medal of Arts include Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bruce Springsteen, and Vera Wang. The 2021 National Humanities Medal will be awarded to individuals such as Richard Blanco, Ann Patchett, and Colson Whitehead. These awards will be presented at the White House and attended by First Lady Jill Biden.

Correct Answer:  B. 18th

Explanation:  The Tamil Nadu Government has announced the notification of Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, making it the 18th wildlife sanctuary in the state. Spread across 80,567 hectares in the forest areas of Anthiyur and Gobichettipalayam taluks in Erode district, the sanctuary will include reserve forest areas in Anthiyur, Bargur, Thattakarai and Chennampatti. The announcement was made during the state budget recently.

Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at close proximity with the Malai Mahadeshwara wildlife sanctuary, BRT Wildlife Sanctuary, Cauvery wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka. It acts as the connecting point between Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is home to 21 species of mammals, 136 species of birds and 118 species of butterflies. It hosts fauna like elephants, leopards, wild boars, gaurs and deer.

Correct Answer:  A. 5th Poshan Pakhwada

Explanation:  The 5th Poshan Pakhwada will be celebrated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development from March 20 to April 3, 2023, with several events across the country. The 5th Poshan Pakhwada is being celebrated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to promote good eating habits and focus on the value of nutrition through mass movement and public participation. Thetheme of Poshan Pakhwada 2023 is –Nutrition for All: Together Towards a Healthy India. During Poshan Pakhwada, campaigns will be launched to raise awareness and popularize efficient Anganwadis with advanced infrastructure and facilities. This year, Poshan Pakhwada will concentrate on promoting “Shree Anna: the mother of all grains“, as a useful tool to combat malnutrition, in light of the declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

 Poshan Pakhwada

• Poshan Pakhwada is celebrated for 15 days in March.
• Similarly, the month of September is known as National Nutrition Month across the country.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development will be the nodal ministry for organizing programs during Poshan Pakhwada.

Correct Answer:  B. Income Tax Department

Explanation:  Income Tax Department launched an AIS app for taxpayers. The AIS app will help taxpayers in viewing their Annual Information Statements (AIS). This app will provide detailed information about each transaction to taxpayers. Through this app, taxpayers can also give feedback on the AIS information displayed. It will also promote voluntary compliance and enable seamless prefilling of returns. AIS shows the reported value and modified value under each section. The Taxpayer can now check the full details of taxes and TDS with just one click. The Annual Information Statements can be assessed through the mobile application and the web portal.

Correct Answer:  C. Kamarajar Port

Explanation:  Franco Japanese auto alliance Renault Nissan has signed an agreement with Kamarajar Port Ltd for export of cars manufactured in Chennai by Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd. The vehicles produced at the Chennai plant will be exported to the alliance’s regional and global destinations. The agreement builds on the existing partnership between the Renault Nissan Alliance and Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL) and will facilitate further export of cars via KPL, the alliance said in a statement. It was signed by Nissan Motor India President Frank Torres and KPL Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Paliwal in the presence of Renault India Operations Country CEO and Managing Director Venkatram Mamillapalle and Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL) Managing Director Keerthi Prakash.

Correct Answer:  B. Manmeet K Nanda

Explanation:  Manmeet K Nanda has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Invest India, a prestigious organization. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released a statement announcing the approval of Nanda’s appointment by Invest India’s board, following Deepak Bagla’s decision to step down. Nanda was previously serving as the Joint Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Bagla resigned from his post last week, leading to the need for a new MD and CEO at Invest India.

The Commerce Ministry stated that the board has given approval for the appointment of Manmeet K Nanda as the new MD and CEO of Invest India. Nanda is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the West Bengal Cadre of the 2000 Batch. The statement comes after Deepak Bagla’s resignation from the post of MD and CEO at Invest India, citing “personal reasons.”

Correct Answer:  D. Mithali Raj

Explanation:  Rae Bareli’s hockey stadium is named after Rani Rampal, the star hockey player of the Indian team. She has become the first woman player from India to achieve this feat. The name of the hockey stadium has been changed to ‘Rani’s Girls Hockey Turf’ by MCF Rae Bareilly. Rani made a comeback to the Indian team during the tour of South Africa earlier this year, when she was included in the 22-man squad. Rani made a comeback to the squad after last featuring in the FIH Women’s Hockey Pro League 2021-22 against Belgium, where she won her 250th cap for India. The 28-year-old Rani had been battling injuries since the Tokyo Olympics and was subsequently dropped from the 2022 World Cup and Commonwealth Games squads. Now she is returning to international hockey again. Rani has been included in the 22-member squad.

