Daily GK Update- 29th June, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Arjun Meghwal presented with the holy Kapilvastu relics brought back from Mongolia: Following a 12-day exhibition at the Batsagaan Temple on the grounds of Gandan Monastery, Mongolia, in honour of Mongolian Buddha Purnima, the four Holy Relics of the Lord Buddha returned to India. The sacred relics were presented to Union Minister Shri Arjun Meghwal in Ghaziabad. Due to high demand from the Mongolian people, the presentation of the holy relics had to be extended by a few days. Key Points:

a)      Thousands of people paid their respects to the revered relics during a 12-day exhibition at the Gandan Monastery, including the President of Mongolia, the Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Culture, the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Energy, more than 20 MPs, and High Abbots from more than 100 Monasteries in Mongolia.

b)      On the first day of the exposition, between 18 and 20 thousand devotees prostrated before the Holy Buddha Relics.

c)       On working days, 5–6 thousand devotees on average paid their respects at Gandan Monastery, while 9–10 thousand on closed days. About 18,000 devotees visited Gandan on the final day to pay respects to the sacred relics. The Interior Minister of Culture was present for the rituals on the final day.

d)      The Holy Buddha Relics are often referred to as Kapilvastu Relics since they were found in Bihar in 1898 and are thought to be from the ancient city of Kapilvastu.

 

2. IN-SPACe authorises India’s first set of space start-ups to launch payloads: The Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) has started authorising Indian private firms, marking the beginning of private space sector launches in India. IN-SPACe is an autonomous, single window nodal agency; formed to promote, authorise, monitor and supervise the space activities of non-governmental private entities (NGPEs) in India. Key Points:

a)      Dhruva Space Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad and Digantara research & technologies Pvt. Ltd. Bengaluru, were authorised by IN-SPACe on June 24 to launch their payloads.

b)      Dhruva Space is a space technology start-up focused on building full-stack space engineering solutions, involved in building application-agnostic satellite platforms.

c)       Digantara research and technologies is engaged in development of end-to-end solutions focused on safe and sustainable space operations through its Space Situational Awareness sensor network, platform and data products.

 

3. IRS Officer Nitin Gupta named as the new chairman of CBDT: IRS officer Nitin Gupta has been appointed as the new Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman. Gupta, an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 1986 batch of the Income Tax cadre, is serving as the Member (investigation) in the Board and is scheduled to retire in September next year.

The post of the CBDT chief was being held in an additional capacity by Board member and 1986-batch IRS officer Sangeeta Singh after J B Mohapatra retired on April 30. The CBDT is headed by a Chairman and can have six members who are in the rank of special secretary.

Note: Central Board of Direct Taxes Founded: 1963; Central Board of Direct Taxes Headquarters: New Delhi; Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairman: Nitin Gupta; Central Board of Direct Taxes Minister responsible: Ministry of Finance.

 

4. IRARC’s Avinash Kulkarni to head India Debt Resolution Company: The chief govt of India Resurgence Asset Reconstruction Firm (IRARC), Avinash Kulkarni, has been chosen to head the India Debt Decision Firm (IDRCL). Kulkarni is a (SBI) veteran, having undertaken numerous roles on the public sector behemoth. His engagements on the SBI group have included assignments within the funding banking and advisory arm, Capital Markets.

Kulkarni’s appointment follows another SBI veteran Natarajan Sundar being selected as CEO of the National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL) in April. Sundar took over as the CEO at the end of May. Both appointments now mean that the key executive leadership to run the government-backed ARC is in place.

 

5. Biography of George Fernandes to hit stands next month: A new biography of one of India’s most firebrand union leaders and former Central minister George Fernandes will trace his journey from the streets of Bombay to the corridors of power in Delhi, announced the Penguin Random House India (PRHI). “The Life and Times of George Fernandes”, written by Rahul Ramagundam, will be released under Penguin’s ‘Allen Lane’ imprint on July 25.

 

6. National Statistics Day: 29th June: National Statistics Day is observed in India on June 29 each year. The day aims to raise public awareness of the value of statistics in everyday life as well as in the planning and development process. The celebrated statistician, Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, is recognised on National Statistics Day for his contributions to economic planning and statistics. Additionally, the Indian Statistical Institute’s founder, Professor PC Mahalanobis, celebrates his birthday on 29 June. The theme of National Statistics Day 2022 is ‘Data for Sustainable Development‘.

