Correct Answer :   IIT Madras

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Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) launched 15 Centres of Excellence (CoE) as part of the ‘Institute of Eminence’ (IoE) Scheme at an event held at the campus today (24th May 2023).

* These Centres will be undertaking cutting-edge research to develop next-generation technologies and create a significant impact not just in India but internationally as well.

* The IoE Scheme was launched by the Government of India to empower Higher Educational Institutions to become world-class teaching and research institutions.

* IIT Madras, one of the pre-eminent institutions in India, was chosen in 2019. It has established several research initiatives in diverse fields with funds from IoE grants.

* The financial support through IoE will enable IIT Madras faculty members to pursue ambitious research goals, undertake cutting-edge projects and attract top talent to work on ground- breaking research topics.

* IIT Madras had identified 68 research initiatives across 21 technology clusters in diverse fields in Phase I.

* Through an extensive and rigorous review process, the Institute shortlisted 15 Centres of Excellence within the IIT Madras system alongside 23 Research Centres and 10 Research Projects in Phase II.

* These research initiatives encompass a broad spectrum of disciplines and involve over 400 faculty members. By fostering interdisciplinary research, they facilitate collaborations that can lead to ground-breaking discoveries, innovations, and advancements in key areas..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Odisha

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The Higher Education Department, Government of Odisha, has signed MoUs with Infosys and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) to create a future-ready talent workforce.

Aim : The MoUs aim at upskilling youths, mostly the undergraduate and postgraduate students at colleges and universities of Odisha.

* As per the agreement signed with Nasscom, around 8 lakh students will be skilled through Future Skills Prime. The MoU also aims to skill the existing faculty in key technologies in today’s digital ecosystem.

* A joint initiative by Nasscom & MeitY, Future Skills Prime is India’s technology skilling hub democratising learning and offers – students and professionals – a chance to skill, upskill and reskill to grow in their careers.

* The Infosys has inked the MoU as part of its ESG Vision 2030 to enable digital skills at scale and empower over 10 million people in India by 2025 through the Infosys Springboard program, which provides free curriculum-rich virtual platform that delivers corporate-grade learning experiences, on any device, with closer educator-learner collaboration for students from Class VI to lifelong learners.

* The Infosys Springboar provides a holistic set of courses, developed in collaboration with world-leading digital educators like Coursera, Skillsoft, Techademy, Knolskape and Harvard Business Publishing. It has already more than 5.5 million registered users in India.

* The MOUs were signed in the presence of Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari, Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi, vice-resident and Centre Head of Infosys, Bhubaneswar Prabhat Kumar Das, associate vice-president Hanumesh VJ and senior officials of Nasscom...

Source : News Room Odisha

Correct Answer :   24th May 2023

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Tina Turner, the pioneering rock’n’roll star who became a pop behemoth in the 1980s, has died Wednesday (24th May 2023) aged 83 after a long illness.

* She started her career with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm in 1957.

* Under the name Little Ann, she appeared on her first record, "Boxtop", in 1958.

* She received 12 Grammy Awards, including eight competitive awards, three Grammy Hall of Fame awards, and Lifetime Achievement Award.

* She was the first black artist and woman on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Born : 26 November 1939, Brownsville, Tennessee, United States.
Died : 24 May 2023

Source : Daily Mail

Correct Answer :   Tata Group

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Tata Group, one of India's top conglomerates, has been ranked 20th in Boston Consulting Group's survey of 50 most innovative companies globally.

The Tatas were the only Indian company to feature in the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Most Innovative Companies 2023 list released on Wednesday (24th May 2023).

BCG's list ranks companies on such parameters as superior performance, higher resilience to shocks and disruptions, and the ability to exploit innovation faster for value-creating growth, among other things.

Other prominent yardsticks include people and technology capabilities (including AI), and an innovation-driven culture.

The top 10 ranks : In the list went to Apple, Tesla, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Moderna, Samsung, Huawei, BYD and Siemens, in that order.

BCG's list parameters : Superior performance, higher resilience to shocks and disruptions, and the ability to exploit innovation faster for value-creating growth, among other things.

