Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 16th & 17th January 2022

Correct Answer: E. Both a & b

Explanation: DBT-BIRAC supported start-ups, NIRAMAI Health Analytix Pvt Ltd, and InnAccel Technologies Pvt Ltd have received World Bank Group and Consumer Technology Association’s Global Women’s Health Tech Awards. The award recognizes innovative startups that leverage tech to improve women’s health and safety. NIRAMAI Health Analytix was selected for early-stage breast cancer medical device. InnAccel was selected for Fetal Lite, AI-powered fetal heart rate (FHR) monitor.

The award recognises innovative startups that use technology to improve women’s health and safety in emerging markets. Launched in August 2021, the Awards attracted over 70 companies from 35 countries, which submitted their innovative products and services under three categories: reproductive health and pregnancy, general women’s and adolescent health, and women safety and security.

Correct Answer – E. Google Pay

Explanation: Small businesses-focused online lending platform Indifi Technologies has collaborated with Google Pay to provide instant loans to eligible medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) merchants through the Google Pay platform. The borrowing process is entirely digital and eligible merchants on the Google Pay for the Business app can click on loan offerings from Indifi and submit an application online. The loans will be in the range of Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 lakh.

With a 35 per cent share of monthly UPI volumes, Google Pay has been growing its financial services play over the past year like other payments leaders in India. It already provides loans and short-term credit to individuals and small merchants in tie-ups with IIFL Loans, CASHe, and ZestMoney, among others.

Correct Answer – A. Nicaragua

Explanation: Nicaraguan President José Daniel Ortega Saavedra, leader of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), was sworn in for a new presidential term. This marks his 5th term and 4th consecutive term as the President of Nicaragua. He will remain in the office until January 2027. He received the presidential sash from Gustavo Porras, head of the National Assembly. Ortega’s first stint in power ended in 1990 and upon returning as president in 2007, he quickly set about gaining control of key state institutions.

Important Points:

• Nicaragua Capital: Managua;
• Nicaragua Currency: Nicaraguan córdoba

Correct Answer – D. 74th

Explanation: The Army Day in India is celebrated on 15 January every year, to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and its citizens. This year marks the 74th Indian Army Day. The day is marked to commemorate the day when General (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa took over the command of the Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and became the first Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army post Independence.

About Indian Army:

The Indian Army is one of the most powerful militaries of the world, competing with superpowers like the US, Russia and China. The motto of the Indian Army is ‘service before self’ and its mission is to ensure national security and national unity, defend the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and maintain peace and security within its borders. Salute to the brave soldiers, who risk and sacrifice their lives to protect us. Even the Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965 had given the slogan like “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”.

Important Points:

28th Chief of Army Staff: General Manoj Mukund Naravane.

Correct Answer – B. Lakshya Sen

Explanation: India’s Lakshya Sen has won his maiden Super 500 title by winning Yonex-Sunrise India Open.In men’s singles event he defeated World Champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore.This was the 20-year-old’s maiden entry in the final of a BWF World Tour Super 500 event after he came back from a game down to beat Malaysia’s Tze Yong Ng.Earlier in the day, India’s top-ranked Men’s Doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won double title.The defeated top seeded Indonesian pair of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan 21-16, 26-24 in the final.

Correct Answer – C. Kathak Maestro

Explanation: Kathak legend Pandit Birju Maharaj (Brij Mohan Nath Mishra) passed away at his home in Delhi after suffering a heart attack.A recipient of the country’s second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan was born in a well-known family of Kathak dancers.Pandit Birju Maharaj donned several hats during his lifetime.While he was best known as a Kathak dancer, he was an equally prolific singer, poet and painter.

Correct Answer – B. Tamilnadu

Explanation: The Tamil Nadu government will install a statue of Colonel John Pennycuick in the United Kingdom. Colonel John Pennycuick was a British engineer who built the Mullaperiyar dam in 1895 in Kerala’s Idukki.The dam is currently operated by the Tamil Nadu government.Pennycuick is highly respected by the people of the five districts in Tamil Nadu and is even worshipped by many.

