Daily GK Updates - 12th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Centre approves to set up four medical device parks: The government of India has given approval for setting up four medical device parks with a view to support Make in India initiative and provide world-class products at an affordable price for treatment. The four parks will be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. These parks will provide the necessary infrastructure, where companies can easily plug and play. This will not only cut import bill but will also help in easy access to standard testing facilities and reduce the cost of production. The project of Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone for creation of Common Facility Centre (CFC) for Superconducting Magnetic Coil Testing and Research was given in-principle approval recently. The scheme proposes to provide Rs. 25 crores or 70% of the project cost of setting up CFCs, whichever is less, for the creation of common facilities in any upcoming park.

Note: India is largely an importer of medical devices, with domestic industry accounting for about 2% of the global industry which stands at USD 250 billion, as per the estimates.

2. Gujarat Govt gives approval to world’s first CNG terminal at Bhavnagar port: Gujarat Government has given approval to the world’s first CNG terminal at Bhavnagar port, Gujarat. The joint venture of United Kingdom-based Foresight Group and Mumbai-based Padmanabh Mafatlal Group will invest 1,900 crore rupees to set up a CNG terminal at Bhavnagar port. For this, a Memorandum of Understanding between Gujarat Maritime Board and London-based Foresight Group was signed during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit earlier this year. Proposed CNG terminal will have an annual capacity of 1.5 metric tonnes. At present, the Bhavnagar port is operated by Gujarat Maritime Board, which is handling three metric tones of cargo annually. 

Note: Gujarat CM: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat; Capital: Gandhinagar.

3. “National Capital Region -2041” conclave held in Delhi: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, chaired the inaugural conclave on “National Capital Region -2041” in Delhi. This conclave is organized by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB). The theme of the conclave was “Planning for Tomorrow’s Greatest Capital Region”. The Regional Plan-2041 should be a citizen-centric plan, with liveability as the hallmark, to ensure ease of living.

Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri.

4. Dal Lake of J&K to be declared Eco-Sensitive Zone: The Jammu and Kashmir government has set up a 10-member committee to declare Srinagar’s famous Dal Lake and its surrounding areas as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ), following concerns over its shrinking size. Pollution and encroachments have resulted in the Dal Lake shrinking from its original area of 22 square kilometres to about 10 square kilometres, according to an assessment by the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) in 2017. The capacity of the lake has shrunk to 40%. The depth of the lake has reduced in many places due to the absence of desilting.

Note: he Eco-Sensitive Zone is called Ecologically Fragile Areas. A region or territory is notified as ESZ by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change. In General, the regions are around wildlife sanctuaries, protected areas and National Parks.

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir: Girish Chandra Murmu.

4. Newly discovered species of spider named after Sachin Tendulkar: Dhruv Prajapati, a research scholar from the Gujarat Ecological Education & Research (GEER) Foundation, has discovered two new spider species in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. One spider species was named after Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar as “Marengo Sachin Tendulkar” while the other was named as “Indomarengo chavarapater” after Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, who played a key role in creating awareness on education in the state of Kerala.

5. Justice AP Sahi sworn-in as Chief Justice of Madras High Court: Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi was sworn-in as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office to Justice Sahi. Justice Sahi replaces Justice VK Tahilramani, who quit on September 6. Prior to this appointment, Justice Sahi was Chief Justice of the Patna High Court from November 17, 2018.

6. Union Minister, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant resign from NDA govt: President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted the resignation of Arvind Ganpat Sawant (Shiv Sena MP) from the Union Council of Ministers. Earlier, Mr Sawant is the Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister in Narendra Modi government. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has been assigned the additional charge of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

7. Public Service Broadcasting Day: 12 November: Public Service Broadcasting Day is celebrated on 12 November every year. The day is celebrated every year to commemorate the first and last visit of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi to the studio of All India Radio, Delhi in 1947. The Father of the Nation addressed the displaced people, who had temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana after partition.

8. 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji celebrated: The 550th birth anniversary of first Sikh guru and founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev is being celebrated as ‘Prakash Parv’on 12 November. President Ramnath Kovind has taken part in the festivities at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district of Punjab. Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent more than 15 years at Sultanpur Lodhi, where he attained enlightenment.

Note: Guru Nanak Dev was born on the full moon day of Kartik month (Poornima) in 1469. Guru Nanak was the founder of the Sikh religion and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. BRICS trade ministers meeting begins in Brasilia: BRICS trade ministers meeting has been started in Brasilia. The meeting will focus on trade facilitation, investment promotion and cooperation in customs among other issues. MoU on trade and investment promotion between agencies of all the 5 BRICS countries will be signed after the meeting. Commerce minister Piyush Goyal is leading the Indian delegation. Later, Power minister R K Singh will attend the meeting of BRICS power ministers where deliberations will focus on clean energy and harnessing the strengths of each other in the energy sector.

2. NASA detects huge X-ray burst from outer space: NASA has detected a massive thermonuclear explosion coming from outer space, caused by a massive thermonuclear flash on the surface of a pulsar. The crushed remains of a star that long ago exploded as a supernova. The explosion released as much energy in 20 seconds as the Sun does in nearly 10 days. NASA’s Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) telescope on the International Space Station (ISS) detected a sudden spike of X-rays on August 20, reports the US space agency. The X-ray burst, the brightest seen by NICER so far, came from an object named “J1808”. The observations reveal many phenomena that have never been seen together in a single burst.

