Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2024

Notes:
This Moment by the Indian jazz band Shakti won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album. The album was released in 2024, and features eight songs by John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, V. Selvaganesh, and Ganesh Rajagopalan. The Grammy Awards, or Grammys, are a series of awards that recognize outstanding achievements in the music industry.

Notes:
The Uttar Pradesh government is prioritizing electric vehicle (EV) use and manufacturing through the development of the ‘EV Upyog’ portal. The Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation Limited (UPDESCO) is hiring a software development agency for one year to upgrade the portal, which will include features like cloud storage, database capabilities, and specialized software. The Ministry of Electronics and IT Empanelled Service Provider will oversee the cloud server integration, emphasizing cybersecurity, cost-effectiveness, scalability, integration, API convenience, and reliability.

Notes:
Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi has been strategically appointed as the Indian Army’s new Vice Chief, succeeding Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar. Dwivedi, with a distinguished career, held key positions like Deputy Chief and Director General of Infantry. His operational expertise during the India-China standoff in the Northern Command makes him well-suited for the role. This move ensures a seamless succession plan, with Lt Gen Suchindra Kumar set to command the Northern Army in Udhampur.

Notes:
IIT Madras and Munitions India Limited are partnering to create India’s first domestically designed 155 Smart Ammunition. The two-year initiative, under the Ministry of Defence, aims to achieve a Circular Error Probable of 10 meters, significantly improving precision in defense operations. The project focuses on enhancing accuracy and lethality using guidance systems and advanced technologies. The 155mm Indian Smart Ammunition is compatible with existing artillery guns, featuring fin stabilization, canard control, and a 3-mode fuse operation for various tactical requirements, marking a crucial stride towards self-reliance in defense production.

Notes:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to address the World Government Summit (WGS) in Dubai on February 14, his second invitation since 2018. The annual event, held in Dubai since 2013, brings together global leaders to discuss pressing issues. Scheduled from February 12 to 14, the summit is a significant diplomatic platform, emphasizing the strengthening ties between India and the UAE, as evident from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s recent participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.

Notes:
The Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) permits both Roman and Bengali scripts for the Kokborok exam in Tripura. Kokborok, the mother tongue of Borok people, including Tripuris, is a Tibeto-Burman language and a lingua franca for most of Tripura’s tribal communities. Borok communities are found in Tripura, other North-Eastern States, and Uttarakhand. Kokborok holds official state language status in Tripura.

Notes:
Due to heavy snowfall, Himalayan Black Bears at the rehabilitation centre of Dachigam National Park (DNP) receive a special diet for hibernation. DNP, located in Jammu and Kashmir’s Zabarwan Mountains, occupies half of Dal Lake’s catchment zone. It houses the critically endangered Hangul (Kashmir stag) and the largest population of Asiatic black bears in Asia. Gujjars and Bakarwals’ poaching poses a significant threat to Hangul, highlighting conservation challenges in the region.

Notes:
President Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the 4-day ‘Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav’ cultural festival at Amrit Udyan, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Organized by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the event aims to showcase the rich diversity of North East India. With over 320 participants, it highlights traditional arts, crafts, and agricultural products, promoting cultural exchange and catalyzing progress in the region’s handicraft, handloom, and agriculture sectors.

Notes:
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology is pioneering India’s Earth System Model, an open-source software merging atmosphere, ocean, land, ice, and biosphere interactions. It utilizes numerical weather prediction and data assimilation for precise climate change forecasts. Collaborating with the Centre for Climate Change Research, the project aims to enhance climate forecasts, support long-term studies, and predict impacts. Funded with ₹192.28 crores under the Monsoon Convection, Clouds and Climate Change scheme, the model is anticipated to conclude by 2025.

Notes:
With the Paris Olympics approaching, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) held the “Road to Paris 2024: Championing Clean Sports and Uniting for Anti-Doping” Conference to educate Indian athletes on the dangers of prohibited substances. Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Nutritional Supplements Testing at the National Forensic Sciences University in Gandhinagar. The university, recognized for its national significance, is a hub of innovation in forensic and cyber sciences. The event in New Delhi facilitates crucial discussions and strategies for anti-doping initiatives leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics.