Daily Current Affairs Quiz: September 15, 2023

ANSWER: B

ANSWER: C

ANSWER: C

ANSWER: A

• The Indian Air Force received the first C-295MW transport aircraft from Airbus in Seville, Spain.

ABOUT C-295 MW AIRCRAFT:

• It is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne
• It will replace the legacy Avro aircraft in the Indian Air Force (IAF) procured in the 1960s.
• It is a versatile and efficient tactical transport aircraft which can perform a number of different missions.
• Under the contract, 16 aircraft will come in fly-away condition from Seville, while 40 will be manufactured by Airbus jointly with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. (TASL).

FEATURES

• The aircraft, with a flight endurance of up to 11 hours, can carry out multi-role operations under all weather conditions.
• It can routinely operate day as well as night combat missions from desert to maritime environments.
• It can also operate on short, unprepared airstrips as it is capable of Short Take-off and Landing (STOL).
• It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo. Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features.
• It can be converted into an air tanker that can deliver up to 6,000 kg of gasoline to fixed and rotary wing receivers by adding a detachable refueling kit.
• Airborne Early Warning (AEW): It has a cutting-edge radar with 360-degree coverage to give a complete picture of the airspace in its Airborne Early Warning variant.
• Water-Bomber: The C-295 can be transformed into a powerful water bomber that can put out forest fires with up to 7,000 litres of water due to a flexible roll-on/roll-off system.
• It is equipped with a close-air-support operation that uses an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) with a multi-mission radar that can also be weaponised.
• The aircraft can be utilised for casualty or medical evacuation as well as airdropping loads and paratroopers.
• It is equipped to handle special missions, disaster relief operations, and maritime patrol responsibilities.

ANSWER: B

• The Karnataka Forest Department recently directed the Bandipur Tiger Reserve’s eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) monitoring panel to act against illegal cottages built within the reserve’s ESZ.

ABOUT BANDIPUR TIGER RESERVE (BTR):

• It is situated in two contiguous districts (Mysore and Chamarajanagar) of Karnataka and located at the tri-junction area of the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• Geographically, it is an “ecological confluence” of the Western and Eastern Ghats.
• It was established in 1931 as Venugopala Wildlife Park by the Maharaja of Mysore.
• It was then expanded with the name Bandipur Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1973.
• It is part of the larger Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• BTR is surrounded by Nagarahole Tiger Reserve(Tamil Nadu) in the North West (Kabini Reservoir separates the two).
  • Mudumalai Tiger Reserve(Tamil Nadu) in the South.
  • Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary(Kerala) in the South West.
• It is surrounded by River Kabini in its north and River Moyar in its south.
• Bandipur has a typical tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons.

Flora:

• It comprises diverse vegetation ranging from dry deciduous to tropical mixed deciduous.
• It includes rosewood, Indian kino tree, sandalwood, Indian laurel, clumping bamboo, giant clumping bamboo etc.

Fauna:

• It is a shelter for the largest population of wild Asian elephants in South Asia.
• It comprises other mammals such as Bengal tiger, gaur, sloth bear, golden jackal, dhole, four-horned antelope, etc.

ANSWER: D

• On 13th September, 1948, India’s military action known as “Operation Polo” was launched to integrate the princely state of Hyderabad, a significant event in Indian history.
• The Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Shah, had hesitated to join India or Pakistan after Independence, capitalizing on the Indian government’s preoccupation with the Kashmir
• A standstill agreement signed in November 1947 maintained the status quo between Hyderabad and India for a year, allowing the Nizam to continue governing independently.
• However, escalating tensions, cross-border raids, and intentions to establish an independent state, prompted India to act.
• The operation saw well-planned military thrusts from multiple directions, ultimately leading to the surrender of the Hyderabad state forces.
• This pivotal campaign, carried out under the watchful eye of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, culminated in a ceasefire declaration on 17th September, 1948 effectively placing Hyderabad under Indian control by 18th September, 1948.

ANSWER: C

• The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) will be holding a ‘Festival of Democracy’ at Bihar’s Nalanda University exhibiting India’s rich democratic traditions.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY

• In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly resolved to observe 15 September as the International Day of Democracy—with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principles of democracy
• This year’s theme for the International Day of Democracy, “Empowering the next generation,”

ANCIENT CITY OF VAISHALI:

• It is a great Buddhist pilgrimage and birthplace of Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankar of Jainism. It is believed to be the first republic in the world.
• Buddha visited this place thrice, delivered his last sermon and announced his Nirvana here at Vaishali.
• After the death of Buddha, the Second Buddhist Council was held at Vaishali.

NALANDA UNIVERSITY

• It was a centre of higher learning that attracted scholars from different parts of the country as well as the world from the 5th century CE to 12th century CE.
• It was located in present day Rajgir, Bihar.

ANSWER: D

• Vijayawada Railway Station has been awarded the ‘Green Railway Station’ certification with the highest rating of Platinum by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for its efforts in improving environmental standards and providing eco-friendly services to passengers.
• This is an upgrade of the station’s ratings, from gold in 2019 to platinum in 2023.
• This is a moment of pride for the Vijayawada railway station, second in the South-Central Railway (SCR) zone after Secunderabad to have bagged the platinum rating.

ANSWER: B

• In India, the Engineer’s Day is celebrated on September 15 every year, since 1968, to recognise the contribution of engineers’ in the development of the nation.
• The 2023 National Engineers Day theme is ‘Engineering for a sustainable future’.
• Engineers’ Day is observed every year on September 15 across India to celebrate the birth anniversary of M Visvesvaraya and recognise the contributions made by him in the field of science and technology.
• Sir MV was regarded as the “Father of Modern Mysore”.
• He was awarded ‘Bharat Ratna’ for his exceptional contribution to the building of India in
• In 1912, Visvesvaraya was appointed Dewan of Mysore by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV.