General Knowledge for Competitive Exams

Nandan Nilekani (listed as Nandan Nekelani) served as Co-Chairman of Infosys alongside S. Gopalakrishnan from 2002 to 2007. The other options are all prominent figures in Indian IT - Narayana Murthy was a founder, Azim Premji led Wipro, and Kris Gopalakrishnan was also a co-chairman later. Note the spelling error in the correct option.

India won the 2008 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-0, securing victories in Perth (by 72 runs) and Adelaide (by 4 wickets). Australia had won the previous three series (1999-2008), making this a historic victory. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are not part of this bilateral trophy.

The 5th CISM World Military Games were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2011. This was the first time the games were held in South America. Previous editions were hosted by Italy (1995), Croatia (1999), Italy (2003), and India (2007). China would host in 2015.

PSU stands for Public Sector Undertaking - government-owned corporations in India where the majority stake (51% or more) is held by the central or state government. Examples include ONGC, NTPC, and BHEL. 'Public Service Union' and 'Public Sector' alone are incomplete expansions.

PSLV-C9 launched 10 satellites on April 28, 2008, setting a then-world record for most satellites launched in a single mission. The payloads included CARTOSAT-2A and 9 other nano satellites from international customers. This demonstrated India's cost-effective launch capabilities.

The 11th Five Year Plan (2007-2012) focused on 'faster and more inclusive growth' with targets like 9% GDP growth and reduced poverty. The 10th Plan ended in 2007, and the 12th began in 2012. Indian Five Year Plans always start and end in years ending in 2 and 7.

Dr. Yalavarthi Nayudamma Award 2008 was given to Shri T. Rama Swamy for contributions to science and technology. The award commemorates the scientist who died in the 1985 Air India bombing. The other options (Chidambaram, Pranab Mukherjee, Arjun Singh) were prominent politicians but not scientists.

Renuka Chowdhary served as Minister of State for Women and Child Development. This ministry handles schemes like Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and women's welfare programs. Home Affairs (Shivraj Patil), Rural Development, and Urban Employment portfolios were held by other ministers in the UPA government.

Arunachal Pradesh is the easternmost state of India, so the sun's rays first fall there at sunrise. Specifically, Dong in Anjaw district receives the earliest sunrise in India. Assam, Andhra Pradesh, and Sikkim are all west of Arunachal Pradesh.

NH 7 connects Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), running through multiple states - the longest NH in India at that time. NH 1 connected Delhi to Amritsar, NH 4 connected Mumbai to Chennai, and NH 5 connected Kolkata to Chennai. Now renumbered as NH 44.

Bangladesh Independence Day is March 26, 1971, commemorating the declaration of independence from Pakistan. March 26 is celebrated annually as Bangladesh Day. January 26 is India's Republic Day, not related to Bangladesh's independence.

Indira Gandhi's samadhi (memorial) is named Shakti Sthal, located near Raj Ghat on the banks of Yamuna in Delhi. 'Santhi Sthal' is Lal Bahadur Shastri's memorial, and 'Vijay Ghat' is Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi's memorial. The spelling variations are common.

Louis Pasteur developed the first rabies vaccine in 1885. While the rabies disease was known since ancient times, Pasteur's work on the vaccine and his treatment of Joseph Meister established him as the pioneering scientist associated with rabies in medical history.

Coal is the highest energy-producing mineral resource in India, forming the backbone of India's energy sector. India has significant coal reserves, primarily used in thermal power plants for electricity generation. Petroleum and crude oil are important energy sources but India relies heavily on imports.

Harappa is one of the two major sites of the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2600-1900 BCE), located in present-day Punjab, Pakistan. It was discovered in 1920 and gives the civilization its alternate name 'Harappan Civilization'. Islamabad, Hyderabad, and Amaravathi are not ancient archaeological sites.

Korea is traditionally known as the 'Land of Morning Calm' due to its beautiful sunrise views and peaceful mountain landscapes. This poetic name reflects Korea's natural beauty and cultural heritage. Norway, Japan, and Italy have different traditional nicknames.

The Treaty of Versailles (1919) officially ended World War I between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed at the Palace of Versailles and imposed heavy reparations on Germany. The treaties of London and Paris refer to different historical agreements.

The Paris Commune (1871) is historically recognized as the world's first communist government, ruling Paris for two months. Though it was crushed, it influenced later communist movements. The first successful communist state was the Soviet Union (1917), but Paris Commune predates it.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease transmitted through the bite of infected animals, most commonly dogs. The virus affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal if untreated. Diphtheria, smallpox, and malaria are transmitted through different vectors (airborne, contact, and mosquitoes respectively).

Nepal is known as the 'Land of Festivals' due to its rich cultural heritage with numerous festivals celebrated throughout the year across different communities. While India also has many festivals, Nepal's small size with diverse ethnic groups and continuous festival calendar earned it this specific nickname.

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is located in Pune, Maharashtra. It is India's premier institute for film and television education, established in 1960. Mumbai is the center of Bollywood but FTII's academic institution is in Pune.

Jaipur is famously called the Pink City because many of its old buildings are painted in pinkish terracotta color. This tradition started in 1876 when the city was painted pink to welcome the Prince of Wales. Kolkata, Lucknow, and Mumbai are not known by this name.