Daily GK Updates - 27th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Uttar Pradesh govt to set up state's 1st vulture conservation: The Uttar Pradesh government will set up state's first vulture conservation and breeding centre in farenda area of Maharajganj district. The new centre will be set up on the lines of Jatayu Conservation Centre at Pinjore in Haryana (first in the country). It would be set up in association with Bombay Natural History Society, a wildlife research organization. It will be the first scientific assessment of vultures in the state to find out which species is most threatened and the locations where these natural scavengers are thriving.

Note: There has been a sharp decline in the population of vultures in the country which has come down from 40 million to 19,000 in a span of over three decades.

2. Chattisgarh declares Guru Ghasidas National Park as tiger reserve: The Chhattisgarh government has decided to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park in the state’s Korea district as a tiger reserve. The decision was taken at a meeting of Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Presently the state has three tiger reserves, namely Indravati in Bijapur district, Udanti-Sitanadi in Gariaband and Achanakmar in Bilaspur. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had approved to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park as a tiger reserve in 2014.

Note: Governor of Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey.

3. Seminar "DEFCOM INDIA 2019" underway in New Delhi: Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik has inaugurated a two-day seminar "DEFCOM INDIA 2019’ in New Delhi. The theme of ‘DEFCOM INDIA 2019’ is ‘Communications: A Decisive Catalyst for Jointness’. The seminar is devoted to the seminal theme of leveraging communications for achieving jointness between the three services.

4. CCEA approves to increase authorized capital of FCI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs(CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved to increase the authorized capital of Food Corporation of India (FCI) from existing 3,500 crore rupees to 10,000 crore rupees. With this, additional equity capital can be infused in FCI through the Union Budget, to fund the foodgrains stock, perpetually held by FCI. This will reduce the borrowings of FCI, save its interest cost and reduce food subsidy in consequence.

5. Subhash Chandra resigned as Chairman of the Zee Entertainment Enterprises' board: Media mogul Subhash Chandra has resigned as Chairman of the Zee Entertainment Enterprises' board with immediate effect. Mr. Chandra will continue as a non-executive director, which he founded in 1992. Subhash Chandra resigns to comply with a rule mandating that Chairman can’t be related to MD & CEO. Zee board appoints six independent directors; all the appointments will have to be approved by the shareholders.

Note: Zee Entertainment Enterprises is an Indian mass media company owned by Essel Group. Headquartered: Mumbai. ZEEL has reported revenue of Rs 6,857.86 crore for 2018-19.

6. Book titled “Hemant Karkare -A Daughter’s Memoir” by Jui Karkare Navare released: On 11th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, a book titled “Hemant Karkare -A Daughter’s Memoir” by his daughter Jui Karkare Navare was released in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The book has been published by The Write Place. The book portrays former Anti-Terrorism Squad(ATS) chief Hemant Karkare’s life as a father to Jui Karkare Navare. 18 security personnel lost their lives in the 26/11 terror attacks, also known as the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The attack was carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan, in 8 places of Mumbai.

7. ISRO launches India’s earth observation satellite ‘Cartosat-3’: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched India’s most sophisticated Earth observation satellite Cartosat-3 and 13 US nanosatellites from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The launch enhanced India's ability in high-resolution imaging and also reinforce India as a global launch destination for small satellites using its workhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. According to ISRO, the 1,625 kg Cartosat-3 is an advanced agile satellite to obtain panchromatic and multispectral imagery with an operational life of five years. The advanced earth observation and imaging satellite will be used for weather mapping, cartography or army defence and other strategic applications.

Note: SLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in the ‘XL’ configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors). This will be the 74th launch vehicle mission from Sriharikota. Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability. The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees.

Headquarters of ISRO: Bengaluru; Chairperson of ISRO: Kailasavadivoo Sivan.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Uzbekistan sign pact on counter-terror cooperation: India and Uzbekistan have signed a pact for further strengthening of cooperation in the fields of counter-terrorism and organised crime. The agreement was signed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his Uzbekistan counterpart Pulat Bobojonov here to further increase cooperation between India and Uzbekistan in diverse fields including counter-terrorism, organized crime and human trafficking.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest including bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation, capacity building and training for Uzbek security personnel in Indian institutions, border guarding and disaster management.

Note: Capital of Uzbekistan: Tashkent; Currency: Uzbekistani soʻm.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI & U GRO ink loan co-origination agreement: NewQuest-backed U GRO Capital inked an SME loan co-origination agreement with State Bank of India to facilitate broader credit outreach and faster disbursal. The alliance to leverage U GRO Capital’s proprietary technology platform ‘GRO-Xstream’ to provide in-principle loan approval within 60 minutes. U GRO Capital, a BSE listed, technology-enabled small business lending platform entered into a loan co-origination.

Note: Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of U GRO Capital: Abhijit Ghosh; U GRO Capital Launch: December 2017.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. RIL market cap hits ₹9.5 lakh crore, a first for an Indian company: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is the first Indian company to cross Rs.9.5 lakh in market capitalization (m-cap). Recently Vodafone India and Bharti Airtel had announced their tariff hike which will be implemented from December 2019. This has increased the share price of RIL in the market and is believed to attract more subscribers for Reliance Jio. On 26 Nov 2019, its m-cap touched Rs 9,99,045 crore nearing the Rs 10 lakh crore mark. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), RIL’s closest rival in market capital had a share price of Rs.2,110, 2% lower on BSE and m-cap of Rs.7,71,996.87 crore.

