Daily GK Updates - 1st October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rajnath Singh launches a website of DefEXpo: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the website of 11th edition of DefEXpo, to be held in Lucknow (5th to 8th February 2020). The website ‘www.defexpo.gov.in’ provides online services to exhibitors, besides hosting informative content about the product profile of Defence Public Sector Undertakings and Ordnance Factories. Exhibitors can avail early bird discounts by booking space on the website before the 31st of next month. The website enables exhibitors to register and book space online as per their requirements on the first-come-first-serve basis, make online payments, book conference halls and venues for Business-to-Business meetings.

2. Kerala tops NITI Aayog’s School Education Quality Index: Kerala has topped the “School Education Quality Index” launched by NITI Aayog. Uttar Pradesh was ranked at the bottom of the list. Chandigarh has topped the list of Union Territories. The School Education Quality Index assesses States on the basis of learning outcomes, access, equity and infrastructure and facilities, using survey data, self-reported data from States and third-party verification. Tamil Nadu was the top performer in access and equity outcomes, while Karnataka led in learning outcomes. Haryana had the best infrastructure and facilities.

3. Gandhi Film Festival to be organised in Mumbai: Film Division in association with India Tourism will organise a “Gandhi Film Festival” in Mumbai from 2nd to 6th October, 2019. This film festival is a part of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary celebration and will focus on Gandhiji’s message of non-violence and Swachh Bharat. The select documentaries and feature films will be screened at the Films Division Complex, including: The Making of Mahatma, Gandhi, Gandhi My Father and Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara.

4. K S Dhatwalia appointed as chief spokesperson of govt: An Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia (1984-batch) has been appointed as the 28th principal spokesperson of the Union government. He has replaced Sitanshu Kar. Mr. Dhatwalia has been posted as the new principal director general of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the publicity wing of the central government. Currently, Mr Dhatwalia was serving as the Director-General (DG) Training and Research in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, besides holding the charge of the DG of the Indian Institute Mass Communication (IIMC).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day of Older Persons: 1 October: The United Nations observes 1 October every year as International Day of Older Persons. The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions that older people make to society and raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing in today’s world. 2019 Theme: ‘The Journey to Age Equality’. The theme focuses on pathways of coping with existing and preventing future old age inequalities.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Wilson-Satish pair wins gold at Asian Age Group Championships: India’s N. Wilson Singh and Satish Kumar Prahapati won the gold medal in the 10m platform synchronised diving event at the Asian Age Group Championships held in Bengaluru. The duo of Wilson and Satish scored 290.19 score to beat Uzbekistan’s Zaynetdinov Marsel and Khasanov Botir, who scored 280.53 points. Thus, India extended their total tally to 60 medals (17 gold, 23 silver and 20 bronze) in the prestigious championships, which is the largest aquatic event in Asia.  The bronze medal went to Mojtaba Valipour and Masood Vakili of Iran with a score of 266.16.

2. Fraser-Pryce wins World Championship 100m gold: Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won gold medal in 100m race of 2019 IAAF World Championships held in Doha. This was her 4th women’s 100 metres world title. She defeated Britain’s European champion Dina Asher-Smith who took silver medal while Marie-Josee Ta Lou finished 3rd.

3. Fencer Bhavani Devi wins silver medal at Tournoi satellite competition in Belgium: Indian fencer Bhavani Devi wins the silver medal in the women’s sabre individual event at the Tournoi satellite competition in Belgium. She lost 15-10 to Anna Bashta of Azerbaijan in the final.

Note: Capital of Belgium: Brussels; Currency of Belgium: Euro.

4. Annu Rani qualifies for Javelin Throw Final at World Athletics C’ships: Indian javelin thrower Annu Rani (27-years) has become the first Indian to qualify for Women's Javelin Throw final at World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. She smashed her own national record during the qualification round of the Championships with the best attempt of 62.43 metres. Annu Rani is the current national record holder, with a record of 62.34m in March 2019. Those who touch the automatic qualifying mark of 63.50m or 12 best performers from Group A and Group B taken together will qualify for the final round.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI appoints Jai Bhagwan Bhoria as administrator for PMC Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Jai Bhagwan Bhoria as the PMC bank's administrator with all powers of the board. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has superseded the Board of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank Limited, Mumbai. According to an official release, the amount of withdrawal from the bank allowed to depositors has been increased from one thousand to ten thousand rupees. The RBI's directives will remain in force for a period of six months.

Note: As per RBI’s Notification, The PMC Bank was placed under All-Inclusive Directions on account of major financial irregularities, failure of internal control and systems of the bank and wrong/under-reporting of its exposures under various off-site Surveillance.

