Daily GK Updates - 5th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Bank Announces USD 400 million to enhance India’s Coastal & Marine Resources: The World Bank has approved USD 400 million multi-year financial support to India to enhance and safeguard the coastal and marine resources of the country. The financial aid will help to enhance the coastal resources by focusing on the rehabilitation of coastal beaches and mangroves; protect coastal populations from pollution, erosion, and sea-level rise; and improve livelihood opportunities for coastal communities. In the first phase, eight coastal States and 3 coastal Union Territories are selected. They are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, and Puducherry, Andaman, and Nicobar and Daman and Diu. These states and UTs will get USD 180 million in funding, for Enhancing Coastal and Ocean Resource Efficiency (ENCORE).

2. Aarogya Setu Mitr Launched for online medical consultations, ePharmacy and home lab tests: The mobile app Aarogya Setu launched by the Government of India has been upgraded to include a new private-public partnership initiative called Aarogaya Setu Mitr, to provide facilities for online medical consultations, ePharmacy and home lab tests. Upon selecting the Aarogya Setu Mitr, user will be redirected to a new website, and won’t allow access to individual data from Aarogya Setu, so its safe. This new app has been developed in collaboration & partnership of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister and Niti Aayog and will operate under them. The new feature will enable the user to get free online COVID-19-related consultations with doctors, book home sample collection for lab tests by any of the listed entities and also order medicines online from the listed platforms. The three private companies listed for free tele-consultation are Swasth, Tata Bridgital Health (healthcare initiative of the Tata Group), and Connectsense Telehealth (platform from Tech Mahindra).

3. Government Launches ‘The Saras Collection’ on GeM Portal for Exquisite Products of SHGs: The Government has introduced a new initiative, ‘The Saras Collection’ on Government e Marketplace (GeM) portal, which will showcase exquisitely handcrafted products from finest Self Help Groups in India. This new platform was inaugurated by Union Minister of Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar on 4th May 2020 in New Delhi, to help SHGs in accessing government markets. The Saras collection has exclusively been designed to showcase the daily utility products handmade by rural Self Help Groups (SHGs), and to provide them with access to Central and State Government buyers. Under this initiative, sellers from SHGs will be able to list their products in five product categories: handicrafts, handloom and textiles, office accessories, grocery and pantry and personal care and hygiene. Through the medium of this new platform, government is trying to reduce human interventions in procurement process of products, enable transparency, cut cost, as well as bring inclusiveness and efficiency.

4. HP launches ‘Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna’: Himachal Pradesh Government decided to launch the ‘Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna’. In this Yojna, 120 days assured employment will be provided to people living in urban areas. It is being launched to revive the coronavirus-hit economy of the state. Adequate training will be given to the people for their skill upgrade if required. The cabinet also decided to provide an assistance of Rs 2,000 to each of the 1 lakh workers registered under the Building and Other Construction Workers Board. A presentation was also made regarding probable steps for the economic revival and reforms to be initiated after lockdown.

Note: Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh: Jairam Thakur; Governor: Bandaru Dattatraya.

5. Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan Launches ‘COVID Katha’ – A Multimedia Guide for Mass Awareness: The Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched ‘COVID Katha’, a multimedia guide for mass awareness on the Covid-19 disease, via video conferencing on the occasion of 50th Foundation Day of Department of Science and Technology (DST) on 3rd May 2020. The book is a visual representation on A-Z of COVID-19, to spread the message of science and health, in special context to Coronavirus, in simple ways. It consists of themes, developed and researched by the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC), under DST, in association with Assam-based Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust (ARMT) team and illustrated by Assam cartoonist Nituparna Rajbongshi.

Note: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is a department within the Ministry of Science and Technology in India; DST Founded: May 1971; DST Headquarters: New Delhi.

6. Facebook partners with Bollywood for ‘I FOR INDIA’ fundraiser concert: Facebook has launched a home-to-home fundraiser concert, ‘I For India’. 100% proceeds from the fundraiser concert will go to the India COVID Response Fund managed by GiveIndia. Facebook has collaborated with some of the biggest stars in India and Bollywood for this. The four hour-long concert was live on Facebook on May 03, 2020 starting at 7:30 PM. The concert featured starts like A R Rahman, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, Javed Akhtar, Anushka Sharma, Katrina Kaif, Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra, Lilly Singh, Virat Kohli, Ustad Zakhir Hussain.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg; Facebook Headquarters: California, US.

7. West Bengal Government Launches ‘Exit App’ for Stranded People of Other States: West Bengal government has launched an app named ‘Exit App’ for the people of other state who are stranded in West Bengal due to the lockdown and want to return to their native place. The app can be downloaded from the ‘Egiye Bangla’ website of the state government. All those persons who are stucked in the state and want to go back to their native states can apply online through this ‘Exit app’. The permission for the same will be practically automatic and extremely easy.

Note: Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

8. NIAB develops portable coronavirus detection kit: National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) have developed a portable device ‘eCovSens’, a biosensor that can detect the coronavirus in saliva samples. The device gives results within 30 seconds using just 20 micro-litres of the sample. The device consists of a carbon electrode and coronavirus antibody. The antibody is capable of binding with the spike protein of the virus. This portable bio-sensor can be connected to a computer or a cellphone via Bluetooth.

9. Railways start Shramik Special Trains for stranded people: Indian Railways start Shramik Special Trains to move migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students, and other persons stranded at different places due to lock down. These special trains will be run from point to point on the request of both the concerned State Governments. The Railways and State Governments shall appoint senior officials as Nodal Officers for coordination and smooth operation of these trains.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Dubai announced dates for Mega Expo Event: Dubai has announced new date for the Mega World Expo 2020 from 1st Oct 2021 to 31st March 2022. The announcement was made after two-third majority of Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Member States voted in favour of postponing World Expo by 1 year. Expo 2020 Dubai theme: ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. Expo 2020 Dubai will offer the world a unique platform to share the lessons, solutions, and ideas for a better tomorrow.

