General Knowledge(GK) (or) General Awareness

Correct Answer :   HS Prannoy

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In badminton, India's ace shuttler HS Prannoy had to settle for a bronze medal as he registered a loss to Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semifinals of the ongoing Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships in Denmark,  26th August 2023.

Prannoy went down to world number three and three-time Junior champion Vitidsarn by 21-18, 13-21, 14-21. Prannoy had stormed into the semi-final of the BWF World Championships after defeating World Number 2 and the defending champion Viktor Axelsen at Kuala Lumpur on Friday (25th August 2023).

With this win, World Number 7 Prannoy assured a bronze medal for India by beating the home favourite Axelsen in three games 21-13, 15-21, 16-21.This is India's 14th medal at the World Championships.

This includes one gold, four silvers and nine bronze medals. China is the most successful team in the tournament's history, with 196 medals, including 69 gold, 48 silver and 79 silvers. The BWF World Championships 2023 are being held from August 21 to 27 in Copenhagen, Denmark..

Sports : AIR

Correct Answer :   Aditya-L1

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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that it will launch Aditya-L1 mission on 2 September 2023. The Aditya-L1 mission is dedicated to studying the Sun.

* The Aditya-L1 mission is ready and waiting, Nilesh M Desai, Director, Space Applications Centre-Isro, Ahmedabad said on Thursday (25th August 2023).

* The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched by Isro PSLV rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR),Sriharikota.

* Nilesh Desai explained that it would take 127 days for the spacecraft to reach its destination, nearly 15 lakh kilometres away from Earth.

* This will place Aditya-L1 in a highly elliptical orbit, allowing it to conduct close observations of the Sun, monitor solar activity, and advance our understanding of the star that sustains life on Earth.

ABOUT THE ADITYA-L1 MISSION :

* The Aditya-L1 mission represents India's ambitious endeavour to explore the Sun, a celestial body that has fascinated scientists and space enthusiasts for centuries.

* The spacecraft will be equipped with a Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) which will be used for imaging and spectroscopy of the Sun to better understand the science powering the star.

* Apart from VELC, the spacecraft will be equipped with six other instruments as well that will explore the science of the Sun.

* While four payloads directly view the Sun from the unique vantage point of L1, the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1.

* The L1 point of the Earth-Sun system provides an uninterrupted view of the Sun and is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite SOHO from Nasa. This position provides a greater advantage of observing solar activities continuously..

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Vipul Rikhi

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The book titled 'Drunk on Love: The Life, Vision and Songs of Kabir', was authored by writer-singer Vipul Rikhi.

* Published by : HarperCollins India

* It presents the 15th-century poet, as he is described, quoted, and loved in popular imagination.

* A new book captures the life of mystic poet Kabir through popular legends, his vision, and his poetry which has been quoted and translated extensively.

* It brings into one place stories from Kabir’s life, his most famous songs..


Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   HDFC Bank

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HDFC Bank on Thursday (24th August 2023) partnered with Marriott Bonvoy, the esteemed travel program by Marriott, to launch 'Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card'.

This pioneering co-branded card will operate on the Diners Club platform, which is a part of the globally recognized Discover Global Network.

The newly launched credit card comes packed with travel benefits, designed to elevate cardholders' travel journeys. Cardholders are entitled to Silver Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy, ushering in a range of privileges including priority late checkouts, exclusive member rates, and bonus points, among other perks, the lender said in a press statement.

This partnership between HDFC Bank and Marriott Bonvoy signifies a strategic move to cater to the growing trend of post-pandemic "revenge spending" on both domestic and international travel.

Speaking at the HDFC Bank-Marriott credit card launch event, Parag Rao highlighted the efforts spanning over two years that culminated in the creation of this exceptional card. Given the shifting trends in consumer behavior post-pandemic, where travel aspirations are soaring, HDFC Bank seeks to tap into this market enthusiasm.

The bank currently boasts a substantial base of 18 million credit card users and considers the Marriott Bonvoy card a pivotal addition to its premium offerings.

Marriott said this is not an exclusive partnership and they can do more cards with HDFC bank or with other partners.

A look at key features of the card :

The Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card comes with an array of annual benefits. As a gesture of welcome, new card members and those renewing their cards will receive a free night award, valued at up to 15,000 points. This award can be redeemed at Marriott Bonvoy's participating hotels globally, for a span of one year. Additionally, cardholders have the option to enhance the value of this award by utilizing up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points, the lender said.

The card will also provide Silver Elite Status accompanied by the privilege of receiving ten elite night credits annually. The rewards structure of the card is also designed to cater to diverse spending patterns.

Cardholders can earn 8 Marriott Bonvoy points for every Rs 150 spent on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels (excluding Homes and Villas), for monthly expenditures of up to Rs 10 Lakh. Furthermore, 4 Marriott Bonvoy points can be earned per Rs 150 spent on eligible travel, dining, and entertainment transactions, for up to Rs 5 lakh per month.

Card members who already earn 8 Marriott Bonvoy Points per Rs 150 for spending at participating Marriott Bonvoy and Marriott-branded properties will not accrue an additional 4 Marriott Bonvoy Points under this earning category...

Source : CNBC

Correct Answer :   Magnus Carlsen

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The Norwegian chess grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen, won the Chess World Cup Final 2023 title for the first time, after defeating India's chess grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa in a tie-breaker.

* R Praggnanandhaa (18) was the youngest World Cup finalist ever and the youngest World Cup winner.

* He managed to secure the Silver medal after defeating Hikarua Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana.

* He also became the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to enter the Chess World Cup final.

Correct Answer :   Allu Arjun

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69th National Film Awards Announcement Live Updates : The winners of the 69th National Film Awards were announced at 5 pm on Thursday (24th August 2023).