Note: NASA Administrator: Jim Bridenstine; NASA established: 29 July 1958.

3. NASA unveils its first electric airplane: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched its first all-electric experimental aircraft named the X-57 “Maxwell”. The first delivery of the all-electric experimental aircraft was taken from Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) in California, United States (US). It is NASA’s 1st crewed X-plane (experimental plane) in nearly 2 decades adapted from Italian Tecnam P2006T aircraft. Due to current battery limitations, Maxwell's design is envisioned for use in short-haul flights as an air-taxi or commuter plane for a small number of passengers.  The aircraft is expected to be operational by late 2020.

4. World Pneumonia Day: 12 November: World Pneumonia Day is observed every year on 12th November to raise awareness about pneumonia, the world’s leading infectious killer of children under the age of 5. World Pneumonia Day was established in 2009 and seeks to spread awareness of the diseases as a public health issue. The day also aims to generate action, including continued donor investment, to combat pneumonia and other common, deadly childhood diseases.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Thomas Dennerby takes charge as Indian Head Coach in FIFA U-17 Women’s WC: All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced the appointment of Thomas Dennerby (Sweden) as the Indian head coach of the Women’s U-17 football team. The FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) U-17(under 17) women’s football World Cup 2020 will be hosted by India. Thomas led the Sweden Women’s national team to finish third in the FIFA World Cup in 2011. He previously worked as coach of Super Falcons, the Nigerian women’s national team to the 2019 FIFA World Cup in France. He was also awarded the coach of the year for 2018 in Nigeria.

Note: President of All India Football Federation: Praful Patel; Founded: 23 June 1937; Headquarters: New Delhi.

2. Saurabh Chaudhary wins silver medal in Men’s 10m air pistol event at Asian Championship: Saurabh Chaudhary claimed the silver medal in men’s 10m air pistol event to continue India’s surge at the 14th Asian Championship in Doha, Qatar. World Cup and Asian Games gold-medallist shot 244.5 to finish second on the podium behind North Korea’s Kim Song Guk, who won the top prize with a world record 246.5. Iran’s Foroughi Javed bagged the bronze. India won six Olympic quotas across events from the prestigious championship, taking their total to 15.

3. Javelin thrower Sundar Singh wins gold in World Para Athletics Championships: India's Javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar has won a gold medal in the men's F46 javelin throw event at World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai. With this, India has secured three Tokyo Paralympic Games quota, along with the bronze winner Ajeet Singh and Rinku. Gurjar came up with his season's best effort of 61.22m to claim the top spot While Yogesh Kathuniya added a silver for India in men's discus throw F56 event with a best throw of 42.05m yesterday. India now has two gold, two silver and a bronze in the Championships.

Daily GK Updates - 11th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.5th edition of GES 2019 to be held in Bengaluru: The 5th edition of Global Exhibition on Services, GES 2019 is being held from November 26 to 28 at Bengaluru, Karnataka. The Global Exhibition on Services is an annual event which aims to engage industry and governments across the world and to promote greater exchange of trade in services between India and the rest of the world. India is looking to attract investments and partnerships in strategic areas like aviation and space programme, infrastructure, and telecom projects.

Note: Minister of Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal.

2. National Education Day: 11th November: The nation celebrates the National Education Day on 11th November as a mark of respect to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was a freedom fighter, scholar and eminent educationist and independent India’s first Education Minister (served from 1947 to 1958). He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) on September 11, 2008, announced, the Ministry has decided to commemorate the birthday of this great son of India by recalling his contribution to the cause of education in India.

Human Resources Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has launched SWAYAM 2.0, Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds in New Delhi. The SWAYAM programme is initiated by the government to achieve the three cardinal principles of Education Policy - access, equity and quality.

3. Cyclone 'Bulbul' disrupts normal life in Bengal and Bangladesh: Cyclone Bulbul claims at least ten lives and affected 2.73 lakh families as it hit the coastal districts of West Bengal, smashes into the low-lying areas of neighbouring Bangladesh. The cyclone has also damaged hundreds of houses. Nearly two lakh people have been moved to relief camps set up in nine places of the state. Hundreds of uprooted trees have blocked thoroughfares in Kolkata and its fringe areas.

4. Indian Oil to set up 2G ethanol plant in Panipat: The Ministry of Environment has granted clearance to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to set up a ₹ 766-crore 2G ethanol plant in Haryana’s Panipat district. The Ethanol produced in the plant will be exclusively used to blend transportation fuels. The project also aims at doubling farmer’s income.

Note: Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Prakash Javadekar.

5. Justice Sanjay Karol sworn in as Chief Justice of Patna High Court: Justice Sanjay Karol was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan administered the oath of office to Justice Karol at the Raj Bhavan. He was earlier posted as Chief Justice of Tripura before this appointment.

Note: Patna High Court is the High Court of the state of Bihar, established on 3 February 1916 and later affiliated under the Government of India Act 1915.

6. CJI Ranjan Gogoi releases Assamese version of book 'Courts of India: Past to Present': Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has inaugurated the Assamese version of the book Courts of India: Past to Present' in Guwahati. The book has captured the historical developments which took place in the history of the nation's courts. The book has been published by the Publication division. The various chapters of the book narrate the historical events of the court.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Singapore FinTech Festival 2019 begins with Focus on Sustainability: The Singapore FinTech Festival, one of the biggest of its kind in the world began today(11-15th November). The Fintech Festival Being held alongside the ASEAN summit has the strongest Indian presence among exhibiting fintech companies. There will be over 400 speakers, more than 900 exhibitors, 41 international pavilions, and about 60,000 participants from 130 countries. SFF is organised by MAS, in partnership with The Association of Banks in Singapore, and in collaboration with SingEx Holdings.

