This is the current affairs of 15 & 16 October 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Which actor was announced by the Central Government to be given the ‘Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the 54th International Film Festival of India?
a. Leonardo Dicaprio
b. Michael Douglas
c. Tom Cruise
d. Will Smith
Answer: b. Michael Douglas
– Central Minister Anurag Thakur announced it.
– The 54th Indian International Film Festival will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28.
– Actor Michael Douglas will be honored with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ in this.
About Michael Douglas:
– In a career spanning more than five decades, 79-year-old Douglas has acted in several blockbuster films such as Wall Street, Fatal Attraction, The War of the Roses, Basic Instinct, Falling Down, The American President, Traffic, and Behind the Candelabra.
– Michael Douglas won an Oscar for his role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975.
Who is awarded the ‘Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award’?
– This award was established by IFFI in 1999.
– This award is presented to individuals whose extraordinary contributions have enriched and elevated the world of cinema. Previous recipients include Bernardo Bertolucci, Carlos Saura, Martin Scorsese, Dilip Kumar, Krzysztof Zanussi, and Wong Kar-wai.
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2. Where was the 23rd Council of Ministers meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held in October 2023?
a. Chennai (India)
b. Colombo (Sri Lanka)
c. Paris France)
d. Dubai (UAE)
Answer: b. Colombo (Sri Lanka)
– The 23rd Council of Ministers (COM) meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was held on October 11, 2023, in Colombo.
– The theme of the meeting was “Strengthening Regional Architecture: Reinforcing Indian Ocean Identity.”
– During the meeting, Sri Lanka assumed the chairmanship of IORA for the years 2023 to 2025.
– Prior to this, Bangladesh held the chairmanship from November 2021 to November 2023.
About the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA):
– Establishment: March 7, 1997.
– Headquarters: Ebene Cyber City, Mauritius.
– It is an intergovernmental organization focused on the Indian Ocean.
– The idea for IORA was initiated during Nelson Mandela’s visit to India in 1995, and it formally came into existence as IORA in 1997.
– Currently, IORA has 23 member countries and 11 dialogue partners.
– The highest decision-making body of IORA is the Council of Ministers (COM), which holds annual meetings.
IORA’s 23 Members and 11 Dialogue Partners:
– Members: Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
– Dialogue Partners: China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
Why IORA is Important:
– The Indian Ocean is vital for international trade and transportation.
– More than half of the world’s container ships pass through this region, handling about one-third of the world’s cargo, and nearly two-thirds of the world’s oil passes through this area.
– Because of these strategic factors, this organization holds significant importance.
IORA’s priority areas
– Maritime Safety and Security
– Trade and Investment Facilitation
– Fisheries Management
– Disaster Risk Management
– Tourism and Cultural Exchange
– Academic, Science and Technological Cooperation
– Blue Economy
– Women’s Economic Empowerment
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3. In which country was the tallest statue of Dr. BR Ambedkar installed outside India?
a. France
b. Russia
c. USA
d. Sri Lanka
Answer: c. USA
– This statue of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the chief architect of India’s constitution, is 19 feet tall. It is the tallest statue of Babasaheb in the United States.
– It is named the “Statue of Equality.”
– Located in the Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., the American capital.
– This statue was created by renowned artist and sculptor Ram Sutar, who also crafted the statue of Sardar Patel, known as the “Statue of Unity.” This statue is located on an island in the Narmada River below the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat.
– Ram Kumar, Chairman of the Ambedkar International Center (AIC), said in the PTI language, “We call it the Statue of Equality… It’s not just India’s problem; inequality exists in various forms everywhere.”
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4. What name has been given to the statue of Dr. BR Ambedkar installed in America?
a. Statue of Equality
b. Statue of Unity
c. Statue of Free Speech
d. Statue of Untouchability
Answer: a. Statue of Equality
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5. In which city is India’s first cartographic museum?
a. Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
b. Kozhikode, Kerala
c. Varanasi, UP
d. Warangal, Telangana
Answer: a. Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
– Museum Name: George Everest Cartography Museum.
– It is located in the George Everest House in Mussoorie.