2. SBI becomes first Indian bank to have office in Australia’s Victoria: The State Bank of India opened its Melbourne office and becoming the first Indian bank to have a branch in the Australian state of Victoria. The Melbourne office will assist the growing trade and investment relations between Victoria and India and is the outcome of the state’s 10-year India Strategy. This investment by India’s largest commercial bank is a testament to our thriving financial services sector and our highly skilled workforce.

Note: SBI Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 July 1955.

3. RBI announces contests to promote innovations, ideas in payment: Reserve Bank of India has announced two contests to promote innovations and ideas in the payment and settlement systems. Shortlisted participants will get an opportunity to present their ideas before a jury of eminent persons while outstanding innovators will be awarded prizes and citations. The contest will be organised through the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), Hyderabad. While individuals, groups, entrepreneurs, companies, start-ups and similar entities can participate in ‘Payment and Settlement Systems Innovation Contest’, students at the undergraduate or above levels can participate in ‘Payment and Settlement Systems Innovative Ideas Competition’.

DEFENCE

1. DRDO test-fires BrahMos supersonic cruise missile: DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) successfully test-fired a land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Chandipur coast in Odisha’s Balasore district. BrahMos is the world’s fastest supersonic missile, which can fly at almost three times the speed of sound. It has been fitted with increased indigenous equipment and is a version used by the Army. On 11th March 2017, the first extended version of the missile was successfully tested.

Note: The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace. The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.

OBITUARIES

1. INA veteran from Tamil Nadu V Ganesan passes away: Indian National Army (INA) veteran V Ganesan passed away. He joined Netaji’s INA at the age of 18 and received six months of military training in Singapore. While participating in the battle against the British Army in Myanmar, he was arrested and was imprisoned for 10 months in Yangon jail and was later repatriated to India. He was honoured by the President of India in 2012 at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

2. Legendary Singer Jose Jose passes away: Legendary Mexican singer Jose Jose (71-years) passed away at a hospital in Florida. Jose Jose was often called ‘El Principe de la Cancion’ or ‘The Prince of Song’. His most successful album, Secretos was released in 1984. In a career of more than four-decade, the singer sold millions of albums and picked by 6 Grammy nominations.

3. Celebrated opera singer Jessye Norman passes away: Renowned international opera star Jessye Norman (74-years) passed away at New York hospital in the USA. She established herself in Europe in the 1970s and made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1983. Norman earned many prestigious Kennedy Center Honor (in 1997), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (in 2006); a National Medal of Arts (in 2009) and France's Legion d'Honneur.

Daily GK Updates - 30th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Astronomical Union names asteroid after Pandit Jasraj: The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named an asteroid after Indian classical singer Pandit Jasraj. The asteroid formally known as a minor planet, is located between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered on November 11, 2006, by the Catalina Sky Survey. The privilege of naming a planet is first given to discoverers, who have 10 years to propose a name.

Note: Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj is an exponent of Indian classical vocal music. Jasraj is the recipient of numerous awards, honours, and titles, including the prestigious Padma Vibhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

2. Suresh Chitturi appointed International Egg Commission chief: Suresh Chitturi, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of India’s leading poultry firm Srinivasa Farms, has been appointed as chairman of the International Egg Commission (IEC) for the next two years. The appointment was made at the IEC Global Leadership Conference in Copenhagen in Denmark. He will be the first chair from Asia in the history of the institution, as he assumes the role of the Chairman of IEC.

Note: The International Egg Commission (IEC) is a membership organisation (over 80 countries) dedicated to the global egg industry. The IEC was established in 1964 at the second International Egg Conference held in Bologna, Italy. Headquarters: United Kingdom.

3. ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ starts at Expo Centre Noida: Smt. Renuka Singh (Minister of State for Tribal Affairs) has inaugurated the 11-day ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ at Expo Centre, Noida (UP). Artists and artisans from as many as 20 states of the country are a part of this mega cultural razzmatazz and showcase their traditional art, craft and culture. Aadi Mahotsav (Tribal Festival) organized by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The festival will continue from 11 am to 8.30 pm, daily till 8th October 2019.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 31st International Conference on Sindh held in London: The World Sindhi Congress (WSC) hosted a 31st international conference on Sindh in London. In WSC the participants highlighted issues such as enforced disappearances of activists, human rights violations and forced conversion of religious minorities in Pakistan. The 31st International Conference on Sindh slammed Pakistan over its failure to respect democratic rights and curbs on by the country’s military and called on the need to tackle growing religious extremism.

Note: Chairman of World Sindhi Congress: Rubina Shaikh.

2. International Translation Day: 30 September: The United Nations observes International Translation Day on 30 September every year on the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators. . International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security.

Note: On 24 May 2017, the General Assembly adopted resolution 71/288 on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Aryna Sabalenka wins WTA Wuhan Open: Aryna Sabalenka has won the WTA Wuhan Open held in Wuhan, China. She became the first player to claim back-to-back titles in Wuhan. She defeated American Alison Riske in the summit clash by 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. She has also joined Petra Kvitova as the only two-time Wuhan Open champion.

