General Knowledge: Geography, Finance & History

The Nikkei 225 (Nikkei Stock Average) is Japan's premier stock market index, comprising 225 blue-chip companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It has been calculated since 1950 and is the most widely quoted average of Japanese equities.

The CAC 40 is the benchmark French stock market index. It represents 40 of the most significant stocks trading on the Euronext Paris (formerly Paris Bourse). CAC stands for 'Cotation Assistée en Continu' (Continuous Assisted Quotation).

The KSE 100 Index (Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index) is Pakistan's major stock market benchmark. It tracks the performance of the 100 most profitable companies listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange. The KSE has since been renamed to Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

The FTSE (Financial Times Stock Exchange) index is sponsored by the Financial Times newspaper. FTSE is pronounced 'Footsie'. The index is maintained by FTSE Group, which is jointly owned by the Financial Times and London Stock Exchange.

NASDAQ stands for 'National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations'. It was founded by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and is now owned by NASDAQ, Inc. The 'Q' stands for Quotations, not Quotes.

According to international dam classification standards, dams between 150-250 meters in height are termed 'Large dams.' Dams below 150m are 'Medium dams' (15-50m) or 'Large dams' (50-150m), with 'Major' typically referring to very large dams generally.

Check dams are small barriers built across rivers and streams to reduce flow velocity, prevent erosion, and recharge groundwater. Dry dams are designed to remain dry under normal conditions and only store water during flood events, releasing water gradually afterward. 'Downfall dam' and 'Rushing dam' are not standard dam classifications used in civil engineering and hydrology.

Hub Dam is located in Balochistan province, Pakistan, on the Hub River. Namal Dam is situated near Mianwali in Punjab, Pakistan. Air Itam Dam is in Penang, Malaysia, and Bakun Dam is a massive hydroelectric project in Sarawak, Malaysia - neither is in Pakistan.

The Sardar Sarovar Project and Narmada Sagar Project are classified as megadams due to their massive scale - both are major dams on the Narmada River with large reservoirs and significant hydroelectric and irrigation capacity. Maan Dam is a smaller project, and Indira Sagar, while large, is not typically categorized as a megadam in the same classification.

The Narmada and Tapti are the only two major rivers in the Deccan Plateau region that flow westward into the Arabian Sea. Most Deccan rivers (Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna) flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal. The Luni flows into the Rajasthan desert, not the sea.

Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, died on May 4, 1799, during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War at the Siege of Srirangapatna. The British East India Company forces led by Arthur Wellesley defeated and killed him, effectively ending Mysore's resistance.

V.V. Giri (Varahagiri Venkata Giri) served as the fourth President of India from 1969 to 1974. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President, S. Radhakrishnan was the second, and Zakir Hussain was the third President.

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Vinayak Godse during a prayer meeting at Birla House in New Delhi. Godse was a Hindu nationalist who opposed Gandhi's policies toward Pakistan and Muslims.

The phrase 'Shaken, not stirred' first appeared in Ian Fleming's debut Bond novel 'Casino Royale' published in 1953. In Chapter 7, Bond instructs the barman: 'Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel.' This established his signature martini preference that became a hallmark of the character throughout the series. Quantum of Solace, The Living Daylights, and Golden Eye are later works or titles.

The motto 'Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus' (Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon) is indeed the official motto of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. J.K. Rowling revealed this motto and explained that it serves as a warning about the consequences of provoking something powerful. The motto appears on the school's crest and has been referenced throughout the Harry Potter series and related materials.

The 1999 film 'Taal' starring Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was indeed the first Indian film to be insured. The film's producer Subhash Ghai took an insurance policy of Rs 50 million for the film, covering risks including the lead actors' illness, accident, or death. This groundbreaking move paved the way for film insurance to become standard practice in Bollywood. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, and Roja were released before Taal but were not insured.

The tagline 'The god of wind brought about the winds of change in India' was used for Maruti 800, India's first affordable people's car that revolutionized automobile ownership in the country. Launched in 1983, the Maruti 800 made car ownership accessible to the middle class and truly brought 'winds of change' by transforming India's automotive landscape. The 'god of wind' reference cleverly played on both the brand name (Maruti/Sanskrit for wind god) and the car's revolutionary impact on Indian society.

New York is famously known as the 'City of Skyscrapers' due to its iconic skyline dominated by tall buildings, including the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and One World Trade Center. The city was the birthplace of the skyscraper movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and continues to have one of the most recognizable skylines in the world. Chicago also pioneered skyscraper architecture but New York's sheer concentration and global recognition earned it this nickname.