This is the current affairs of 2 September 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. For whose research did ISRO send Aditya L1 into space?
a. Moon
b. Sun
c. Fortunate
d. Saturn
Answer: b. Sun
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2. With which rocket did ISRO launch ‘Aditya L1’?
a. PSLV-C57
b. LVM3 M4
c. LVM2
d. PSLV-S22
Answer: a. PSLV-C57
– Aditya will study the Sun’s L1.
– Launch Date: September 2, 2023, at 11:50 AM.
– Launch Location: Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
– Launched by: PSLV-C57’s XL version.
– The rocket placed Aditya in Earth’s orbit 63 minutes and 19 seconds after launch.
– He will reach Lagrange Point-1 in approximately 4 months.
– There is no gravitational effect at this point, making it easy to conduct research on the Sun from there.
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3. Name the project director of Aditya L1?
a. Romila Khatoon
b. Rashmi Prabha
c. Priyanka Das
d. Nigar Shaji
Answer: d. Nigar Shaji
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4. What exactly is Aditya L-1?
a. Solar Satellite
b. Space Observatory
c. Rover
d. None of These
Answer: b. Space Observatory
What is Aditya L1, really?
– Aditya L1 is a spacecraft.
– It is a space observatory with space telescopes and other instruments.
– It will observe the Sun and continue to study it.
Is it like other satellites we send into space that orbit the Earth?
– No, it will not orbit the Earth.
– It will stay at a point in a straight line between the Earth and the Sun, about 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth.
– This point is called Lagrange-1.
– To understand Aditya L1, you must first learn about Lagrange Points.
What is Lagrange-1, or L-1?
– Lagrange points are positions between two celestial bodies (such as Earth-Sun or Earth-Moon).
– Objects placed at Lagrange points will remain stable there because they are equally influenced by both bodies’ gravitational forces.
– There can be several Lagrange points between two bodies.
– For example, for the Earth-Sun pair, there are five points: L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5.
So, a Lagrange point is located between two celestial bodies?
– It’s not necessary that it’s always “between.”
– For instance, in the case of Earth-Sun, only L-1 is between Earth and the Sun.
– L-2 (where NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is located) is on the opposite side of Earth.
– L-3 is on the opposite side of the Sun. L-4 and L-5 are on both sides of the line connecting Earth and the Sun. If you draw a line between Earth, the Sun, and L-4 (or L-5), you’ll form a triangle.
So, can a spacecraft stay permanently at Lagrange points?
– No, a spacecraft at a Lagrange point, such as L-1 where Aditya is positioned, is not permanently stable due to gravitational perturbations caused by the activities of celestial bodies in space.
– For example, when the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun, it will exert its gravitational pull on the spacecraft.
– All celestial bodies, including other planets and moons, affect the stability of a spacecraft.
– ISRO will control it from Earth. It also has fuel capacity to make adjustments even after gravitational influences from other bodies.
So, it cannot remain stationary at L-1?
– A spacecraft at L-1 doesn’t stay ‘stationary’ at a single point. It revolves around an invisible center.
– It orbits the Lagrange point at a slightly faster pace than 1 km per second.
– The biggest challenge in the Aditya L-1 mission is to carefully ‘position’ the spacecraft at a chosen point, from where it will start its orbital path like a merry-go-round.
Why are we studying the Sun?
– The objectives of Aditya L1 are twofold – short-term and long-term.
– In the short term, it aims to monitor any solar eruptions (known as ‘coronal mass ejections’) or ejected particles that could potentially harm our satellites and power grids on Earth.
– Aditya L1 will act as an early warning system for any ‘storms’ of incoming radiation from the Sun.
– India currently possesses approximately ₹50,000 crores worth of space assets that need protection from solar storms.
– In the long term, it aims to advance human knowledge about the Sun.
What is the cost?
– As for the cost, at the time of writing, ISRO has not disclosed the exact figure, but it is estimated to be around 300 to 400 crores.
Won’t this spacecraft melt from the Sun’s heat?
