Daily GK Update- 7th May, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Ajay Vij appointed as managing director of Accenture India : Accenture board has appointed Ajay Vij as the MD of Accenture India, succeeded Rekha M. Menon, who retired after 20 years. He will be responsible for expanding his current responsibilities as Corporate Services & Sustainability lead to provide overall leadership and drive coordinated decision-making. While Sandeep Dutta will lead the company's Market Unit He will serve as the company's India business lead and drive business and operations.

 

2. Centre for Innovation Incubation Research and Entrepreneurship inaugurated: The Centre for Innovation Incubation Research and Entrepreneurship was inaugurated at the KITS Warangal campus in Telangana. It was inaugurated by  Telangana's IT Minister K Taraka Ramarao. The govt has promoted innovation and entrepreneurship in the student community to inculcate research and innovative skills among the students, faculty, and young researchers. Aim: To face the latest Engineering, technological, and entrepreneurship challenges in the 21st Century.

 

3. INSV Tarini on her return passage to India : Indian naval sailing vessel, Tarini will be returned to India after a six-month-long transoceanic intercontinental expedition. It commenced from Goa on November 17, 2022, and is scheduled to be completed at the same venue on May 24, 2023. During the expedition, Tarini sailed to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil via Cape Town, South Africa, participating in Cape to Rio Race 2023 Tarini will complete an arduous 17,000 nautical miles passage when she touches the Indian shores again

 

4. Border Roads Organisation Project Dantak 64th Raising Day: Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated its 64th Raising Day on May 07, 2023, at all its detachments across the country. On this occasion, BRO-centric software, developed as part of the ‘Digital India’ initiative, was also launched. PM has also praised the initiative by BRO Project Dantak to commemorate the 64th Raising Day.

·       About Project DANTAK:

·       This project was established on 24th April 1961.

·       DANTAK was tasked to construct the pioneering motorable roads.

 

5. India operationalizes Sittwe port in Myanmar: India has operationalized the Sittwe Port in Myanmar with the departure of the inaugural shipment, the MV-ITT LION (V-273), from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata. It is a part of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project. IT carried 20,000 bags containing 1,000 metric tonnes of cement and is expected to reach Sittwe Port on 9 May. It was built under a grant of assistance from the Indian government. Aim: To boost trade and commerce between the two countries

 

6. SJVN secures 100 MW wind power project in Gujarat: State-owned SJVN Ltd has secured a 100 MW grid-connected wind power project in Gujarat. The project was awarded to SJVN Green Energy Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SJVN, through a competitive bidding process followed by an e-reverse auction organized by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited. The project, with an estimated cost of $108 million, will be developed by SGEL through an EPC contract and can be set up anywhere in India. In its first year, it is projected to generate 281 million units of electricity, with a 25-year total of 7,025 million units. The project will also help reduce carbon emissions by 344,255 tons. SJVN also emphasizes the importance of bolstering its green energy portfolio and advancing toward its 50,000 MW target by 2040.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. World Athletics Day 2023: 7 May: World Athletics Day 2023 is observed every year on May 7 to mark the importance of athletes and sportspersons globally. The theme for World Athletics Day 2023 is 'Athletics for All – A New Beginning'. This day was established by the late Primo Nebiolo, the then-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The first World Athletics Day was held on May 15, 1996. The IAAF was founded in Stockholm, Sweden on July 17, 1912.

 

2. NMCG organizes River-Cities Alliance Global Seminar: NMCG and the National Institute of Urban Affairs jointly organized the ‘River-Cities Alliance Global Seminar: Partnership for Building International River-Sensitive Cities’ in New Delhi. Aim: To provide a platform for officials of member cities and international stakeholders to discuss and learn good practices for managing urban rivers This seminar has witnessed the participation from Embassies/High Commissions of selected countries and their respective river cities.

