Current Affairs

December 2023

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• National • Scheme & Portal • Index

• International • Defence • Games, Day
• Science & Tech. • Awards & Honour • U.P. Special

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 PCS SIMPLIFIED

INDEX
Sr.No TOPIC PAGE NO.

1. National 3-23

2. International 24-32

3. Economic 33

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4. Science and Technology 34-38

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5. Environment 39-42

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6. Scheme or Portal
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7. Defence 48-52

8. Exercise 53
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9. Event 54-57
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10. Award and Honour 58-64

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11. Index and Report 65-69

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12. Sports 70-79

13. Day 80-84

14. Appointment 85-86

15. UP Special 87-88

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 National
1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches 'Green Credit Initiative'
during COP-28 in UAE
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said at About UNFCCC:
COP-28 in Dubai that India continues to support  In the year 1992, 'United Nations
important issues like climate justice, climate Framework Convention on Climate
finance and green credit. Change' (UNFCCC) was signed at the
 The Green Credit initiative proposes to provide United Nations Conference on
carbon credits to the general public, independent Environment and Development, also
of commercial initiatives, which will increase known as Earth Summit, Rio Summit or
public participation in issues related to carbon Rio Conference. also known as.
emissions.  The UNFCCC came into force on March

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Other facts: 21, 1994 and has been ratified by 197
 India is home to 17 percent of the world's countries.
population, but its share in global carbon  The UNFCCC Secretariat (UN Climate

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emissions remains below four percent. Change) is a United Nations entity that
 India is moving towards achieving its National supports the global response to the
Determined Contribution-ADC target. threat of climate change.
 India will achieve the emissions reduction target .

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11 years earlier and the non-mineral fuel target What is the Conference of Parties
nine years earlier. (COP)?
Significant COPs Conferences:  It is the supreme body of the UNFCCC
Year 1995: COP1 (Berlin, Germany) conference.
Year 1997: COP 3 (Kyoto Protocol)
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 This legally binds developed countries to reduction
 COP meetings are held every year, the
first COP meeting was held in Berlin,
targets for emissions. Germany in March 1995.
Year 2002: COP 8 (New Delhi, India) Delhi  Note: The COP is convened in Bonn,
Declaration. Germany (Secretariat) if no party offers
 Focus was on the need for technology transfer. to host the session.
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Year 2007: COP 13 (Bali, Indonesia)  The tenure of the COP President is
 Bali Roadmap and Bali Action Plan were agreed usually decided among the five UN
upon, providing a pathway towards more decisive regional groupings, which include Africa,
outcomes post-2012. Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean,
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 The plan includes five main categories - shared Central and Eastern Europe, and
vision, mitigation, adaptation, technology, and Western Europe.
financing.  The president of COP is usually the
Year 2010: COP 16 (Cancun,Mexico) environment minister of his country.
 Establishment of the Green Climate Fund, Which is elected immediately after the
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technology mechanism, and Cancun Adaptation opening of the COP session.

Framework.
Year 2011: COP17 (Durban)
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 Governments committed to a new universal climate agreement by 2015, applicable from 2020
(resulting in the Paris Agreement of 2015).
Year 2015: COP 21 (Paris)
 The goal is to keep the global temperature well below 2.0°C above pre-industrial levels and to
pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C.
Year 2016: COP22 (Marrakech,Morocco)
 Progress towards drafting the rulebook for the Paris Agreement.
 Launch of the Marrakech Partnership for Climate Action.
2017: COP23, Bonn (Germany)
 U.S. President Donald Trump announced the intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
Year 2018: COP24, Katowice (Poland)
 Finalised the "rulebook" to implement the Paris Agreement, including guidelines for climate
finance and nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Year 2019: COP25, Madrid (Spain)
 No concrete plan regarding immediate climate action was present in this conference.
Year 2021 COP26:(United Kingdom in Glasgow).
 Hosted by the United Kingdom in Glasgow.

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  Indian Prime Minister presented five commitments for climate action, including reaching a non-
fossil energy capacity of 500 GW
 by 2030, fulfilling 50% of energy needs through renewable energy
 To reduce its net estimated carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes between now and 2030.
 by 2030, reducing carbon intensity of the economy by more than 45%
 To meet 50% of India's energy needs through renewable energy by the year 2030.
 by 2030, and aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

Year 2022 COP-27:

 This conference was held in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt.
 In this conference, considering climate change as a major crisis, controlling the global temperature
as well as solving the damage was officially included in the agenda.
Year 2023 cop- 28:
 Currently COP- 28 is being organised in Dubai.
 In which the Prime Minister proposed the Green Credit Initiative.

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2. Two important Jammu and Kashmir bills passed in Lok Sabha
 Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Bill and the Jammu and

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Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
 This Bill deals with the representation of those people who exist as refugees in their own country.
Also, this bill reserves one seat in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for the people displaced from
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
background:

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 Before the abrogation of Article 370, there were different rules regarding delimitation of Lok Sabha
and Assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir.
 A Delimitation Commission was formed in March 2020 after the abrogation of Article 370 and the


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transformation of the territory into a Union Territory.
The work of this commission was to delimit not only the seats of Jammu and Kashmir but also the
seats of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland and a time limit of one year was fixed
for the completion of this work.
 Recently, as a result of the completion of the delimitation process by this Commission, the number
of assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir increased from 107 to 114.
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What are these two bills?
Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023:
 With its help, Section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 will be amended.
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 The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 provides reservation in admission to jobs and
professional institutions to members of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and other
socially and educationally backward classes.
 According to the Amendment Bill, a class of persons previously known as “Weaker and Deprived
Classes (Social Castes)” can now be described as “Other Backward Classes”.
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 Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2023:

 The bill seeks to amend the 2019 Act and provide representation in the Assembly to Kashmiri
migrants and displaced persons from PoK.
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 It has a provision to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community, one of whom
will be a woman member and the Lieutenant Governor will have the power to nominate one person
representing displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the Assembly.
 In this bill, it is proposed to increase the total number of seats in the Jammu and Kashmir
Assembly from 107 to 114, out of which 7 seats will be reserved for Scheduled Caste members and
9 seats will be reserved for Scheduled Tribe MLAs.
 According to the bill, 24 assembly seats have been reserved for Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
 Therefore, the respective effective strength of the Assembly is 83, which has been tried to be
increased to 90 by amendment.

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 3. National Consumer Helpline 2.0
 Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food &
Public Distribution, Textiles and Commerce
& Industry Shri Piyush Goyal launched
National Consumer Helpline 2.0 on
National Consumer Day 2023.
 At the pre-litigation level, the National
Consumer Helpline 2.0 serves as an
alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
 The new addition is available in over 17
languages including Maithili, Kashmiri and
Santhali.
About National Consumer Day:
 Every year on 24 December, India celebrates National Consumer Day with a specific theme.
 On this day the President signed the Consumer Protection Act 1986.

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 The passage of this act is seen as a watershed moment in the country's consumer movement.

4. Ayodhya Dham Railway Station in discussion

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 The new Ayodhya Dham railway station was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
on 30 December.
Ayodhya Dham Railway Station Facilities

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 Child Care Room - Medical Services for Babies
 Tourist Information Center – details on local
spiritual and sightseeing attractions
 Sick Room – urgent care and first aid for passengers


Fire exits – ensuring safe escape routes
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It also provides standard railway station facilities
like food plaza, waiting hall, dormitories and shops.
 Special accommodation exists for Hila staff and
passengers.
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5. First Indian Art, Architecture and Design Biennial 2023

inaugurated at Red Fort, Delhi
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 Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates the first Indian Art, Architecture and Design Biennale (IAADB)
2023 at Red Fort, kickstarting cultural dialogue
 During the inauguration ceremony, Shri Modi unveiled the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Center for Design’
 Cultural sites will be established in five major cities namely Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad
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and Varanasi.
 India is trying to institutionalize global cultural initiatives through cultural programs like
International Museum Expo, Library Festival etc.
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 Art, architecture and culture prosper only when there is freedom of expression, diversity flourishes
through the tradition of debate and discussion.

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 6. 'Gajraj Suraksha'
 Indian Railways has introduced
the modern technology named
'Gajraj' to prevent accidents
involving elephants on railway
tracks.
 The main objective of this
initiative is to save elephants
from fatal accidents caused by
trains.

About Gajraj Suraksha:

 This uses AI-based algorithms
and a sensitive optical fibre
cable network to detect

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elephants coming near railway
tracks.
 Its goal is to address the issue of
elephant fatalities resulting from

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train accidents.
 Gajraj Safety senses pressure
waves generated by the
footsteps of elephants on the

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tracks through optical fibre
cables.
 As elephants move, the system
detects the vibrations caused by
their footsteps through optical
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fibre cables.
 Indian Railways plans to
implement this system in parts of
West Bengal, Odisha,
Jharkhand, Assam, Kerala,
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Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu.

Additional Facts:
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 India has the largest population of wild Asian elephants globally, with approximately 27,312,
accounting for around 55% of the species' global population, according to the 2017 census.
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 7. Bihar's 'Water-Life-Greenery Campaign' gets international
recognition in COP-28
 Recently Bihar's Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign received global recognition for afforestation efforts at
the COP28 climate summit.
 An MoU was signed between BSPCB and UNEP in February 2021 to develop climate-resilient and
low-carbon development pathways for the state.

8. 'Garba' dance in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list

 Recently, the United Nations organisation UNESCO has decided to include the traditional 'Garba'
dance of Gujarat in its cultural heritage list.
 The 18th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage of UNESCO is being held in Kasane City, Botswana from December 5 to 9, 2023.
 Garba dance of Gujarat is the 15th intangible cultural heritage of India to be included in this list.

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 This dance underlines the important role it plays in promoting social and gender inclusivity.
 Garba dance has been included in this list under the ‘2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)’.

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Garba Dance:
 It is a type of dance commonly performed in the
About UNESCO:
state of Gujarat, India.
 UNESCO was established in the year 1945
 Traditionally it is performed during the nine-

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to develop "intellectual and moral solidarity
day Hindu festival of Navratri.
of mankind" as a means of maintaining
 It is a dance performed by women around an permanent peace.
earthen pot, called Garbo, filled with water.
 UNESCO officially recognizes sites of
 A betel nut and a silver coin are kept inside the
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pot, which is called Kumbh. A coconut is placed
cultural and natural importance as World
Heritage.
on top of it.
 There are a total of 42 UNESCO recognized
 The origin of 'Garba' is based on a lamp, which
heritage sites in India.
is called Garbhadeep, which means a lamp kept
inside a pot.
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India's 'intangible' cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO:
 (1) Vedic chanting tradition (2) Ramleela, traditional performance of the Ramayana (3) Kutiyattam,
Sanskrit theatre (4) Ramman, religious festivals and religious rituals of the Garhwal Himalayas, (5)
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Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala ( 6) Kalbelia folk songs and dances of
Rajasthan (7) Chhau dance (8) Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in
the Ladakh region of the Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, India (9) Sankirtan of Manipur,
traditional singing, drums and Dance (10) Brass and copper utensils made by the Thathers of
Punjab (11) Yoga (12) Navroz, (13) Kumbh Mela (14) Durga Puja,
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9. Statue of Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar unveiled in

France
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 The statue of Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar was unveiled in Sergi, France.
 Thiruvalluvar was a great saint of South India. He is also called Kabir of South India.
 Thiruvalluvar had composed 'Tirukkural' or 'Kural' in Sangam literature.
 Thirukkural has been compared to the great books of the world's major religions.
 Saint Thiruvalluvar was born in the first century BC. He is considered a symbol of intelligence and
knowledge. His writings inspire millions of
people around the world.
 People of all religions including Shaiva,
Vaishnav, Buddhist and Jain believed in
Thiruvalluvar.
 Thirukkural consists of 10 poems and 133
sections, each divided into three books:
 Aram- Aram (Virtue).
 Porul (Government and society).
 Kamam- Kamam (love).
 Thirukkural has been compared to the great
books of the world's major religions.

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 10. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's death anniversary
 By celebrating Mahaparinirvan Day every year on 6th December, Dr. The death anniversary of BR
Ambedkar is celebrated.
Brief Introduction:
 Born: Born on April 14, 1891 in Mhow, Central Province (now Madhya Pradesh).
 Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer, jurist, economist, writer, polyglot and scholar of comparative
religious philosophy.
 In the year 1916, he received a doctorate degree from Columbia University and is the first Indian to
achieve this feat.

Other information:
 In the year 1920, he started the newspaper ‘Mooknayak’ which laid the foundation of a vocal and
organized Dalit politics.
 He founded the Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (1923), which was dedicated to the promotion of
education and culture among the Dalits.

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 In 1925, he was appointed by the Bombay Presidency Committee to work in the Simon Commission.
 He led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927 to challenge the regressive customs of the Hindus.
 In 1930, Ambedkar protested outside the Kalaram Temple because Dalits were not allowed to enter

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the temple premises.
 He participated in all three Round Table Conferences.
 In 1932 he signed the Poona Pact with Mahatma Gandhi.
 In the year 1936, he was elected MLA of Bombay Legislative Assembly.
 On August 29, 1947, he was appointed Chairman of the Constitution Making Committee.

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 He is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution, and he was the first Law Minister of
independent India.
 He resigned from the Cabinet in 1951 due to differences over the Hindu Code Bill (which aimed to
reform Hindu society).
 He died on December 6, 1956.
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 In the year 1990, he was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna.

Important works:
 Newspapers Mooknayak (1920), Annihilation of Caste (1936), The Untouchables (1948), Buddha or
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Karl Marx (1956), Buddha and His Dhamma (1956) etc.

11. 26th meeting of Eastern Regional Council in Patna

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 Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has chaired the 26th meeting of the Eastern
Regional Council in Patna.
 The Chief Minister of Bihar attended the 26th meeting of the Eastern Regional Council as the Vice
Chairman.
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Other facts:
About Regional Council:
 Five regional councils were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 by the then Prime
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Minister Nehru.
 Regional councils are statutory and not constitutional bodies.

There are five councils:

 Northern Regional Council; Central Zonal Council; Eastern Regional Council; Western Regional
Council; Southern Zonal Council.
 North Eastern states are not included in the regional councils.
 Their special problems are looked after by the North Eastern Council, established under the North
Eastern Council Act, 1972.
What is the organisational structure of regional councils?
 Chairman: The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these councils.
 Vice-President: The Chief Ministers of the states comprising each region serve by turns as Vice-
President of the Regional Council for that region, each holding office for a term of one year at a time.
 The region comprises the Chief Minister and two other ministers nominated by the Governor from
each state and two members from the Union Territories.

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12. Supreme Court's decision on Article 370
 Chief Justice D.Y. The 5-member Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by
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Chandrachud, unanimously upheld the Central Government's decision to abrogate Articles 370 and
35A.
 The Constitution Bench has directed the Election Commission to conduct the Legislative Assembly
elections before September 30, 2024.
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Article 370:
 Article 370 in the Indian Constitution provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, which is a
disputed area between India, Pakistan and China.
 Its draft was written by Indian Constituent Assembly member N. Gopalaswami Iyengar and it was
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added to the Constitution as a ‘temporary provision’ in the year 1949.

 This allowed the state to keep its own constitution and flag, as well as autonomy in most matters
except defence, foreign affairs and communications.
 It was based on the terms of the Instrument of Accession, which was signed by Hari Singh, the ruler
of Jammu and Kashmir, to join India after the invasion of Pakistan in 1947.
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How did the government abrogate Article 370?

 In the Presidential Order of the year 2019, the
Parliament introduced a provision and gave a
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new meaning to the 'Constituent Assembly of

Jammu and Kashmir' as 'Legislative Assembly
of Jammu and Kashmir' and then used the
President's rule to abrogate Article 370.
Through this, the powers of the Legislative
Assembly were assumed.
 Concurrent resolutions were passed by both
Houses of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Rajya
Sabha, on 5 and 6 August 2019 respectively.
These resolutions also repealed the remaining
provisions of Article 370 and replaced them
with new provisions.
 The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 was passed by the Parliament on 5 August 2019.
This Act divided the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories – ‘Jammu and Kashmir’
and ‘Ladakh’.

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13. First woman to be posted at operational post in Siachen Glacier
 Captain Fatima Wasim of Siachen Warriors has become the first woman medical officer to be posted
at an operational post in the Siachen Glacier.
 His posting will be at an altitude of 15,200 feet.
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 Fatima Wasim will be deployed on the China-Pakistan borders.
Other facts:
 Earlier, on December 5, 2023, Captain Geetika Kaul of the Army's Snow Leopard Brigade had
become the first woman medical officer to be posted at Siachen.
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 Geetika Kaul has been deployed at the Siachen battlefield, which is at an altitude of 15,600 feet.

Siachen Glacier:
 The Siachen Glacier is located in the Eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalayas, northeast of Point
NJ9842, where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends.
 The entire Siachen Glacier came under the administrative control of India in the year 1984
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(Operation Meghdoot).
 Siachen Glacier is located from north-west
to south-east. It originates at Indira Col
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West at an altitude of 6,115 meters,

reaching a col (lowest point) at Indira
Ridge at an altitude of 3,570 meters.
 Fedchenko Glacier, located in the
Yazgulem Range of Tajikistan, is the
second longest glacier in the non-polar
regions of the world.
 The Siachen Glacier is located south of the drainage divide area that separates the Eurasian Plate
from the Indian subcontinent in the vast glaciated portion of the Karakoram, sometimes referred to
as the 'Third Pole'.
 Nubra River originates from Siachen Glacier.
 Siachen Glacier is the highest battlefield in the world.

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 14. AC cabin mandatory in trucks
 Recently the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced plans to make air
conditioned cabins mandatory for truck drivers.
 The government has taken this decision to reduce costs in the country's logistics sector, improve the
health of drivers and prevent road accidents.
Other facts:
 The air condition system will be installed on N2 and N3 category trucks manufactured on or after
October 1, 2025.
 N2 category includes heavy goods vehicles whose total weight is more than 3.5 tonnes and less than
12 tonnes.
 N3 category includes heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes.

15. National Clean Ganga Mission in discussion

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 The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has recently signed a Common Memorandum of
Understanding (MoCP) with the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI).
 The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), on behalf of the River Cities Alliance (RCA) of India,
has signed a General Purpose Agreement with the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative

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(MRCTI) representing 124 cities/towns located along the Mississippi River in the US. Memorandum
of Understanding (MOCP) has been signed
 The signing ceremony just took place at the The aims and objectives of NMCG are to
Rotary Hall as part of the ongoing COP 28 or fulfil the mandate of NGRBA:

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United Nations Climate Change Conference in  To effectively ensure prevention of pollution
Dubai, United Arab Emirates. and revitalization of river Ganga by
adopting river basin approach to promote
About National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): inter-regional coordination for
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 It is a registered society under the Ministry of comprehensive planning and management.
Jal Shakti, Government of India. ,  To maintain minimum ecological flow in
 It served as the implementation arm of the river Ganga with the objective of ensuring
National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), water quality and environmentally
which was constituted under the provisions of sustainable development.
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the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986.
 Consequent to the formation of the National Council for Rejuvenation, Conservation and
Management of River Ganga (called National Ganga Council), the NGRBA has been dissolved since
2016.
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16. Infinity Forum

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the second edition of the financial technology event,
Infinity Forum
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 The event has been organized under the aegis of International Financial Services Centers Authority
(IFSCA) and GIFT City.
 The central theme of the second edition is ‘GIFT-IFSC: Nerve Center for New Age Global Financial
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Services’.
Note -
 The first edition of Infinity Forum held in 2021 received an overwhelming response with over 95,000
registrations from over 80 countries.
 The highlight of the event was the ‘Fintech Showcase’, which featured over 100 virtual exhibitors
alongside the main proceedings.

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 16. Wax statue of Dr. BR Ambedkar unveiled
 Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a prominent Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and
politician.
 He was born on April 14, 1891 in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.

Education:
 Ambedkar graduated from Bombay University and pursued further studies at Columbia University
in New York and the London School of Economics.
Contribution:
 In 1927, he started publishing the newspaper Bahishkrit Bharat to highlight the condition of the
Dalit classes.
 He also led the Mahad Satyagraha in March 1927.
 He participated in all three Round Table Conferences.
 In the year 1932, Dr. Ambedkar signed the Poona Pact with Mahatma Gandhi in which the idea
of separate electorates for the depressed classes (Communal Award) was abandoned.
 In 1936, he formed the Independent Labor Party to protect the interests of the depressed

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classes.
 In the year 1942, Dr. Ambedkar was appointed as a labor member in the Executive Council of the
Governor General of India and in the year 1946, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly from

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Bengal.
 He was the chairman of the drafting committee and is remembered as the father of the Indian
Constitution.
 Dr. Ambedkar became the Law Minister in the first cabinet of independent India in 1947.
 He resigned from the cabinet in the year 1951 over differences over the Hindu Code Bill.

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Books:
Additional Details:
 Annihilation of cast
 He later converted to Buddhism. He died on
 Buddha and Karl Marx
December 6, 1956, which is celebrated as
Mahaparinirvana Day.
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and Why They Have Become
 There is a memorial to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar in Chaitya
Untouchables
Bhoomi, Mumbai.
 Buddha and his Dhamma
 He was also awarded India's highest civilian honor
Bharat Ratna in the year 1990  The Rise and Fall of Hindu Women
Organization:
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Magazines:
 Mooknayak (1920)  Bahiskrit Hitkarini Sabha (1923)
 Bahiskrit Bharat(1927)  Independent Labor Party (1936)
 Samanta (1929)  Scheduled Castes Association
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(1942)
 Janta (1930)

18. Mahua Moitra

 Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2023, in
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action in the cash-for-query case.

