GK May 2023

 

Awards

The renowned Konkani writer who has been awarded the 57th Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary award – Shri Damodar Mauzo

The Bulgarian writer who has been awarded the International Booker Prize 2023 for his book Time Shelter (translated by Angela Rodel) – Georgi Gospodinov

The Indian space scientist who has been awarded the first Astronomical Society of India's Gobind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award – Shri Jayant V. Narlikar

 

Persons

The incumbent President and the leader of Justice and Development Party who has won the 2023 general elections in Turkey – Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The American-born Swiss singer known popularly as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll who passed away on 24 May 2023 – Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock)

The Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs who has been appointed as the new Minister of Law and Justice in place of Shri Kiren Rijiju (who has been made the Union Minister of Earth Sciences) – Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal

The Nepali Sherpa guide who has become the second person in the world to summit Mt. Everest 26 times (the other person was Kami Rita Sherpa) – Pasang Dawa Sherpa

The South African sailor who has become the first woman in the world to win the Golden Globe Race by winning the 2022 edition (India's Abhilash Tomy stood second in the race) – Ms. Kirsten Neuschäfer

The renowned physicist and director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) who has been appointed as the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and the secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy. – Ajit Kumar Mohanty

 

Defence

The US-Bangladesh joint military exercise held at BNS Nirvik in Chattogram was named – Exercise Tiger Shark 40

The bilateral military exercise conducted by India and Saudi Arabia at Port Al-Jubail from 21 to 25 May 2023 was named – Al-Mohed Al-Hindi 2023

The 4th edition of India-Indonesia Bilateral exercise conducted at Batam, Indonesia from 14-19 May 23 was named – Samudra Shakti-23

The inaugural ASEAN India Maritime Exercise held in Changi naval base (Singapore) and South China Sea from 02 to 08 May 2023 was named – AIME 2023

 

Places

The venue of 76th World Health Assembly held from 21 May to 30 May 2023 with the theme WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all – Geneva

The place in Japan where a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled by the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 20 May 2023 – Hiroshima

The city in which Indian Air Force's first Heritage Centre was inaugurated by the Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh – Chandigarh

The place in Kerala where an overcrowded house-boat capsized and sank killing over 20 people on 07 May 23 – Malappuram

The place in Punjab where a poisonous gas leakage on 30 April 2023 led to the death of 11 persons and sickness of several others – Ludhiana

 

Sports

The Pakistani cricketer who has become the fastest batsman to score 5000 runs in one-day internationals by doing so in 97 innings (breaking the record of Hashim Amla who did it in 101 innings) – Babar Azam

The chess player from China who has become the first from his country to become the World Chess Champion by defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in the 2023 World Chess Championship at Astana, Kazakhstan – Ding Liren

 

Miscellaneous

The AI Supercomputer installed at C-DAC, Pune which has been ranked 75th in the world at the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) in Germany is named – AIRAWAT

The Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu (GCL) award was conferred on the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi recently. The award is the highest civilian award of – Papua New Guinea

The operation launched by India to assist Myanmar in relief operations following devastation caused by Cyclone Mocha is named – Operation Karuna

The extremely severe cyclonic storm which hit the coasts of Bangladesh and Myanmar killing over 500 people and causing extensive damage in both countries in mid-May was named – Cyclone Mocha

New Parliament Building

Foundation stone: 10.12.2020

Inauguration: 28.05.2023

Area: 64,500 sq m

Architect: Bimal Patel

Project completed by: Tata Projects Ltd.

Seating capacity: 1272 (Lok Sabha - 888 and Rajya Sabha - 384)

Cost: 862 crores

 

New Chief Minister of Karnataka

Shri Siddaramaiah

Sworn in on: 20 May 2023

Was Chief Minister earlier from May 13 to May 18

Elected from: Varuna assembly constituency

 

UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize

Three imprisoned Iranian female journalists were awarded the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize on World Press Freedom Day.

