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1. Which of the following is India’s 43rd and the Northeast’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site?
a. Charaideo Moidam, Assam
b. Rashtrapati Bhawan, Delhi
c. Gandhi Maidan, Patna
d. Bharat Mandapam, Delhi
Answer: a. Charaideo Moidam, Assam (Charaideo Maidam)
– It is also called the Pyramid of Assam.
– Before this, there was no World Heritage Site in the cultural heritage category in Northeast India.
– Charaideo Moidam has become the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the cultural category in Northeast India. Additionally, it is the 43rd World Heritage Site in the country.
Charaideo Moidam
– Charaideo Moidam/Maidam represents the Tai Ahom community’s medieval (13th-19th century) mound burial tradition in Assam.
– It enshrines the mortal remains of the members of the Ahom dynasty, who were buried with their material possessions.
– After the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation and began burying the cremated bones and ashes in the Maidam of Charaideo.
– Out of the 386 Maidams discovered so far, 90 royal tombs in Charaideo represent the most systematically preserved, highly representative, and complete examples of the Ahom mound burial tradition.
Ahom Empire:
– Established in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam in the year 1228, the Ahom Empire maintained its sovereignty for 600 years.
– Chaolung Sukapha was the founder of the 13th-century Ahom Empire.
– It is believed that he came from China.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 43
– Agra Fort
– Ajanta Caves
– Ellora Caves
– Taj Mahal
– Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
– Sun Temple, Konark
– Kaziranga National Park
– Keoladeo National Park
– Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
– Churches and Convents of Goa
– Fatehpur Sikri
– Group of Monuments at Hampi
– Group of Monuments at Khajuraho
– Elephanta Caves
– Great Living Chola Temples
– Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
– Sundarbans National Park
– Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
– Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
– Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
– Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
– Mountain Railways of India
– Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya
– Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka
– Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
– Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)
– Red Fort Complex
– Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
– Western Ghats
– Hill Forts of Rajasthan
– Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area
– Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat
– Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda, Bihar
– Khangchendzonga National Park
– The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
– Historic City of Ahmedabad
– Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
– Jaipur City, Rajasthan
– Dholavira: a Harappan City
– Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana
– Santiniketan, West Bengal
– Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (Group of three temples)
– Charaideo Moidam, Assam
UNESCO
– Headquarters: Paris, France
– Established: 1945
– Director-General: Audrey Azoulay
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2. How much grant did Prime Minister Narendra Modi announce to give to UNESCO World Heritage Centre in the 46th meeting of the World Heritage Committee?
a. 5 lakh dollars
b. 10 lakh dollars
c. 30 lakh dollars
d. 15 lakh dollars
Answer: b. 10 lakh dollars (8.4 crore rupees)
– The 21st World Heritage Committee meeting was held at Bharat Mandapam in the country’s capital, Delhi, from July 21 to 31, 2024.
– More than 2,000 international and national representatives from over 150 countries participated.
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 46th session.
– UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay also attended the inauguration ceremony.
– India is hosting the World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time.
– The World Heritage Committee meeting is held once a year to manage all matters related to World Heritage and to decide on the sites to be included in the World Heritage List.
Grant for UNESCO
– The Prime Minister announced that India will contribute 1 million dollars to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
– This grant will be used for capacity building, technical assistance, and the conservation of World Heritage sites.
– The grant will be specifically utilized for the countries of the Global South.
– At the ceremony, the Prime Minister called on the world to connect with each other to promote each other’s heritage, extend the spirit of human welfare, boost tourism while preserving heritage, and create more employment opportunities.
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3. When is Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated?
a. 28 July
b. 27 July
c. 26 July
d. 25 July
Answer: c. 26 July
– This day is celebrated every year on July 26 to remember the sacrifices made by soldiers during the Kargil War in 1999.
– It was fought for over 60 days (between May and July 1999) and eventually, India regained control over all its territories.
– This war ended on July 26, 1999.
– To reclaim Indian territories from Pakistani infiltrators in the Kargil-Drass sector, the Indian Army launched ‘Operation Vijay’.
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4. When is the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems observed?
a. 25 July
b. 26 July
c. 27 July
d. 28 July
Answer: b. 26 July
– Its purpose is to raise awareness about the mangrove ecosystem and promote their sustainable management and conservation.
– This day has been declared by UNESCO.
About Mangroves
– A mangrove is a small tree or shrub that grows along the coast, with its roots often submerged in saline sediment.
– The term ‘mangrove’ refers to trees and shrubs found in swamps.
– Mangroves are flowering trees that belong to the families Rhizophoraceae, Acanthaceae, Lythraceae, Combretaceae, and Arecaceae.
Mangroves in India:
– Coverage: According to the India State of Forest Report, 2019, India has a mangrove cover of 4,975 square kilometers, which is 0.15% of the country’s total geographical area.
– In terms of percentage, the highest total mangrove cover area is in West Bengal, followed by Gujarat and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
– Largest Mangrove Forest: The Sundarbans in West Bengal is the largest mangrove forest area in the world. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
– Bhitarkanika Mangroves: The second largest mangrove forest in India is located in Bhitarkanika, Odisha, formed by the two river deltas of the Brahmani and Baitarani rivers.
– Additionally, the Godavari-Krishna mangroves extend from Odisha to Tamil Nadu. The density of mangrove forests in the backwaters of Kerala is high.