National Statistics Day History: It was initially observed on June 29, 2007, to honour Professor Mahalanobis’ exceptional contributions to statistical research and economic planning. It was decided to designate his birthday as National Statistics Day. On June 5th, 2007, the Indian Gazette initially published a notification about this.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Togo and Gabon become Commonwealth Association members: The Commonwealth of Nations now has 56 member nations after the admission of Togo and Gabon. The two historically French-speaking nations were formally admitted to the union at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which was presided over by Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Kigali, the country’s capital. According to Patricia Scotland, the organization’s secretary-general, admission is determined by evaluations of a number of standards, including the democratic process, effective leadership, and rule of law. Key Points:

a)      The choice was taken following the heads of state and government’s consultation at the meeting.

b)      According to Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, the goal of the country’s membership in the Commonwealth is to broaden its network of diplomatic, political, and commercial relations.

c)       According to Michael Moussa Adamo, the foreign minister of Gabon, joining would strengthen economic diversification while retaining ties with France. President Ali Bongo of Gabon thinks modernization is a goal of joining the Commonwealth.

d)      While Togo, a country in West Africa, began the process of legally entering the Commonwealth in 2014, the Central African nation’s formal application procedure began five years earlier.

Note: Commonwealth Association Secretary-General: Patricia Scotland

President of Rwanda: Paul Kagame; President of Gabon: Ali Bongo; President of Togo: Faure Gnassingbé

 

2. Garuda Aerospace, an Indian drone startup to establish a facility in Malaysia: Garuda Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., an integrated drone manufacturer and drone-as-a-service (DAAS) provider based in India, would invest Rs 115 crore in the construction of a production facility in Malaysia. The decision is made to establish a drone manufacturing plant in Malaysia, with a daily production capacity of around 50 drones. The components would be imported from India and other nations. Key Points:

a)      The city-based business has partnered with HiiLSE Global Sdn Bhd (HiiLSE Drones), a Malaysian drone start-up.

b)      This alliance will establish a drone ecosystem with cutting-edge artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning technology.

c)       The partnership is not a joint venture in which the equity capital is shared by two entities. The Malaysian firm will make it possible for Garuda Aerospace to establish the factory and other commercial opportunities.

d)      Garuda Aerospace would conclude in July after raising USD 30 million.

Note: Garuda Aerospace’s founder and CEO: Agnishwar Jayaprakash

 

3. International Day of the Tropics: 29th June: International Day of the Tropics is observed globally on 29 June. The International Day of the Tropics celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the tropics while highlighting unique challenges and opportunities nations of the Tropics face. It provides an opportunity to take stock of progress across the tropics, to share tropical stories and expertise and to acknowledge the diversity and potential of the region.

International Day of the Tropics History: The inaugural State of the Tropics Report was launched on 29 June 2014, as the culmination of a collaboration between twelve leading tropical research institutions. The report offers a unique perspective on this increasingly important region. Marking the anniversary of the report’s launch the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/267 in 2016, which declared that 29 June of each year is to be observed as the International Day of the Tropics.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Navjeet Dhillon wins gold medal in discus throw at Qosanov Memorial 2022: Indian women’s discus thrower, Navjeet Dhillon won the gold medal at the Qosanov Memorial 2022 athletics meet in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Navjeet Dhillon, who is looking to seal her place in the Indian team for Commonwealth Games, won the women’s discus throw with a 56.24m effort. Local athlete Karina Vasilyeva with 44.61m and Uzbekistan’s Yulianna Shchukina with 40.48m followed Navjeet Dhillon on the podium.

Overall India won 14 medals on the day, including seven golds. Tokyo Olympian Dhanalakshmi Sekar will also be among the top Indian athletes competing today at the Qosanov Memorial 2022 athletics, which is a World Athletics bronze-level event.

 

2. Dhanalakshmi becomes 3rd fastest Indian woman in 200m: Ace sprinter Sekar Dhanalakshmi ran her personal best time to win 200m gold at the Qosanov Memorial Athletics. Dhanalakshmi ran a creditable sub-23 second, clocking 22.89s to better her earlier personal best of 23.14s she had come up last year. Dhanalakshmi is only the third Indian woman to run sub-23s after national record holder Saraswati Saha (22.82s) and Hima Das (22.88s).