2. Sumit Nagal wins title at ATP Challenger Tournament: Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal has won the men’s singles title at the ATP Challenger Tournament held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He defeated Argentina’s Facundo Bognis by 6-4, 6-2 to win the title. It was Sumit’s second Challenger title of his career, following the triumph in the Bengaluru Challenger event in 2017. He jumped of 26 spots to achieve a career-best ranking of 135.

3. Deepti Sharma becomes 1st Indian cricketer to bowl 3 maidens in T20Is: India’s all-rounder Deepti Sharma (22-years) had an extraordinary outing in India’s first T20I against South Africa in Surat. Deepti Sharma gave away runs only off the 19th ball that she bowled in the India Women vs South Africa Women match. She ended with figures of 4/8 with three of the four overs to lead India to victory. This is the first time that an Indian has bowled as many maidens in a T20I match.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Tapan Mishra honoured with the National Tourism Award: Odisha’s Tapan Kumar Mishra has been honoured with the National Tourism Award for the Category of “Best Tourist Guide” for the year 2017-18 during celebration of the World Tourism Day. He is a freelance Tourist Guide approved by the Union Ministry of Tourism. Tapan Kumar Mishra has the rarest achievement of accompanying a single Belgian tourist for 965 days in a span of 8 years in which he has covered 26 States out of which 15 states twice on road from Odisha covering more than one lakh km.

2. Kallie Puri awarded with “India’s Most Powerful Women in Media”: India’s Kallie Puri has been awarded with “India’s Most Powerful Women in Media” award at the famed Confluence Excellence Awards. She received the prestigious award at the British Parliament. She is the Vice-Chairperson of the India Today Group.

3. Documentary on Real Kashmir FC nominated for BAFTA Awards: A documentary on Srinagar-based football club Real Kashmir FC has nominated in the prestigious British Academy Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards. The documentary, aired by BBC Scotland earlier this year on the journey of former Rangers ace David Robertson at the helm of Real Kashmir FC, has been nominated in two categories. Its director Greg Clark has picked up a nod for the ‘Director Factual’ category, while the show will battle it out in the ‘Single Documentary’ category.

4. Thanu Padmanabhan gets MP Birla Memorial Award: Physicist Thanu Padmanabhan received the M P Birla Memorial Award 2019 for his contributions to the world of cosmology. He is a professor of Inter-university Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune. The award was introduced in 1993 in recognition to the excellence in research in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Science and related areas.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran actor Viju Khote best known as Kalia from Sholay passes away: Veteran Bollywood actor Viju Khote passed away. The actor best is remembered for his role as Kalia in the cult classic Sholay. He worked in over 300 Hindi and Marathi films. He has been working in film since 1964. Apart from Sholay, he was remembered for his roles in films like Andaz Apna Apna, in which he starred as Robert.

Daily GK Updates - 29th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rural Investors and Start-up Conclave (RISC) 2019 held in Hyderabad: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated Rural Investors and Start-up Conclave (RISC) 2019 in Hyderabad. It was held at National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Hyderabad. The purpose of this conclave is to generate new ideas and also see how the government can address the challenges faced by the new startups in rural areas

2. Gujarat launches India’s first ‘Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)’ to combat particulate air pollution: The State Government of Gujarat has launched India’s 1st trading program called “Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)” in Surat, Gujarat to combat particulate air pollution. ETS, is a market-based system where the government sets a cap on emissions and allows industries to buy and sell permits (in kilograms) to stay below the cap. For this reason, ETS is also called as a cap-and-trade market. It is designed with the help of a team of researchers from different institutions.

Cap-and-trade market: Under this, the GPCB initially determine the total mass of pollution that can be put into the air over a fixed period by all factories/Industries as a whole. A permit is then created in which each is allowed some degree of pollution emissions and the total permit is equal to the maximum fixed pollution emissions. This permit is usually a number/unit that can be bought or sold.

Note: Gujarat Capital: Gandhinagar; Governor: Acharya Devvrat; Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 7th World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF) 2019 held in Mumbai, Maharashtra: A 3-day event of 7th World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF) 2019 held at Hotel Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, Maharashtra from 27- 29, September, 2019 with the theme “Prosperous Society: Stronger Society” to bring together financially successful members in Hindu society such as such as traders, bankers, technocrats, investors, industrialists to share business knowledge, expertise and resources with their fellow brethren. The event witnessed the keynote speeches of UP (Uttar Pradesh) Chief Minister Adityanath and Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of forefront industry leaders including Piramal Group’s chairman Ajay Piramal, and senior executives from Lockheed Martin US (United States), Tata Sons’ defence business and Larsen & Toubro(L&T), Indian Space Research Organisation Chairperson AS Kiran Kumar, State Bank of India (SBI) Chairperson Rajnish Kumar.