2. International Day of the Midwife: 5th May: Every year the, International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) celebrates the International Day of the Midwife on 5 May, since 1992, to recognise the work of midwives and raise awareness about the status of midwives for the essential care they provide to mothers and their newborns.

The theme for 2020 International Day of the Midwife is ‘Midwives with women: celebrate, demonstrate, mobilise, unite – our time is NOW!’. World Health Organization (WHO) has designed the year 2020 as ‘Year of Nurse and Midwife’ to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale.

Note: Director-General of the World Health Organization: Tedros Adhanom; Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland.

3. World Hand Hygiene Day: 5th May: Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) marks the World Hand Hygiene Day on May 5 to raise awareness among people across the globe about the importance of hand hygiene in warding off many serious infections. The theme for 2020 is ‘Save Lives: Clean Your Hands’. The day recognizes hand washing as one of the most effective actions that can be taken to avoid a huge range of infections including the COVID-19 virus.

Note: Director-General of the World Health Organization: Tedros Adhanom; Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland.

4. World Asthma Day 2020: 5th May: World Asthma Day is observed every year on the 1st Tuesday of May. This year, World Asthma Day is observed on May 5, 2020. The day spread awareness about asthma disease and care around the world.  Whilst the primary focus is supporting the person with asthma, support may also extend to family, friends and caregivers. The theme of 2020 World Asthma Day is ‘Enough Asthma Deaths’. The first World Asthma Day was held in 1998.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Egypt tennis player Youssef Hossam banned for life on match-fixing charges: Egyptian professional tennis player Youssef Hossam has been banned from professional tennis for life for match-fixing, as per the official notification by the Tennis Integrity Unit on 4 May 2020. The 21-year-old Youssef Hassam was already provisionally suspended since May 2019, and now has been banned for life following his conviction on multiple match-fixing and associated corruption charges. Hossam has been found guilty of 21 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Coprruption Program from 2015 to 2019. The breaches include 8 cases of match fixing, 2 of soliciting other players not to use best efforts as well as two failures to co-operate with TIU investigation.

2. FINA postpones 2021 world championships to May 2022: Swimming world governing body, Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) rescheduled the 2021 Fukuoka aquatics world championships to May 2022 to avoid a clash with the postponed Tokyo Olympics. The new dates for the aquatics world championship in the Japanese city are May 13-29, 2022.

Note: President of FINA: Julio C. Maglione; Founded of FINA: July 29, 1908; Headquarters of FINA: Lausanne, Switzerland

3. Discus thrower Sandeep Kumari gets 4-year ban for dope flunk: Discus thrower Sandeep Kumari has been banned for 4 years by WADA’s Athletics Integrity Unit for flunking a dope test. The sample was deemed clean by the NDTL officials during the National Inter-State Championships in June 2018 in Guwahati, Assam where Kumari had won the gold with a throw of 58.41 meters in the competition. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) then decided to test the sample of Kumari at its Montreal Laboratory in Canada. Her four-year ban, announced by WADA will begin from June 26, 2018 — the date of her sample collection. Kumari’s results from June 26, 2018 to November 21, 2018 will now be annulled.

Note: Headquarters of WADA: Montreal, Canada; President of WADA: Witold Bańka.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Ameyo rolls out video KYC engagement platform for Banking sector: A customer engagement technology provider, Ameyo has launched video KYC engagement platform for the banking and finance sector. The newly launched platform will eliminate the businesses’ requirement of physical KYC in accordance with latest RBI guidelines issued in January 2020. It is expected to decrease the customer onboarding process from the present 5-7 days to less than 3 minutes.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of Ameyo: Bishal Lachhiramka.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. US-based Silver Lake buys 1.15% stake in Reliance Jio for Rs 5,655.75 cr: American private equity giant Silver Lake Partners has announced to buy 1.15% stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 5,655.75 crore ($750 million). Jio Platforms, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and works on digital apps, digital ecosystems and the mobile service. This deal values Jio Platforms at Rs 4.90 lakh crore on equity basis and Rs 5.15 lakh crore on enterprise value basis. It must be remembered that Facebook has also spent $5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore) to buy a 9.99 percent stake in Jio in April 2020. Although the deal with Silver Lake is smaller than the one with Facebook, it represents a 12.5% premium to the equity valuation of the Facebook investment.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 3 Indian Photographers Win 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Their Coverage on Kashmir Conflict due to Article 370: Three Indian photographers Dar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan, and Channi Anand, from the Associated Press, have been awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in Feature Photography category. They have been awarded for their outstanding coverage of the lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, after Article 370 was revoked, and all lines of communications were snapped. The 2020 Pulitzer Prizes were announced on 4 May 2020. In all, winners have been announced in 15 Journalism and seven Book, Drama and Music categories.  A Special Citation was also awarded. Here is the complete list of winners:

JOURNALISM
Public Service	The Anchorage Daily News, in collaboration with ProPublica
Breaking News Reporting	The staff of the Louisville Courrier-Journal, Ky.
Investigative Reporting	Brian M. Rosenthal, The New York Times
Explanatory Reporting	The staff of The Washington Post
Local Reporting	Staff of The Baltimore Sun
National Reporting	T. Christian Miller, Megan Rose and Robert Faturechi, ProPublica and Dominic Gates, Steve Miletich, Mike Baker and Lewis Kamb, The Seattle Times
International Reporting	The staff of the New York Times
Feature Writing	Ben Taub, The New Yorker
Commentary	Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times
Criticism	Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times
Editorial Writing	Jeffery Gerritt, Palestine Herald-Press
Editorial Cartooning	Bary Blitt, The New Yorker
Breaking News Photography	The photography staff of Reuters
Feature Photography	Channi Anand, Mukhtar Khan and Dar Yasin, The Associated Press
Audio Reporting	Staff of This American Life with Molly O’Toole of the Los Angeles Times and Emily Green, freelancer, Vice News
BOOKS, DRAMA & MUSIC
Fiction	The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday)
Drama	A Strange Loop, by Michael R. Jackson
History: Sweet Taste of Liberty	A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America, by W. Caleb McDaniel (Oxford University Press)
Biography: Sontag	Her Life and Work, by Benjamin Moser (Ecco)
Poetry	The Tradition, by Jericho Brown (Copper Canyon Press)
General Nonfiction	The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America, by Greg Grandin (Metropolitan Books) and
The Undying	Pain, Vulnerability, Mortality, Medicine, Art, Time, Dreams, Data, Exhaustion, Cancer, and Care, by Anne Boyer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Music	The Central Park Five, by Anthony Davis
SPECIAL AWARDS AND CITATIONS	Ida B. Wells

Note: The Pulitzer Prize is an award given for outstanding achievements in newspaper, magazine and online journalism, literature, and musical composition by Columbia University in the United States.

Daily GK Updates - 4th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NMCG & NIUA organized IDEAthon on ‘The Future of River Management’: The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) organized an IDEAthon on “The future of River Management’ to explore how the COVID-19 crisis can shape River Management strategies for the future. It also emphasized about river management and also highlighted the interconnectivity of Cities with the River. This was an international webinar that brought together 500 participants. NMCG is the wing of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga, established in 2011 as a registered society under SRA 1860.

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

2. HDFC Bank releases song #HumHaarNahiMaanenge to keep up hopes up amidst Covid-19 pandemic: HDFC Bank has launched a song titled #HumHaarNahiMaanenge (We will not lose) to keep up hopes up amidst the ongoing national lockdown and coronavirus pandemic. The song is composed by Oscar and Grammy Award-winning legend musician AR Rahman with lyrics by Prasoon Joshi and includes ensemble of artists. The track also brings together musicians including Clinton Cerejo, Mohit Chauhan, Mika Singh, Jonita Gandhi, Neeti Mohan, Javed Ali, Shruti Haasan, etc. HDFC Bank has announced that it will contribute Rs 500 each time the song is shared via social media towards the PM-CARES Fund.

Note: Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra; MD of HDFC Bank: Aditya Puri.

3. UP Government makes Arogya Setu app compulsory: Uttar Pradesh Government has made it compulsory to download Arogya Setu app for those living in hotspot areas of the state. Administrative and health department officials have been directed for contact mapping of every case in hotspot area. Jan Dhan account holders are appealed to kindly use rupay card while transaction and withdrawal of money so that there will be no rush on the banks. 5 or more persons will not be allowed to gather as covid 19 management.

4. Himachal Pradesh govt to launch Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna: The Himachal Pradesh government will launch Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna under which 120 days’ assured employment will be provided to people living in urban areas. It is being launched to revive the coronavirus-hit economy of the state. Adequate training will be given to the people for their skill upgrade if required.

5. Chandigarh Launches Mobile App “CHDCOVID” to provide COVID-19 Related Information: A newly developed android based mobile app named “CHDCOVID” has been launched by the Government of Chandigarh, to provide all information related to COVID-19 in Chandigarh. The Governor of Punjab and Administrator of UT of Chandigarh, Vijayender Pal Singh Badnore inaugurated the app on 3rd May 2020. Upon downloading, the app will act as a single point platform where people can access all the guidelines, orders and notifications issued by Administration and Government of India. The app has been developed in-house by the Society for Promotion  of IT in Chandigarh (SPIC).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. IEA has released Global Energy Review 2020 report: International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its Global Energy Review 2020 report projecting 6% global energy fall in 2020. The year will observe the steepest decline in 70 years and India’s demand will decline for the first time. This will be steepest decline in percentage terms in 70 years and the largest ever in absolute terms. Global oil demand is projected to drop by 9%, coal at 5% and electricity at 20%.

Note: IEA’s Headquarters (Secretariat): Paris, France.

2. NAM summit 2020 held: A virtual summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held on 4th May on the initiative of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who is the NAM Chairman. PM Narendra Modi participated in the virtual summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The theme of NAM summit 2020 is “We are together against COVID-19”. With the unanimous support and consent of member countries, Azerbaijan assumed the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022.

3. Research & Development Statistics and Indicators 2019-20 report released: R&D Statistics and Indicators 2019-20 report is released based on the national S&T survey 2018 by NSTMIS, Dept of Science and technology. As per the report, India’s gross expenditure in R&D has tripled between 2008-2018 and India is placed 3rd among countries in scientific publication as per NSF database. Also, India is ranked at 9th position in terms of Resident Patent Filing activity in the world. The survey included more than 6800 S&T Institutions.

4. Russia to launch first satellite to monitor Arctic climate this year: Russia will launch first ‘Arktika-M’ satellite for monitoring Arctic climate this year at the end of the year. It is planned to be launched for 2020. The satellite will be launched by Soyuz -2,1b carrier rocket with frigate booster. The remote sensing Artika-M will monitor the  meteorological conditions in the polar region.

5. International Firefighters’ Day: 4th May: The International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) is observed on May 4 every year since 1999, to recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. The day was instituted, after the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia on 2 December 1998.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. New Zealand Cricket announces ANZ Cricket Awards: The Annual New Zealand Cricket Awards has been announced by New Zealand Cricket. The awards were presented online for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the complete list of Annual New Zealand Cricket Award winners:

ANZ International Men’s ODI Player of the Year: Kane Williamson

ANZ International Women’s ODI Player of the Year: Suzie Bates

ANZ International Men’s T20 Player of the Year: Ross Taylor

ANZ International Women’s T20 Player of the Year award: Sophie Devine

2. Australia abolishes the use of saliva to shine ball under COVID-19 guidelines: Australia will not allow the use of saliva or sweat to shine the ball once cricket training resumes in the post-COVID-19 world. Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in consultation with medical experts, sporting bodies and federal and state governments, has come up with guidelines putting such restrictions. The framework, which outlines a staged return to play, has three stages: Level A, Level B and Level C. Currently, restrictions on sport are outlined at "Level A".