 The decision to expel Mahua Moitra from Parliament was taken on the basis of the report of the
Code of Conduct Committee.
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 Mahua Moitra is the 17th MP to be expelled from Parliament.

 Mahua Moitra had shared her ID and password with Hiranandani to log into a confidential account
on the parliamentary website so that they could post questions directly.
 Nishikant Dubey had alleged in a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker that Mahua had asked a total of
61 questions in Parliament, out of which 50 questions were related to Adani Group only.
Note -
 Congress MP HG Mudgal was the first MP to be expelled from the House (1951).
 Others – Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Subramanian Swamy, Chhatrapal Singh Lodha
 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (Lok Sabha member from Wayanad, Kerala) was expelled from the
Lok Sabha in March 2023.
Mention of conduct of MPs in the Constitution
 Article 105 of the Indian Constitution sets out the powers and privileges of Parliament and its
members and committees.
 Whereas Article 122 of the Constitution provides immunity to the proceedings of the House from
court challenge.

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 19. Samveda of New India

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 Former President of India Ram Nath Kovind released the book titled "Samveda of New India" in New
Delhi on 7 December 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speeches on the Indian Constitution
have been compiled in this book.

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Note
 Some of the major books written by Indian and foreign authors on Narendra Modi are mentioned as
follows:
 'Karmayodha Granth': Amit Shah released this book based on the life of Prime Minister Narendra

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Modi.
 "Narendra Modi: A Political Biography": Andy Marino
 Centrestage: Inside the Narendra Modi Model of Governance: Uday Mahurkar
 Modi: The Making of a Prime Minister: Leadership, Governance and Performance: Vivian Fernandez.
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 The Man of the Moment: Narendra Modi:- MV Kamath and Kalindi Randeri
 Namo Story: A Political Life: Kingshuk Nag
(Narendra Modi's journey from a tea seller's son to
the CM of Gujarat).
 Narendra Modi: Game Changer: Sudesh Verma
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 The Modi effect: Inside Narendra Modi's campaign to
transform India: Lance Price
 Narendrayan: The Story of Narendra Modi: Girish
Dabke
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 Modi: Common man's PM: Kishore Makwana

 We can believe in Narendra Modi's change: Sanjay
Gaura

20. Rajeev Aarogyasri

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 It is a scheme of Telangana government.

 A total of 90.10 lakh families below BPL are eligible beneficiaries under the scheme.
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 There are 1,672 packages available under the scheme covering various diseases under 21
specialties.
 Financial coverage under Rajiv Aarogyasri has been doubled to Rs 10 lakh per family per year

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 21. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world's largest
corporate office centre, 'Surat Diamond Bourse'
 This SDB office complex is designed for the global
landscape of rough and polished diamond trading.
 Located within the Diamond Research and Mercantile
City, Surat Diamond Bourse is part of Prime Minister
Modi's flagship projects.
 Surat Diamond Bourse can accommodate 4,200
traders from 175 countries. Surat Diamond Bourse
aims to become the hub of global diamond trading.

22. Swaraveda Mahamandir, the world's largest meditation centre

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 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world's largest meditation centre Swaraveda
Mahamandir at Umra in Chaubepur area of Varanasi on 18 December 2023.

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 There is no idol of any god or goddess in this temple. Instead of worshipping in the temple, yoga will
be practised to attain Brahmagyan.
 On this occasion, the Prime Minister also unveiled a 135 feet tall statue of Saint Sadaphal Maharaj.
 The construction work of Swaraveda Mahamandir was started in the year 2004. The foundation of

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the Mahamandir was laid by Sadhguru Acharya
Swatantra Dev and Saint Pravar Vigyan Dev.
 This temple is built in 64 thousand square feet. Its
height is 180 feet.

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This seven-storey temple is the largest meditation
centre in the world.
 In this, more than 20,000 people can sit together
and meditate.
 In this temple, 3000 people will get the facility to sit
together and do pranayam, meditation and yoga.
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Besides, a lotus dome with 125 petals has also been
prepared in this great temple.
 This temple has been constructed using Gujarat's GRC technology.
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23. Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 was inaugurated by Prime

Minister Narendra Modi on 17 December 2023 at Namo Ghat,
Varanasi
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 The Government of India initiated this event as part of "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav". To promote the
spirit of One India, Best India.
 The second phase of Kasi Tamil Sangamam will be held from December 17 to 30, 2023.
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 Around 1400 people (7 groups of 200 persons each) representing different sectors from different
parts of Tamil Nadu are expected to participate in this event.
 These 7 groups are named after the seven sacred
rivers of India.
 Students (Ganga), teachers (Yamuna),
professionals (Godavari), spiritual people
(Saraswati), farmers and artisans (Narmada),
writers (Indus) and traders and businessmen
(Kaveri).
 The Ministry of Education, Government of India
will be the nodal agency for this event.
 IIT Madras and Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
will act as the implementing agency.
 Note – The first phase of Kasi Tamil Sangamam was held in Varanasi (Kashi) from 16 November to
19 December 2022.

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 24. Surat airport gets international airport status
 The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has approved the proposal to make Surat Airport an
international airport.
 The Air India Express flight took off from Surat for Dubai
on December 17, 2023.
Management of Airports in India:
 Airports in the country are managed by the Airports
Authority of India (AAI). The Ministry of Civil Aviation is
responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and
managing civil aviation infrastructure in the country.
 According to AAI website, there are 487 airports/airstrips
in India. Of these, AAI manages a total of 137 airports.

25. ‘Indus Solitaire Program’

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 'Indus Solitaire Programme' is a special program created by IndusInd Bank to help people in the
diamond industry.

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 'Indus Solitaire Program' is not just a regular banking service.
 This is a special package specially designed for people working in the diamond industry.
 The program also gives you special perks like staying in fancy hotels, getting help from a personal
assistant, and getting free golf lessons and movie tickets.

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26. Vibrant Village Program (VVP) allowed in Arunachal Pradesh
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 Under this, 455 villages of Arunachal Pradesh have been selected.
Vibrant Village Programme:
 It is a centrally funded program announced in the Union Budget year 2022-23 (till 2025-26) with
the goal of developing border villages in the North and improving the quality of life of the residents of
such border villages.
 It included the border areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and
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Ladakh.
 Under this, 2,963 villages will be covered, out of which 663 will be covered in the first phase.
 Vibrant Village Action Plans will be prepared by the district administration with the help of Gram
Panchayats.
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 Due to the Vibrant Village Programme, there will be no overlap with ‘Border Area Development
Programme’.

27. Unique, prehistoric rock art paintings have been discovered in

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Andriamelo Cave in western Madagascar

 Andriamelo Cave is located in western Madagascar
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and contains ancient rock art, indicating ancient

connections between Africa and Asia.
 This art is the first pictorial art found on the island
and includes images of nature with human-like and
animal-like figures.
 The art includes unique black rock paintings and
motifs from Egypt, Ethiopia, Afro-Arabia and
Borneo.

28. National Culture Fund

 It was established as a trust under the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890 by the Government of
India through a Gazette notification in 1996.
 It was established as a funding mechanism distinct from the existing sources and patterns of
funding for arts and culture in India.
 It aims to mobilise additional resources through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) towards
promoting, protecting and preserving the cultural heritage (tangible and intangible) of India.

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 29. PM-Ajay for the upliftment of Scheduled Caste community
 Pradhan Mantri Scheduled Caste Abhyudaya Yojana (PM-AJAY) is a 100% sponsored scheme by the
Central Government.
 It has been implemented from 2021-22 in the form of three components, which are as follows:-
1. Development of Scheduled Caste dominated villages as 'Adarsh Gram' component.
2. 'Grants-in-aid for District/State-level projects aimed at socio-economic betterment of Scheduled
Castes' component.

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3. 'Construction of hostels in higher educational institutions'.
 The total budget outlay of this scheme for the financial year 2023-24 is Rs 2050 crore.
 It aims to generate additional employment opportunities through skill development, income

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generation and development of related infrastructure.

30. National Program on Anganwadi-cum-Crèches to be organized

under Palna

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 The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) is hosting the National Cradle at
Anganwadi-cum-Creche (AWCC) program on December 21, 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan.
 The inaugural session will be presided over by Union Minister of Women and Child Development
and Minority Affairs Smriti Zubin Irani.
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 AWCC aims to provide high quality crèche
services in a safe setting for children aged
6 months to 6 years.
Note:
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 Anganwadis were established in 1975 by
the Government of India as part of the
Integrated Child Development Services
program to reduce child hunger and
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malnutrition.
Mission power:
 Mission Shakti was launched as an
umbrella scheme for women safety,
security and empowerment. In which
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'Sambal' and 'Samarthya' are two sub-

schemes of Mission Shakti.
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31. RAMP Programme

 The Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) launched three sub-
schemes under the aegis of RAMP programme.
RAMP Program
 The National MSME Council has been set up by the Ministry to serve as the administrative and
functional body of the RAMP programme.
 It was launched in 2022.
 Ramping up and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) program is supported by the World
Bank.
Three sub-schemes
 MSME Uphaar Scheme: To help adopt green technology
 MSE SPICE Scheme: MSE Scheme for Promotion and Investment in Circular Economy aims to
support circular economy projects
 MSE ODR Scheme: Online Dispute Resolution for Delayed Payment
Note -
 Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for MSME GIFT and MSME Spice Schemes
 National Informatics Center Services Inc. (for NICSI) for MSE ODR Scheme.

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 32. Bhoomi Rashi Portal
 1467 projects of National Highways Authority of India
(NHAI) have been brought under Bhoomi Rashi portal:
 It is an e-Governance initiative of the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways Bhoomi Rashi Portal.
 The objective of the portal is to expedite the process of land
acquisition for national highways.
 It serves as a single-point platform for online processing of land
acquisition notifications to expedite highway infrastructure
development projects in India.
 This portal will increase the efficiency of the land acquisition
process, ensure transparency and accountability and result in
e-transfer of benefits directly into the accounts of the
beneficiaries.

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33. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam

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 Recently, Andhra Pradesh has taken control of half of the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam on the Krishna
River, leading to a dispute with Telangana.

About Nagarjuna Sagar Dam:

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 It is built across the Krishna River between Nalgonda district of Telangana and Guntur district
of Andhra Pradesh.
 It is the world's largest and tallest masonry dam.
 The dam is 150 meters tall and 1.6 kilometers long.
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 It is named after the nearby Nagarjuna Konda, an island where an ancient Buddhist guru used to
reside.
 According to the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, the control and
supervision of the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam are vested in Telangana.

Key Facts about the Krishna River:

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 The Krishna River is a major river in South-Central India.
 Origin: It originates near Mahabaleshwar city in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.
 In terms of water flow and river basin, the Krishna is the fourth-largest river in India after the
Ganga, Godavari, and Brahmaputra.
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 Total Length: 1300 km

 Course: It flows through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh before meeting
the Bay of Bengal in Hamsaladeevi, Andhra
Pradesh.
 The Krishna River basin covers an area of
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approximately 258,948 square kilometres,

which is about 8% of the country's total
geographical area.
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Tributaries:
 The most important tributary is the
Tungabhadra River.
 Other tributaries include the Koyna River,
Bhima River, Kundali River, Malaprabha
River, Ghataprabha, Yerla River, Varuna
River, Dindi River, Musi River, and Dudhganga River.

35. Jute Corporation of India launches 'Paat-Mitro' app

 'Paat-Mitro' app launched by Jute Corporation of India to enable farmers to gain essential
knowledge for optimum jute cultivation and increased income.
 The app includes latest farming practices and Minimum Support Price (MSP); Jute grade standards,
farmer-centric schemes like 'Jute-iCare', weather forecast, location of JCI procurement centers,
government procurement policies, etc. are also provided.

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 34. Security of New Parliament

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 Government deploys Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) for security at Parliament House
complex:
 Earlier, Delhi Police personnel were responsible

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for searching visitors to the Parliament complex.
 CISF will enforce stringent access control
procedures like airport security.
 Persons entering both the new and old

IF
Parliament complexes will be screened using
handheld detectors.
 CISF will also scan shoes, heavy jackets and
belts through the scanner by placing them on a
tray.
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 CISF currently guards various central
government ministry buildings in Delhi, establishments in the nuclear and aerospace domain, 67
civil airports and the Delhi Metro.

36. Two Day Tribal Orientation Program - Adi Lecture

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 Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Arjun Munda inaugurated
the two-day Tribal Orientation Program – Aadi Lecture – in New Delhi.
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 The program was organized by National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI)

 It is an initiative to explore tribal identity and tribal contribution to the cultural diversity of the
country.
 The Minister highlighted the efforts made by the Government for the upliftment of the tribal people
including the Pradhan Mantri Tribal Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) initiative especially
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for the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
 The Dhebar Commission was the first to identify PVTG
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in India in 1973.
 PVTGs have been found in 18 states and the union
territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
 Odisha has the highest number of PVTGs (15)
Pradhan Mantri Tribal Tribal Justice Maha Abhiyan (PM-
Janman)
 Pradhan Mantri Tribal Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan
(PM Janman) was approved by the Union Cabinet on
November 29, 2023.

37. Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) signed a Memorandum

of Understanding (MoU) with JioMart, a Reliance Retail venture
 The objective is to increase the reach of products manufactured by Self Help Groups (SHGs)
associated with Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM),
while empowering rural artisans.
 JioMart will assist SHGs to set up and navigate their accounts on the platform.

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 38. Know Your Country' Youth Exchange Project
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with 250 students from Jammu and Kashmir in the
national capital under the 'Know Your Country' Youth Exchange Project.
Know Your Country Program:
 The Know Your Country program is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Central
Government (Kashmir Cell), and the Jammu and Kashmir State Rehabilitation Council under the
Department of Social Welfare.
 The main objective of the Know Your
Country Youth Exchange Program is to
empower the youth of Jammu and
Kashmir, with a special focus on those
affected by terrorism.
Note:
 The Jammu and Kashmir
Reorganization Act 2019 gave birth to the

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Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on
October 31, 2019.

39. 26th National Unity and Youth Leadership Camp

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 The 26th National Integration and Youth Leadership Camp has been started in Itanagar.
 It was inaugurated by Lieutenant General KT Paranayak (Retd) of Arunachal Pradesh.

IF
 The camp was organized by 'Central Calcutta Science and Culture Organization for Youth', a
social, voluntary and philanthropic association.
Theme- Developed Youth, Developed India
 One India Excellent India-

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Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat was launched on 31
October 2015, on the occasion of the 140th birth
anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Central Calcutta Science and Culture
Organization for Youth (CCSCOY) -
 Established in 1996, CCSCOY is a social, voluntary
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and philanthropic society that organizes national
exhibitions, national integration and youth
leadership camps and national seminars and
workshops to promote cultural ties between
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students and youth from different parts of India.

40. Tabla Darbar' Festival Programme

 1500 people played Tabla in 'Taal Darbar' in the music city of Gwalior, creating a Guinness World
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Record for the highest number of people playing Tabla at the same time.
 'Tabla Darbar' festival program was organized at Karna Mahal of Gwalior Fort on the evening of
25th December.
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 The concert was part of the annual 'Tansen Samaroh' music festival in Gwalior.
 It is being organized by the Ustad Alauddin Khan Music and Art Academy of the Culture
Department in collaboration with the District Administration Gwalior.
Note:
 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated
Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh as the 'Creative City of Music'.

41. Project Prayas

 The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched Project Prayas to help Indian
workers and students migrate in a safe, orderly and regular manner.

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  Promoting Regular Assisted Migration for Youth and Skilled Professionals (PRAYAS) was launched in
partnership with the Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA).
International Organization for Migration
(IOM)
 Established in 1951, IOM is a United
Nations (UN) agency dedicated to promoting
humanitarian and orderly migration.
 Currently it has 172 member countries and
8 states hold observer status. India is a
member of this organization
 Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

42. Amrit Bharat Express to be launched by Indian Railways on

30th December

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 Amrit Bharat Express, earlier known as Vande Sadharan, is a push-pull train specifically
designed to cater to the needs of the migrant labor force.
 Amrit Bharat Express is expected to initially run on two routes: Ayodhya to Darbhanga and

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Bengaluru to Malda.
 The train has 22 coaches, which include 8 general second class coaches, 12 second class 3-
tier sleeper coaches and two guard coaches.
 Amrit Bharat Express also includes advanced features like zero-discharge FRP modular toilets and

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aerosol-based fire suppression system.
 The coaches were manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.

43. All social media platforms ordered to broadcast only content

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falling within the purview of the IT Act
 According to the IT Ministry, under Rule 3 (1) B (five) of the IT Act, no false or misleading
information can be posted on social media platforms.
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 The job of social media platforms is to prevent users from posting wrong videos, messages or
content, so that it does not harm other users.
 The platform will also inform users that if they do not follow the rules of the IT Act, action can be
taken against them under the Indian Penal Code.
SI

 Under IT rules, if any wrong or misleading information is being disseminated on the platform, then
it is the responsibility of the intermediaries or the platform to remove that content immediately.
 Intermediaries will also have to take such measures so that users cannot post wrong content on
the platform. If it is posted then information about it will be available soon.
 According to Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajiv Chandrashekhar, the implementation
of the advisories issued by the government will be examined from January 2023.
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44. Namma Cargo' Truck Service

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 Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has launched 'Namma Cargo' truck service
in December 2023.
 It was launched by Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy.
 Maintenance of the trucks will be done at KSRTC's Basaveshwara bus station in Peenya.
 Namma cargo trucks will transport goods across Karnataka
 The state-owned transport corporation "Namma Cargo Truck Service" is equipped with GPS to
transport goods.
Note:
 The modern Karnataka state was established on 1 November 1956

45. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has more than 2 crore

subscribers on YouTube
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first world leader to cross the 2 crore
subscriber mark on YouTube.
 Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is in second place with 64 lakh subscribers.

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  US President Joe Biden has 7.89 lakh subscribers and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan has 3.16
lakh subscribers.

46. Mohan Yadav will be the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
 Mohan Yadav, who became MLA from Ujjain South seat for the third time, has been unanimously
elected as the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh in the meeting of Madhya Pradesh BJP
Legislative Party.
Provisions in the Constitution regarding the Chief Minister:
 Article 164 of the Constitution provides that the Chief Minister will be appointed by the Governor.
 The leader of the party securing a majority in the assembly elections is appointed as the Chief
Minister of the state.
 The Governor has nominal executive authority, but the real executive authority rests with the Chief
Minister.
 However the discretionary powers enjoyed by the Governor reduce to some extent the power,
authority, influence, prestige and role of the Chief Minister in the state administration.

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 A person who is not a member of the State Assembly can be appointed as Chief Minister for six
months, within that time limit he has to assume membership of the State Assembly, failing which
he has to resign the post of Chief Minister. .

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47. Nikhil Dey
 Indian social activist Nikhil Dey has been honoured by the US government as the International Anti-

IF
Corruption Champion for 2023.
 Dey is the co-founder of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), a Rajasthan-based organisation
at the forefront of transparency and anti-corruption movements in India.
About Nikhil Dey:
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 Nikhil Dey (born 1963) is an RTI activist from Rajasthan.
 Nikhil Dey is the co-founder of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan in India.
 Nikhil Mazdoor works for Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Right to Information and Employment Campaign
and National Campaign for Right to Information (NCPRI).
 Nikhil Dey has also worked for the Right to Information, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act, Lokpal Bill and Right to Food and other human rights organisations in
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India.

48. Postal stamp to be issued in memory of Justice Konda Madhava

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Reddy
 A special postal cover will be released by
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar to pay a
special tribute to Justice Konda Madhav
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Reddy.
 The ceremony will be held at AV College
in Gagan Mahal, Hyderabad.
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 Justice Konda Madhava Reddy has served

as the Chief Justice of the High Courts of
both Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai.
 He also held the prestigious post of
Governor of Maharashtra.

49. Koya tribes decide to stop using bison horns

 The indigenous Koya tribes living in the Papikonda hill range in Andhra Pradesh have made an
exemplary transformation by stopping using bison horns to make their traditional flutes called
Permakor.

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 Koya Tribe:
 The Koya are one of the few multi-racial
and multilingual tribal communities in
India.
 They live in forests, plains and valleys on
both banks of the Godavari River, located in
Andhra Pradesh.
 Many people also live in the states of
Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.
 They believe that their main deity still
resides in a cave in the Bastar region.
 Most Koyas speak either Gondi or Telugu,
other than Koyi.

50. Manipur launches SAANS campaign 2023-24 in Imphal

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 SAANS (Social Awareness and Action to Neutralize Pneumonia Successfully-SAANS) campaign
aims to reduce pneumonia deaths among newborns.
 Pneumonia accounts for 15 percent of all deaths in children under five years of age in India.

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Note -
 Pneumonia is an infectious disease that affects the lungs of people.
 It can easily spread to another person through contact with droplets from an infected person's
cough or sneeze.

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 Its causative agents include bacteria, viruses or fungi, which settle in the lungs, divide and grow
there.

