Daily Current Affairs Today MCQ : 22 March 2023 Quiz

Sampanna Ramesh Shelar, a Bachelor of Physical Education student, has set a new record by becoming the fastest Indian in the under-21 category to swim across the Palk Strait, from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanuskodi in Tamil Nadu.

He completed the 29 km distance in just 5 hours and 30 minutes, beating the previous record of 8 hours and 26 minutes.

He is coached by Mr Jitendra Khasnis and plans to complete solo swims across the English and Catalina Channels to achieve the Oceans Seven Challenge.

Palk Strait -

The Palk Strait is a strait that lies between the southern coast of India and the northern coast of Sri Lanka.

It is approximately 85 kilometers (53 miles) wide at its widest point and has an average depth of about 30 meters (98 feet).

The Palk Strait is named after Robert Palk, a governor of Madras (now Chennai) in colonial India.

The strait is an important shipping route for cargo ships and fishing boats, as it connects the Bay of Bengal to the Palk Bay, which is located between India and Sri Lanka.

The Palk Strait is also known for its marine biodiversity, including a variety of fish, crustaceans, and other marine animals.

The area is home to several marine national parks, including the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in India and the Pigeon Island National Park in Sri Lanka.

However, the strait is also facing environmental challenges, such as overfishing and pollution, which are impacting its delicate ecosystem.

The Centre has selected sites in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to set up new textile parks under the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme.

The parks will be set up by 2026-27. The total outlay for the project is Rs 4445 crore, though the initial allocation in the 2023-24 Budget is only Rs 200 crore.

PM MITRA Scheme -

PM MITRA Park will be developed by a Special Purpose Vehicle which will be owned by the Central and State Government and in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode.

Each MITRA Park will have an incubation centre, common processing house and a common effluent treatment plant and other textile related facilities such as design centres and testing centres.

The Textile sector is the 2nd largest provider of employment in India, after agriculture.

India is the 6th largest exporter of textile and apparel in the world, with 4% share of the global trade in textiles and apparel.

Former Australia Cricket Captain Tim Paine Announces Retirement from the Sport

Tim Paine, the former captain of the Australian test cricket team, has announced his retirement from cricket after playing his last Sheffield Shield first-class match for Tasmania against Queensland.

Paine led the Australian team in 23 tests from 2018 to 2021 and played a total of 35 tests in his career.

He took over as captain after Steve Smith was stripped of the role following the ball-tampering scandal during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa.

Paine stepped down from the captaincy in 2021 after admitting to sending inappropriate messages to a former Cricket Tasmania employee.

The Rishikul campus of Ayurvedic University in Haridwar recently hosted the International Ayurvet conclave with a theme on "Veterinary and Ayurveda".

The event, which began on March 17, was inaugurated by Sanjiv Baliyan, the Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries.

During his address, Baliyan highlighted the historical use of Ayurveda in animal treatment and shared that the government is working towards validating its use.

He also expressed interest in including the subject in the curricula of various universities. The seminar concluded on March 19.

Rohan Bopanna, a 43-year-old Indian tennis player, and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden have become the oldest duo to win an ATP Masters 1000 title.

They won the men’s doubles final at the Indian Wells Masters 2023 tournament in California by defeating the top-seeded team of Wesley Koolhof and Neil Skupski.

Bopanna and Ebden won the first set 6-3 but lost the second set 2-6.

However, they managed to win the match by clinching the deciding tie-breaker 10-8.

Bopanna has now won 24 ATP titles, including five ATP Masters 1000, and has become the oldest player to win an ATP Masters 1000 title, breaking the record of Canadian Daniel Nestor, who won the 2015 Cincinnati Masters at the age of 42.

The National Youth Conclave 2023 is an upcoming event in India that aims to bring together the country’s youth and government leadership.

The event is being organized under the aegis of India’s G20 presidency and in conjunction with the Urban20 and Youth20 engagement groups.

The objective of the conclave is to provide an opportunity for cross-learning between the youth and government leaders.

The Urban-20 (U20) is a city diplomacy initiative launched during the One Planet Summit in Paris on December 12, 2017.

The U20 provides a platform for cities from G20 countries to discuss critical urban development issues, such as climate change, social inclusion, sustainable mobility, and affordable housing and propose collective solutions.

Youth20(Y20) -

The Y20 is the official youth engagement group for the G20, which is a forum for the largest and most advanced economies in the world.

The Y20 process aims to bring together young leaders from all over the world to discuss and debate global challenges and propose policy recommendations that G20 leaders can implement.

The fifth largest economy in the world, India is likely to achieve energy independence by 2047.

PM Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat will prove to be a gateway for future growth.

This can only be possible through clean technology according to a report issued by a leading US Research Institute.

Talking about the current scenario, India is almost 80-85 per cent reliant on imports in order to fulfil its oil and coal requirements.

However, a significant drop in clean energy costs is a great chance for the country to accelerate its investment in battery storage, renewable energy, etc.

UAE-based developer of the Burj Khalifa, Emaar Group has marked its entry into J&K by announcing a shopping mall and an IT tower in Srinagar.

The J&K government said Emaar’s projects mark the first foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Union Territory.

Emaar Properties CEO Amit Jain said “Mall of Srinagar” will have 500 shops, many of which are expected to be run by UAE-based companies.

Emaar was part of a group of around 36 CEOs from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia, that visited Kashmir last year to explore investment opportunities.

J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha performed the "Bhumi Pujan" (prayer ceremony)’ for the 10-lakh square foot mega-mall — "Mall of Srinagar" — and an IT tower at Sempora.

India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, inaugurated the "Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To Be There" exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Sri Lanka, the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi has organized the "Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To Be There" exhibition.

The Sri Lanka-India Cultural Exchange Program has sponsored the exhibition, which will be open to visitors until May 7, 2023.

Geoffrey Bawa: India & Sri Lanka -

Bawa’s distinct architectural style, which blended modernism with traditional elements, is highly acclaimed.

He designed several prominent buildings in Sri Lanka, including the Sri Lankan Parliament, which is considered one of his most impressive works.

Bawa’s architectural designs also influenced many iconic buildings in India.

His unique style has had a significant impact on modern architecture in Sri Lanka and beyond, inspiring architects and designers globally.

Ratan Tata has been named an Honorary Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) for his outstanding contributions to the Australia-India bilateral relationship.

Ratan Tata, an Indian industrialist and philanthropist, has been named an Honorary Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) for his outstanding contributions to the Australia-India bilateral relationship, specifically in the areas of trade, investment, and philanthropy.

Ratan Tata, who is the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons and a former Chairman of the Tata Group, is recognized as one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs worldwide, with a net worth exceeding $1 billion as of 2022.

Tata and India-Australia cooperation -

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been operating in Australia since 1998 and currently has the largest Australian workforce of any Indian company, employing approximately 17,000 staff and associates.

In addition to its commercial operations, TCS also actively contributes to the Australian community through a noteworthy pro-bono program.