2. Dharmendra Pradhan visited UAE for ADIPEC: Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend the inaugural Ministerial session of Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference. The Minister is scheduled to meet his UAE counterpart Minister of Energy and Industry, Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei. Both the countries will discuss issues of bilateral hydrocarbon as well as steel sector engagements. He will also explore the opportunities for steel exports to the Middle East countries.

3. Anjani Kumar appointed as next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Mali: The Ministry of external affairs (MEA) announced Anjani Kumar was the next ambassador of India to the Republic of Mali. He is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of batch 2003. He will replace Pradeep Kumar Gupta.

Note: President: Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.

Capital: Bamako; Currency: West African CFA Franc.

4. Iran & Russia inaugurated a new phase of construction for 2nd reactor at Iran's Bushehr: Iran and Russia inaugurated a new phase of construction for a second reactor at Iran's sole nuclear power plant in Bushehr on the Gulf coast. The reactor is one of two officially under construction since 2017 at the Bushehr site. The landmark 2015 nuclear deal Iran signed with six major powers, including Russia, placed restrictions on the sort of nuclear reactor Tehran could develop and its production of nuclear fuel. As part of the agreement, Moscow provides Tehran with the fuel it needs for its electricity-generating nuclear reactors.

5. World Science Day for Peace and Development: 10 November: World Science Day for Peace and Development is celebrated every year on 10th November. The theme for 2019 is “Open science, leaving no one behind”. The day highlights the significant role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives. The day was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2001.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Deepak Chahar becomes second Indian to take T20I hat-trick: Deepak Chahar became the second Indian bowler (first-Ekta Bisht) to clinch a hat-trick in T20 internationals at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. In women's cricket, Ekta Bisht had taken a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in 2012. Chahar recorded the best bowling figures in T20 International cricket, his 6 for 7 in 3.2 overs (earlier Sri Lankan Ajantha Mendis's figures of 6 for 8 against Zimbabwe in 2012). Chahar completed his hat-trick by removing Mustafizur Rahman and Aminul Islam off consecutive deliveries in the final over.

2. Women's boxing icon Adams retires due to medical advice: Two-time Olympic champion Nicola Adams (37-years) will retire because of fears about her sight Nicola Adams became the first-ever women's Olympic boxing champion at London 2012. Adams successfully defended her title in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Karnataka Gramin Bank initiates ‘mobile ATMs’ in rural areas: The Karnataka Gramin Bank (KGB) has launched ‘mobile ATMs’ in Kalaburagi, among several other districts in the Karnataka. The special vehicle includes an ATM and a screen to show videos of different banking schemes. The mobile ATMs will go to the doorsteps of the farmers and make them aware of the banking schemes and digital operating systems. A bank official would be present in the van, who will provide information regarding the digital operating systems and schemes.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Shanta Gokhale conferred with Tata Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2019: Writer, translator and film critic Shanta Gokhale (79-year) has been conferred with Tata Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 for his outstanding contribution in the field of theatre. Recently, Gokhale published her memoir One Foot on the Ground: A Life Told Through the Body. Poet K Satchidanandan was named the Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate for 2019. Satchidanandan has represented the country at several literary meetings overseas and headed many national literary institutions. Gokhale will be presented with the award on 17th November, while Satchidanandan will be honoured on 14th November 2019.

DEFENCE

1. Defence innovations conference to showcase accomplishments of iDEX: The defence ministry is organising Def-Connect in New Delhi to showcase the accomplishments of the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative. The conference aims to bring together all stakeholders of the iDEX ecosystem, Ministry of defence, iDEX selected startups, Partner Incubators, Defence Innovation Organisation, Nodal agencies (Indian Army, Navy, Airforce), Defence Research and Development Organisation and Defence Public Sector Undertakings and Indian Ordnance Factories. The launch of iDEX Portal and launch of Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC)-III are some of the major activities planned during this day-long event.

Note: Union Defence minister: Rajnath Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Padma Shri Dhrupad vocalist Ramakant Gundecha passes away: Padma Shri-awardee Dhrupad vocalist Ramakant Gundecha passed away. He was awarded the Padma Shri for 2012 in the field of Art – Indian Classical Music – Vocal along with his brother Umakant Gundecha. Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent and is related to the South Indian Carnatic tradition.

2. Former chief election commissioner TN Seshan passes away: Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) TN Seshan (86-years) passed away in Chennai. Mr Seshan (IAS Officer: 1955 batch) was appointed CEC on 12th December 1990 during the P V Narasimha Rao led Congress government. He is widely credited for bringing in electoral reforms that changed the face of Indian elections. One of them was the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, which is a set of guidelines issued to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections. He held various key posts in the government including that of Defence Secretary and Cabinet Secretary.

Daily GK Updates - 10th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 27th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organizations (COCSSO) to be held at Kolkata: The 27th Conference of Central and State Statistical Organizations (COCSSO) will be held in Kolkata, West Bengal on 11 and 12 November 2019. It is organised by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The theme of the event is: “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”. The Conference provides a platform for discussion and improved coordination between the Central and State Statistical agencies for enhancing the efficiency of the Indian Statistical System.

