SSC CGL Tier 1 2020 General Awareness Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The Allahabad Pillar inscription, also known as the Prayag Prashasti, was composed by Harisena, the court poet and minister of Samudra Gupta. Written in refined Sanskrit using the Brahmi script, this eulogy provides a detailed chronological account of the emperor's extensive military conquests and political achievements. It specifically enumerates his victories over nine kings of Aryavarta in the north and twelve kings of Dakshinapatha in the south, as well as his suzerainty over various frontier states and tribal republics. This record of uninterrupted military success and the vast expansion of the Gupta Empire led the historian V.A. Smith to designate Samudra Gupta as the Napoleon of India. The inscription is engraved on a polished sandstone column originally erected by Emperor Ashoka.

Explanation

Kristalina Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist, was officially appointed as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a five-year term that commenced on October 1, 2019. She arrived at the IMF after serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank and having previously held a series of senior positions at the European Commission. Georgieva holds the distinction of being the first individual from an emerging market economy to lead the IMF since its inception. Her selection followed the resignation of the previous director and was finalized by the IMF Executive Board in late September 2019.

Explanation

The State Bank of India is a public sector bank but is not technically classified as a nationalised bank. It was established as a statutory body under the State Bank of India Act, 1955, following the takeover of the Imperial Bank of India. In contrast, nationalised banks refer specifically to those private commercial banks that were taken over by the Government of India through the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Acts of 1970 and 1980. Because the State Bank of India was created through its own dedicated legislation rather than these specific nationalisation acts, it is maintained in a distinct category from nationalised banks in official regulatory classifications.

Explanation

Jellyfish belong to Phylum Cnidaria because they possess specialized stinging cells known as cnidocytes, which contain organelles called nematocysts used for defense and capturing prey. These organisms exhibit radial symmetry and are diploblastic, meaning their body walls consist of two primary germ layers: the outer epidermis and the inner gastrodermis, separated by a gelatinous layer called mesoglea. Jellyfish specifically represent the medusa form of the cnidarian life cycle, characterized by a free-swimming, umbrella-shaped body with tentacles arranged around a central mouth that leads to a gastrovascular cavity.

Explanation

The construction of the Victoria Terminus, designed by the British architect Frederick William Stevens, commenced in 1878 and took ten years to complete, reaching its final form in 1888. This landmark building was designed in the High Victorian Gothic Revival style, which fused traditional Indian architectural elements with the European Gothic style. It was originally built to serve as the headquarters for the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. The station was named in honor of Queen Victoria to commemorate her Golden Jubilee in 1887, even though the structural work continued until the following year. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004 and is one of the busiest railway stations in India.

Explanation

Roger Federer became the first living person in Swiss history to be honored with a commemorative coin minted in his image. In December 2019, Swissmint announced the production of a 20-franc silver coin featuring the tennis champion, which was officially released in January 2020. The Swiss government decided to honor Federer for his exceptional sporting achievements and his conduct as a global representative of Switzerland. Due to the unprecedented demand for the silver coin, Swissmint also planned the release of a 50-franc gold coin featuring a different design later in May 2020.

Explanation

The planets in our solar system follow a specific order based on their distance from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and is situated directly between Mars, which is the fourth planet, and Saturn, which is the sixth planet. This orbital arrangement places the gas giant Jupiter as the immediate neighbor to both Mars on its inner side and Saturn on its outer side.

Explanation

The Jawara Dance is a popular folk dance originating from the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. It is a harvest dance performed by the peasant community to celebrate the prosperity and wealth resulting from a bountiful crop. During the performance, women balance baskets filled with freshly harvested grain, known as Jawara, on their heads while dancing to the rhythmic beats of drums and other traditional instruments. The dance is a display of balance and joy, symbolizing the happiness of the farmers after a successful agricultural season.

Explanation

Amit Shah, serving as the Union Minister of Home Affairs, released the book Karmayodha Granth on January 7, 2020, at a ceremony in New Delhi. The book chronicles the life, achievements, and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the launch, the Home Minister described the Prime Minister as a man of grit and determination who embodies the qualities of a Karmayodha through his selfless service and commitment to the welfare of the nation. The publication focuses on the various developmental projects and structural reforms introduced under the Prime Minister's tenure, portraying him as a visionary leader dedicated to transforming India.

