General Knowledge(GK) (or) General Awareness

Correct Answer :   SSLV-D2

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The second developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), SSLV-D2 was successfully launched on February 10, 2023, at 9:18 am from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.

* It injected EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2 satellites into a 450 km circular orbit, in its 15-minute flight.

* The first developmental flight of the SSLV from SDSC on August 7, 2022, failed due to vibration disturbance for a short duration on the equipment bay deck during the second stage separation.

* The main objectives of Friday’s mission were the demonstration of the designed payload capability of SSLV in low earth orbit and the injection of the EOS-07 satellite, and two passenger satellites Janus-1 and AzaadiSAT-2 into a 450 km circular orbit.

* SSLV-D2/EOS-07 Mission is accomplished successfully.

* SSLV-D2 placed EOS-07, Janus-1, and AzaadiSAT-2 into their intended orbits.

* SSLV caters to the launch of up to 500 kg satellites to low earth orbits on a ‘launch-on-demand’ basis. It provides low-cost access to space, offers low turn-around time and flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, and demands minimal launch infrastructure.

* It is configured with three solid propulsion stages and a velocity terminal module. It is a 34 m tall, 2 m diameter vehicle having a lift-off mass of 120 tonne.

* The EOS-07 is a 156.3 kg satellite designed, developed, and realised by ISRO. New experiments include mm-Wave Humidity Sounder and Spectrum Monitoring Payload.

* Janus-1, a 10.2 kg satellite, belongs to ANTARIS, US. Janus-1 is a technology demonstrator, smart satellite mission, based on the Antaris software platform.

* The 8.7 kg satellite AzaadiSAT-2 is a combined effort of about 750 girl students across India guided by Space Kidz India, Chennai.

* It aims to demonstrate LoRa and amateur radio communication satellites, measure radiation levels in space, and demonstrate expanding satellite structure...

Source : Hindu businessline

Correct Answer :   Anne Bhavani Koteswara Prasad

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Veteran journalist Dr Anne Bhavani Koteswara Prasad, popularly known as ABK, has been chosen for the prestigious “Raja Ram Mohan Roy National Award” for excellence in Journalism-2020 for his outstanding contribution to the field of journalism, the Press Council of India announced on Wednesday (8th February 2023).  

* In a career spanning over 75 years, Dr Prasad has been the editor of nearly all mainstream journals in the State.

* He also served as the Chairman of the Official Language Commission from 2004 to 2009 in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

* The award was conferred by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, Chairperson of Press Council of India and will be presented on February 28, 2023 at Deputy Speaker Hall, Constitution Club of India, Rafi Marg in Delhi..

Source : New Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Bajaj Finance

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Bajaj Finance launches Insurance Mall for its customers to ensure an Easy-buy experience. The new portal offers a plethora of policies and plans in the core insurance segment and also the company’s one-of-its-kind category of Pocket Insurance and Subscription.

Bajaj Finance has partnered with leading insurers in India to bring you products that are best suited to changing needs of the times. Insurance Mall offers 250+ policies and plans, designed to cater every customer’s need..

One portal for all policies :

Bajaj Finance has been providing plans in partnership with leading insurance companies and assistance service providers so that both existing and new customers get maximum protection. You can choose from the wide range of products offered in the following categories :

* Health insurance : Comprehensive health insurance plans offered to individuals and families give coverage against all medical-related expenses.

* Two-wheeler insurance : Two-wheeler insurance plans will let individuals secure both – damages to their own vehicle and third-party damages.

* Four-wheeler insurance : The comprehensive car insurance policies cover you against financial liabilities for own and third-party damages.

* Appliances extended warranty : Get financial coverage for repair and replacement of multiple gadgets and home appliances in case of damage even after your manufacturer’s warranty expires.

* Pocket Insurance and Subscription : These are budget-friendly plans tailored to give substantial coverage for health, travel, appliances, and lifestyle items.
Investment plans: Benefit from insurance plans offering dual facilities of insurance and investment, ensuring you and your family have a secure future.

