General Knowledge(GK) (or) General Awareness

Correct Answer :   Paris

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The headquarters of UNESCO is located in Paris, France. UNESCO, founded in 1945, is responsible for designating and preserving World Heritage Sites globally.

Some of the newly included heritage sites from Madhya Pradesh in the tentative UNESCO list are Gwalior Fort, Dhamnar rock-cut caves, Bhojeshwar Mahadev Temple in Bhojpur, Chambal valley rock art site, Khooni Bhandara-Burhanpur, and Ramnagar and Mandla Gond sites. Audrey Azoulay serves as the current Director-General of UNESCO.

Correct Answer :   YES Bank

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YES Bank has collaborated with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as the Official Banking Partner for Team India at the Paris Olympics 2024, launching the 'Milkar Jitayengey' campaign and introducing the 'YES Glory Debit Card' and 'YES Glory' savings account to support India’s Olympic athletes.

Correct Answer :   Prabha Varma

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Prabha Varma received the 33rd Saraswati Samman in 2023 for his novel in verse 'Roudra Sathwikam.'

This prestigious literary award, established by the K.K. Birla Foundation, recognizes exceptional literary works in Indian languages published within the last decade.

Varma's work delves into philosophical themes, exploring the complexities of power, politics, morality, and human nature in poetic form.

Correct Answer :   Parshottam Rupala

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Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala will release Book and Video on “Sagar Parikrama” on 15th March 2024 at 09:00 AM at Engineering Association, Rajkot, Gujarat.

Chronicling the Sagar Parikrama Yatra :

The book aims to chronicle the Sagar Parikrama Yatra, encompassing diverse elements such as the maritime route, cultural and geographical explorations, and notable impacts from all 12 phases of the journey. It contains seven chapters covering the genesis of Sagar Parikrama, an overview of the journey along the West and East coasts, and key takeaways.

The book provides insights into the challenges faced by coastal fishermen, their culture, religious and traditional fisheries heritage of India. Additionally, a video documentary captures all activities, events, and interactions of the Union Minister with beneficiaries, showcasing the challenges encountered during the Sagar Parikrama.

Objectives of Sagar Parikrama

Sagar Parikrama aims to:

India’s Fisheries Sector: A Sunrise Industry

The fisheries sector is considered a sunrise industry with immense potential for bringing equitable and inclusive growth through economic empowerment of the weaker sections of society. With an 8% share in global fish production, India is the third-largest fish producer, second-largest aquaculture producer, largest shrimp producer, and fourth-largest top seafood exporter in the world.

Sagar Parikrama Yatra: A Historical Journey

The Sagar Parikrama Yatra spanned over 12 captivating phases in just 44 days, covering an impressive coastal length of 7,986 kilometers out of 8,118 kilometers. The journey touched 3,071 fishing villages across 80 coastal districts of all coastal states and union territories, spanning from Mandvi, Gujarat, to Ganga Sagar, West Bengal, including the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

During the 12 phases, Union Minister Shri Parshottam Rupala, along with Dr. L. Murugan and other dignitaries, interacted with beneficiaries such as fishermen, fisherwomen, fish farmers, and stakeholders. Beneficiaries were felicitated with Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and other assets under the PMMSY scheme.

Impact and Legacy :

Sagar Parikrama has made a significant impact in assisting fishermen and fish farmers by acknowledging their challenges and providing an opportunity to interact with government officials on their doorsteps. It has facilitated economic upliftment through various fisheries schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Kisan Credit Card (KCC), and other programs.

Overall, the 12 phases of Sagar Parikrama Yatra have brought about massive changes in the development strategy for fishermen, influencing their livelihood, holistic development, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development practices.

The book and video release aim to preserve the legacy of this monumental journey, highlighting the government’s commitment to empowering coastal communities and promoting the growth of India’s fisheries sector..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Max Verstappen

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen clinched victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024 from pole position, marking a triumphant streak for the team in the Formula One season with their second consecutive one-two finish.

