- National:
- The word “Authentic” is indeed Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2023.
- The vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL) has launched a measles and rubella vaccine called Mabella for children. This vaccine was developed in an exclusive partnership with the Polyvac Institute of Vietnam.
- The logo and mascot for the Khelo India Para Games 2023 were officially launched by Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, on November 27, 2023. The mascot ‘Ujjwala’, a sparrow, symbolizes the pride of Delhi, and its unique portrayal signifies determination and empathy.
- The Vikshit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is indeed being organized in different parts of the country. This nationwide campaign aims to disseminate information and create awareness regarding the Central government’s flagship welfare programmes and policies. The Yatra was launched on 15th November, 2023 on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.
- The 19th Working Party on Data Collection and Statistics Meeting (WPDCS19) of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) has been inaugurated in Mumbai. The meeting is taking place from Tuesday, 28th November 2023 to Saturday, 2nd December 2023. The venue for the meeting is the Hotel St Regis in Mumbai.
- The rescue operation inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, where 41 workers were trapped since November 12, has indeed ended.
- The 4th ASEAN-India Grassroots Innovation Forum 2023 was hosted by Malaysia at the Langkawi International Convention Centre (LICC), Malaysia. The event took place from November 28th to 30th, 2023.
- The crest of Yard 12706 (Imphal), the third amongst the four Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyers, was unveiled by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. This event took place in New Delhi.
- The National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakwasla, Pune, India, organizes an event called the NDA Expo. This is a bi-annual event conducted during the week preceding the Passing Out Parade.
- The Raas Mahotsav in Majuli for the year 2023 is scheduled to be held from 21st November to 24th November. The Raas Mahotsav is a significant festival celebrated in Majuli, Assam, which is the world’s largest inhabited river island. This annual festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna and is a time for devotees to immerse themselves in devotion.
- International:
- The newly elected government of New Zealand has indeed decided to repeal the ‘Smoking ban’ decision. This decision was taken to fund tax cuts. The smoking ban legislation, introduced under the previous Jacinda Ardern-led government, would have banned cigarette sales next year to anyone born after 2008.
- Madagascar’s incumbent President Andry Rajoelina has won a third term. He won 59% of the vote to defeat his two closest rivals, ousted ex-President Marc Ravalomanana and Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko.
- Banking:
- Central Depository Services (India) Limited (CDSL), Asia’s first and only listed depository, has indeed crossed a significant milestone by registering more than 10 crore (100 million) demat accounts. This makes CDSL the largest depository in the country in terms of active demat accounts. The achievement was announced on November 22, 2023.
- The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued a directive to payment apps and banks, including Google Pay, Paytm, and PhonePe, asking them to deactivate UPI IDs and numbers that have been inactive for over a year. The move aims to prevent unintended money transfers due to old mobile numbers being issued to new users. he new guidelines require Third Party App Providers (TPAP) and Payment Service Providers (PSP) to take action by December 31, 2023.
- Science & Technology:
- The Saurauia Punduana plant, a critically endangered species as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, has been recorded for the first time in Manipur’s Tamenglong district. This discovery was made during a recent Rapid Biodiversity Assessment (RBA) field survey.
- India’s AstroSat space telescope has achieved a significant milestone by detecting its 600th Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB), an event named GRB 231122B. These Gamma-Ray Bursts mark the death of a massive star or the merging of neutron stars. AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength space telescope, was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in September 2015.
- Sports:
- Italy has indeed won the Davis Cup 2023 title by defeating Australia. This is Italy’s first Davis Cup title since 1976. In the final, Italy’s Jannik Sinner played a key role in securing the victory. He won all five of his matches, including two against world number one Novak Djokovic and Serbia.
- The world No. 1 pair lifted the China Masters title in front of their home fans beating the former world No. 1 Indian duo 21-19, 18-21, 21-19 in the final of the BWF Super 750 tournament that lasted one hour and 11 minutes on Sunday in Shenzhen November 25, 2023. They defeated the Chinese pair of He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu in straight games 21-15, 22-20 in the semi-finals.
- Red Bull 2023 juggernaut for the final time on race-day in Abu Dhabi, Max Verstappen took stock. The Dutchman had just coasted to a record-extending 19th victory of the season; his 54th overall, with only Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher ahead of him now in the all-time stakes.
- Awards & Honors:
- Suganthy Sundararaj, who is the Regional Head of Public Relations at Apollo Hospitals, has indeed been honored with the PRSI National Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Healthcare Communications.
- Appointments:
- Mr. Rajat Kumar Jain has been appointed as the Part-time Chairman of Fino Payments Bank. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved his appointment on November 24, 2023, and he will serve in this position until November 01, 2025.
- Books:
- Sharmistha Mukherjee, the daughter of Pranab Mukherjee, has written a book titled 'Pranab, My Father: A Daughter Remembers’. The book provides a fascinating glimpse into the illustrious life of Pranab Mukherjee, the 13th President of India.
- Obituaries:
- B. Sasikumar, a renowned Indian violinist and Carnatic musician passed away at his residence in Jagathy on Saturday night. He was 74 years old. B. Sasikumar was an All-India Radio artist and a violin teacher with a large number of disciples.
Questions:
Q.1 Who has been appointed as the Part-time Chairman of Fino Payments Bank?a. Mr. Rajat Kumar Jain
b. Mr. Ratan Tata
c. Mr. Mukesh Ambani
d. Mr. Anand Mahindra
Q.2 For what did Suganthy Sundararaj receive the PRSI National Award?
a. Outstanding Contributions to Healthcare Communications
b. Outstanding Contributions to Hospital Management
c. Outstanding Contributions to Public Relations
d. None of the above