Explanation

Lucknow is globally famous for Chikankari, a delicate and intricate form of hand embroidery that involves over 36 different stitching techniques. This traditional art form flourished under the patronage of the Nawabs of Awadh and is widely believed to have been introduced by Noor Jahan, the wife of Mughal Emperor Jahangir. The craft is primarily practiced on light fabrics such as muslin, cotton, and georgette. Due to its unique cultural and historical significance, Lucknow Chikankari was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2008, which legally recognizes the city as the authentic producer of this specialized handicraft.

Explanation

John Maynard Keynes was born in 1883 in Cambridge, England, into an academic family. He was educated at two of Britain's most prestigious institutions, Eton College and King's College, Cambridge. Throughout his career, he served as a key figure in the British Treasury and represented the United Kingdom at major international conferences, such as the Versailles Peace Conference and the Bretton Woods Conference. His seminal work, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, published in 1936, established the foundations of modern macroeconomics from within the British intellectual tradition.

Explanation

Georg Simon Ohm was a German physicist and mathematician born in Erlangen, Bavaria, in 1789. He conducted his pioneering research on electricity while working as a teacher at the Jesuit Gymnasium in Cologne and later as a professor at the Polytechnic School of Nuremberg and the University of Munich. In 1827, he published his famous work, Die galvanische Kette, mathematisch bearbeitet, which established the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit, now known as Ohm's Law (V = IR). His contributions to physics were eventually recognized by the Royal Society of London, which awarded him the Copley Medal in 1841, and the unit of electrical resistance was named the ohm in his honor.

Explanation

Dr. Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya served as the first Governor of Madhya Pradesh from the date of the state's inception on November 1, 1956, until June 13, 1957. A distinguished freedom fighter, physician, and political leader, he is also well-known for his role as the President of the Indian National Congress during the Jaipur session in 1948. His tenure began when the modern state of Madhya Pradesh was established under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which integrated several smaller provinces and princely states into a single administrative unit.

Explanation

Sucheta Kripalani was a legendary freedom fighter and a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. In October 1963, she achieved a historic milestone by becoming the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, which made her the first woman to head a state government in independent India. She served in this prestigious position until March 1967. Beyond her tenure as Chief Minister, she was a distinguished member of the Constituent Assembly of India and was part of the subcommittee that drafted the Indian Constitution. Her administrative skills were highly regarded, particularly her firm handling of state employees during various strikes and her dedication to social and political reforms in the post-independence era.

Explanation

Methane (CH₄) is commonly known as marsh gas because it is produced naturally in wetlands, swamps, and marshes. This occurs through the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter, where methanogenic bacteria break down plant and animal remains in the absence of oxygen. As these organisms process organic material at the bottom of stagnant bodies of water, methane is released and often rises to the surface as bubbles, leading to its identification with these specific environments.

Explanation

Parthenocarpy is the botanical process by which a fruit develops from an ovary without the requirement of fertilization. The term originates from the Greek words for virgin fruit and describes a condition where the ovary matures into a fruit body despite the absence of pollination or the failure of the fertilization process. Because no fusion of male and female gametes occurs to form an embryo, the fruits produced through this mechanism are naturally seedless. This development can be triggered by internal genetic factors or external stimuli such as environmental stress or the application of specific plant growth regulators like auxins and gibberellins. Common examples of parthenocarpic fruits found in agriculture include bananas, seedless watermelons, and certain varieties of grapes and citrus.

Explanation

Hasan Minhaj is a prominent Indian-American comedian and political commentator who gained global recognition as the host of the Netflix series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. In early 2020, Forbes India included him in its 20 people to watch in the 2020s list, highlighting his influence in the entertainment and media landscape. As a US-based individual of Indian descent, Minhaj was recognized for his ability to blend comedy with deep investigative journalism, addressing complex global issues and social themes. His inclusion in the list underscored his role as a significant cultural voice whose impact was expected to expand significantly throughout the decade.

