Daily GK Update- 22nd Oct, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 5th edition of Dehradun Literature Festival set to host in Dehradun: The 5th edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF) was announced during a press conference. The festival is to witness confluence of Literature, Culture and cinema. The literary extravagance is all set to be hosted from the 27th to 29th of October at two venues in the city – Doon International School (Riverside Campus) and Hyatt Regency Dehradun Resort & Spa in Dehradun. Back in time, when literature festivals had started all over the country, Dehradun still did not have its own literary platform to bind the whole community. Being a newly born state and the educational capital of the country, a forum where exposure can be built for our student community was the need of the day. So, in 2017, DDLF was born, and in a short span, we have become a festival that is a common property not just of the Dehradun community but of all the citizens of Uttarakhand.

 

2. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches army's project Udbhav: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches the army's project Udbhav aimed at integrating ancient wisdom with modern military pedagogy.  Project Udbhav is a joint collaboration of the Indian Army and the United Service Institution of India. The project aims to promote indigenous discourse through the exploration and integration of the country’s ancient strategic acumen into the contemporary military domain.

 

3. ‘Project Nilgiri Tahr’ launched in Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the wildlife conservation project, ‘Project Nilgiri Tahr’ at the Secretariat in Chennai. Nilgiri Tahr is an endangered species endemic to the Western Ghats. There are references to Nilgiri Tahr in the Sangam Tamil literature. The project has an outlay of ₹25 crore.

 

4. Union Minister Piyush Goyal launches website of “Kasturi Cotton Bharat”: Hon’ble Union Minister of Textile, Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution Shri Piyush Goyal launched website of Kasturi Cotton Bharat.  This website provide a digital platform for necessary information and updates on this initiatives and highlights the registration process for ginners to produce Kasturi Cotton Bharat Brand and its processes that make the branded Indian cotton unique.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 20 October – International Chef’s Day: International Chefs Day is celebrated every year on 20 October, paying tribute to the art and science of cooking. This day, introduced by the late chef Dr. Bill Gallagher in 2004, serves as a platform to honor the contributions of chefs across the globe. Theme 2023 – Growing A Healthy Future

 

2. International Stuttering Awareness Day 2023 being observed today: International Stuttering Awareness Day  is an annual observance that falls on October 22 every year. It’s a day to shed light on the challenges faced by people who stammer and to encourage a more inclusive and empathetic society. The theme for ISAD 2023 is “One Size Does NOT Fit All”.

 

3. Cyclone 'Tej' intensifies into extremely severe cyclonic storm: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone 'Tej', brewing in the Arabian Sea, intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Sunday and is headed towards the Yemen-Oman coasts. The IMD also issued warnings for fishermen to not venture into areas that could be affected by Cyclone Tej and the Bay of Bengal depression in the coming days

 

4. Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif returns home after four years: Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif returns home after four years in self-imposed exile in the U.K. Mr Sharif flew in from Dubai to Islamabad on a chartered flight along with some family members, senior party leaders and friends. Earlier this week, the Islamabad High Court granted protective bail to Sharif until Tuesday.

 

S Jaishankar unveils Mahatma Gandhi bust in Vietnam: External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Ho Chi Minh City during an official visit to Vietnam. In Vietnam, the EAM also met the Vietnamese leadership. This visit marked not only the strengthening of bilateral relations but also a celebration of the enduring principles and values adopted by Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.

 

5. India sends humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine: India sends Humanitarian aid to the people of Palestine. An IAF C-17 flight carrying nearly 6.5 tonnes of medical aid and 32 tonnes of disaster relief material for the people of Palestine departs for El-Arish airport in Egypt. The material includes essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, water purification tablets among other necessary items

 

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Ashok Vaswani is next Kotak Mahindra Bank CEO: Ashok Vaswani (63-years) is set to hold the position of the new CEO and MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank for a period of three years, likely from January 1, 2024. Vaswani will succeed Uday Kotak, who has quit as the MD of the bank in September this year. Currently, Ashok Vaswani is the president of the US-Israeli AI fintech company Pagaya Technologies Ltd.

 

 

 

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Gujarat’s Dhordo awarded UNWTO’s Best Tourism Village 2023: Dhordo, a village located in the Kutch district of Gujarat, known for its annual Rann Utsav has been bestowed with the title ‘Best Tourism Village’ by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). A total of 26 villages around the globe have earned the accolades this year for “nurturing rural areas and preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions.” The list includes villages in Austria, Portugal, Turkiye, Hungary, Indonesia, Egypt, and China. Dhordo is the only village selected from India. Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO recognizes outstanding rural tourism destinations with accredited cultural and natural assets, a commitment to preserving community-based values, and a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Launched in 2021, the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO initiative is part of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme.

 

2. Gujarat’s Dhordo awarded UNWTO’s Best Tourism Village 2023: Dhordo Village in Gujarat's Kutch district has been honored with the prestigious 'Best Tourism Village' title by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). With this, Dhordo is now one of the 70 villages from nearly 40 countries that enjoy this prestigious title. Dhordo received this title at the Best Tourism Village - 2023 award ceremony organised by the UNWTO at the historic city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan.