DRDO MTS 2020

DRDO GENERAL AWARENESS PART - 1 : DOWNLOAD

Who has been awarded for his Poetry ‘Chheelate Hue Apne Ko’ at Sahitya Akademi annual Award - 2019 in December 2019?

• In Hindi, Nand Kishore has been awarded for his Poetry ‘ Chheelate Hue Apne Ko’ and in English Dr Shashi Tharoor has been awarded for his Non-Fiction ‘An Era of Darkness’.

• In Tamil, Cho Dharman has been awarded for his Novel ‘Sool’ and in Gujarati, Ratilal Borisagar has awarded for his Essays ‘Mojama Revu Re’.
  

UNICEF released a 28-page booklet “From uttapam to sprouted dal parantha”.



As a new Union Territory, the Ladakh region participated in Run for Unity to celebrate Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on 31 Oct 2019. 

• At various places in Leh and Kargil different sections of people have participated in Ek Daud Desh Ke Naam.
• RK Mathur flagged off the Run for Unity in Leh after swearing-in as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
  

The US State Department cleared the sale of sophisticated MK-45 naval guns worth $1 billion to India.



On Dec 16, 2019, the Confederation of Indian Industry organized “Steeling India 2019” conference, a drive to increase the metal intensity in key sectors.

• Union Minister for Steel, Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the conference.
• The session focused on key industries namely automobile, infrastructure, railway, water, irrigation and housing.
  

Authorities in China have approved a drug for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, the first new medicine with the potential to treat the cognitive disorder in 17 years.
Alzheimer's disease, which starts with memory loss and escalates to severe brain damage, is believed to cause 60% to 70% of the cases of dementia reported worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.



Ellenabad railway station under Bikaner Division of North Western Railway became the 3000th station in the country to have free public Wi-Fi.

• A town in Haryana, Ellenabad is situated at the north of the Ghaggar- Hakra river and serves as a port of entry into Haryana from Rajasthan.
• Incidentally, the 2000th station to get Wi-Fi was Rana Pratap Nagar, also under the North Western Railway.
  

The headquarters of Asian Development Bank situated at Manila.

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966.
• .The company also maintains 31 field offices around the world to promote social and economic development in Asia.
• The bank admits the members of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and non-regional developed countries.
• The current president is Masatsugu Asakawa.
• Manila is the capital of the Philippines.
  

Defence ministry organised Def-Connect in New Delhi on 11 November 2019 to showcase the accomplishments of the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative.

• Launch of iDEX Portal and launch of Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC)-III was some of the major activities planned during this day-long event. 
• Defence minister Rajnath Singh was the Chief Guest of the event.
  

The temple is located in Mamallapuram, Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu.

• Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram was the capital of the Pallava Dynasty in the 7^th century A.D.
• It was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984.
  

Tamil Nadu:

• Capital: Chennai
• State Animal: Nilgiri tahr
• State Bird: Emerald dove
• State Tree: Palmyra palm
• State Flower:  Kandhal
  

Mahabodhi Temple is a Buddhist the temple which is located in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.

• It was built by Emperor Ashoka.
• It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely from bricks.
• It was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2002.
  

'The Last Supper' was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, between 1494 to 1498 in the Milan city of Italy, which depicts the last "dinner" between Jesus and his disciples.

• It is a wall painting and is about 15 feet by 29 feet in size.
• The painting still lingers on the wall of the Convent of Maria Delle Grazie in Milan.
  

Operation Neptune Spear, 2011, was a precision strike operation executed by the United States Navy Seals in which the long sought after Osama Bin Laden was eliminated under cover of darkness in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

• Osama bin Laden, the founder and first leader of the Islamist terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011.
• The operation, code-named Operation Neptune Spear, was carried out in a CIA-led operation with Joint Special Operations Command, commonly known as JSOC.
• The raid was intended to take 40 minutes.
• The time between the team's entry in and exit from the compound was 38 minutes
  

Children's Day is celebrated in India on November 14 every year as a tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru, who was born on November 14, 1889.

• Jawaharlal Nehru, who was fondly called Chacha Nehru or simply Chachaji, was known for his love for children.
• ​Prior to 1964, India celebrated Children's Day on 20 November, which was observed as the Universal Children's Day by the United Nations.
  

Under the PM Ujjwala Yojana, the government aims to provide LPG connections to BPL households in the country.

• The scheme is aimed at replacing the unclean cooking fuels mostly used in the rural India with the clean and more efficient LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas).
  

Swami Vivekananda Planetarium at Pilikula in Mangalore is the first 3D planetarium in India.

• It is created by Pilikula Regional Science Centre.
  

Archery

• Archery is the National sport of Bhutan it was declared the national sport in 1971.
• Archery was inducted in Olympics in the Summer Olympics of 1900.
• The main types of archery are target, field, clout, and flight, and requires slightly different shooting methods and equipments.
  

The Official currency of Europe is Euro.

• Yen is the official currency of Japan.
• Dollar is the official currency of USA.
• Pound is the official currency of United Kingdom.
  