1. Niloufar Hamedi

2. Elaheh Mohammadi and

3. Narges Mohammadi

 

Laureus Sports Awards 2023

• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Lionel Messi
• Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price
• Laureus World World Team of the Year: Argentina Men's Football Team
• Laureus World World Breakthrough of the Year: Carlos Alcaraz (Tennis - Spain)
• Laureus World World Comeback of the Year: Christian Eriksen (Football - Denmark)
• Laureus World World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Catherine Debrunner (Para Athletics - Switzerland)
• Laureus World World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Eileen Gu (Freestyle Skiing - China)

Important Days of May 2023

World Asthma Day: 02 May 2023 (1st Tuesday of May)

Theme: Asthma Care for All

Designated by: Global Initiative for Asthma

First Observed in: 1998

World Press Freedom Day: 03 May 2023

Theme: Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 1994

International Day of Vesak: 05 May 2023 (Full Moon day of May every year)

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2000

World Red Cross and Crescent Day: 08 May 2023

Theme: Everything we do comes #fromtheheart

Designated by: International Committee of the Red Cross

First Observed in: 1948

International Nurses Day: 12 May 2023

Theme: Our Nurses, Our Future

Designated by: International Council of Nurses

First Observed in: 1974

World Migratory Bird Day: 13 May 2023

Theme: Water and its importance for Migratory Bird

Designated by: AEWA Secretariat

First Observed in: 2006

International Day of Families: 15 May 2023

Theme: Demographic Trends and Families

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 1994

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: 17 May 2023

Theme: Empowering the least developed countries through information and communication technologies

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2007

 

World Hypertension Day: 17 May 2023

Theme: Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer

Designated by: World Hypertension League

First Observed in: 2005

World Bee Day: 20 May 2023

Theme: Bee engaged in pollinator-friendly agricultural production

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2018

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development: 21 May 2023

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2003

International Day for Biological Diversity: 22 May 2023

Theme: From agreement to action: Build back biodiversity

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2001

International Day for UN Peacekeepers: 29 May 2023

Theme: Peace begins with me

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2003

World No Tobacco Day: 31 May 2023

Theme: Grow Food, Not Tobacco

Designated by: World Health Organisation

First Observed in: 1987

 

TATA IPL 2023

Held from 31 March to 29 May 2023

Winner: Chennai Super Kings (Record 5th title)

Runner-up: Gujarat Titans

Most valuable player: Shubman Gill (Gujarat Titans)

Most runs: Shubman Gill

Most wickets: Mohammed Shami (Gujarat Titans).

Final played at: Narendra Modi Stadium

Player of the final match: Devon Conway (CSK)

 

2023 IIFA Awards

Venue: Abu Dhabi

Best Film: Drishyam 2

Best Director: R Madhavan for Rocketry: The Nambi Effect

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female): Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male): Hrithik Roshan for Vikram Vedha

Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema: Kamal Haasan

Best Music Direction: Pritam for Brahmastra: Part One - Shiva

 

2023 Cannes Film Festival

Location: Cannes, France

Held from 16 to 27 May 2023

Winner of Palme d'Or: Anatomy of a Fall (French film directed by Justin Triet)

Winner of Grand Prix: The Zone of Interest directed by Jonathan Glazer

Best Director: Tran Anh Hung for The Pot-au-Feu

Honorary Palme d'Or: Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford

Kennedy, directed by Anurag Kashyap became the first ever Indian film to be screened at the midnight section at Cannes Film Festival.

 

2023 World Press Freedom Index

Rank	Country	Rank	Country
1.	Norway	95.	Nepal
2.	Ireland	135.	Sri Lanka
3.	Denmark	150.	Pakistan
4.	Sweden	161.	India
5.	Finland	179.	China

 

Abbreviations in News

AIRAWAT: AI Research, Analytics and knoWledge Assimilation

 

Books in News

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Joint winner of Pulitzer Prize 2023 for Fiction)

Trust by Hernan Diaz (Joint winner of Pulitzer Prize 2023 for Fiction)