Explanation

Ebix Inc., a United States-based international supplier of on-demand software and e-commerce services to the insurance and financial industries, entered into a definitive merger agreement in July 2019 to acquire Yatra Online Inc. The transaction was structured as an all-stock deal with an enterprise value of approximately $337.8 million. This acquisition aimed to integrate Yatra's leading position in the Indian online travel market with EbixCash, the Indian subsidiary of Ebix, to create a massive end-to-end financial and travel exchange. By combining Yatra's large corporate customer base and travel technology with EbixCash's extensive physical distribution network, the company intended to dominate the cross-selling of travel and financial products across India and other international markets.

Explanation

The sequence of the Great Mughal emperors follows the chronological order of Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb. Akbar ruled the empire from 1556 to 1605 and was succeeded by his son, Jahangir, who reigned from 1605 to 1627. Shah Jahan, the son of Jahangir, ascended the throne only after his father's death, ruling from 1628 to 1658. Placing Shah Jahan before Jahangir violates the actual historical line of succession where the son followed the father in this specific period of Mughal history.

Explanation

Article 370 was a temporary provision in the Constitution of India that granted special autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This article permitted the state to have its own constitution, a separate flag, and jurisdiction over its internal administration, while the central government's legislative powers were limited to matters of defense, foreign affairs, and communications. On August 5, 2019, the President of India issued the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019, which effectively revoked the special status by making all provisions of the Indian Constitution applicable to the state. This was followed by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which reconstituted the state into the Union Territory of Jammu | Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh on October 31, 2019.

Explanation

Major General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the elite Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was assassinated on January 3, 2020. The operation was carried out by a targeted United States drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq. The strike, ordered by President Donald Trump, also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces. The event occurred during a period of high regional tension following an attack on the US embassy in Baghdad and several rocket attacks on military bases. Soleimani was considered one of Iran's most powerful military figures, responsible for overseeing extraterritorial operations and regional military strategy.

Explanation

Frederick Sanger was a British biochemist who achieved the unique distinction of being the only person to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice as of early 2020. His first Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 1958 for his work on the structure of proteins, specifically for being the first to determine the amino acid sequence of insulin. His second Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 1980, which he shared with Paul Berg and Walter Gilbert, for their contributions regarding the determination of base sequences in nucleic acids. Sanger development of the dideoxy chain termination method, commonly known as the Sanger sequencing method, revolutionized the field of genomics by allowing scientists to read the genetic code of DNA.

Explanation

Edwin Hubble's work provided the critical observational evidence for the Big Bang Theory. In 1929, he discovered that galaxies are moving away from the Milky Way at speeds proportional to their distance, a relationship now known as Hubble's Law, mathematically expressed as v = H₀ d. This discovery of the expanding universe suggested that all matter and space were once concentrated in an extremely dense, hot state. By proving the universe was not static, Hubble's observations shifted the scientific consensus toward an evolutionary model of the cosmos, providing the empirical foundation upon which the Big Bang Theory was built.

Explanation

The city of Vijayawada, located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, is situated on the banks of the Krishna River. This river is the fourth largest in India in terms of water inflows and river basin area. A prominent feature of the city is the Prakasam Barrage, a significant irrigation and road project constructed across the Krishna River that regulates water flow into the canals of the Krishna delta. The city is geographically positioned where the river begins to fan out into its fertile delta before emptying into the Bay of Bengal, making it a critical hub for trade and agriculture in the region.

Explanation

Karun Nair became the second Indian batsman to score a triple century in Test cricket on December 19, 2016, during the fifth Test against England at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. He remained unbeaten on 303 runs, joining Virender Sehwag as the only other Indian to reach this milestone. Nair achieved this feat in only his third Test match, making him the third player in international cricket history to convert a maiden Test century into a triple hundred. Sehwag had previously recorded two triple centuries for India, scoring 309 against Pakistan in 2004 and 319 against South Africa in 2008.