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   Justice S Vaidyanathan

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Justice S Vaidyanathan, the seniormost judge of the Madras high court, has been named acting Chief Justice of the court by the President of India.

* Justice Vaidyanathan's appointment came hours ahead of the scheduled retirement of the incumbent acting Chief Justice of the Madras high court, Justice T Raja, on Wednesday (24th May 2023).

* A notification issued on 24th May 2023 : "In exercise of the power conferred by Article 223 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint, Shri Justice S Vaidyanathan, Judge of Madras high court, to perform the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of that High Court with effect from 25.05.2023 consequent upon the retirement of Shri Justice T Raja, Acting Chief Justice, Madras high court."


About Justice S Vaidyanathan :

* Justice Vaidyanathan was born in Coimbatore on August 17, 1962. He did his schooling in Singaram Pillai High School Villivakkam, Chennai. After his graduation in B A (Economics) from D G Vaishnav College, Arumbakkam, during 1979-1982, he joined the Madras Law College (now known as Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Government Law College) in 1982.

* After receiving his postgraduate diploma in personnel management, labour welfare and industrial relations in 1986, he enrolled as an advocate in August 1986.

* Justice S Vaidyanathan started his career in the high court, where his paternal grandfather L S Vaidyanathan served as superintendent in the copyist section and retired in 1952. His father V Subramanian was a shoe polish seller who later grew to be a trade unionist. His father's efforts led to the formation of Madras Commercial Employees Union in Chennai in 1946.

* Justice Vaidyanathan also served as an editor of Labour Law Books published by Madras Book Agency and was elevated as an additional judge of the high court on October 25, 2013 and became a permanent judge on April 14, 2015...

Source : Times of India

Correct Answer :   $95 Billion

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Revenues from carbon taxes and Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) have reached a record high, about $95 billion, finds the World Bank’s annual “State and Trends of Carbon Pricing” report released 23rd May 2023.

* This is despite the challenging context for governments facing high inflation, fiscal pressures, and energy crises.

* Carbon pricing can be an effective way to incorporate the costs of climate change into economic decision making, thereby incentivizing climate action. said Jennifer Sara, Global Director for Climate Change at the World Bank.

* The good news from this report is that even in difficult economic times, governments are prioritizing direct carbon pricing policies to reduce emissions. But to really drive change at the scale needed, we will need to see big advances both in terms of coverage and price.

* The World Bank has been tracking carbon markets for around two decades and the annual State and Trends of Carbon Pricing report is now in its tenth year. When the first report was published a decade ago, only 7% of global emissions were covered by either a carbon tax or an ETS.

* 23 May 2023, as highlighted in the 2023 report, almost a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions (23%) are now covered by 73 instruments. An ETS places a limit on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions – it allows emitters with lower emissions to sell their extra emission units (or “allowances”) to higher emitters, thereby establishing a market price for emissions. A carbon tax, meanwhile, directly sets a price on carbon by defining a tax rate on emissions..

Source : World Bank

Correct Answer :   5.1

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The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched the 5.1 version of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) to enhance the connectivity to remote areas of the country and achieve last mile connectivity through helicopters.

* This round has been designed specifically for helicopter routes. The Ministry highlighted that airfare caps have been reduced by as much as 25 percent to make flying in helicopters more affordable for passengers.

* It further said that Viability Gap Funding (VGF) caps for the operators have been increased substantially for both single and twin-engine helicopters to enhance financial viability for operating the awarded routes.

* Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said that the latest round of UDAN scheme is a testament to two emerging phenomena in Indian civil aviation.

* He said that greater helicopter penetration through such efforts will help boost tourism, hospitality, and thus, the country's local economies. The Minister said that UDAN 5.1 heralds a new dawn not just for civil aviation, but also for India’s remote and unserved regions.

* The Ministry said that as of now, 46 helicopter routes have been operationalized under previous rounds of the scheme benefitting a number of hilly and North East states.

* The Ministry said that under the UDAN scheme passengers have received the benefit of air connectivity, airlines have received concessions for operating regional routes, and unserved regions have received the direct and indirect benefits of air connectivity for their economic development.

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Narendra Modi

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The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 3rd Khelo India University games in Lucknow 25th May 2023.