– Uttarakhand’s Tourism and Culture Minister Satpal Maharaj inaugurated it on World Tourism Day (September 27, 2023).
– The museum is situated within the Park Estate, the former residence of the renowned surveyor Sir George Everest, after whom Mount Everest is named.
– Sir Everest resided in this house from 1832 to 1843, and it is one of the first houses built in Mussoorie.
About the Museum:
– The museum provides information about the history of cartography, tools related to cartography, great Indian surveyors, and significant trigonometric surveys.
– Along with Sir George Everest, the museum will also house the letters of surveyor Nain Singh Rawat.
– Visitors will also get to know about GPS technology in the museum, and a globe has been prepared for this purpose.
– The museum is equipped with modern technology, providing information on how satellites work, the functioning of GPS, and communication systems.
– The renovation cost came to 23.5 crores.
– With the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Tourism Department has renovated it with a budget of 23.5 crores.
What Cartography Entails:
– Cartography, which is also known as mapmaking, primarily involves the creation of maps and the study of the principles and methods related to them.
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6. Which city is the Rajasthan government trying to make the country’s first wetland city?
a. Jaipur
b. Udaipur
c. Jodhpur
d. Bharatpur
Answer: b. Udaipur
– Pichola Lake, Fateh Sagar Lake, Doodh Talai Lake, Rang Sagar Lake, and Swaroop Sagar Lake are included in Udaipur, which serves as a major tourist attraction.
– According to a report in The Times of India, the Rajasthan government initiated efforts to obtain recognition for Udaipur in October 2023.
– The Environmental and Forest Department selected Udaipur based on the criteria set by the Ramsar Convention for international importance.
– In addition to this, Udaipur is a participant in the National Lake Conservation Plan of the Central Government, a program aimed at rejuvenating these vital water bodies.
– Currently, the process of presenting the nomination to the Ramsar Convention is underway.
There are 42 Wetland Cities Worldwide:
– Currently, there are 42 Wetland Cities around the world. In India, both Udaipur and Bhopal are competing for the notable distinction of being recognized as India’s first Wetland City.
Approval Awaits:
– At present, approval is awaited at the central level for the proposal.
About Udaipur:
– The city of Udaipur was founded in 1558 CE by Maharana Udai Singh II, giving it its name.
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7. Where was the country’s first high-tech sports training center for disabled people established?
a. Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
b. Udaipur, Rajasthan
c. Samastipur, Bihar
d. Banda, Uttar Pradesh
Answer: a. Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
– The country’s first high-tech sports training center, established in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, is named after the former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
– The inauguration was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, 2023.
– Dr. Virendra Kumar, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, stated that the ‘Atal Bihari Training Center’ for para-athletes is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the training and support of differently-abled athletes.
Madhya Pradesh:
– Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
– Governor: Mangubhai Patel
– Capital: Bhopal
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8. When is World Food Day celebrated?
a. 13 October
b. 14 October
c. 15 October
d. 16 October
Answer: d. 16 October
Theme 2023
– Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind.
– Every year on October 16th, World Food Day is observed in memory of the establishment of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) in 1945.
– FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to end hunger.
– This day is celebrated through international funds for the World Food Programme and agricultural development.
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9. When is the Raising Day of National Security Guards (NSG) celebrated?
a. 15 October
b. 16 October
c. 17 October
d. 18 October
Answer: b. 16 October
– Raising Day of National Security Guards (NSG) is celebrated on 16 October.
– NSG Commando Force was created on 16 October 1984 at the time of Operation Blue Star.
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10. When is World Migratory Bird Day celebrated?
a. 13 May
b. 14 October
c. 17 October
d. both a and b
Answer: d. both a and b (13 May and 14 October)
Theme 2023
– Water: Sustaining Bird Life.
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11. Which country’s team’s former captain Alastair Cook announced his retirement from cricket?
a. Netherlands
b. New Zealand
c. England
d. Australia
Answer: c. England
– Cook had earlier retired from international cricket in 2018.
– However, in October 2023, he announced his retirement from all formats of cricket.