Explanation

The Zeeman effect is a magneto-optical phenomenon where a single spectral line splits into several components of slightly different frequencies when the light-emitting or absorbing atoms are subjected to an external magnetic field. This splitting occurs because the magnetic field interacts with the magnetic dipole moment of the atom, which is linked to the orbital and spin angular momentum of its electrons. This interaction breaks the degeneracy of the atomic energy levels, causing them to shift by an amount Δ E = mⱼ g _B B, where B is the magnetic field strength, _B is the Bohr magneton, g is the Lande g-factor, and mⱼ is the magnetic quantum number. As a result, transitions between these discrete energy sublevels produce multiple spectral components instead of one. Observed first by Pieter Zeeman in 1896, this effect is a crucial tool in astronomy for measuring the magnetic fields of celestial bodies like the Sun and other stars.

Explanation

The equinox occurs when the center of the Sun is positioned directly above the Earth's equator. This happens twice a year, around March 21 and September 23. During an equinox, the Earth's axial tilt is neither inclined toward nor away from the Sun, causing the Sun to appear exactly above the celestial equator. As a result, the circle of illumination passes through both the geographic poles and bisects every latitude. This spatial arrangement ensures that every location on Earth receives approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

Explanation

Arif Mohammed Khan was appointed as the Governor of Kerala by the President of India and assumed office on September 6, 2019. He succeeded P. Sathasivam after the completion of the latter's five-year term. As of January 2020, he was the serving Governor of the state. Khan is a former Union Minister who has held various portfolios in the Government of India, including Civil Aviation and Energy, before his appointment to the gubernatorial post. Under Article 153 and Article 155 of the Constitution of India, each state shall have a Governor appointed by the President.

Explanation

The 66th National Film Awards for the year 2018 were announced in August 2019 by the Directorate of Film Festivals. In a rare occurrence, the Best Actor category saw a tie between Ayushmann Khurrana and Vicky Kaushal. Ayushmann Khurrana was honored for his performance in the dark comedy thriller Andhadhun, where he played a musician feigning blindness. Vicky Kaushal shared the accolade for his leading role in the war film Uri: The Surgical Strike, based on the 2016 surgical strikes. Both actors received a Rajat Kamal and a cash prize for their achievements.

Explanation

D. V. Sadananda Gowda served as the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers in the Second Modi Ministry, having been appointed to the position on 31 May 2019. In this role, he was responsible for the administration of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, the Department of Fertilizers, and the Department of Pharmaceuticals. He held this cabinet portfolio throughout February 2020, representing the Bangalore North constituency as a Member of Parliament in the 17th Lok Sabha. He continued to lead this ministry until his resignation from the Union Cabinet in July 2021 during a major cabinet reshuffle.

Explanation

Nawab Abdul Latif Khan was a pioneering educator and social reformer who played a crucial role in the modernization of the Muslim community in nineteenth-century Bengal. Recognizing the need for Western education to improve the socio-economic status of Muslims, he founded the Mohammedan Literary Society in 1863. This organization promoted English education and modern scientific knowledge while fostering a spirit of intellectual inquiry. His tireless efforts to encourage higher education and his role in facilitating dialogue between the British government and the Muslim elite earned him the distinction of being the father of the Muslim renaissance in the Bengal region.

Explanation

Saikat Majumdar is the author of the novel The Scent of God, which was published in early 2019. The narrative is set in an elite monastic boarding school and explores the complex relationship between spirituality and human desire. The story follows a young boy named Anirvan who struggles to reconcile his commitment to the monastic life with his intense physical and emotional attraction to a fellow student. Saikat Majumdar, a novelist and academic, received significant literary attention for this work due to its nuanced portrayal of the tensions between religious discipline and personal identity.

Explanation

Alpenglow is an optical phenomenon that occurs when the Sun is just below the horizon, causing mountain peaks to be illuminated with a reddish or orange hue. This effect is primarily driven by the backscattering of sunlight by atmospheric particles such as aerosols, water droplets, and dust. Since the Sun is positioned below the observer's horizon, the light must travel through a greater thickness of the Earth's atmosphere, which scatters away the shorter blue and violet wavelengths. The remaining longer wavelengths in the red and pink part of the spectrum are reflected off the snow or rock on high mountain summits, creating the characteristic rosy glow observed shortly before sunrise or after sunset.