Note: Capital of Australia: Canberra; Prime Minister (PM) Australia: Scott John Morrison; The currency of Australia: Australian Dollar.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI cancels the licence of The CKP Co-operative Bank Ltd., Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the licence of “The CKP Co-operative Bank Ltd., Mumbai” due to non-compliance to various sections of Banking Regulation Act and RBI Act. The license has been cancelled with effect from the close of business on April 30, 2020. As a result “The CKP Co-operative Bank Ltd., Mumbai” is prohibited from conducting the business of ‘banking’ which includes acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits. Upon liquidation of the bank, the depositors will receive repayment of his/her deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5 lakhs from DICGC.

OBITUARIES

1. Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi passes away: Judicial Member, Lokpal of India, Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi passed away after getting infected from novel Coronavirus. He took the charge of Additional Judge Patna High Court in 2006 and took oath as Permanent Judge of the High Court in 2007. He was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court in 2018. Justice Tripathi took oath as a Judicial Member of Lokpal of India on 27th March, 2019. He played an important role in setting up the Institution of Lokpal of India. He was a graduate in Economics (Hons) and studied law at Campus law Centre, Delhi University. 

Daily GK Updates - 3rd May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The Famous Kashmiri Saffron Gets GI Tag: Kashmiri saffron, the pride of Jammu & Kashmir, has finally been granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag, thus symbolizing its exclusivity in the international market. These saffrons are cultivated and harvested in the Karewas (high lands) of Jammu & Kashmir, by the local farmers, and are known for its unique qualities, which can only be found in saffrons grown and produced in J&K. It is grown in some regions of Kashmir, including Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam and Kishtwar. The unique characteristics of Kashmir saffron – longer and thicker stigmas, natural deep-red colour of stigmas, high aroma, bitter flavour, chemical-free processing and high quantity of crocin (colouring strength), safranal (flavour) and picrocrocin (bitterness). The application for the tag was filed by the Directorate of Agriculture, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, and facilitated by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, and Saffron Research Station, Dussu (Pampore).

Note: Lt. Governors of Jammu and Kashmir: Girish Chandra Murmu.

2. Maharashtra govt will provide free health insurance scheme to all citizens: Amid coronavirus outbreak, the Maharashtra government has announced the inclusion of state’s whole population (100%) under Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana’s free health treatment. Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to provide free and cashless insurance premium to the people of the state. Under the scheme, people in the state with ration card and domicile certificate can avail the benefits of free and cashless health insurance. At present, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana is covering 85% of the state’s population. With the latest announcement, the benefits of the scheme have been extended towards the remaining 15% people of state

Note: Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray; Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

3. CAIT to launch e-commerce platform ‘bharatmarket’: Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) will soon launch a national e-commerce marketplace named ‘bharatmarket’ for all retail traders. This will integrate capabilities of various technology companies to provide end-to-end services in the logistics and supply chains, including deliveries at home. It will also include nationwide participation by retailers and aims to bring 95% of retail traders onboard the platform, who will be the shareholders. The portal will be run exclusively by the traders. CAIT is expecting to enrol around one crore retailers on the national platform in year 2020, hence making it the world’s largest and most-unique e-marketplace ever. The pilot of this project has been started in six cities- Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur and Bengaluru.

4. Giridhar Aramane assumes charge as Secretary, MoRTH: Giridhar Aramane has assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. He has replaced Sanjeev Ranjan who has been appointed as secretary in the Ministry of Shipping. Before assuming charge as Secretary to MoRTH, Aramane was serving as Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. He has also been a Jt Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas from 2012-14. He is a 1988 batch IAS officer of AP cadre.

Note: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways: Nitin Jairam Gadkari.

5. SCTIMST develops nasal and oral swabs for COVID-19 testing: Sree Chitra Triunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has developed two types of nasal and oral swabs and viral transport medium for COVID-19 testing. They are named as Chitra EmBed flocked nylon swabs and Chitra EnMesh, with flexible plastic handles. The swabs will be available as sterile, ready-to-use devices. These two swabs developed with locally available material can reduce import dependency and can meet the huge demand at much lower costs.

6. Ministry of Shipping launches new website ‘shipmin.gov.in’: Ministry of Shipping has launched its website shipmin.gov.in on 30th April, 2020. The new website is based on open source technology and is deployed on NIC cloud Meghraj. The website is designed as per Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW) issued by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India. The new website has a well-designed and dynamic Homepage with Social Media Integration of better video uploading facility.

7. Andhra Pradesh to extend free power to farm sector during Kharif season: Andhra Pradesh government will supply free power for nine hours to 81 percent of feeders of the farm sector during the Kharif season. It will be increased to 100 percent for the next Rabi season. Due to issues relating to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the State power sector, the issue of supply of free electricity to farmers for nine hours has been restricted to 81 percent.

8. WIHG reveals 35 thousand-year history of river erosion in Ladakh Himalayas: Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) studied rivers in Ladakh Himalaya, bringing out 35,000 year history of river erosion and identified hotspots of erosion and valleys that act aS buffer zone. The study showed the phenomena of rivers in drier Ladakh Himalaya operated in longer time scales and their response to varying climate. The study will help to understand river-borne erosion and sedimentation that eventually become the cradle to evolving civilizations.

