Current Affairs Quiz- September, 2019

Notes:
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has released a new potential blockbuster wheat variety  –  Pusa Yashasvi (HD-3226) – for planting in the upcoming rabi crop season. The new variety has high genetic yield potential at 79.6 quintals as compared to other varieties of wheat. It is highly resistant to all rusts and Karnal bunt, besides other fungal pathogen diseases such as flag smut, powdery mildew and foot rot. The HD-3326 also has higher content of protein and gluten (which contributes to strength and elasticity of the dough), apart from more zinc (at 36.8 parts per million, as against 34.8 for HD-3086 and 36 for HD-2967) and good chapatti, bread and biscuit quality.

Notes:
In New York, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently addressed the 74th Session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and participated in other multilateral and bilateral engagements. Mr. Modi also addressed the first-ever High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC),  which will launch new efforts to provide access for all to affordable, inclusive and resilient health systems. He also addressed the ‘Leaders’ Dialogue on Strategic Responses to Terrorist and Violent Extremist Narratives’ that deals with the Office of Counter-terrorism.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal has recently launched “champions campaign” in the National Capital in a fight against dengue. He urged people to encourage their friends to inspect their homes to check their homes for mosquito larvae & to clean stagnant water.   The campaign visualizes that citizens should promptly reach out to 10 of their friends and asks them to check their premises for signs of dengue.

Notes:
The Shondol dance of Ladakh has created history again by breaking into the Guinness book of world records as the largest Ladakhi dance when 408 women artists in traditional dresses performed gracefully the folk dance on the occasion of the 2019 Buddhist carnival ‘Naropa Festival’. The fest was held near the 11th-century world-famous Hemis Monastery in Ladakh & was organised by the Live to Love India, Drukpa Charitable Trust and Young Drukpa Association. Earlier, this famous dance was used to be performed by artists for King of Ladakh on special occasion.

Notes:
On 24th September 2019, the Gandhi Solar Park (GSP) and the ‘Gandhi Peace Garden’ have inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with others world leaders at UN headquarters. On the occasion, a special UN Postage on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150 years also released.  The GSP is a first-of-its-kind symbolic Indian effort at the UN that highlights India’s willingness to go beyond the talk on climate change and climate action. While, the  Peace Garden is dedicated in the memory of Gandhi and is a crowd-sourced project, with people adopting trees in the memory of their loved ones. Mr. Modi  was also conferred the “Global Goalkeeper” award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by his government.

Notes:
Defending champion Manipur has clinched the title of the 25th Senior Women’s National Football Championship for the 20th time. In the final at CHF Ground in Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh), Manipur defeated Railways 1-0 in a thrilling contest. Bala Devi is the highest scorer in the tournament with 20 goals. Elangbam Panthoi Chanu of Manipur and Sanju of Railways won the best goalkeeper & the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament award, respectively. 

Notes:
The Union Government has instituted the highest civilian award in the field of contribution to the unity and integrity of India, in the name of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The award seeks to recognize notable and inspiring contributions to promote the cause of national unity and integrity and to reinforce the value of a strong and united India. The award will be announced on the occasion of the National Unity Day (NUD) on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on 31st of October. The award would consist of a medal and a citation. No monetary grant or cash award would be attached to this Award. Not more than 3 awards would be given in a year. It would not be conferred posthumously except in very rare and highly deserving cases.

Notes:
During the 52nd IAAF Congress at Doha, Indian track and field legend PT Usha has been honoured with a IAAF Veteran Pin by the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) in recognition of her contribution to the growth of the sport. She is often called the “queen of track and field”. At the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, Usha won silver in 100m and 200m events. At the Asian Championships in Kuwait City in 1983, she won gold in 400m. In the 1985 Jakarta Asian Championships, Usha won six medals – five gold and a bronze.

Notes:
During the 52nd IAAF Congress at Doha, Sebastian Coe from Britain has been re-elected as president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for a second term for 4 years. Coe is the former Olympic and world champion middle-distance runner. Beside this, Adille Sumariwalla (the President of Athletics Federation of India (AFI)) was re-elected as member of the Council of IAAF for a 2nd four-year term.

Notes:
The National Tourism Awards 2017-18 were recently presented by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on the occasion of World Tourism Day (WTD-2019). In it, Andhra Pradesh has bagged 3 national tourism awards in different categories viz. ‘Best State for comprehensive development of tourism’, ‘Excellence in publishing in English’ and the ‘Best tourist-friendly Railway Station (Visakhapatnam). Goa and Madhya Pradesh were the joint winners in the Adventure Tourism category and Uttarakhand won the award for the Best Film Promotion-Friendly State. Telangana won the award for the Best State for the innovative use of IT.