Rakhigadhi, one of the Indus Valley Civilization site, lies in the state of Haryana.

• It is a village in the Hisar district of Haryana.
• In January 2014, it became the largest Indus Valley Civilization site (350 Hectares), overtaking Mohenjodaro (300 Hectares) due to the discovery of additional mounds.
• Much of the area is yet to be excavated and published.
• The ASI's detailed excavation revealed the size of the lost city and recovered numerous artefacts, some over 5,000 years old.
• Rakhigarhi was occupied at Early Harappan times.
• Evidence of paved roads, drainage system, large rainwater collection, storage system, terracotta bricks, statue production, and skilled working of bronze and precious metals have been uncovered. 
• Jewellery, including bangles made from terracotta, conch shells, gold, and semi-precious stones, have also been found.
  

The first president of Indian National Congress was Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee.

• The INC was set up in the year 1885 at Bombay.
• Dadabhai Naroji was the second president of INC.
• George Yule was the first English President of INC in the year 1888.
• Mahatma Gandhi was the president of INC during its Belgaum Season of 1924.
• Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman president of India in 1925 at Kanpur.
  

Satara got annexed to East India Company by applying the Doctrine of Lapse.

• The doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Governor-General of India Lord Dalhousie to expand British rule in India.
• It was based on the idea that if a ruler of any dependent state died without a child, then the right to rule over the state would lapse.
• The other states that were overtaken by the British under this doctrine were Jhansi, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Udaipur.
• Trick( JNU'S:  They also protest but are controlled. So remember JNU'S: Jhansi, Nagpur, Udaipur, Satara).
  

The slogan Iltutmish was the first ruler to run Silver Tanka and Copper Jital. 

• Iltutmish also started the tradition of inscribing mint names on coins. He was the first Turkish ruler to introduced the Iqta system in India.

• In the Iqta system, the right to collect land revenue was given to a trusted agent of the Empire. They were allotted lands based on the rank in the administration. But in return, they had to present the sultan with horses, soldiers and war equipment as and when required.

• Feroze Shah Tughlaq was the ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate.

• Sikandar Lodi was the second ruler of the Lodi dynasty.

• Abu Bakr Sah was the grandson of sultan Feroz Shah Tughluqgiven by Nitish Kumar is Nyay Ke Saath Vikas. 
  

• Vikas Nahi Samman Chahiye is given by Lalu Prasad Yadav
  

Rajasthan was the first state to establish Panchayati Raj institution on October 2, 1959.

• Andhra Pradesh was the second state to adopt the Panchayat Raj in the year 1959.

• The 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 added the 9^th part to the Constitution of India.
  

Panchayat Samiti at the block level is an Administrative Authority which is responsible for enforcing a law and carrying it into effect.

• The Panchayati institution of our country is a three-tier system consisting of a Gram Panchayat at the lowest level, Zila Parishad at the district level and Panchayat Samiti at the Block level.
  

Article 243 of the Indian Constitution is related to provisions of the Panchayati Raj.

• The 73^rd Amendment 1992 added a new Part IX to the constitution titled “The Panchayats” covering provisions from Article 243 to 243(O).
  

The world bank group consists of five organizations as follows

1. The International bank for reconstruction and development which lends to the government
2. The International development association which provides interest free loans.
3. The International finance corporation which helps in developing the countries to achieve sustainable growth by investment
4. The Multilateral investment guarantee agency was created mainly to promote foreign investment for development of country
5. The International centre for settlement of investment disputes which provides various international facilities like conciliation and arbitration
   

Rani Rampal and pistol shooter Saurabh Chaudhary won the Sports Person of the Year awards at the FICCI India Sports Awards 2019.

• Rani played a crucial role in India's qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, scoring the winning goal against the US.
• Saurabh won gold at the 2018 Asian Games and has since won a number of individual and team honours at shooting World Cups.
  

The book "Capital and Growth” is written by Sir John Richard Hicks

• The book is based upon A comparative study of methods of dynamic economics

• Sir John Richard Hicks was a British Economist and is considered one of the most important and influential economists of 20^th century

• Adam smith is knows as The Father of Economics or The Father of Capitalism

• Adam Smith was also the supporter of Laissez-faire economy
  

Nagaland people celebrated 57th Statehood Day on 1st December.

• On this day in 1963, the State of Nagaland came into existence as the 16th State of the Union of India.
• In 1957, Naga leaders and the central government reached an agreement to create a separate region of the Naga Hills.
• The State of Nagaland Act, 1962, was enacted by the Parliament to give Nagaland statehood.
  

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has launched ‘Madhu’ app.

• It is an e-learning mobile phone application which will help school students to understand their subjects in a better and most efficient way.
• The app is named after ‘Utkal Gourab’ Madhusudan Das.
• Through this app, the students will be able to access the video explanation of the topics they were taught in their classroom.
  

PM Narendra Modi chaired the first meeting of the National Ganga Council in Kanpur, UP on 14 Dec 2019.

