Correct Answer :   IIT Madras

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Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Researchers have developed a three-dimensional (3D) paper-based portable device that can detect adulteration in milk within 30 seconds. The test could be even performed at home.

* It can detect multiple substances commonly used as adulterating agents including Urea, detergents, soap, starch, hydrogen peroxide, sodium-hydrogen-carbonate, and salt, among others

* Unlike conventional laboratory-based methods to test the purity of milk, which are both expensive and time-consuming, this new technology is affordable and could also be used to test other liquids such as water, fresh juices, and milkshakes for traces of adulteration. Only a milliliter of any liquid would be as a sample to test for adulterants.

* This research was led by Dr. Pallab Sinha Mahapatra, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, along with Research Scholars Mr. Subhashis Patari and Dr. Priyankan Datta.

* Elaborating on the functioning of this paper-based device, Dr. Pallab Sinha Mahapatra, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, The 3D paper-based microfluidic device is made up of a top and bottom cover and a sandwich structure middle layer.  This 3D design works well for transporting denser liquids at a consistent speed. The paper is treated with reagents and is let to dry. Both paper layers are adhered to both sides of the support after drying, and the covers adhere with double-sided tape. Whatman filter paper grade 4 is used in this design, which aids liquid flow and allows for the storage of more reagents...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   SEBI

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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 29th March 2023 said it has allowed private equity (PE) funds to sponsor Mutual Fund schemes, and has also permitted the set-up of self-sponsored asset management companies (AMCs).

* The decisions were taken at the SEBI board meeting on March 29, where the regulator gave its nod to key overhauls.

* "We would like more innovation in the MF industry," SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch said, while commenting on the decision to allow the PE funds to sponsor MF schemes.

* "Self-sponsored AMC will also be now allowed...Once their kids become mature, sponsors can exit without having to find a new parents for this grown-up child," Buch said, adding that this issue is a "very significant liberation in MF industry".

* In January 2023 earlier this year, SEBI had released a consultation paper that reimagined the role of the sponsor. SEBI had invited public comments on the same.

* On 29th March 2023, it finally took the decision to allow new types of sponsors in the Rs 40 trillion Indian MF industry. In the next few days, SEBI will release detailed guidelines as to how the new type of trustees would look like and what safeguards have been put in place.

* For instance, as per SEBI's concept paper in January, schemes of a PE-owned fund house must maintain the same rigors and limits when it comes to investing in companies where the sponsor PE fund holds more than a 10 percent stake. Any such company headed for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) must also be avoided by the MF schemes..

Source : Money Control

Correct Answer :   United Arab Emirates

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched its National Genome Strategy, which aims to provide a comprehensive legislative and governance framework to support the development and implementation of genomic programs.

* The strategy will last ten years and will focus on delivering public health priorities while improving the country's well-being.

* The Emirates Genome Council, which was established in 2021, will oversee the National Genome Strategy.

* The council has made significant progress in laying the groundwork for regulatory, research, technological, and medical institutions to connect, collaborate, and develop high-quality medical applications and services.

* The Emirati Genome Program is considered one of the most comprehensive genomic initiatives in the world and will advance the nation's preventive and personalized healthcare agenda as it collaborates with research and medical institutions across the UAE.

Aim : To collect one million samples nationwide and currently contains whole genome sequencing data from around 400,000 citizens.

* The National Genome Strategy will support efficiency in the country’s healthcare sector through preventive medicine programmes that will focus on genetic risk and precision medicine programmes that target genetic and rare diseases.

* It will also support doctors in taking proactive steps to reduce the prevalence of certain diseases, enable early intervention, and help to identify the most effective treatments...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Ajay Singh

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Boxing Federation of India (BFI) chief "Ajay Singh" has been elected as the International Boxing Association (IBA) vice-president.

* Singh’s appointed was confirmed during the IBA board of directors meeting, which was held following the conclusion of the Women’s World Championships here on Sunday (26th March 2023).

