Section 01
Countries, Capitals & Currencies
Asia
| Country | Capital | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| India | New Delhi | Indian Rupee (INR) |
| China | Beijing | Renminbi / Yuan (CNY) |
| Japan | Tokyo | Yen (JPY) |
| Pakistan | Islamabad | Pakistani Rupee (PKR) |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Taka (BDT) |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative) / Colombo (commercial) | Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) |
| Nepal | Kathmandu | Nepalese Rupee (NPR) |
| Bhutan | Thimphu | Ngultrum (BTN) |
| Myanmar | Naypyidaw | Kyat (MMK) |
| Afghanistan | Kabul | Afghani (AFN) |
| Iran | Tehran | Iranian Rial (IRR) |
| Iraq | Baghdad | Iraqi Dinar (IQD) |
| Israel | Jerusalem | New Shekel (ILS) |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh | Saudi Riyal (SAR) |
| UAE | Abu Dhabi | UAE Dirham (AED) |
| Thailand | Bangkok | Baht (THB) |
| Indonesia | Jakarta (moving to Nusantara) | Rupiah (IDR) |
| South Korea | Seoul | Won (KRW) |
| North Korea | Pyongyang | North Korean Won (KPW) |
| Russia | Moscow | Ruble (RUB) |
Europe
| Country | Capital | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| UK | London | Pound Sterling (GBP) |
| France | Paris | Euro (EUR) |
| Germany | Berlin | Euro (EUR) |
| Italy | Rome | Euro (EUR) |
| Spain | Madrid | Euro (EUR) |
| Switzerland | Bern | Swiss Franc (CHF) |
| Sweden | Stockholm | Swedish Krona (SEK) |
| Norway | Oslo | Norwegian Krone (NOK) |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | Danish Krone (DKK) |
| Poland | Warsaw | Polish Zloty (PLN) |
Americas & Africa
| Country | Capital | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| USA | Washington D.C. | US Dollar (USD) |
| Canada | Ottawa | Canadian Dollar (CAD) |
| Brazil | Brasília | Brazilian Real (BRL) |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires | Argentine Peso (ARS) |
| Mexico | Mexico City | Mexican Peso (MXN) |
| South Africa | Pretoria (admin) / Cape Town (legislative) | Rand (ZAR) |
| Egypt | Cairo | Egyptian Pound (EGP) |
| Nigeria | Abuja | Naira (NGN) |
| Kenya | Nairobi | Kenyan Shilling (KES) |
| Australia | Canberra | Australian Dollar (AUD) |
Section 02
India — Key Facts
National Symbols
| Symbol | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National Animal | Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) | Replaced Lion in 1973 |
| National Bird | Indian Peacock (Pavo cristatus) | Declared 1963 |
| National Flower | Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) | — |
| National Tree | Indian Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) | — |
| National Fruit | Mango (Mangifera indica) | — |
| National River | Ganga | — |
| National Aquatic Animal | River Dolphin (Gangetic) | — |
| National Reptile | King Cobra | — |
| National Heritage Animal | Elephant | — |
| National Emblem | Lion Capital of Ashoka (Sarnath) | Adopted Jan 26, 1950 |
| National Anthem | Jana Gana Mana | Composed by Rabindranath Tagore; duration 52 sec |
| National Song | Vande Mataram | From Anandamath by Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay |
| National Calendar | Saka Calendar | Adopted 1957; Chaitra is first month |
Superlatives of India
| Category | Name |
|---|---|
| Largest state (area) | Rajasthan |
| Smallest state (area) | Goa |
| Most populous state | Uttar Pradesh |
| Least populous state | Sikkim |
| Longest river | Ganga (2525 km) |
| Longest road | NH-44 (Srinagar to Kanyakumari) |
| Highest peak | Kangchenjunga (8586m) — in India |
| Largest lake (freshwater) | Wular Lake (J&K) |
| Largest lake (saltwater) | Chilika Lake (Odisha) |
| Longest dam | Hirakud Dam (Odisha) |
| Highest dam | Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand) |
| Largest desert | Thar Desert (Rajasthan) |
| Largest delta | Sundarbans (W Bengal + Bangladesh) |
| Driest place | Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) |
| Wettest place | Mawsynram (Meghalaya) |
Section 03
National Awards of India
Civilian Honours