• It was aimed at reinforcing the importance of a ‘Ganga-centric’ approach in all departments of the concerned states as well as relevant Central Ministries.
• The Council has been given overall responsibility for superintendence of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of River Ganga Basin.

Soma Roy Burman, a 1986-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Officer, took charge as the new Controller General of Accounts

• She is the 24th Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and is the seventh woman to hold this coveted position.
• Prior to assuming the charge of CGA, Smt. Burman served as Additional Controller General of Accounts in the office of CGA
  

India has successfully conducted the first night trial of Agni-II, its versatile surface-to-surface medium-range nuclear-capable missile from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast on 16 Nov 2019.

• Agni-II, an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), has already been inducted into the armed forces.
• This was the first time that the sophisticated missile was test-fired at night.
  

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the three-day long Military Literature Festival (MLF) on 13 December 2019 at Chandigarh.

• The event would present an international level forum to foster and preserve the exchange of knowledge related to military literature and associated works.
• The ten books of noted defence and literary authors would also be released on occasion.

India has excluded Pakistan from the list of SAARC member countries with which it will be connecting its state-of-the art National Knowledge Network. Through NKN scientific databases will be shared and remote access to advanced research facilities will be provided. SAARC is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of nations in South Asia. Its member states include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.



Surajkund International Crafts Mela of Haryana is the world’s largest international craft fair.

• It is held at Surajkund, Faridabad each year from February 1^st to 17^th.
• It is organized every year by the Surajkund Mela Authority & Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.
• For its 2019 edition, the state of Maharashtra was chosen to be the theme state.
• Thailand is the Partner Nation Country for the Surajkund International Crafts Mela-2019.
• It is organized with an aim to promote handicrafts, handlooms with the aid of craftsmen invited from all over the country.
  

‘Chhapar Mela’, a social festival is organised in the state of Punjab.

• It is celebrated in the town of Chhapar, Ludhiana, Punjab.
• It is held every year in the month of September.
• It is held in the memory of Gugga Pir.
  

Indian and French troops conduct their Joint-Military exercise 'SHAKTI' annually. 

• The counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency joint exercise "SHAKTI 2016" was held in Rajasthan in July 2018.
• The joint exercise will undergo a training schedule aimed at combating conditioning, infantry tactical operations in a counter-terrorism environment and planning of joint operations under the United Nations mandate.
  

Teachers' Day is celebrated throughout India on 5th September. The day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of educationist and former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

• World Teachers' Day, also known as International Teachers Day, is held annually on October 5. Established in 1994, it commemorates the signing of the 1966 "Teaching in Freedom". 
• Note: Both days are different.
  

Homi Jehangir Bhabha is known as the 'Father of Indian Nuclear Programme'.

• He was an Indian nuclear physicist who founded Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
• Ajit Kumar Mohanty was appointed as the director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for a period of three years in march 2019.
• He is a well-known nuclear physicist. He obtained a Ph.D degree from Bombay University.
• Dr Homi Bhabha established the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) in January 1954.
• In 1966, Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay was renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
  

Person	Known as/for
Vikram Sarabhai	Father of Indian Space programme
CV Raman	Raman effect
Homi Jehangir Bhabha	Father of Indian Nuclear programme
APJ Abdul Kalam	Missile Man of India

The Indian Meteorological Observatory works under the Indian Meteorological Department, Government of India. 

• The headquarters of the Indian Meteorological Department is located in New Delhi. 

• It also has four regional offices Mumbai, Kolkata, Nagpur, Pune.

• The India Meteorology Department was established in 1875. 

• Henry Francis Blanford was appointed the first Meteorological Reporter of the IMD. In May 1889. 

• The Indian Meteorological l Department comes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
  

Leander Paes is an Indian professional tennis player.

• He is considered to be one of the best doubles and mixed doubles players of all time.
• He has won eight doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles and is the oldest man to have won a Grand Slam title.
  

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina.

Country	Argentina
Capital	Buenos Aires
President	Mauricio Macri
Currency	Argentine peso

The Name of Gautama Buddha’s father was ‘Suddhodana’.

• The meaning of Suddhodana is "he who grows pure rice".
• Queen Maya was the birth mother of Gautama Buddha.
• Suddhodana was the leader of the Shakya tribe of late Vedic India.
• The Shakyas formed an independent state known as ‘Shakya Ganarajya’.
• The capital of Shakya Ganarajya was called ‘Kapilavastu’, which is thought to be located either at the present day Tilaurakot, Nepal or present-day Piprahwa, India.
  

Harsha was the first test tube baby of India who was born after the first in-vitro fertilization techniques used for the first time in India.




The champaran satyagraha took place on 19 April, 1917. Champaran is a district in the state of Bihar.

• It was the first popular satyagraha to be started.
• Key people were Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Prasad, Brajkishore Prasad, JB kriplani and others.
• Champaran satyagraha came into force because farmers were forced to grow indigo in a part of their land. This created much anger in the farmers.
  

