Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 3rd February 2021

Correct Answer – D. 8th

Explanation: The Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the 8th India International Silk Fair on Virtual Portal on 31st January 2021. The five days event is being held on the Indian Silk Export Promotion Council’s virtual platform due to COVID-19 pandemic. The fair is considered to be India’s biggest silk fair.

About the Fair:

More than 200 overseas buyers and an equal number of their representatives in India are participating to interact with more than 100 renowned and big Indian companies manufacturing and trading silk and silk blended products.India is the only country in the world which produces all the four major varieties of silk, which are Mulberry, Eri, Tassar, and Muga.

Correct Answer – C. Uttarakhand

Explanation: In Nainital district of Uttarakhand, a first of its kind botanical garden named ‘Shivalik Arboretum’ has been inaugurated, for conserving over 210 species of trees found in the Shivalik range of Himalayas. Shivalik Arboretum aims to spread nature education among people so that they are able to feel an emotional connect with the trees, and make them more active towards conservation.

About the botanical garden:

The facility will showcase information like scientific information about particular species, cultural significance, medicinal use, country of origin, type of habitat in which it is found and all possible uses including as timber, dyes or any other peculiar use.

Some of the trees preserved include Kafal (Myrica esculenta), Buransh, (Rhododendron arboretum), Tejpat (Cinnamomum Tamala) and Sanjeevani (Sellaginella bryopteris).

Important Points-

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister: Trivendra Singh Rawat.
• Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.

Correct Answer – C. Madrid

Explanation:In accordance with the latest United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) “World Tourism Barometer”, the year 2020 was the “worst year on record” as global tourism suffered adversely due to international travel bans implemented to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. International arrivals dropped by 74% & worldwide destinations welcomed 1 billion fewer international arrivals than in 2019. This collapse in travel represents an estimated loss of $1.3 trillion in export revenues, more than 11 times less during the 2009 crisis. On the regional front, Asia and the Pacific aced sharpest year-on-year contraction of 84% (-84%). It was followed by the Middle East (-75%) and Europe (-70%).

Important Points:

• United Nations World Tourism Organization Secretary-General:Zurab Pololikashvili.
• United Nations World Tourism Organization Member States: 159.
• United Nations World Tourism Organization Headquarter: Madrid, Spain.

Correct Answer – B. Vietnam

Explanation:The ruling Community Party of Vietnam has re-elected its 76-year-old General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong for a third five-year term. He is serving the post since 2011. Trong was granted an exemption to contest in the election, though he was above the age limit of 65. The General Secretary is the highest office within the Communist Party of Vietnam. Trong also holds the position of the President of Vietnam since 2018.Vietnam has a communist government, which means that the country does not have a single strongman at the apex. There are four main leaders that collectively run the show which includes: The Communist Party general secretary, the prime minister, the president and the chair of the National Assembly.

Important Points:

• Vietnam Capital: Hanoi.
• Vietnam Currency: Vietnamese dong.
• Vietnam Prime Minister: Nguyen Xuan Phuc

Correct Answer – B. Anish Shah

Explanation: Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services has announced the appointment of Anish Shah as the chairman of the board, effective April 2, 2021.Shah is already a director of the company.He is the deputy managing director and group CFO of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.Shah takes over from Dhananjay Mungale. Mungale shall continue to be an Independent Director on the Board of MMFSL.

Important Points:

• Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Headquarters: Mumbai.
• Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Founded: 1991.

Correct Answer – C. Dalai Lama

Explanation:  His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama authored a new book titled “The Little Book of Encouragement”. The book edited by Renuka Singh is published by Penguin Random House is set to be released.The book is a compilation of Dalai Lama’s quotes and ideas to deal with the new realities of the post pandemic world along with how to combat rising extremism, polarity and climate change and his views on Tibet.The book also promotes human values, talks about the key to happiness and comments on Sino-India ties.

Correct Answer – D. Ford Motor Co

Explanation: United States-based Ford Motor Co has partnered with Alphabet Inc’s Google to cooperate in software, artificial intelligence and cloud computing, developing new consumer services.The partnership will be applicable for 6 years and will incorporate the Android operating system of the Google into Ford and Lincoln vehicles in 2023.Ford’s customer will get built-in Google apps, including its map and voice technology, Google AI to improve efficiency of vehicle development.

Correct Answer – B. World Bank

Explanation:The government of Bangladesh signed an agreement with the World Bank for the upgradation of rural roads and connectivity in the western region.The project is expected to benefit over 20 million people in the western region of Bangladesh.The project will help upgrade the 48 kilometre two-lane Jashore-Jhenaidah road to a modern 4-lane highway. It will also help improve 600 kilometre of connecting rural roads and build or develop new rural markets.The project will finance installation of fiber-optic cables along the highway to ensure fast and reliable internet service.The project envisages setting up of separate lanes for slow moving vehicles to reduce accidents along highways.It will also install road crash barriers, signage and safe crossing facilities for pedestrians.

Correct Answer – C. bluShift Aerospace

Explanation: United States (US) based Startup bluShift Aerospace launched ‘Stardust 1.0’ from Loring Commerce Centre in Maine, US. It is the World’s 1st Commercial Rocket launch powered by Biofuel.The solid biofuels used in the launch is non-toxic, Carbon Neutral & can be sourced from America It uses Nitrous Oxide bubbled with Oxygen as an oxidizer.bluShift Aerospace’s Rocket Engine is a hybrid of solid and liquid propellant called ‘Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL)’.Other rockets being developed by the company include Stardust Gen. 2, Starless Rouge and Red Dwarf, which is a low-Earth orbit (LEO) vehicle and is designed to y a maximum payload of 30 kg.

Correct Answer – A. Aatmanirbharta

Explanation:‘Aatmanirbharta’ implying self-reliance has been named by Oxford Languages as its Hindi word of the year 2020 as it “validated the day-to-day achievements of the countless Indians who dealt with and survived the perils of a pandemic”.The word was chosen by an advisory panel of language experts Kritika Agrawal, Poonam Nigam Sahay and Imogen Foxell.The Oxford Hindi word of the year is a word or expression that is chosen to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the passing year, and have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.

Correct Answer – E. All 1, 2 and 3

Explanation: Shinjini Kumar, Paytm Payments Bank’s 1st CEO, Aditi Sholapurkar, a member of its founding team, along with Chaitra Chidanand, co-founder of Simpl, will launch Salt, a financial services venture for women.It will focus on financial products for women in both metros and smaller cities.It will partner with other financial institutions and look at offline distribution in Tier 2 and 3 cities.

Correct Answer – A. Indegene Pvt. Ltd

Explanation: Indegene Pvt. Ltd is raising $200 million from US-based investment firms Carlyle Group and Brighton Park Capital to boost acquisitions and drive global expansion plans.Carlyle and Brighton Park Capital will pick minority stakes in Indegene through a primary investment along with a secondary sale by existing shareholders and early investors of the Bengaluru-based company. Indegene helps life sciences companies with digitizing their sales and marketing functions.

Correct Answer – B. 83

Explanation:The government has formally sealed the ₹48,000 crore deal to procure 83 Tejas light combat aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.Tejas is a single-engine and highly agile multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments.The deal for procurement of the 73 Tejas Mk-IA variant and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-I trainer aircraft was approved in Jan 2021.

Correct Answer: A. Rishabh Pant

Explanation: Rishabh Pant has been nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award along with England’s Joe Root and Ireland’s Paul historic win.In January 2021, Root played two Tests against Sri Lanka, where he scored a 228 and 186 and led his team to a 2-0 Test series victory.