October - 2024 Current Affairs

Correct Answer :   IIT Bombay

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BharatGen, launched on September 30, 2024, is India's pioneering government-funded multimodal AI initiative aimed at developing generative AI systems in various Indian languages.

This initiative is led by IIT Bombay, which focuses on promoting social equity and cultural preservation.

The program seeks to enhance public service delivery and citizen engagement through foundational models in language, speech, and computer vision.

The TIH Foundation for IoT and IOE at IIT Bombay is implementing the project, with support from other esteemed institutions like IIT Hyderabad and IIM Indore, positioning India as a leader in generative AI.

Correct Answer :   Maharashtra

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Maharashtra has granted the title of Rajyamata (Mother) to desi cows, a unique recognition given to any animal for the first time.

This honour applies to native breeds like Devani, Lal Kandhari, Khillar, Dangi, and Gavlau, acknowledging their importance in terms of scientific, religious, and economic factors.

Additionally, the state has introduced a welfare scheme where owners of desi cows will receive a daily grant of ?50 per cow, enhancing the care and protection of these native breeds.

Correct Answer :   Uttar Pradesh

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Uttar Pradesh is set to establish three new medical colleges in Baghpat, Hathras, and Kasganj, adding 300 MBBS seats through a public-private partnership (PPP) model and the Central government's Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme.

This expansion is part of a larger plan to increase the state's medical infrastructure, with the total number of medical colleges rising from 39 in 2017 to 78. Since 2017, the state has seen a significant increase of 108% in MBBS seats and 181% in postgraduate medical seats.

Correct Answer :   Finland

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Finland, a recent NATO member, will host the Northern Land Command, strengthening the alliance's presence in northern Europe.

This strategic move aims to enhance deterrence and defence capabilities in the region.

The command, named Multi Corps Land Component Command, will operate under NATO's Norfolk Joint Force Command and Finland's land force command, with an initial annual budget of €8.5 million.

This development underscores Finland's commitment to regional security and its partnership with NATO, particularly following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Correct Answer :   Nagaland

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A new species of catfish, Exostoma sentiyonoae, was discovered in the Dzuleke River in Nagaland, which is part of the Barak River system.

The discovery was made by researchers Bungdon Shangningam from the Zoological Survey of India and Limatemjen from Kohima Science College.

The newly identified catfish, catalogued as holotype ZSI FF 9871, measures 75.8 mm in length.

This discovery adds to the rich biodiversity of Nagaland, a state known for its unique flora and fauna, further emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts in the region.

Correct Answer :   Shreyams Kumar

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M V Shreyams Kumar, managing director of the Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company, was on Friday elected president of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), an apex body of publishers of newspapers, magazines, and periodicals.

Kumar succeeds Rakesh Sharma of Aaj Samaj newspaper.

During the 85th annual general meeting of the INS, which was held through video-conferencing, Vivek Gupta of Sanmarg was elected deputy president, and Lokmat's Karan Rajendra Darda became vice president. Also, Amar Ujala's Tanmay Maheshwari was elected as honorary treasurer of the society.

Newly elected president Kumar has been a former Rajya Sabha MP. Apart from that, he has been a two-time MLA from Kerala and a member of the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United).
 
With a PG diploma in business administration, Kumar has been instrumental in expanding the presence of the publications of the Mathrubhumi group in the media landscape. Nine of the fourteen editions of the Mathrubhumi Daily were started under his watch. Also, Kumar helped in launching various platforms of Mathrubhumi to cater to the Malayalee diaspora living in West Asia and other foreign nations.

The 41-member executive committee includes Shivendra Gupta of Business Standard, S Balasubramanian Adityan of Daily Thanthi, Samahit Bal of Pragativadi, K N Tilak Kumar of Deccan Herald & Prajavani, Viveck Goenka of The Indian Express, Atideb Sarkar of The Telegraph, K R P Reddy of Sakshi, and Pratap G Pawar of Sakal..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   Sumant Kathpalia

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Sumant Kathpalia has been reappointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of IndusInd Bank for a three-year term from March 24, 2025, to March 23, 2028, pending approvals from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and shareholders.

Since joining IndusInd Bank in 2007, Kathpalia has played a crucial role in the bank’s turnaround and growth, implementing effective strategies in financial management, investor relations, and digitization. His extensive 36-year banking experience includes significant positions at Citibank, Bank of America, and ABN AMRO.