– That won’t happen because L-1 is ‘only’ about 1.5 million kilometers away from the Earth towards the Sun.
– This distance is just 1 percent of the average distance between Earth and the Sun.
– While the temperature at the L-1 point will be significantly high, it will be in the hundreds or thousands of degrees Celsius, not millions.
– However, there is a difference between ‘temperature’ and ‘heat.’
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5. Name the Indian-origin person, who has been elected as the 9th President of Singapore?
a. Coke Song
b. Tharman Shanmugaratnam
c. Tan Qin Lian
d. None of these
Answer: b. Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Singapore
Neighboring countries – Malaysia and Indonesia
Prime Minister – Lee Hsien Loong
Capital – Singapore
Currency – Singapore Dollar
– Presidential elections were held on September 1, 2023.
– Approximately 2.53 million out of around 2.7 million people in Singapore voted, with a voter turnout of 93.4%.
– Tharman Shanmugaratnam, of Indian descent, decisively defeated two Chinese-origin opponents and won the election.
– He became the ninth President of Singapore.
– He succeeded Halimah Yacob, who is also of Indian descent.
About Tharman Shanmugaratnam:
– His grandparents moved from Tamil Nadu to Singapore.
– Tharman’s father was Professor K. Shanmugaratnam, a medical scientist regarded as a pioneer of pathology in Singapore.
– Tharman Shanmugaratnam was born on February 25, 1957, in Singapore.
– He received his education at Cambridge.
– He has since been a policymaker in Singapore.
– He is known for speaking candidly on issues concerning countries like Singapore and India at global forums.
– He emphasizes that both China and America, as superpowers, need to set aside their pride and recognize the importance of developing nations.
Tharman’s Family:
– Tharman’s wife, Jennifer Ito, has Chinese and Japanese heritage.
– He met her at Cambridge.
– They have one daughter and three sons.
– Their daughter, Maya, is a lawyer, while one of their sons, Akash, is a co-founder of the software tech company Kraken Data. Another son, Krishna, studies economics, and Arjun attends the Singapore American School.
Tharman: The Third Indian-Origin President
– Tharman is the first Indian-origin President to be elected through voting.
– Although he is the third Indian-origin President in Singapore.
– Devan Nair was elected President in 1981, and S.R. Nathan served as President for 11 years from 1999 to 2011. Both were elected unopposed.
– Since 1991, the President has been elected by the people through voting.
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6. Eight countries of the world whose command is with Indian origin
– United Kingdom’s PM Rishi Sunak
– Portugal’s PM António Costa
– Mauritius’ PM Pravind Jugnauth
– Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan
– Suriname’s President Chandrika Persad-Santokhi
– Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali
– United States’ Vice President Kamala Harris
– Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam (preceded by Halimah Yacob)
United Kingdom’s PM Rishi Sunak:
– His grandparents were originally from undivided India.
– Rishi Sunak’s paternal grandparents hailed from Gujranwala in Punjab, which became part of Pakistan after independence.
Portugal’s Prime Minister António Costa:
– His grandfather, Luís Alfonso Maria de Costa, was also a resident of Goa.
– Although António Costa was born in Mozambique, his relatives still have connections to the village of Rua Abade Faria near Margao in Goa.
Mauritius’ Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth:
– His father, Aniruddha Jugnauth, has also served as Prime Minister of Mauritius on several occasions.
– Their ancestors hailed from the Athilapura village in the Rasda Thana area of Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh.
– Pravind’s grandfather, Videshi Yadav, and his brother, Jhulai Yadav, were sent to Mauritius as indentured laborers by the British government in 1873 to work in the sugarcane fields.
Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan:
– Whose ancestors have connections to Bihar, India. His father was a blacksmith, while his mother was a teacher.
Suriname’s President Chandrikapersad Santokhi:
– Born into an Indian-Surinamese Hindu family, Chandrikapersad Santokhi is often referred to as Chan Santokhi.
– Chandrikapersad Santokhi took the oath of the presidency in the Sanskrit language.
Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali:
– The roots of Guyana’s Caribbean President, Irfaan Ali, also have connections to India.