Note: Reliance Industries Limited Founded: 8 May 1973; Founder (Reliance Industries Limited): Dhirubhai Ambani; CEO: Mukesh Ambani; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Manisha Kulshreshtha wins 28th Bihari Puraskar: Noted writer from Rajasthan, Manisha Kulshreshtha, was awarded the 28th Bihari Puraskar for 2018 for her novel ‘Swapnapash’. The award is presented by the KK Birla Foundation and is for writers of Rajasthani origin. It is given annually to an outstanding work in Hindi or Rajasthani published in the past 10 years. Named after famous Hindi poet Bihari, the award carries a cash prize of 2.5 lakh, a citation, and a plaque.

Note: The K.K Birla foundation is named after Krishna Kumar Birla, famous Indian industrialist. Established: 1991, Delhi.

2. Indian journalist Neha Dixit recipients of International Press Freedom Award: Indian journalist Neha Dixit has receipt 2019 International Press Freedom Awards. This award is awarded by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-profit organization whose aim is to enable journalists to work without the fear of reprisal. Dixit received the award for her reports on sex trafficking scandals in India by Investigative reporter in Miami Herald, Julie k.Brown.

Note: Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) formation: 1981; Headquarters: New York, United States.

3. Sundram Fasteners’ Suresh Krishna gets ‘Quality Ratna’ award: India’s first ‘Quality Ratna’ award to Suresh Krishna, Chairman, Sundram Fasteners Ltd. He has been a role model for society in embracing the principles of quality in both personal and professional life. He pioneered the constitution of the TPM Club of India in collaboration with the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance in 1998 and was its first Chairman. This award was awarded by trade body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Institute of Quality, in its 27th Quality Summit held in Bengaluru.

Note: CII Formation: 1895; Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

4. Ekalabya award 2019 for Odia weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera: Odia women weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera, who has brought laurels for both the State and the country in several national and international events, will receive the 27th Ekalabya Award for 2019. The annual award instituted by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation. She has won two gold, three silver and a bronze medal in different International weightlifting events held between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2019.

Note: The annual award instituted in 1993 by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation. Ekalabya Award instituted to encourage and inspire young sportspersons to perform at the national and international arena.

5. Billie Eilish is Billboard’s 2019 ‘Woman of the Year’: Singer Billie Eilish will be honoured as Billboard’s 2019 Woman of the Year. Billie Eilish is the youngest artist ever to be named Billboard’s Woman of the Year. Pop star Taylor Swift will be honoured at Billboard’s event, receiving the inaugural Woman of the Decade award. Billie has disrupted the entertainment industry through her music and social media platforms, leaving an indelible impact on the global cultural zeitgeist. Eilish gets her crown during the Billboard Women in Music event on 12th December this year.

DEFENCE

1. India to host naval drill Milan 2020: The Indian Navy will host military drill ‘Milan 2020’ in March which will witness the participation of several countries. 41 nations from South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe that share defence cooperation with India have been invited for the drill. MILAN stands for ‘Multilateral Naval Exercise’. The government pursues cooperation initiatives with friendly foreign countries, including in the Indian Ocean Region, through structured interactions like Staff Talks, Empowered Steering Group. The areas of cooperation include capacity building, marine domain awareness, training, hydrography, technical assistance, operational exercise.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Tamil television and film actor Bala Singh passes away: Tamil television and film actor Bala Singh (67-years) passed away in a private hospital in Chennai. Bala Singh was known for playing villainous roles with much aplomb. He played notable characters in Kamal Haasan's Indian, Ullaasam, Simmarasi, Dheena, Virumaandi, Saamy, Kannathil Muthamittal, Pudhupettai and many more films. Bala was last seen in the serial Aathira as Rajarajan in the year 2016.

2. Cartoonist Sudhir Dar passes away: Cartoonist Sudhir Dar (87-years) passed away due to cardiac arrest in Noida. Sudhir Dar began his career with The Statesman (in 1961), after which he moved to the Hindustan Times. Dar’s cartoons were often political in nature, often taking direct shots at the bureaucracy and the general corruption in Indian politics

3. Former Indian Navy chief Sushil Kumar passes away: Former Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sushil Kumar (79-years)passed away at a military hospital in New Delhi. Sushil Kumar was Navy Chief from 1998-2001. He authored a book named "A Prime Minister to Remember- Memories of a Military Chief" which highlighted the key defence-related decisions taken by late former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Kumar had credited Vajpayee for turning the strategic tactical loss into a massive victory.

Daily GK Updates - 26th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Constitution Day of India 2019: Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas is celebrated on 26 November cross the country to mark the adopting of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly on this day in 1949. In 2019, it marks the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. It came into force on 26th January 1950, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of the Indian Republic. It is aimed at reiterating and reorienting the citizens towards the values and principles expressed in the Constitution and encouraging all Indians to play their rightful role in strengthening the Indian Democracy. It also aims to create awareness of Fundamental Duties as enshrined in the Constitution.

Note: India’s constitution is the longest written constitution in the world. It took around 2 years, 11 months and 17 days to complete the Constitution.

2. GOI launches Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal: Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs has launched Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal (CLAP) in New Delhi. The portal provides a transparent and robust real-time web-based monitoring system for credit-linked Subsidy Services (CLSS) beneficiaries. Using the portal, a beneficiary can track his application status in real-time. The initiative would also benefit other stakeholders to work in synergy to release subsidy to beneficiaries on time.