2. Devendra Fadnavis resigns as Maharashtra chief minister: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has finally resigned and met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to submit his resignation papers. This comes just hours before the deadline for government formation in Maharashtra ends with the current assembly session coming to an end on November 9. Fadnavis addressed a press conference after submitting his resignation. Fadnavis announced that he has submitted his resignation to the Governor and he has accepted it. Soon he launched into a direct attack on ally Shiv Sena and its chief Uddhav Thackeray and said while the elections were fought by the two parties as allies, Sena's sudden change of stand after the results "came as a shock".

3. India’s first Elephant Memorial opens in Mathura: India’s first elephant memorial has come up in Mathura. This memorial is an unique way to honour elephants that lost their lives to illegal trafficking, abuse and cruelty. It has been established by NGO, WildLife SOS at the Elephant Conservation & Care Center, Mathura

4. Legal Services Day: 9 November: Legal Services Day is celebrated every year on 9th of November in all the states Authorities. The 9th of November is selected as the Legal Services Day which was first started by the Supreme Court in the year 1995 all across the India to offer help and support to the weaker and poor group of sections of people which may be women, disabled persons, Scheduled Tribes, children, Scheduled Castes, human trafficking victims as well as natural calamities victims.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India contributes USD 1 mn for WFP's humanitarian activities in N Korea: As North Korea faces chronic food shortage, India has contributed USD 1 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its humanitarian activities in Pyongyang, the UN agency's monthly report said. In September, a total of 584,800 people received aid across North Korea as the country received 1,905 tons of food aid from the WFP, up from 1,425 tons provided in August. In 2018, North Korea's crop output hit the lowest since 2008, leading to an urgent need for food to an estimated 10 million people, or about 40 per cent of its population, the WFP and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported in May. In a bid to address the food situation, South Korea had planned to provide 50,000 tons of rice to Pyongyang through WFP. However, the North has refused to accept the offer.

2. ‘World Tolerance Summit’ to be held in Dubai: A two-day ‘World Tolerance Summit’ will be held in Dubai, UAE on November 13 and 14, 2019. Mathematician Anand Kumar of Super 30 has been invited to address this summit. The summit is an initiative of the International Institute for Tolerance, as part of UAE’s Prime Minister and ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s global drive. Theme: “Tolerance in Multiculturalism: Achieving the Social, Economic and Humane Benefits of a Tolerant World”.

3. ADB approves $300 million for power transmission expansion in Bangladesh: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 300 million dollar loan for a project to expand power transmission lines in Greater Dhaka and western zone of Bangladesh. Besides ADB's loan, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is considering 200 million dollars in co-financing to fund transmission lines, substations and an enterprise resource planning system. The assistance also comprises a 750,000 dollar grant from China's Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund. According to ADB Principal Energy Specialist Aiming Zhou "The project will improve the reliability and efficiency of the electricity supply in Greater Dhaka and western zone of Bangladesh, helping to bolster economic growth and achieve the government target of electricity for all by 2021." Bangladesh has yielded average annual gross domestic growth of 6.5 per cent during fiscal years 2009 to 2018 and achieved lower middle-income country status in FY2015. Despite its economic success, Bangladesh faces major challenges in maintaining growth trends and reducing poverty because of infrastructure deficiencies in the energy sector and elsewhere.

4. ‘Climate strike’ named 2019 word of the year by Collins Dictionary: Climate strike” has been crowned word of the year by Collins Dictionary. The term, which refers to people leaving work or school as a way to demand action on climate change, was used 100 times more often in 2019 compared to last year, Collins’ lexicographers found. The company says that they monitor a 9.5 billion-word body of text each year to identify “new and notable” words that reflect big shifts in culture.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. France Claims Fed Cup Title 2019 with 3-2 Win Against Australia: France defeated Australia, 3-2, to claim their first Fed Cup title in 16 years, held in Perth, Australia. Fed Cup is an international team competition in women’s tennis. Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic of France surpassed Ashleigh Barty and Samantha Stosur, 6-4, 6-3, winning the deciding doubles match to break the tie. This was France’s third Fed Cup title and first since they beat the United States in 2003. However, Australia has till date lost all nine of the last Fed Cup finals they have appeared in.

2. Kento Momota Defends Fuzhou China Open Badminton Title to Claim 10th Title of 2019: Japan’s World number one Kento Momota defeated Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan to win 2019 Fuzhou China Open men’s single badminton title. With this win, the 25-year-old claimed his 10th title of the year 2019. In women’s single, Home hope Chen Yufei claimed victory over Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara to win the title.

3. Indian Cricketer Shafali Surpasses Tendulkar’s 30-year-old record to become youngest Indian to score international fifty: The 15-year-old Shafali Verma has created history as she became the youngest Indian cricketer to score a half-century in international cricket, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 30-year-old record. Shafali achieved the feat while playing T20 International against West Indies at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium. She scored 73 off 49 balls to reach her maiden fifty at the age of 15 years and 285 days. The batting legend Tendulkar scored his maiden Test fifty at 16 years and 214 days.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. No charges on NEFT payments from January: Banks will not be able to charge their savings account customers for online transactions done via the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system from January 2020. NEFT can be done by bank customers either online or offline through bank branches. While several major banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, and YES Bank, do not charge for online NEFT transactions, Bank of Baroda and Union Bank of India charge Rs. 2.25, excluding the goods and services tax (GST), for such transfers up to Rs. 10,000. The RBI earlier this year had waived the charges it levied on banks for transactions routed through NEFT and the Real- Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS), which is used for large fund transfers. It had asked banks to pass on the benefit to customers to provide an impetus to the digital funds movement.