Explanation

The 3rd edition of the Khelo India Youth Games was held in Guwahati, Assam, from 10 January to 22 January 2020. The multi-sport event was organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in partnership with the School Games Federation of India, the Indian Olympic Association, and the Government of Assam. The tournament featured competitions in 20 sports disciplines and saw participation from approximately 6,800 athletes representing various states and union territories. The opening ceremony took place at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, while several other events were conducted across the Sarusajai Sports Complex. This edition of the games also saw the debut of lawn bowls and cycling as competitive disciplines.

Explanation

Teejan Bai is a world-renowned folk singer and an exponent of Pandavani, a traditional performing art form from Chhattisgarh that involves the musical narration of the Mahabharata. Born in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh, she is credited with bringing this local tribal art to international stages. For her distinguished contribution to the field of art, she was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan in 2019, having previously received the Padma Shri in 1987 and the Padma Bhushan in 2003.

Explanation

Photosynthesis is a complex biochemical process through which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria transform solar energy into a stable form of energy for life. During this process, chlorophyll and other pigments in the chloroplasts absorb photons from sunlight. This captured light energy is used to drive a series of reactions that split water molecules and fix carbon dioxide, ultimately converting the radiant energy into chemical energy stored in the covalent bonds of glucose and other organic molecules. This stored chemical energy serves as the primary fuel source for the organism's growth and metabolic activities.

Explanation

Lord William Bentinck, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835, enacted the Bengal Sati Regulation on December 4, 1829. This legislation, formally known as Regulation XVII, declared the practice of Sati illegal and punishable as culpable homicide in the criminal courts. Bentinck was strongly influenced and supported by the prominent Indian social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who had campaigned extensively against the practice by arguing it had no Vedic sanction. While the law initially applied only to the Bengal Presidency, similar regulations were extended to the Madras and Bombay Presidencies in 1830. This reform is considered a landmark in Indian legal history as it was the first major social intervention by the British colonial government into local customs.

Explanation

Maitri is India's second permanent research station in Antarctica, established in 1989 in the ice-free rocky area known as the Schirmacher Oasis. It was built to succeed India's first station, Dakshin Gangotri, which had become submerged in ice. Maitri is equipped with modern facilities to support year-round scientific research in various fields, including biology, earth sciences, glaciology, and atmospheric sciences. It also features a freshwater lake nearby, named Lake Priyadarshini, which serves as the station's primary water source. The station is operated under the Indian Antarctic Program, managed by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research.

Explanation

Ramachandra Guha is a distinguished Indian historian and biographer who authored A Corner of a Foreign Field: The Indian History of a British Sport, published in 2002. The book is an acclaimed social history that explores how cricket evolved from a colonial pastime into a central element of Indian national identity. Guha uses the sport to analyze complex social dynamics including race, religion, and caste, specifically detailing the life and struggles of Palwankar Balu, a pioneering Dalit cricketer. The work is noted for its anecdotal style and its ability to weave sporting achievements into the broader narrative of India's struggle for independence and social reform.

Explanation

Kaanum Pongal is the fourth and final day of the Pongal festival celebrations. The name is derived from the word Kaanum which means to view or to see, as it is traditionally a day for outdoor activities, sightseeing, and visiting relatives and friends. On this day, family reunions are held to strengthen bonds, and it is common for people to gather at beaches, parks, or other public landmarks. A significant ritual associated with this day is the Kaanu Pidi, where women place colored rice, betel leaves, and fruits on turmeric leaves to feed birds, praying for the prosperity of their brothers and family.

Explanation

Avogadro's Law, proposed by Amedeo Avogadro in 1811, states that under the same conditions of temperature (T) and pressure (P), equal volumes (V) of all gases contain an equal number of molecules. This relationship is mathematically expressed as V ∝ n or V/n = k, where n represents the amount of substance (number of moles) and k is a constant. This principle implies that the volume of an ideal gas is directly proportional to the number of moles of gas present in the container, regardless of the chemical nature or molar mass of the gas particles. At Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP), which is defined as 273.15 K and 1 atm, one mole of any ideal gas occupies a molar volume of approximately 22.4 liters and contains 6.022 × 10²³ molecules, known as Avogadro's constant.