| Award | Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bharat Ratna | Highest civilian award — art, science, literature, public service | Instituted 1954. C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan, C.V. Raman — first recipients |
| Padma Vibhushan | Exceptional & distinguished service | Second highest civilian award |
| Padma Bhushan | Distinguished service of high order | Third highest civilian award |
| Padma Shri | Distinguished service | Fourth highest civilian award |
| Jnanpith Award | Highest literary award | Given by Bharatiya Jnanpith; for Indian language literature |
| Sahitya Akademi Award | Literature | Given by Sahitya Akademi; 24 languages recognized |
| Dada Saheb Phalke Award | Highest film award | Given at National Film Awards; named after cinema pioneer |
| Sangeet Natak Akademi Award | Performing arts | Music, dance, drama |
Gallantry Awards (Military)
| Award | When Given |
|---|---|
| Param Vir Chakra (PVC) | Highest wartime gallantry; "in the face of enemy" |
| Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) | Second highest wartime gallantry |
| Vir Chakra (VC) | Third highest wartime gallantry |
| Ashok Chakra | Highest peacetime gallantry (equivalent to PVC) |
| Kirti Chakra | Second highest peacetime gallantry |
| Shaurya Chakra | Third highest peacetime gallantry |
Sports Awards
| Award | Given for |
|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | Highest sports honour; renamed 2021 from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna |
| Arjuna Award | Outstanding performance over 4 years; instituted 1961 |
| Dronacharya Award | Excellence in sports coaching; instituted 1985 |
| Dhyan Chand Award | Lifetime contribution to sports; instituted 2002 |
| Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy | Overall best university in sports |
Section 04
International Awards
| Award | Field | Given by | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize | Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Peace, Economics | Royal Swedish Academy / Norwegian Nobel Committee | Annual |
| Pulitzer Prize | Journalism, Literature, Music (USA) | Columbia University | Annual |
| Booker Prize | Best novel in English | Booker Prize Foundation | Annual |
| Oscar (Academy Award) | Films | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) | Annual |
| Grammy Award | Music | Recording Academy (NARAS) | Annual |
| Magsaysay Award | Asian leaders in public service | Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, Philippines | Annual |
| Man Booker International | Fiction translated into English | Booker Prize Foundation | Annual |
| Templeton Prize | Spiritual progress | John Templeton Foundation | Annual |
| Abel Prize | Mathematics | Norwegian Academy of Science | Annual |
| Fields Medal | Mathematics (under 40) | International Mathematical Union | Every 4 years |
Indians who won International Awards (Notable)
| Person | Award | Year | Field |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabindranath Tagore | Nobel Prize | 1913 | Literature (first non-European) |
| C.V. Raman | Nobel Prize | 1930 | Physics (Raman Effect) |
| Mother Teresa | Nobel Prize | 1979 | Peace |
| Amartya Sen | Nobel Prize | 1998 | Economics |
| Kailash Satyarthi | Nobel Prize | 2014 | Peace |
| Abhijit Banerjee | Nobel Prize | 2019 | Economics (jointly) |
| Arundhati Roy | Booker Prize | 1997 | The God of Small Things |
Section 05
Sports — Trophies, Terms & Records
Sports Trophies & Tournaments
| Trophy / Tournament | Sport | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Durand Cup | Football | Oldest football tournament in Asia (1888) |
| Santosh Trophy | Football | National football championship |
| Ranji Trophy | Cricket | National first-class cricket championship |
| Deodhar Trophy | Cricket | Domestic One Day cricket |
| Irani Cup | Cricket | Reigning Ranji Trophy champion vs Rest of India |
| Davis Cup | Tennis | International team tennis, men |
| Fed Cup (Billie Jean King) | Tennis | International team tennis, women |
| Thomas Cup | Badminton | Men's world team championship |
| Uber Cup | Badminton | Women's world team championship |