Note: Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri.

3. Etawah Lion Safari inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh: The Etawah Lion Safari, formally known as Etawah Safari Park was thrown open for public in Uttar Pradesh without the lion segment. The Safari has been inaugurated by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Minister Dara Singh Chauhan. It is spread in 350 hectares of land and has been developed as an educative tourist destination for children as well as youths. It is one of the biggest safari parks in Asia, spread over an area of 350 hectares (860 acres). The Etawah lion safari is the first in India to have a lion breeding centre set up with an aim to develop a research facility on Asiatic lions.

Note: UP CM: Yogi Adityanath, Governor: Anandiben Patel.

4. CBDT inaugurates Web Portal for exchange of information on Income Tax: Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has inaugurated the Web Portal for Exchange of Information on Income Tax which will consolidate all relevant Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) related information at one place. This portal will help inconvenient access by the public, financial institutions as well as departmental officers at large. The Web Portal would be a repository of policy and technical circulars, guidance, notifications issued by the CBDT. It would provide links to relevant circulars, guidance issued by regulatory authorities in India and other international bodies.

5. Railways sets up Institute for Financial Management in Hyderabad: The Indian Railway Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) has been set up in Hyderabad, Telangana. This new entity is set up to impart professional training in the management of railway finances. The project was conceived and constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of Rs 85 crore. IIRFM marks an important addition to the list of premier professional institutions in the country in the field of financial management in Indian Railways. The ensuing batch of probationers belonging to Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) will have the opportunity to get trained.

Note: Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal.

6. Delhi Assembly hosts 3-day Commonwealth Youth Parliament: Delhi Assembly hosted a three-day Commonwealth Youth Parliament. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed the inaugural session of the 10th Commonwealth Youth Parliament in Delhi Assembly. It is for the first time that an Indian Legislature is hosting the Commonwealth Youth Parliament. As many as 47 participants from 24 Commonwealth countries are participating in the event along with eleven participants from India. The event is being organized to enlighten the youth about legislative processes and encourage their participation in legislative procedures and decision making.

7. National Milk Day: 26 November: The National Milk Day (NMD) is being observed every year on 26th November across India to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien (Father of the White Revolution). The idea of observing National Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in 2014 on the lines of World Milk Day that is observed on 1st June every year under the aegis of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Dr. Kurien he was conferred with many accolades such as Ramon Magsaysay Award, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Krishi Ratna, World Food Prize, Padma Vibhushan, etc. He was also given 15 honorary doctorates from various universities from across the world.

Note: Dr. Verghese Kurien is also known as the Milkman of India and the architect of Operation Flood.

8. Devendra Fadnavis announces to resign as Maharashtra CM: Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis announced his resignation after the Supreme Court asked him to face a floor-test to test the strength of his BJP-led government’s position. His deputy, Ajit Pawar of the NCP, had resigned minutes before.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kerala cadre IAS officer to head UN tourism body: Kerala cadre senior IAS officer Suman Billa is set to join the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at its headquarters in Madrid, Spain. He will take charge next week as Director, Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Development at the D1 level at UNWTO, a specialised agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

Note: UNWTO’s membership includes 158 countries; Founded: October 1975.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Sangram Dahiya, Varsha Varman win double trap national titles: Sangram Dahiya (Haryana) and Varsha Varman (Madhya Pradesh) clinched double trap titles, winning gold at the 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship in New Delhi. In the men's category, Sangram shot 142 out of 150 targets to clinch the gold medal. Former world champion Ankur Mittal has won Silver and Prithvi Singh Chahal bronze. Varsha, in the women’s category of 120 targets each, had 97 to her name to clinch the gold ahead of state-mate Manisha Keer, who had 93 hits winning Silver.

2. Indian archers bag recurve bronze at Asian Championships: Indian archers Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das won a bronze medal in the recurve and compound mixed event at the Asian Archery Championships in Kolkata. They defeated China by 6-2 to clinch the medal in the championships.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Ashok Leyland Ltd, ICICI Bank ink MoU for vehicle financing: Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland Ltd. (ALL) has entered into a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICICI Bank to offer customised financial solutions to customers across India with a focus on semi-urban and rural geographies. The bank will work in close coordination with the authorised dealers of Ashok Leyland to provide financial solutions to the customers.

2. SEBI slaps Rs 40.5 lakh fine on 7 firms for fraudulent trading: Markets regulator SEBI imposed a total fine of Rs 40.5 lakh on 7 companies for indulging in fraudulent trading in the illiquid stock options segment on the BSE. The total fine levied on the firms, Rs 10.5 lakh was levied on Green Venture Securities Management Pvt Ltd while Morgan Financial Services, Niranjan Housing, Navrang Tradelinks, Niranjan Metallic, Nishu Leasing and Finance and Midpoint Tradelink faced a fine of Rs 5 lakh each. The reversal trades executed by the Notice were non-genuine in nature and created an impression of genuine trading volumes in respective contracts.

 

Daily GK Updates - 25th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sangai Festival 2019 begins in Manipur: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has inaugurated the week-long Manipur Sangai Festival 2019 at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal. Every year the State of Manipur celebrates the “Manipur Sangai Festival” from 21st to 30th November. It started in the year 2010 and has grown over the years into a big platform for Manipur to showcase its rich tradition and culture to the world. The festival is organized by the State Tourism Department and biggest festival held annually to promote tourism. During the festival, cultural programmes, traditional games, folk dance and classical music will be performed by different communities of the State as well as from other States.

