This is the current affairs of 1 to 4 January 2025. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Who is the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024 winner?
a. Gukesh D (Chess), Manu Bhaker (Shooting)
b. Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey)
c. Praveen Kumar (Para Athletics)
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above {Gukesh D (Chess), Manu Bhaker (Shooting), Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey), Praveen Kumar (Para Athletics)}
– The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2024 on January 2, 2025.
About the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
– This is another award named after India’s hockey wizard, Major Dhyan Chand.
– It is the highest honor for lifetime achievements in sports in India.
– The ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’ is given for outstanding and most exceptional performances in the field of sports during the last four years by an athlete.
– The chairman of the National Sports Awards Selection Committee was retired Supreme Court judge Justice V. Ramsubramaniam.
About Gukesh D (Chess)
– 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh won the World Chess Championship title in Singapore on December 11, 2024.
– He defeated China’s defending champion Ding Liren 7.5-6.5 in the final.
– Gukesh became the first player to win the title at such a young age.
– Previously, in 1985, Russian player Garry Kasparov had won the title at the age of 22.
About Manu Bhaker (Shooting)
– Manu Bhaker won double Olympic medals at the Paris Olympic Games in August-September 2024.
– She secured third place in both the 10-meter Air Pistol Individual and Mixed Doubles events.
– With her two medals, India won a total of 6 medals at the Paris Olympics.
About Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey)
– Under the captaincy of Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian hockey team won a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games.
– He has won the FIH Player of the Year award three times.
About Praveen Kumar (Para Athletics)
– Praveen Kumar stunned everyone by winning the gold medal in men’s high jump at the Paris Paralympic Games 2024 with an Asian record.
– Praveen, who had won a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics, delivered his best performance in the T64 event, clearing a height of 2.08 meters and making history.
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2. How many sportspersons got Arjuna Award 2024 (other than Lifetime) for outstanding performance in sports?
a. 20
b. 22
c. 32
d. 38
Answer: c. 32
– The Arjuna Award for Excellence in Sports is given for good performance over the past four years, as well as for demonstrating leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.
– It is awarded for consistent good performance over a period of four years.
– Arjuna Award winners receive a statue of Arjuna, a certificate, and a cash prize.
Arjuna Award
1- Jyoti Yaraji (Athletics)
2- Annu Rani (Athletics)
3- Neetu (Boxing)
4- Sweety (Boxing)
5- Vantika Agarwal (Chess)
6- Salima Tete (Hockey)
7- Abhishek (Hockey)
8- Sanjay (Hockey)
9- Jarmanpreet Singh (Hockey)
10- Sukhjeet Singh (Hockey)
11- Rakesh Kumar (Para-Archery)
12- Preeti Pal (Para Athletics)
13- Jeevanji Deepti (Para Athletics)
14- Ajeet Singh (Para Athletics)
15- Sachin Sarjerao Khilari (Para Athletics)
16- Dharambir (Para Athletics)
17- Pranav Surma (Para Athletics)
18- H Hokato Sema (Para Athletics)
19- Simran (Para Athletics)
20- Navdeep (Para Athletics)
21- Nitesh Kumar (Para Badminton)
22- Thulasimathi Murugesan (Para Badminton)
23- Nitya Sri Sumathi Sivan (Para Badminton)
24- Manisha Ramdas (Para Badminton)
25- Kapil Parmar (Para Judo)
26- Mona Agarwal (Para Shooting)
27- Rubina Francis (Para Shooting)
28- Swapnil Suresh Kusale (Shooting)
29- Sarabjot Singh (Shooting)
30- Abhay Singh (Squash)
31- Sajan Prakash (Swimming)
32- Aman Sehrawat (Wrestling)
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3. Which players got Arjun Award (Lifetime) 2024 for outstanding performance in sports?
a. Suchha Singh (Athletics)
b. Murlikant Rajaram Petkar (Para-Swimming)
c. Rakesh Agarwal (Cricket)
d. Both a and b
Answer: d. Both a and b [Sucha Singh (Athletics) and Murlikant Rajaram Petkar (Para-Swimming)]
– The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) is given to honor and encourage athletes who have contributed to sports through their performance and continue to contribute to the promotion of sports even after retiring from their active sporting career.
Arjuna Award (Lifetime) 2024
1. Sucha Singh (Athletics)
2. Muralikant Rajaram Petkar (Para-Swimming)
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4. Who got the Dronacharya Award 2024 (Regular Category) for outstanding coaches in sports and games?
a. Subhash Rana (Para-shooting)
b. Deepali Deshpande (Shooting)
c. Sandeep Sangwan (Hockey)
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above [Subhash Rana (Para-shooting), Deepali Deshpande (Shooting), Sandeep Sangwan (Hockey)]
– The Dronacharya Award for Excellence in Coaching is given to coaches who consistently perform outstanding and commendable work, enabling athletes to excel in international competitions.