Correct Answer – C. Srinagar

Explanation:  Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) has completed 5-km-long tunnelling work as part of the 18-km-long all-weather Zojila Tunnel.The project of the NHIDCL, being executed by the MEIL, is envisaged to ensure connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh throughout the year.Zojila project, Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel, is a challenging development project in India for strategic reasons too.

Correct Answer – B. 16th January

Explanation: First National Start-up Day is being observed on 16th January 2022 as announced by Prime Miniter Modi.During the event, over 150 startups interacted and have been divided into six working groups based on several themes.Note: Purple Revolution is Jammu and Kashmir’s contribution to Start-Up India.

Correct Answer – A. Dubai

Explanation:  A young Lavni artist from Maharashtra, Sumit Bhale of Fulbari taluka has won a gold medal at the International Folk Art Festival in Dubai.Lavani is a genre of music popular in Maharashtra and is a combination of traditional song and dance, which is particularly performed to the beats of Dholki, a percussion instrument.

Correct Answer – C. Russia

Explanation: The Navies of India and Russia conducted a passing exercise in the Arabian Sea on 14 Jan’22. Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and built guided-missile destroyer INS Kochi exercised with Russian Federation Navy’s destroyer Admiral Tributs. A passing exercise is done to ensure that two navies participating in it are able to smoothly coordinate and communicate in times of a disaster or war.

Additional Information

The 21st India-Russia Annual Summit was held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in December 2021.The Davis Cup 2021 was won by the Russian Tennis Federation by defeating Croatia in the Davis Cup final in Madrid. Russia has started supplying components of the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system to India as part of a 5.2 bn USD deal for five squadrons and the first squadron in November 2021. Russian Navy has successfully test-fired the ‘Zircon’ Hypersonic Cruise Missile in November 2021. Director-producer Imtiaz Ali has been roped in as the ambassador of the Russian Film Festival 2021 in India.

Correct Answer – A. Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya

Explanation: Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya released a commemorative postal stamp on the COVID-19 vaccine to mark the first anniversary of India’s National Covid-19 vaccination program, on 16 Jan 2022. 93 percent of people above 18 years are vaccinated with 1st dose and 70 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. The vaccination drive of India is the world’s largest vaccination campaign.

Additional Information

On November 29th, 2021, World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 as Omicron. New COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529 was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021.

• WHO Established: 7 April 1948;
• WHO Director General: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (As of Jan 2022).
• WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

Bollywood actor Salman Khan was appointed as the Covid-vaccine ambassador of Maharashtra in November 2021. In November 2021, Britain has approved the world’s first pill to treat cases of symptomatic COVID19

Correct Answer – B. New Delhi

Explanation: Delhi Police launched its first podcast on 16 January 2022. It aims to establish communication with the masses through its unheard stories of crimes, investigations, hearts, and humanity. The first episode of the podcast, titled ‘Kissa Khaki Ka’, was aired on the social media handles of the Delhi Police on 16 Jan. The podcast will be narrated by well-known media educator Vartika Nanda.

Additional Information

Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana on 12 Dec 2021 launched an e-learning platform, ‘Unnati’. It was launched at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Auditorium under the Delhi Police’s flagship scheme ‘YUVA’. Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana was launched by the Delhi government in November 2021 to provide free coaching of various competitive exams.In November 2021, Delhi Government launched a pilgrimage scheme called “Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana” The Delhi government launched the “Desh ke Mentors” programme on October 11, 2021. This programme was launched with the aim of providing students with young mentors.

Correct Answer: D. Common Services Centers (CSC)

Explanation: Common Services Centers (CSC) has launched the ”Yogyata” mobile phone application. It will provide vocational education and skill enhancement opportunities to youth and citizens in rural areas.The enrolments under the app will be carried out by the village-level entrepreneurs, managing the CSCs across India. It will provide access to courses like cyber security, 3D printing, etc.