Note: The WHEF journey began in 2012 at Hong Kong, followed by successful annual forums in Bangkok 2013, New Delhi 2014, London 2015, Los Angeles 2016, and Chicago 2018. WHEF 2020 will be organized in The Hague, Netherlands.

2. 50th Edition of WEF Annual Meeting for 2020 to be held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland: The 50th Edition of World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting for 2020 will be held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland from January 21-24, 2020. The Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh will be attending the meeting as he has accepted the invitation of WEF president Borge Brende which was issued on behalf of the Forum Board of Trustees.

Note: WEF Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland

3. 6th Edition of International Conference MASCRADE 2019 Organised by FICCI: The 6th edition of International Conference Mascrade 2019 (Movement against Smuggling and Counterfeit Trade) was held on 26-27, September 2019 in New Delhi. The event was organised by FICCI CASCADE (Committee against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy), a dedicated forum of FICCI. The theme for MASCRADE 2019 was ‘Containing Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy: A Winning Strategy’. The event provides a platform to global participants to find solutions for combating, apprehending and administrating preventive mechanisms with regards to illicit trading activities.

4. Deputy Prime Minister And Commerce Minister Of Thailand Jurin Laksanawisit Visited India: The Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister of Thailand Mr Jurin Laksanawisit was on a first trade visit to Mumbai and Chennai, India to promote Thai products from September 25-28, 2019. The delegation comprised of officials from the International Trade Promotion Department, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand Rubber Authority and many private sector officials.

Mr Jurin Laksanawisit launched the Agri-Trade Supply Chain Alliance (ATSCHA) which will ease the trade relations and increase trade commodity supply between the countries. He addressed the Thai Indo Business Networking (TIBN), a trade networking platform organised by The Department of International Trade Promotion and Ministry of Commerce, Thailand which was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Thailand also invited a business delegation from India in November 2019 and Indian onliner retailer BigBasket.com to sign a deal with the Thailand government for the promotion of Thai products on its e-commerce platform. Thailand and India signed agreements worth Rs 2,400 crore to boost trade ties in the field of rubber, construction material, food and beverages, logistics.

Note: Thailand Capital: Bangkok; Currency: Thai Baht

India is Thailand’s tenth largest export market. Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of Rubber and Rubber Wood.

5. Nepal Central Bank issued 3 coins bearing Sikh emblem to commemorate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev: The Governor of Nepal’s Central Bank ‘Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)’, Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal & Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri have jointly released three coins (100, 1000 and 2500 Nepali rupees) bearing the Sikh symbol to commemorate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. These coins will be available in the market from September 30, 2019. A book titled “Sikh Heritage of Nepal” based on Sikh heritage of Nepal was also launched in the program. This book has been published by BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation in association with the Indian Embassy in Nepal.

Guru Nanak dev: He was Nirguna Bhakti saint and social reformer was born at Nankana Sahib (formerly known as Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi) near Lahore,Pakistan in April 15, 1469. He was the first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhism. The verses composed by him were collected in Adi Granth, written in Gurmukhi script.He is said to have visited Balaju area on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal five hundred years ago. The 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev will be celebrated on 12 November, 2019.

Note: Nepal Capital: Kathmandu; Currency: Nepalese rupee; President : Bidhya Devi Bhandari; Prime Minister : Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli

6. World Heart Day 2019: September 29: World Heart Day (WHD) was observed on September 29, 2019. The day which is celebrated annually creates awareness on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) including heart disease & stroke and highlights the preventive and control measures. The theme of World Heart Day 2019 was, “my heart, your heart” campaign.

Note: It was initiated by the Geneva, Switzerland based World Heart Federation (WHF), in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1999. The idea was proposed by Antoni Bayés de Luna, the then president of WHF from 1997-99.

7. World Deaf Day 2019: September 29: World Deaf Day (WDD) which is usually observed every year on the last Sunday in the month of September was observed on September 29, 2019. It creates awareness about the contributions of deaf people to society. The day was initiated by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) headquartered in Helsinki, Finland.

International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf): This initiative of WFD was first launched in 1958 in Rome, Italy and is observed annually by the global Deaf Community in the last full week of September to commemorate the first World Congress of the WFD which was held in September. This year it was celebrated from September 23-29 under the theme “Sign Language Rights for All!“.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Lewis Hamilton Wins 2019 Russian Grand Prix: British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, who races in Formula One for Mercedes won the Russian Grand Prix 2019. This was his 9th win of the season. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas was in second, with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was third. Verstappen was fourth.

2. Japan’s Kento Momota wins Korea Open (Badminton): Top-ranked Kento Momota of Japan clinched the men’s singles title at the Korea Open badminton tournament on Sunday with a win over number two Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan. The 25-year-old downed Chou 21-19, 21-17 in a final that lasted 53 minutes. In the women’s final, China’s He Bingjiao defeated Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 18-21, 24-22, 21-17.