Dhanalakshmi had won a 200m gold in the national Inter-Sate Championships in Chennai earlier this month with a time of 23.27s. She missed the automatic qualification mark of 22.80s for World Championships (July 15 to 24) in Oregon, USA, but will have to see if she can make it to the showpiece through world ranking quota.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Tata Power commissions India’s largest floating solar power project: Tata Power Solar Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Power, has accomplished a remarkable feat by commissioning India’s largest floating solar power project in Kayamkulam, Kerala. On a 350-acre water body, backwaters area, having an installed capacity of 101.6 Megawatt Peak. Tata Power Solar successfully built a scaffolding platform on the water body to make the entire solar plant float on water. About the project:

a)      This project is the first one in the Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) through Power Purchase Agreement category. This plant boasts a floating inverter platform having a 5 Megawatt (MW) capacity.

b)      The entire array involving floats and solar panel modules had to be towed for 3 kilometers on a sea-linked National waterway, which was 15 meters deep, exposing the solar modules to high winds and gushing tides often reaching a height of about 3.5 meters.

c)       To operationalize the project, Tata Power Solar ‘s execution team was successfully able to synchronize the 33/220 Kilovolts Air Insulated Substation (AIS) with 220 Kilovolts existing Gas Insulated Substation (GIS).

Note: Tata Power Solar Systems Headquarters: Mumbai; Tata Power Solar Systems Founded: 1989.

 

2. Bharat Electronics signed an MoU with Belarusian Company for supply of Airborne Defence Suite: Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Defense Initiatives (DI), Belarus, and Defense Initiatives Aero Pvt Ltd, India (a subsidiary of DI Belarus). The MoU is signed to build cooperation amongst the three companies for the supply of Airborne Defense Suite (ADS) for Indian Air Force’s helicopters.

ADS is used for providing protection to helicopters. BEL will be the prime contractor and will be supported by DI with manufacturing and maintenance for the supply of advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) suites for helicopters under the ‘Make in India’ category. The MoU also aims to explore various business opportunities for India and global markets for ADS. The partnership has evolved under the guidance of Sanjay Jaju, Additional Secretary, Department of Defence Production, and Indo Belarusian Joint Commission (IBJC) on Military Cooperation.

Note: Bharat Electronics Limited Founded: 1954; Bharat Electronics Limited Headquarters: Bengaluru; Bharat Electronics Limited Chairman & Managing Director: Anandi Ramalingam; Bharat Electronics Limited Executive Director: Vinay Kumar Katyal.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. S M Krishna, Narayana Murthy, Prakash Padukone selected for ‘Kempegowda International Award’: Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna, Infosys founder and IT industry veteran N R Narayana Murthy, and former badminton player Prakash Padukone, have been selected for the ‘Kempegowda International Award’, which has been instituted beginning this year.

About the award:

a)      The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a plaque. Narayan met Krishna at his residence today on behalf of the government and informed him about the award being bestowed upon him.

b)      The government had constituted a committee headed by Start-up Vision Group head Prashanth Prakash to nominate candidates for the award.

c)       Chairman of Manipal Global Education and businessman T.V. Mohandas Pai, Vivekananda Youth Movement founder R. Balasubramaniam, and retired IAS officer M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda are members of the committee. Kempe Gowda Heritage Area Development Authority Commissioner R. Vinaydeep is member-secretary of the committee.

 

2. Khushi Patel from UK is crowned Miss India Worldwide 2022: The winner of the longest-running Indian beauty pageant outside of India, Miss India Worldwide 2022, was announced as British biomedical student Khushi Patel. Shrutika Mane was named the second runner up, and Vaidehi Dongre from the US was named the first runner up. The top 12 competitors at the pageant were the champions of other international competitions.

Guyana’s Roshani Razack was named Miss Teen India Worldwide 2022. The first runner up was Navya Paingol from the US, while the second runner up was Chiquita Malaha from Suriname, according to the India Festival Committee (IFC), which has been running the competition for the past 29 years.

 

3. Vijay Amritraj honoured with Golden Achievement Award by ITF: Indian tennis great, Vijay Amritraj has been named the 2021 recipient of the Golden Achievement Award by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation. In recognition of his outstanding impact on tennis as a player, promoter, and humanitarian, Amritraj was honoured in London. He is first recipient from India and he joins an esteemed list of tennis leaders who have received the honour, including Brian Tobin of Australia, Eiichi Kawatei of Japan, and Peachy Kellmeyer of the United States.

About the award: The Golden Achievement Award is selected from a pool of nominations submitted by tennis federations and individuals from the around the world. The annual honouree is selected by the Golden Achievement Award Committee, which is comprised of tennis administrators.

Note: International Tennis Federation Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; International Tennis Federation Founded: 1 March 1913; International Tennis Federation President: David Haggerty.