51. Vishnu Deo Sai

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 The new Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh,
Vishnudeo Sai, took oath on 13
December 2023 at the Science College
grounds in the capital Raipur.
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 Vishnudeo Sai also served as the state
president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
for Chhattisgarh from 2020 to 2022.
 Vishnudeo Sai had contested the elections
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from Kunkuri assembly seat, in which he

won by 25 thousand 541 votes.

52. Rajasthan Government has decided to provide free education to

girls from KG class to Post Graduate (PG)
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 It has been decided to provide free education to the

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girl students of the state.

 Along with this, the government has decided to
provide jobs to 2.5 lakh youth in the next five years.
 The government will provide gas cylinders to poor
families for Rs 10. 450. The government itself will
bear the subsidy amount for this.
 Under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, the amount of
financial assistance for farmers will be increased to
Rs 12 thousand per year.
 Regional heritage centers will be established in major
cultural areas with an investment of Rs 800 crore.

53. Accident insurance for gig workers

 Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has announced to provide accident insurance of Rs
5 lakh to gig workers from the government on 23 December 2023
Note:

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  The gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and
organizations contract with independent
workers for short-term rather than full-
time employees.
Characteristics of Gig Workers:
 freelance contract worker
 Employees working for online platforms
 employees of a contracting firm
 Staff available to work on call
 temporary employee

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 International
1. 91st Interpol General Assembly
 Recently, the Indian delegation participated in the 91st INTERPOL General Assembly in Vienna,
Austria.
 During the 91st INTERPOL General Assembly, resolutions were passed to strengthen the
collaborative response to prevent financial crime and corruption, combat online child sexual
exploitation and promote diversity within INTERPOL.

What is Interpol?
 INTERPOL was established on 7 September 1923 by 20 countries.
 In 1956, with the adoption of the modern constitution the ICPC became the International Criminal
Police Organization (ICPO-Interpol).
 The International Criminal Police Organization is an intergovernmental organization with 195

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member states.
 Goal: To help the police of all member countries work together to make the world safer.
 Functions: It enables members to share and access data on crimes and criminals, while providing

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technical and operational support.
 India joined INTERPOL in 1949 and is one of its oldest members.

2. Green Voyage2050 Project

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 India has been selected as the lead country for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Green
Voyage2050 project.
Project components
Green Voyage2050 Project
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 The overall goal of the project is to support support the implementation of the initial IMO
the effective implementation of the initial IMO GHG strategy
GHG Strategy.  Component 2 – Capacity Building, Policy and
 It provides assistance to developing countries NAP Development
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in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas  Component 3 – Strategic Partnership
emissions from ships. Development
 Component 4 – Technology Collaboration,
Innovation and Pilot Demonstration
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Partner Countries:
 The countries participating in the GreenVoyage2050 project are: Azerbaijan, Belize, China, Cook
Islands, Ecuador, Georgia, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka.
 These countries are participating either as New Pilot Country (NPC) or Pioneer Pilot Country (PPC).
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 3. India Re-elected to the International Maritime Organization
Council
 Recently, India has been re-elected to the About the International Maritime
Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO):
Organization (IMO).  IMO is a specialised agency of the United
 India falls into the category of the "most Nations responsible for regulating
interest in international maritime trade" shipping globally.
among the top 10 countries.  The IMO was established in 1948 after the
 The 33rd session of the IMO Council is United Nations Maritime Conference in
scheduled to take place in London, at the Geneva, and it came into existence in
IMO headquarters, from November 27 to 1958.
December 6, 2023. Membership:
 Among these 10 countries are Australia, Brazil,  IMO has 175 member states and three
Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, associate members, with its headquarters
Spain, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates located in London, United Kingdom.

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(UAE).  Note: India joined IMO in 1959.
 India shares the designation of the "most
interest in international maritime trade" with Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the

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Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

4. Cost of Living Report 2023 - Singapore and Zurich are the world's
most expensive cities

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 According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Cost of Living Report 2023, Singapore has
maintained its top position as the world's most expensive city for the ninth time in the last


eleven years.
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Top 10 Most Expensive Cities in the World 2023: Singapore, Zurich, Geneva, New York, Hong
Kong, Los Angeles, Paris, Copenhagen, Tel Aviv, San Francisco.
 Switzerland's Zurich has moved up from the sixth position to jointly claim the top spot with
Singapore, surpassing New York, which shared the top spot with Singapore last year.
 This year, among the top ten cities, there are two Asian cities (Singapore and Hong Kong), four
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European cities (Zurich, Geneva, Paris, and Copenhagen), three American cities (New York, Los
Angeles, and San Francisco), and Tel Aviv from Israel.

5. Oxford University Press names 'riz' as word of the year 2023

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 Oxford's word of the year 2023: The viral word 'RIZZ' has been announced as the word of the year
2023 by Oxford University Press.
 This word is listed in the "colloquial noun"
category.
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Meaning of the word "Riz":

 Oxford University Press reported that the word
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"riz" is derived from the word "charisma". “Rizz”

refers to a person’s “ability to attract a
romantic partner through style, attractiveness,
charm, styling.”
 "Goblin mode" was chosen as the word of the
year in 2022 by Oxford University Press.
 'Goblin mode' is used to describe individuals
who are unrepentantly self-indulgent and lazy
and who reject societal norms or expectations.

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 6. Launches Ultra-Low Radiation Background Facility for Deep
Underground and Frontier Physics Experiments (DURF)

 China has launched the ultra-low radiation background facility for Deep Underground and
Frontier Physics Experiments (DURF), the world's deepest and largest underground physics
laboratory, located beneath Jinping Mountain in Sichuan province.
 Located at 2,400 meters depth, DURF offers a unique advantage in blocking most cosmic rays.
 This will make an important contribution to advancing dark matter research.
Key Features of DURF:
Extreme depth:
 Located at 2,400 meters depth, DURF offers a unique advantage in blocking most cosmic rays that
could interfere with observations, allowing more precise experiments.

Promotion of dark matter research:

 Scientists believe that DURF will make an important contribution to advancing dark matter

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research by offering special testing conditions not available elsewhere.

Ultra-low cosmic ray flux:

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 The laboratory's location exposes it to exceptionally small amounts of cosmic rays, about one
hundred millionth of the rays present at the Earth's surface, creating ideal conditions for precise
experiments.

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Benefits of DURF Facility:
 Ultra-low cosmic ray flux ensures minimal interference during experiments.
 Extremely low environmental radiation, providing a clean and controlled research environment.
 Extremely low radon concentrations, reducing background noise in experiments.
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 The extremely clean space provides researchers with special conditions for advanced physics
experiments.

Expansion and Collaboration:

 DURF is the second phase of the China Jinping
Underground Laboratory, jointly built by Tsinghua
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University and Yalong River Hydropower
Development Co., Ltd.
 The facility, operational since December 2020, has
undergone extensive upgrades and expansion to
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enhance its capabilities.

7. Karrar Combat Drone

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 Iran recently unveiled advanced Karrar combat drones equipped with air-to-air missiles, boosting its
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air defense capabilities.

About Karrar Combat Drone:
 It is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed by Iran.
 It is the first long-term, combat-capable Iranian drone.
 It will be strategically deployed in border areas, providing air defense units with the ability to
intercept and neutralize hostile air threats at a significantly lower cost than conventional manned
combat aircraft.
Features:
 The Karr drone, first introduced in 2010, has an operational range of up to 1,000 kilometers (620
mi).
 The maximum speed given by its turbojet installation is 560 mph.
 Its service ceiling height is reportedly 47,000 feet.
 In the absence of any retractable or stabilized undercarriage, the Karrar is launched via rocket-
assistance (with a catapult launching rail) and recovered via parachute-retarded freefall.
 It is equipped with Majid thermal missile with a range of 8 kilometers.
 The Iranian-made Majid air defense missile has advanced thermal and optical seekers, enhancing
its tracking and interception capabilities.

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 8. Girsu
 Archaeologists recently discovered two temples in Iraq's ancient megacity Girsu, one buried
above the other.
About Girsu:
 Girsu was a city of Sumer civilization.
 It was discovered during the 19th century, with the first excavations being carried out in the 1880s
by the French archaeologist Ernest de Sarzec.
 It was important in that it informed the world for the first time about the existence of the Sumerian
civilization, while also bringing to light some of the most important monuments of Mesopotamian art
and architecture.
Key facts about Sumer Civilization:
 It is one of the earliest known civilizations dating back to B.C. Developed between. 4100–1750 BC in
the historical region of southern Mesopotamia, in present-day Iraq.
 However, Sumer was never a united political entity, but rather a region of city-states, each with its
own king.

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 The Sumerians were responsible for many technological advances, including the measurement of
time as well as writing.
 He essentially "invented" time by dividing day and night into 12-hour periods, dividing hours into 60

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minutes and minutes into 60 seconds.
 They built the first known cities as well as the first known code of law. According to archaeological
evidence, they created about a dozen city-states in the 4th millennium BC.
 He furthered the art of writing, literature, hymns and prayer. The Epic of Gilgamesh, considered the
world's oldest surviving literature, derives from five Sumerian poems.

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 He also improved many existing forms of technology, including the wheel, the plough, and
mathematics.
 They were notably one of the first civilizations to brew beer, which was seen by ancient people as the
key to a healthy heart and liver.
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9. China launches world's first fourth generation nuclear reactor
 Recently, China has begun commercial operation of a new fourth-generation nuclear reactor, the
first of its kind in the world.
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Related Facts:
 Compared with previous generation reactors, the fourth-generation Shidaowan plant in China's
northern Shandong province is designed to be fuel efficient and better economically, improving
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safety and environmental footprint.

 Because China is turning to nuclear power to meet carbon emissions targets.
 According to China, the 200 MW high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor (HTGCR) plant, jointly
developed by state-run utility Huaneng, Tsinghua University and China National Nuclear
Corporation, is a modular Uses design.
 Modular plants refer to plants of less than 300 MW that can be constructed off site.
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 These plants can operate in remote locations and power traditionally difficult heavy industry areas,
but they are very expensive to operate.
China's recent steps:
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 China aims to generate 10% of electricity from nuclear power by 2035 and 18% by 2060, but has
not met its 2020 target of installing 58 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by September this year.
 China has also not signed the pledge made by 20 countries at the COP-28 climate conference in
Dubai to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050.

10. UN announces end of Mali peacekeeping mission

 The United Nations has officially ended its decade-long
peacekeeping mission in Mali after 10 years.
 Mali, a landlocked West African country, faces significant
challenges in containing the Islamic extremist insurgency that
emerged in 2012.
 More than 300 personnel have lost their lives during
peacekeeping operations.
 The mission, known as MINUSMA, lowered the UN flag at its
headquarters in the capital Bamako
 MINUSMA had maintained about 15,000 troops and police in Mali for the past decade.

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 11. Proposal presented for immediate ceasefire in Gaza
 India voted in favor of a resolution tabled in the UN General Assembly demanding an immediate
humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Other facts:
 The draft was adopted with 153 votes cast in favor of the resolution, with 23 abstentions and 10
countries voting against the resolution.
 In October 2023, India abstained on the resolution in the General Assembly that called for an
immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and unhindered humanitarian
access to the Gaza Strip.
Main features of the draft resolution:
 Presenter: Egypt at an emergency special
session of the UNGA.
 Demand: Immediate humanitarian
ceasefire in Gaza
 All parties comply with their obligations

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under international law, ‘particularly with
regard to the protection of civilians.’
 Ensure the immediate and unconditional

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release of all hostages, as well as
humanitarian assistance and access.
Israel-Hamas conflict:
 Recently, Hamas (Palestine's politically
active armed group in the Gaza Strip)

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adopted aggressive tactics against Israel in
the wake of the long-running Israel-
Palestine conflict.
 As a result, Israel declared a 'state of war' and launched 'Operation Iron Swords' against Hamas in
response to 'Operation al-Aqsa Flood'.
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12. The World Health Organization (WHO) included noma in its list
of tropical diseases (NTDs)
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About Noma Disease:
 It is a rapidly progressive, severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face.
 This disease, which is also called cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis.
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 It mostly affects children aged 2-6 years

 It begins as a soft tissue lesion (lesion) of the gums.
 It is considered a non-infectious disease.

13. The United Nations has recently declared 2024 as the

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International Year of the Camelids

 These are herbivores, thin neck, long
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legs and ruminants. Their teeth are

sharp.
 They do not have hooves but instead
have two toes with nails and soft pads
called tylopoda in Greek, meaning
"padded foot".
 Afro-Asian camel species have developed
extensive adaptations to their lives in
harsh, waterless environments.
 Wild species of Bactrian camel are able
to drink salt water.

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 14. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been elected
President of Egypt for the third consecutive time
 Al-Sisi is a former army general. El-Sisi was Egypt
democratically elected for the first time in  Egypt is a country located in North Africa.
2014. Egypt is connected to the Asian continent
 After this he won the election in 2018. through the Sinai Peninsula.
 In 2019, the President's term was increased  Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to
from four years to six years through a the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the
constitutional amendment. northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Libya to
 The National Electoral Authority announced the west, and Sudan to the south.
on 18 December 2023 that President Abdel  Egypt is spread over an area of approximately
Fattah el-Sisi had received 89.6 percent of one million square kilometres. Egyptian
the vote in the election. civilization is quite ancient. In the past, the
rulers of Egypt were known as 'Pharaohs'.
 The world's longest Nile River flows right here

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in Egypt. The main gulfs here are the Gulf of
Suez and the Gulf of Abukir.

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15. Operation of Maitri-II Station in East Antarctica
 The Government of India is likely to complete the operation of Maitri-II station in East
Antarctica by January 2029.

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 The proposed project envisages adherence to environmental protocols for Antarctica and
improvement in the quality of Indian scientific research in Antarctica.
 Currently, Maitri and Bharti are fully operational. Whereas South Gangotri has become a mere
supply station.
Note -
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 The National Center for Polar and Ocean
Research (NCPOR) located in Goa manages the
entire Indian Antarctic Programme.
Maitri (1988)-
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 It is situated on a rocky, hilly area called
'Shirmakar Oasis'.
 A freshwater lake has also been created around
Maitri in India which is known as Priyadarshini
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Lake.
Bharti (2012)
 Bharti is India's first committed research facility.
 Bharti is located about 3000 km east of Maitri.

16. Angola announced its withdrawal from OPEC membership

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 Angola announced its withdrawal from OPEC after 16 years of membership due to disagreements
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over oil production limits.

 Angola joined OPEC in 2007.
OPEC
 OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of major oil-producing countries that together produce
about 40 percent of the world's crude oil.
 OPEC oil exports represent about 60 percent of total petroleum traded internationally.
 The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was established in Baghdad, Iraq in
September 1960 with the signing of an agreement by five countries namely the Islamic Republic of
Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
 Later these countries were joined by Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), United Arab
Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), Gabon (1975), Angola . (2007),
Equatorial Guinea (2017) and Congo (2018).
 Qatar terminated its membership on 1 January 2019.
 Note – Equatorial Guinea was admitted as a full member in 2017, while Gabon returned in
2016.

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17. French President Emmanuel Macron to be chief guest at
Republic Day celebrations in 2024

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 Emmanuel Macron will be the sixth French leader to attend the 2024 Republic Day parade as
chief guest. Note -
 The central government had earlier invited US  Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-
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President Joe Biden as the chief guest, but he Sisi was the chief guest at India's
expressed his inability to come. Republic Day Parade 2023.
Before this, the leaders coming from France -  India's 75th Republic Day will be
 Former Prime Minister Jacques Chirac (twice) celebrated in the year 2024
 Former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing,  The Indian Constitution was drafted
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 Nicolas Sarkozy and adopted on November 26, 1949
 François Hollande. (Constitution Day).
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18. Agreement between India and Russia

 India and Russia signed agreements related to the construction of future power generation units
of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu.
 External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has announced the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant deal
after meeting Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov on bilateral economic cooperation.
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 The plant is expected to begin operating at full capacity in 2027.

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP)
 Its construction started in March 2002.
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 KNPP is being constructed in Tamil Nadu with technical assistance from Russia.
 The first phase of the project involved the construction of two 1,000-megawatt (MW) pressurized
water reactor (PWR) units (2013 and 2016) based on Russian technology.
 The initial power unit of the Kudankulam
Nuclear Power Plant has been in
continuous operation since February
2016, generating a capacity of 1,000
MW.
 KNPP will be India's largest nuclear power
station. It is located 650 km south of
Chennai in Tirunelveli district of Tamil
Nadu.
 KNPP is being developed by Nuclear Power
Corporation of India (NPCIL).
 Once all six units are operational, the total
capacity of the power plant will be 6,000
MW.

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 19. Threat to Israel by Iran
 Iran threatened Israel to close the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea if Israel did not
stop bombing Gaza.
Strait of Gibraltar
 It is a narrow waterway separating Europe from Africa and connecting the Mediterranean Sea
to the Atlantic Ocean.
 Until the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the Strait of Gibraltar served as the only access point
to the Mediterranean Sea.
 It is approximately 58 km long and is approximately 13 km wide at its narrowest point.
 An important port on the strait is the Moroccan port of Tangier-Med near Tangier.

20. Colombo Security Conclave in news

 The National Security Advisor (NSA) of India recently attended the 6th NSA meeting of the Colombo

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Security Conclave (CSC).
About Colombo Security Conclave (CSC):
 Current members of the CSC include India, Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, while
Bangladesh and Seychelles are two observer countries.

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 A permanent secretariat was established in Colombo in 2021 to implement the decisions.
 Cooperation under the conclave focuses on five pillars – maritime safety and security, counter-
terrorism and radicalization, countering smuggling and transnational organized crime, cyber
security and critical infrastructure security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

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21. Gelephu Smart City Project

 Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck unveiled the Gelephu SmartCity project, outlining
a massive "international city" of more than 1,000 sq km along the Assam border.
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 The project envisions a 'Special Administrative Region' in Sarpang District in the south of Bhutan.
 It will include an international airport, "zero emissions" industry, a "mindfulness city" and
advanced infrastructure.
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 King emphasises environmental standards and attracting quality investment from international
companies.

22. Increasing cases of monkeypox in Democratic Republic of

Congo
 The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recently seen a significant increase in cases of
monkeypox (Mpox), with 12,569 suspected cases and 581 deaths reported from January to
November 2023.

Other facts:
 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this increase in cases is the highest number of
annual infections ever recorded.
 WHO has also highlighted the increasing outbreak of mpox cases linked to sexual transmission in
the country.
 No previously documented case of sexual transmission had been recorded on a global scale.
However the first confirmed case of sexual transmission was recorded in the DRC.

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 About Monkeypox:
 Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease
that occurs primarily in the tropical
rainforest regions of Central and West
Africa and can occasionally be seen in
other areas.
 It is caused by monkeypox virus, a
member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in
the Poxviridae family.
 Monkeypox belongs to the same virus
family as smallpox. But the mortality rate
of smallpox was higher than that of
monkeypox.
 Smallpox was declared eradicated
worldwide in 1980.
 The first case in humans was reported in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo in

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1970.
 Symptoms: Common symptoms of MPOX
include skin rash or mucosal lesions,

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fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes
which can lead to a variety of medical
complications.
 There is no effective vaccine available for

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monkeypox infection

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 Economic
1. Nari Shakti Savings Account
 Bank of India has unveiled Nari Shakti Savings Account designed for women aged 18 and above
with independent income sources.
 This will promote economic independence of women
 Bank of India has promised to contribute Rs 10 to the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund
for every new Nari Shakti account opened.
 Account holders can benefit from personal accident insurance cover with an impressive limit of up
to Rs 1 crore

2. 8 Indian bankers awarded freedom of the city of London

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 Eight senior bankers from Indian banks based in the financial hub of London have been awarded
the Freedom of the City of London.
 He was given this honour by Chris Hayward, Chairman of the City of London Corporation (CLC).

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Indian bankers awarded the Freedom of the City of London:
 Bank of Baroda - Madhur Kumar
 Bank of India - Manish Gupta

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 Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM) - Ashok Kumar Vartia
 IndusInd Bank - Sharukh T Wadia
 India Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFC) - Rakesh Kumar
 ICICI Bank - Loknath Mishra
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 State Bank of India (SBI) – Sudhir Kumar Sharma
 Union Bank of India -Arvind Kumar Chaudhary

3. Loan by India and ADB

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 The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently strengthened their
cooperation by signing a policy-based loan of $250 million due on December 15, 2023.
 This financial assistance is part of the Industrial Corridor Development Program (Subprogramme 2),
which aims to enhance manufacturing competitiveness, strengthen national supply chains and
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integration with global value chains.

 NICDP, launched in 2016 and updated in 2020, focuses on the development of effective industrial
corridors.
 Ms. Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance,
represented the Government of India, while Mr. Ho Yun Jeong, Deputy Country Director and
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Officer-in-Charge of ADB's India Resident Mission, signed on behalf of ADB.

