Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2024

Notes:
NewSpace India Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO, plans to launch communications satellite GSAT-20 in Q2 of 2024 on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. It is a demand-driven high throughput satellite ordered by NSIL to meet India’s growing broadband needs.

Notes:
State-owned ONGC won seven out of the ten areas awarded for exploration and production in the latest 8th round of Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) bidding. A Reliance-BP joint venture managed to win one block out of the total ten.

Notes:
Chris Miller, author of “Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology” which explains the US-China semiconductor rivalry, has been invited to address Tamil Nadu’s Global Investors Meet. His presence will energize youth and foster policy discussions in this sector which the state aims to grow.

Notes:
S Krishnan, the Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), inaugurated ERNET India’s newly developed integrated web portal designed for educational institutes in India. This event took place at the head office of ERNET India in New Delhi on January 4, 2024. The portal aims to provide various services, including domain registration, DNS, Website as a Service (WaaS), and Learning Management as a Service (LMaaS), leveraging open-source software and emerging technologies like AI/ML. ERNET India, functioning under MeitY, serves as the exclusive domain registrar for educational and research institutes in India and offers a range of other technological services.

Notes:
Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi recently took on the significant role of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. His illustrious career in the Indian Navy began on July 1, 1985, and he has since held various pivotal positions, including serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command before his current appointment. Vice Admiral Tripathi is recognized for his specialization in Communication and Electronic Warfare and has been instrumental in various operational and strategic capacities within the Navy. His appointment as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff marks another milestone in his distinguished service.

Notes:
The Hattee community, which has been at the center of recent legal discussions regarding its inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list, is primarily found in Himachal Pradesh. This issue gained prominence following the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s decision to stay the inclusion of the Hattee community in the state’s ST list. The High Court intervened after the state government issued directions for this inclusion, which was contested by other communities through legal petitions. The Hattees are specifically from the Trans-Giri Area of Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh, and their potential inclusion in the ST list has been a subject of debate and legal scrutiny.

Notes:
Rashmi Shuklla, a 1988-batch Indian Police Service officer, has been appointed as the Director-General of Police in Maharashtra, becoming the first woman to hold this top police post in the state. She takes over from Rajnish Seth, another 1988-batch officer. Prior to this appointment, Shukla was on Central deputation, heading the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Her career has included several significant positions, including serving as Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID) and Additional Director-General of the Central Reserve Police Force. Despite being involved in some controversies, such as the phone-tapping row during her tenure in the SID, her appointment marks a notable achievement in the field of law enforcement in Maharashtra.

Notes:
S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India, is co-chairing the 7th meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Commission with his Nepalese counterpart, NP Saud. This meeting is a part of Jaishankar’s first visit to Nepal in 2024, aiming to review and strengthen the bilateral relations between India and Nepal. The India-Nepal Joint Commission, established in 1987, serves as a platform for both nations to assess and enhance various aspects of their partnership. Jaishankar’s visit includes several significant engagements, such as meeting with Nepal’s President Ram Chandra Paudel, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, and other prominent political figures, along with a dinner hosted by Nepal’s Foreign Minister NP Saud.

Notes:
Shirshendhu Mukyopadhyaya, a Bengali writer, was awarded the 2023 Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar. He is recognized for his contribution to Indian literature through his works in the Bengali language. Mukyopadhyaya has authored over 90 books, including travelogues and children’s fiction. The Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar is a prestigious national literary award, named after the late Kannada poet Kuvempu, and honors writers who have significantly contributed to Indian languages.

Notes:
The All India Conference of director generals and inspector generals of police in 2024 was held in Jaipur. This annual conference, a significant event in the Indian policing and internal security calendar, brought together top police officials from across the country. The conference focused on various critical issues such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, counter-terrorism, left-wing extremism, narcotics smuggling, and prison reforms. Hosting such a prominent event underscores Jaipur’s status as a key location for national-level conferences and discussions on important security and policing challenges in India.