Winners
1. Subhash Rana (Para-Shooting)
2. Deepali Deshpande (Shooting)
3. Sandeep Sangwan (Hockey)
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5. Who got the Dronacharya Award 2024 (Lifetime Category) for outstanding coaches in sports and games?
a. S Muralitharan (Badminton) and Armando Agnelo Colaco (Football)
b. Aman Sehrawat (Wrestling) and Rakesh Aggarwal (Cricket)
c. Preeti Pal (Para Athletics) and Suchha Singh (Athletics)
d. Both a and b
Answer: a. S Muralitharan (Badminton) and Armando Agnelo Colaco (Football)
– This is India’s highest sports award for coaches.
– This award is given to individuals who have trained medal winners in prestigious international competitions.
Winners
1. S. Muraleedharan (Badminton)
2. Armando Agnelo Colaco (Football)
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6. Which organisation got the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2024?
a. Physical Education Foundation of India
b. Lovely Professional University
c. Guru Nanak Dev University
d. Chandigarh University
Answer: a. Physical Education Foundation of India
– This award is given to organizations or corporates (both private and public) and individuals who have played a significant role in the promotion and development of sports in the past three years.
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7. Which University has been named the overall winner of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2024?
a. Physical Education Foundation of India
b. Lovely Professional University
c. Guru Nanak Dev University
d. Chandigarh University
Answer: d. Chandigarh University
Why is the award given?
– The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy is awarded to the university that performs the best in the Khelo India University Games.
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8. Who has become the new Director General (DG) of CRPF?
a. Vitul Kumar
b. Amay Raj
c. Rajeshwar Singh
d. Vinod Verma
Answer: a. Vitul Kumar
– He joined this position on December 31, 2024.
– He replaced the former DG Anish Dayal Singh.
– He is an IPS officer from the 1993 batch of the UP cadre.
CRPF
– Headquarters: New Delhi
– Founded: July 27, 1939
– Motto: Service and Loyalty
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9. Where was India’s first glass bridge built over the sea?
a. Chennai
b. Kanyakumari
c. Thiruvananthapuram
d. Jaipur
Answer: b. Kanyakumari
– The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, inaugurated it on December 30.
– The length of this glass bridge is 77 meters, and its width is 10 meters.
– Now, tourists can directly reach the 133-foot-tall Thiruvalluvar statue from the Vivekananda Rock Memorial on the coast of Kanyakumari.
– The state government has spent 37 crore rupees on this project.
– The arch-shaped glass bridge has been designed to withstand the strong winds blowing along the coast.
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10. Name the autobiography of 1983 Cricket World Cup winning wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani?
a. ball
b. stumped
c. wickets
d. round
Answer: b. stumped
– Syed Kirmani launched his autobiography on his 75th birthday on December 29, 2024, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
– In the autobiography, Kirmani has shared details about his life and cricket career.
– It has been published by Penguin’s London publication.
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11. Who became the new MD and CEO of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank?
a. Syed Kirmani
b. Amitav Chatterjee
c. Baldev Prakash
d. morning god
Answer: b. Amitav Chatterjee
– Chatterjee has been appointed to this position for a period of 3 years.
– He assumed office on December 30, 2024.
– Chatterjee has previously served as the MD and CEO of SBI Capital Markets.
– Before this, he was the Deputy Managing Director of the State Bank of India.
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12. In which of these European countries, wearing of burqa has been banned from 1 January 2025?
a. Switzerland
b. Malaysia
c. Germany
d. Italy
Answer: a. Switzerland
– A fine of 1,000 Swiss Francs, approximately 96,000 rupees, will be imposed for violating this law.
– Before Switzerland, laws regarding this had already been implemented in Belgium, France, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria.
– Under this law, women will not be able to fully cover their faces in public places such as public offices, public transport, restaurants, shops, and other locations.
– This decision has been made based on the 2021 referendum.
– Of Switzerland’s population of 8.6 million, about 5% are Muslim.
Exemptions:
– The ban will not apply to airplanes or diplomatic and consular premises, and women can cover their faces at places of worship and other sacred sites.
– It will also be allowed for health and safety reasons, local customs, or weather conditions. Face covering will be permitted for artistic, entertainment purposes, and for advertising.
Switzerland:
– It is a landlocked country.
– Capital: Bern
– President: Karin Keller-Sutter
– Currency: Swiss Franc
– Neighboring countries: Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, and France
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13. For what th time did West Bengal team win the Santosh Trophy (2024-25 title)?
a. 31st time
b. 32nd time
c. 33rd time
d. 34th time
Answer: c. 33rd time
– West Bengal won the Santosh Trophy for the 33rd time on December 31.
