Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2024

Notes:
Sumit Antil and Bhagyashri Jadhav were selected as flag bearers for India at the 2024 Paris Paralympics opening ceremony on 28 August 2024. The 17th Summer Paralympics will take place in Paris from 28 August to 8 September 2024. Sumit Antil, a 25-year-old World Champion, won gold in javelin at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and holds the world record in the F64 category. Bhagyashri Jadhav, 39, won silver in shot put (F34 category) at the Asian Para Games and World Para Athletics Championships in May 2024.

Notes:
A landslide recently damaged six houses and an NHPC building at the Teesta-V hydropower station in Sikkim’s Gangtok district. Teesta-V is a 510 MW run-of-river hydropower project on the Teesta River, with a concrete gravity dam. The project began in 1999 and became operational in 2008, developed by NHPC. The Teesta River flows through Sikkim, West Bengal, and Bangladesh, and is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River. It forms a boundary between Sikkim and West Bengal, and its course includes a deep gorge through the Siwalik Hills.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in India to issue legal summons and warrants through digital communication like WhatsApp, email, and text messages. This initiative aims to speed up judicial processes, reduce costs, and improve justice access in rural areas. The state undertook extensive preparation, including developing a WhatsApp app and training judicial officers. The new system is expected to enhance efficiency in the judicial system.

Notes:
A large group of Dhangars recently demanded a grazing corridor for their sheep and goats in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district. The Dhangars are a shepherd community with a rich cultural heritage, living in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. They have historically followed specific grazing routes, which are integral to their way of life and cultural identity. The Dhangars are currently listed under Maharashtra’s Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT) category but are seeking Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Notes:
Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha will grow bamboo grass in the National Park. It is located in Mayurbhanj District, Odisha. It covers 2,750 sq km and features waterfalls like Joranda and Barehipani. It was designated as a tiger reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1979. In 1980, 303 sq km was proposed as a National Park, and in 2009, UNESCO added it to its Biosphere Reserves list. The reserve is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve and features hilly terrain with diverse vegetation, mainly Northern tropical moist deciduous forests and semi-evergreen patches.

Notes:
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) astronomers developed a method to study the Sun’s magnetic fields using the Kodaikanal Tower Tunnel Telescope. The study focused on a sunspot region with complex features like multiple umbrae and a penumbra. Observations were made using Hydrogen-alpha and Calcium II spectral lines, revealing magnetic field differences at various atmospheric heights. The Tunnel Telescope’s 3-mirror Coelostat setup allowed precise Sun tracking and improved data accuracy. Solar magnetic fields are generated by the movement of electrically charged particles, affecting sunspots, prominences, and coronal loops.

Notes:
The Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark led to the creation of the Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR) in Varanasi. This partnership involves India’s Department of Water Resources, IIT-BHU, and Denmark to improve small river management. SLCR focuses on rejuvenating the Varuna River using sustainable methods and collaboration. The initiative combines a hybrid lab at IIT-BHU and a living lab on the Varuna River to test solutions. SLCR includes strong institutional and review mechanisms to ensure high standards. The Indo-Danish Joint Steering Committee provides strategic guidance, while a Project Review Committee oversees quality control.

Notes:
Diana Pundole, a teacher and mother from Pune won the national championship in the saloon category at the MRF Indian National Car Racing Championship 2024 in Chennai. Her victory is an inspiration for aspiring female racers. She balanced numerous challenges, including family life, to achieve this success. Her win highlights her determination and breaks barriers in the male-dominated motorsport industry.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Education released the first edition of the e-magazine Sapno ki Udaan. The release coincided with National Space Day, celebrating the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s Vikram lander soft landing on the Moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023. The e-magazine, available online on the NCERT portal, was launched virtually by the Union Minister for Education, with participation from other education officials. The inaugural edition focuses on Space and Chandrayaan missions, featuring articles, poems, and more. Sapno ki Udaan is produced by NCERT and the Department of School Education & Literacy.

Notes:
Visitors are imitating the Temple Run game at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, raising concerns about damage to the 900-year-old site. Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious monument, covering 200 acres. It was built in the 12th century by Khmer King Suryavarman II. It was originally a Hindu temple for Vishnu, later becoming Buddhist. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. The temple features intricate carvings, five towers symbolising Mount Meru, and thousands of bas-reliefs. It is located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was part of the Khmer Empire’s capital, Angkor, which thrived from the 9th to 15th centuries.