South Korea dominated the women’s doubles, with Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong beating compatriots Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan 13-21, 21-19, 21-17. Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto defeated Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda of Japan 21-16, 21-17 to clinch the men’s doubles title.

3. India lifts SAFF U-18 C’ship title for first time; defeat Bangladesh 2-1: In Football, India defeated Bangladesh by 2-1 in the final of SAFF Under-18 Championship 2019 to lift the title in Kathmandu. India's Ninthoinganba Meetei was declared Most Valuable Player of the championship. This is India's maiden SAFF U-18 trophy. India remained runners up in 2015 and finished third in 2017. Host Nepal had lifted earlier two editions of the Championship but could not qualify for semi finals this time.

4. 2019 IWF World Weightlifting Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand: 2019 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships was held at Eastern National Sports Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand. It was organized by Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association and it was a qualifying event for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. China topped the medal tally with 10 Gold, 5 Silver & 3 Bronze followed by North Korea and Armenia. Egypt was banned from competing due to doping offenses.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Confers Renowned Archaeologist Dr. G B Deglurkar with 31st Punyabhushan Award: Renowned Archaeologist Dr. G B Deglurkar was presented with the 31st Punyabhushan Award in recognition of his immense contribution in the field of Archaeology during a special public function in the city of Pune, Maharashtra. The award is instituted by PunyaBhushan Foundation in Pune. It is given to an eminent personality of Pune from the field of art, music, culture, science, industry, social service, or sports that are chosen as the Pride of Pune. Punyabhushan means Jewel of Pune in Marathi.

2. Venkaiah Naidu conferred Telugu poet K Siva Reddy with 28th Saraswati Samman award:  Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has honored the Telugu litterateur Dr. K Siva Reddy with the 28th Saraswati Samman for the creation of his famous poetry collection ‘Pakkaki Ottigilite’(Turning aside while lying down) in 2018 during an award giving ceremony organized by the KK Birla Foundation in New Delhi. The selection council of KK Birla Samman, jury (Chayan Parishad), or selection committee, which includes renowned scholars and writers and was headed by constitutionalist Subhash Kashyap, selected Dr. Reddy, who has enriched Telugu literature through compositions of 23 poems.

Note: The prestigious Saraswati Samman instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation, is awarded every year for significant contribution in the field of literature related to any of the 22 languages of India included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15lakh, a citation and a plaque.

DEFENCE

1. Indo-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise KAZIND- 2019 to be held at Pithoragarh: The Armies of India and Kazakhstan will conduct the annual joint military Exercise KAZIND-2019 at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand from 02 to 15 October 2019. KAZIND-2019 is the fourth edition of the exercise which is conducted alternatively in Kazakhstan and India.

2. Second Kalvari-class Submarine INS 'Khanderi' joins Indian Navy: India's second Kalvari-class Submarine INS 'Khanderi' was commissioned into the Indian Navy in a ceremony held at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present during the event, commissioned the submarine into the Indian Navy. "The name Khanderi is inspired by the dreaded 'Sword Tooth Fish,' a deadly fish known to hunt whilst swimming close to the bottom of the ocean. Khanderi is also the name of an island fort constructed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was one of the few medieval rulers in the country who understood the significance of naval supremacy.

Note: Khanderi is the second of the Navy's six Kalvari-class submarines built in India. It is a diesel-electric attack submarine which is designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS which is being manufactured at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai. The state-of-the-art features of this Scorpene class submarine include superior stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons.

OBITUARIES

1. Former foreign secretary K.P.S. Menon (junior) passes away: Former Foreign Secretary & a 1951 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, K P S Menon Jr. (junior) has passed away at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala due to age-related ailments. He was 90. He had served as the Foreign Secretary of India from 1987 to 1989. His father Kumara Padma Sivasankara Menon or K.P.S. Menon (Senior) was the first Foreign Secretary of independent India. Sivasankara Menon, nephew of KPS Menon Jr, is the foreign secretary and national security adviser. He worked as an ambassador to various countries, including Bangladesh, Egypt, Japan and China.

Daily GK Updates - 28th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First Indigenous Fuel Cell System launched on CSIR Foundation Day: The President of India Ramnath Kovind unveiled the first Indigenous High-Temperature Fuel Cell System. This system is developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Indian industries under India’s flagship program named “New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)” on the occasion of CSIR Foundation Day in New Delhi. The 5.0 kW fuel cell system generates power in a green manner using methanol / bio-methane, with heat and water as bi-products for further use; amounting to greater than 70% efficiency, which otherwise may not be possible by other energy sources.

Note: Director-General of CSIR: Shekhar C. Mande.

