Current Affairs December 2023

1. Indian Navy Day is observed on December 4th annually to commemorate the 1971 attack on Karachi harbor during the war with Pakistan.
2. The theme for this year’s Navy Day is ‘Operational Efficiency, Readiness, and Mission Accomplishment in the Maritime Domain.’
3. The day pays tribute to the courage and sacrifices of the Indian Navy in protecting the nation’s maritime borders.
4. The Indian Navy played a crucial role in securing India’s victory in the 1971 war, particularly through Operation Trident, which significantly damaged the Pakistani Navy’s western fleet.
5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Navy Day program at Sindhudurg in Maharashtra this year.
6. The Navy Day celebrations occurred at the historic Sindhudurg Fort, constructed in the 17th century by Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
7. The fort symbolizes Maharashtra’s historical richness and the maritime strength of the Marathas.

MCQs

1. When is Indian Navy Day celebrated annually?
   • a) December 1st
   • b) December 4th
   • c) November 15th
   • d) January 26th
2. What event is commemorated on Indian Navy Day?
   • a) Independence Day
   • b) Victory in Kargil War
   • c) 1971 attack on Karachi harbor
   • d) Naval Day
3. Which operation during the 1971 war crippled the Pakistani Navy’s western fleet?
   • a) Operation Blue Star
   • b) Operation Trident
   • c) Operation Desert Storm
   • d) Operation Vijay
4. Where did Prime Minister Narendra Modi participate in the Navy Day program in 2023?
   • a) Goa
   • b) Kochi in Kerala
   • c) Sindhudurg in Maharashtra
   • d) Chennai in Tamil Nadu
5. Which historic fort off the Maharashtra coast hosts the Navy Day celebrations 2023?
   • a) Red Fort
   • b) Sindhudurg Fort
   • c) Jaigarh Fort
   • d) Golconda Fort
6. Who constructed the Sindhudurg Fort in the 17th century?
   • a) Akbar the Great
   • b) Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
   • c) Aurangzeb
   • d) Rana Pratap

The World’s first portable hospital, ‘Aarogya Maitri Aid Cube’ was unveiled on 2 December 2023 in Gurugram. Designed indigenously under the Project ‘BHISHM’, the modular trauma management and aid system is made up of 72 detachable mini-cubes, each being a specialized station for emergency response and humanitarian efforts.

This portable hospital can handle bullet injuries, burns, head, spinal and chest injuries, minor surgeries, fractures and major bleeding. It can treat as many as 200 patients. These cubes are light and portable, and can be rapidly deployed anywhere, from airdrops to ground transportation.

Q: The world’s first portable hospital, ‘Aarogya Maitri Aid Cube,’ was unveiled on 2nd December 2023 in which city?

a) Mumbai
b) Gurugram
c) New Delhi
d) Bangalore

Answer: b) Gurugram

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted a cyclonic storm named Cyclone Michaung over the southwest Bay of Bengal, expected to make landfall in coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on December 4.

An ‘orange’ alert has been issued by the government agency for Tamil Nadu, as well as coastal and interior Andhra Pradesh on December 3 and 4. Cyclone Michaung is the fourth tropical cyclone of the year in the Bay of Bengal.

About Cyclones

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) classifies cyclones into two categories: extratropical cyclones and tropical cyclones.
• A cyclone is a large-scale system of air rotating around the center of a low-pressure area, characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
• Extratropical cyclones, also known as mid-latitude cyclones, occur outside the tropics and have cold air at their core. They derive energy from the interaction of cold and warm air masses and always have one or more fronts connected to them.
• Tropical cyclones develop in the regions between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer and are the most devastating storms on Earth. They derive energy from the latent heat released when water vapor condenses into liquid water. Unlike extratropical cyclones, tropical cyclones do not have associated warm fronts or cold fronts.
• Tropical cyclones have different names depending on their location and strength, such as hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Atlantic Ocean, and the eastern and central North Pacific Ocean, while in the western North Pacific, they are called typhoons.

Q: What is the name of the cyclonic storm forecasted by the India Meteorological Department over the southwest Bay of Bengal in December 2023?

a. Cyclone Amphan
b. Cyclone Nivar
c. Cyclone Michaung
d. Cyclone Vayu

Answer: c. Cyclone Michaung

Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the 59th Raising Day of the Border Security Force (BSF) at BSF Meru Training Centre in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on December 1, 2023.

• The BSF, established on December 1, 1965, after the 1965 Indo-Pak war, aims to ensure the security of India’s borders.
• The BSF plays a crucial role in safeguarding borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan, deploying along the Line of Control and manning approximately 192 km of the international border with Pakistan.
• In 2021, the BSF faced challenges like tunneling, drone activities, and smuggling attempts but successfully countered all adversary attempts.
• The BSF is known for its courage and professionalism, contributing significantly to India’s security and actively participating in humanitarian efforts during crises and calamities.
• The 59th Raising Day parade of the BSF was held at Hazaribagh, where the oldest training center of the force is located, deviating from the previous practice of organizing it only in New Delhi.

Q: Where did Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the 59th Raising Day parade of the BSF on 1 December 2023?

a. New Delhi
b. Mumbai
c. Hazaribagh, Jharkhand
d. Kolkata

c. Hazaribagh, Jharkhand