2. IRDAI directs Reliance Health Insurance to stop selling new policies: IRDAI has barred Reliance Health Insurance Ltd (RHICL) from selling new policies due to its weak financial health. The regulator has also asked RHICL to transfer the entire policyholders’ liabilities along with financial assets to Reliance General Insurance Co Ltd (RGICL), which in turn will settle claims of the existing policyholders. IRDAI noted that Reliance Health Insurance was facing solvency issues. Solvency ratio loosely refers to the financial ability of an insurer to service its obligations, including payment to claims. RHICL had reported a solvency ratio of 106 per cent for the quarter ended June 30. It was below 150 per cent, which is the control level of solvency.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. 8 Indian companies named in Fintech 100 list: Eight Indian firms have been named in the KPMG and H2 Ventures’ ‘Fintech100’ list with two firms in top 10. PayTm is ranked 5th while Ola is ranked 8th. Ant Financial (China) is on rank one in the list. This report compiles a list of the best fintech innovators from around the world. Apart from this, Policybazaar is ranked on 21, Lendingkart on 23.

2. Indian start-up ecosystem continues to be the 3rd largest in the world: NASSCOM Report: As per the “Indian Tech Start-up Ecosystem” released by NASSCOM, the Indian start-up ecosystem continues to be the third-largest in the world with a total of 24 Unicorns. (unicorn is a start-up with >$1Bn valuation). China is on top with 206 Unicorns and US is on second with 203 unicorns.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla Conferred ABLF Global Asian Award by UAE Govt: Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla has been honoured with the ABLF Global Asian Award by the UAE Government in Dubai. He has been awarded for being a “Powerful individual whose business footprint and commitment to excellence have engaged international interest and attention”. The previous recipients of the award include among others Late Dhirubhai Ambani, Mr. Lakshmi Mittal, H.E Mohamed Ali Alaber (Chairman- Emaar), H.E Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum (Chairman-Emirates).

2. George Schaller award for wildlife biologist: Wildlife biologist K. Ullas Karanth, Director, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bengaluru, was awarded the George Schaller Lifetime Award in Wildlife Conservation Science for his contribution to the field of conservation. He is the first recipient of the award instituted by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), New York.

DEFENCE

1. Indo-Russian Joint Tri-Service Exercise INDRA 2019 to be held from December 10-19: India is set to host the first-ever joint tri-service exercise between India and Russia codenamed INDRA 2019 from December 10-19. The 10-day bilateral joint services exercise is expected to enhance interoperability between both national armed forces (Armies, Air Forces and Navies) to jointly undertake operations under the UN flag.

Daily GK Updates - 9th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian Railways launches 3 online applications for all-India rollout: Indian Railways has launched three applications for all-India roll out to strengthen its IT-enabled services which will help ensure proper monitoring of projects being undertaken by Railways. The applications, namely CRS Sanction Management System, Rail-road crossing GAD approval system and TMS for construction aim at beefing up IT-enabled services.

The CRS Sanction Management System is an important aspect in construction, maintenance and up-gradation of railway assets.

Rail-road crossing GAD approval system will expedite preparation, processing and approval of general agreement drawings related to the construction of Road Over Bridges and Road Under Bridges.

Application TMS for construction has been developed for new assets being constructed by the construction organization.

2. Supreme Court orders Centre to set up a trust for temple construction: A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya. It also directed the Centre to allot an alternative five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque at a prominent place in the holy town. It ordered a trust should be formed within three months for the construction of the temple at the site. The historic verdict was pronounced on 14 appeals filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment. The Apex Court dismissed the appeal of the Shia Waqf Board in the case saying that the land belongs to the government as per revenue records. The court further said the underlying structure below the disputed site at Ayodhya was not an Islamic structure, but the Archaeological Survey of India, ASI has not established whether a temple was demolished to build a mosque.

3. PM Modi inaugurates Integrated check post of Kartarpur Corridor: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Integrated check post of Kartarpur Corridor at Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab. Mr. Modi flagged off the first batch of over 500 Indian pilgrims led by Akal Takhat Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through the corridor. Now, it will be easy to pay obeisance at Darbar Sahib Gurudwara after the opening of Kartarpur Corridor. Earlier, Sikh pilgrims have-to go through the long visa process, wait for particular dates of buses to reach the Gurudwara via Wagah border.

Note: The corridor connects ‘Dera Baba Nanak’ (in Gurdaspur district-India) to the ‘Gurdwara Darbar Sahib’ (in Kartarpur in Narowal district of Pakistan). The Kartarpur Gurudwara (Darbar Sahib Kartarpur) is situated on the banks of river ‘Ravi’, considered to be the first gurdwara ever built. The corridor provides smooth and easy passage to Sikh pilgrims to visit ‘Gurdwara Darbar Sahib’ in Pakistan throughout the year.

4. India Justice Report 2019: Maharashtra holds top, UP ranks bottom: According to ‘India Justice Report 2019’, Maharashtra is the top state among 18 large states in delivering justice to its citizens followed by Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Haryana in the first-ever ranking of states on their capacity to deliver justice to citizens. The list of seven small states (population less than one crore each) was topped by Goa, followed by Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. In this classification, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are at the bottom.