9. Sikkim launched web portal to gather public feedback and suggestions: Sikkim Government has launched a portal ‘www.sikkimgovtfeedback.org’ portal to gather public feedback and suggestions on government schemes and general administration at Gangtok. It is developed by the state Information and Public relations (IPR) Department. The portal would ensure transparency in functioning of the government by providing an interface with the people. Inputs received from the public will be documented and screened by official for necessary action.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian-Origin Girl Vaneeza Rupani Credied to Name NASA’s First Mars Helicopter as ‘Ingenuity’: A 17-year-old Indian-origin girl Vaneeza Rupani has been earned the honour of naming the NASA’s first Mars helicopter, after she submitted her essay into NASA’s “Name the Rover” contest. Rupani, a high school junior from Northport, Alabama, has suggested the name ‘INGENUITY’ for the helicopter, which has been liked and accepted by NASA. Rupani’s entry was among 28,000 essays submitted by K-12 students from every US state and territory. In March 2020, NASA announced that its next rover to Mars, would be named Perseverance. Perseverance and Ingenuity are scheduled to launch in July 2020 and land in February 2021 at the Mars. Ingenuity will be the first aircraft to attempt powered flight on another planet.

Note: The administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): Jim Bridenstine; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States.

2. World Press Freedom Day: 3rd May: The World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 annually to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression. The day pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives as they risk their lives at times and face tough situations to bring the news in front of the public. The theme of World Press Freedom Day 2020 is “Journalism without Fear or Favour”. UN General Assembly established World Freedom Day in 1993 following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference.

3. International Dawn Chorus Day 2020: 3rd May: The annual International Dawn Chorus Day is held on the first Sunday in May. The day is dedicated to listen to the sounds of birds, when birds sing at the start of a new day, at around 4:30. It is a magical reminder that the natural world lives its life all around us, every day, whether we listen or not. In 2020, this day is being celebrated on 03 May 2020. The day encourages people to rise early to listen bird songs. The first ever International Dawn Chorus Day was held in Birmingham, England in 1984, by the Urban Wildlife Trust (now The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country).

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Former World Snooker champion Peter Ebdon announces retirement: Former World Snooker Champion Peter Ebdon has announced his retirement from professional snooker after suffering from various neck and back injuries. Peter Ebdon won 2002 World Snooker championship by defeating Stephen Hendry in an 18-17 final thriller. He also ended as a runner up in the championship for the record two times in his professional career of 29 years. He also won the UK Championship in 2006.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Neeraj Dhawan appointed as Chief Risk Officer at Yes Bank: Neeraj Dhawan has been appointed as the chief risk officer of Yes Bank with immediate effect and serve at the position for 3 years. He will replace Ashish Agarwal, the current chief risk officer, who will be transitioning to a new role in the bank. Prior to this, Dhawan was holding the position of chief risk officer for retail and business banking at Yes Bank. He has 29 years of experience in financial service and banking industry.

OBITUARIES

1. Padma Shri awardee & Renowned poet K S Nisar Ahmed passes away: Padma Shri awardee & Renowned Kannada poet KS Nisar Ahmed passed away. He was also known as “Nityotsava Kavi”. He was awarded the Pampa Award (the highest literary award in Karnataka) in 2017. He also a recipient of the Rajyotsava award in 1981 and Padma Shri in 2008.

2. Delhi Historian RV Smith Passes Away: Eminent historian, author and columnist Ronald Vivian Smith, who is best known for his writings on Delhi, passed away due to age-related ailments. He was 81. Born in Agra in 1938, Smith made Delhi his second home and was recognised as the city’s greatest chronicler, for writing extensively in many leading publications on Delhi’s intricate histories such as ‘Delhi: Unknown Tales of a City’ and ‘The Delhi that No-one Knows’. The ‘True Chronicler of Delhi’ was the recipient of the Canon Holland Prize and the Rotary Award for general knowledge and journalism award (1997-98) from the Michael Madhusudan Academy.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. DIAT develops Microwave Steriliser ‘ATULYA‘ to disintegrate Coronavirus: The Defence Institute of Advanced Technology – Pune, a deemed university supported by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a path-breaking piece of technology named ATULYA, a microwave steriliser. Atulya can disintegrate Covid-19 virus within 30 seconds. With this product, the virus gets disintegrated by differential heating in the range of 56 degree to 60 degree celsius temperatures. The sterilisation time can range from 30 to 60 seconds depending on the size and shape of objects. The total weight of Atulya is 3 kilos and it can be used for sterilising non-metallic objects only. The product is cost effective solution, which can be operated in portable or fixed installations.

2. GoI raises MSP for Minor Forest Produce ranging from 16% to 66%: Government of India has revised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) of 49 items. MSP for MFPs is revised once in every 3 years by the Pricing Cell constituted under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The increase across various items of minor forest produce ranges from 16% to 66%. The increase is expected to provide an immediate and much needed momentum to procurement of Minor Tribal Produce in at least 20 States amid COVID-19.

Note: Union Minister for Tribal Affairs: Arjun Munda; Minister of State for Tribal Affairs: Renuka Singh Saruta.

3. CSIR-CRRI Launches Kisan Sabha App to Connect Farmers to Supply Chain and Freight Transportation Management System: The CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), New Delhi has developed a mobile app Kisan Sabha to connect farmers with supply chain and freight transportation management system, in the present situation of COVID 19. The app will enable the farmers in seed/ fertilizer procurement as well as their harvest reaching the market, among other things and thus facilitate the timely delivery of the produce at the best possible prices. The Kisan Sabha App will also help in providing best market rates of crops by comparing nearest mandis, booking of freight vehicle at cheapest cost thereby giving maximum benefit to the farmers.

Note: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: Narendra Singh Tomar; Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: Parshottam Rupala.