Note: Capital of Manipur: Imphal; Governor of Manipur: Najma Heptulla; Chief Minister of Manipur: N. Biren Singh.

2. Amaravati included in India map as the capital of Andhra Pradesh: The Survey of India, India’s central engineering agency in charge of mapping and surveying has released an updated map of India with Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh (AP). Amaravati had been missing from the previous map released by the Centre On November 2, 2019, which showed Hyderabad as the common capital of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh. The state of AP was bifurcated in the year 2014 and while it was initially decided that Hyderabad would serve as the common administrative capital for a period of 10 years.

Note: Governor of Andhra Pradesh: Biswabhusan Harichandan; Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

3. UP govt launches immunisation campaign against Filaria: Uttar Pradesh Health & Family Welfare Minister Jai Pratap Singh has launched a massive immunisation campaign against the filariasis or Filaria. Under this campaign, more than 65 thousand teams of health workers will distribute medicines to around 6.5 crore people till 10 December. This year, state’s 19 districts have been divided in double drug and triple-drug categories in which they will be provided DEC tablet, Albendazole and ivermectin. The union government has set the year 2021 as the deadline for complete eradication of filaria in the country.

4. Gujarat Govt. announces Rs 3,795 Cr relief package for farmers: Gujarat Government has announced a relief package 3,795 crore rupees for farmers who suffered crop loss due to unseasonal rains. The relief package will help more than 56 lakh farmers across the state. According to Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, total package (1,641 crore rupees) will be given through a budgetary provision and 2,145 crores under the State Disaster Response Fund. Farmers will get assistance in the range of 4,000 rupees to 13,000 rupees.

5. Centre extends the ban on NDFB for 5 years: The union Govt. has extended the ban on National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) along with all its groups, factions and front organisations, by 5 more years. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs notification, NDFB was involved in the killing of 19 civilians in incidents of violence since January 2015.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ocean Dance Festival 2019 starts in Cox Bazar: Bangladesh’s State minister of cultural affairs KM Khalid has inaugurated the Ocean Dance Festival 2019 in Cox Bazar of Bangladesh. Ocean Dance Festival is the largest international dance festival of Bangladesh in which more than 200 dancers, choreographers and scholars from 15 countries are participating. The theme of this year's festival is 'Bridging the distance' or Durotter Shetubandhan. The festival is being organised by the Nrityajog which is the Bangladesh wing of World Dance Alliance (WDA). The festival aims to expand cultural tourism in Bangladesh. It also features seminars and discussion apart from the dance performances by the artists.

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

2. New Delhi ranked 9th in fastest growing prime residential market in world: As per the ‘Prime Global Cities Index’ by Global property consultant Knight Frank, New Delhi has been ranked at 9th place in terms of fastest growing prime residential market in the world. Moscow has topped the ranking. Bengaluru is at 20th while Mumbai is ranked at 28th position. Frankfurt is at second and Taipei is at third. Seoul was the weakest-performing global city in the year.

3. G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2019 held in Nagoya, Japan: The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2019 was held in Nagoya, Japan. The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the EU. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the US

4. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: 25 November: The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed across the world on 25 November annually. The theme for this year is “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape”. This is a efforts to prevent and end violence against women at the global, regional and national levels show that there is widespread impunity on sexual violence and rape. The colour orange in the theme symbolizes a better future without the pervasive human rights violation that affects 1 in 3 women and girls all over the globe.

5. NVIDIA announces world’s largest GPU-accelerated cloud-based supercomputer: NVIDIA has announced a new kind of GPU-accelerated supercomputer in the cloud on Microsoft Azure. NDv2 supercomputer is designed to handle demanding AI and high-performance computing applications, using up to 800 NVIDIA V100 Tensor Core GPUs interconnected on a single. Mellanox InfiniBand backend network, making it the world’s largest GPU-accelerated cloud-based supercomputer. It enables customers to rent an AI supercomputer on-demand from their desk, and match the capabilities of large-scale on-premises supercomputers.

Note: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) NVIDIA: Jensen Huang; Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States (US).

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Lakshya Sen wins Scottish Open title: India’s Lakshya Sen has won the Scottish Open badminton men’s singles title, defeating Brazilian Ygor Coelho to seal his fourth title in 3 months. Entering the tournament as the top seed, the world number 41 registered an 18-21, 21-18, 21-19 win in 56 minutes to claim the title in Glasgow, Scotland. Within a month, Lakshya won his first BWF Super 100 title at the Dutch Open, with the second one coming soon after, at the SaarLorLux Open in Germany.

Note: Capital of Scotland: Edinburgh; Currency: Pound sterling.

2. India bag 28 medals including 13 gold in U-15 Asian Wrestling C’ships: India concluded its campaign at the Under-15 Asian Championships with 28 medals (13 gold, 14 silver and a bronze). For the first time, India finished on top of the team rankings in freestyle category with 225 points as all 10 wrestlers finished on the podium. Kazakhstan finished second while Japan was third.

3. MP athletes to get five per cent reservation in govt jobs:  Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Jitu Patwari has announced that sports-persons of the state will get 5% reservation in government jobs. The Minister also announced that children from all CBSE, government and private schools would be involved in the Under 16 state-level Olympics. At present, the competition is being organized for children above 16 years of age. It includes 10 sports (hockey, basketball, football, volleyball, kabaddi, kho-kho, athletics, wrestling, badminton and table tennis).

