TNPSC Current Affairs January 27, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs January 27, 2020 (27/01/2020)

 

Download as PDF

 

Topic: Profile of States, Eminent Places in News

Nagardhan excavations –  Vakataka dynasty

Archaeological excavations at Nagardhan, near Nagpur, have provided concrete evidence on the life, religious affiliations and trade practices of the Vakataka dynasty and also about the Vakataka rule under Queen Prabhavatigupta.

About findings and their significance:

An oval-shaped sealing has been traced. It belongs to the period when Prabhavatigupta was the queen of the Vakataka dynasty. It bears her name in the Brahmi script, along with the depiction of a conch.

The presence of the conch, scholars say, is a sign of the Vaishnava affiliation that the Guptas held.

A copper plate issued by Queen Prabhavatigupta has also been found. It starts with a genealogy of the Guptas, mentioning the Queen’s grandfather Samudragupta and her father Chandragupta II.

Since the Vakataka people traded with Iran and beyond through the Mediterranean Sea, scholars suggest that these sealings could have been used as an official royal permission issued from the capital city. Besides, these were used on documents that sought mandatory royal permissions.

_

Topic: Latest Diary of Events

71st Republic Day

India celebrated its 71st Republic Day on January 26, 2020. Bolsonaro is the third Brazilian President to be invited as Chief Guest for India’s Republic Day Parade.

Before him, India hosted President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 1996 and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2004, as chief guests for the Republic Day Parade.

What was showcased at the parade?

Dhanush Artillery Gun.

Rafale and Tejas aircrafts.

Anti-Satellite Weapons System (ASAT).

Gujarat – Rani ki Vav – Jal Mandir.

Meghalaya – Living Root Bridge.

Punjab – 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

_

Topic: Latest inventions on Science and Health

Biorock or mineral accretion technology

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), with help from Gujarat’s forest department, is attempting for the first time a process to restore coral reefs using biorock or mineral accretion technology in the Gulf of Kachchh.

What is Biorock?

It is the name given to the substance formed by electro accumulation of minerals dissolved in seawater on steel structures that are lowered onto the sea bed and are connected to a power source, in this case solar panels that float on the surface.

How they are formed?

The technology works by passing a small amount of electrical current through electrodes in the water.

When a positively charged anode and negatively charged cathode are placed on the sea floor, with an electric current flowing between them, calcium ions combine with carbonate ions and adhere to the structure (cathode).

This results in calcium carbonate formation. Coral larvae adhere to the CaCO3 and grow quickly.

Fragments of broken corals are tied to the biorock structure, where they are able to grow at least four to six times faster than their actual growth as they need not spend their energy in building their own calcium carbonate skeletons.

_

Topic: Latest Diary of events, Profile of States

India’s first Super Fab Lab inaugurated in Kerala

India’s first Super Fab Lab was inaugurated in Kerala. The laboratory is to function in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. It is the only laboratory that is being installed outside US.

Key facts:

The Super Fab Lab is being installed in collaboration with KSUM (Kerala Startup Mission). The laboratory will break down barriers between physical world and digital world.

A Fab Lab is a laboratory that offers digital fabrication. It is colloquially defined as, “How to make almost anything”. It is an array of computers that covers almost all materials.

It is used in businesses to develop prototypes and also in education. It includes CNC cutting, plasma metal cutting, laser cutting, electronics and microprocessors and 3D printing and scanning.

_

Topic: Awards and Honours, Eminent Persons in News

Padma Awards 2020

Padma Awards – one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.

‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 141 Padma Awards including 4 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises of 7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri Awards. 33 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 18 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 12 Posthumous awardees.

Awardees from Tamil Nadu:

Padma Bhushan:

Krishnammal Jagannathan         –           Social Work

Venu Srinivasan                        –           Trade and Industry

Padma Shri:

Lalitha & Ms. Saroja Chidambaram (Duo)*        –           Art

Manohar Devadoss                                           –           Art

Ramakrishnan                                                   –           Social Work

Kalee Shabi Mahaboob & Sheik Mahaboob Subani (Duo) –         Art

Pradeep Thalappil                                            –           Science and Engineering

_

Topic: International Events

Global Potato Conclave to be held in Gujarat

The Global Potato Conclave is to be held between January 28 and January 31, 2020. PM Modi is to attend the conclave. PM Modi is to address the conclave.

The conclave will hold live demonstrations of potato varieties, farm equipment, management practices. The conclave will include researchers from more than 30 countries and is to be conducted under 10 themes.

_

Topic: Eminent Persons in News

Kobe Bryant, a retired NBA star dies in Helicopter Crash

The NBA (National Basketball Association) star Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash. He retired from the game in 2016. He has won two gold medals in Olympics, one in 2008 and the other in 2012. The star had won 5 championships so far.

Bryant was the first guard in the American history to play 20 seasons. He was also a five-time champion. He won the championship in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010.