Note: The ranking is part of the India Justice Report (IJR) 2019, an initiative of Tata Trusts in collaboration with Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS- Prayas and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. The India Justice Report brings together, in the first such exercise, otherwise soiled statistics, from authoritative government sources, on the four pillars of justice delivery – police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid.

5. IFFI 2019 to screen 3 films for differently-abled: This year, at the Golden Jubilee of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), will have the screening of Accessible India Films. This is a collaboration between IFFI, Saksham Bharat and UNESCO with the aim to promote the creation of inclusive spaces for the differently-abled to access the joy of cinema through Audio Deion. Audio Deion is an additional narration that translates images, visual information or non-dialogue portions of film into spoken words so that visually-impaired people can access, enjoy and learn from works of popular films. This unique film section will witness the screening of three films, two in Hindi – Lage Raho Munna Bhai and M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story and one in Konkani- Questao De Confusao.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi to visit Brazil for BRICS summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a 2-day visit to Brazil from the 13th of this month to attend the 11th BRICS Summit in Brasilia, Brazil. The theme of the Summit this year is “Economic Growth for an Innovative Future”. This will be the sixth time that Mr Modi participates in the BRICS Summit.

Note: BRICS is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Originally the first four were grouped as “BRIC”, before the induction of South Africa in 2010.

2. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth claims victory in the election: Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth claimed victory in the election today as official preliminary results showing his alliance taking a comfortable lead over rivals in Mauritius. Projections from the Electoral Commission gave a large lead to a coalition led by Jugnauth, who took the helm of one of Africa's wealthiest countries when his father stepped down in 2017. Partial results from the state-run commission forecasted that Jugnauth's centre-right Morisian Alliance will win 38 of 62 possible seats in parliament.

Note: Mauritius Capital: Port Louis; Currency: Mauritian rupee

3. Exim Bank grants $30 million line of credit to Ghana: The Export-Import (Exim) Bank has provided a USD 30 million (about Rs 210 crore) line of credit to Ghana for a potable water project in the country. Under the arrangement, financing of export of eligible goods, works and services from India would be allowed subject to their being eligible for export under the Foreign Trade Policy of India and whose purchase may be agreed to be financed by the Exim Bank. As per the agreement, the terminal utilisation time is 60 months period after the scheduled completion date of the project.

Note: President of Ghana: Nana Akufo-Addo; Capital of Ghana: Accra; Currency of Ghana: Ghanaian cedi.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India to host 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup: India will host the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup from 13th to 29th of January. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) India will play host to the men’s tournament while Spain and the Netherlands have been named as the co-hosts of the 2022 Women’s World Cup scheduled to be held from 1st to 22nd of July. The decisions were made during FIH’s Executive Board Meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. The venues of both the men's and women's World Cups will be announced by the host nations at a later date.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Indian Bank, Muthoot Microfin sign MoU: Public sector Indian Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding with Muthoot Microfinance to serve Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). Under the memorandum of understanding, the bank and the non-banking finance company will jointly lend to the MSME borrowers. The agreement was signed by Sudhakar Rao, Indian Bank general manager-MSME &Praveen T, Muthoot Microfin deputy CFO (Chief Financial Officer)in the presence of the bank’s managing director (MD) and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Padmaja Chunduru.

Note: Indian Bank founded: 15 August 1907; Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

2. RBI increases household income limits for borrowers of NBFCs and MFIs: Reserve Bank has increased the household income limits for borrowers of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs) from 1 lakh to 1.25 lakh rupees. The move is aimed at strengthening credit to those at the bottom of the economic pyramid in rural areas. Similarly, the limit has been increased from 1.6 lakh for urban or semi-urban areas to 2 lakh rupees. The limit has been increased after taking into consideration the important role played by microfinance institutions in delivering credit to those at the bottom of the economic pyramid and to enable them to play their assigned role in a growing economy.

3. SBI lowers lending rates by 5 basis points across all tenors: State Bank of India has lowered its lending rates by 5 basis points across all tenors, today. It has also sharply slashed the deposits pricing between 15 and 75 basis points. It will be effective from 10th of November. This is the seventh consecutive cut in lending rates by the bank this fiscal. The SBI said, with this reduction, the one year Marginal Cost Of Funds-Based Lending (MCLR), to which most of its loan prices are linked, will come down to 8 per cent. The bank also reduced the interest rate on retail term deposit by 15 basis points for one year to less than two years' tenor. The bulk term deposit interest rates have been reduced by 30 to 75  basis points across tenors.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Sanjay Gupta appoints country manager at Google India: Google India has appointed Sanjay Gupta as its new country manager and vice-president of sales and operations for India. Gupta, the former Star and Disney India managing director, will contribute to Google’s efforts to expand the internet ecosystem in the country. He will take on the role early next year, working closely with the teams based in Gurugram, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. He replaces Rajan Anandan, who left Google to join Sequoia Capital India.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Kumar Mangalam Birla conferred ABLF Global Asian award: Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, was conferred the ABLF Global Asian Award, for “powerful individual whose business footprint and commitment to excellence have engaged international interest and attention”. The Asia Business Leadership Forum (ABLF) is backed by the UAE government and currently runs in three forms- talks, awards, and publications. The previous awardees include Dhirubhai Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal, Mohamed Ali Alaber, chairman of Emaar group, and Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Coast Guard conducted Exercise ReSAREX-2019: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) tested its efficiency and preparedness during the Regional Level Search and Rescue Workshop and Exercise 2019 (ReSAREX- 19) conducted off the Goa coast. The ReSAREX - 19 tested the efficiency of operations of various SAR agencies in Goa. ICG participation: 5 ships of ICG, 2 Chetak helicopters were used for the workshop while resources from State Marine Police, Indian Mission Control Centre (IMCC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka, Captain of Ports, state administration of Goa, Goa medical college and Goa’s Mormugao Port Trust were used in the service.

