This is the current affairs of 29 July 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Who became the first Indian female player to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics?
a. Anjali Bhagwat
b. Manu Bhaker
c. Maheshwari Chauhan
d. Sonia Rai
Answer: b. Manu Bhaker
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2. Manu Bhaker won the first medal for India in Paris Olympics 2024, which of these medals is this?
a. Gold
b. Silver
c. Bronze
d. None of These
Answer: c. Bronze
– With this bronze medal, Manu Bhaker became the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal.
– She won the bronze medal in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol event.
– Manu is the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting in the history of the Olympics.
– In this event, Korea’s Oh Ye Jin won the gold medal. Korea’s Kim Yeji won the silver medal.
A medal in shooting after 12 years
– Manu Bhaker brought an Olympic medal in shooting to India after 12 years.
– The last Olympic medal in this sport for India was won in 2012.
Fifth medal in Olympic shooting
– This is the fifth medal in Indian Olympic shooting history.
– Prior to this, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won silver in 2004, Abhinav Bindra won gold in 2008, and Vijay Kumar won silver and Gagan Narang won bronze in 2012.
Olympic Medals: Eight Indian Women and Their Nine Medals
1. Karnam Malleswari: Bronze in Weightlifting at the Sydney Olympics 2000
2. Saina Nehwal: Bronze in Badminton at the London Olympics 2012
3. Mary Kom: Bronze in Boxing at the London Olympics 2012
4. Sakshi Malik: Bronze in Wrestling at the Rio Olympics 2016
5. PV Sindhu: Silver in Badminton at the Rio Olympics 2016 and Bronze at the Tokyo Olympics 2021
6. Mirabai Chanu: Two Silvers in Weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics 2021
7. Lovlina Borgohain: Bronze in Boxing at the Tokyo Olympics 2021
8. Manu Bhaker: Bronze in Shooting at the Paris Olympics 2024
Manu Bhaker
– She hails from Jhajjar, Haryana.
– Her father, Ramkishan, wanted her to become a boxer. Manu’s elder brother was a boxer, so she also took up boxing and won medals at the national level. However, one day during practice, she injured her eye badly.
– After that, Manu quit boxing and tried martial arts but felt that there was cheating in the game.
– Manu’s mother, Dr. Sumedha Bhaker, was a school principal.
– The school where her mother was a principal had a shooting range. Her mother sent Manu to the shooting range with her father. Manu’s talent was recognized by the physical education teacher, Anil Jakhar, when she took her first shot.
– Following this, Dr. Sumedha moved from Jhajjar to Faridabad for Manu’s practice.
– At the Tokyo Olympics 2021, Manu’s pistol malfunctioned during the qualifying round. She couldn’t shoot for 20 minutes. Even after the pistol was fixed, she could only take 14 shots and didn’t make it to the finals. She was disappointed but kept her spirits high and has now become the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal.
– Manu Bhaker’s coach is Jaspal Rana.
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3. In which country did External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar unveil the commemorative postage stamp of Ram Lalla in July 2024?
a. France
b. Japan
c. Germany
d. Laos
Answer: d. Laos
– S. Jaishankar traveled to Laos in July to participate in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
– During his three-day visit to Laos, a special set of postage stamps celebrating our shared cultural heritage of the Ramayana and Buddhism was launched.
– This set includes two stamps, one featuring the image of Lord Rama’s statue from Ayodhya and the other depicting Lord Buddha.
– This stamp is being described as the world’s first postage stamp dedicated to the statue of Lord Rama from Ayodhya.
– Jaishankar posted about the unveiling of the stamp on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Launched a special set of postage stamps celebrating our shared cultural heritage of the Ramayana and Buddhism.”
– Laos is officially known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LPDR).
Laos
– It is a landlocked country.
– Capital: Vientiane
– President: Thongloun Sisoulith
– Currency: Kip
– Neighboring Countries: China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
– Established: August 8, 1967
– Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
– Objective: To promote economic growth and trade among member states
Member Countries (10)
1- Myanmar
2- Thailand
3- Laos
4- Vietnam
5- Cambodia
6- Malaysia
7- Singapore
8- Indonesia
9- Brunei
10- Philippines
India – ASEAN Relations
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
– India is not a member of ASEAN, but it became a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992. In 1996, India became a full dialogue partner, and in 2002, a summit-level partner. They have a strategic partnership.
– ASEAN is the most important element of India’s Act East policy.
– Political, economic, and security cooperation with ASEAN is of the highest priority for India.
– The history of India-ASEAN relations can be traced through cultural connections. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam spread from India to this region, and this shared cultural heritage is evident in art forms and architecture.
– Despite this, India did not have good relations with ASEAN post-independence due to ideological differences during the Cold War, as ASEAN was influenced by the United States. After the end of the Cold War, India-ASEAN relations have evolved from economic connections to strategic heights due to common threats and aspirations.