These policies are well categorised in the new portal, letting customers explore and purchase those seamlessly.

Features and benefits of the portal :

Here are all the benefits customers can avail by purchasing the insurance plans from the Bajaj Finance Insurance Mall:

* 100% digital process : You can easily compare and buy the policies and plans online with zero paperwork. This saves you from the tedious process of visiting the offline branches of insurers and doing cumbersome paperwork to purchase an insurance plan.

* Extensive product list : You can choose from 250+ benefit-rich Insurance and Pocket Insurance & Subscription plans offered by top insurers that fit your requirements.

* Budget-friendly premiums : The insurance plans available on this platform come at competitive premiums without compromising on coverage or overall benefits.

* Exclusively designed plans : Understanding the need of the time and customers, Bajaj Finance along with its insurance partners brings products that suit you best depending on your requirements. These plans ensure complete financial security at the time of need..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Ravichandran Ashwin

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India spinner R Ashwin reached his 450th Test wicket on Thursday (9 February 2023) in the first Test match of the four-match India vs Australia Test series. Ashwin overtook Kumble to become the fastest India bowler to reach this feat, picking up the 450th wicket on his 89th Test match.

The Indian off-spinner is now the second-fastest bowler in the world to reach 450th Test wicket, only behind Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, who completed the feat in his 80th Test match.

Top 10 bowlers with the most test wickets in cricket history :

Correct Answer :   Reserve Bank of India

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced (8th February 2023) that QR Code-based Coin Vending Machine (QCVM) will be launched in collaboration with a few leading banks.

Aim : to improve the distribution of coins.

* The pilot project will roll out in 19 locations in 12 cities across the country.

* The QCVM is a cashless coin dispensation machine which will dispense coins against debit to the customer’s bank account using Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

* Unlike cash-based traditional Coin Vending Machines, the QCVM would eliminate the need for physical tendering of banknotes and their authentication.

* Customers will also have the option to withdraw coins in the required quantity and denominations in these machines. These vending machines are planned to be installed at public places such as railway stations, shopping malls, and marketplaces to enhance ease and accessibility.

* Based on the learnings from the pilot tests, RBI will issue guidelines to banks to promote better distribution of coins using QCVMs.

* RBI declared today that travellers from G20 countries will be able to use UPI for their merchant payments while they are in India at selected international airports. In future, this facility will be enabled across all other entry points.

* RBI will issue draft guidelines for transparency in the penal charges or penal interest charged on loans. It will be published on RBI website shortly, for stakeholders' comments...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Salman Rushdie

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British author, Salman Rushdie has released his new novel "Victory City" on Tuesday (7th Feb 2023).

* This novel was published by Penguin Random House.

* It is an "epic tale" of a 14th-century woman who defies a patriarchal world to rule a city.

* This novel purports to be a translation of a historical epic originally written in Sanskrit.

* Rushdie won the Booker Prize in 1981 for his second novel, Midnight's Children.

* His notable works : Grimus (1975); Shame (1983); The Satanic Verses (1988).


12 Notable Salman Rushdie Books :

1. Grimus (1975)
2. Midnight’s Children (1981)
3. Shame (1983)
4. The Satanic Verses (1988)
5. The Moor’s Last Sigh (1995)
6. The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999)
7. Fury (2001)
8. Shalimar the Clown (2005)
9. The Enchantress of Florence (2008)
10. Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights (2015)
11. The Golden House (2017)
12. Quichotte (2019)....

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   LeBron James

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LeBron James becomes the all-time leading scorer in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

* He has surpassed a record held by the great Kareem Abdul Jabbar since 1984.

* He pushed his career total to 38,388 points.

* He has won four NBA titles and competed in 10 NBA finals.

* He has a career average of 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists.

* Abdul-Jabbar took 1,560 games to record his total, and James set his record in just over 1,400 appearances...