4. Reliance Industries ties up with DBS Bank India

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 Reliance Industries has formed a strategic partnership with DBS Bank India to set up a financing
program targeted at farmers and aggregators.
 The primary objective of this collaboration is to
effectively manage crop residue and utilise it in the
production of Compressed Biogas (CBG).
 Reliance Industries is actively pursuing its green
energy commitment,
 The initial facility in Barabanki, UP for biogas
facilities is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by
40,000 tonnes annually.
 With plans to set up 100 CBG plants in five years,
the initiative aims to utilise over 5.5 million tonnes of
agricultural residues

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 Science and Technology
1. JN.1 variant of COVID-19 virus
 JN.1 variant, identified as a subvariant
of Omicron BA.2.86 or Pirola
 It was first detected in the United States
in September 2023.
 In India, JN.1 was detected in Kerala on
December 8, where a 79-year-old woman
experienced mild symptoms of influenza-
like illness (ILI).
Note:
 The JN.1 variant has spread to 41
countries.

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 According to WHO, the countries with the
largest proportion of JN.1 cases are France,
the United States, Singapore, Canada, the

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United Kingdom and Sweden.

2. NASA sends spacecraft to study 'God of Chaos' asteroid

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 NASA has relaunched a spacecraft to detect an asteroid named "'God of Chaos'" that will fly very
close to Earth in 2029.
 NASA's spacecraft OSIRIS-REx – named OSIRIS-APEX – will fly very close to asteroid Apophis
in 2029.
 Asteroid Apophis, named after the Egyptian
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god of chaos, is about 1,100 feet wide.
In NASA's review:
 NASA was formed under the National
Aeronautics and Space Act on July 19,
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1958, replacing its predecessor, the
National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics (NACA).
 This institution started functioning from
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1 October 1958.
 The branch of the United States government responsible for the nation's public space programs and
aeronautics and aerospace research.

3. Google launches AI model 'Gemini'

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 American search engine company – Google has

launched the most powerful Artificial Intelligence
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(AI) model ‘Jamini’.

Other facts:
 Gemini Ultra is Google's most powerful large
language model (LLM). It is designed for data
centres and enterprise applications.
 This model can easily handle text, images, audio
and code etc.
 Gemini competes with Open AI's Chat GPT and
Meta's Llama-2.
 Google's parent company Alphabet created
Google DeepMind unit by merging AI research
unit DeepMind and Google Brain.
 Bard, the chatbot integrated with Gemini, has
become available in the English language in 170
countries including India.

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 4. Recently, many cases of ocular syphilis have been reported in
Michigan, USA
Syphilis
 It is a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
 It is caused by a bacteria called Treponema pallidum.
 After infection, syphilis bacteria can live in the body for
many years without causing symptoms. But the
infection can become active again.
Transmission:
 Syphilis is spread from person to person by direct
contact with these sores.
 It can also be passed to the baby during pregnancy,
delivery and sometimes through breastfeeding.

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5. Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI)
 The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit was inaugurated by the Prime

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Minister of India.
 India is the main chair of the GPAI conference for the year 2024. GPAI is an alliance of 28
countries. The 'New Delhi Declaration' of GPAI was adopted by the European Union.
What are the highlights of the GPAI Summit?
 The Prime Minister of India discussed the National AI Portal, highlighted the AIRAVAT initiative and

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expressed concern over the potential misuse of deep fake technology.
 YUVAi was prominently featured at the GPAI Summit and winners and start-ups of the YUVAi
initiative showcased their AI models and solutions.
 The Prime Minister suggested using artificial intelligence to make digital services available in local
languages to increase digital inclusion.
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 Responsible AI, Data Governance, Future of Employment and Innovation and Commercialization are
the four different themes of the four sessions organized at GPAI.
 The summit also included various other events to showcase AI progress and include industry panel
discussions, workshops, research symposia, hackathons and global AI expos.
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What is GPAI's Delhi Manifesto?
 It recognizes the need to harness new opportunities and mitigate risks arising from the
development, deployment and use of artificial intelligence (AI).
 Reaffirms commitment to upholding human dignity, human rights and democratic values.
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 Emphasis is placed on the importance of promoting trust, transparency, accountability and

inclusivity in AI.
 Recognizes the potential of AI to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and address
global challenges.
 Encourages international collaboration and coordination on AI research, innovation and policy.
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 Supports the development of a comprehensive framework that includes shared principles for safe
and trustworthy AI.
 Supports India's proposal to establish and maintain a Global Digital Public Infrastructure
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Repository (GDPIR) for sharing digital public goods.

 GDPIR was established under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to
serve as a comprehensive repository consolidating critical insights and knowledge from both G20
members and guest countries.
 Called for further dialogue on AI governance and ethics among stakeholders.

6. Solar Electric Boat 'Barracuda

 India has unveiled the country's fastest solar electric boat 'Barracuda' at Navagathi yard in
Pannavali, Alappuzha.
 The boat has been developed in collaboration with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and Newalt,
an eco-marine tech company.
 Barracuda is a 14-meter long and 4.4-meter wide ship
 It has twin 50-kilowatt electric motors, a marine-grade LFP battery and 6-kilowatt solar power
 Mazagon Dock plans to deploy Barracuda for its Mumbai dock operations, naming it 'Solar Power'.

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 7. Poteromycetes Asterolichus
 The unique reproductive structures of What is the Devonian period?

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Poteromycetes, known as conidiophores,  It spans approximately 2 million to 358.9
have emerged with their extraordinary size million years ago.
and structure, leading to its designation as  The Devonian seas featured a diverse array of

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a new species. vivid and sometimes bizarre life forms, earning
 The reproductive structures, known as it the occasional designation of the "Age of
conidiophores, exhibited unusual shapes Fishes."
and formations.  Marine organisms holding both a spiral and
coiled shell, known as ammonoids, first

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About Poteromycetes Asterolichus: appeared in the early Devonian.
 It was discovered infecting the ancient  At the end of this period, the first four-legged,
plant Esterosilon maecieae, which land-dwelling vertebrates, indicating the
illustrates predator-prey interactions during terrestrial colonization by tetrapods, were seen.
the plant's lifetime.
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 The unique reproductive structures of groups existed: North America and Europe were
Poteromycetes, known as conidiophores, situated close to the equator, mostly covered by
came to light with their unusual size and shallow seas. In the north, a portion of modern
formation, leading to its designation as a Siberia was present. In the south, a combined
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new species. continent of South America, Africa, Antarctica,
 The reproductive structures, known as India, and Australia dominated the southern
conidiophores, exhibited an unusual size hemisphere.
and formation.
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 In Scotland, the Rhynie Chert site is known for preserving well-preserved early Devonian
communities, including fungi and bacteria, along with plants and animals.
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8. A commemorative postage stamp released on the first foundation

day of All India Institute of Ayurveda, Goa
 Union Minister for AYUSH and Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal released
a commemorative postage stamp on the first Foundation Day of All India Institute of Ayurveda, Goa.
 The program was organised by All India Institute of Ayurveda and Indian Post at Parivahan Bhawan,
New Delhi.
 Also All India Institute of Ayurveda signed an MoU with Andrew Yule & Company Limited (AYCL).

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 9. Medtech Mitra Portal
 Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launches MedTech Mitra Portal
About Medtech Mitra Portal:
 It is an online portal that aims to assist
medtech innovators in clinical
evaluation, regulatory facilitation and
adoption of new products.
 The portal has been launched under the
guidance of Atal Innovation Mission of
NITI Aayog.
 This portal will be collaboratively
coordinated by the Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR) and the Central
Drugs Standard Control Organization
(CDSCO).

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 New initiative will help indigenous development of affordable, quality medtech devices and
diagnostics.

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10. Indian Space Station
 India aims to establish its own permanent
space station called 'Indian Space Station'

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in the next 25 years.
 The Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) has targeted to launch the first module
of this station by 2028.
 The 8 tonne module will launch through
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India's LVM3 rocket.
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
 Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is
the space agency of India.

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ISRO is a major component of the
Department of Space (DOS), Government of
India.
 The Indian Space Agency was established
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in 1969 to develop an independent Indian space programme. It is headquartered in Bengaluru

(formerly Bengaluru).
 The first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was built by ISRO and launched with the help of the Soviet
Union on April 19, 1975.
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11. Satish Dhawan Space Center to launch country's first

polarimetry mission, XPoSat, from Sriharikota
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 It will be launched from the Polar Satellite

Launch Vehicle PSLV-C58.
 XPoSat is also India's first and the world's
second polarimetry mission, after NASA's
Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE),
launched in 2021.
About X-ray Polarimetry Satellite (XPoSat):
 XPoSat stands for X-ray Polarimeter Satellite.
 EXPOSAT has been developed in collaboration
with ISRO and Raman Research Institute (RRI),
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
 XPoSat aims to study the 50 brightest sources
in the universe.

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 12. Mitochondrial DNA sequencing of Brahmananda fish
 For the first time, scientists have sequenced the
mitochondrial DNA of Brahmankenda fish
found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala.
 Lepidopygopsis typus, locally called brahmin
kenda, is a monotypic freshwater fish
inhabiting cold streams in the Western Ghats
mountains.
 Brahmankenda is classified as Endangered by
the IUCN Red List.
 Brahmancanda represents an EDGE species
that is both evolutionarily distinct and globally
endangered.

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 Environment
1. About arsenic and fluoride levels in groundwater
 The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has National Green Tribunal (NGT)
sent notifications to 24 states and four  The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is a special
union territories regarding arsenic and body established by the National Green Tribunal
fluoride levels in groundwater. Act (2010).
 Arsenic enters groundwater through  The NGT meets at five places: its main seat is in
industrial and mine waste as well as New Delhi, while the other four are in Bhopal,
seepage from thermal power plant fly ash Pune, Kolkata and Chennai.
ponds.  The Central Government appoints the NGT
 Other diseases caused by arsenic- Chairperson after consultation with the Chief
contaminated water include skin, lung and Justice of India (CJI).
diarrhea cancers.  Not eligible for reappointment after completing a

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 Excess fluoride in water causes several tenure of five years.
major health problems, such as fluorosis,  The current Chairman of the National Green
gastrointestinal problems, tooth decay and Tribunal (NGT) is former Justice Prakash

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knocked-knee syndrome. Srivastava.

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2. Cyclone 'Michong'
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 Recently, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a cyclonic storm, Cyclone
Michong, over the south-west Bay of Bengal.
 It is likely to hit the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
 Cyclone Michong is the fourth tropical cyclone of the year over the Bay of Bengal.
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What is a cyclone?
 A cyclone is a large-scale system of air that rotates around the centre of a low pressure area.
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 It usually comes with violent storms and bad weather.

 There are mainly two types of cyclones: tropical cyclones and temperate cyclones.

About Tropical Cyclone:

 Tropical cyclone is a seasonal phenomena.
 Tropical cyclones form only over warm ocean waters near the equator.
 Warm, moist air rises up and away from the ocean surface, creating an area of low pressure.
 This causes air to move from surrounding areas of high pressure to an area of low pressure.
 This causes the air to heat up and begin to rise, as the air rises and cools, the water in the air forms
clouds.
 This entire system of clouds and air rotates and rises along with the heat of the ocean.
 As the speed of rotation of the air increases, an eye forms in the middle.

Naming:
 Nodal Authority: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
 Indian Ocean Region: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and
Thailand contribute to the naming of cyclones that occur in this region.

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 Different names for tropical
cyclones:
 Typhoon: Southeast Asia and
China
 Hurricanes: North Atlantic and
Eastern Pacific
 Tornado: West Africa and
Southern United States
 Willy-Willys: North West Australia
 Tropical Cyclones: Southwest
Pacific and Indian Ocean

3. Merapi Volcano
 Recently, Mount Merapi erupted with massive gas clouds and avalanches of lava, forcing the
concerned national authorities to halt tourism and mining activities.

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About Mount Merapi:
 Mount Merapi (Mountain of Fire) is one of the world's most active volcanoes, located in Indonesia.

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 It has an altitude of 9,551 feet and has steep slopes with dense vegetation on its lower banks.

Why are there more volcanoes in Indonesia?

 Indonesia is located on the Ring of Fire, a vast area around the Pacific Ocean.

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 It consists of more than 17,000 islands and islets – and about 130 active volcanoes.
 The Ring of Fire, also known as the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean that is
characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
 The abundance of volcanoes and earthquakes along the Ring of Fire is caused by the movement of
tectonic plates in the region.
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 Throughout much of the Ring of Fire, plates overlap at convergent boundaries called subduction
zones. That is, the plate that is below is pushed down, or compressed, by the plate above it. As the
rock is pressed, it melts and becomes magma.
 The abundance of magma so close to the Earth's surface creates suitable conditions for volcanic
activity.
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 An important exception is the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates. This
extension of the Ring of Fire is a transform boundary, where plates move past each other.
 This type of boundary produces a large number of earthquakes as stress builds up and releases in
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the Earth's crust.

4. Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary

 A first of its kind nature interpretation center was inaugurated at the Eastern Ghats Biodiversity
Center along the perimeter of Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary in Visakhapatnam.
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About Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary:

 It is located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
 Named after the local hill "Kambalakonda", which acts as a green lung for the citizens of
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Vizianagaram, it is a large and spacious sanctuary.

 Topography: It is quite hilly with steep slopes.
 Vegetation: It hosts dry evergreen forests, a highly endangered and unique forest type seen only in
Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India.
 It has wonderful plants like Tectona grandis, Randia dumatorum, Grevia tiliafolia, Abrus
precatorius etc.
 One of the most amazing flowers found in this region is the Indian Screw Tree. Other flowers and
fruits such as bush plum tree flowers, jungle berry clusters can be found throughout the landscape.
 Fauna: Mammals like leopard, barking deer, jackal and avifauna include paradise flycatcher, tree
pie, quail, partridge etc.

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 5. Banni Grassland in discussion
 The Gujarat government recently said that the Central Government has approved setting up
of Cheetah Breeding and Conservation Center in Banni Grassland.
 One of the largest grasslands in the Indian subcontinent.
 Banni is also home to 22 ethnic groups, most of which are pastoralists, spread across 48 hamlets in
19 panchayats, with a population of about 40,000.
 It is home to vast biological diversity, including 37 grass species, 275 bird species and domesticated
animals such as buffalo, sheep, goats, horses and camels, as well as wildlife.
 Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary which is spread over an area of 380 sq km and recently notified
227 sq km. The Km Chhari Dhand Conservation Reserve is part of the Banni grasslands.
 The area also serves as a breeding ground for Banni buffalo and Kankrej cow.

6. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has

launched the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme

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 Recently the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has launched the
Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS).

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 The National Forest Certification Scheme provides voluntary third-party certification to
promote sustainable forest management and agroforestry in the country.
What is the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS)?
Objective:

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 IFWCS aims to provide an alternative to private foreign certification agencies operating in India. It
seeks to ensure greater integrity, transparency and credibility in sustainable forest management
and certifying wood-based products.
Scope of Certification:
The scheme covers three main areas for certification:
 Sustainable forest management.
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 Sustainable management of trees outside forests (e.g. tree plantations).
 Chain of custody, which guarantees the traceability of forest products throughout their supply
chain, ensuring ethical sourcing and handling.
Nodal Agencies:
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 The scheme will be overseen by the Indian Council of Forest and Wood Certification, which
will act as a multi-stakeholder advisory body.
 Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal will act as the scheme operating agency and will be
responsible for the overall management of the scheme.
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 The National Board of Accreditation for Certification Bodies under the Quality Council of India will
accredit the certification bodies which will conduct independent audits and assess the adherence of
various institutions to the standards prescribed under the Scheme.
Where is the Indian Institute of Forest Management located?
 Bhopal , Madhya Pradesh
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7. Solar Park and Ultra Mega Solar Power Project

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 The initiative, launched in December 2014 with an initial capacity of 20,000 MW, was later
expanded to 40,000 MW in March 2017, with the aim of setting up at least 50 solar parks by
2023–24.
 The primary objective of the scheme is to facilitate renewable energy (RE) developers by
providing ready-to-use land and transmission infrastructure.
 As of November 30, 2023, 50 solar parks with a cumulative capacity of 37,490 MW have been
sanctioned, of which 11 parks (8,521 MW) have been completed, and 8 parks (4,910 MW) have been
partially completed.
 Rajasthan- 9 parks (8,276 MW),
 Madhya Pradesh – 8 parks (4,180 MW
 Uttar Pradesh,- 7 parks (3,730 MW)
 Gujarat- 7 parks (12,150 MW)
 Andhra Pradesh has been sanctioned for 9 parks (8,276 MW), 8 parks (4,180 MW), 7 parks (3,730
MW), 7 parks (12,150 MW) and 5 parks (4,200 MW) respectively.

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8. Similipal Tiger Reserve in news
 Melanistic tigers (black tigers) have been found in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) of Odisha:


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As per the 2022 cycle of All India Tiger
Estimation, the presence of 16 tigers was Major Protected Areas of Odisha:
recorded in STR, of which 10 were melanistic 1. Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary
tigers. 2. Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
 A team of scientists, studying genome data, 3. Bhitarkanika National Park
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concluded that a specific type of black stripes are 4. Kotgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
found on the body of tigers due to a mutation in 5. Badrama Wildlife Sanctuary
only one gene. 6. Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary
 STR is the only tiger habitat in the world 7. Lakhari Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
where melanistic tigers are found. 8. Gahirmatha (Marine) Wildlife Sanctuary
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Note - 9. Chilka (Nalban) Bird Sanctuary
 The STR is located in the northern part of Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, which is geographically
located at the eastern end of the Eastern Ghats.
 In June 1994, the Government of India declared STR as a biosphere reserve.
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 This biosphere reserve has been part of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves since
2009.

9. Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary in news

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 The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has recently issued a draft notification declaring
an area of one kilometer from the boundaries of Pong Dam Wildlife Sanctuary in Kangra
district as an eco-sensitive zone.
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Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary:

 It is located in Kangra district, Himachal
Pradesh. National Parks located in Himachal
 Pong Dam was built on the Vyas River in Pradesh:
1975. 1. Great Himalayan National Park of Kullu
 It is also known as Pong Reservoir or District
Maharana Pratap Sagar. 2. Pin Valley National Park is located in Lahaul
 In 1983, the entire reservoir was declared a and Spiti district.
wildlife sanctuary by the Government of 3. Inderkilla National Park is located in Kullu
Himachal Pradesh. district of Himachal Pradesh.
 In 1994, the Government of India declared it a 4. Kheerganga National Park is located in
"wetland of national importance". Kullu.
5. Simbalbara National Park is situated in the
 Pong Dam Lake was declared a Ramsar site in
Paonta Valley of Sirmaur district
November 2002.
 The climate of the area is subtropical.
 Plant Kingdom: Eucalyptus, Kikar, Jamun, Shisham, Mango, Mulberry, Gular, Kachnar and Amla
etc.

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 Scheme or Portal
1. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKY)
 Recently the government has extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKY)
for another five years.

About PMGKY:
 PMGKY was first introduced in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and was designed to
provide 5 kg of free food grains per person per month to eligible ration card holders under the
National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). .
 It is designed to provide financial assistance to economically weaker sections affected by the
pandemic.

About National Food Security Act, 2013:

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 The National Food Security Act, (NFSA) 2013
marks a paradigm shift from welfare to a rights-
based approach to access to food security.

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Ministry:
 The Department of Food and Public
Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is the nodal

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ministry for implementing this Act.
Beneficiary:
 This Act legally entitled 75% of the
rural population and 50% of the urban
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population to receive subsidised food grains under a targeted public distribution system.

2. Ocean (MAHASAGAR) Initiative

 Recently, the first session of the Indian Navy Initiative for Oceans (MAHASAGAR) was organised in
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which maritime chiefs from various countries of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) participated.
 Theme: ‘Collective Maritime Approach towards Countering Common Challenges’.
Other facts:
 Its objective is to create a platform for high-level dialogue to promote cooperation among IOR
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countries.
 It was attended by heads of navies and maritime agencies of Bangladesh, Comoros, Kenya,
Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
 MAHASAGAR is in line with the SAGAR vision (Security and Growth for All in the Region) of the
Government of India.
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 In 2015, India unveiled its strategic vision for the Indian Ocean, namely Security and Growth for All
in the Region (SAGAR), to improve relations with its maritime neighbours on the economic and
security fronts.
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 3. Launch of “Green Rising” Initiative
 Generation Unlimited, an organization of UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, launched the “Green Rising” initiative during the
COP-28 Climate Conference in Dubai.
 Over the next three years (2023-2025), the Green Rising initiative will create pathways for at least
10 million children and youth in developing countries, mobilizing them for grassroots action, green
skill building, jobs and entrepreneurship.
 The initiative aims to encourage youth around the world to participate in various green initiatives
and adapt themselves to the impacts of climate change.
 Another goal of this initiative is to shift policy makers towards a more youth-centric perspective and
encourage organizations to contribute their resources and expertise.

4. Customer base of Atal Pension Yojana crosses 6 crores

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 Total enrollment under Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has crossed the 6 crore mark. In the current
financial year 2023-24, more than 79 lakh enrollments have been done in Atal Pension Yojana.
 The achievement of bringing the weakest sections of the society within the pension ambit has been
possible due to the efforts of all the banks.

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 The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has recently taken several
initiatives to create awareness about the scheme. This involves issuing a simple one-page APY
circular/handout in Hindi, English and 21 regional languages.
About Atal Pension Yojana (APY):

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 The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 May 2015.
 Objective: To provide universal social security for all Indians, especially the poor, the
underprivileged and workers in the unorganized sector.
 APY has been implemented on a large scale across the country. Under this scheme, the ratio of men
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and women among those joining this scheme in all the states and union territories is 57:43.