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI enhances scope of Non-Resident Rupee Accounts: The RBI expanded the scope of Special Non-Resident Rupee Accounts (SNRR account) by permitting non-residents to open such accounts for rupee-denominated overseas borrowings, trade credit and trade invoicing for popularising cross-border transactions in the domestic currency. Any person resident outside India, having a business interest in India, can open a non-interest bearing Special Non-Resident Rupee Account (SNRR account) with a bank for bona fide transactions in rupees. The restriction on the tenure of SNRR account, which is currently 7 years, has also been removed.

2. Muthoot Finance to acquire IDBI Mutual Fund for Rs 215 crore: Muthoot Finance Ltd, the largest gold loan non-banking finance company in the country, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IDBI Asset Management Ltd and IDBI Mutual Fund Trustee Company Ltd. Muthoot Finance will purchase 100 per cent equity shares of IDBI Asset Management and IDBI MF Trustee for a total consideration of Rs 215 crore. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of February 2020. The deal is subject to receipt of approval from regulators including the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Note: Managing Director(MD) of Muthoot Finance Ltd: George Alexander Muthoot; Founded: 1939; Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Manoj Bajpayee bags best actor Asia Pacific Screen Award: Manoj Bajpayee has bagged the Best Performance by an Actor Award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for his role in ‘Bhonsle.’ The Hindi feature ‘Bhonsle’ narrates the story of a police constable (Bajpayee), who tries to fight the struggles of migrants and their battles with the local politicians. The movie was directed by Devashish Makhija. The acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee won against international actors like Wang Jingchun (China), Navid Mohammadzadeh, Mohsen Tanabandeh (Iran), and Eran Naim (Israel). Ridham Janve won the Young Cinema Award for his directorial debut film The Gold-Laden Sheep and the Sacred Mountain.

2. Floating school project in Bangladesh wins Aga Khan Architecture Award: Bangladesh’s Floating school project (in South Kanarchor) ‘The Arcadia Education Project’ wins the Aga Khan Architecture Award. The project involved the construction of a school in an area which is underwater during the monsoon months. The architect (Saif Ul Haque) designed this school which remains on the ground during the dry season and floats on water when the area is submerged in water during monsoon. He utilised only the local material-bamboo, used tyres and steel drums for constructing the amphibious structure for the school.

Note: The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is presented in three-year cycles and has a monetary prize totalling US$1 million that is shared by multiple winning projects. It recognizes projects, teams, and stakeholders in addition to buildings and people.

OBITUARIES

1. Former WB minister Kshiti Goswami passes away: The General Secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and former West Bengal Minister Kshiti Goswami (76-years) passed away at a private hospital in Chennai. Goswami was PWD Minister in Jyoti Basu and Buddhadev Bhattacharjee’s cabinet in the Left Front Government in the State. He was also the state secretary of the RSP for a few years since 2012.

Daily GK Updates - 24th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi launches Fit India School grading system: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Fit India School grading system in schools across the country. The Fit India School rankings have been divided into three categories- The Fit India Schools, which is the first level of ranking, Fit India School (3 star) and Fit India School (5 star). Schools can declare themselves as fit by visiting the Fit India portal. Fit India three star and Fit India five star ratings will also be given. The schools that achieve this ranking will also be able to use the ‘Fit India’ logo and flag.

2. 8th International Tourism Mart Organised at Imphal, Manipur: The 8th International Tourism Mart has been organised at Imphal, Manipur from 23 November to 25 November, 2019. The Theme of 2019 International Tourism Mart is “Sustainable Tourism an engine for Economic Growth and Employment”. It was inaugurated by the Minister of State (I/C) for Culture & Tourism, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel and Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N. Biren Singh. The event has been organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with the North Eastern States. It is an annual event organised in the North Eastern region with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets.

3. National Tribal Craft Mela 2019 inaugurated in Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the 7-day long National Tribal Craft Mela-2019 in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. This is the 8th edition of the event. More than 240 tribal artisans from 18 states are participating in the Mela and will showcase handicraft items, handloom products, iron, bamboo products, puppets, siali crafts, tribal textiles and embroidery work, tribal paintings and many more tribal products. The Mela has been organised with the objective of promotion and popularisation of traditional tribal arts and crafts and to help the artisans to find better opportunities to develop their skills through cross-cultural interactions for commercial viability of their products.

4. Modern Coach Factory, Rae Bareli Deploys humanoid robot ‘Sona 1.5’: The Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh has introduced indigenously developed humanoid robot named ‘Sona 1.5’ to transport documents from one place to another. The full-service robot Sona 1.5 has been developed by Jaipur based Club First Technologies and will also be used for welcoming visitors, technical interaction, other types of training. The robot is said to be the first robot in the world having human-like spine technology which helps them to balance. In addition to this, the humanoid robot is based on navigation and mapping with the help of sensors and reach the target.

5. National Investigation Agency hosts first counter-terror exercise for Quad countries in New Delhi: The New Delhi based National Investigation Agency (NIA) hosted the first-ever counter-terrorism exercise ‘CT-TTX’ for the Quad countries namely India, the US, Japan and Australia in New Delhi. The ‘CT-TTX’ (counter-terrorism table-top exercise) was the first engagement among the four countries to discuss issues of common interest related to counter-terrorism.