* Singh, who is in his second term as the BFI president, becomes IBA’s third vice-president and will stay in the role till 2026 alongside Volodymyr Prodyvus of Ukraine and Serbia’s Abdulmutalim Abakarov.

* India hosted the Women’s World Championships for the third time and finished on top of the medals tally, fetching four golds.

* Last month, they jumped to the third spot in the IBA rankings.

* The BFI has also expressed interest in hosting the Men’s World Championships and is in talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the Paris Olympic qualifiers.

* “We will try to host all the big championships because that helps create a boxing culture in the country,” Singh had told reporters on the final day of the Women’s World Championships.

* Several other topics were also discussed during the meeting ranging from the upcoming Men’s World Championships in Tashkent to planning for future international events.

* The Croatian city of Porec will host the IBA Youth World Boxing Championships next year, while the IBA Junior World Championships this year in Mexico will see the return of competition for 15-16 year age group.

* Croatia has hosted some major continental-level boxing competitions, but the Youth World Championships will be the first in the country..

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   29th March 2023

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Vivan Sundaram, one of India's pioneering multidisciplinary artists, breathed his last on Wednesday (29th March 2023) morning. He was 79.

"Vivan Sundaram passed away this (29th March 2023) morning at 9.20 am. Further details of the cremation as decided will be communicated to you shortly," read a note issued by Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT), of which Sundaram was a founding trustee.

Social activist and friend Shabnam Hashmi said that Sundaram had been ailing for the past few months with multiple issues.

About Vivan Sundaram :

Born in Shimla in 1943 to parents Kalyan Sundaram, former chairman of Law Commission of India, and Indira Sher-Gil, sister of noted Indian modern artist Amrita Sher-Gil, the Delhi-based artist studied painting at MS University, Baroda and The Slade School of Fine Art, London in the 1960s.

Sundaram's artistic practice, which moved from painting during his college years to engaging with everything from readymades, photographs, videos to sculptural installation, has been widely considered crucial in the definition and development of installation as a practice in the country.

"He was one of the finest artist, activist I have known for over 35 years. His demise is a big loss to the art world and also to the creative cultural resistance. He was a rare person, generated extremely interesting ideas, meticulously planned them and worked round the clock to implement them," Hashmi wrote in a Facebook post.

Sundaram's works have been exhibited in the Biennials of Kochi (2012), Sydney (2008), Seville (2006), Taipei (2006), Sharjah (2005), Shanghai (2004), Havana (1997), Johannesburg (1997) and Kwangju (1997).

Sundaram's first retrospective, "Step inside and you are no longer a stranger", which brought together his 50 years of work and ideas, was held at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi in 2018..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   New Delhi

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* National Security Advisor "Ajit Doval" 29th March 2023 said that terrorism in all its forms and its financing are the most serious threats to international peace and security.

* He said, any act of terrorism, regardless of its motivation, is unjustifiable. Mr. Doval said this while chairing the meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) hosted by India in New Delhi.

* Mr. Doval said that India is committed to fulfilling its obligations under the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the inclusion of Chabahar Port within the framework of INSTC.

* He said, India became a member of SCO in June 2017, but its relations with SCO countries go back several centuries. Mr. Doval said that SCO can play important roles to address the issue of mutual concerns.

* The meeting was attended in person by several high-level delegates from the Central Asian Countries.

* The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) comprises China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Rs 800 crore

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The Ministry of Heavy Industries on Tuesday (28th March 2023) said Rs. 800 crore under Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) Scheme Phase -2 has been sanctioned to three PSU oil marketing companies (OMC) for setting up 7,432 public fast charging EV stations across the country.

* The ministry has released Rs. 560 crore or 70 per cent of the total amount to three OMCs -- Indian Oil (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) -- as the first installment for the installation and commissioning of upstream infrastructure and charging equipment of EV public charging stations at respective retail outlets in the country.