In February 1919, Rowlatt Act was passed which allowed British government to jail anyone suspected of plotting or overthrowing the government without a trial. It is also known as Black Act.
In 1907, Indian National Congress split in extremists and moderates in the Surat session.
In 1911, King George V along with Queen Mary announced the shifting of capital from Calcutta to Delhi.




Opium wars were fought between the British and China.

• The war took place in the mid-19th century.
• The first one was held between China and British in 1839-42.
• The second one was fought between France and Britain against China in 1856-60.
  

The name of the eldest son of Shah Jahan was Dara Shikoh.

• Shah Jahan was the 5th Mughal Emperor of the Mughal dynasty.
• Dara Shikoh translated the Upanishads from Sanskrit to Persian.
• He had 4 sons- Dara Shikoh, Aurangzeb, Murad Baksh, and Shah Shuja.
• In 1657, when he fell ill, a war of succession took place amongst all his sons.
• Aurangzeb thus ascended the throne after defeating the three of them.
  

Iceland is the oldest Parliamentary democracy in the world.

• Iceland is an island, a European country, located midway between North America and mainland Europe. Iceland is an island, a European country, located midway between North America and mainland Europe.
• Iceland gained full independence from Denmark in 1944.
  

Citizenship : The Constitution deals with citizenship from Articles 5 to 11 under Part II. 

• Acquisition of Citizenship: The Citizenship Act of 1955 prescribes five ways of acquiring citizenship, viz, birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory. 
• By Registration​ :  a person of Indian origin who is ordinarily resident in India for seven years before making an application for registration.
• A person of Indian origin who is ordinarily resident in any country or place outside undivided person who is married to a citizen of India and is ordinarily resident in India for seven years before making an application for registration.
  

Members of Rajya Sabha are elected for a period of 6 years.

• The number of members should not be more than 250- 238 representing UTs and states and 12 nominated by the President.
• Rajya Sabha is not subject to dissolution and is a permanent body.
• The ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha is the Vice President of India.
• Prime Minister is the Leader of the House and he appoints the senior-most minister.
  

The idea of a Constituent Assembly for India was put forward for the first time by M. N. Roy in the year 1934.

• M.N. Roy was a pioneer of the communist movement in India and an advocate of radical democracy.
• Constituent Assembly for India was accepted by the British in August 1940.
  

Tropical Deciduous Forests or Monsoon forests are the most common forests in India.

• Important trees of tropical deciduous forests include shisam, mahua, sal, teak, and bamboo.
• Moist deciduous and dry deciduous forests are the two major categories of these forests.
• Shisham, mulberry, pine, babul, eucalyptus, and kikar are found in deciduous, dry, thorny forests.
  

BRICS is an association of 5 nations, which are Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

• South Africa was not a part of it initially but joined in later in the year 2010.
• These nations account for 50% of the economic growth of the world.
• The BRICS Summit 2019 was held on 13-14 November 2019.
• The theme for the summit for 2019 was 'Economic Growth for an Innovative Future'.
  

• Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed received the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to achieve international peace and cooperation.
• Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 was the 100th to be awarded.
• It consists of a diploma, a gold medal and a cheque for nine million Swedish kronor (850,000 euros).
• Abiy Ahmed was awarded for his efforts to resolve the long-running conflict with neighbouring foe Eritrea.
  

• ‘On My Terms: From the Grassroots to the Corridors of Power’ is a book written by Sharad Pawar
  

• The Ayurveda day was observed on 25 October 2019.
• Every year, the National Ayurveda Day is celebrated on the occasion of Dhanwantari Jayanti (Dhanteras).
• The government is to organize the fourth Ayurveda Day at the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• Dhanwantari Pujan and National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards 2019 ceremony are to be held at NIA.
  

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Gurgaon, Millennium City of the country. 

• It has been developed as nerve centre to provide multifaceted online smart services to people.
• It has been designed to serve as nodal point for all online data related to Smart City applications, including CCTV-based public safety and adaptive traffic management system, pollution monitoring, smart parking system, water supply management system, asset management system and property tax management system.
  

Brazil hosted the 2019 BRICS summit, this time in its capital city  Brasilia from 13-14 November 2019. 

• BRICS brings together five major economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, having a share of 23% of the global GDP and around 17% of the share in world trade.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Brasilia on 13th Nov. This is the Prime Minister's second visit to Brazil.
  

Indian Institute of Spices Research is located in Moozhikkal, Silver Hills, Kozhikode, Kerala.

• It is a subsidiary of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, under the Ministry of Agriculture, India.
• The Institute provides research facilities related to spice crops and ensure standard methods to make large scale productions also taking pest and disease management in measures.
  