Note: Indian Coast Guard founded: 18 August 1978; Headquarters: New Delhi; Motto(s): Vayam Rakṣ āmaḥ (We protect).

OBITUARIES

1. Sahitya Akademi awardee writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen passes away: Sahitya Akademi awardee writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen passed away. A poet, novelist and short-story writer, Dev Sen won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1999 for her book ‘Naba-Nita’. She was also the recipient of the Padma Shri in 2000. She is the founder and president of the West Bengal Women Writers’ Association. Nabaneeta Dev Sen’s 1978 book on ‘Naxal movement in Bengal’ was published in English.

Daily GK Updates - 8th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates 10th Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurating 10th Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine in New Delhi. The aim of the conference is to develop programs and manuals to train citizens in emergency first aid procedures such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation as it will help in saving a life while waiting for emergency services. The Government of India has made it mandatory for all medical college hospitals to have full-fledged Emergency Departments by 2022 with an aim to improve trauma care.

Note: Emergency medicine is the medical speciality that endeavours to the diagnosis and treatment of the acutely ill and injured patients. Within Asia, EM was first recognized in Singapore in 1984, followed by the Philippines, Turkey, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand and India.

2. DIN System of CBIC comes into existence from 8th November: The Documentation Identification Number (DIN) system of Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC) will come into existence from 8th November. This path braking system in indirect tax administration has been created as per the direction of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The objective of the step is to bring transparency and accountability in the indirect tax administration through the widespread use of information technology.

Note: The DIN would be used for search authorisation, summons, arrest memo, inspection notices and letters issued in the course of any enquiry. DIN, would be treated as invalid and shall be non-est in law or deemed to be as if it has never been issued.

3. Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurates state of art railway station at Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab: The Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the state-of-the-art new railway station along with a multimedia centre at Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab. The railway station modelled on Sikh architecture has been engineered to facilitate pilgrims visiting the holy city. The Minister also released a book on the life and teachings of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji to commemorate Guru Sahab's 550th Prakash Purb.

4. Arvind Singh takes over as AAI chairman: Arvind Singh, a 1988-batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, took charge as the chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The AAI, which comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, owns and manages more than 100 airports across the country. Prior to this appointment, Singh was the additional chief secretary (Energy) of Maharashtra government. He also worked as chairman and managing director of Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited and Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 2nd ‘No money for terror conference 2019’ held in Australia: The 2nd ‘No Money for Terror’ 2019 conference going on in Melbourne, Australia. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G.Kishan Reddy is leading a five-member delegation to the ‘No Money For Terror’ Ministerial Conference taking place in Melbourne, Australia. This conference is Organised by Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) of over 100 countries. This conference jointly called The Egmont Group, which was created to provide FIUs around the world a forum to exchange information confidentially to combat money-laundering, the financing of terrorism and other predicate offences. The first “No Money for Terror” conference was held in France in 2018. India would host the next ‘No Money for Terror’ Conference in 2020.

Note: Prime minister: Scott Morrison; Capital: Canberra; Currency: Australian dollar.

2. US announced an increase in H-1B work visa application fee by 10: According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), The US has announced the increase of H-1B work visa application fee by 10 US Dollars as part of its revised selection process. The non-refundable fee will support the new electronic registration system to make the H-1B cap selection process more efficient. Petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions will first have to electronically register with the USCIS during a designated registration period. The electronic registration system is part of an agency-wide initiative to modernise the immigration system while deterring fraud.

Note: The H-1B program allows US companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the application of a body of highly specialised knowledge with bachelor's or a higher degree in the specific speciality, or its equivalent.

3. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan re-elected as President of UAE: The UAE's Supreme Council of the Union has re-elected His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan as its President for a fourth five-year term. Sheikh Khalifa became president on 3 November 2004, following the death of his father, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Note: The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates consisting of Abu Dhabi (which serves as the capital), Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain). Each emirate is governed by a ruler; together, they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council.

Capital of UAE: Abu Dhabi; Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham.

4. BBC’s announced 100 ‘Novels That Shaped Our World’ list: The British Broadcasting Corporation announced a list of ‘100 Novels That Shaped Our World’. A panel of leading writers, curators and critics compiled the list for the network. The list contains ten categories including identity, love, sex and romance, politics, power and protest, and class and society. The BBC’s novel list is to mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of Daniel Defoe’s novel ‘Robinson Crusoe’. Renowned Indian authors like R K Narayan (Swami and Friends), Arundhati Roy (The God of small things), Salman Rushdie (The Moor’s Last Sigh), Vikram Seth (A Suitable Boy) and S. Naipaul (A House for Mr Biswas) are among 100 writers who have featured on a list of the most inspiring novels chosen by a panel of experts and revealed by the BBC.

