Daily GK Updates – 22nd Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone of key power and urban sector projects in Kerala: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of key projects in the state of Kerala via video conference. Projects inaugurated includes:

(1) 320 KV Pugalur- Thrissur power transmission project, built at a cost of Rs 5,070 crore. The project is a Voltage Source Convertor (VSC) based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Project and has India”s first HVDC link featuring state-of-the-art VSC technology.

(2) 50 MW Kasaragod Solar Power Project, developed under the National Solar Energy Mission

(3) 75 MLD (million litres per day) Water Treatment Plant at Aruvikkara under the AMRUT Mission.

(4) Apart from this, PM laid the foundation stone of Integrated Command and Control Centre and Smart Roads Project in Thiruvananthapuram.

 

2. Prime Minister launches ‘Mahabahu-Brahmaputra’ initiative in Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually launched ‘Mahabahu-Brahmaputra’ initiative in Assam. He laid the foundation stone for the DhubriPhulbariBridge. PM also perform the bhumi puja for the construction of Majuli Bridge in Assam. PM has announced the details stated that the landmark day in the development journey for Assam as Mahabahu-Brahmaputra initiative is going to be launched.

About Mahabahu-Brahmaputra initiative: Mahabahu-Brahmaputra initiative is going to be marked with the inauguration of the Ro-Pax vessel operations. The Ro-Pax vessel operations will be launched in between the Neamatighat&Majuli, Dhubri-Hatsingimari and North-South Guwahati. This initiative also includes the inauguration of the Inland Water Transport Terminal at Jogighopa. The initiative will also be marked with the inauguration of various tourist jetties at four locations in order to promote the river tourism and employment across the state.

Note: Assam CM: SarbanandaSonowal; Assam Governor: JagdishMukhi.

 

3. ‘Snakepedia’ mobile app launched in Kerala: A team of scientists, doctors and photographers in Kerala have launched a mobile application named “Snakepedia” that will present all relevant information on snakes, to help the public as well as doctors in treating snake bites.

About the app: The main aim of the app is to help the public identify snakes, avail proper treatment on time for snakebites, bust myths about snakes, and protect snakes as well as snakebite victims. The android mobile application documents information on snakes with the help of pictures, infographics and podcasts and analyses its first aid, treatment, myths and superstitions.

Note: Kerala CM: PinarayiVijayan; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

4. Odisha Govt announced Development Package for MaaSamaleswari Shrine: The state government of Odisha, under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has launched the development work for the SAMALEI Project (Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economy Initiatives), to offer the divine experience to tourists & devotees. The project involves the development of 108 acres of land in & around the 16th-century shrine of MaaSamaleswari, the presiding deity of western Odisha.Odisha Government has announced a package of Rs 200-crore for 2021-22 fiscal for the implementation of the project. The project will be implemented under MoSarkar5T and will focus on the beautification of the temple & economic development of local people. It will include the development of amenities for devotees inside the 12-acre temple premises and development of four tall heritage welcome gates.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar; Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India-Australia circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE): The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the valedictory function of the India Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE) via videoconferencing. A circular economy implies reusing waste back into the production cycle to make new products instead of wasting such materials with embedded resources. The I-ACE was jointly organized by Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia. More than 200 participants in 39 teams from India and 33 teams from Australia took part.

Four key themes for the hackathon: (1) Innovation in packaging reducing packaging waste; (2) Innovation in food supply chains avoiding waste; (3) Creating opportunities for plastic waste reduction; (4) Recycling critical energy metals and e-waste.

Objective: To enable the students and startups/MSMEs of both nations in fostering innovative solutions for the development of a circular economy across the food system value chain with the aim of increasing the long-term health and resilience of our planet, through innovative technology solutions. I-ACE aims to accelerate the development of young and promising students and startups/MSMEs working towards the creation of a sustainable future.

Note: Prime Minister of Australia: Scott Morrison; The currency of Australia: Australian dollar; Capital of Australia: Canberra.

 

2. Perseverance rover has successfully landed on Mars: The NASA Perseverance rover safely landed on Mars after its 292.5 million-mile journey from Earth. The rover has been on a nearly 300 million-mile journey since it left Earth more than 6 months ago. Perseverance and her teams lived up to the namesake, overcoming the challenges of preparing for the journey’s final stages during a pandemic. The attitude control system is responsible for pointing the rover in the direction it needs to be and also helps figure out where the spacecraft is oriented in space.

