Daily GK Updates - 9th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 158th birth anniversary of Tagore: 9 May:  Today, the 158th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore is being celebrated all over West Bengal. Rabindra Nath Tagore reshaped Bengali literature and music, as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Note: Rabindranath Tagore was the Author of the "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse" of Gitanjali. In 1913, he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla.

2. Chhattisgarh Deploys 1st Anti-Naxal Women Commando Unit: The Chhattisgarh police for the first time has inducted women commandos in the District Reserve Guard (DRG), its frontline anti-Naxal force. Comprising 30 women led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dineshwari Nand, have received extensive training in jungle combat. 

3. IIT-B researchers develop ‘Made in India’ microprocessor: Engineers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have developed a microprocessor called AJIT, the first to be conceptualised, designed, developed and manufactured in India. It can be used inside a set-top box, as a control panel for automation systems, in a traffic light controller or even robotic systems. The project was funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and IIT Bombay. Mumbai-based company ‘Powai Labs‘invested in the venture, and will own, market and support the product. In the first stage, AJIT has been manufactured in the government-owned Semiconductor Laboratory, Chandigarh.

4. SC Collegium recommends names of Justices Gavai, Surya Kant for elevation as apex court judges: The five-member Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has recommended the names of Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant to the Centre for their elevation as apex court judges. Currently, Justice Gavai is Judge of the Bombay High Court and Justice Kant is the incumbent Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The apex court is presently functioning with 27 judges against the sanctioned strength of 31 judges.

5. Meeting of Regional Heads of Customs Administration of Asia Pacific Region of WCO Held in Kochi: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has organised a 2-Day meeting of the Regional Heads of Customs Administration of Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in Kochi. This meeting was chaired by Mr Pranab Kumar Das, Chairman, CBIC.

6. MNRE Holds ‘Chintan Baithak’ With Stakeholders of Renewable Energy Sector: Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) held a ‘Chintan Baithak’ with the stakeholders of the Renewable Energy sector in New Delhi. The ‘Baithak’ (meet) was chaired by Secretary, MNRE, Anand Kumar and saw good participation from Renewable Energy (RE) sector including the representatives of major RE developers, equipment manufacturers, financers, regulators, think-tanks, industry bodies and skill developers.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Vice President Naidu embarks on 4-day visit to Vietnam: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will embark on a four-day official visit to Vietnam. The visit is expected to enhance India’s comprehensive strategic partnership with the Southeast Asian nation. The Vice President will participate in the 16th United Nations Day of Vesak at Tam Chuc pagoda in Vietnam's northern Ha Nam province. During his visit, Mr Naidu will also deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session of the event themed as "Buddhist Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies."

2. 5th United Nations Global Road Safety Week: The Fifth United Nations (UN) Global Road Safety Week is being held from 6 to 12 May 2019. The theme for the weekly event in 2019 is “Leadership for road safety”. The UN Global Road Safety Weeks and its’ campaigns are coordinated by United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, chaired by the World Health Organization (WHO).

3. Singapore Passes Laws to Combat Fake News: Singapore's Parliament passed a law to curb the spread of fake news under which offenders may face up to 10-year jail or fines of up to S$1 million (over Rs5.12 crore). The law empowers the government to direct social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to carry corrections or remove content it considers to be fake news. 

4. India and China Sign Protocol for Export of Indian Chilli Meal: Commerce Secretary, Anup Wadhawan and Vice Minister, General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), Li Guo, held a meeting in New Delhi to discuss trade-related issues of pending Indian request for clearance of agricultural products. Both sides agreed to resolve market access issues expeditiously in order to achieve the vision of the leaders of both India and China by promoting a more balanced trade. At the end of the meeting, a protocol was signed for export of chilli meal from India to China.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Indian Boxers Win 6 Medals at 36th Feliks Stamm International Boxing:  Indian boxers finished with a rich haul of six medals, including two gold at the 36th Feliks Stamm International Boxing Tournament in Warsaw, Poland. Gaurav Solanki and Manish Kaushik bagged one gold each. Indian boxers also clinched a silver and three bronze.  The 22-year-old Solanki out-punched England's William Cawley 52 kilogram on his way to the coveted yellow metal. In 60-kilogram weight category, Kaushik beat Morocco's Mohamed Hamout.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI Card raises Rs. 700 crores from banks: SBI Card raised Rs. 700 crores from several financial institutions including its parent State Bank of India (SBI) in the second half of FY19. SBI Cards and Payment Services Pvt. Ltd (SBI Card) raised Rs. 100 crores from ICICI Securities Primary Dealership Ltd, Rs. 250 crores from State Bank of India and Rs. 50 crore each from Canara Bank and Axis Bank by issuing non-convertible debentures (NCDs) at 9.15% coupon. The company also raised another Rs. 250 crores from Axis Bank through a coupon of 9.55%.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Airtel, Hughes To Combine Their India VSAT Operations: Sunil Mittal led telecom major Bharti Airtel and Hughes Communications India (HCIL) have decided to combine their VSAT(Very Small Aperture Terminal) satellite communications operations in India. The transaction is subject to approvals by relevant authorities. HCIL is the India unit of Hughes Network Systems, LLC, the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services. VSAT refers to the provision of data services using satellites and is used extensively by banks and ATMs. 

OBITUARIES

1. Former billiards player Derek Sippy passes away: Former billiards player, coach and administrator Derek Sippy (60-years) passed away in Mumbai. He served the BSAM in various capacities and was its secretary for several years. He was the Indian team's coach at recently concluded Asian Under-21 Boys Snooker and Asian Women Snooker tournament in Chandigarh.

2. The first Chronicler of Partition Prof. Kirpal Singh passes away: The first chronicler of Partition Prof. Kirpal Singh (95-years) passed away in Chandigarh. Prof. Singh started building an archive in 1954. He began his journey in Partition’s historiography in 1953 as a young lecturer at Khalsa College, Amritsar. The turning point came in 1962 when then chief minister Partap Singh Kairon offered to send him to the UK to collect papers related to Punjab.

3. Dr. NR Madhava Menon passes away: Father of Modern Legal Education, Prof N.R. Madhava Menon (84 years) has passed away. He is known for changing the face of Indian legal education by pioneering the establishment of National Law Schools. He is credited with the conceptualization of five-year integrated LLB course, in place of the earlier 3-year course. Menon was bestowed with the Padma Shri in 2003 for his outstanding contribution to public services. A book "Turning Point" published by Universal Law Publishers, Delhi (2010) is on the life and works of Prof. Menon.

4. Renowned Economist Baidyanath Mishra Passes Away: Renowned economist Baidyanath Mishra passed away due to old-age related problems. He was 99. Mishra had started his career as a lecturer in Ravenshaw University in Cuttack in 1949. He was vice-chancellor of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) from 1981 to 1985. He was also the chairman of the State Planning Board from 1985 to 1990.