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5. The central government has set a target to increase India’s nuclear power capacity from 8189 MW to what level by 2031-32?
a. 11,480 MW
b. 21,480 MW
c. 22,480 MW
d. 23,480 MW
Answer: c. 22,480 MW
– India’s installed nuclear energy capacity will triple by 2031-32.
– By 2031-32, the current installed nuclear energy capacity will increase from 8,180 megawatts to 22,480 megawatts.
– The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, provided this information in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today.
– Dr. Singh also highlighted India’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and estimated a national nuclear capacity requirement of approximately 100,000 megawatts by 2047.
– Currently, the country has a total installed nuclear energy capacity of 8,180 megawatts from 24 nuclear energy reactors.
– Presently, a total of 21 nuclear reactors with a capacity of 15,300 megawatts are at various stages of implementation by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
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6. When is World Hepatitis Day celebrated?
a. 30 July
b. 29 July
c. 28 July
d. 27 July
Answer: c. 28 July
Theme 2024
– It’s time for action.
– This disease causes inflammation of the liver.
– Hepatitis is a group of infectious diseases, divided into types A, B, C, D, and E.
– Statistics show that due to hepatitis, one person dies every 30 seconds worldwide.
– In light of this serious illness, the World Health Organization has set a goal to eliminate it by 2030.
History:
– Nobel Prize-winning scientist Dr. Baruch Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus.
– July 28 is Dr. Blumberg’s birthday, and this day is observed as Hepatitis Day.
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7. Which Indian has been elected as the President of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC)?
a. Vinod Rajput
b. Vishweshwar Sharma
c. Raghavendra Verma
d. Rajendra Singh
Answer: d. Rajendra Singh
– In July 2024, India assumed the chairmanship of the organization in Bangkok, Thailand.
– Rajendra Singh, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), was appointed as the chairman of the organization.
– Previously, China had held the chairmanship of this organization.
– The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) has member countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
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8. Which Indian has been re-elected as an international member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)?
a. Anand Mahindra
b. Nita Ambani
c. Vinod Adani
d. Rajendra Malik
Answer: b. Nita Ambani
– In July 2024, India’s nominee was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
– Nita Ambani, founder of the Reliance Foundation, achieved a unanimous victory with 100 percent of the votes.
– Nita Ambani was first appointed to this prestigious organization during the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016.
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9. Which new 10th African country joined the United Nations Water Conference?
a. Ivory Coast
b. Kenya
c. Zimbabwe
d. Botswana
Answer: a. Ivory Coast
– Ivory Coast has joined the 1992 United Nations Water Conference.
– It has become the 10th African country to do so.
– This step enhances regional cooperation for the management of transboundary water resources.
– The next meeting will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in October 2024.
– African countries such as Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Zimbabwe may also join the conference.
United Nations Water Conference:
– Its full name is the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.
– The United Nations Water Conference was initially created in 1992 primarily for the European region.
– In 2016, its goals were made more global to allow all UN member countries to join.
– The conference promotes the management of shared water resources, conflict prevention, and regional integration.
Reasons for Ivory Coast’s Participation:
– Ivory Coast shares eight transboundary river basins with its six neighboring countries: Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
– These regions face significant water shortages.
– The country’s water resources are experiencing droughts and floods due to rapidly growing population, urbanization, and climate change.
– Water quality is deteriorating due to pollution.
– Joining the conference will help Ivory Coast address these challenges through enhanced regional cooperation.
These are the 10 African countries:
– Ivory Coast
– Chad
– Senegal
– Guinea-Bissau
– Ghana
– Togo
– Cameroon
– Nigeria
Ivory Coast
– Capital: Yamoussoukro
– President: Alassane Ouattara
– Currency: West African CFA franc, XOF
– Language: French
– Population: 28.2 million (2022)
– Neighboring countries: Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana
– Southern border with the Atlantic Ocean
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10. Which Indian shooter has been selected for the Olympic Order Award 2024?
a. Abhinav Bindra
b. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
c. Jaspal Rana
d. Heena Sidhu
Answer: a. Abhinav Bindra
– He is a renowned Indian shooter.
– The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will honor him with this award at the award ceremony held in Paris on August 10, 2024.
– Abhinav Bindra is the second Indian to receive this honor.
– Previously, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was awarded this honor in 1983.
– Abhinav Bindra is being recognized for supporting Olympic moments.
– He is advancing Indian sports through the Abhinav Bindra Foundation.
Gold Medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics:
– Abhinav Bindra won India a gold medal in rifle shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
– He is the first Indian athlete to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games.
– He was a member of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Athletes’ Committee from 2010 to 2020.
– He served as the president of the ISSF Athletes’ Committee from 2014.
– Since 2018, he has been a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
– After Abhinav Bindra, Neeraj Chopra won an individual gold medal in the javelin throw event at the 2021 Olympics.
Olympic Order Award:
– The Olympic Order is the highest award given by the IOC, recognizing exceptional contributions to the Olympic movement.
– It was established in 1975, initially awarded in three categories: Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
– In 1984, the Silver and Bronze categories were discontinued.
– It was decided that the award would henceforth be given only in the Gold category to heads of state and individuals who have made significant contributions.
– The IOC also awards this honor to the head of state of the host country of the Olympic Games.
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