Daily Quiz #22 UPSC Prelims Marathon – September 26, 2019

Explanation: The Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) is a flagship scheme of BIRAC which recognizes and invests in innovative ideas in the biotech sector. The ideas should have clear potential to translate into commercial products/technologies. BIG supports individual entrepreneurs/ start-ups from ideation to Proof of Concept (PoC). Under BIG scheme, BIRAC provides grant-in-aid of upto INR 50 lakhs (approx USD 75,000) for a period of 18 months.

Explanation: Thick clouds cover Venus, hiding its surface from view. Since the 1960s, astronomers have used radio waves, transmitted from antennas on Earth or on satellites orbiting Venus, to penetrate the clouds and map the planet. The resulting images reveal surface roughness, density, and slope, but not color. Magellan’s large main antenna bounced radar signals off the surface of Venus and transmitted the resulting data back to Earth. A computer processed the data to form the images of Venus displayed on this site. The smaller “horn” antenna is a radar altimeter, which measured the heights of surface features. The solar panels provided electric power. Magellan orbited Venus from 1990 until 1995, when it burned up in the planet’s atmosphere.

Explanation: ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru is entrusted with the major responsibility to provide tracking support for all the satellite and launch vehicle missions of ISRO. The major objectives of the centre are: carrying out mission operations of all operational remote sensing and scientific satellites, providing Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TTC) services from launch vehicle lift-off till injection of satellite into orbit and to estimate its preliminary orbit in space and hardware and software developmental activities that enhance the capabilities of ISTRAC for providing flawless TTC and Mission Operations services. Towards, these objectives, ISTRAC has established a network of ground stations at Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mauritius, Sriharikota, Port Blair, Thiruvananthapuram, Brunei, Biak (Indonesia) and the Deep Space Network Stations. In keeping with its long-established TTC support responsibility, ISTRAC has also been mandated to provide space operations support for Deep Space Missions of ISRO, undertake development of radar systems for launch vehicle tracking and meteorological applications, establish and operationalise the ground segment for Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System, provide Search & Rescue and Disaster Management Services and support space based services like telemedicine, Village Resource Centre (VRC) and tele-education.

Explanation: DRDO is promoting innovative/basic research among Academic and Research Institutions across the country through Grant-in-Aid schemes of Research Boards and Dte of ER & IPR. Under these schemes, grants are offered to research organizations/universities/departments/laboratories to carry out research in basic sciences and engineering, setting up of basic facilities/infrastructures and conduct of conference/seminars/ symposia/ workshops etc.
•The “Armament Research Board (ARMREB)” was constitutes in 1997 for promoting innovative/Basic research useful for armament discipline. Armament being a complex multi-disciplinary field involves ballistics, aerodynamics, materials and metallurgy, mechanical and electronics engineering, opto-electronics, computer techniques, explosives, pyrotechnics, modeling, simulation and system analysis. Five research panels covering the entire spectrum of Armament disciplines operating under the Board to make it more effective.
•Naval Research Board (NRB) of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) was set up in September 1996 to strengthen and deepen the knowledge base related to the Naval Science & Technologies. The NRB has a flexible approach towards research, funding and project execution. The Board has instituted a Grants-in-Aid Scheme to nurture scientific talent to create research base in IITs, Universities, higher technological institutions, colleges and other research centers in the country.
•The mission of Life Sciences Research Board (LSRB) of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has been expand and deepen the knowledge-base of Life Sciences in the country to strengthen and use of national resources of knowledge, know-how, experience, facilities and infrastructure. The research board will also help catalyse the needed cross-fertilization of ideas and experiences between workers in those scientific and technical fields that provide the needed support to the soldier in operations, and the needed knowledge for integrating human-factors in the design of his equipment in missions and in peace stations.

Explanation: Continuing its focus on frontier technologies, the Telangana government has decided celebrate the year of 2020 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence. This comes in the backdrop of the emerging talent pool and renewed focus by industry and other ecosystem players on this space in the last four to five years. Recently the IT industry body Nasscom had announced the setting up of a Centre of Excellence in AI and Data Sciences in Hyderabad. In addition, IIT-Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) has selected Hyderabad as the place to set up their regional centre to train students in AI in partnership with the State government.