GK & Current Affairs – November 23, 2015

1. Which among the following committee has been set up for promotion of Sanskrit language?
[A]N Gopalaswami committee
[B]Deviprasad Mishra committee
[C]Ramesh Bharadwaj committee
[D]Chand Kiran Salooja committee
Answer: N Gopalaswami committee
The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry has set up a 13-member expert committee exclusively for promotion of the Sanskrit language. The committee is headed by N Gopalaswami, the former chief election commissioner (CEC) and now Chancellor of Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth in Tirupati. Other members of the panel include Bibek Debroy (NITI Aayog member), V V Bhat (former government of India secretary), Dr Ramadorai (Chairman of National Skill Development Corporation), Ramesh Bharadwaj (professor at Delhi University), Ved Prakash (UGC Chairman) and Chamu Krishna Shastri of the RSS-affiliated Samskrita Bharti. The committee will recommend measures to integrate the study of the Sanskrit language with other disciplines such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, medical science and law, and suggest changes in Sanskrit education in schools and universities and recommend ways to impart Sanskrit education through modern tools. The committee is also tasked with draw an action plan to develop the Sanskrit language in the next 10 years.
2. The East Asia Summit 2015 was held in which country?
[A]Singapore
[B]Indonesia
[C]Philippines
[D]Malaysia
Answer: Malaysia
The East Asia Summit 215 was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a forum held annually by leaders of countries in the East Asian and South East Asian region. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 December 2005. EAS meetings are held after annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings.
3. Who will be the Chief Guest at the 67th Republic Day parade of January 26, 2016?
[A]Dilma Rousseff
[B]Joko Widodo
[C]Francois Hollande
[D]Jacob Zuma
Answer: Francois Hollande
French President Francois Hollande will be the Chief Guest at the 67th Republic Day parade of January 26, 2016.Mr. Francois Hollande would be the 5th highest dignitary from France to be Chief Guest of Indian Republic Day parade after Prime Minister Jacques Chirac (1976), President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing (1980), President Jacques Chirac (1998) and President Nicolas Sarkozy (2008).With this invitation, France now holds distinction of being the guest of honour for the maximum five times of Indian Republic Day parade followed by Bhutan (four times); Mauritius and USSR/Russia (three times each).
4. Which Indian state has signed a historic sister-state agreement with South Australia?
[A]West Bengal
[B]Rajasthan
[C]Madhya Pradesh
[D]Andhra Pradesh
Answer: Rajasthan
South Australia has signed a historic sister-state agreement with Rajasthan state. The agreement would pave new ways to boost investment and export opportunities between the two states. The agreement is based on a two-way exchange of research, policy and technical capabilities. The expertise within South Australia in sustainable water management will help to further improve water access and security for businesses and communities in Rajasthan.
5. Who became the first Indian to win the Asian Woman Footballer of the Year award in the United Kingdom?
[A]Upamati Devi
[B]Aditi Chauhan
[C]Chitra Gangadharan
[D]Anjana Saikia
Answer: Aditi Chauhan
West Ham United goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan is the first Indian to be awarded the Asian Woman Footballer of the Year award in the United Kingdom. She beat India-born Tanvie Hans and Monica Sharma of Fulham Foundation FC, and London Bari LFC captain Sabah Mahmoud to win the prestigious award. She was the first Indian footballer from the women’s national team to play competitively in England.
6. Who among the following has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards for 2013 and 2014?
[A]Khushwant Singh
[B]Kuldip Nayar
[C]Asif Noorani
[D]Gauhar Raza
Answer: Kuldip Nayar
Veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar was honoured with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his contribution to journalism at the eighth edition of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence awards for years 2013 and 2014. He is former editor of the Indian Express. During Emergency he was jailed for leading a protest against the excesses of the administration.
7. Which Indian state has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for planting the most number of saplings in one day?
[A]Karnataka
[B]Tamil Nadu
[C]Rajasthan
[D]Uttar Pradesh
Answer: Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for planting the most number of saplings in one day with in a span of eight hours. On November 7, under the ‘Clean UP, Green UP’ initiative, over 10 lakh saplings were planted at 10 locations in the state.
8. What are masala bonds?
[A]Rupee denominated domestic bonds
[B]Rupee denominated overseas bonds
[C]Dollar denominated overseas bonds
[D]Dollar denominated domestic bonds
Answer: Rupee denominated overseas bonds
Masala bonds are rupee denominated overseas bonds. Masala bonds will help to internationalise the Indian rupee and also deepen the Indian financial system. By issuing bonds in rupees, an Indian company is shielded against the risk of currency fluctuation, typically associated with borrowing in foreign currency. Besides helping diversify funding sources, the cost of borrowing could also turn out to be lower than domestic markets. In 2013, the first masala bonds were issued by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank. IFC then named them Masala bonds to give a local flavour by calling to mind Indian culture and cuisine.
9. Which among the following has pledged 120 million dollar loan to finance cross-border electricity link between Indian and Bangladesh?
[A]World Bank
[B]IMF
[C]Asian Development Bank
[D]Japan Development Bank
Answer: Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged to provide 120 million dollar loan in order to finance cross-border electricity link between Bangladesh and India under SASEC Programme. The loan fund would be used for Second Bangladesh-India Grid Inter connectivity project under the ambitious South Asia Sub-regional Economic Co-operation (SASEC) Programme.
10. Which country is conducting the first “South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise” (SAADMEx) – 2015?
[A]Myanmar
[B]India
[C]Sri Lanka
[D]Bangladesh
Answer: India
India is conducting the first “South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise” (SAADMEx) – 2015. It is held during 23 November to 26 November. The four-day long SAADMEx-2015 is being organized jointly by NDMA, NIDM, NDRF and MHA. Delegations and rescuers from each of the eight SAARC nations- India, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are participating in SAADMEx-2015.

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