5. Interest Equalization Scheme (IES)

 The Union Cabinet recently approved an additional allocation of Rs 2500 crore for continuation of
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the Interest Equalization Scheme till June 30, 2024.
About Interest Equalization Scheme (IES):
 It was first implemented on April 1, 2015 to provide pre-shipment and post-shipment export
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credit in rupee terms to exporters.

 It was initially valid for 5 years till 31.3.2020. Even after this the scheme has been continued,
including one year extension during Covid and further expansion and fund allocation.
 The scheme will be implemented by RBI through various public and non-public sector banks that
provide pre and post shipment loans to exporters.
 The scheme is jointly monitored by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and RBI
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through a consultative mechanism.

 The scheme helps identified export sectors to become internationally competitive and achieve higher
levels of export performance.
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 This scheme is mainly for labor intensive sectors.

6. NaMo drone didi scheme

 Recently, the Indian Prime Minister announced an initiative- “NaMo Drone Didi” during his
interaction with beneficiaries at the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra.
About NaMo Drone Didi Scheme:
 For Women Empowerment: This scheme is essential to empower women, which is the key to
building a strong and developed nation. This is especially the case when women are economically
prosperous and contribute to rural prosperity.
What is the objective of the NaMo Drone Didi Scheme?
 To supply drones to 15,000 women self-help groups (SHGs) to rent to farmers for agricultural
purposes.

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 7. ‘6 Guarantees – Maha Lakshmi’ Scheme
 Girls and women of all age groups and transgender persons resident of Telangana will be able
to travel free in buses run by Telangana State Road Transport Corporation.
 The state government will pay the fare for women passengers to the Telangana State Road Transport
Corporation (TSRTC).
 They can travel in PalleVelugu and Express, City Ordinary and City Metro buses.

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8. National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) portal launched

 The Union Mines Ministry launched the National
Geology Data Repository (NGDR) portal at a
function in New Delhi.
 It is a comprehensive online platform to access,
share and analyse geospatial information across
India.
 The NGDR initiative was led by the Geological Survey
of India (GSI) and Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space
Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N).

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 9. E-Jagruti Portal
 Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Textiles and Commerce & Industry,
Shri Piyush Goyal launched the National Consumer Day 2023 e-Jagruti Portal.
 The portal has been designed to further improve the customer experience.

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10. Continuation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Fast Track

Special Court
 The Fast Track Special Court Scheme aims to
About Nirbhaya Fund:
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expedite the trial of sexual offenses. Recently, the

Cabinet extended the operation of these fast-track  The Nirbhaya Fund is a non-lapsable
courts for sexual offenses for an additional three corpus fund administered by the
Department of Economic Affairs under the
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years, now up to March 31, 2026.

 The total cost of running the scheme over the Ministry of Finance. It was established
next three years is estimated to be ₹1,952.23 in 2013 following the brutal gang rape
crores. The central government will bear and murder of a 23-year-old woman in
₹1,207.24 crores, while the states will contribute New Delhi in December 2012.
₹744.99 crores.  Initially set up with an allocation of
 The central government's share of funding will ₹1,000 crores, the fund was later
be sourced from the Nirbhaya Fund, specifically increased to ₹3,000 crores. The primary
allocated for initiatives addressing issues related purpose of this fund is to support
to women's safety and security. initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety
Other Facts: and security of women in India.
 The Fast Track Court (FTC) was first  The Nirbhaya Fund was created to
recommended by the Eleventh Finance address the urgent need for measures to
Commission in 2000. improve women's safety and to support
the first-of-its-kind initiatives in India for
 The objective of the FTC scheme is to expedite
this purpose.
the judicial process for cases related to sexual
offenses, particularly under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
 The Fast Track Court scheme was centrally sponsored and was launched in 2019

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 Defence
1. Naval Ship Sumedha unveiled at Port Lamu, Kenya
 As part of her long-range deployment to Africa, Indian
Naval Ship Sumedha was unveiled at Port Lamu, Kenya.
 The visit marks the first port visit of any Indian Naval ship
to a recently developed port in Kenya.
 The developing port in Kenya reflects the growing maritime
cooperation between India and Kenya.
 INS Sumedha is the third indigenously developed Saryu-
class of the Indian Navy.
 Commissioned on 7 March 2014, the ship has been
deployed for a number of roles both independently and in
support of fleet operations.

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 Based at Visakhapatnam, INS Sumedha is part of the
Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy and operates under the command of the Flag Officer Commanding-
in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.

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2. INS Kadmatt

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 Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kadmatt, deployed in the North Pacific recently, conducted Underway
Replenishment Operation (UNREP) with JS Towada, Japan.

About INS Kadmatt:

 It is an indigenous stealth anti-submarine warfare corvette. Features:
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 It is the second of four anti-submarine warfare corvettes built  Length: 109 metres (358 ft)
for the Indian Navy by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and  Beam: 12.8 m (42 ft)
Engineers, Kolkata under Project 28.  Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h)
 It was inducted into the Indian Navy in January 2016.  Range: 3,450 miles (5,550
 It is named after Kadmat Island in the Lakshadweep km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
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archipelago of India.
 INS Kadmatt's primary role is in anti-submarine warfare – protecting ships in convoy and in port
from enemy submarine attacks to save.
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3. 40th Coast Guard Commanders' Conference

 Recently the Union Defense Minister inaugurated the 40th Coast Guard Commanders
Conference.
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 The agenda of the conference covers a wide range of important topics, including enhancing
maritime safety and security such as search and rescue operations, marine pollution response,
operations against contraband and drug trafficking, safety of fishermen/sailors at sea, coastal
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security This includes optimising measures, strengthening inter-agency coordination and promoting
awareness of the maritime domain.
 ICG was established in the year 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent armed
force of India.
 As the world's fourth largest coast guard force, the ICG has played a vital role in securing the Indian
coasts and enforcing regulations in India's maritime zones.

4. Three anti-submarine warfare ships for the Indian Navy

 In Kochi Indian Navy launches Mahe, Malvan and Mangrol, the first three ships of the 08 X ASW
Shallow water craft CSL
 These ships are set to replace the Abhay class ASW corvettes and excel in anti-submarine
operations, coastal defence, mine laying and sub-surface surveillance.
 They boast a maximum speed of 25 knots and are designed to be efficient in search and rescue
missions as well as coordinated ASW operations with aircraft.

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 5. Pilatus PC-7 MK II
 Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed when their Pilatus PC-7 Mk II trainer aircraft crashed
during a routine training flight from the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Telangana. The accident is
the first involving an aircraft in nearly a decade.
What is the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II Trainer Aircraft?
 This is a training aircraft.
 It is a low-wing, turbo-prop aircraft with
tandem seating (the cadet sits in the front, the
instructor behind him).
 It is powered by Pratt & Whitney turbo-prop
engines, has a maximum speed of 412 km/h
and can fly to an altitude of a little over
10,000 metres.
 It has a range of 1,200 km without external
tanks, meaning a flight time of a little over 4

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hours.
 There are 75 Pilatus PC-7 Mk II aircraft in
service with the Indian Air Force.

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What is a training aircraft?
 Trainers are a class of aircraft specifically designed to facilitate flight training of pilots and aircrew.

6. First survey ship 'Sandhayak' commissioned into Indian Navy

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 Sandhyak (Yard 3025), the first of four Survey Ships (Large) (SVLs) being built at Garden Reach
Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, has been handed over to the Indian Navy.
 INS Sandhayak replaces an earlier survey vessel of the same name that was in service from 1981 to
2021.
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Features of Consolidator Survey Vessel (Large):
 The displacement capacity of Sandhyak is approximately 3400 tonnes. Its total length is 110
meters.
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 Sandhayak is equipped with
state-of-the-art hydrographic
instruments like Data Acquisition
and Processing System,
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Autonomous Underwater Vehicle,

Remote Pilot Vehicle, DGPS Long
Range Positioning System, Digital
Side Scan Sonar.
 Powered by two diesel engines, the
ship is capable of achieving
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speeds of over 18 knots.

7. Testing of Agni-1 ballistic missile

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 Recently, India has successfully tested indigenously developed short-range ballistic missile 'Agni-1'
from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
 This missile is capable of hitting targets with a very high level of accuracy.
 Agni is the first surface-to-surface nuclear capable missile.
 This missile has been made by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
Other facts:
 The strike range of this missile is from 700 to 2500 kilometers.
 This missile is 15 meters long and weighs 12 tonnes.
 Agni-1 is the only solid engine based missile to be inducted into the Indian Armed Forces.
 Its first test was conducted on 25 January 2002.
 It is capable of carrying 1,000 kg of nuclear weapons.

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8. Indian Armed Forces contingent arrives in Hanoi for joint

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military exercise “WINBAX- 2023”
 This year's exercise will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam.
 39 personnel of Engineer Regiment of Bengal Engineer
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Group and six personnel of Army Medical Corps are
participating in the Indian contingent.
 It was established in 2018 and the first edition was held in
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
 It is an annual training program held alternately in India
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and Vietnam.
 The last edition was held in August 2022 at Chandimandir
Military Station.
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9. Indian Army conducts Table-Top Exercise (TTX) for ASEAN

Women Peacekeepers
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 The Indian Army has taken a historic

initiative to promote gender inclusivity
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and enhance the capabilities of women

military personnel in peacekeeping
operations.
 Under this, the Indian Army has
organised a Table-Top Exercise (TTX)
for women officers of the Association of
South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
from 4 to 8 December 2023 at
Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
 The exercise is part of the ongoing
efforts of the United Nations
Peacekeeping Centre (CUNPK) to
strengthen international cooperation
and capacity building in peacekeeping
missions

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 10. Captain Geetika Kaul
 Captain Geetika Kaul, a woman army doctor, has been
deployed to Siachen, the world's highest battlefield.
 A member of the Snow Leopard Brigade, she earned the
distinction after successful completion of training at the
Siachen Battle School.

11. Admiral's Cup

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 The 12th edition of ‘Admiral’s Cup’ Sailing Regatta concluded on 08 December 2023 at Ettikulam
Beach, Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala.

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 The Italian team, led by Midshipman Avalon Antonio
and Midshipman Creati Carlo Leonardo, won the
Admiral Cup 2023.
 The Indian team was the runner-up of this competition.

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 This edition of Admiral Cup Sailing Regatta 2023 saw
participation from 20 countries and Indian teams from
Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala and National Defense
Academy, Khadakwasla.
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12. Indian Ocean Naval Seminar
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 The 8th edition of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Chairmanship of ‘Indian Ocean
(IONS) Conclave of Chiefs (COC) is being organized by the Naval Symposium’ (IONS)
Royal Thai Navy from 19 to 22 Dec 23 at Bangkok, Thailand 1. India (2008–10)
 INS Kadmatt, a ship equipped with state-of-the-art weapons 2. United Arab Emirates (2010–12)
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and a sensor package, arrived at Bangkok port in Thailand. 3. South Africa (2012–14)
Indian Ocean Naval Seminar 4. Australia (2014–16)
 The ‘Indian Ocean Naval Symposium’ (IONS) is a voluntary 5. Bangladesh (2016–18)
and inclusive initiative. 6. Islamic Republic of Iran (2018–
 It brings together the navies of coastal states of the Indian 21)
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Ocean region to enhance maritime cooperation and promote 7. France (2021-2023)

regional security. 8. Thailand(2023-25)- Present
 IONS consists of 24 member states bordering the Indian 9. India (2025- 2027)
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Ocean Region (IOR) and 8 observer states.

 IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008 as a platform that seeks to enhance maritime
cooperation between the navies of the coastal states of the Indian Ocean Region

13. SAMAR' air defence missile system successfully tested

 The surface-to-air missile (SAMAR) is a short-range
air-defence system.
 It has been developed by a unit under the
Maintenance Command of the IAF.
 It can counter air threats with missiles operating at
a speed range of Mach 2 to 2.5
 It is used against low-flying air targets.

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 14. INS Shivaji awarded Veer Chakra
 INS Shivaji, the premier technical training establishment of the Indian Navy, has been awarded
the original 'Veer Chakra' awarded to 1971 war hero Late Vice-Admiral Benoy Roy Chowdhury.

Veer Chakra
 'Veer Chakra' is an award given for
military bravery during wartime.
 This award is given for bravery and
courage shown by military personnel on
land, air or sea during war.

Vice Admiral Benoy Roy Chowdhury:

 Benoy Roy Chowdhury is the only
technical officer of the Navy to be
honored with this award.

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 The bravery of Vice Admiral Chaudhary was seen during the Indo-Pak war of 1971.
 In 1971, Benoy Roy was posted as an engineer on INS Vikrant.
 Amidst the war with Pakistan, the boilers of the Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant were not

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working at full capacity. Then Benoy Roy, as Chief Engineer, took over the responsibility of repairing
the boiler with his team.

15. INS Imphal

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 Indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer INS Imphal inducted into Navy's fleet
 INS Imphal, equipped with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, is designed to challenge China
in the Indian Ocean.
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 It is India's third indigenous stealth destroyer in the Project 15B class.
 Maximum speed is 30 knots, length is 163 meters and width is 17 meters.
 INS Imphal has a length of 535 feet and weighs 7,400 tonnes. INS Imphal has been built with 75
percent indigenous material.
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 INS Imphal is the first warship to be named after a city in the North-Eastern region.
 The naming of the warship after the capital of Manipur reflects the security and prosperity of the
north-eastern region.
 The ship is equipped to fight under nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare conditions.
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 Indigenous anti-submarine rocket launchers and 76 mm super rapid guns have also been installed
in the warship.

16. Pakistan successfully tests advanced rocket system Fateh-II

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 Pakistan Army has successfully flight tested the indigenously developed Guided Multi-Launch
Rocket System Fateh-II.
 The weapon system is capable of hitting targets with high accuracy at a distance of 400
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kilometers.
 It features state-of-the-art avionics, sophisticated navigation systems and unique flight trajectory.

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 Exercise
1. Practice 'Departure'
 The Indian Navy in collaboration with various defence,
state and civilian agencies recently conducted an extensive
two-phase exercise named ‘Prasthan’ in the Offshore
Development Area off the coast of Mumbai.
 This exercise, conducted every six months, is important in
validating and refining the measures and procedures
aimed at addressing various contingencies that may arise
in oil production platforms.
 The first phase of the exercise focused on simulating
security emergencies including potential terrorist attacks
and bomb threats involving improvised explosive devices

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(IEDs).
 Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)'s R12A (Ratna)
platform, located approximately 83 km off Mumbai port,

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serves as the setting for these simulations.

2. Operation Samriddhi Guardian

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 The United States has announced the formation of a naval patrol in the southern Red Sea to prevent
increasing attacks on commercial vessels by Yemen's rebel Houthis.
 US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin named this operation Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Operation Samriddhi Guardian

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Operation Prosperity Guardian has more than 20 members.
 Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Seychelles and the United
Kingdom participate in Operation Prosperity Guardian
Note -
 The Red Sea is bordered by six countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti.
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 It is connected to the Indian Ocean to the south through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of
Aden.
 The Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez lie in the north.
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 Events and Conferences
1. Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah
 After the death of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah, his brother Sheikh
Meshaal has been declared the new Emir.
 Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 83, has been serving as the Emir of Kuwait since 2021.
 Sheikh Meshaal, the new Emir of Kuwait, was born in 1940. He graduated from the British Hendon
Police College in 1960 and has held important security positions in the country.
 Sheikh Meshaal was the Deputy Chief of the National Guard from 2004-2020.
 Sheikh Meshaal's family has ruled Kuwait since 1752
Note -
 Kuwait is located on the western left side of the Persian Gulf. Kuwait is bordered by Iraq to the
northwest and Saudi Arabia to the southwest.
 The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City, which is the most major city here.

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2. India Internet Governance Forum-2023 organised

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 The third edition of India Internet Governance Forum 2023 (IIGF-2023) was organised in New Delhi.
 The theme of IIGF for the year 2023 is “Moving Forward while Accommodating India’s Digital
Agenda”.

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 IIGF aims to discuss the roadmap for digitization and highlight India's role in international policy
making on Internet governance.
 In this program, discussions were held regarding the creation of a secure, reliable and flexible
system for Internet access in India.
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India Internet Governance Forum is an initiative of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum.
The Forum serves as a platform for various stakeholders to discuss public policy issues related to
the Internet.

3. Kalbelia Dance
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 Recently, during the Rajasthan International Folk Festival, artists presented the Kalbelia dance.

About Kalbelia Dance:

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 Kalbelia dance is a traditional folk dance of the Indian state of Rajasthan.

 It is also known by other names such as 'Sapera Dance' or 'Snake Charmer Dance.'
 It is particularly associated with the Kalbelia community of Rajasthan.
 The popularity of this dance is such that Rajasthan's Kalbelia dance and song have been included in
UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010.
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 In Kalbelia dance, male musicians play various traditional instruments, while female dancers
perform the dance.
 The main performer in this dance style is usually a female dancer who imitates the movements
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of a serpent(snake) and spins around.

 The dancers wear vibrant-coloured skirts, blouses, and heavy jewellery.
 Musical instruments: Male musicians typically play instruments like the dhol (a drum), pungi (a
flute-like instrument), and khartal (a type of castanet).

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 4. Dr. Rajendra Prasad
 Recently the President has paid tribute to the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his
birth anniversary.
About Dr. Rajendra Prasad:
 Dr. Rajendra Prasad was born on December 3, 1884 in Siwan district of Bihar.
Education:
 He joined the famous Calcutta Presidency College in 1902. After completing his master's degree in
economics from the University of Calcutta in 1907, he studied law at the Calcutta Law College.
 In the early 1920s, he became the editor of the Hindi weekly Desh and the English biweekly
Searchlight.
Role in Indian National Movement:
 He was associated with Mahatma Gandhi during the Champaran Satyagraha (1917) in Bihar.
 Dr. Prasad reacted strongly to the Rowlatt Act of 1918 and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919.
 He played an important role in the Salt Satyagraha in Bihar in 1930, due to which he was also
imprisoned.

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 He officially joined the Indian National Congress in the year 1911 during its annual session held in
Calcutta.
 In the year 1946, he joined the interim government of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the Minister of

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Food and Agriculture and gave the slogan “Grow more food”.
 The committees of the Constituent Assembly chaired by Dr. Prasad include: Ad-hoc Committee on
the National Flag, Committee on Rules of Procedure, Finance and Staff Committee, Steering
Committee
 He served as the first President of India from January 26, 1950 (when the country adopted its

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Constitution) to May 13, 1962, and
holds the record for the longest
serving President.
 On January 26, 1950, he was elected
the first President of India. He served
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as President for more than 12 years,
making him the longest serving
President in the history of India.
 In 1946, Rajendra Prasad joined the
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Interim Government of India as
Minister of Food and Agriculture.
 Dr. Prasad was awarded Bharat
Ratna in the year 1962. He wrote
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several books, including "Satyagraha at Champaran," "India Divided" and his "Autobiography."
 He died on February 28, 1963.

5. 'Krishnaveni Sangeeta Neerjanam' inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh

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 Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated
Krishnaveni Sangeet Neerjanam at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram, Vijayawada.
 The event symbolizes the remarkable efforts made to organize a grand music festival, the first of its
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kind in Andhra Pradesh.

 The three-day classical music festival will host a variety of activities, including classical music
performances by renowned musicians of the country and exhibition and sale of regional cuisine,
local handicrafts and handlooms.

6. 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS)

 Gujarat is preparing for the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) in January 2024.
 The theme is 'Gateway to the Future'
 Participation of 16 countries and 14 organizations is expected in this conference.
 16 countries – Japan, Finland, Morocco, Republic of Korea, Mozambique, Estonia, UAE, Australia,
UK, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh, Germany and Egypt are included in the list
of partner countries.

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 7. Dr. Gao Yaoji passes away
 Dr. Gao Yaoji, a renowned AIDS activist known for her
tireless efforts to expose and stop the AIDS crisis that
affected poor farmers in the late 1990s, has died.
 His first meeting with an HIV patient in 1996 exposed the
devastating consequences of blood banks using dirty
needles and storing leftover blood for transfusion.

8. Actress leelavathi
 Kannada cinema's veteran actress Lilavati passed away at the age of 85.

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 He breathed his last at a private hospital in Nelamangala, Karnataka.
 Prime Minister Modi has also expressed grief over the demise of Lilavati.
 Leelavati had worked in more than 600 films including Kannada, Tamil and Telugu.
 Lilavati was known for her brilliant acting in Bhakta Kumbhara, Sant Tukaram, Bhakta Prahlad,

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Mangalya Yoga and Mana Mechida Maddi.

9. Dr. V Mohini Giri

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 Prominent women's rights activist Dr. V Mohini Giri
passed away recently.
 Dr. Giri served as the Chairperson of the National
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Commission for Women (NCW) from 1995 to 1998.
 Dr. Mohini Giri was awarded the Padma Bhushan in
2007
 Dr. Mohini Giri was also the Founder and Trustee of the
Women's Initiative for Peace in South Asia, a Trustee of
Navdanya, a Trustee of the Justice Sunanda Bhandare
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Foundation and a Trustee of the Foundation for Academic
Excellence and Access (FAEA).
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10. Former European Commission President Jacques Delors passes

away
1. Jacques Delors, former President of the European
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Commission, passed away recently.