6. Microsoft Launches ‘K-12 Education Transformation Framework’ in India: Microsoft has unveiled ‘K-12 Education Transformation Framework’ to offer comprehensive digital transformation of schools in India. Microsoft India launched the framework at the second edition of the Microsoft Education Days in Gurgaon, which was participated by more than 700 school leaders, educators, students, and Microsoft partners to deliberate on the future of learning. The framework comprises of four pillars namely leadership and policy, modern teaching and learning, intelligent environments and technology blueprint. More than 50 countries have already adopted the framework which will offer a series of workshops based on each of these pillars.

Note: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microsoft: Satya Nadella; Founded: April 4, 1975; Headquarters: Washington, United States(US).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India will host SCO forum of Young Scientists and Innovators 2020: India has been chosen to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Forum of Young Scientists and Innovators in 2020. This decision was taken during the 5th Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Member States Heads of Ministries and Departments of Science and Technology and Permanent Working Group on S&T Cooperation concluded in Moscow, Russia recently. Indian delegation was led by Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and Director General Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Dr. Shekhar Mande. Apart from this, India will be the host of Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of SCO Member States in 2020, which will approve the Draft SCO Roadmap on cooperation between research institutions of SCO Member States for the period 2021-2023.

Note: SCO has eight fulltime members namely: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, India and Pakistan; Secretary-General of SCO: Vladimir Norov; Founded: 19 September 2003; Headquarters: Beijing, China.

2. 29th WCO Asia Pacific Regional Contact Points (RCP) Meet Held in Puducherry: The 29th edition of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Asia Pacific Regional Contact Points (RCP) meeting was held at Puducherry, Tamil Nadu to facilitate customs functions, operations and services in the Asia-Pacific region. The conference was hosted by the Chennai Customs Zone and inaugurated by Pranab Kumar Das, Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

Note: World Customs Organisation (WCO) headquarter – Brussels, Belgium

3. Bangalore highest ranked Indian city in new global prosperity index 2019: Bangalore has emerged highest-ranked Indian city in the first-ever Prosperity & Inclusion City Seal and Awards (PICSA) Index which features world’s 113 cities in terms of economic and social inclusivity. Three Indian city has been listed in the index. While Bengaluru is placed at 83rd position, Delhi (101) and Mumbai (107) are the other two Indian cities in the list. The index has been topped by Zurich in Switzerland. Vienna, Copenhagen, Luxembourg and Helsinki are the top five cities in the index respectively.

Note: The PICSA Index has been commissioned by Basque institutions and compiled by D&L Partners. The index is designed to showcase not only the quantity of economic growth of a city but also its quality and distribution across populations.

4. Afghanistan most impacted by terrorism, India Ranks 7th: 2019 Global Terrorism Index: According to the 2019 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), Afghanistan recorded largest increase in deaths from terrorism. The Global Terrorism Index released by the Australia based Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) ranks 163 countries according to the impact of terrorism on the basis of factors such as the number of attacks, fatalities, injuries and the extent of property damage. India has been placed at 7th position in terms of country most impacted by terrorism. Top 10 countries most impacted by terrorism: (1) Afghanistan; (2) Iraq; (3) Nigeria; (4) Syria; (5) Pakistan; (6) Somalia; (7) India; (8) Yemen; (9) Philippines; (10) Democratic Republic of the Congo

Key Findings of the index: 2019 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) is the 7th edition of the index. As per the latest edition, deaths from terrorism have decreased by 15.2 percent in 2018 to 15,952 globally. This is the fourth consecutive year of improvement. The global economic impact of terrorism was US$33 billion in 2018; a substantial decrease of 38% from the previous year. Deaths from terrorism in Afghanistan rose up by 59 percent in 2018 from the prior year. The Taliban is now the deadliest terrorist group in the world, and accounts for 38% of all terrorist deaths. This is an increase of 71%. Belarus, Guinea-Bissau, Oman, The Gambia, North Korea are the 5 least impacted countries.

5. India ranks 8th in WHO study on physical activity among adolescents: As per The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health report of the World Health Organisation (WHO), India has been ranked at 8th spot in terms of the lowest level of insufficient physical activity among adolescents. Bangladesh tops the list while USA’s adolescents figure fourth on the list of 146 countries. India is ranked eighth with an overall prevalence of insufficient physical activity in adolescents at 73.9 percent.

6. India Ranks 44 in Nomura’s Food Vulnerability Index (NFVI) 2019: India has been ranked 44 among 110 countries in Food Vulnerability Index (NFVI) 2019, complied by Nomura Global Market Research. The NFVI ranks countries on the basis of their exposure to large swings in food prices. The higher the rank, the worse is the case.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Rafael Nadal wins Davis Cup title 2019: Rafael Nadal (world number-one) has clinched 6th Davis Cup title for Spain after beating Denis Shapovalov of Canada in front of a jubilant home crowd in Caja Mágica Madrid, Spain. Nadal (33-year) defeated Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) to clinch Spain’s 2-0 win against Canada. It was the Spanish team's first Davis Cup title since 2011 and their sixth Davis Cup title overall. Rafael Nadal received the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for his performance in the tournament after he won 8 of the 8 matches he participated in. In 2019, Nadal won the French Open and the US Open, made the Australian Open final and reached the Wimbledon semi-final.