4. A K Sharma assumes charge as Secretary to MSME Ministry: Arvind Kumar Sharma assumed charge as Secretary in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry. Prior to this appointment, Sharma was serving as Additional Secretary, Prime Minister's Office (PMO). He is a 1988 batch IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre. Sharma's appointment as MSME Secretary comes at a time when the sector is facing a huge crisis owing to the coronavirus infection. As MSME Secretary, he is expected to play a key role in revival of the sector.

Note: Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Nitin Jairam Gadkari.

5. Ramesh Babu assumes charge as director operations at NTPC: Ramesh Babu V has assumed charge as director operations at State-owned power giant NTPC, effective May 1. He joined NTPC as an executive in 1987 and has more than 32 years of experience in managing large power stations in the areas of operations and maintenance units as well as in the domains of efficiency & systems improvement of thermal plants. Before his appointment as director, he was the executive director to the CMD while also working for NTPC power plants.

6. Union Culture Minister Launches e-book “Prof. B. B. Lal -India Rediscovered”: The Union Culture Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel released an e-book titled “Prof. B. B. Lal -India Rediscovered” on 2 May 2020 in New Delhi, on the occasion of centenary year of great archaeologist Professor B. B. Lal. The book has been prepared by Ministry of Culture in collaboration with Prof B B Lal Centenary Celebration Committee, as a tribute for his immense contribution to the field of archaeology. Prof. B. B. Lal was conferred with the Padma Bhushan in the year of 2000. He had also served as the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1968 to 1972.

7. CSIR-CSIO creates Electrostatic Disinfection Machine for disinfection: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR’s Scientific Instruments Organisation, Chandigarh has developed an Electrostatic Disinfection Machine that is effective in the disinfection and sanitization process by reducing the spread of coronavirus and pathogens. The machine works on the electrostatic principle and makes uniform and fine spray droplets of disinfectants to kill microorganisms and viruses.

8. Ministry of Home Affairs reconstitutes empowered groups: The 11 empowered groups of officers created by the govt. to implement Covid-19 containment measures in the country have been reconstituted. The reconstitution of the groups, first created on March 29 under the Disaster Management Act, was necessitated as some members either retired, appointed, or were transferred from posting. Empowered groups under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, reconstituted for planning and ensuring the implementation of Covid-19 activities.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US Navy to host world's largest maritime exercises in Hawaii: The United States Navy will host the world's largest maritime exercises in Hawaii again this year, but the drills will only be held at sea because of the Coronavirus. The Navy has held the Rim of the Pacific exercises in Hawaii every two years since the early 1970s. The drills will also be held over two weeks, from 17th to 31st August, instead of the usual five weeks of events from late June to early August.

2. International Spring Astronomy Day 2020: 2nd May: The International Astronomy Day is celebrated twice a year. One in autumn season and another in spring season. The Spring Astronomy Day 2020 is being celebrated on May 2, 2020. It occurs on Saturday between mid-April and mid-May, such that the day falls at or close to the first quarter Moon. The Autumn Astronomy Day 2020 will be held on September 26, 2020. It is scheduled to occur on a Saturday between mid-September and mid-October so as to be on or close to the first quarter Moon. The idea to observe the day was started in 1973 by Doug Berger, the president of the Astronomical Association of Northern California, whose intent was to set up various telescopes in busy urban locations so that passersby could enjoy views of the heavens. Since then the event is being observed to create awareness and educate people about the beautiful universe.

3. World Tuna Day: 2nd May: World Tuna Day is observed on May 2 every year to raise awareness about the Tuna fish and its importance to humans and earth and also to promote more sustainable fishing practices. It was observed for the first time in 2017. Tuna is a saltwater fish comprising of some 15 different species across five genera. More than 96 countries have tuna fisheries, and their capacity is constantly growing. The World Tuna Day was officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by adopting resolution 71/124 in December 2016.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Commonwealth Youth Games 2021 rescheduled to 2023: The Commonwealth Youth Games 2021 is postponed to 2023 because of clash of dates with Tokyo Olympics, which has been pushed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8 2020 and have been rescheduled to the summer of 2021. The seventh Commonwealth Youth Games were scheduled to take place from August 1 to 7 2021 in Trinidad and Tobago.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI permits Visa, Mastercard and NPCI for contact-free payments for any amount: The Reserve Bank of India has permitted the country’s payment networks- Visa, Mastercard and NPCI to allow tap-and-go functionality on card payments for all purchases at retail stores and shopping centers. Earlier this facility was available for card payment up to amount Rs 2000. Now tap-and-go functionality will be available even for purchases made above Rs 2000. However, the transactions with are about Rs 2,000 shall be authenticated by PIN.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. American Academy of Arts and Sciences honours Professor Shobhana Narasimhan: Prof. Shobhana Narasimhan from the Theoretical Sciences Unit (TSU) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), has been elected as an International Honorary Member to the American Academy of Arts and Science (AAAS). She has been honoured for her distinguished work in the field of sciences. She has done remarkable work on the rational design of nanomaterials, determining the affect of lowering of dimensionality and reduction of size on the properties of material.

Note: AAAS honors such scholars and leaders who have distinguished themselves in the sciences, arts, humanities, and public life. Albert Einstein, Nelson Mandela and Charles Darwin are some of the previous International Honorary Members being honoured by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

2. Sania Mirza Becomes First Indian To Get Nominated For Fed Cup Heart Award: Sania Mirza became the first Indian to be nominated for the Fed Cup Heart Award from the Asia/Oceania zone along with Indonesia's Priska Medelyn Nugroho. Sania had recently made a comeback to Fed Cup after four years. With her 18-month son Izhaan present in the stands, Sania had helped India qualify for the Play-offs for the first time. The winners of the Heart Awards will be determined by online voting by fans which will go live on May 1 and will go on until May 8.