2. As President of the Commission from 1985–1995, Delors
carried out historic work
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o Single market
o Schengen Agreement – allowing border-free travel
o Euro currency – established economic and monetary union
o ERASMUS PROGRAM - Promoted student exchange

11. Vijayakanth passed away

 Tamil Nadu's beloved actor and politician Vijayakanth, fondly called "Captain" passed away.
 Vijayraj Born in 1952, Vijayakanth's film career began in 1979 with "Inukum Ilamai".
 He rose to fame with films such as "Seenthura Poove," "Pulan Visaranai," "Chatriyan,"
"Captain Prabhakaran," "Chinna Gounder," and "Ramana."
 His dedication to cinema was recognized with the prestigious Kalaimamani Award in 2001 and the
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for his performance in "Ramana" (2002).
 In 2005, Vijayakanth entered politics by founding the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
(DMDK) party.

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 12. World Oriya Language Conference
 The first World Oriya Language Conference will be held in Bhubaneswar in February 2024.
 Hosting the first World Oriya Language Conference will promote the promotion, dissemination and
research work of Oriya language.
Note -
 Oriya is a language spoken in the state of Odisha. It is also the official language of the Odisha state
government.
 Oriya is considered a descendant of the Prakrit language called Purva Magadhi.
 The oldest example of written Oriya language is found in the Madala Panji (register of the Jagannath
temple of Puri), which was written on palm leaves.
 Odisha is a rich state in terms of minerals. 30% of India's iron ore and 90% of chromite is found
here.

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 Awards & Honour
1. AFMC Honored with 'President's Colors'
 Recently, the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, conferred the Armed Forces Medical College
(AFMC) with the 'President's Colors' (Presidential Standard) as an honor.

Additional facts:
 The 'President's Colors,' also known as the 'Presidential Standard,' is the highest honor
bestowed upon a military unit.
 The AFMC, located in Pune, was honored with this award on the occasion of its completion of 75
years.
 The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) was established on May 1, 1948.
 AFMC is a premier Armed Forces Medical Services institution and is one of the leading medical
colleges in the country.

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2. Sheetal Devi received 'Best Young Athlete Award'

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 Archer Sheetal Devi, who won a gold medal at the Asian Para Games, has been chosen as Asia's
best young athlete.
 Shia Paralympic Committee honoured him with this prestigious award of Asia in Riyadh (Saudi

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Arabia).
 Sheetal wrapped the tricolour and received the award along with coach Abhilasha.
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3. Singapore's prestigious art award to writer Meera Chand

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 Recently, Indian-origin novelist Meera Chand has been honoured with Singapore's highest art award
'Cultural Medallion'.
 Apart from Meera Chand, this award has been given to Singaporean novelist Suchen Christine Lim
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and famous Malay dance artist Osman Abdul Hamid.

Other facts:
 Meera Chand is a novelist, known for her portrayal of multicultural societies.
 The award provides each recipient with a grant of approximately Rs 49 lakh to support their artistic
activities.
 Mira Chand and Christine Lim are the first English-language writers to receive this award since Ho
Minfong in 1997.

4. Kabir Bedi honored with Italy's 'Order of Merit

 Indian actor Kabir Bedi has been honored with Italy's civilian honor 'Order of Merit'.
 The Order of Merit recognizes distinguished service in the development of the armed forces, science,
art, literature or culture.

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 5. 33rd Vyas Samman
Vyas Samman:

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 Noted writer Pushpa Bharti was announced to
 Vyas Samman is a literary award which was
be given the 33rd Vyas Samman for 2023 for
first given in 1991.
her memoir ‘Yaadein, Yaadein aur Yaadein’.
 It is given annually by the KK Birla
 In this book, Pushpa Bharti has highlighted

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Foundation.
the incredible memoirs related to famous Hindi
litterateurs.  It includes a payout of Rs 4 lakh from the
recent 2019 distribution along with a plaque
 These litterateurs include Makhanlal
and citation.
Chaturvedi, Agyeya, Mahadevi Verma, Nirala,

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Rahi Masoom Raza, Kamleshwar and many  In 1991, it was given to Ram Vilas Sharma
others. This book was published in 2016. for his literary work "India's Ancient
Languages and Hindi".
 His popular books are ‘Shubhagata’, ‘Dhai
Akhar Prem Ke’, ‘Saras Samvad’, ‘Safar  This honor is given every year for an


Suhane’ etc.
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Bharti has a notable contribution in the genres
outstanding work of Hindi literature by an
Indian citizen published in the last 10 years.
of memoir, biography and sketch.  Famous Hindi writer Dr. Gyan Chaturvedi's
2018 satirical novel Pagal Khana has been
 Due to her eloquent, sensitive and insightful
selected for the 32nd Vyas Samman.
writing, Bharti's work became popular among
all types of readers, general and specialized, in Hindi.
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6. Scientist Dr. Hemachandran Ravikumar

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 Indian scientist Dr. Hemachandran Ravikumar was awarded the Karmaveer Chakra Medal and
the Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship.
 Dr. Hemachandran Ravikumar was awarded the Karmaveer Chakra Medal and Rex Karmaveer
Global Fellowship by ICONGO in collaboration with the United Nations for his extraordinary
contributions to the field of physical
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research and development and bio-

science and microbiological studies.
 The Yah Award was given in recognition
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of the important contribution of Dr.

Ravikumar in “Study of memory activities
of cells in Homo Sapiens”.

7. Padmapani Lifetime Achievement

 Writer Javed Akhtar will be honoured with the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the
upcoming Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival.
 The honour celebrates his remarkable contribution to the Indian film industry, which includes
iconic works like ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Deewar’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Don’, ‘Kala Patthar’ and ‘Mr India’.
 The awards ceremony will take place on January 3, 2024, which will be the opening day of the ninth
edition of the festival.
 It was earlier known as Aurangabad International Film Festival (AIFF)
 Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival is an annual event organised by the Nath Group, Yashwantrao Chavan
Centre, Mumbai, in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of
India.
 The festival serves as a platform to showcase the best films produced in India and around the world.

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 8. REACH Game Changing Innovator Award
 Plastic surgeon Dr. Atul Shah has been honoured
with the 2023 REACH Game Changing Innovator
Award for his groundbreaking contributions to
leprosy care.
 Three decades ago, Dr. Shah devised a simple
surgical technique, ‘One in Four Lasso’, to correct
the deformity in leprosy patients.

9. Indian Armed Forces officers awarded 'Golden Owl' award at

DSCSC Sri Lanka

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 In a remarkable display of excellence, three officers of the Indian Armed Forces undergoing the
prestigious Command and Staff

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Course at the Defense Services
Command and Staff College (DSCSC)
in Sri Lanka have been awarded the
prestigious ‘Golden Owl’ award for
their outstanding performance.

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 The award was presented by Sri
Lankan President Ranil
Wickremesinghe.
Note -
 The ‘Golden Owl’ award is not just
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recognition of academic achievements
but also includes a holistic
assessment of skills critical to military
leadership.
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10. Indira Gandhi Award 2023

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 Renowned pianist Daniel Barenboim and peace activist Ali Abu Awwad were jointly awarded the
Indira Gandhi Award 2023.
Daniel Barenboim
 Barenboim, a native of Argentina, is a renowned classical pianist and conductor.
 In addition to his musical achievements, Barenboim is known for his efforts to use music to
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promote harmony in West Asia.

 Barenboim worked closely with Said to bring together youth from Israel, Palestine, and other Arab
and North African countries.
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Ali Abu Awad

 Ali Awwad was born in 1972. Ali Awwad was raised in a
political refugee family.
 He is a prominent Palestinian peace activist.
 He is working closely with the people of Palestine and
Israel for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in
West Asia.
Indira Gandhi Award
 Established: 1986
 Given by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust in memory of
former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
 The award carries a prize of Rs 25 lakh and a citation.

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 11. Nyholm Prize of the Royal Society of Chemistry
 In a significant recognition of her
outstanding contribution to chemistry
education, Professor Savita Ladge from
the Homi Bhabha Center for Science
Education, Tata Institute, Mumbai has
been awarded the prestigious Royal
Society of Chemistry's Nyholm Prize for
Fundamental Research in Education.
 Professor Savita Ladage will be awarded
£5,000, a medal and a certificate as part
of the Nyholm Prize.

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12. Miss India USA 2023'
 Indian-American medical student Rijul Maini was

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awarded the title of 'Miss India USA 2023'.
 During the event, Sneha Nambiar from Massachusetts
was declared Mrs. India USA and Saloni Rammohan
from Pennsylvania was awarded the title of Miss Teen

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India USA.
 24-year-old Indian-American Rijul Maini is a medical
student and model. PL
13. INTERNATIONAL GENDER EQUALITY AWARD
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 Finland awarded the 2023 International Gender Equality Award to the Afghan Women Skills
Development Centre, highlighting their steadfast dedication to protecting women's rights in
Afghanistan.
 Finland, a global champion of gender equality, recently honored the Afghan Women Skills
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Development Center with the International Gender Equality Award for 2023 in recognition of their
unwavering commitment to promoting and protecting women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Note -
 In 2021, the We Will Stop Femicide platform in Turkey received an award for its groundbreaking
work tackling violence against women.
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 In 2019, Equality Now, a global non-profit organization, was honored for its success in challenging
discriminatory laws and practices.
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 14. Sahitya Akademi Award-2023
 Sahitya Akademi has announced to Awarded writers for poetry and their poetry
award writers of 24 Indian languages collections-
with Sahitya Akademi Award-2023. 1. Vijay Verma (Dogri) – ‘Daun Sadiyaan Ek Seer’
 The Sahitya Akademi Award for 2. Vinod Joshi (Gujarati) - Tundiltundika Padyavarta
2023 in Hindi language has been 3. Manshoor Banihali (Kashmiri) - Yeth Waveh Hele Sang
given to Sanjeev for the novel 'Mujhe Kaus Jele
Pehchano'. 4. Sorokkhaibam Gambhini (Manipuri) - Yachangba Nang
 Neelam Sharan Gaur's novel Halo
5. Ashutosh Parida (Odia) - Unexpected Death
'Requiem in Raaga Janaki' was given
6. Swarnjit Savi (Punjabi) - Man Di Chip
the Sahitya Akademi Award in
7. Gajesingh Rajpurohit (Rajasthani) – ‘Palkati Preet’
English language and Sadika Nawab
8. Arun Ranjan Mishra (Sanskrit) – Shunyaye
Sahar's novel 'Rajdev Ki Amrai' was
Meghaganam
given the Sahitya Akademi Award in
Urdu language. 9. Vinod Asudani (Sindhi) - Hathu Pakidijain
Award winning writer for novel-

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1. Swapnamaya Chakraborty (Bengali) - Jaler Up Paani
Note -
2. Krishnat Khot (Marathi) - Ringad
 Sahitya Akademi Award, established
3. Rajasekaran (Tamil) – Neeravazhi Paduvum
in the year 1954, is a literary

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4. Writer awarded for story collection -
honour.
5. Pranab Jyoti Deka (Assamese) - Shrestha Galpa
 This award is presented annually by
6. Nandeshwar Daimary (Bodo) - Jiu-Safarni Daavn
the Sahitya Akademi (National
7. Tarasin Baski (Santali) - Jaba Baha
Academy of Letters).

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8. Prakash S Paryankar (Konkani) – Varsal
 Apart from the 22 languages
9. T Patanjali Sastri (Telugu) - Rameshwaram Kakulu
included in the Constitution of India, Marikonni
this award is also given in English Awarded writer for essay -
and Rajasthani. 1. Lakshmisha Tolapadi (Kannada) - Mahabharata
 The President of Sahitya Akademi is
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Shri Madhav Kaushik. 2. Basukinath Jha (Maithili) - Understanding Notation
3. Yudhveer Rana (Nepali) - Introduction to Nepali folklore
and folk culture.
 Malayalam writer EV Ramakrishnan will be awarded
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for criticism.

15. Gaza Capital Business Book Prize 2023

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 The Gaza Capital Business Book Prize was established in 2019 to encourage Indian entrepreneurs,
writers and journalists to tell their stories to the world.
2 major stories were provided -
 Against All Odds: The IT Story of India Authors – Chris Gopalakrishnan, N Dayasindhu and
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Krishnan Narayanan, Against All Odds carefully weaves together first-hand accounts of eminent
individuals who have played a significant role in shaping the IT industry.
 Winning Middle India: Establishing new dimensions in entrepreneurship
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 Written by TN Hari and Bala Srinivas, Winning Middle India explores the exciting potential of
increasing access, affordability and product-service quality for millions of Indians.
 The book focuses on a new generation of startup founders who leverage technology platforms, the
ubiquity of smartphones and rapid digitalization to navigate the emerging landscape of the Indian
consumer market.

16. Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award

 'Children of Nobody' won the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award at the 29th Kolkata International
Film Festival.
 This Israeli drama, inspired by a true story, shines a light on neglected individuals.
 The Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Film carries a record cash prize of Rs 51 lakh.

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 17. Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award
 'Children of Nobody' won the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award at the 29th Kolkata International
Film Festival.
 This Israeli drama, inspired by a true story, shines a light on neglected individuals.
 The Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award for Best Film carries a record cash prize of Rs 51 lakh.

18. Leif Erikson Lunar Award

 The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has been awarded the prestigious Leif Erikson
Lunar Award for its groundbreaking Chandrayaan-3 mission.
 Indian Ambassador Balasubramaniam Shyam received the prestigious award on behalf of ISRO.

Chandrayaan 3
 'Chandrayaan-3' was launched by the Indian

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Space Research Organization (ISRO) on July 13
by LVM 3 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center
in Sriharikota.
 Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the surface

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of the Moon near the south pole on 23 August 2023.
 The place where Chandrayaan-3's Moon Lander
landed is now known as "Shiv Shakti" Point.
 The place where Chandrayaan-2 left its footprint is

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called "Tiranga".
Note -
 Leif Erickson is considered to be the first European
to reach the Americas 400 years before Christopher Columbus. This annual award is given in his
name.
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19. FICCI Water Awards 2023
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 NTPC Kanti has been awarded the 11th edition of FICCI Water Awards 2023 in the category
“Industrial Water Use Efficiency”.
 The 11th edition of the FICCI Water Awards 2023 was presented by G Ashok Kumar, Director
General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Government of India and Ms Naina Lal Kidwai,
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Chairperson, FICCI Water Mission.

 NTPC Kanti is also known as George Fernandes Thermal Power Plant Station.
 It is situated in Kanti, Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
Note -
 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)-
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 The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is an India-based non-governmental

trade association and campaign group.
 FICCI was founded in 1927 by Ghanshyam Das Birla.
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 FICCI also provides practical advice and information, services and networking opportunities to its
trading members.
 Chairman: Subhrakant Panda

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 20. UNESCO Asia-Pacific Prize for Cultural Heritage Conservation
2023
 12 projects from China, India and Nepal were accepted by the prize jury in the UNESCO Asia-
Pacific Prize for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2023.
 The award for new design in heritage contexts was awarded to the Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia
Capital in Luoyang, China.
India's performance in UNESCO:
 Excellence Award: Rambagh Gate in Amritsar
(built during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh)
 Special Award: Karnikara Mandapam at
Kunnamangalam Bhagavathi Temple, Kerala
 Merit Awards: Church of the Epiphany in
Gurugram, Haryana, David Sassoon Library and
Reading Room in Mumbai, Bikaner House in
New Delhi.

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 Peepal Haveli in Punjab (the construction of 'The
Peepal Haveli' was started by a family led by
Sardar Narayan Singh 125 years ago) and

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Sikami Chhen in Kathmandu were awarded
'Special Recognition for Sustainable
Development' for their transformative heritage practices to be done

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21. Great Arab Minds Award
 GAM Awards are given for outstanding achievements in six important areas.
 These fields are natural sciences, engineering and technology, literature and arts, architecture and
design, economics and medicine.
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 These awards are given to individuals who have made significant contributions in these fields for
their impact on Arab society and human progress.
Fields of Literature and Arts
 Algerian professor Wassini Laredj was awarded the
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United Arab Emirates (UAE) 'Great Arab Minds Award'
in the field of literature and arts.
Natural Sciences Award
 Lebanese scientist Niven Khashab was awarded the
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GAM Prize in Natural Sciences.

In engineering technology
 Awarded to Professor Fadil Adib of Lebanon.
In the field of medical-
 Awarded to Saudi Dr. Hani Najm.
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Note-
 Awards in the fields of Architecture Design and Economics have not been announced.
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 Index & Report
1. India ranked 49th in World Digital Competitiveness Ranking-
2023
 The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) has published the World Digital
Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR)-2023, in which
India has been ranked 49th among 64 economies. The top five performing countries in the
 IMD's World Digital Competitiveness Rankings WDCR report:
provide insight into how different countries are Rank country name
driving digital transformation in the age of artificial
intelligence (AI). 1 USA(United States of America)
 The US is the top-ranked country in this year's
ranking, followed by the Netherlands and 2 Netherlands

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Singapore.
 The United States ranked top with strong results 3 Singapore
in all three factors: knowledge, technology and
future preparedness. 4 denmark

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 In the Asia-Pacific region, India has slipped to 12th
position among 14 countries after being at 11th 5th Switzerland
position for 4 consecutive years.
 Among 27 countries with a population of more 49th India

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than 20 crore, India has slipped 2 places to 18th
place as compared to the year 2022. 62rd Colombia

India's ranking: 63rd mongolia

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 India has been ranked 49th out of 64 economies.
64th Venezuela
 In the Asia-Pacific region, India ranked 12th
among 14 countries.
 Globally, among 27 countries with a population of more than 20 million, India ranked 18th.
 In the technology sector, India ranked 50th with ongoing challenges in enforcing contracts, wireless
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broadband and internet users.

About International Institute for Management Development (IMD):

 IMD is a business education school based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Three reports are issued by
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this.
 world competitive ranking
 World Digital Competitiveness Ranking
 world talent ranking

2. QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024

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 British firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has recently released the QS World University
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Sustainability Rankings-2024.
 The University of Toronto ranks first in the QS World University Sustainability Rankings.
 America's University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and Britain's University of Manchester are at
second and third place respectively.
 According to sustainability rankings, Delhi University is the top university in the country. Delhi
University has got overall 220th rank.
 In the rankings, with IIT Bombay at 303, IIT Madras at 344, IIT Kharagpur at 349 and IIT Roorkee
at 387, no Indian university is named in the top 200.
 Additionally, Delhi University was recognized for providing "world-class education in environment
and climate-related subjects", ranking 16th in QS's Environmental Education Indicator.
 The QS Sustainability Rankings 2024 include 1,400 universities in the world.

What is QS World University Rankings?

 The QS World University Rankings is released annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
 This ranking evaluates the performance and quality of universities around the world.
 The methodology considers indicators such as academic reputation, faculty-student ratio, employer
reputation, sustainability, employment outcomes, international research networks, citations per
faculty, international faculty ratio and international student ratio.

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  Under this, ranking is provided on the basis of subject, region, student city, business school and
sustainability.

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3. Forbes 2023: List of World's Most Powerful Women
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 Business magazine Forbes has recently released the list of the 100 most powerful women in the
world for the year 2023.
 4 Indian women have been included in this list.
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Other facts:
 Nirmala Sitharaman, Roshni Nadar
Malhotra, Soma Mandal and Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw from India have
also been included in the 100
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women named in this annual list of

Forbes.
 Sitharaman has made it to this list
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for the 5th consecutive year and is

at 32nd position.
 European Union President Ursula
von der Leyen has been ranked
first by Forbes.
 Ursula von der Leyen was
appointed President of the
European Commission, the
executive branch of the European
Union, in July 2019, the first woman to hold the position.
 Second in this list is Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, she is the first
woman to become the head of the European Central Bank.
 This is followed by US Vice President Kamala Harris and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
respectively.

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 4. Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2024
 The Climate Change Performance Index was released by the German Watch organization during
the global climate talks (COP28) being held in Dubai.
 India has ranked 7th in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) – 2024, underscoring its
significant role and contribution to the ongoing global efforts aimed at mitigating climate change.
About CCPI:
 The CCPI, published annually since 2005, is an independent monitoring tool to track countries'
climate protection performance.
 It is published by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network
International.
 It points to the climate mitigation efforts of 63 countries and the European Union, which collectively
account for more than 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
 Performance metrics: The CCPI evaluates countries in four key categories: greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions (40%), renewable energy (20%), energy use (20%), and climate policy (20%).
 CCPI 2024: No country performed well enough across all index categories to earn a very high overall

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rating. Therefore the first three overall positions remain vacant.
 Denmark took fourth place, Estonia came fifth and Philippines took the top rank at sixth place.
 India's ranking in CCPI 2024: India moved up from 8th position in CCPI 2023 to 7th position in

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CCPI 2024. Interestingly, due to the absence of countries in the first three positions, India is
effectively ranked fourth in global climate performance.