* The installation is expected to be completed by March 2024.

* At present, there are 6,586 charging stations across the country.

* The addition of the new 7,432 public charging stations will be a significant push to EV charging ecosystem, the release said, and added the charging capacity would be used for charging electric 2-wheelers, 4-wheelers, light commercial vehicles, and mini-buses..

* The government has formulated Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) India Scheme in 2015 to improve the infrastructure required for the large-scale use of electric vehicles.

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   NDTV

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Former Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) chairman Upendra Kumar Sinha has been appointed as an independent director and non-executive chairperson of the NDTV board of directors, the company informed stock exchanges on March 27, 2023.

Welspun India CEO Dipali Goenka has also been appointed as an independent director on the board of NDTV.

U.K. Sinha had served as the Chairman of SEBI between 2011 and 2017. He was also Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and overlooking the Banking and Capital Markets Divisions. Mr. Sinha joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1976. He holds a M.Sc. and LLB degree.

Dipali Goenka is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Welspun India Limited. She was the chairperson of ASSOCHAM Women’s council and is currently on board of Consumption platform at World economic forum. She is a graduate in Psychology and a Harvard alumnus, the company said in its statement

The Adani Group on December 30, 2022 acquired 27.26% equity stake in NDTV from Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy — founders of the news broadcaster.

Adani Group acquired a 29.18% stake in NDTV by buying a company backed by the television network's founders, Ms. Radhika Roy and Mr. Prannoy Roy. Thereafter, it made an open offer to acquire an additional 26% from public shareholders..

Source : Thehindu

Correct Answer :   Karnataka

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The World Bank has approved a USD 363 million loan to Karnataka, to provide a clean drinking water supply to two million rural households in the state through a piped water connection in their homes.

* According to a World Bank statement, the Karnataka Sustainable Rural Water Supply Program will support the Government of Karnataka's ambition to provide functioning tap water connections to every rural household in the state.

* "This will include the construction of the drinking water distribution network and the installation of water meters in rural households and will benefit around 10 million people across all 31 districts in the state," it added.

* Announcing the loan to Karnataka, the World Bank said nearly 77 per cent of the state is arid or semi-arid and is vulnerable to climate-change-related variable rainfall causing droughts and floods.

* This is leading to groundwater depletion and deteriorating water quality.

* “Gender parity is at the heart of our support to India's target to get piped water to all rural households,” said Auguste Tano Kouamé, the World Bank's Country Director for India.

* Through the programme, the World Bank and the state of Karnataka seek to demonstrate 24/7 water supply service in at least 500 Gram Panchayats,” said Kristoffer Welsien and Mariappa Kullappa, Task Team Leaders of the Programme.

* The programme will develop an advanced sector monitoring system for rural water service delivery and provide on-the-job skills training to around 3,000 rural women to be employed as plumbers.

* The USD 363 million loan from the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), uses the Program-for-Results (PforR) financing instrument that links the disbursement of funds directly to the achievement of specific program results. The loan has a maturity of 13.5 years including a grace period of two years..

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Pranav Haridasan

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Pranav Haridasan has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Axis Securities for the next three years.

* B Gopkumar, who is currently the MD & CEO of Axis Securities, has been transferred to Axis Asset Management Company as MD & CEO.

* Haridasan, who is currently Managing Director and Co-Head of Equities at Axis Capital, has more than 20 years of experience in financial markets across different asset classes.

* Before joining Axis Capital, Haridasan had worked with Citigroup Global Markets as Director and Head of India/ ASEAN Execution Services.

* While commenting on the succession plan, Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO of Axis Bank said Haridasan’s experience and technology acumen would play a pivotal role in driving growth and expansion plans, while creating a more robust and differentiated franchise.

* Axis Securities, which runs retail broking services under Axis Direct, is a subsidiary of Axis Bank, while Axis Capital operates investment banking and institutional equities businesses...

Source : Moneycontrol