OBITUARIES

1. South African anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg passes away: Veteran South African anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg (87 years), who was tried alongside Nelson Mandela passes away. He played a key role in South African liberation struggle. He was the only white member of the African National Congress’s military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). Denis Goldberg was sentenced with imprisonment of 22 years for his involvement with the ANC’s fight against apartheid and was released in 1985.

Note: Apartheid was the racist system of oppression forced by the white minority government.

Daily GK Updates - 1st May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. USAID announces USD 3 million Grant for India to fight COVID-19: On April 30, 2020, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced an additional grant of $3 million to India to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The US agency has earlier announced a grant of $2.9 million to India on 6 April 2020 to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus. With this, the total amount granted by USAID has reached $5.9 million to assist India in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. The USAID is providing these funds under the Partnerships for Affordable Healthcare Access and Longevity (PAHAL) project.

2. Nitin Gadkari launches “MSME Bank of Schemes, Ideas, Innovation and Research” portal: Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and MSME Shri Nitin Gadkari has launched a portal on “MSME Bank of Schemes, Ideas, Innovation and Research”. The Portal gives access to all Schemes of Union, State and UT Governments related to MSME. The portal also provides for uploading Ideas, Innovations & Researches in the MSME sector. The URL of the portal is http://ideas.msme.gov.in/. It can also facilitate inflow of venture capital, and foreign collaboration. The portal has been launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises.

3. NCSTS-DST Launches YASH Programme on Health & Risk Communication with focus on COVID-19: The National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC) under the Department of Science & Technology (DST) has launched a programme called YASH for health and risk communication, with main focus on COVID-19. YASH stands for “Year of Awareness on Science & Health (YASH)”. The YASH initiative aims to involve academic, research, media, and voluntary organizations to facilitate necessary actions and emergency preparedness of society to address the COVID-19 challenge. It is also targeted at encouraging public engagement and participation, perceptions, in risk-related communication processes to open wide routes for building capacities. Involvement of stakeholders and communities will develop a greater sense of awareness, to take informed decisions regarding healthcare and associated risks.

Note: Union Minister of Science and Technology: Harsh Vardhan.

4. Black Rice Chak-Hao from Manipur, Gorakhpur terracotta and Kovilpatti kadalai mittai of TN Gets GI Tag: Chak-Hao, the scented glutinous rice popularly known as Black Rice cultivated in Manipur, has got GI (Geographical Indications). The application for Chak-Hao was filed by the Consortium of Producers of Chak-Hao (Black Rice), Manipur and was facilitated by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Manipur and the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC). Besides this, the terracotta work of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh has also received the GI Tag, whose application was filed by Laxmi Terracotta Murtikala Kendra in Uttar Pradesh.. Also, Kovilpatti kadalai mittai, a peanut candy, from Tamil Nadu has also bagged GI tag. This data was given by the Geographical Indications Registry of Ministry of Commerce and Industries on its website.

GI Tag	Category	State
Chak-Hao (Black Rice)	Agricultural	Manipur
Gorakhpur terracotta	Handicraft	Uttar Pradesh
Kovilpatti kadalai mittai	Food Stuff	Tamil Nadu

5. Chhattisgarh top state in providing employment to workers under MGNREGS: Chhattisgarh has topped the list of states in providing employment to unskilled labourers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) amid the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. The data was released by the Union Rural Development Ministry. Chhattisgarh has provided employment to 18.51 lakh workers under MGNREGS. Rajasthan is on second while Uttar Pradesh is on the third.

Note: Union Minister for Rural Development: Narendra Singh Tomar.

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel; Governor: Anusuiya Uikey.

6. MoC launches PMU for timely operationalisation of coal mines: A Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) has been launched by the Ministry of Coal (MoC). The Project Monitoring Unit aims to facilitate early operationalisation of coal mines which have been allocated by the Central Government. It will help the Coal mines allocatees in attaining various clearances required from the Central/State government authorities in order to operationalise the mines and hence, will promote Ease of Doing Business in the coal industry.

Note: Union Minister for Coal: Pralhad Joshi.

7. Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan Scripts New World Record of becoming the most-watched TV show: The epic mythological show Ramayan, by Ramanand Sagar, has scripted new world wide record of becoming the most watched entertainment programme in the world in 2020 as of April 16. This announcement was made by Doordharshan (DD) on its Twitter handle on 30 April 2020, based on the data released by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India. As per DD, Ramayan has also clocked the highest viewership record on a single day and has reported a viewership of 7.7 crore as of 16 April 2020. Besides this, the record has also contributed to make DD as one of the most viewed channels. The show Ramayan, based on the life of mythical character Lord Ram, was first aired on the DD channel, two decades ago, in January 1987 and ended in July 1988. It began re-telecasting from March 28 after the nationwide lockdown was announced.

8. All India Institute of Ayurveda Launches AYURAKSHA for Delhi Police Officials: The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), under Ministry of AYUSH, has launched an initiative in collaboration with the Delhi Police to boost immunity of Delhi Police personal. The joint programme titled AYURAKSHA “Corona Se Jung- Delhi Police Ke Sang” aims to fight against corona through simple and time tested Ayurveda immunity boosting measures. Under the initiative, recommended formulations like Chyawanaprasha (Amla as main content), Anu Taila and SanshamaniVati (prepared from Guduchi) will be distributed to the Delhi police personal in phased manner. It will be distributed to 80000 frontline workers across 15 districts.

Note: Minister of State (I/C) for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy: Shripad Yesso Naik.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Extraordinary Virtual G20 Digital Economy Ministers Summit:  An Extraordinary Virtual G20 Digital Economy Ministers summit was held under the presidency of Saudi Arabia. Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communications and Electronics & IT, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad represented India in the virtual summit. The virtual summit also featured the participation of Digital Ministers of 19 other G20 Members, invited countries and International Organisations.