– The team won the title by defeating Kerala.
– Hansda was also the player who scored the most goals in the tournament, with a total of 12 goals.
– The final match of the tournament was played at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.
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14. How many years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, Union Carbide waste was removed in January 2025?
a. 12
b. 30
c. 40
d. 60
Answer: c. 40
– On the orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, 337 metric tons of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal were removed after 40 years.
– The chemical waste from Union Carbide will be incinerated at the Ramky Enviro Factory located in Aashapura village, near Pithampur (Dhar district), near Indore.
– The Ramky Enviro Plant is operated in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
About the Bhopal Gas Tragedy:
– When did the incident occur: On the night of December 2 and 3, 1984
– Which factory was involved: Union Carbide in Bhopal (now Dow Chemicals)
– Which gas leaked: Toxic gas Methyl Isocyanate (MIC)
– How many people died: Over 15,000 people (officially 5,479)
– Injured or disabled: Over 500,000 people
– The main accused in this incident was Warren Anderson, the CEO of the company at the time.
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15. Who among the following launched the book ‘Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh: Through the Ages’?
a. Narendra Modi
b. Amit Shah
c. Rajnath Singh
d. Rahul Gandhi
Answer: b. Amit Shah
– Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the book “Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh: Through the Ages” on January 2, 2025, in New Delhi.
– This book has been published in 7 volumes.
– It chronicles the 3,000-year history of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.
– The book has been prepared with the collaboration of the National Book Trust and the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).
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16. India and which country’s army conducted ‘Surya Kiran’ exercise in January 2025?
a. Pakistan
b. Bhutan
c. Nepal
d. Sri Lanka
Answer: c. Nepal
– The military exercise “Surya Kiran” was held from December 31, 2024, to January 13, 2025.
– It took place in Saljhandi, Nepal.
– The Indian Army contingent was led by a battalion of the 11th Gorkha Rifles during the Surya Kiran exercise.
– This was the 18th edition of the Surya Kiran exercise.
– This exercise was first held in 2011.
Nepal:
– Capital: Kathmandu
– President: Ram Chandra Paudel
– Prime Minister: KP Sharma Oli
– Currency: Nepalese Rupee
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17. Where was the 31st National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) organized in January 2025?
a. Patna
b. Jamshedpur
c. Delhi
d. Bhopal
Answer: d. Bhopal
– The main theme of this year is “Understanding the Ecosystem for Health and Well-being.”
– The inauguration of the National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) was done by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav.
– Over 700 child scientists, teachers, and mentors from various states of India participated in this congress.
– The National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) was initiated in 1993.
– It is a platform operated under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
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18. S Jayachandran Nair passed away on 2 January 2025, he was which of the following?
a. Writer and Journalist
b. Singer and Musician
c. Cricket Player
d. None of these
Answer: a. Writer and Journalist
– He was 85 years old and a Malayalam writer and journalist from Kerala.
– He was the chief of magazines like Kerala Kaumudi and Samakalika Malayalam for many years.
– His autobiography, Ente Pradhakshina Vazhikal (My Pilgrimage Paths), won the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 2012.
– In 2018, he received the National Award for Best Book for his book on cinema.
– Some of his best works include Rosadalangal, Azhakaltha Akasham, and Umadathinte Surya Kanthika.
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19. Scientist Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram passed away on 4 January 2025, he was which of the following?
a. Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission
b. Chief Scientific Adviser of India
c. Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above (Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, Chief Scientific Adviser of India, Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre)
– Dr. Rajagopala was born in Chennai in 1936.
– He studied at Presidency College in Chennai and the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.
– Dr. Rajagopala played a key role in the 1974 nuclear testing team.
– In the 1998 Pokhran Nuclear Test-2, he led the team.
– Dr. Rajagopala was awarded the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999.
– In 1990, he also took on the role of Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.
– Dr. Rajagopala became the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1993 and held this position until 2000.
– After Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam became the President, Dr. Rajagopala served as India’s Chief Scientific Advisor from 2002 to 2018.
Note: Since April 2022, Ajay Kumar Sood has been serving as India’s Chief Scientific Advisor.
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20. Where will Asia’s largest air show ‘Aero India 2025’ be organized in February 2024?
a. Patna
b. Bhopal
c. Bangalore
d. Chennai
Answer: c. Bangalore
– The 15th edition of Aero Show will be held from February 10 to 14.
– Aero India 2025 will be hosted in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
– The theme of the event is “Runway to a Billion Opportunities.”
– CEOs of various companies, domestic public sector CMDs, and major private defense and aerospace manufacturing companies from India will participate in this event.
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