Daily GK Updates - 6th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Dr Gyanaditya Shakya honoured with Presidential Award :  Vice-President M Vainkaiya Naidu gave the ‘Presidential Award of Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman’ to Dr. Gyanaditya Shakya in New Delhi. He has conferred the award for his outstanding contribution in the field of Pali language and literature. Currently, Dr Shakya is working as an Assistant Professor in Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida. Dr Shakya was honoured with Rs 1,00,000 Award and a certificate.

                          

2.  3rd Goa Anti-Tobacco Film Festival on 31st May :  The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) in association with the Goa Department of Public Health-Dentistry, and the Goa Dental College and Hospital is set to hold the 3rd Goa Anti-Tobacco Film Festival on 31st May. The festival will select ad films to spread the message of the harmful effects of tobacco use and decrease the occurrence of oral cancer and heart disease and to promote film art through non-profit screening of these films.This festival, whose ultimate objective is to make Goa smoke-free, will have two separate categories — one for Goa and another for national films.

3. Bureau of Indian Standards inks an MoU with IIT Delhi :  The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi to collaborate in the field of standardisation and conformity assessment. The MoU was signed by IIT Delhi Director Professor V Ramgopal Rao and Director General of BIS Surina Rajan. BIS and IIT Delhi have also agreed to set up a Centre of Excellence in the field of standardization, testing and conformity assessment.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Shah Rukh Khan felicitated with an Honorary Doctorate by London’s University of Law :  Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has received an honorary doctorate in Philanthropy by The University of Law, London. The actor received the merit during a graduation ceremony for more than 350 students. Over the years, he has established himself as a successful actor, film producer, television host, philanthropist and an entrepreneur. He has lent support to the Indian government's campaigns, including Pulse Polio and National Aids Control Organization.

2. 6th April: United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace :  The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is observed across the world on 6th April every year to recognize the power of sport in promoting peace and erasing cultural barriers worldwide.The day has been celebrated each year since 2014. The date commemorates the inauguration of the first Olympic games of the modern era, in Athens (Greece) in 1896.

3. Senior US Treasury official David Malpass selected as President of World Bank : Senior US Treasury official David Malpass (63-year) has been selected as President (13th) of the World Bank for a five-year term. He replaced Jim Yong Kim. Malpass has served on the boards of the Council of the Americas, Economic Club of New York, and the National Committee on US-China Relations.

4. CS Rajan appointed MD of IL&FS :  CS Rajan has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) while Vineet Nayyar named as Executive Vice-Chairman of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS). Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) is an Indian infrastructure development and finance company. It operates through more than 250 subsidiaries including IL & FS Investment managers, IL & FS financial services and IL & FS Transportation networks India Limited (ITNL). IL&FS’s projects include some of the largest infrastructure projects in India including India's longest tunnel, Chennai-Nashri Tunnel, which was opened for traffic in April 2017.

OTHER UPDATES: 

DEFENCE:

1. Sri Lanka to hold largest ever military exercise “Exercise — Western Shield” in July :  The Army of Sri Lanka will conduct “Exercise – Western Shield” starting from 1st July 2019 with the participation of over 5,000 soldiers. ‘Exercise-Western Shield’ is the biggest ever infantry training module. The exercise will provide an opportunity for army trainees to march through those areas that are inaccessible to others, except forest conservation authorities. Exercise Western Shield will extend from Mannar to Puttalam, including Kalpitiya, Wilpattu National Park, Mavillu and Thabbowa Forest Reserves and the Western coastal belt.

SPORTS:

1. Indian football team rises two places to 101 in FIFA rankings :  The Indian football team gained two places to rise to 101 in the new FIFA rankings. With 1219 total ranking points, the Indian team lies 18th among the Asian countries. Iran continued to top the Asian rankings at 21, followed by Japan (26), South Korea (37), Australia (41) and Qatar (55).