America’s Vice President Kamala Harris:
– In 2021, she was given the powers of the American presidency for 85 minutes.
– At that time, President Biden was undergoing a medical procedure.
– Kamala Harris became the first woman in American history to assume the powers of the presidency.
– Kamala, born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, has strong connections to both India and Jamaica.
– Kamala Harris is also known for openly acknowledging her ties to India.
Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam:
– His grandparents were originally from Tamil Nadu, India, and they settled in Singapore.
– Tharman’s father was Professor K. Shanmugaratnam, a medical scientist who is considered one of the pioneers of pathology in Singapore.
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7. Which Indian was honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2023?
a. Javed Akhtar
b. Dr. Rakesh Sharma
c. Dr. Ravi Kannan R
d. ruskin bond
Answer: c. Dr. Ravi Kannan R
– This time, four individuals were honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2023.
– Among them, Ravi Kannan R is from India, while the others are from different countries.
Ramon Magsaysay Award 2023 Winners List:
– Korvi Rakshand (Bangladesh)
– Eugene Lemos (Timor-Leste)
– Maryam Coronel-Ferrer (Philippines)
– Dr. Ravi Kannan R (India)
Note: The first Indian to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award was Vinoba Bhave.
About Dr. Ravi Kannan R:
– He is a specialist in cancer care and resides in Chennai.
– He is an Indian Surgical Oncologist.
– He serves as the Director of Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) in Assam.
– He has also been honored with the Padma Shri Award.
Note: The Cancer Care Hospital and Research Centre (CCHRC) provides free or subsidized cancer care treatment to approximately 5,000 new patients annually and offers treatment and follow-up care to around 20,000 underprivileged cancer patients.
How much money is awarded with the prize?
– This award includes a certificate, a medal with the image of the late President, and a cash prize of 50,000 US dollars.
Ramon Magsaysay Award:
– The Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia’s Nobel Prize.
– This award is given in memory of the 7th President of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay.
– The award is presented to individuals and organizations in Asia for their exceptional work in their respective fields.
– Ramon Magsaysay died in an airplane crash in 1957, and the award was established in his name by trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Philippine government.
– The announcement of the Ramon Magsaysay Award was first made in 1958.
– This award is presented annually on August 31st.
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8. Who has been appointed by Swaraj Tractor as its brand ambassador?
a. Sunny Deol
b. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
c. Harbhajan Singh
d. Akshay Kumar
Answer: b. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
– The company appointed former cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador in August 2023.
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9. Which month was officially declared as ‘Hindu Heritage Month’ by the US state Georgia?
a. September
b. October
c. November
d. December
Answer: b. October
– This announcement was made by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp in August 2023.
– He stated that “the vibrant Hindu American community has made a tremendous contribution to the vitality of the state of Georgia by enriching the lives of its citizens.”
– The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a Hindu advocacy group in the United States, welcomed this step and expressed gratitude to Georgia’s Governor.
Why is this month special?
– October is special because it marks the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
– Additionally, this month also includes major festivals like Navratri and Diwali.
– October is significant in Hinduism for various religious observances and celebrations.
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10. Who has been selected for the 51st International Emmy Directorate Awards?
a. Alia Bhatt
b. Ekta Kapoor
c. Kareena Kapoor
d. Kriti Sanon
Answer: b. Ekta Kapoor
– She is the first Indian woman to receive this honor.
– She will be honored at the International Emmy Awards Gala (Literary Award).
– The event is scheduled to take place on November 20, 2023, in New York City.
– She will receive this award for her contributions to the Indian showbiz industry.
About Balaji Telefilms:
– It was founded in the year 1994.
– Ekta Kapoor, through her production house Balaji Telefilms, has entertained millions of people in India.
Ekta Kapoor:
– She is an Indian television producer, film producer, and director.
– She works in Hindi cinema and soap operas.
– She was awarded the Padma Shri in the year 2020.
– Ekta Kapoor is the daughter of renowned actor Jeetendra.