Some important research institutes in:

States	Research Institutes
Kerala	Central Plantation Crops Research Institute
Tamil Nadu	Central Leather Research Institute, National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis
Karnataka	Central Food Technological Research Institute
Andhra Pradesh	Central Tobacco Research Institute

M. Subbarayudu is India’s next Ambassador to Peru.

• He is a 1994 batch IFS officer.
• He is presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Peru facts:-
  

Capital	Lima
Official Language	Spanish
President	Martin Vizcarra
Prime Minister	Vicente Zeballos
Currency	Sol (PEN)
Highest Peak	Huascaran

• The 11th edition of Naseem-Al-Bahr (Sea Breeze) 2017 Naval exercise between India and Oman was held at Said Bin Sultan Naval Base, Wudam in Oman.
• The Indian Navy had deployed two naval ships – INS Trikand and INS Teg in this edition of bilateral exercise for the harbour phase.
• Bilateral relations between both countries were formally established with the signing of the 1953 Indo-Oman Treaty of friendship, Navigation and Commerce.
• The first exercise Indian Navy with Royal Navy of Oman was conducted in 1993.
  

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has started receiving the supply of Spice 2000 bombs from an Israel firm, the first batch of which was delivered recently.
• The first batch of Spice 2000 bombs, with Mark 84 warheads and bombs, arrived in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, which is the main base of the Mirage 2000 fighter planes.
• The new version of these bombs has the capacity to completely destroy buildings.
  

• Pakistan's seasoned diplomat Amjad Hussain B Sial is the Secretary General of SAARC.
• Sial has assumed charge of the office of Secretary General of SAARC from March 1. 
• He has succeeded Nepal's Arjun Bahadur Thapa, who was appointed the Secretary-General in 2014.
• The Pakistani turn, which is held by rotation, starts from March 1 and continues till February 28, 2020.
  

Cheraw is a folk dance of Mizoram and is performed using bamboo sticks.

Dances	Tribes or Community and its significance	Place of origin
Raut Naach	Raut Naach is performed in Chhattisgarh by the Yadav community. Raut Naach is performed on the occasion of Diwali	Chhattisgarh
Dumhal	Dumhal is performed in Jammu and Kashmir by the Wattal tribe. Dumhal dancers wear a colourful costume and the men wear a tall conical hat.	Jammu and Kashmir
Fugdi	Fugdi is performed by women in the Konkan region of Goa during festivals.  Fugdi dance is performed in various forms, especially in circles and rows.	Goa
Cheraw	Cheraw is a folk dance of Mizoram and is performed using bamboo sticks.	Mizoram

• About 45,000 Lepchas live in the high mountain valleys of Sikkim, a north Indian state, particularly in an area called the Dzongu Lepcha Reserve, near Mount Kanchenjunga, world's third highest mountain.
• Some Lepchas also live in Kalimpong, West Bengal, plus in neighboring Bhutan and Nepal.
• The Tholung Monastery, a well known trekking destination in the Dzongu Reserve, was extensively damaged by an earthquake in September 2011.
• The Lepchas raise a variety of crops—maize (corn), rice, cardamom, and garden vegetables—and they keep goats, cattle, and pigs. 
• The Lepcha culture suppresses aggression and competition almost completely.
  

• Oceanographic research vessel of DRDO, INS Sagardhwani, embarked on a 2-month long SAGAR MAITRI (SM) Mission-2 from South Jetty, Southern Naval Command (SNC) in Kochi on 18 July 2019.
• INS Sagardhwani has been designed and developed by Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi.
• SAGAR MAITRI Mission-2 commemorates the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of ship INS Kistna’s missions.
  

• January 26, 1950, is celebrated as Republic Day in India.
• 26th November 1949, the constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly.
  

Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), was a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) which was implemented in seven eastern states namely Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and eastern Uttar Pradesh from 2010-2011 to address the constraints limiting the productivity of rice based cropping systems.

Jehangir Ratanji Dadbhoy (JRD) Tata is referred to as the 'Father of Indian Civil Aviation.

• He was the son of famous businessman Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata.
• In 1929, he became the first licensed pilot in India.
• He is also best known for being the founder of several industries under the Tata Group, including Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors, Titan Industries, Tata Salt, Voltas and Air India.
• In 1983, he was awarded the French Legion of Honour.
• In 1955 and 1992, he the Padma Vibhushan and the Bharat Ratna.
  

The Coconut Research Station/Institute at Kasaragod in Kerala was initially established in 1916.

•  it was taken over by the Indian Central Coconut Committee in 1948.
• Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) was established in 1970.
• Institute works under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
  

Kocchi	National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)
Jhansi	Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute
Nagpur	R.G.  National Institute of Intellectual Property Management

Volleyball is the national sport of Sri Lanka.

• Basketball is the national sport of Estonia.
• Cricket is the national sport of Bahamas.
• The National sport of India is Hockey.
  

Brussels is the capital of Belgium.