Source : CNN

Correct Answer :   25

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The Reserve Bank of India hiked its key repo rate by 25 basis points (bps) on Wednesday (8th February 2023) as expected, saying core inflation remained high. The central bank said that its policy stance remains focused on the withdrawal of accommodation.

In its December monetary policy review, the central bank had raised the key benchmark interest rate by 35 basis points (bps). Since May 2022, the Reserve Bank has increased the short-term lending rate by 250 basis points, including today's, to contain inflation.

RBI Monetary Policy Q1 FY23: New Rates
Following are the revised rates in the RBI Monetary Policy 2023:

Repo Rate : 6.50%
Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) : 6.25%
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) : 6.75%

Important Takeaways from RBI Monetary Policy Q1 FY 2023 - 2024 :

Governor Shaktikanta Das Core inflation has not changed. As of January 27, 2023, non-food credit growth was up 16.7% from the prior corresponding period. In order to reduce the CPI, we must never waver.

* As the policy likely defied expectations of a dovish turn, bonds declined, with the yield on benchmark 10-year notes jumping by as far as four basis points to 7.36%, while the currency was trading higher.

* In 12 cities, RBI will roll out a prototype programme for coin-operated machines that use QR codes.

* After the RBI policy announcement, the Sensex was trading almost 300 points higher and the Nifty was up 0.6%.

* Current account deficit will remain eminently controllable and moderate in the second half of 2022–2023 : RBI Governor

* In 2022 and thus far this year, the Indian Rupee has remained the least volatile of its Asian counterparts : RBI Governor

* According to the RBI Governor, a rate increase of 25 bps is acceptable at this time, and monetary policy should remain flexible and responsive to inflation.

* According to the RBI, retail inflation will be 6.5% instead of 6.7% in FY23 and 5.3% in FY24.

* Estimated growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) for FY23 was raised to 7% from 6.8%.

* The RBI anticipates 6.4% GDP growth for 2023–2024.

* Rate adjustment for the SDF (Standing Deposit Facility) to 6.25% from 6%.

* Early trading sees the Indian rupee gain 4 paise to 82.66 against the US dollar as traders assess Jerome Powell’s remarks and wait for the Reserve Bank of India to announce its policy...

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   South Indian Bank

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South Indian Bank announces the launch (7th Feb 2023) of a Wealth Management Platform in partnership with Geojit Financial Services Ltd.

SIB Wealth is an exclusive value-added service that will help the bank's high net worth (HNI) customers to invest their money in the best financial instruments available in the market. Under the platform, SIB will be offering the following products/services :

• Portfolio management services

• Alternative investment fund

* Systematic investment plan

* Mutual fund

* Bond

* Real estate funds

* Structured products

South Indian Bank has tied up with Geojit Financial Services Ltd, an investment services company with experience of over 35 years in providing effective financial solutions, to operationalise the service offering...

Source : Theweek

Correct Answer :   Kamran Akmal

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Veteran Pakistan wicketkeeper "Kamran Akmal", on Tuesday (7th February 2023), announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

* Prior to the 2023 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he spoke to the reporters and said that it’s time for the youngsters to take charge.

* Akmal was earlier named as the batting consultant for the Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, for the upcoming edition of the PSL.

* The 41-year-old said that he is keener on taking up managerial roles with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

* Akmal made his debut for Pakistan back in 2002 and went on to play until 2017.

* In 53 Tests, 157 ODIs and 58 T20Is, the right-handed batter scored 2648, 3236 and 987 runs respectively, with the help of 11 hundreds and 27 fifties.

* Akmal also remains second in the list of leading run-scorers in the history of the PSL. From 2016 to 2022, he played for the Zalmi, where he scored 1972 runs at an average of 27.38 and a strike-rate of 136.94 with three hundreds and 12 fifties to his name.

* Babar is the leading run-scorer with 2413 runs from 66 innings with 23 half-centuries. In first-class cricket, Akmal was a stalwart as he notched over 13000 runs with 33 hundreds and 62 fifties...

Source : India Today