India's scores and rankings in key categories:

 GHG Emissions and Energy Use: India ranks 9th in GHG emissions and 10th in energy use

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among the countries assessed, mainly due to its low per capita energy use, which is a factor
strengthening its climate position.
 Moreover, in the per capita GHG category, the country is on track to meet the below 2°C
benchmark.
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 Climate Policy: India ranked 10th in climate policy, showing moderate progress compared to its
performance in the previous assessment.
 Renewable Energy: India's performance was more moderate, ranking 37th and barely in the 'high'
performance category.
 This position represents a decline from 24th place in CCPI 2023.
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 Global Context and Comparative Analysis:
 G20-Performance: Only three G20 countries/regions are among the high performers in CCPI 2024,
with India (7th), Germany (14th) and EU (16th) ranked.
 G20 members are responsible for more than 75% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.
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 Developed Countries: Many developed countries, especially including the United Kingdom, United
States, Italy, etc., showed poor performance compared to the CCPI 2023 indicating lack of
adequate progress in combating climate change.
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 5. Mercer's 2023 Quality of Life Index
 According to Mercer's 2023 Quality of Life Index, Pune boasts the Number City Location
second best quality of life in India, after Hyderabad. 1 Vienna - 1
 Collects data from over 500 cities and considers various factors 2 Zurich - 2
such as climate, schools and education, disease and hygiene 3 vancouver - 3
standards, violence and crime, physical remoteness, ease of 4 Hyderabad - 153
communication and socio-political environment. 5 Pune - 154
6 Bengaluru - 156

6. Access to Logistics (LEADS) Report 2023 has been released by

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal
 Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh and Gujarat Delhi, Assam, Haryana, Punjab,
Telangana, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh have been classified as "Achievers" in Logistics Ease
(LEADS) 2023.

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 Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,
Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Puducherry have been included as "Fast Movers".
 The “Aspirational” category includes Goa, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal

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Pradesh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli,
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Note -
 LEADS is an indigenous data-driven index to assess logistics infrastructure, services and human
resources across all 36 states and union territories.

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 The first logistics report was released in 2018.

7. According to the World Bank's Migration and Development

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Report, India is on top in terms of receiving migrants in 2023
Top five countries in terms of
 NRIs sent an estimated $125 billion to India in 2023.
remittances received from
 The amount of money sent to India by migrants in the South-
immigrants:
Asian region increased.
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1. India 125 billion dollars,
2. Mexico 67 billion dollars
3. China 50 billion dollars
4. Philippines $40 billion
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5. Egypt $24 billion

8. Global Study on Homicide Report 2023

 According to UNODC's Global
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Study on Homicide Report

2023, about 0.5% or 300
homicides recorded in India
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between 2019 and 2021 were

exclusively linked to water-
related conflicts.
 The report, released on 12
December, highlights the
prevalence of violence linked to
disputes over water resources.
 The UNODC report draws
attention to the international
impact of natural resource
depletion on homicides.

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 9. QS Sustainability Ranking 2024
 Delhi University (DU) has been ranked
220th globally in the QS Sustainability
Rankings 2024, announced in December
2023.
 The QS Sustainability Rankings 2024
include 1,397 institutions from 95
countries.
 Delhi University has achieved 16th rank
globally in environmental education.
Ranking of Indian Institutions in QS
Sustainability Ranking 2024:
1. Delhi University:- 220
2. IIT Bombay:- 303
3. IIT Madras:- 344

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4. IIT Kharagpur:- 349
5. IIT Roorkee:- 387
6. IIT Delhi:- 426

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QS Sustainability Ranking 2024
1. University of Toronto
2. University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
3. University of Manchester

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 Sports
1. National Sports Awards 2023
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2023:
1. Mr. Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty- Badminton
2. Sri Rankireddy Satwik Sai Raj- Badminton

Dronacharya Award 2023 for outstanding coaches in sports

1. Regular Category -
Sl.No. Name of coach Competition

1. Mr. Lalit Kumar Wrestling

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2. Shri R B Ramesh Chess

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3. Shri Mahavir Prasad Saini Para athletics

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4. Shri Shivendra Singh Hockey

5. Shri Ganesh Prabhakar Devrukhkar Malkhamb

2 Lifetime Category:
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Sl.No. name of coach Competition
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1. Mr. Jaskirat Singh Grewal Golf

2. Mr. Bhaskaran E Kabaddi

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3. Shri Jayant Kumar Pushilal Table tennis

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Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2023:

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1. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar Winning University for Overall Top Performing

2. Lovely Professional University, Punjab First runner up university

3. Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra Second runner up university

Note -
 'Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award' is given for brilliant and outstanding performance in the
field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of last four years.
 The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy is awarded to the overall top performing university in
the inter-university tournament.

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 2. Vaishali Rameshbabu 84th Grandmaster of India
 Chennai's Vaishali Rameshbabu has become Other facts:
India's 84th Grandmaster after crossing 2500  83rd Grandmaster – Aditya Samant
yellow rating during the IV Allobregate Open  82nd Grandmaster – Vuppala Praneeth
2023 in Barcelona, Spain.  81st Grandmaster – Sayatan Das
 Vaishali has become the third woman
 80th Grandmaster – Vignesh NR
Grandmaster of India after Koneru Humpy and
Harika Dronavalli. About the International Chess Federation
 Vaishali has achieved this feat by defeating (FIDE):
Turkish FM Tamer Tarik Celebs (2238 ratings).  The International Chess Federation (FIDE)
 Vaishali is the sister of FIDE World Cup runner- is the governing body of the game of chess
up R Praggnanandhaa and has become the first and controls all international chess
Indian brother-sister pair to attain Grandmaster competitions.
status in chess.  It was started in 1924 from Paris.
 Vaishali is currently ranked 11th in the world  It was recognized as a global sports

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and second in India in the women's rankings organization by the International Olympic
with a live rating of 2501.5. Committee in the year 1999.
 Headquarters- Lausanne (Switzerland)
Grandmaster in India:

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 Chairman- Arkady Dvorkovich
 Viswanathan Anand is the first Indian player to
 Vice President – Vishwanathan Anand
become a chess grandmaster.
 Koneru Humpy is the first Indian woman to win the Grandmaster title.
 R Praggnanandhaa has become the youngest chess grandmaster.

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 Tamil Nadu is the Indian state with the most number of Grandmaster titles.
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3. Syed Modi India International Badminton Tournament 2023

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 The Syed Modi India International Badminton Tournament 2023 was held from November 28 to
December 3, 2023 at the Babu Banarasi Das Badminton Academy, Lucknow.
 Around 250 shuttlers from 19 countries competed for titles in men's singles, women's singles, men's
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doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

About Syed India International Badminton
Championship:
Syed Modi India International 2023 Badminton
 The tournament was started by the Uttar
Winners:
Pradesh Badminton Association (UPBA) in
 Men's Singles: Chi Yu Jen (Chinese Taipei)
1991 as the 'Syed Modi Memorial
 Women's Singles: Nojomi Okuhara (Japan) Badminton Tournament' in memory of
 Men's Doubles: Choong Hon Jian/Haikal Commonwealth Games champion Syed
Muhammad (Malaysia) Modi.
 Women's doubles: Rin Iwanaga/Ki Nakanishi  It remained a national level tournament
(Japan) from its inauguration until 2003.
 Mixed doubles: Dejan Ferdinandsyah/Gloria  In 2004 it was organized for the first time
Emmanuel Widjaja (Indonesia) as an international event.

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 4. Germany won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup
 Germany won the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in 2023. Germany defeated France 4–3 in
a penalty shootout in the final held in Indonesia on December 2, 2023.
 This historic win makes Germany the first team to win both the World and European age group
titles in the same year.
 The FIFA U-17 World Cup is a
biennial international football
tournament contested by the men's
under-17 national teams.
 This was the first time that
Indonesia hosted a FIFA
tournament and the first time that
the FIFA U-17 World Cup was held
in Southeast Asia.
 The Germany men's national

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football team is one of the most
successful national teams at the
FIFA World Cup. It has won the
FIFA World Cup four times.

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5. IBA Junior World Boxing Championships 2023

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 Recently the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships 2023 was held in Yerevan, Armenia from 23
November to 4 December 2023.
 The Indian contingent won a total of 17 medals including three gold, nine silver and five bronze
medals at the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships.

List of Indian medal winners:

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Women's Category:
 Gold: Payal (48 kg), Nisha (52 kg) and Akanksha (70 kg)
 Silver: Amisha (54 kg), Vini (57 kg), Shrushti Sathe (63 kg), Megha (80 kg) and Prachi Tokas (above
80 kg).
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 Bronze: Neha Lunthi (46 kg), Pari (50 kg), Nidhi Dhull (66 kg) and Krutika (75 kg).
Men's Category:
 Silver: Jatin (54 kg), Sahil (75 kg), Hardik Panwar (80 kg) and Hemant Sangwan (above 80 kg).
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 Bronze:Sikander (48 kg)

6. Guwahati Masters 2023 Badminton

 Indian women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto have won the Guwahati
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Masters 2023 badminton tournament title.

 The Indian women's pair defeated Chinese Taipei's Tsung Shuo-yun and Yu Chien Hui 21-13, 21-
19.
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 Guwahati Masters 2023 was held at Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium of ‘Sarusajai Sports
Complex’, Guwahati from 5-10 December 2023.
 Currently, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto are seeded second in the BWF Super 100
tournament.
 The results of the Guwahati Masters 2023 badminton tournament will be included in the qualifying
rankings of players for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto won other titles:
 Indian badminton pair Ashwini and Tanisha had won the Abu Dhabi Masters Super 100
tournament earlier this year.
 Ashwini and Tanisha also made it to the finals of the Syed Modi International Super 300
tournament in Lucknow last week. But they lost to Japan's Rin Iwanaga and Ki Nakanishi in the
title decider.
 Ashwini and Tanisha started playing together in January this year. She also represented the Indian
team in the Hangzhou Asian Games.
 Earlier, Ponnappa had achieved many successes with Jwala Gatta. He won the bronze medal with
Jwala in the 2011 World Championships and gold and silver medals in the 2010 and 2014
Commonwealth Games respectively.

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 Other winners of Guwahati Masters 2023 Badminton Tournament:
 Men's Singles:- Yohannes Sot Marcelino (Indonesia)
 Women's Singles:- Lalinrat Chaiwan (Thailand)
 Men's Doubles:- Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal (Malaysia)
 Women's Doubles:- Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto (India)
 Mixed Doubles:- Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei Han Jessica (Singapore)

7. Italy wins Admiral Cup 2023

 The Italian team, led by Midshipman Avalon Antonio and Midshipman Creati Carlo Leonardo, won
the Admiral Cup 2023 and the Indian team was the runner-up of this competition.

Other facts:
 The 12th edition of the ‘Admiral’s Cup’ Sailing Regatta was held at Ettikulam Beach, Indian Naval
Academy (INA), Ezhimala from 5-8 December 2023.
 Seaman Gorkunov Petr of Russia took first place in the men's individual event.

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 Britain's Officer Cadet Lucy Bell stood first in the women's individual event.
 43 people, including 8 women, took part in the Admiral's Cup sailing competition.
 Started in 2010, this edition of the Admiral's Cup Sailing Regatta 2023 saw participation from 20

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countries and Indian teams from Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala and National Defense Academy,
Khadakwasla.
 Vice Admiral Puneet K Bahal, Commandant, Indian Naval Academy, as the Chief Guest, presented
the 'Admiral's Cup', Runner-up Trophy and individual awards to the winners during the closing

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ceremony.

8. Kashvi Gautam becomes the most expensive uncapped player in

the Women's Premier League, 2024 auction
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 Chandigarh's uncapped all-rounder Kashvi Most expensive players in WPL mini-
Gautam bagged a lucrative deal worth Rs 2 crore auction:
with Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier  Annabel Sutherland joins DC for Rs 2
League (WPL) 2024 auction in Mumbai. crore.
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 Kashvi, a 20-year-old right-arm fast bowler with  Kashvi Gautam joins GG for Rs 2 crore.
powerful batting skills, took ten wickets,  Vrinda Dinesh joins UPW for Rs 1.3 crore.
including a hat-trick, in an ODI against  Shabnim Ismail joins MI for Rs 1.2 crore.
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Arunachal Pradesh in the women's domestic  Phoebe Lichfield joins GG for Rs 1 crore.
under-19 tournament in 2020.  Global Partnership on Artificial
Intelligence Summit, 2023:

9. Ashwini and Tanisha won the doubles title of Guwahati Masters

23
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 India's Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto have won the women's doubles title at the Guwahati
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Masters 2023 badminton tournament on December 10.

 Guwahati Masters 2023 was held at the Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium at 'Sarusajai
Sports Complex', Guwahati.
 Ashwini and Tanisha defeated Tsung Shuo Yun and Yu Chien Hui of Taipei to win their second title
in women's doubles.

Other winners of Guwahati Masters 2023 Badminton

Tournament:
 Men's Singles:- Yohannes Sot Marcelino (Indonesia)
 Women's Singles:- Lalinrat Chaiwan (Thailand)
 Men's Doubles:- Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad
Haikal (Malaysia)
 Women's Doubles:- Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha
Crasto (India)
 Mixed Doubles:- Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei
Han Jessica (Singapore)

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 10. International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF)
 Former tennis players Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj
have been elected to the International Tennis Hall of
Fame (ITHF).
 Leander Paes has won 18 Grand Slam titles in men's
doubles or mixed doubles. Vijay Amritraj is a former
sportsperson, broadcaster and promoter.
 Vijay Amritraj has been selected in the player as well as
contributor category
 Vijay Amritraj was a professional player in the 1970s
and 1980s. Amritraj helped India reach Davis Cup finals
in 1974 and 1987.
Note -
 Chinese player 'Li Na', who has won two Grand Slam titles, is the first Asian player to join the
women's category.

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11. Player of the Month

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 ICC has announced the names of the players selected as Men's and Women's Player of the Month for
November 2023.
 The Men's Player of the Month award has been given to Travis Head, who scored a century in the
World Cup final, while Bangladesh's spinner Nahida Akhtar has been awarded the ICC Women's

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Player of the Month award.

12. Asad Shafiq


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Pakistan's Asad Shafiq retired from all formats of cricket.
 Asad Shafiq, who played all three formats for Pakistan, was out of the team for the last three years.
 Asad played his last international match in August 2020,
which was a Test against England.
 He played his last ODI for the team in 2017 against
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Australia.
 Asad Shafiq, who entered international cricket in 2010,
played 77 Tests, 60 ODIs and 10 T20 International
matches in his career.
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 In 128 Test innings, he scored 4660 runs at an average

of 38.19, which included 12 centuries and 27 half-
centuries.
 Batting in 58 innings of ODI, he scored 1336 runs at an
average of 24.74, which included 9 half-centuries.
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 Apart from this, 192 runs came from his bat in 10 innings
of T20 International.
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13. Names of 17 players were recommended for Arjun Award

 Apart from Mohammed Shami, 16 other players have been nominated for the Arjuna Award.
 These include men's hockey players Krishna Bahadur Pathak and Sushila Chanu, archers Ojas
Praveen Deotale and Aditi Gopichand Swamy, boxer Mohammed Hussamuddin, chess player R
Vaishali, golfer Diksha Dagar, shooter Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar, wrestler Anant Panghal and
paddler Ayhika Mukherjee.
 Jar Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (Badminton).
 Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award: Kavita (Kabaddi), Manjusha Kanwar (Badminton), Vineet Kumar
Sharma (Hockey).
 Dronacharya Award: Ganesh Prabhakaran (Mallakhamb), Mahavir Saini (Para Athletics), Lalit
Kumar (Wrestling), RB Ramesh (Chess), Shivendra Singh (Hockey).

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 14. Honor Run – Indian Army Veterans Half Marathon
 ‘Honor Run – Indian Army Veterans Half
Marathon’ organised to pay tribute to the
historic military victory during the Kargil
War.
 It was organised by the Indian Army on
December 10, 2023 at the Jawaharlal
Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
 Organised under the theme ‘Honor Run’,
the event aims to foster a strong bond
between the Indian Army, veterans and
the public, especially the youth.
 Participants from diverse backgrounds
paid tribute to the bravehearts,
showcasing the country's capability,

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capacity and energy.

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15. Haryana won Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023 title by defeating
Rajasthan by 30 runs
 The tournament was held between 12 November and 15

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December 2023 in six different cities.
 The tournament consisted of 38 teams, divided into five
groups.
 Haryana's Sumit Kumar was chosen Player of the
Tournament.
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 Arsalan Khan (508) of Chandigarh team has scored the
most runs in the tournament while Varun Chakraborty
(19) of Tamil Nadu team has taken the most wickets.
 Vijay Hazare Trophy is known as Ranji One Day Trophy.
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 This tournament was started in the year 2002-03 as a
limited overs tournament.
 Most successful team – TN, Tamil Nadu (5 titles)
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16. Track Athlete of the Year

 Noah Lyles and Faith Kipyegon were named Track Athletes of the Year by World Athletics.
 American athlete Noah Lyles wins three gold medals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Other winners of the World Athletics Awards 2023:
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 Athlete of the Year – Women's Out of Stadium:

Tigast Assefa (Ethiopia)
 Athlete of the Year – Women's Field: Yulimar Rojas
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(Venezuela's 'Queen of the Triple Jump')

 Athlete of the Year – Men's Field: Armand 'Mondo'
Duplantis (Sweden)
 Athlete of the Year – Men's Out of Stadia: Kelvin
Kiptom (Kenya).
 Rising Star of the Year – Faith Cherotich and
Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Kenya).

17. 1st Khelo India Para Games (KIPG) 2023

 The first Khelo India Para Games (KIPG) 2023 concluded in New Delhi.
 KIPG 2023 mascot: Ujjwala (little sparrow)
 A total of 7 sports events were organized in the first Khelo India Para Games. Mainly these are- Para
Athletics, Para Shooting, Para Archery, Para Football, Para Badminton, Para Table Tennis and
Para

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 18. Under-19 Asia Cup
 In the final match played in Dubai, Bangladesh team won the Under-19 Asia Cup title by defeating
host UAE by 195 runs.
 Bangladesh opener Ashiqur Rahman Shibli was declared the player of the match.

19. BBC Sports Personality of the Year

 England goalkeeper Mary Earps has been named BBC's Sports Personality of the Year for 2023
Other winners of BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023:
 Helen Rollason Award: Fatima Whitbread
 Coach of the Year: Pep Guardiola
 Team of the Year: Manchester City
 Youth Sports Personality of the Year: Mia Brooks
 Lifetime Achievement: Sir Kenny Dalgleish

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 Unsung Hero: Des Smith
 World Sports Star: Erling Haaland
Note -

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 Mary Alexandra Earps:
 Mary Earps was born on March 7, 1993. Earps is
an English professional footballer.
 Earps serves as a goalkeeper for both Manchester United and the England national team in the
Women's Super League.

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 Earps has been the vice-captain for England at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
 He earned the Golden Glove award as the tournament's top goalscorer.
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20. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced its
annual awards on 19 December 2023
FIH Awards for 2023:
 Player of the Year (Male): Hardik Singh (India)
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 Player of the Year (Women): Janne de Waard (Netherlands)
 Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): Pirmin Black (Dutch)
 Goalkeeper of the Year (Women): Savita (India)
 Rising Stars (Men): Gaspard Xavier (FRA)
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 Rising Stars (Women): Teresa Lima (ESP)

 Coach of the Year (Men): Andre Henning, Germany (Head Coach of the German Men's Team)
 Coach of the Year (Women): Alison Annan, Australia (Chief Women's Team Head Coach)
 Umpire of the Year (Male): Ben Göntgen (Germany)
 Umpire of the Year (Women): Ayana McLean (Trinidad and Tobago)
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Hardik Singh
 Hardik Singh is the main pillar of the Indian hockey team as well as the vice-captain.
 Hardik Singh has appeared in a total of 114 international matches
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Savita
 Savita is currently the captain of the Indian women's team. Savita has received the FIH Women
Goalkeeper of the Year Award for the third consecutive year.
 Earlier, Savita had received the FIH Women Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022.

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 21. Mitchell Starc becomes the most expensive player in IPL
history
Most expensive players in IPL history:
1. Mitchell Starc - Kolkata Knight Riders - 24.5 Crore - 2024
2. Pat Cummins - Sunrisers Hyderabad - 20.5 Crore - 2024
3. Sam Curran - Punjab Kings - 18.5 Crore - 2023
4. Cameron Green - Mumbai Indians - 17.5 Crore - 2023
5. Ben Stokes - Chennai Super Kings - 16.25 Crore - 2023
6. Chris Morris - Rajasthan Royals - 16.25 Crore - 2021
7. Nicholas Pooran - Lucknow Super Giants - 16.00 Crore - 2023
8. Yuvraj Singh - Delhi Daredevils - Rs 16.00 crore - 2015 (Most expensive Indian player)
 Note - IPL Chairman - Arun Dhumal

22. Amitabh Bachchan bought Mumbai in the Indian Street Premier

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League (ISPL)
 Actor Amitabh Bachchan on Monday announced becoming the owner of the Mumbai team in the

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Indian Street Premier League (ISPL).
 ISPL is India's first tennis ball T10 cricket tournament which will be played inside the stadium.
 The first such tournament in the country will be organised in Mumbai from March 2 to 9.
 19 matches will be played in the tournament in which six teams are Hyderabad, Mumbai,

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Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Srinagar.
 Amitabh Bachchan will help those playing cricket on street corners to play in the stadium and
showcase their talent. PL
23. Bodhana Shivanandan
 Indian-origin British schoolgirl Bodhana Sivanandan
won the title of best female chess player in the 'Super
Talented' European Championship
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 Bodhana recently defeated the best players in the world in
a tough competition in Zagreb, Croatia.
 In the women's category, Bodhana won the first prize by
scoring 8.5 marks out of 13.
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Note -
 International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation
(FIDE):
 It was established on 20 July 1924 and its headquarters is
in Lausanne (Switzerland).
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 Member countries: 199 member countries

 FIDE regulates all international chess competitions.
 FIDE is formed as a non-governmental organization.
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24. Chennai Grand Masters 2023

 Indian chess player Domraju Gukesh wins Chennai Grand Masters 2023 tournament
 Gukesh won the title in this tournament on 21 December 2023 by holding compatriot Pantala
Harikrishna to a draw.
 Arjun Erigaisi had secured second place in this tournament.
 Pantala Harikrishna stood third with 4 points
International Chess Federation (FIDE):
 The International Chess Federation was founded on
20 July 1924.
 The headquarters of the International Chess
Federation (FIDE) is located in Lausanne,
Switzerland.
 Currently it includes about 199 member countries.
 FIDE is a non-governmental organization. FIDE
organizes the World Chess Championship.