Country	Belgium
Capital	Brussels
King	Philippe
Prime Minister	Charles Michel
Currency	Euro

Veda	Brahmanas	Upanishad	Officiating priest
Rig Veda	Aitareya, Kaushitaki	Aitareya, Kaushitaki	Hotri
Sama Veda	Tandyamaha, Jaiminiya	Chandogya, Jaiminiya	Udgatri
Yajur Veda	Taittiriya, Satapatha	Taittiriya, Katha, Svetasvatara, Brihadaranyaka, Isa	Adhvaryu
Atharva Veda	Gopatha	Mundaka, Prasna, Mandukya	Brahman

Revolt place	Leader	Suppressed By
Jhansi	Rani Laxmi Bai	Huge Rose
Delhi	General Bakht Khan	John Nicholson
Lucknow	Begum Hazrat Mahal	James Neill
Kanpur	Nana Saheb	Campbell, Havelock

The India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

• It is a war memorial of the soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the First World War.
• Edwin Lutyens designed various buildings like Viceroy's House which is now known as Rashtrapati Bhavan with Herbert Baker.
• Because of his marvellous work, an area in New Delhi is also known as Lutyens' Delhi.
  

In the Anumakonda inscription, it is described that Rudradeva I was the first independent ruler of the Kakatiya kingdom of Warangal.

• The most powerful ruler of this kingdom was Ganapatideva, and he ruled for almost 63 years.
• The last ruler of this kingdom was Prataparudra.
• All the other rulers given in the option are described in the table below with their kingdoms respectively:
  

Kingdom	Founder
Yadavas of Devagiri	Bhillama V
Kakatiyas of Warangal	Rudradeva I
Hoyasalas	Vishnuvardhana
Chola	Vijayalaya

Chhatrapati Shivaji and Soyarabai named their son Rajaram.

• Sambhaji Bhonsle was the eldest son of Shivaji and was also his successor.
• Sambhaji was the 2^nd ruler of the Maratha Kingdom after Shivaji.
• Rajaram Bhonsle was the younger son of Shivaji and half brother of Sambhaji.
• Rajaram was the 3^rd Maratha ruler.
• Shahaji Bonsle and Jijabai was Shivaji’s father and mother respectively.
  

The Indian constitution has been inspired by some of the constitutions of other countries.

• Tenets of liberty, equality and, fraternity in the Indian Constitution are borrowed from the France Revolution immediately before the Indian constitution. Following are the ideals that have been borrowed from French Revolutions:
• The ideals of the Republic, The ideals of liberty, The ideals of equality, The ideals of fraternity.
• A lot of concepts and features of the Indian Constitution have its roots in Great Britain.
  

In Article 75 of the Constitution, it is written that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.

• The ministers stay in the office as long as it enjoys the confidence of the majority of the members of the Lok Sabha.
• The motion needs the support of a minimum of 50 members to be admitted.
  

Amendment	Subject	Year
15th Constitutional Amendment Act	Raised the age of retirement of a High Court Judge from 60 to 62 years.	1963
21st Constitutional Amendment Act	Included Sindhi as one of the languages in the Eighth Schedule.	1967
36th Constitutional Amendment Act	Made Sikkim a full-fledged State of the Union of India.	1975
61st Constitutional Amendment Act	Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years. (Amended Article 326)	1988

The Mahanadi river does not flow through Madhya Pradesh.

• The Mahanadi rises in the highlands of Chhattisgarh.
• It flows through Odisha to reach the Bay of Bengal.
• The length of the river is about 860 km.
• Its drainage basin is shared by Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
  

A marketplace in which a final good or service is bought and sold is called Product Market.

• A factor market is that where the companies purchase what they need to produce their services and goods.
• A commodity market is a virtual or physical marketplace for selling, buying, and trading primary or raw products.
• The equity market is for trading equity instruments. It is also known as the stock market.
  

Inflation: It is a sustained rise in the general price level in an economy.

• Stagflation: A situation in which the inflation rate is high, the economic growth rate slows down, and unemployment remains steadily high.
• Deflation: It is a persistent fall in the general price level of goods and services.
• Disinflation: It is decrease in the rate of inflation.
  

Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi, capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, Karnataka.

• It is part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi.

• It is nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  

The first woman pilot for Navy Lieutenant Shivangi will join naval operations on completion of operational training on December 2, 2019. 

• She hails from Muzzafarpur, Bihar.
• She was inducted into Indian Navy as SSC (Pilot) as part of 27 NOC course in Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
• She will get authorisation on December 2, 2019, to fly Dornier aircraft.
  

The Preamble of the Indian Constitution has three types of Justice. Those are:-

• Political Justice, Social Justice and Economic Justice.
• Preamble to the Indian Constitution:-
  • ​WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
    JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
    LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
    EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all
    FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation.
    
    In Our Constituent Assembly this twenty-sixth day of November 1949, do Hereby Adopt, Enact And Give To Ourselves This Constitution.
• About the Preamble:-
  • ​The preamble of the Constitution of India is a brief introductory statement that sets out guidelines.
  • The preamble is based on the Objectives which were drafted and moved in the Constituent Assembly by Jawaharlal Nehru on 13 December 1946.
    

Article	Statement
Article151	The Audit report.
Article142	The Enforcement of decrees and orders of supreme court and order as to discovery etc.
Article145	The Rule of court, etc of Supreme Court.
Article144	The Civil and judicial authorities to act in aid of the supreme court.
Article143	The Power of the president to consult the supreme court.
Article146	The Officers and servants and expenses of the supreme court.
Article139	The Confinement on the supreme court of power to issue certain writs.
Article147	The Interpretation of the constitution by the Supreme Court.
Article148	The Comptroller and auditor general of India.
Article149	The Duties of  Comptroller and auditor general.
Article150	The Form of accounts of union and the states.