While Allu Arjun bagged the Best Actor award for the film Pushpa : The Rise, Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon shared the award for Best Actress for the films Gangubai Kathiawadi and Mimi respectively.

Rocketry : The Nambi Effect won the award for Best Feature Film. The Kashmir Files won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on National Integration at the 69th National Film Awards.

Shoojit Sircar’s biographical historical drama Sardar Udham won several awards at the 69th National Film Awards. Apart from being named the Best Hindi Film, it also bagged Best Cinematography (Avik Mukhopadhyay), Best Audiography (Sinoy Joseph), Best Production Design (Dmitrii Malich and Mansi Dhruv Mehta) and Best Costume Design (Veera Kapur Ee) awards.

National Film Awards are the most prestigious awards, which are announced annually to honour the best filmmaking talent across the country. According to the Directorate of Film Festivals of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the National Film Awards “aim at encouraging the production of films of aesthetic and technical excellence and social relevance.”


Other awards :

* Best Feature Film: Rocketry
* Best Director: Nikhil Mahajan (Godavari)
* Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: RRR
* Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on National Integration: The Kashmir Files.

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Pragyan

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Role of Vikram Lander : The lander and rover’s names have been taken from the last mission Chandrayaan-2. The lander is named after Dr Vikram A Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space Programme. It is designed to function for one lunar day, which is 14 days on the Earth and comes with a number of sensors to ensure a safe touchdown. It weighs about 1,749 kg including the rover. It is built to have side-mounted solar panels, which can generate 738 W power and will be engaged in exploring the lunar south pole.

As per the ISRO, the Vikram lander consists of three payloads for its objectives. RAMBHA-LP – which will measure the near surface plasma (ions and electrons) density and its changes with time; ChaSTE or ‘Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment’ – which will carry out the measurements of thermal properties of the lunar surface near the polar region; and ILSA or ‘Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity’ meant to measure seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle

Role of Pragyan Rover : The robotic vehicle is named as ‘Pragyan’, which translates to 'wisdom' in Sanskrit. The six-wheeled vehicle has instruments configured with payloads to provide data related to the Moon's surface. It will gather data on the elemental composition of the atmosphere. It weighs 26 kgs and like the lander, has a mission life of one lunar day.

The two payloads on the rover are APXS or ‘Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer’, which is meant to derive the elemental composition of the lunar surface; and the LIBS or ‘Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope’ will be carry out experiments to determine the elemental composition of chemicals elements such magnesium and aluminum, etc of lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.

Chandrayaan-3 which launched from the Earth on 14 July 2023, is expected to land on the moon on 23 August 2023.

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   Amanpreet Singh

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Indian shooter Amanpreet Singh won the gold medal in the Men’s 25 metre standard pistol shooting event at the ISSF World Championship 2023 in Baku.

* South Korea's Gunhyeok Lee had to settle for silver  while France's Kevin Chapon secured a bronze.

* In the Women’s 25-meter Standard Pistol shooting event, Tiyana, Yashita Shokeen, and Kritika bagged bronze.

* The two medals on the day took India’s tally in the Championship to nine - five gold and four bronze medals..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Yes Bank

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Private lender YES Bank on Thursday (August 17, 2023) introduced its state-of-the-art mobile banking app 'iris' by YES Bank.

Designed to cater to both existing and new customers, the app offers access over 100 features and services in just a few clicks on a single platform, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

The iris app has a sleek and intuitive user interface that aims to offer a simplified banking experience for users of all age groups, and backgrounds.

Key features of iris mobile app :

Savings account : Users can open a savings account effortlessly in real-time through the app.

Credit cards : Users can apply for a YES Bank  credit card and choose from the wide range of card options offered by the bank.

Loan in seconds : Access to YES Bank's bouquet of lending products with quick approvals on the app itself.

Deposits : Recurring and fixed deposits can be booked through the app on the go.

Easy payments : Multiple digital modes can be availed for making seamless and hassle-free payments on the app.

Investments : Access to a wide range of investment options that can be customised based on individual risk appetite and financial goals.

Insurance : Users can choose from a range of insurance services integrated into the iris by the YES Bank app.

Prashant Kumar, Managing Director and CEO of YES Bank, said, "iris by YES Bank is yet another step in the same direction which aims to transform the way customers avail banking-related services. It is pertinent to note, that the app has been developed in-house based on feedback from our customers, which makes it a unique proposition in terms of features, user experience, and benefits."

The app is available on both Google Play Store and App Store and can be seamlessly downloaded on Android as well as iOS-based smartphones.

Correct Answer :   4th

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India successfully landed its Chandrayaan-3 mission on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023 at 6:04 pm, making it the Fourth(4th) Country to do so after the United States, Russia, and China.

The lander Vikram touched down on the south pole of the moon (1st Country of South Pole), a region that has never been explored before. The rover Pragyan is expected to roll out of the lander and begin its exploration of the lunar surface in the coming days.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a major achievement for India’s space program and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the scientists and engineers who made it possible. It also puts India in a select group of spacefaring nations and furthers its ambition to become a leading player in the global space race.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission is expected to collect valuable data about the lunar south pole, which is thought to be rich in water ice. This information could be used to support future human exploration of the moon. The mission is also expected to help scientists to better understand the formation and evolution of the moon.

The successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 is a proud moment for India and a significant step forward in our exploration of space. I am confident that this mission will pave the way for many more successes in the years to come.

Chandrayaan 3 launch date :

* Chandrayaan-3 was launched on 14 July 2023, at 2:35 pm IST as scheduled, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 5 August 2023.

* Successfully landed (South pole of the moon) its Chandrayaan-3 mission on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023 at 6:04 pm.