Indian-American named Dr Swati Mohan, who first confirmed that the rover had survived a particularly tricky plunge into the Martian atmosphere. Mohan, who successfully spearheaded the development of attitude control and the landing system for the rover, was among the team of scientists behind the historic mission.

Note: Acting Administrator of NASA: Steve Jurczyk; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States; NASA Founded: 1 October 1958.

 

3. World Thinking Day: 22th February: World Thinking Day, originally known as Thinking Day, is celebrated annually on 22 February by all Girl Scouts, Girl Guides and other girl groups worldwide. The day is observed to think about fellow brothers and sisters around the world, address their concerns and understand the true meaning of guiding. The theme for World Thinking Day 2021 is peacebuilding. Peacebuilding is at the heart of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting and is as vital and relevant today as for the last 100 years. By completing the steps in the Stand Together For Peace activity pack, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts will; Stand Strong, Stand up and Stand Together for peacebuilding.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ManikaBatra Wins Singles Title at 82nd National Table Tennis Championship: India’s top-ranked table tennis player ManikaBatra beat Reeth Rishya, 4-2, in the women’s singles final, to win the 82nd Senior National Table Tennis Championship, at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula, Haryana. It was Manika’s second Nationals title. She won her maiden national title in 2015 in Hyderabad.

 

2. Sri Lanka pacer Dhammika Prasad quits international cricket: Sri Lanka fast bowler Dhammika Prasad has announced his retirement from international cricket. He represented Sri Lanka in 25 Tests and 24 ODIs, bagging 75 and 32 wickets respectively. He also played alone T20 International against Australia in 2011. Prasad last played a Test match in October 2015 against the West Indies.

 

3. South Africa’s Faf du Plessis retires from Test cricket: Former captain of South Africa, Faf du Plessis has announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 36-year-old made his Test debut in November 2012 and played a total of 69 games in the longest format. He scored 4163 runs in his Test career, at an average of 40.02, with 10 centuries and 21 fifties.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Hyundai Develops Ultimate Mobility Vehicle ‘TIGER X-1’: Hyundai Motor Company has launched a Transformer-like robocar dubbed as TIGER X-1, that can travel over the most challenging terrains on the Earth as well as on other planets. TIGER stands for Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot, and the X-1 denotes its experimental status. Key Features:

(1) The Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV) TIGER is being developed by Hyundai in partnership with Autodesk and Sundberg-Ferar.

(2) Tiger is designed as a battery-electric vehicle, comprising of a small pod with four wheels on extendable legs. it will be able to operate as either a four-wheel-drive vehicle or four-legged walking robot.

(3) The vehicle is unscrewed, meaning that its, main use will be to carry payloads over remote and inaccessible locations, and not the people

(4) It will help in search and rescue, scientific research, military, or exploratory missions (even on new planets).

Note: Hyundai Motor Company Founder: Chung Ju-Yung; Hyundai Motor Company Founded: 29 December 1967, Seoul, South Korea.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Hyderabad Recognised as ‘2020 Tree City of the World’: Telangana’s capital, Hyderabad has been recognized as a 2020 Tree City of World, by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation, for its commitment to growing and maintaining urban forests. Hyderabad is the only city from India to have been recognized as a Tree City, to date. With this recognition, it has joined a network of like-minded global cities that recognise the importance of trees in building healthy, resilient and happy cities. 2020 Tree Cities of the world recognition is the second year of the programme, which features 120 cities from 63 countries. Most of the cities were from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organization Head: Qu Dongyu; Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy; Food and Agriculture Organization Established: 16 October 1945.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy Ship Pralaya Participates in NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21: Indian Naval Ship Pralaya reached Abu Dhabi in UAE to participate in the Naval Defence Exhibition (NAVDEX 21) and International Defence Exhibition (IDEX 21) from February 20 to 25, 2021. NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21 is one of the leading international naval and defence exhibitions of the region. Participation of INS Pralaya will showcase the strengths of India’s indigenous shipbuilding, in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’.

Key Features of INS Pralaya:  It is the second ship of the indigenously built Prabal Class Missile Vessels, built indigenously at Goa Shipyard Limited. The ship was commissioned in the Indian Navy on 18 December 2002 to perform a wide variety of surface warfare missions. The 56 m longship, displacing about 560 T is capable of speeds in excess of 35 knots. It is fitted with an impressive array of weapons and sensors, like 76.2 mm medium range gun, 30 mm close-range guns, chaff launchers and long-range surface to surface missiles.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh; Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.