Under the gleaming floodlights of the Jeddah Corniche circuit, Mexican Sergio Perez secured the runner-up spot, trailing his triple world champion teammate by 13.643 seconds. Verstappen, whose stellar performance last year saw him notch up a record-breaking 19 wins out of 22 races, celebrated his first-ever back-to-back victories at the start of a season.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed the third spot on the podium, seizing an additional point for setting the fastest lap and securing his maiden podium finish of the season.

Verstappen's dominance continued with this ninth consecutive victory, extending back to his triumph in Japan last September. The Dutch driver, 26, also notched up his 100th career podium, propelling Red Bull to their 115th win and elevating them above Williams to fourth place on the all-time list.

Reflecting on his success, Verstappen commented, "Overall, a fantastic weekend for the whole team and myself. I felt really good with the car and it was the same in the race."

In a remarkable debut, Britain's Oliver Bearman, standing in as Ferrari's youngest-ever rookie at 18 years and 305 days, finished seventh, earning him the coveted title of Driver of the Day. Leclerc praised his temporary teammate, stating, "Today he's been incredible. It's hugely impressive, and I'm sure he's extremely proud. Everybody has noticed how talented he is, and I'm sure it's just a matter of time before he's in F1."

British drivers made their mark with McLaren's Oscar Piastri securing fourth place, followed by Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin in fifth and Mercedes' George Russell in sixth.

The race witnessed dramatic moments, including a safety car deployment on lap seven following Lance Stroll's collision with the wall at turn 22. Norris led briefly after the safety car period, but Verstappen swiftly regained the lead, maintaining a commanding position throughout.

Perez incurred a five-second penalty for an unsafe release during his first pit stop, while Kevin Magnussen of Haas faced penalties for causing a collision with Williams' Alex Albon. Despite challenges, the competition remained intense, with Alpine's Pierre Gasly retiring early due to a suspected gearbox issue, marking the first retirement of the season after all 20 cars finished the opener in Bahrain a week earlier..

Source : Business Today

Correct Answer :   7%

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Fitch Ratings has raised India’s growth forecast for FY25 to 7%, up from the previous estimate of 6.5%. The upgrade is attributed to robust domestic demand and sustained growth in business and consumer confidence, following a strong 8.4% expansion in Q3FY24.

Reasons for Forecast Upgrade :

Inflation Expectations :

Monetary Policy Forecast

Correct Answer :   Rachin Ravindra

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New Zealand's top order batter Rachin Ravindra became the youngest recipient of the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal on Wednesday (13th Mar 2024) after being named the country's outstanding male cricketer of the year. Meanwhile, Amelia Kerr became the year's top female cricketer after winning the Debbie Hockley medal for the second time in a row.

Kane Williamson received the ANZ Test Player of the Year Award and won the Redpath Cup for men's first-class batting. Ravindra, 24, is the youngest winner of the award in its history, following a season in which he has established himself as a key member of New Zealand's red and white teams.

Ravindra, who joined the 50-over squad in March of last year, shone in the ODI World Cup in India, scoring 578 runs at an average of 64, including three hundreds and two half-centuries, including an unbeaten 123 against England in Ahmedabad.

Our youngest ever Sir Richard Hadlee Medalist! Full #ANZNZCAwards Summary | https://t.co/PTpJF5quof pic.twitter.com/drlbyg6wlC

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 13, 2024

RACHIN'S JOURNEY SO FAR :

As a result, Ravindra was named the ICC's Emerging Player of the Year for 2023, and he also signed a USD 350,000 Indian Premier League deal with the Chennai Super Kings. The Sir Richard Hadlee Medal capped up Ravindra's breakout season on the international scene, during which he contributed to the Kiwis in all three formats.

Ravindra maintained his spectacular rise in Test cricket, scoring New Zealand's highest-ever maiden Test century of 240 against South Africa at Bay Oval and playing an important role in the Black Caps' first Test series victory over South Africa..