Note: The 2019 Davis Cup (108th edition) is a tournament between national teams in men's tennis, sponsored by Rakuten.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. OECD predicts India’s GDP growth rate in 2020 at 6.2%: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has made the following GDP growth rate predictions for India:

2019- 5.8%

2020- 6.2%

2021- 6.4%

2. OECD Cuts Global Growth Forecast for 2020 to 2.9%: The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has cut its 2020 global economic growth forecast in the November 2019 Economic Outlook. As per OECD, the world economy is projected to grow 2.9% in 2019 and 2020, as against its earlier estimate of 3.0% in September. Also, OECD sees the global economic growth edging back up to 3% in 2021.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Nawazuddin Siddiqui conferred with Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent Award at SIFF: Indian Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has received the Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent Award at the Singapore International Film Festival for his Netflix’s Emmy-nominated original series ‘Sacred Games’. Nawazuddin Siddiqui received the award from a business tycoon from Beijing, Charles Ho. The 30th edition of Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) commenced on November 21. It is set to conclude on December 8.

2. Eliud Kipchoge and Dalilah Muhammad Wins World Athlete of the Year 2019: The pioneering marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, who is the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours, has won the World Athlete of the Year 2019. Besides, the 400 metres hurdles world champion Dalilah Muhammad has been named as the World Athlete of the Year 2019 in women’s category. The World Athlete of the Year award is presented by the World Athletics (formerly IAAF) to athletes participating in events within the sport of athletics including track and field, cross country running, road running, and racewalking.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Army conduct ‘Epic Run 2019’ in West Bengal: Indian Army conducted the ‘Epic Run 2019’ at Pedong, West Bengal in recognition and respect for the soldiers and their Next of Kin (NOK). The Indian Army is commemorating the Year 2019 as the ‘Year of NOK’ (YoNoK). The purpose of the event was to outreach to the Next of Kin and also make aware the students, youth & citizens regarding the unsung sacrifices made and hardships faced by the families of gallant soldiers, who encourage them to always uphold the motto of ‘Nation First’ of the Indian Army,

2. NCC celebrates its 71st Raising Day: The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the world’s largest uniformed youth organization, is celebrating its 71st Raising Day on 24 November. The NCC day which is observed every year on the fourth Sunday of November was celebrated with pomp and gaiety. The NCC Raising Day was also celebrated all over the country with the cadets participating in marches, cultural activities and social development programs. National Cadet Corps is a Tri-Services Organization, comprising the Army, Navy and Air Wing. Many cadets have done the nation and the organization proud by their remarkable achievements in the fields of sports and adventure.

Note: Director-General of NCC: Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra; Founder: Government of the United Kingdom; Founded: 16 April 1948; Headquarters location: New Delhi.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kailash Joshi Passes Away: Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Kailash Joshi died after a prolonged illness. He was 91. Joshi was called as the ‘saint of politics’. He had served as the state’s chief minister from 1977 to 1978. He was MLA for eight terms and also served as a member of both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Army dedicates Goodwill Park to Late Naib Subedar Chuni Lal: As a mark of tribute to one of the most decorated soldiers of Indian Army Late Naib Subedar Chuni Lal, an Army Goodwill Park was dedicated at his native village Bhara in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. The Army Goodwill Park has a statue of the martyred soldier, beside a Children park and open Gym for the villagers.

2. J&K achieves highest road length under PMGSY in 2019: Jammu and Kashmir have achieved the highest road length in the country this year so far under a Centre’s rural roads’ programme with the completion of around 11,400 kilometres covering 1,838 habitations. The work is being carried under the centrally-sponsored Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which is a mega flagship programme with the main objective of providing connectivity to rural areas.

Note: Lieutenant (Lt) Governors of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K): Girish Chandra Murmu.

3. Kalaburagi Airport inaugurated under UDAN / RCS: The first flight from Kalaburagi Airport to Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru took off after the inauguration of Kalaburagi airport by the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The airport has been built under the UDAN-RCS Scheme of Govt. of India. Kalaburagi Airport will act as a gateway for tourist destinations including Buddha Vihar, Sharana Basaveshwara Temple, Khwaja Banda Nawaz Dargah and, Gulbarga Fort.

Note: Chief Minister of Karnataka: B. S. Yediyurappa; Governor of Karnataka: Vajubhai Vala.

4. World’s biggest Islamic Congregation begins in Bhopal: In Madhya Pradesh, the 4-day Aalmi Tablighi Ijtima, world’s biggest Islamic Congregation began in Bhopal. More than one million people from 54 countries are expected to attend the congregation which will continue till 25th November. It is a forum for delivering some important religious-spiritual messages to Muslims around the world. The first Alami Tablighi Ijtima took place in Bhopal in 1944 and only 14 people attended it then. Now the number has increased to millions. Thousands of people from various countries across the world including Russia, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have reached Bhopal to participate in this event.

Note: Governor of Madhya Pradesh: Lal Ji Tandon; Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Kamal Nath.

5. 2-day conference of Governors, Lt. Governors begins at Rashtrapati Bhawan: President Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the two days Conference of Governors and Lieutenant Governors (50th) at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The Conference will discuss important thematic issues in various sessions. It includes tribal issues, reforms in agriculture, Jal Jeevan Mission, new education policy for higher education and governance for ease of living. During this session, presentations will be made by the Vice-Chairman and the CEO of NITI Aayog as well as by the National Security Advisor (NSA). The President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Home Minister and External Affairs Minister will address the concluding session.