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 25. Prestigious Best Male and Best Female Athlete awards at the
first Disabled Sports Awards
lifetime Achievement Award:
 Awarded to India's first Paralympic gold medalist and freestyle swimmer Murlikant Petkar.
Best Coach Award:
 Awarded to renowned para-badminton coach Gaurav Khanna.
Best Academy Award:
 Gaurav Khanna was awarded the Best Academy Award by Excellia Badminton Academy.
Major Dhyan Chand Team of the Year Award:
 The Indian Blind Chess Team (which won gold and several medals at the Hangzhou Para Games)
was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Team of the Year Award.
Best Male Athlete -
Sumit Antil -
 Won gold medals in the men's javelin throw F64 category at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and
2023 World Para Athletics Championships.

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 He holds the current world record with a throw of
73.29 meters at the 2022 Asian Para Games in
Hangzhou.

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Best female athlete
 Sheetal Devi is an armless para archer from
Loidhar village in Kishtwar district of Jammu
and Kashmir.

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 Sheetal Devi had won two gold and one silver medal
in the Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China.
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26. 85th Senior National Badminton Championship 2023
 It was organized in Guwahati from 18 to 24 December 2023.
 Chirag Sen and Anmol Kharb have won the men's and women's singles titles respectively at the
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85th Senior National Badminton Championship 2023.

events winner runner up

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Single male) Chirag Sen M. Tharun

Single (female) priceless trillion Tanvi Sharma

Couple (men) K Prithvi Roy-Suraj Gola Krishna Prasad Garaga -

Vishnuvardhan Gaur Panjala
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Couple Priya Devi Konjengbam-Shruti Ritika Thakar-Simran Singh

(Women) Mishra
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Mixed double Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto Nitin Kumar-Navdha

Mangalam

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 27. 75th Inter State-Inter Zonal Badminton Championship 2023
 75th Inter State-Inter Zonal Badminton
Championship organized in Guwahati
 In this competition, the title of women's
category was won by Maharashtra and
the title of men's category was won by
Airport Authority of India (AAI).

28. Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) suspended

 The Sports Ministry suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) just three days after
its formation.

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Reasons for suspending:
 After being made the President of the Wrestling Federation of India, Sanjay Singh announced plans
to organize a national competition for the under-15 and under-20 age groups in Gonda, Uttar
Pradesh but no prior notice was given to the wrestlers.

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 The ministry said that such decisions are taken by the Executive Committee of the Federation,
before which such an agenda is required to be placed for consideration.

29. Vita Dani

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 Sports entrepreneur Vita Dani is the first Indian to be appointed as the governing board member of
the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Foundation.
 Vita Dani, through her organization, Dani
Foundation, has been instrumental in
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shaping the upward trajectory of table tennis
in India.
 Vita Dani is also the co-owner of Chennaiyin
Football Club, a leading team of the Indian
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Super League (ISL).
Note:
 The International Table Tennis Federation
was established in 1926.
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 Its headquarters is located in Lausanne,

Switzerland.

30. Indian wrestler Pooja Dhanda suspended for one year

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 Internationally renowned athlete Indian wrestler Pooja Dhanda has been suspended for one year
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by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) due to three whereabouts failures.

 The suspension began retroactively to June 15, 2023.
Hideout Failures and NADA Regulations:
 NADA, established in 2005, is India's central anti-doping agency responsible for testing athletes
to ensure fair competition and adherence to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.
 Elite athletes like Pooja, included in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP), will have to provide a 60-
minute window for possible testing during the year.
 Failure to comply with these obligations is considered a whereabouts failure, with three such
failures within 12 months resulting in suspension.
Note:
 NADA, established in 2005, is India's central anti-doping agency responsible for testing athletes to
ensure fair competition and adherence to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.

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 Day
1. World AIDS Day 2023
 Every year, World AIDS Day is observed on December 1st.
 The theme for World AIDS Day 2023 is "Let Communities Lead."
 The theme for the year 2022 was "Equalise."

About World AIDS Day:

 World AIDS Day is commemorated on December 1st
each year to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
 It was first observed in 1988 when the World
Health Organization (WHO) designated this day to
promote awareness and understanding of the
HIV/AIDS epidemic.

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What is HIV/AIDS?
 Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a
chronic disease caused by the human

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immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
 HIV attacks the body's immune system, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and
diseases.
 If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS.

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Transmission:
 It is a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
 It can also be spread by contact with infected blood, and by illicit injection drug use, or sharing
needles.
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 It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding.

2. National Farmers Day

 'National Farmers Day' is celebrated every year
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on 23 December to commemorate the birth
anniversary of former Prime Minister Chaudhary
Charan Singh.
 The theme of "National Farmers Day 2023" is:
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'Providing Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food

Security and Resilience'
 The first National Farmers Day was celebrated on
23 December 2001.
Chaudhary Charan Singh
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 Former Prime Minister of India Chaudhary Charan

Singh was born on 23 December 1902 in Noorpur
village in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh.
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 Shri Singh was first elected to the Uttar Pradesh

Assembly from Chhaprauli in 1937.
 He represented his constituency in the Legislative
Assembly in 1946, 1952, 1962 and 1967.
 Chaudhary Charan Singh became the Chief
Minister of Uttar Pradesh for short periods twice.
 Chaudhary Charan Singh was also the Prime Minister of India between 28 July 1979 and 14
January 1980.

3. World Soil Day 2023

 Every year December 5 is celebrated as World Soil Day by the United Nations.
 Theme of the year 2023: Soil and Water, a Source of Life.
 A study conducted by American and Australian researchers and presented in a technical report in
August 2023 shows the relationship between soil micronutrient levels and the nutritional status of
individuals in India.

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 World Soil Day:
 International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) recommended this
day in 2002.
 World Soil Day, observed on 5 December each year,
emphasises the vital role of soil in sustaining life.
 World Soil Day 2023 (WSD) and its campaign aims to
raise awareness on the importance and connection
between soil and water in achieving sustainable and
resilient agri-food systems.
Other facts:
 An international day to celebrate soils was
recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.
 The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official
adoption at the 68th United Nations General Assembly.
 In December 2013 the United Nations General Assembly designated 5 December 2014 as the first
official World Soil Day.

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4. Good Governance Day

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 'Good Governance Day' is celebrated every 25 December on the birth anniversary of former
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
 On 23 December 2014, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and late Madan Mohan Malviya
were honored with Bharat Ratna.

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 Good Governance Day was inaugurated on 25 December 2014.
 3 new features My iGOT, Blended Program and Curated Program launched on iGOT Karmayogi
platform.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee:
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 Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924 in Gwalior (now a part of Madhya
Pradesh).
 He entered national politics during the Quit India Movement of 1942
 First time became Prime Minister in 1996 for a period of 13 days, second time became Prime
Minister for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999. Became Prime Minister for the third time for
a full term from 1999 to 2004.
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5. International mountain day

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 'International Mountain Day' is celebrated International human rights day

every year on 11 December.  Every year 10 December is celebrated as
 It is an annual festival organised by the 'International Human Rights Day'.
United Nations General Assembly.  The theme of Human Rights Day this year is:
 Theme of 2023 is Restoring Mountain 'Liberty, equality and justice for all'
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Ecosystems  This day is celebrated to commemorate the day in

International mountain day 1948 when the "Universal Declaration of Human
 The United Nations Headquarters (New Rights" was approved by the United Nations
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York) launched the International Year of General Assembly.

Mountains on 11 December 2001.  The UNHRC consists of 47 United Nations
 'International Year of Mountains' was member states elected by the United Nations
celebrated in the year 2022. General Assembly (UNGA).
 The first International Mountain Day was  The head office of the United Nations Human
celebrated on 11 December 2003. Rights Council is in Geneva, Switzerland.
 Mountains cover about 27 percent of the  UNHRC President: Václav Balek
Earth's land area.
 About 15% of the world's population currently lives in various mountainous regions.

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 6. Indian Navy Day
 Indian Navy Day, celebrated every year on 4 Other facts:
December, commemorates the success of  Operation Trident was a defining moment
"Operation Trident" during the Indo-Pak war during the 1971 conflict, demonstrating the
of 1971. strategic might of the Indian Navy by using
 The main theme of Indian Navy Day 2023 is Soviet Osa missile boats armed with 4 SS-N-2
"Operational Efficiency, Readiness and Styx missiles to disable three ships near
Mission Achievement in the Maritime Karachi port. It was done.
Domain".  Presently Commander Prerna Devasthali will
be the first woman officer of the Indian Navy to
command an Indian Naval Warship (waterjet
FAC INS Trinkat).

7. Prime Minister of India paid tribute to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur on

his martyrdom day

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About Guru Tegh Bahadur:
 Guru Tegh Bahadur's name was earlier Teyag Mal.

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 He was the ninth of the ten Gurus of Sikhism.
 His father and the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Hargobind Sahib (1595–1644) changed the name
to Tegh Bahadur.
 He got this name because of his fighting and sword skills on the battlefield.

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 He built the city of Anandpur Sahib (in Rupnagar/Ropar district, on the edge of the Shivalik Hills,
near the Sutlej River).
 He was publicly beheaded in Delhi in 675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
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8. Himachal Pradesh organises 15-day 'Snow Festival'
 Himachal Pradesh 15-day 'Him Mahotsav' will be organised in New Delhi from 16 to 30 December.
 The aim of the Him Mahotsav is to provide a platform to artisans and craftsmen to showcase their
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talents and products.
 Marketing the state goods at national and international level.
 Showcasing the rich crafts, handlooms and cuisines of the state.
 Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) will be the nodal department for the
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'Snow Craft Festival'. Rural Development Department will be the partner for 'Him Shilp Mahotsav'

9. Vijay Diwas
 Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on 16 December in the country.
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 On this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to the heroes of India's victory over
Pakistan in the 1971 war.
 Vijay Diwas is celebrated to commemorate the victory of the Indian Armed Forces in 'Operation:
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Vijay' against the intruding Pakistanis.

 Southern Star Vijay Run 2023”, organised by Headquarters Southern Command, is being celebrated
to commemorate the 53rd Victory Day

10. International migrants day

 Every year on 18 December, International Migrants Day is celebrated with the aim of respecting
migrants and treating them fairly.
 This year the theme of International Migrants Day 2023 is "Act Today"

Note -
 The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families on 18 December
1990.
 On 4 December 2000, the UNGA recognized the increasing number of migrants in the world and
designated 18 December as International Migrants Day.
 Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas is celebrated on 9 January.

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 11. National Energy Conservation Day (NECD)
 National Energy Conservation Day (NECD) is
celebrated every year on 14 December.
 President Draupadi Murmu attended the NECD
2023 ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 14
December 2023.
 National Energy Conservation Day was organized by
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). It comes under
the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
 The Government of India established the Bureau of
Energy Efficiency (BEE) on 1 March 2002 under the
provisions of the Energy Conservation Act.

12. Goa liberation day

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 Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on 19 December to commemorate independence from
Portuguese rule following a military operation called 'Operation Vijay'.
 In the year 1510, the Portuguese established their colonies in many parts of India but till the end of

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the 19th century, the Portuguese colonies in India remained limited to Daman, Diu, Goa, Dadra,
Nagar Haveli and Anjediva Island.
 The Goa Liberation Movement sought to end Portuguese colonial rule in Goa. The movement began
as a small-scale rebellion but reached its peak between 1940 and 1960.

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 This movement ended only after India took over Goa in 1961.
 On 30 May 1987, Goa was given the status of a full state and Daman and Diu was given the status
of a union territory. PL
13. National Mathematics Day (NMD)
 Every year 22 December is celebrated as National Mathematics Day (NMD) in the memory of
Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan.
 Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh launched the celebration of NMD on 22 December
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2012, on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
 On this occasion the year “2012” was declared as the National Mathematics Year.
Ramanujan's contribution to mathematics:
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 Ramanujan compiled approximately 3,900 results

(equations and identities) in his short life of 32 years.
 Ramanujan's main works include the infinite series of
Pi.
 George Andrews discovered one of Ramanujan's
notebooks in the library of Trinity College in 1976.
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 Ramanujan contributed to many other notable areas

related to mathematics.
These areas mainly include the following:
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 hyper geometric series

 riemann series
 elliptic integral
 simulated theta function
 divergent series theory

14. 'Veer Bal Diwas' organized at Bharat Mandapam

 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will participate in the program organized on the occasion of
'Veer Bal Diwas' at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 26 December 2023.
About Veer Bal Diwas:
 Veer Bal Diwas is celebrated every year on 26 December.
 This festival honors the martyrdom of Sahibzade Baba Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh of 10th Guru
Gobind Singh Ji.
 The Prime Minister had announced to celebrate 26th December as "Veer Bal Diwas", coinciding
with the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji on 9th January 2022.

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 15. International Epidemic Preparedness Day

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 December 27 is celebrated as International Epidemic Preparedness Day all over the world.
 To raise awareness about the pandemic by exchanging information, sharing scientific knowledge

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and best practices internationally.
Note:
 The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on 7 December 2020. The resolution
declares December 27 as International Epidemic Preparedness Day.

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 The first International Day for Epidemic Preparedness was observed on 27 December 2020.
Major health related days:
1. World Cancer Day – 4 February (2023
theme: "Close the care gap")
2. World Tuberculosis Day – 24 March
(Theme for 2023: Yes! We can end TB!)
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3. World Health Day – 7 April (Theme for
2023: Health for All)
4. World Malaria Day – 25 April (Theme for
2023: “Time to delivery to zero malaria:
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investment, innovation, implementation)
5. World Homeopathy Day - 10 April (Theme
for 2023: 'Homeopathy - Health for All, One Health, One Family')
6. International Day of Yoga – 21 June (Theme for 2023: 'Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam')
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7. World Rabies Day – 28 September (Theme for 2023: “All for 1, One Health for All”)
8. World Diabetes Day – 14 November (Theme for 2023: “Access to Diabetes Care”)
9. World AIDS Day – 1 December (Theme for 2023: "Let communities lead")
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 Appointment
1. P Devasthali is the first woman to command an Indian Naval
warship
 Commander Prerna Devasthali has been First woman officer in Indian Army:
appointed as the first woman officer to  First Indian female cadet to join Indian Army -
command a warship in the Indian Navy. Priya Jhingan
 Commander Devasthali will command the  Padma Bandopadhyay was the first woman
warship of the Western Fleet of the Indian pilot of the Indian Air Force.
Navy.  Avani Chaturvedi, the first woman officer of
 Commander Prerna Devasthali is currently the Indian Air Force, served as Squadron
the First Lieutenant of the warship INS Leader and Wing Commander.
Chennai.  The first woman fighter pilot of the Indian Air
Force was Mohana Singh.

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Other facts:
Indian Navy Commands:  Group Captain Shalija Dhami is the first
 There are three commands in the Indian woman officer of the Air Force to be a frontline
Navy. combat helicopter pilot.

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 Eastern Naval Command – Headquartered at  Deepika Mishra is the first woman officer of
Visakhapatnam. the Air Force to be awarded the gallantry
 Western Naval Command – Headquartered in award.
Mumbai.  Indian Air Force Day is celebrated every year

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 Southern Naval Command – Headquartered on 8 October.
at Kochi.  Army Day is celebrated every year on 15
January.
 Indian Navy Day is celebrated every year on 4
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2. Manisha Padhi, first woman ADC appointed

 Squadron Leader Manisha Padhi was appointed Aide-de-Camp (ADC) by Mizoram Governor Dr. Hari
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Babu Kambhampati.

Other facts:
 Manisha is the first female Indian Armed Forces
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officer to be appointed as ADC to a Governor in

the country.
 Before this, Manisha Padhi has worked in many
different positions at Air Force Station, Pune,
Bidar and Bathinda.
 An Aide-de-Camp is a personal assistant or
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secretary to a person of high rank, including a

head of state.
 In India, Aide-de-Camp is a title of honour
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conferred with the post-nominal letters ADC.

3. Sameer Shah becomes BBC chief

 Recently, Indian-origin Sameer Shah has been named the new head of BBC by the British
government.
 Sameer Shah is the first person of Indian origin to reach the post of Chairman of BBC.

Other facts:
 Sameer Shah replaced Richard Schaap for this post, Richard Schaap had resigned from his post in
April 2023.
 Sameer Shah has over 40 years of experience in TV production and journalism. Shah was appointed
as the BBC's Head of TV Current Affairs in 1987.
 Shah was awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) award
by Queen Elizabeth in the year 2019 for services to television.

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 4. Uma Shekhar, the first Indian woman, was elected to the
Governing Council of UNIDROIT
 Uma Shekhar became the first Indian woman to hold a position on the Governing Council of the
prestigious Rome-based organisation.
 UNIDROIT, an independent intergovernmental organisation headquartered in Rome, Italy.
 UNIDROIT focuses on promoting uniformity in commercial law globally.
 UNIDROIT was initially established in 1926 as a part of the League of Nations.
 The organisation has 65 member countries from different continents, each of which reflects diverse
legal, economic, political systems and cultural backgrounds.

5. Justice Sanjeev Khanna

 The President has recently nominated Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the senior-most judge of the
Supreme Court, as the acting Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

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National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
 NALSA has been formed in 1995 under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free
legal services to the weaker sections of the society and to organize Lok Adalats for amicable

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resolution of disputes.
 The Chief Justice of India is the patron-head of NALSA.
 NALSA also conducts legal literacy programs through
State Legal Services Authorities.

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Public Court:
 It is one of the alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
 It is a forum where disputes/cases pending in court or at
pre-litigation stage are amicably settled or compromised.

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NALSA, in collaboration with other legal services
institutions, organizes Lok Adalats.
 No court fee is payable when a case is filed in Lok Adalat.
 The award (judgment) given by Lok Adalats is considered
to be the decree of a civil court and is final and binding on
all parties.
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 U.P. Special
1. Sanjay Singh (Uttar Pradesh) has been elected as the new
President of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)
 Sanjay Singh was appointed the President of the Wrestling Federation of India after defeating his
rival Anita Sheoran.
 Sakshi Malik, India's only female wrestler to win an Olympic medal, announced her
retirement after Sanjay Singh was elected president.
 Devendra of Assam has been elected Senior Vice President of IWF.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)
 The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is a governing body of wrestling.
 It was established in 1958 and is based in New Delhi.

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2. Culture Festival 2023'
 'Sanskriti Utsav 2023' was started in the state from

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25 December to 26 January 2024 to enrich the
cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh and make folk art
ubiquitous.
 Theme - Uttar Pradesh Mahotsav: Our Culture-Our

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Identity'
 This festival will be organized by the Culture
Department of Uttar Pradesh in the entire state.
 As part of the event, there will be dance competitions
related to Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi,
Mohiniyattam and other classical dances.
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 Similarly, there will be competitions in folk dance
like Dhobia, Ahirwa, Karma, Shaila, Domkach, Akhet and in folk drama, there will be competitions
like Nautanki, Ramlila, Raslila, Swang, Bhagat, Bahurupiya, street drama etc.
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3. Uttar Pradesh Pavilion to be displayed in Davos (Switzerland)
 The Uttar Pradesh Pavilion will be displayed for the first time at the World Economic Forum
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meeting to be held in Davos (Switzerland) from 14 to 20 January.

Objective of Uttar Pradesh Pavilion:
 Through the Uttar Pradesh Pavilion, people from all over the world will be able to see a glimpse of
the industrial development and culture of this place.
 Through the pavilion, efforts will be made to attract investors from all over the world to invest in
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Uttar Pradesh.
 One District-One Product (ODOP) to be presented at Uttar Pradesh Pavilion
About the World Economic Forum:
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 The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit organization.

 It was established in the year 1971 in Geneva (Switzerland).
 It is recognized by the Swiss government as an international organization for public-private
cooperation.
 Headquarters – Colony, Switzerland

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 4. The country's first artificial (AI) city
 The country's first AI city will be set up in Lucknow, India's largest state Uttar Pradesh.
 The initiative aims to create a thriving hub for artificial intelligence, integrating cutting-edge
technology, research centers and academic institutions to foster innovation and nurture the
workforce of the future.
 The nodal agency of this city is Uttar Pradesh Electronics Corporation Limited.
 The time limit to achieve this target has been fixed at 5 years.
 For the project, the developer companies will be given 40 acres of land at the prime location of
Nadarganj Industrial Area.

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