Correct Answer : Option (C) - Sasi Kumar Ramachandran

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Ms Sipra Das was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award. Professional Photographer of the year Award was given to "Shri Sasi Kumar Ramachandran while Shri Arun Saha won the Amateur Photographer of the Year award.

* A total of thirteen awards were presented during the ceremony today including 6 each in the Professional and Amateur category. The theme for the Professional category was “Life and Water”, while in the Amateur category the theme was “Cultural Heritage of India”.

* Speaking on the occasion, at the very onset, Dr Murugan congratulated all the award winners and acknowledged that the winners come from diverse professional backgrounds but what binds them is their passion for photography. These awards recognize the extraordinary talent and outstanding capabilities of these photographers, he added.

Winners of the 8th National Photography Awards :

* Lifetime Achievement Award : Ms Sipra Das

* Professional Photographer of the Year Award : Shri Sasi Kumar Ramachandran

* Special Mention Awards in the Professional category

* Amateur Photographer of the Year Award : Shri Arun Saha

* Special Mention Awards in the Amateur category
Members of the Jury for 8th National Photography Awards :

* Shri Vijay Kranti, Chairman
* Shri Jagdish Yadav, Member
* Shri Ajay Aggarwal, Member
* Shri K. Madhavan Pillai, Member
* Ms. Ashima Narain, Member, and
* Shri Sanjiv Misra, Photographic Officer, Photo Division, Member Secretary..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Max Verstappen

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Red Bull's driver, Max Verstappen has won the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix 2023, held at Bahrain International Circuit.

Defending champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull flexed their muscles at the start of the 2023 season, as the Dutchman won the season-opening race in Sakhir by over 10 seconds over his teammate Sergio Perez.

After a phenomenal week since testing his Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso followed to take a remarkable podium place – his second since 2014 – after brilliant battles with Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz. Alonso surged into third place after Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, in an all-too-familiar circumstance, had to retire due to a power unit failure.

Race Leaderboard :

1. Max Verstappen: – (2 pit stops)
2. Sergio Perez: +11.987 (2 pit stops)
3. Fernando Alonso: +38.637 (2 pit stops).

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer : Option (D) - Mirabai Chanu

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Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has won the 2022 BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award after a public vote.

She becomes the first athlete to win the award twice in a row after winning for the year 2021.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she became the first Indian to win a silver medal in weightlifting.

Other BBC awards for 2022 :

* Para Sportswoman: Bhavina Patel (TT Player)
* Lifetime Achievement Award: Pritam Siwach (Women Hockey Player)
* Emerging Player: Nitu Ghanghas (Boxer).

Source : BBC

Correct Answer : Option (D) - Russia

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The Indian Navy on Sunday (5th March 2023) successfully test-fired in the Arabian Sea the ship-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic missile.

The missile that was tested had the indigenous “seeker and booster”, officials said.

The Indian Navy carried out a successful precision strike in the Arabian Sea by ship launched BrahMos missile with DRDO-designed indigenous seeker and booster, reinforcing our commitment towards Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence.

BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

The anti-ship version of the supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired jointly by the Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command in April last year.

India is also exporting BrahMos missiles.

In January last year, India sealed a USD 375 million deal with the Philippines for supplying three batteries of the missile..

Source : Tribune India

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Madhya Pradesh

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Rest of India won the Irani Cup as they defeated Madhya Pradesh with 238 runson the final day of the season-ending match on Sunday (5th March 2023).

Set an imposing target of 437, the hosts — last season’s Ranji Trophy champions — were all out for 198 in their second innings on the fifth and final day at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior.

The 2022–23 edition was the 59th edition of the Irani Cup. It is the first-class cricket competition in India.

At stumps on the penultimate day, MP were 81 for 2, needing 356 on the last day to win their maiden Irani title.

Yashasvi Jaiswal mauled a hapless Madhya Pradesh attack into submission with another near-flawless hundred, putting Rest of India in the driver’s seat to retain the Irani Cup trophy. Jaiswal, who struck a sublime 213 in the first innings, scored a magnificent 144 out of his team’s second innings total of 246, helping the side set a stiff target for the hosts.