6. NuGen Mobility Summit 2019 to be held at Manesar: The 2019 NuGen Mobility Summit will be held at Manesar, Haryana. from 27-29th November 2019. The Theme of 2019 is “Smart & Green Mobility”. The objective of the summit is to share new ideas, learnings, global experiences, innovations and future technologies trends for the faster adoption, assimilation and development of advanced Automotive Technologies for a smarter and greener future.

Note: The event will be organised by the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) in association with SAENIS, SAE INDIA, SAE International, NATRiP, DIMTS, DHI, MoRTH, SIAM and ACMA.

7. Kerala ban manufacturing, sale & storage of single-use plastic from January 1: Kerala State Cabinet has decided to ban the manufacture, sale and storage of one-time-use plastic items from 1st of January next year. Plastic carry bags, plastic sheets, cooling films, plastic plates, cups, thermocol and Styrofoam-based items and others will be covered under the ban. A fine of 10,000 rupees will be slapped on manufacturers, wholesalers and small traders who defy the ban. If the ban is violated for the second time, the fine will be 25,000 rupees. A third violation will invite closure and a fine of 50,000 rupees.

8. Devendra Fadnavis takes oath as Maharashtra CM: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has taken oath as the Maharashtra Chief Minister for the second term. NCP's Ajit Pawar has become the Deputy Chief Minister. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath to the two leaders.

Note: Presently, 288 members of the Legislative Assembly are directly elected from the single-seat constituencies and one member is nominated. The Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha situated in the Nariman Point area of South Mumbai in the capital Mumbai.

9. Jal Shakti Minister releases short documentary film named ‘SHIKHAR SE PUKAR’: Union Minister for Jal Shakti released a short documentary film on Water Conservation named ‘SHIKHAR SE PUKAR’ in New Delhi. The film has been made to promote ‘Jalshakti Abhiyan’ and is based on the Journey of an IAS Officer Ravindra Kumar, who climbed Everest this year to attract the attention of people from the top of the Everest on the serious issue of Water Conservation and stopping Water Pollution. The film also gives a glimpse of the significance of Himalaya as the main source of water needs of India by means of the river. It also picturizes the difficulties and challenges in climbing the highest peak in the world.

Note: Union Minister for Jal Shakti: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Potential Diarrhea vaccine developed in Sweden: The researchers of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have developed a potential Diarrhea vaccine. Science journal, The Lancet, reports that it has been proved safe and effective in an early-stage clinical trial in Bangladesh. The report said that 80 to 100 per cent of the children aged two to five years and 50 to 80 per cent of infants aged six to eleven months, selected for the study responded to all key immunity generating components of the vaccine. There is no vaccine yet for use for children and vaccine development for Diarrhea is a World Health Organization priority.

2. Oxford Dictionary names ‘Climate Emergency’ its 2019 Word of the Year: Oxford Dictionaries has named “climate emergency” as its 2019 Word of the Year, choosing it from an all-environmental shortlist that also included “climate action,” “climate denial,” “eco-anxiety,” “extinction” and “flight shame. The word is selected because it shows the increase in usage since 2018. Climate emergency defines as “a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and also to avoid the possible irreversible environmental loss resulting from it.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Bodybuilder Chitahresh Natesan crowned Mr Universe 2019: Chitahresh Natesan, 33yr old former hockey player turned bodybuilder also known as the ‘Indian Monster’ by bodybuilding circles became the first Indian to win ‘Mr. Universe (Pro) 2019’ in 90kg category at the 11th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship(WBPF) held in South Korea. India finished second in the Championship with 23 medals including six gold, 13 silver and four bronze medals.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SEBI doubles PMS investment size to Rs 50 lakh: Securities and Exchange Board of India has doubled the minimum investment limit for clients of Portfolio Management Services to Rs 50 lakh. Currently, the minimum ticket size for investing in PMS is Rs 25 lakh. The market regulator also increased the net worth requirement for PMS to Rs 5 crore from Rs 2 crore earlier, giving the existing portfolio managers 36 months to meet the enhanced requirement. The regulator has set a deadline of 31 days for listed companies to disclose to the stock exchanges with respect to default.

DEFENCE

1. US clears sale of $1 billion worth of Naval Guns to India: The US State Department cleared the sale of sophisticated MK-45 naval guns worth $1 billion to India. The MK-45 guns will enhance India’s naval capabilities, particularly in the Arabian Sea. The Gun System will provide the capability to conduct anti-surface warfare and anti-air defence missions while enhancing interoperability with the U.S. and other allied forces.

2. Lieutenant Shivangi is the first-ever woman pilot for Navy: The first woman pilot, Lieutenant Shivangi, will join naval operations on completion of operational training here on December 2. She hails from Muzzafarpur, Bihar. She was inducted into Indian Navy as SSC (Pilot) as part of 27 NOC course in Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala. She, who had been undergoing training at the Southern Naval Command, will get authorisation on December 2 to fly Dornier aircraft.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran actor Shaukat Kaifi passes away: Veteran actor & Shabana Azmi's mother Shaukat Kaifi (91-years) passed away in Mumbai due to age-related illness. She is remembered for her roles in MS Sathyu’s Garm Hawa, Sagar Sathadi’s Bazaar and Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan. Her last film was the Vivek Oberoi-Rani Mukerji starrer Saathiya. Kaifi’s husband was the celebrated Urdu poet and film lyricist, Kaifi Azmi. Shaukat Kaifi and Kaifi Azmi were leading lights of the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and the Progressive Writers Association (IWA), which were the cultural platforms of the Communist Party of India.