5. Dr. Vinaya Shetty appointed as IODA’s 1st Indian and Asian General Vice President: Dr Vinaya Shetty is the first Indian to be elected to the position of General Vice President (GVP), International Organisation Development Association (IODA) since its inception in 1986. She has helped in change and transformation of numerous organisations across industries in India and has been contributing to facilitating IODA’s efforts since 2009. In 2016, Vinaya became the first Indian woman entrepreneur finalist for the prestigious Empretech Women in Business Award by United Nations Conference Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Note: President of IODA: Michelle de Bruyn; Formed: 1986.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Rohit Sharma becomes 1st Indian male cricketer to play 100 T20I: Rohit Sharma (Stand-in skipper) became the first Indian man and second in world cricket to complete 100 T-20 Internationals. He reached the milestone when he led the team in the second match against Bangladesh at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. Shoaib Malik with 111 games from Pakistan is the only player to have played more than 100 T20 Internationals. Rohit is currently the top-scorer in this format with 2452 runs with regular skipper Virat Kohli second in the list with an aggregate of 2450 runs. Rohit has scored the runs at a strike-rate of 136.67 with four hundred and 17 half-centuries.

2. Women’s boxing icon Nicola Adams announced retirement: Two-time Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams (37 years) announced her retirement from the sport on medical advice due to the vulnerability of losing eyesight. She became the first-ever women’s Olympic boxing champion at London 2012 in the United Kingdom(UK), and also the first female boxer to become a double Olympic champion after winning a second gold medal at the Rio Olympics 2016, in Brazil.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI imposes Rs 5 lakh fine on Oxigen Services: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on prepaid payment instrument Oxigen Services. The move was taken in exercise of powers vested under Section 30 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for non-compliance of regulatory guidelines. The fine comes through a speaking order dated September 17, 2019. Oxigen Services facilitates payment processing and money transfer services.

2. Moody's lowers India's outlook to 'negative' from 'stable': Global rating agency Moody’s Investors Service ("Moody's") has lowered the outlook on the government of India's ratings to ‘negative’ from ‘stable’. It affirmed the Baa2 foreign-currency and local-currency long-term issuer ratings for India. Moody's also affirmed India's local-currency senior unsecured rating and another short-term local-currency rating. India’s economy grew only 5.0% year-on-year between April and June, its weakest pace since 2013

Note: Moody's Investors Service was established in 1909, headquarters in New York, USA.

3. Bajaj Allianz General Insurance launches ‘Farmitra’ mobile app for farmers: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has launched a new mobile app called ‘Farmitra’ to help the farmers needs and address their worries. It also resolves with relevant information, which they can use in optimizing their farming practices. The app ‘Farmitra’ provides services for even those who are not customers of Bajaj Allianz. Besides crop insurance, the farmers can buy other covers from the private insurer and also obtain information like weather forecasts and market price of crops and locators for agriculture inputs. The application is currently implemented in 6 states, namely Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Haryana.

Note: Managing Director of Bajaj Allianz: Tapan Singhel; Headquartered: Pune, Maharashtra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Infosys Prize 2019 for science and research: The Infosys Prize for 2019 was announced on November 7 at the Infosys campus in Bengaluru. The award is given annually to honour outstanding achievements of contemporary researchers and scientists across six categories. Those are: Humanities: Manu V. Devadevan, Life Sciences: Manjula Reddy, Mathematical Sciences: Sidhartha Mishra, Physical Sciences: G. Mugesh, Social Sciences: Anand Pandian, Engineering and Computer Science: Sunita Sarawagi. The annual award includes a pure gold medal, a citation and a prize purse worth $100,000 or its equivalent in the Indian rupees.

2. West Bengal based writer Abhisek Sarkar wins an award at Dhaka Lit-fest: At the 9th edition of the Dhaka Literature festival, started with a galaxy of writers and book lovers thronging the venue ground at the Bangla Academy. West Bengal-based writer Abhishek Sarkar and Bangladeshi poet Rofiquzzaman Rony were given the Gemcon Young Literature Award and Gemcon Young Poetry Award. Abhishek and Rofiquzzaman won the awards for their manuscripts, “Nishiddho” and “Dhoashar Tamate Rong,” respectively. The special focus of this year’s lit-fest is on Indigenous Languages as the UNESCO has marked 2019 as the year of Indigenous Language Protection.

3. Gulab Kothari to be awarded Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award: Rajasthan Patrika group chairman Gulab Kothari has been chosen for the prestigious Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award, presented by the Press Council of India, for his outstanding contribution towards journalism. Sanjay Saini, Correspondent, Dainik Bhaskar, Mandi, and Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial Director, India Today, have been jointly named as winners of the award in the category of ‘Rural Journalism’. The award will be presented to Mr. Kothari on the National Press Day (16th November 2019).

Note: Press Council of India Formation: 1966; Headquarters: New Delhi.

4. TVS Motor Chairman Srinivasan conferred with Deming award: Venu Srinivasan (Chairman of TVS Motor Company and Sundaram Clayton) was conferred with the prestigious Deming Distinguished Service Award For Dissemination and Promotion Overseas. Srinivasan becomes the first industrialist from India to be bestowed this prestigious award for his contributions in the field of total quality management (TQM). The Deming Prize is the highest award for TQM in the world.

5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui to be honoured with Asian Film Talent Award at SIFF: Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui will be honoured by Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent Award at the Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF). He will be awarded for his Netflix's Emmy-nominated original series Sacred Games. Earlier, Nawazuddin Siddiqui was honoured by the Golden Dragon Award at the Cardiff International Film Festival for his excellence in cinema in the International market.

Note: The Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent Award is one of the most honourable awards on the global platform.