2. DRDO and CUJ sign MoU to set up Kalam Centre for Science and Technology: Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence and Central University of Jammu (CUJ) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of Kalam Centre for Science and Technology (KCST) at the university. The main objective of the MoU is to undertake and facilitate multidisciplinary directed basic and applied research and technology development in the identified research verticals namely Computational System Security and Sensors. The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment leading to an increase in research scholars in these areas.

Note: Union Minister of Defence: Raj Nath Singh.

Chairman of DRDO: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters: New Delhi; Founded: 1958.

3. Jharkhand’s Karmatand block named after Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar: The Jharkhand government has named Jamtara districts Karmatand block as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar block as a mark of respect on the birth anniversary of the great social reformer. Now the block will be known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar prakhand. Jamtaras Karmatand prakhand (block) was the ‘karma bhumi’ (workplace) of social reformer and a strong supporter of women’s education Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Note: Bengali polymath and a key figure of the Bengal Renaissance ‘Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’ was born on 26th September 1820. He was a philosopher, academic educator, writer, translator, printer, publisher, entrepreneur, reformer and philanthropist.

4. National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) to be ready by January 2020: The work on the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) set up to track any terror suspect and prevent terrorist attacks with real-time data, has been accelerated. This move comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the progress of NATGRID project (worth Rs.3400 crore). NATGRID will start functioning by January 2020.

Note: National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) is a robust intelligence gathering mechanism related to banking, immigration, individual taxpayers, air and train travels. The data recovery centre of the NATGRID has been constructed in Bengaluru, Karnataka and Delhi (headquarter).

5. Goa govt. bans single-use plastic in its offices from Oct 2: The Goa Government has decided to ban the usage of single-use plastic water bottles, glasses, plates from 2nd October 2019 onwards. The state government wants to promote eco-friendly and re-usable items in the coastal state. Last month, the Goa Legislative Assembly passed a bill banning manufacture, sale and use of single-use plastic items and carry bags, with a penalty ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs. 3 lakh for violators.

6. Dr Harsh Vardhan launches ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ Campaign: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched the new TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign. The Union Health Minister also flagged off a van for the National TB Prevalence Survey. All twenty-five vans will be part of the prevalence survey, which shall take 6 months and be carried out across the country. In April 2018, the government launched the ‘Nikshay Poshan Yojana’, a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to provide nutritional support to TB patients. Under the scheme, TB patients have been receiving Rs 500 per month for the entire duration of treatment.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 2nd 'Singapore - India' Hackathon organised at IIT Madras: 2nd edition of ‘Singapore - India Hackathon’ has been organised at IIT Madras, Chennai to promote innovation. India-Singapore Hackathon is the first of its kind joint International hackathon between India and Singapore during which the selected bright students from India and Singapore. They will work in collaboration to develop an innovative and out-of-the-box solution for some of the daunting problems faced by our societies. This year, the hackathon is focused on quality education, Good Health and clean energy. 20 teams with 6 team members each is participating in the hackathon.

2. Mahatma Gandhi's 80-year-old letter wishing Jews "era of peace" unveiled in Israel: A short-hand- written letter by Mahatma Gandhi 80-years-ago has been unveiled for the first time by the National Library of Israel (NLI). Gandhi Ji was wishing the "afflicted (Jewish) people" an "era of peace" in the letter, written on the same day World War II broke out. Gandhi wrote the letter to Head of the Bombay Zionist Association, A E Shohet, who was trying to enlist the support of Indian leaders in favour of the movement to establish a national home for the Jewish people. Written on Rosh Hashana (Jewish new year) on September 1, 1939, the letter also marked the beginning of the war when Germany invaded Poland. It also set the stage for the despicable atrocities of the Holocaust.

3. For the first time, Saudi Arabia to offer tourist visas: Saudi Arabia will offer tourist visas for the first time as a measure to expand its economy away from oil. As a part, it will open applications for online tourist visas to citizens of 49 countries. Enhancing tourism is a one among the targets in Vision 2030 reform programme of Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. It also launched e-tourist visa during the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) in Riyadh.

Note: Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh; Currency: Saudi riyal

4. World Rabies Day: 28 September: World Rabies Day is observed on 28th September (since-2007) across the world to raise awareness about the rabies disease and its preventable measures. The day also marks the anniversary of French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur's death, who developed the first rabies vaccine. The World Rabies Day 2019 theme is Rabies: Vaccinate to Eliminate. This year’s theme focuses on vaccination, the foundation of all rabies control efforts.

5. International Day for Universal Access to Information: 28 September: The International Day for the Universal Access to Information (also known as Access to Information Day) is a UNESCO recognised day held on 28 September ever year. Theme 2019: “Access to Information: Leaving No One Behind!”. The day was first held on 28 September 2016.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Rupa Gurunath appointed as first woman president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association: Rupa Gurunath was appointed as the first woman president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) at the 87th Annual General Meeting of TNCA held at Chepauk MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. With this appointment, she also became the first woman to head a state-level cricket body in the country. Also Justice K. Kannan, retired judge of Punjab and Haryana Courts, was appointed as the ombudsman and Justice M. Jeyapaul, retired judge Madras High Court, was appointed as the ethics officer during the meeting.