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4. In which country was the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting held in July 2024, in which S Jaishankar participated?
a. Delhi
b. Dhaka
c. Vientiane
d. Kathmandu
Answer: c. Vientiane (capital of Laos)
– During this meeting, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged for 10 Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) for Laos under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation.
Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC)
– Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative of six countries: India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
– It includes India and five ASEAN countries.
– This initiative was established in 2000 for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communication.
– It is named after the Ganga and Mekong rivers, both of which are significant civilizational rivers.
– Its aim is to facilitate close ties among the six member countries that share the Ganga River and Mekong River basins.
– Cooperation focuses on four areas: culture, education, tourism, and transport.
– The purpose of this initiative is to strengthen relationships between the people living in these two major river valleys and to highlight the cultural and economic ties among member countries throughout history.
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5. What was the name of Darbar Hall and Ashok Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan changed to?
a. Ganatantra Mandap and Ashoka Mandap
b. Raj Mandap and Vijay Mandap
c. Brahma Mandap and White Pavilion
d. None of these
Answer: a. Ganatantra Mandap and Ashoka Mandap
– On July 25, 2024, President Droupadi Murmu announced the renaming of the Durbar Hall and Ashoka Hall in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
– The Durbar Hall has been renamed ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and the Ashoka Hall has been renamed Ashoka Mandap.
Durbar Hall (Ganatantra Mandap)
– Durbar Hall is the venue for significant ceremonies and events such as the presentation of national awards.
Ashoka Hall (Ashoka Mandap)
– Ashoka Hall, which was originally a ballroom, is now used for special events.
Why the Names Were Changed
– A statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, “There has been a continuous effort to reflect the environment of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Indian cultural values and ethos.”
– The term ‘Durbar’ means courts and assemblies that were once held by rulers. The statement noted that its relevance had ended after India became a republic.
– The term ‘Ashoka’ means a person who is “free from all suffering” or “devoid of any sorrow.” It also refers to Emperor Ashoka, a symbol of unity and peaceful coexistence. The national emblem of the Republic of India is the Ashoka Pillar located in Sarnath.
– According to the statement, the term ‘Ashoka’ also refers to the Ashoka tree, which holds significant importance in Indian religious traditions as well as art and culture.
– Renaming Ashoka Hall to Ashoka Mandap will bring uniformity in language, remove traces of Anglicization, and preserve the key values associated with the term ‘Ashoka’.
Note
– In January 2024, the Mughal Garden was renamed Amrit Udyan.
– In 2022, the route from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, previously known as Rajpath, was renamed Kartavya Path.
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6. Name the new Chairman of Bihar Legislative Council?
a. Avadhesh Narayan Singh
b. Vinod Kumar Verma
c. Rajendra Sahni
d. Arun Dev Singh
Answer: a. Avadhesh Narayan Singh
– He is a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
– The position became vacant following the election of Devesh Chandra Thakur, the Chairman of the Legislative Council, as a Member of Parliament.
Bihar
– Capital: Patna
– Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
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7. The Uttar Pradesh government declared an area of 27,826 square miles of which districts including Lucknow as State Capital Region (SCR)?
a. Hardoi, Sitapur
b. Unnao, Raebareli
c. Barabanki
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
– In July 2024, the Uttar Pradesh government declared the SCR (State Capital Region) similar to the NCR (National Capital Region).
– These areas will be referred to as the Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region.
– To oversee the development of these areas, the “Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region Development Authority” has been established.
SCR Areas
1. Lucknow: 2,528 square kilometers
2. Hardoi: 5,986 square kilometers
3. Sitapur: 5,743 square kilometers
4. Unnao: 4,558 square kilometers
5. Rae Bareli: 4,609 square kilometers
6. Barabanki: 4,402 square kilometers
Total: 27,826 square kilometers
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8. Who was appointed as the Chairman of Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region Development Authority by the UP Government?
a. Chief Minister
b. Deputy Chief Minister
c. Chief Secretary
d. Transport Minister
Answer: a. Chief Minister
– Chairman: Chief Minister
– Vice-Chairman: Chief Secretary
– This authority has been established for the development of the State Capital Region.
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Adityanath
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9. When is International Tiger Day celebrated?
a. 30 July
b. 29 July
c. 28 July
d. 27 July
Answer: b. 29 July
– World Tiger Day was inaugurated in 2010 when it was recognized at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia.
– This event is declared by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
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10. When is International Friendship Day celebrated?
a. 28 July
b. 29 July
c. 30 July
d. 31 July
Answer: c. 30 July
– The United Nations General Assembly adopted International Friendship Day in 2011.
– The day was announced with the idea that friendship among people, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
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