* Connecting virtually to the event, Prime Minister extended his best wishes to the players who are taking part in the Khelo India University games.
 
* Mr. Modi said to the players that they have come to sports in an era that is the era of India. Emphasizing the importance of the Khelo India campaign, Prime Minister said, more than thirty thousand players have taken part in Khelo India University games to date and more than one thousand Khelo India centres are being established in the country.
 
* He said, under the Khelo India campaign three thousand crores rupees have been spent on the Urban sports infrastructure in the country and in the coming days the facilities are going to increase only.

* Underlining the role of the Khelo India campaign Mr. Modi said that it has revived the glory of the traditional sports of the country and the Government is giving scholarships to promote such games. He said that the positive change the Khelo India campaign has brought is that it has empowered the women players of the country.
 
* Talking about the steps taken by his Government to promote Sports in the country Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that, Sports is now part of the curriculum in the New education policy, and establishing a Sports University is definitely going to help this scenario. The budget for sports have increased threefold and thousand of crore rupees are being spent on sports and many of them are happening in Uttar Pradesh also.
 
* The Prime Minister said that, 25th May 2023 Uttar Pradesh has become the confluence of the young energy and these games will connect the culture of different cities of the state to the players who have arrived here for the events.
 
* Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of Sports Anurag Singh Thakur said that Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Khelo India Games have ushered in an era of New India. The emergence of talented athletes from the grassroots across the nation has accelerated India's sporting prowess on the stage.
 
* The grand opening ceremony of the 3rd Khelo India University games took place at Babu Banarasi Das sports complex in Lucknow. Union Minister of State for Sports Nishith Pramanik along with the Chief Minister of the State Yogi Adityanath were present at the inaugural function.
 
* The third edition of the Khelo India University Games will be held from 25th May 2023 to the 3rd of June 2023.

* These competitions will be organized in Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. The Games will witness the participation of over 4750 athletes from more than 200 Universities, who will be competing in 21 sports. The closing ceremony of the Games will be held in Varanasi on the 3rd of June 2023 in which the Prime Minister will also participate..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Dr K. Govindaraj

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Dr K. Govindaraj elected as the President of International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Asia. He is a Congress MLC. He is also the President of Basketball Federation of India and President of Karnataka Olympic Association. Govindaraj was unanimously nominated to take over as President of FIBA Asia.

This is the first time that an Indian has been nominated as the President of FIBA Asia. The nomination was ratified at the FIBA Asia Congress making Govindaraj, the first Indian to lead the International Basketball Federation in Asia, which includes 44 countries.

Govindaraj has replaced Qatar’s Sheikh Saud Ali Al Thani, who was serving his fourth five-year term as head of FIBA Asia since 2002. After confirmation of the post, Govindraj had stated that it’s an honour for the entire Indian sports fraternity to get an opportunity and responsibility to be at the helm of affairs of Asian basketball, and help develop basketball in Asia.

About the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) :

* The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) is the governing body for the sport of basketball worldwide.

* Established in 1932 and headquartered in Switzerland, FIBA is responsible for overseeing and regulating international basketball competitions, including the FIBA Basketball World Cup, Continental Championships, and the Olympic basketball tournaments.

* FIBA sets the rules and regulations of the game, promotes the development of basketball globally, and works towards the advancement and promotion of the sport at all levels. Additionally, FIBA is responsible for accrediting and organizing international basketball referees and coaches.

Correct Answer :   Google Pay

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Google Pay, in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), rolled out support for RuPay credit cards on Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

* This means that Google Pay users can now link their RuPay credit cards with Google Pay to pay at all online and offline merchants where RuPay credit cards are accepted.

* "This feature will give Google Pay users more flexibility and choice in making payments, and will drive greater adoption of digital payments in the country," said Sharath Bulusu, Director of Product Management from Google.

* According to the company, the feature is available to RuPay credit card holders of Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank and Union Bank of India.

* The integration of RuPay Credit Card on UPI delivers a remarkable user experience seamlessly combining the convenience of UPI with the benefits of RuPay Credit Card," said Nalin Bansal, chief, relationship management and key initiatives, corporate business from NPCI...

Source : India Times