Additional Information

• Common Service Centres are physical facilities for delivering Government of India e-Services to rural and remote locations where availability of computers and Internet was negligible or mostly absent.
• Founded: 16 July 2009;
• Headquarters: Electronics Niketan, New Delhi
• Chairman: Ajay Prakash Sawhney (As of Jan 2022)

Correct Answer: C. 2015

Explanation: Virat Kohli has stepped down as the Test captain of the Indian Men’s cricket team. Kohli replaced MS Dhoni in 2015 as the captain of the Indian team and became the most successful Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches. He became the first-ever Asian captain to win a Test series in Australia.  Kohli had stepped down as the T20I captain in 2021.

Correct Answer: B. International Civil Aviation Organisation

Explanation: India will soon start issuing e-passports that will use Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) and biometrics. The new e-passport will secure biometric data, and also be in line with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO). The passport jacket will contain an electronic chip that will have important security-related data encoded on it.

Important Points

The ministry has initiated discussions with the ‘India Security Press’ regarding the project for issuing chip-enabled e-passports to the citizens. The External Affairs Ministry will issue chip-enabled e-Passports with advanced security features to citizens. The personal particulars of the applicants would be digitally signed and stored in the chip which would be embedded in the passport booklet. In case, anyone tampers with the chip, the system shall be able to identify it, resulting in the failure of the passport authentication. India Security Press, Nashik has awarded the contract for procurement of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)-compliant electronic contactless inlays along with its operating system necessary for chip-enabled e-Passports.

Correct Answer: A. Madurai

Explanation: Tamil Nadu’s bull-taming sport Jallikattu was held in Avaniapuram, Madurai district, on 14 January 2022 on the occasion of Pongal. It is conducted as part of Mattu Pongal, the third day of the four-day-long harvest festival.A person is announced as a winner if he hangs on to the bull’s hump for a specified time. The bull owners are also given prizes if their animal is not tamed by anyone.

Important Points

Recent Initiatives by Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated two web portals named ‘e-Munnetram’ and ‘IT Nanban’ developed by Information Technology Department, on 22 October 2021. Tamil Nadu is set to become the first in the country to administer Covid-19 vaccines to those aged 2-18 years. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has launched the preliminary work to melt into 24-carat gold bars, the unutilised jewellery in the possession of the temples in the state. In Tamil Nadu, the Karuppur kalamkari paintings and the Kallakurichi wood carvings have received geographical indication (GI) tags. The Tamil Nadu government has constituted a 39-member committee, headed by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, to monitor the implementation of the Centrally-sponsored schemes in the state. Tamil Nadu government has set up a welfare board for Tamil repatriates.

Correct Answer: D. Both 1 and 2

Explanation: Festival Losoong was celebrated in January 2022. It is a Sikkimese New Year festival and carnival which celebrates the end of the annual harvest season at the conclusion of the tenth month of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar. The festival is primarily celebrated by Bhutia and Lepcha tribes in India, Bhutan, and Nepal. It was celebrated on January 3 in Sikkim and January 4 in Mizoram.

Important Points

Losoong is also known as Sonam Losoong by the Bhutias and Namsoong among the Lepchas and falls on the 18th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar. Namsoong rituals begin when the chief priest offers the sacred alcohol ‘Chi-Fut’ to the Gods. Losoong celebrations include tribal dances and competitions which enact the symbolic victory of good spirits and gods over evil. The Bhutia people participate in Chaam dances and dress like gods adorned with spiritual symbols.

Correct Answer: B. Kerala Arts and Crafts Village

Explanation: The Kerala Arts and Crafts Village (KACV) near Kovalam has won the 2021 International Craft Award for the best craft village of 2021. KACV is an institution established by the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society for the state tourism department. The Kraf Komuniti Ku craft village in Malaysia was selected as the best village for the previous year, i.e. 2020.