Correct Answer : Option (C) - INS Vikrant

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The first edition of the Naval Commanders' Conference 2023 began onboard India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant today (6th March 2023).

The conference serves as a platform for Naval Commanders to discuss important security issues at the military-strategic level as well as to interact with senior government functionaries through an institutionalised forum.

The first phase of the Commanders' Conference is being held at sea, and for the first-time, onboard  INS Vikrant. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the Naval Commanders onboard INS Vikrant on the opening day today.

The Chief of Defence Staff and the Chiefs of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force would also interact with the Naval Commanders on subsequent days.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, along with other Naval Commanders will review major Operational, Materiel, Logistics, Human Resource Development, Training and Administrative activities undertaken by the Indian Navy in the last six months.

They will further deliberate upon future plans for important activities and initiatives. During the conference, Naval Commanders would also be provided with an update on ‘Agnipath Scheme’ executed in the Indian Navy in November last year.

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh exhorted the Navy to continue focussing on futuristic capability development to effectively overcome the emerging security challenges in the maritime domain. He reviewed the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy during the Naval Commanders’ Conference held aboard India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant today. He interacted with the Naval Commanders and witnessed the operational demonstrations at sea, highlighting the Navy’s capability to undertake multi-dimensional missions towards safeguarding the maritime interests of the country..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Karnataka

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Karnataka ended their 54-year wait to win the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship 5th March 2023, beating Meghalaya 3-2 in a pulsating final at the King Fahd International Stadium in the Saudi Arabia capital, Riyadh.

* Egged on by vociferous support from the stands, Karnataka, who last played the senior national championships final 47 years back (1975-76), trumped the first-time finalists, breaching their defence at will and pumping in three goals in the first half to set the tone as well as settle the eventual outcome.

* Earlier, Services won the third place beating Punjab 2-0 in the play-off match held before the final...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Thiruvananthapuram

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The maiden joint military exercise 'FRINJEX-23' between India and France, will be scheduled to conduct at the Pangode military station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala from 7th March and 8th March 2023.

* It is for the first time that both countries are engaging in this format with each contingent comprising a Company Group.

* Theme : The theme for the exercise is based on “Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations in a Contested Environment”...

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer : Option (C) - INS Trikand

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INS Trikand is participating in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) being held in the Gulf region from 26 Feb to 16 Mar 23.

* INS will exercise with participants from over 50 nations and international maritime agencies with the common aim of enhancing maritime security and keeping sea lanes in the region safe for maritime commerce.

* IMX/CE-23 is one of the largest multinational maritime exercises in the world. While this is Indian Navy’s maiden IMX participation, it also marks the second occasion where an Indian Naval ship is participating in an exercise conducted by the CMF.

* Earlier, in Nov 22, INS Trikand had participated in the CMF led Operation Sea Sword 2.

* Participation in exercises like Sea Sword 2 and IMX/CE-23 enables the Indian Navy in strengthening relationships and  enhancing  interoperability and collective maritime capability with maritime partners in the IOR. It also enables the Navy contribute constructively to regional stability and security.

Source : PIB 

Correct Answer : Option (A) - Mansukh Mandaviya

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Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday (4th Mar 2023) released the book, 'India’s Vaccine Growth Story- From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri', at World Book Fair in New Delhi.

* The book is authored by Additional Secretary of Finance Ministry Sajjan Singh Yadav. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mandaviya has urged the writers to inculcate research-based documentation.

* He said that research-based documentation is mandatory to put light on the country's heritage which reflects its knowledge and science that have proven exemplary in times of crisis.

* Lauding the unwavering dedication of healthcare professionals, the Minister stated that the country administered 2.2 billion doses as a part of the what he described as the world's largest COVID vaccination drive without any shortages across the nation, resulting in saving 3.4 million lives..

Source : AIR