Note:

BCCI President: C.K. Khanna; Headquarter of BCCI: Mumbai.

2. Deepak Punia clinched top spot in UWW’s rankings- 86 kg category: Indian wrestler Deepak Punia, aged 20, clinched the top spot in the rankings released by United World Wrestling (UWW), an international federation for wrestling, in the 86 kg category with 82 points. He had recently won silver in the World Wrestling Championships 2019 held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Iran’s Hassan Aliazam Yazdanicharati was ranked second. In the 65-kg category, Bajrang Punia lost the first spot to Russia’s Gadzhimurad Rashidov. Latter has a 9-point lead over the former. In the 57-kg category, Ravi Kumar Dahiya was ranked 5th with 39 points. In the 61-kg category, Rahul Aware was ranked 2nd. In women’s rankings, Vinesh Phogat jumped to number two in 53kg category. Seema Bisla ranked 3rd in 50 kg category while Pooja Dhanda is ranked 5th in 59kg, two places behind compatriot Manju Kumari.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. ties-up with Religare Health Insurance: PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. has tied-up with Religare Health Insurance to offer a product which covers health, death and illness. The tie-up will offer additional earning opportunity for the life insurer’s distribution channel partners. The product will be a seamless integration exercise to ensure that it comes as a single policy to a customer.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Cochin International Airport wins award for passenger satisfaction: Airport Council International has recognised Cochin International Airport Limited as the best airport in terms of services offered to passengers. As per the annual Airport Service Quality survey conducted by the ACI, CIAL was ranked amongst the best airports in the 5-15 million category in the Asia Pacific region for the year 2018. The award was presented to the authorities of Cochin International Airport at the second Annual ACI Customer Experience Global Summit held at Bali, Indonesia. ACI ASQ survey is world-renowned and established airport service quality benchmarking programme measuring passengers’ satisfaction.

2. Infosys Bags UN Global Climate Action Award for ‘Carbon Neutral Now’ Category: IT major Infosys has received the United Nations Global Climate Action Award in the ‘Climate Neutral Now’ category. Infosys is the only corporate from India to earn the recognition for its efforts to combat climate change. The announcement of the winners was made after the UN Climate Summit in New York convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The award will be presented to Infosys at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Santiago, Chile (December 2019).

Note: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys: Salil Parekh.

DEFENCE

1. Air Marshal HS Arora appointed new IAF Vice Chief: Air Marshal HS Arora has been appointed as the Vice Chief of Indian Air Force. He will succeed Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria who will take over as the Chief of Air Staff. Air Marshal Arora is currently heading the Gandhinagar headquartered South Western Air Command of the Air Force. He was also deputed as Defence Attache at the Embassy of India, Bangkok, Thailand from 2006 to 2009. In another re-shuffle, Air Marshal B Suresh has been appointed as Western Air Commander of the Air Force, in New Delhi. Suresh will succeed Kargil war hero Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar.

OBITUARIES

1. Owner of the Britannia & Co restaurant, Boman Rashid Kohinoor passes away: Mr Boman Rashid Kohinoor, senior partner at the iconic Britannia & Co restaurant (Mumbai) has passed away at the Parsee General Hospital in Mumbai, Maharashtra due to cardiac arrest. Boman Kohinoor’s father Rashid Kohinoor, a Zoroastrian immigrant from Iran started this restaurant in the south Mumbai, in the year 1923.

Daily GK Updates - 27th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India Tourism Mart 2019 inaugurated in New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (I/C) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the exhibition of India Tourism Mart (ITM) 2019 in New Delhi. The Ministry of Tourism and the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) have jointly organized this Mart. Over 240 international delegates from 51 countries and 160 exhibitors from across the country are taking in the part in the second edition of ITM. The Mart will provide a platform at the national level for trade and hospitality service providers in the country to interact and conduct business with their counterparts from overseas.

2. UP govt. announces ₹6,000 annual aid for ‘triple talaq’ victims: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath announced an annual support of ₹6,000 to the victims of triple talaq till their rehabilitation and they will get free legal aid. The victims of triple talaq came under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) and govt also gives rights over waqf properties and also called for several welfare measures that should be undertaken for their rehabilitation.

Note: ‘Triple talaq’ is a form of Islamic divorce which has been used by Muslims in India. It allowed any Muslim man to legally divorce his wife by uttering the word talaq (the Arabic word for "divorce") three times in oral, written or, more recently, electronic form.

3. Centre approves construction of 1.23 lakh houses under PMAY-Urban: The Indian government has approved the construction of 1.23 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). The approval was given by the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC). With this approval, over 90 lakh houses have so far been sanctioned against the target of 1.12 crore by 2022 under PMAY (Urban).