 

3. Mark Nicholas to become next president of MCC: Former England cricketer and veteran commentator Mark Nicholas has been elected as the next president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Nicholas will replace current president Stephen Fry and will assume responsibilities in October this year. His appointment was announced at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. Nicholas, who was elected as a Member of MCC in 1981, is one of the most recognizable figures in televised cricket, leading coverage at the very top of the game across the world. Mark scored over 25,000 runs – including an unbeaten hundred for MCC at Lord’s against the 1985 Australians – and took 173 wickets in a professional career spanning over two decades. He also captained Hampshire to four major trophies, three of which came in finals at Lord’s. He moved into the media following his retirement as a cricketer when he played as a top-order batter and medium-pace bowler for Hampshire and captained England A. Mark is a regular on ICC commentary teams for their global tournaments.

 

1. Wakefit signs Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana as brand ambassador: Manufacturer of mattresses, Wakefit Innovations Private Limited, has signed actor Ayushmann Khurrana as Wakefit.co’s brand ambassador. Besides being the face of the brand and spearheading upcoming campaigns, the actor will also help the brand in spreading awareness about sleep health and its importance in the modern context. In 2022, the company also announced its offline retail expansion and has launched 22 physical stores across the country with plans to open up more than 100 stores.

 

2. 6 May – International No Diet Day : International No Diet Day is celebrated every year on May 6. The day aims to promote body positivity and encourage people to embrace their physical appearance. It is a day to reject the societal pressures and unrealistic beauty standards that often lead to harmful dieting practices. In 1992, British feminist Mary Evans Young first came up with the idea of International No Diet Day. Young wanted to create a day that embraced bodies of all sizes because she had struggled with an eating issue herself.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Bindyarani Devi wins silver at Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023: Indian weightlifter, Bindyarani Devi has won the silver in the women's 55kg category at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023, held in South Korea. She had lifted a total weight of 194kg (snatch 83kg and 111kg in clean & jerk) in the non-Olympic 55kg category. Chen Guan Ling (China) won the gold medal with a combined lift of 204kg (snatch 90kg + clean & jerk 114kg) and Vo Thi Quynh Nhu (Vietnam) won the bronze with a lift of 192kg.

 

2. Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra clinches Doha Diamond League title: Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won the Diamond League title with 88.67 m throw in Doha. Czech Republic’s Vadlejch stood second, with Grenada’s Peters finishing third. The 25-year-old Chopra, who had pocketed the 2022 Diamond League Final trophy in Switzerland last September, beat a star-studded field with a best throw of 88.67m to begin his season in style. On the other hand, India’s Eldhose Paul, who is a champion in triple jump at the Commonwealth Games, secured the 10th position in a field of 11 men during his Diamond League debut.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Max Life, Capital SFB ties up to offer life insurance solutions : Capital Small Finance Bank Limited has partnered with Max Life Insurance Company Limited to offer life insurance offerings to Capital SFB’s customers. Capital SFB would offer its customers a range of savings, protection, retirement, and group life insurance plans of Max Life. Capital SFB has also partnered with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Limited and HDFC life insurance Limited to provide their life insurance products. MD & CEO, Capital SFB: Sarvjit Singh Samra

2. BharatPe rebrands PAYBACK India as ‘Zillion’ : BharatPe Group has rebranded its multi-brand loyalty program, Payback India to Zillion. Aim: To target customers across age groups and add a new dimension to their overall shopping experience, across categories and brands Zillion will offer a wide range of options for customers to earn and redeem at a wide range of partners across the country. The customers will be able to earn ‘Zillion coins’ for their routine spending.

BharatPe CEO (Interim): Nalin Negi

 

3. SEBI launches LEI system : The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) system for issuers that have listed or are planning to list non-convertible securities, securitized debt instruments, and security receipts. The LEI is a unique global identifier for legal entities participating in financial transactions. Its purpose is to create a global reference data system that uniquely identifies every legal entity that is a party to a financial transaction. The LEI code is a 20-character code to identify legally distinct entities that engage in financial transactions. The LEI system will enable greater transparency and better risk management in the financial markets. The LEI system will also help prevent fraud and financial crimes by properly identifying and verifying legal entities participating in financial transactions. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandates non-individual borrowers having an aggregate exposure of above Rs 25 crore to obtain the LEI code.