Writs are issued by Supreme Court and High Court for enforcement of the Fundamental Rights given in Part III of the Constitution. The Supreme Court has the power to issue a writ to make available “Right to Constitutional Remedies” to every citizen.

Habeas Corpus	The writ is issued to produce a person who has been detained before a court and to release him if such detention is found illegal.
Mandamus	This writ is issued by the Supreme Court or the High Court to a lower court or public authority to perform a public or statutory duty.
Prohibition	This writ is issued by the High Court or the Supreme Court to any inferior court, or quasi-judicial body prohibiting it from continuing the proceedings in a case, where it has no jurisdiction to try.
Certiorari	This writ is issued by the Supreme Court or any High Court for quashing the order already passed by an inferior court or quasi-judicial authority.
Quo warranto	This writ is issued with a view of restraining a person from holding a public office to which s/he is not entitled.

Kamarajar is located on the eastern coast of India.

• The Kamarajar Port at Ennore is positioned on the eastern coast of India within the state of Tamil Nadu, around 30 km north of Chennai.
• In 2015, the Kamarajar port dealt with 30.25 million tonnes of shipment.
• The main cargo is coal with thermal coal accounting for around 80% of the whole tonnage.
• The port attracting the growing domestic auto industry in India which now represents the 5th biggest vehicle industry inside the international.
  

Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) established the system of Khalsa in the year 1699.

• A Male member of Khalsa was given the title of Singh while Female members were given the title of Kaur.
• He also started the five K for Khalsa, they are:
  

Kesh	Un-Cut hair
Kanga	Wooden Comb
Kara	Steel Bracelet
Kirpan	Dagger
Kaccha	Short Drawers

It was at the Surat session that the Indian National Congress split into Moderates and Extremists.

• Moderates were people who wanted to resolve issues with the government through deliberations whereas Extremists believed in strikes, agitation, and boycott to force their demands.
• The session was held on the bank of Tapti river in Surat in 1907.
  
  
  
  

INC Session	Chairman	Year
Surat Session	Rash Behari Ghosh	1907
Calcutta Session	Shri Dadabhai Naoroji	1906
Benares Session	Gopal Krishna Gokhale	1905
Madras Session	Rashbihari Ghosh	1908

Kalpana Chawla was an Indian born American astronaut who went to space for the first time in 1997 in Space Shuttle Colombia. She was from Haryana, India. She died in a tragic accident of the space shuttle in 2003 while coming from a space expedition with other astronauts.

Modern-day name	Rigvedic Name
Chenab	Askini
Ravi	Purushni
Jhelum	Vitasta
Beas	Vipasha

National Emblem of India has been taken from Ashok Pillar, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh on 26th January 1950.

• The emblem is adopted by Madhav Sawhney.
• It has the motto "Satyamev Jayate" written in Devnagari script.
• The motto has been taken from Mundak Upanishad. 
  

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the supreme authority of the worldwide Olympic movement. It is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland.



The first Asian Games were held from 4 March to 11 March 1951 in New Delhi.

• Only players from countries of the continent of Asia participate in the Asian Games.
• The Asian Games are regulated under the supervision of the International Olympic Council.
• In 2018, the Asian Games were held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• The next season of the Asian Games will be held in 2022 in a city called Hangzhou in China.
• The Asian Games will be held in Nagoya Province, Japan in the year 2026.
  

Dras is a town in the Kargil District of Leh.

• It is often called "The Gateway to Ladakh".
• Dras is widely recognized as the second coldest inhabited place in the world.
  

Mahendra Singh Dhoni belongs to Cricket.

• He is a right-handed batsman, right arm medium bowler and Wicket-keeper batsman of Indian Cricket Team.
• He is the first captain to win all three ICC limited-overs trophies which include World Cup, Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20.
• He is honoured with Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and many other prestigious awards.
• Sunita Williams,Kalpana Chawla and Rakesh Sharma were the space travellers.
  
  
  
  

Pilots	Description
Sunita Williams	She is an American astronaut and the United States Navy officer of Indo-Slovenian descent. She holds the world record of staying in space for the longest time i.e of 50 hours, 40 minutes.
Kalpana Chawla	She was an American astronaut and the first woman of India to go to space.
Rakesh Sharma	He is the first Indian to travel in space.

Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Bank is a public sector financial institution in India.

• It provides loans at low rates to micro-finance institutions and non-banking financial institutions which then provide credit to MSMEs
• Founded on 8 April 2015  Headquarter- Mumbai
  

Categories	maximum allowed loan sums
Shishu	Allowed loans up to 50,000
Kishore	Allowed loans up to 5 lakh
Tarun	Allowed loans up to 10 lakh

Smiling Buddha was the assigned code name of India's first successful nuclear bomb test on 18 May 1974.