Correct Answer:  D. INS Androth

Explanation:  India recently launched the INS Androth, as part of an eight-ship series of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC). The ASW SWC was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata and is designed to conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low intensity maritime operations and mine laying operations. The INS Androth is approximately 77.6 meters long, 10.5 meters wide, and requires a draught of only 2.7 meters. It is propelled by three diesel-driven water jets, enabling it to attain a maximum speed of 25 knots. The ship is equipped with hull mounted sonar and a low frequency variable depth sonar, lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, a close-in weapon system (with a 30 mm gun) and 16.7 mm stabilised remote-controlled guns.

Correct Answer:  D. “With Us Not For Us”

Explanation:  March 21 is observed as World Down Syndrome Day worldwide, aiming to increase public awareness and show support for individuals living with this genetic condition. The United Nations chose this date to highlight the link between Down syndrome and the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which makes it unique. The day serves as an opportunity to educate and raise awareness about Down syndrome. This year’s World Down Syndrome Day theme is ‘With Us, Not For Us’, emphasizing that people with disabilities should be treated equally and have access to the same opportunities as others. The theme conveys the message that individuals with Down syndrome have the right to be treated fairly and included in society, rather than just being assisted by others.

Correct Answer:  C. Uttarakhand

Explanation:  Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, inaugurated Asia’s largest 4-metre International Liquid Mirror Telescope at Devasthal, Uttarakhand, in the presence of Lt. Gen (Retd.) Gurmeet Singh, the Governor of Uttarakhand. The Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) has declared that the 4-meter International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) is operational and can now be used to observe the deep celestial sky. The telescope recorded its first light in the second week of May 2022 and is located on the Devasthal Observatory campus of ARIES in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. ARIES is an independent institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Indian Government, situated at an altitude of 2450 meters.

Correct Answer:  B. NTPC REL

Explanation:  NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL), a subsidiary of NTPC Ltd, has entered into a pact with the Indian Army (IA) to develop green hydrogen initiatives at armed forces establishments through a Build, Own, and Operate (BOO) arrangement. As part of this collaboration, potential locations will be jointly identified for the construction of green hydrogen projects that will generate electricity. This agreement is the first such initiative of its kind to support border security by providing energy security for India’s defence lines. To reduce complex logistics, dependence on fossil fuels and to accelerate decarbonisation.

Correct Answer:  B. Pune, Maharashtra

Explanation:  The 2nd edition of the Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX-2023) between India and 23 African nations began on March 21, 2023, at the Foreign Training Node in Aundh, Pune, Maharashtra for training the participating contingents. The theme of the exercise is focused on Humanitarian Mine Action and Peace Keeping Operations. Participating Countries: The field training exercise is attended by 100 participants from Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Seychelles, Senegal, Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Correct Answer:  D. 23rd March

Explanation:  Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs’ Day is observed in India on 23rd March every year to pay homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of India. This day marks the anniversary of the execution of three Indian freedom fighters- Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru in 1931. On this day, people in India observe a two-minute silence to remember the sacrifice of these three great freedom fighters and all the other martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation. The President, the Vice-President, and the Prime Minister of India pay tribute to these great freedom fighters at their respective memorials in Delhi.

*** Martyrs’ Day is also observed in India on January 30 to pay respect to Mahatma Gandhi ji. On January 30, 1948, Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse in the compound of Birla House.

Correct Answer:  B. Anurag Behar

Explanation:  Anurag Behar, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Azim Premji Foundation and founding vice-chancellor of Azim Premji University, has authored a new book titled “A Matter of the Heart: Education in India”, a travel book that chronicles experiences of Anurag Behar at work at the Azim Premji Foundation, is a compilation of all his columns. The book, which has 110 stories, highlights the state of education in India beyond the main cities. This book is an ode to educators who are shaping the future of our country. The book was published by Westland Nonfiction (Westland Books A Division of Nasadiya Technologies Pvt ltd). Anurag Behar is one of India’s leading educationists and social sector leaders.