Q.: Which significant naval operation is commemorated on Navy Day on December 4?
a) Operation Vijay
b) Operation Trident
c) Operation Blue Star
d) Operation Pawan
Q.: Which city will host the Maha Kumbh 2025?
a) Haridwar
b) Ujjain
c) Nashik
d) Prayagraj
Q. When is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) observed every year?
a) December 1
b) December 3
c) December 5
d) November 30
The Maha Kumbh 2025 is set to be a grand and spiritually significant event, taking place in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh from January 13 to February 26, 2025. This festival, held once every 12 years, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, attracting millions of devotees and tourists from across the globe.
The Maha Kumbh is rooted in Hindu mythology and is celebrated at four sacred locations: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. The event commemorates the mythological churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan) and the subsequent quest for the nectar of immortality. Pilgrims believe that taking a dip in the holy waters during the Kumbh Mela cleanses them of their sins and brings them closer to salvation.
Key highlights of the Maha Kumbh 2025 include:
Navy Day 2024 is celebrated on December 4th to honor the bravery and commitment of naval forces. This year, the event will be held in Puri, Odisha, with President Droupadi Murmu as the chief guest.
The theme for Navy Day 2024 is “Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation”, highlighting the Indian Navy’s focus on self-reliance and cutting-edge technology.
The day commemorates the success of Operation Trident, a significant naval mission during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. On December 4, 1971, the Indian Navy launched a surprise attack on Karachi, crippling Pakistan’s key port and asserting India’s naval prowess.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is observed annually on December 3rd to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development. This day aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and to advocate for their full and equal participation in social, economic, political, and cultural life.
Established by the United Nations in 1992, IDPD focuses on various themes each year, addressing different aspects of disability inclusion. The themes often highlight issues such as accessibility, inclusion, employment, education, and empowerment of people with disabilities.
Key objectives of IDPD include:
Q.: Where is the 4th edition of the India-Malaysia Joint Military Exercise Harimau Shakti being held in December 2024?
a) Kuala Lumpur
b) Bentong Camp
c) Langkawi
d) Johor Bahru
Q.: Where is World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC) 2024 from December 4 to 6, 2024 being held?
a) Mumbai
b) Chennai
c) New Delhi
d) Kolkata
Q.: Which organization launched the PRAGATI platform in India?
a) The Gates Foundation
b) Oxford’s Saïd Business School
c) Government of India
d) The United Nations
Q.: What is the title of the study conducted by Oxford’s Saïd Business School and the Gates Foundation on PRAGATI?
a) “Innovating Governance: India’s PRAGATI”
b) “Efficiency in Infrastructure: The PRAGATI Model”
c) “From Gridlock to Growth: How Leadership Enables India’s PRAGATI Ecosystem to Power Progress”
d) “Digital Transformation and Accountability”
A recent study by Oxford’s Saïd Business School and the Gates Foundation has recognized the effectiveness of India’s PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) platform. Launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PRAGATI has significantly transformed the delivery of infrastructure projects in India.
The study, titled “From Gridlock to Growth: How Leadership Enables India’s PRAGATI Ecosystem to Power Progress,” highlights how PRAGATI has driven accountability, facilitated federal and regional collaboration, and accelerated the completion of long-delayed projects worth $205 billion. The platform features a digital dashboard for real-time project monitoring and supports video-conference review meetings chaired by PM Modi.
One of the key findings is that PRAGATI has reduced project delays from decades to mere months, thanks to the direct involvement of top leadership and the use of technology for cross-collaboration and regular accountability reviews. The study also emphasizes that PRAGATI’s success can serve as a model for other developing countries looking to revolutionize their infrastructure development approaches.
Prime Minister Modi expressed his happiness over the recognition, stating that PRAGATI represents a wonderful amalgamation of technology and governance, ensuring projects are completed on time.
The World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC) 2024 will be held from December 4 to 6, 2024, at The Leela Palace, Chennai, India. Organized by the Institute of Marine Engineers (India), Chennai Branch, this prestigious event occurs every three years and is returning to India after 15 years. It will bring together over 300 delegates from 21 member organizations across 17 countries, including participants from the US, UK, Germany, Spain, and Asia-Pacific countries.
The conference will focus on futuristic developments and current challenges in the maritime industry, featuring renowned speakers and panelists discussing the future of the global maritime sector. Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping, will be the Guest of Honour. The event underscores Chennai’s prominence as a major maritime hub and promises to foster international collaboration and innovation.
The 4th edition of the India-Malaysia Joint Military Exercise Harimau Shakti began on 2 December 2024 at Bentong Camp, Malaysia. The exercise features 78 personnel from the Indian Army’s Mahar Regiment and 123 personnel from Malaysia’s Royal Malaysian Regiment. Running until 15 December, the exercise focuses on enhancing joint military capabilities, particularly in counter-insurgency operations in jungle terrain. It aims to facilitate the exchange of best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures for conducting joint operations.
Q.: Who won the Women’s Singles title at the Syed Modi International Tournament 2024?
(A) Wu Luo Yu
(B) Treesa Jolly
(C) PV Sindhu
(D) Gayatri Gopichand
Q.: Who won the Men’s Singles title at the Syed Modi International Tournament 2024?
(A) Lakshya Sen
(B) Jia Heng Jason Teh
(C) Huang Di
(D) Dhruv Kapila
Q.: Who became the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 1, 2024?
(A) Greg Barclay
(B) Sourav Ganguly
(C) Jay Shah
(D) N Srinivasan
Q,: When was the Border Security Force (BSF) established?
a) March 1, 1962
b) April 1. 1963
c) December 1, 1965
d) January 1, 1969
Jay Shah became the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 1, 2024, marking him as the fifth Indian to head the global cricket body. Shah, was unanimously elected by the ICC Board of Directors, succeeding New Zealand’s Greg Barclay. 36-year-old Jay Shah, has been the secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the last five years
In his inaugural statement, Shah highlighted his vision to use cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as a transformative opportunity and emphasized the growth of women’s cricket as a key priority.
At the Syed Modi International Tournament 2024 in Lucknow, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen emerged as Singles champions. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, won the Women’s Singles title by defeating China’s Wu Luo Yu 21-14, 21-16. Lakshya Sen claimed the Men’s Singles title with a commanding victory over Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh 21-6, 21-7.
In Women’s Doubles, the Indian duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won the title, beating China’s Bao Li Jing and Li Qian 21-18, 21-11. However, Indian teams in Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles finished as runner-ups. Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K lost a close Men’s Doubles final to China’s Huang Di and Liu Yang (14-21, 21-19, 17-21), while Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were defeated by Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran (21-18, 14-21, 8-21) in the Mixed Doubles final.