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   India

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India was the world’s top arms importer for the period 2019-23 with imports having gone up by 4.7% compared to the period 2014-18, according to the Swedish think tank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). At the same time, arms imports by European countries increased by 94% between 2014–18 and 2019–23, the report said, which comes in the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.

“Although Russia remained India’s main arms supplier [accounting for 36% of its arms imports], this was the first five-year period since 1960–64 when deliveries from Russia [or the Soviet Union prior to 1991] made up less than half of India’s arms imports,” as per new data on international arms transfers from SIPRI released on Monday (11th Mar 2024).

“Nine of the 10 biggest arms importers in 2019–23, including the top 3 of India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, were in Asia and Oceania or the Middle East. Ukraine became the fourth biggest arms importer globally after it received transfers of major arms from over 30 states in 2022-23.”

In the interim budget presented in February for financial year 2024-25, the total allocation for the Defence Ministry was at ?6.2 lakh crore of which the capital allocation, for new procurements, was ?1.72 lakh crore, 5.78% higher than the Budget Estimates of last year. India seems to have come back to the top slot in arms imports after briefly ceding space to Saudi Arabia in the past.

Imports of Pakistan, the fifth largest arms importer in 2019–23, went up by 43%, with China supplying as much as 82% of all its arms imports.

Arms exports of the world’s largest supplier, U.S. grew by 17% between 2014–18 and 2019–23, while those by Russia fell by more than half, -53%. At the same time, France emerged as the world’s second largest arms supplier as its exports grew by 47%. Among the top 10 arms exporters, five of them saw decrease between the two five-year periods: China (-5.3%), Germany (-14%), U.K. (-14%), Spain (-3.3%) and Israel (-25%)..

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Mr. Srinivasan Swamy

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Mr. Srinivasan Swamy, currently serving as the chairman and managing director of RK Swamy Ltd, was honored at the 45th IAA World Congress in Penang, Malaysia.

Governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak presented him with the esteemed IAA Golden Compass Award 2024, recognizing his significant contributions to the global marketing, advertising, and media industries. This accolade marks a significant milestone in his illustrious career.

The IAA Golden Compass Award :

* The IAA Golden Compass Award is a symbol of excellence and innovation in the industry.
* Swamy is the first Indian industry leader to receive this prestigious honor.
* Previous recipients include renowned figures such as Shelly Lazarus, Paul Polman, and Andrew Robertson.

Career Highlights :

* Swamy has played pivotal roles in shaping the landscape of the marketing services industry over two decades.
* Held leadership positions including chairman of The Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) and The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC).
* As President of the India Chapter of IAA, he revitalized the organization, launching prestigious award events and Goafest, India’s premier advertising festival.

Philanthropy and Social Impact :

* Actively involved in philanthropic initiatives, serving as president/chairman of educational and healthcare institutions.
* Contributes to social, cultural, and religious causes, reflecting a commitment to improving communities.

A Visionary Leader Honored with the IAA Golden Compass Award :

* Swamy’s recognition with the IAA Golden Compass Award underscores his outstanding contributions to the industry.
* His visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence serve as a continuous source of inspiration.

Correct Answer :   5.09%

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Retail inflation in February 2024 saw a decline to a four-month low of 5.09 per cent, remaining well within the Reserve Bank of India’s comfort zone of 6 per cent for the sixth consecutive month.

While the overall inflation figure remained relatively steady compared to January, certain items within the food basket experienced price increases.

Food Basket Inflation :

* The inflation rate within the food basket saw a marginal uptick, rising to 8.66 per cent in February from 8.3 per cent in the previous month.
* Notably, prices of specific items such as vegetables, fruits, oils and fats, and pulses and products witnessed a slight decrease on a month-on-month basis.
* Conversely, the rate of price escalation was higher in segments including cereals and products, meat and fish, and milk and products.

Weightage of Food Basket :

* The food basket holds significant importance, accounting for nearly 50 per cent weightage in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This underscores the substantial impact of food prices on overall inflation trends.