| Sudirman Cup | Badminton | Mixed team world championship |
| FIFA World Cup | Football | Every 4 years; Jules Rimet trophy (original) |
| Ashes | Cricket | England vs Australia series |
| Ryder Cup | Golf | USA vs Europe |
| Agha Khan Cup | Hockey | International field hockey |
| Dhyan Chand Trophy | Hockey | Named after hockey legend |
Number of Players per Team
| Sport | Players | Sport | Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| Football (Soccer) | 11 | Hockey | 11 |
| Cricket | 11 | Baseball | 9 |
| Basketball | 5 | Volleyball | 6 |
| Water Polo | 7 | Polo | 4 |
| Kabaddi | 7 | Kho-Kho | 9 |
| Rugby Union | 15 | Rugby League | 13 |
Section 06
International Organizations
| Organization | Full Name | HQ | Head |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN | United Nations | New York, USA | Secretary-General |
| UNESCO | UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Org. | Paris, France | Director-General |
| UNICEF | UN Children's Fund | New York, USA | Executive Director |
| WHO | World Health Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Director-General |
| WTO | World Trade Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Director-General |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund | Washington D.C., USA | Managing Director |
| World Bank | International Bank for Reconstruction & Development | Washington D.C., USA | President |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | Brussels, Belgium | Secretary-General |
| ASEAN | Assoc. of Southeast Asian Nations | Jakarta, Indonesia | Secretary-General |
| SAARC | South Asian Assoc. for Regional Cooperation | Kathmandu, Nepal | Secretary-General |
| ICC | International Cricket Council | Dubai, UAE | Chairman |
| IOC | International Olympic Committee | Lausanne, Switzerland | President |
| Interpol | International Criminal Police Organization | Lyon, France | Secretary-General |
| ILO | International Labour Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | Director-General |
| OPEC | Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries | Vienna, Austria | Secretary-General |
| BRICS | Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa | — | Rotating presidency |
| G20 | Group of Twenty | — | Rotating presidency |
| SCO | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation | Beijing, China | Secretary-General |
Section 07
Books & Authors
Indian Authors
| Book | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arthashastra | Kautilya (Chanakya) | Ancient treatise on statecraft, economics, military |
| Indica | Megasthenes | Account of Mauryan India by Greek ambassador |
| Gitanjali | Rabindranath Tagore | Nobel Prize (1913); collection of devotional poems |
| Discovery of India | Jawaharlal Nehru | Written in Ahmednagar Fort (1944) |
| My Experiments with Truth | Mahatma Gandhi | Autobiography |
| Wings of Fire | A.P.J. Abdul Kalam | Autobiography |
| Ignited Minds | A.P.J. Abdul Kalam | — |
| The God of Small Things | Arundhati Roy | Booker Prize 1997 |
| Midnight's Children | Salman Rushdie | Booker Prize 1981; Booker of Bookers 1993, 2008 |
| Train to Pakistan | Khushwant Singh | Partition novel |
| Anandamath | Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay | Contains "Vande Mataram" |
| Poverty and Un-British Rule in India | Dadabhai Naoroji | Drain theory of Indian poverty |
World Authors (Frequently Asked)
| Book | Author |
|---|---|
| The Republic | Plato |
| 1984 / Animal Farm | George Orwell |
| A Brief History of Time | Stephen Hawking |
| The Origin of Species | Charles Darwin |
| Wealth of Nations | Adam Smith |
| The Communist Manifesto | Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels |
| War and Peace | Leo Tolstoy |
| Harry Potter (series) | J.K. Rowling |
Practice — Static GK
What is the currency of Japan?Direct recall
Japan's currency is the Yen (JPY). Won = South/North Korea. Yuan = China. Ringgit = Malaysia.
The book "Wings of Fire" is an autobiography of which personality?
"Wings of Fire" is the autobiography of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India and missile scientist.