GK & Current Affairs Quiz: May 04, 2019

Notes:
Ace India goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh has been nominated for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award by Hockey India. While, Midfielder Chinglensana Singh Kangujam and forward Akashdeep Singh and women’s team defender Deepika have been nominated for the Arjuna Award. Hockey India has also nominated R.P. Singh and Sandeep Kaur for Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement, while coaches Baljeet Singh, B.S. Chauhan and Romesh Pathania have been proposed for Dronacharya Award.

Notes:
The first part of the Indo-French joint naval exercise – Varuna 19.1 – has started off the Goa coast from 1 to 10 May 2019. The exercise will see the participation of the French Navy’s aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers, FNS Forbin and FNS Provence, the frigate FNS Latouche-Treville, the tanker FNS Marne and a nuclear submarine. From the Indian side, the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, destroyer INS Mumbai, the Teg-class frigate, INS Tarkash, the Shishumar- class submarine, INS Shankul, and the Deepak- class fleet tanker, INS Deepak, are taking part in the exercise. The exercise is being conducted in two phases. The harbour phase at Goa would include cross-visits, professional interactions and discussions and sports events. The sea phase would comprise various exercises across the spectrum of maritime operations. The second part of the exercise – Varuna 19.2 – is scheduled to be held in May end in Djibouti.

Notes:
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has decided to observe its retaliatory action on February 27 against the Indian air strikes on the Balakot terror camp as ‘Operation Swift Retort’. The tensions between India and Pakistan had escalated after the 14th February 2019 attack by a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bomber in Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. 13 days later, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting what it said was a JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, the PAF retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in aerial combat and captured IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was later released and handed over to the Indian side on March 1.

Notes:
The former Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara has become the first non-British President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). He will begin his one-year tenure in October 2019 and will succeed Anthony Wreford. His tenure will include two England test matches against West Indies and Pakistan and the launch of The Hundred competition – the England and Wales Cricket Board’s new 100-ball cricket format. MCC, which owns Lord’s and acts as the guardian of the laws of the game, was founded in 1787 and lists 168 presidents in its history.

Notes:
The Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) has inked a MoU with Water & Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited (WAPCOS) to jointly identify suitable future projects and carry out geotechnical investigation and engineering consultancy.The two firms will work together to explore projects in water resources, power and infrastructure, port and harbour dredging, shallow water dredging, beach nourishment, lake rehabilitation, flood management, erosion control, river morphology and other related sectors. WAPCOS is a mini ratna PSU under the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The headquarters of WAPCOS is located at New Delhi.