2. International Labour Day: 1 May: International Labour Day 2020 observed globally on 1st May every year.  It is also known as International Worker’s Day and May Day. This day is observed to pay tribute to the contribution of workers across the world. It was only in the year 1891 when 1st May was announced formally to be observed as International Labour Day each year. In India, Labour Day was first celebrated in Madras on May 1, 1923 under the leadership of the socialist and leftist parties at the time.

Note: Headquarters of International Labour Organization: Geneva, Switzerland; President of International Labour Organization: Guy Ryder; International Labour Organization Founded: 1919.

3. India ranked 53rd in budget transparency, accountability in IBP survey: India has been ranked at 53rd position out of 117 nations in terms of budget transparency and accountability as per a Open Budget Survey conducted by International Budget Partnership (IBP). New Zealand has topped the chart. It has a score of 87 out of 100. India’s Union Budget process has a transparency score of 49 out of 100. This is higher than the global average of 45.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. FIFA launches #WeWillWin campaign to pay tribute to health workers: Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has launched a campaign called “#WeWillWin”. Through this campaign FIFA tribute a special video to health workers and other professionals who ensure the society continues to function among COVID-19 pandemic. Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia who is also featured among 50 past and present football stars.

Note: President of FIFA: Gianni Infantino; Founded: 21 May 1904; Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland.

2. Karnataka to host online chess tournament titled ‘Checkmate COVID-19’: The Karnataka Youth Empowerment and Sports department and United Karnataka Chess Association will host an online chess tournament to raise funds for CM Covid-19 relief fund. The event is titled as "Checkmate COVID-19." The Chess players across the country can register on Mobile Premier League gaming platform by donating fifty rupees. The tournament will be held on May 2nd and 3rd. The total prize pool is 10 lakh rupees and the first prize is one lakh rupees.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI Extends Regulatory Benefits under SLF-MF Scheme to all Banks: Reserve Bank of India extended regulatory benefits announced under the SLF-MF (Special Liquidity Facility for Mutual Funds) scheme to all banks including those deploying their own resources. Earlier in the week, the Reserve Bank had announced Rs 50,000-crore SLF-MF scheme to bailout the mutual funds facing redemption pressure. The scheme is extended due to multiple request received by RBI from Banks. The benefits can be availed without consecutive funding from RBI.

2. KVGB Launches Collateral free MSME Loan Scheme ‘Vikas Abhaya’: The Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVGB), launched a loan scheme for existing micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) borrowers, whose business activities are disrupted on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ‘Vikas Abhaya’ loan scheme is an additional credit facility to the eligible existing MSME borrowers who have been regular as on February 29. Under the scheme, a maximum loan of up to Rs 1 lakh will be provided, with no requirement of collateral security. The loan is repayable within 36 months.

Note: Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank Headquarters: Dharwad, Karnataka; Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank chairman: P Gopi Krishna.

3. Shikha Sharma appointed as advisor of Google Pay India: Former Axis Bank CEO, Shikha Sharma has been appointed as an advisor to digital payments app Google Pay India. Google Pay has been leading UPI Payments adoption in India. During the ongoing lockdown, Google launched its “Nearby Spot” to help users in Bengaluru find local stores selling essentials like groceries that are open amid the lockdown. The Nearby Spot will be launched in Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi soon, Google has said at the time. Google Pay is one of the leading apps on Unified Payments Payments Interface (UPI), battling with the likes of Amazon Pay, Paytm, etc.

Note: Sundar Pichai is the Present CEO of Google; Alphabet Inc. is the Parent company of Google.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. IIT-Madras professor T Pradeep Chosen for Nikkei Asia prizes 2020: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) Professor T Pradeep, has been selected for the Nikkei Asia Prizes 2020 in the “Science and Technology” category. The Padma Shri awardee T. Pradeep has been recognized for his pioneering work in nanotechnology-based water purification system that works without expensive filtration membranes or electricity. The nanotechnology-enabled water filters have helped deliver clean water at a cost of just 2 paise per litre in India. Complete list of winners of the prize is as follows:

Science and Technology: Professor Thalappil Pradeep (India)

Culture and Community: Ram Prasad Kadel (Nepal)

Economic and Business Innovation: Anthony Tan (Malaysia) & Tan Hooi Ling (Malaysia)

Note: The Nikkei Asia Prizes are annual awards conferred on individuals who have contributed to bring sustainable development in the region and for the creation of a better future in Asia.

2. Thangjam Dhabali Singh conferred ‘Order of Rising Sun’ by Japan: Manipuri doctor, Thangjam Dhabali Singh conferred ‘Order of Rising Sun’ by Japan government. This award is given for him to promoting a better understanding of Japan in India and deepening ties between the two countries.

Note: Capital of Japan: Tokyo; Currency of Japan: yen; Prime Minister of Japan: Shinzo Abe.

OBITUARIES

1. Freedom fighter & Padma Shri awardee Hema Bharali passes away: Assam born renowned freedom fighter and Padma Shri awardee Hema Bharali passed away in Guwahati suffering from prolonged illness. She was 101. Hema Bharali, who was born on 19 February 1919 was an Indian freedom activist, social worker, Sarvodaya leader and Gandhian known for her contributions for the empowerment of women and efforts towards the upliftment of the socially and financially challenged sections of the society. She had received the Padma Shri in 2005.

2. Legendary footballer Chuni Goswami passed away: Former India footballer Chuni Goswami passed away at the age of 82 years. Apart from playing football, he had also played first-class cricket for Bengal. He was the captain of Indian Football Team that won the 1962 Asian Games gold medal. Under his captaincy, India finished as runner-up at the Asian Cup in 1964. He played 50 matches for India as a footballer from 1956 to 1964. He was honoured with Arjun award, Padmasree and Mohonbagan Ratna awards for his outstanding contributions in the field of Sports. The West Bengal Government conferred him the highest civilian award Banga Bibhusan in 2013.