Note: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (launched in June 2015) is an initiative by Government of India in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million affordable houses by 31st March 2022.

4. Justice C.K. Abdul Rehim- Acting CJ of the Kerala, Justice Vineet Kothari- Acting CJ of Madras: According to law and justice ministry’s notification the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind has appointed senior High Court (HC) judge Justice C.K. Abdul Rehim as the acting Chief Justice(CJ) of the Kerala High Court after incumbent Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy was elevated as the Supreme Court (SC) Judge.

Also Justice Vineet Kothari of Rajasthan, the senior-most judge of Madras High Court (HC), appointed as its Acting Chief Justice (ACJ). He replaces Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani who recently resigned her post.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Global Goals Jam 3.0 hosted by World University of Design: World University of Design (WUD) hosted Global Goals Jam 3.0. The Indian edition of the global event focusing on design thinking and service design methodologies was hosted with the theme: eWaste. 70 participants from across India, divided into ten groups, participated in the workshop and presented their ideas and vision for the future. GGJ is an international platform for inclusive learning where people from all around the world contribute to the 17 global goals for sustainable development of UNDP by sharing their stories, projects, and visions for the future.

2. Bangladesh lifts ban on Hilsa export to India: Bangladesh has lifted the ban on the exports of Hilsa fish to India as a goodwill gesture during the Durga Puja. Bangladesh will allow 500 tonnes of Hilsa fish for the occasion as a onetime arrangement. Export of the popular Hilsa or ‘Ilish’ fish from Bangladesh was banned in 2012 after local business establishments called for controlling the price of fishes. Bangladesh accounts for nearly 75 percent of world Hilsa production and nearly 2 million people get direct and indirect employment from its cultivation.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; PM: Sheikh Hasina.

3. 21st session of FAO-WHO Coordinating Committee of Asia for 2019 held in Panaji, Goa: The 21st session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinating Committee of Asia for 2019 was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Goa- Panaji, Goa from September 23-27, 2019. It was the second session of the Coordinating Committee in Asia, organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in collaboration with the WHO and FAO of the United Nations (UN). The aim of the session was to identify issues and explore best practices in food safety at primary production in the region and delegates from 18 member countries participated in the session.

4. World Tourism Day: 27 September: The United Nations observes 27 September every year as World Tourism Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. This year India is hosting the official celebrations of World Tourism Day with the theme ‘Tourism and Jobs: a better future for all’.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu conferred the National tourism awards in various categories at a function in New Delhi. Andhra Pradesh has bagged the Best State Award for overall growth in tourism category while Goa and Madhya Pradesh were joint winners in the Adventure Tourism category. Uttarakhand was awarded best film promotion friendly state and Telangana for the best state in the innovative use of IT category.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Ministry of Sports to create 20 National Centres of Excellence to groom athletes: Ministry of Sports will create 20 National Centres of Excellence to groom athletes for 2024 and 2028 Olympics. The new scheme will ensure that athletes in the same premises have access to similar facilities unlike before. According to sports minister Kiren Rijiju, standardising training on campuses will enable athletes to attain much higher performances in their respective sport. Each Centre of Excellence will offer funds for four to six specific sports. The centres are in Patiala, Trivandrum, Chandigarh, Sonepat, Lucknow, Guwahati, Imphal, Kolkata, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Gandhinagar.

2. Facebook bags digital content rights for ICC matches in South Asia: The International Cricket Council has inked an agreement with Facebook, under which the social media platform will get exclusive digital content rights for select cricket matches in the Indian subcontinent including the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020-22, Men’s T20 World Cup 2020-21 and the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The social media platform also bagged the rights for match recaps for rest of the world for the next 4 years.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of ICC: Manu Sawhney.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. The search engine ‘Google’ is celebrating its 21st birthday: The Internet search engine ‘Google’ is celebrating its 21st birthday on 27 Sept, 2019. American multinational technology company ‘Google’ has shown this special occasion of the 20-year journey by making doodles (An old computer is shown in Google's doodle). Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University in California. Google (operating in 100 languages) is one of the four big technology companies along with Apple, Amazon, Facebook.

Note: Indian American Sundar Pichai (Pichai Sundararajan) is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Google LLC. Headquarters: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, California, U.S.

OBITUARIES

1. 4-time Emmy Award winner J. Michael Mendel passes away: An American television producer 4-time Emmy Award winner J. Michael Mendel (54-years) passed away at his home in Los Angeles, US. He won four Emmys for ‘Lisa’s Wedding’ (in 1995), Homer’s Phobia (in 1997), Trash of the Titans (in 1998) and Pickle Rick (in 2018). He joined ‘The Simpsons’ (in 1989), where he produced shows such as The PJs, The Oblongs, Drawn Together, Sit Down, Shut Up, and Napoleon Dynamite.