• The bomb was detonated on the army base, Pokhran Test Range, in Rajasthan by the Indian Army under the supervision of several key army officials
  

Losoong is a festival celebrated in Sikkim.

• Losoong marks the beginning of the Sikkimese New Year.
• The festival of Lossong is mostly celebrated in the month of December every year.
• Losoong is also celebrated grandly by Nepalese, Sikkimese and other tribal communities in Sikkim, Darjeeling and Nepal.
  

The Kumbh Mela is observed every twelve years at the Prayag(Allahabad) district of Uttar Pradesh.

• The fair takes place at Triveni Sangam which is the intersection of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Sarasvati.
• The exact date for the Mela is decided based on Hindu astrology.
• The last Kumbh Mela took place in the year 2013 and the next will be observed in 2025.
  

Cardiac Muscle is not a connective tissue.

• Cardiac muscle is found only in the heart.
• Connective tissues are those which maintain the form of the body and provide internal support to it.
• Adipose tissue, reticular tissue, compact bone, and areolar tissue are all types of connective tissue.
  

Gamma-rays have the highest frequency.

• They also have the highest energies and shortest wavelengths.
• Radio waves have the lowest frequencies and Highest wavelengths.
• The order of these waves from highest to lowest energies is- Gamma rays > X rays > UV rays > visible light > infrared radiation > radio waves.
  

The inexhaustible source of energy of stars is due to Conversion of hydrogen to helium.

• The energy released from the collapse of the gas into a star causes the centre of the star to become extremely hot.
• This, in turn, causes the commencement of nuclear fusion.
• When two hydrogen atoms combine to form a helium atom, then that process is known as fusion reaction.
  

Viswanathan Anand has launched his autobiography ‘Mind Master’.

• Anand’s autobiography is co-authored by sports journalist Susan Ninann.
• It has been published by THG Publishing Private Limited.
• The book covers wonderful memories of Viswanathan Anand’s journey.
• The book offers an insight into Anand’s greatest clashes and worst losses.
  

Amitabha Bagchi’s new novel titled, Half The Night Is Gone was declared the winner of the $25,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2019.

• Pradeep Gyawali, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal presented the award to Bagchi at the IME Nepal Literature Festival in Nepal.
• The novel topped among the chosen six works of fiction.
  

World Autism Day is celebrated every year on 2 April.
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior.

Theme 2019: “Assistive Technologies, Active Participation”.

The World Water Day is observed every year on 22^nd March to mark the importance of fresh water. The first World Water Day, designated by the United Nations, was observed in the year 1993. The theme of World Water Day, 2018 is "Nature for Water". The UN World Water Development Report is released each year around World Water Day.

India is all set to get its first runway on a ‘sea bridge’, as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been given a nod to extend Lakshadweep’s Agatti Airport. The task will be carried out by building an RCC platform on the beach and shallow area which will allow bigger ATRs to operate on the island. The Project is likely to cost about Rs 1,500 crore.

The 'Statue of Unity' dedicated to the 'Iron Man of India' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is all set to be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31st October 2018.

• 'Statue of Unity' is the world's tallest statue. It is situated at Sadhu Bet island on Narmada River in Gujarat.
• The foundation stone of this project was laid on 31st October 2013.
  

India’s immediate neighbours:-

• Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Maldives.
• India shares its land borders with 7 countries-
• Pakistan, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
• Order of length of border shared with India(longest to shortest)-
• Bangladesh(4096 km), China (3488 Km), Pakistan (3323 Km), Nepal (1751 Km), Myanmar (1643 Km).

Country	Capital	Head	Currency
Pakistan	Islamabad	Imran Khan (PM) Arif Alvi (President)	Pakistani
Bangladesh	Dhaka	Sheikh Hasina (PM) Abdul Hamid (President)	Bangladeshi Taka
Nepal	Kathmandu	Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli (PM) Bidhya Devi Bhandari (President)	Nepalese Rupee
China	Beijing	Xi Jinping (President)	Renminbi
Bhutan	Thimphu	Lotay Tshering (PM) Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (King)	Ngultrum
Sri Lanka	Sri Jayawardenepura kotte	Ranil Wickremsinghe (PM) Maithripala Sirisena (President)	Sri Lankan Rupee
Maldives	Male	Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (President)	Maldivian Rufiyaa
Afghanistan	Kabul	Ashraf Ghani (President)	Afghani
Myanmar	Naypyitaw	Win Myint (President)	Kyat

The Government reiterated its commitment to providing Wi-Fi in all villages through GramNet with connectivity between 10mbps to 100 Mbps speed.

• BharatNet also plans to provide 1 GBPS connectivity, which can be expanded to up to 10 GBPS and C-DOT’s XGS-PON will help achieve this.
• C-Sat-Fi technology of C-DOT will empower Indians, especially in rural and remote areas.
• * NOTE: Bharat Net provides Optical fibre connection across 2.5 Lakh gram panchayats. It provides internet, but through the broadband connection. Gram Net, on the other hand, wants to provide wifi connection to all the villages and not only panchayats.