Explanation

Tiruttani is a prominent pilgrimage town in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, primarily known for the Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple, one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan. The Nandi River flows through this town, passing near the base of the hill on which the temple is situated. The Nandi River is a tributary of the Kosasthalaiyar River and originates in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh before entering Tamil Nadu. It serves as a vital water source for the region and is integral to the geographical landscape of this sacred site.

Explanation

Nahargarh Fort was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1734. Located on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, the fort was built to strengthen the defenses of the newly founded city of Jaipur, which served as the capital of the Amber kingdom. Originally named Sudarshangarh, it was later renamed Nahargarh, meaning abode of tigers. The fort provided a strategic vantage point overlooking the city and formed a formidable defense ring alongside the Amer and Jaigarh forts. While significant additions were made to the structures within the fort in the 19th century, its foundational construction remains attributed to the early 18th-century reign of Sawai Jai Singh II.

Explanation

Under the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961, any taxpayer whose estimated tax liability for the financial year is ₹10,000 or more is required to pay advance tax in four installments. For individuals (other than those opting for presumptive taxation schemes), the first installment is due on or before 15th June of the financial year. By this date, the assessee must pay at least 15% of the total estimated tax liability. This schedule ensures a steady flow of revenue to the government and reduces the tax burden on the individual at the end of the year. Subsequent installments follow at 45% by 15th September, 75% by 15th December, and 100% by 15th March.

Explanation

The Pancha Rathas, or Five Rathas, are monolithic rock-cut structures located at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, built during the 7th and 8th centuries by the Pallava dynasty. These architectural marvels were primarily commissioned during the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son, Narasimhavarman I, who was also known as Mamalla. Each of the five structures is carved from a single long whale-back shaped rock of pink granite. Although they are named after the five Pandava brothers and Draupadi from the Mahabharata, these structures are not actual temples but rather architectural models or rathas (chariots) that showcase the transition of Indian temple architecture from rock-cut caves to free-standing Dravidian temples. They are currently preserved as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Explanation

The Quit India Movement was officially launched on August 8, 1942, during the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee. The session took place at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, where Mahatma Gandhi delivered his famous Do or Die speech, calling for an end to British rule in India. Following the mass mobilization and the historical significance of the event, the park was renamed August Kranti Maidan to commemorate the August Revolution that played a pivotal role in India's struggle for independence.

Explanation

The 107th Indian Science Congress was held at the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bengaluru, from January 3 to 7, 2020. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the event centered on the theme Science and Technology: Rural Development. The choice of this theme emphasized the role of scientific innovation in transforming the rural landscape of India by addressing challenges in agriculture, water management, and sustainable energy. It aimed to bridge the developmental gap between urban and rural sectors through technological interventions, focusing on improving the quality of life and creating new economic opportunities for the rural population.

Explanation

Researchers at IIT Guwahati, led by Professor Kalyan Raidongia, developed a method to harvest energy from flowing water through the electrokinetic streaming potential phenomenon. This process occurs when an electrolyte solution is forced through a micro-channel or porous medium with charged surfaces. The flow of liquid carries the net charge of the electrical double layer along the surface, generating an electrical potential difference. By employing functionalized graphene flakes, the team successfully captured electricity from simple household sources such as flowing tap water and falling raindrops, demonstrating a scalable way to power small electronic devices using everyday water flow.

Explanation

B. Sai Deepak, a martial artist from Hyderabad, set a Guinness World Record for the most side lunges in 60 seconds on January 11, 2020. He successfully completed 59 lunges within the one-minute time limit, surpassing the previous record of 57. This achievement marked his fourth world record in fitness and martial arts categories.

Explanation

Namdapha National Park, located in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, is the largest protected area in the Eastern Himalayan sub-region. Spanning an area of approximately 1,985 square kilometers, it is situated within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. The park is renowned for its immense altitudinal variation, ranging from 200 meters to over 4,500 meters, which allows for a diverse range of ecosystems including tropical evergreen forests, temperate broadleaf forests, and alpine meadows. It is globally significant for being the only park that provides a habitat for four big cat species: the tiger, leopard, clouded leopard, and snow leopard. Its vast, contiguous forest cover in the Mishmi Hills makes it the primary conservation site in the Eastern Himalayas.