Daily GK Updates – 21st Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Cabinet approves PLI scheme for telecom sector worth Rs 12,195 crore: The Union Cabinet approved aRs 12,195-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for domestic manufacturing of telecom and networking products such as switches, routers, radio access network, wireless equipment and other IoT access devices. Through this decision, the government aims to offset the imports of telecom equipment worth more than Rs 50,000 crore and reinforce it with “Made in India” products both for domestic markets and exports.

About the PLI scheme: The support under the PLI scheme will be provided to companies manufacturers of specified telecom and networking products in India like Gigabit Passive Optical Networks (GPON), base routers, Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS/ IPMPLS) and 5G/4G radios. The government will soon come up with a PLI scheme to encourage the production of laptops and tablet PCs.

 

2. PM Modi dedicates to the nation and lays foundation stone of key projects of oil and gas sector in Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation of key projects of the oil and gas sector in Tamil Nadu via video conferencing. PM Modi laid the foundation stone of Cauvery Basin Refinery at Nagapattinam. It will have a capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum, and will be set up through a Joint Venture of IOCL and CPCL at an estimated project cost of Rs. 31,500 crore. PM Modi dedicates to the nation and lays foundation stone of key projects of oil and gas sector in Tamil Nadu.

Among the projects dedicated were:

(1) 143 km Ramanathapuram – Thoothukudi natural gas pipeline of ONGC laid at the cost of about Rs. 700 crores. It is the part of the Ennore- Thiruvallur- Bengaluru- Puducherry- Nagapattinam- Madurai- Tuticorin Natural Gas Pipeline.

(2) Gasoline Desulphurisation Unit at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL), Manali – constructed at the cost of about Rs. 500 crore.

 

3. PM Modi lays foundation stone of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial and Chittaura Lake Development Work at Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial at Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, via video conference. PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the development work of Chittaura Lake in Bahraich. A medical College building named after Maharaja Suheldev was also inaugurated by Modiji. The 2021 event marked the 112th birth anniversary celebration of Maharaja Suheldev. Maharaja Suheldev was the ruler of Shravasti in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, who ruled in the 11th century.

 

4. SpaceKidz India-built Satish Dhawan Nanosatellite to be launched on Feb 28 along with Bhagavad Gita, PM Modi’s photo & names of 25,000 individuals: The Chennai-based SpaceKidz India, has developed the nanosatellite called Satish Dhawan Satellite, or SD SAT. The SD SAT, a 30x10x10cm cuboid, is an experimental communication satellite, to test the capabilities of LoRa(Long range) technology in Space. The indigenously designed and developed miniature spacecraft, will be launched on February 28 by the polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV), C51 rocket of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization). Besides its scientific payloads, the nanosatellite will also carry a copy of Bhagavad Gita, a photograph of Prime Mister Narendra Modi, and names of 25,000 common individuals to space. SpaceKidz India is an organisation dedicated to promoting space science among students.

 

5. India accounts for 11% of global death in road accidents: World Bank Report: The World Bank has released a comprehensive report  titled ‘Traffic Crash Injuries and Disabilities: The Burden on Indian Society’  in association with the SaveLife Foundation,  an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to improving road safety and emergency medical care across India. The report was released by Union transport minister, Nitin Gadkari. The report is based on the data for the year 2019. The World Bank-SaveLife Foundation report highlights the disproportionate impact of a road crash on poor households that pushes them into poverty and debt. It sheds light on the links between road crashes, poverty, inequality, and vulnerable road users in India. Key takeaways from the report:

(1) India has only 1 percent of the world’s total vehicles. However, the country accounts for 11 percent of the global death due to road accidents. This is the highest death rate in the world because of road accident.

(2) 70 percent of the fatalities are the age group of 18 to 45 years, impacting the country as a whole.

(3) Road crash deaths among poor households accounted for 44 percent in rural areas compared to 11.6 percent in urban areas

(4) In India, Low-income household (LIH) spends about 7 months of its income, while a high household income (HIH) spends less than a month’s salary in post-road crash care.

(5) More than 75 percent of poor households in India reported a decline in their income as a result of a road traffic crash.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia resigns: The Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia has announced his resignation. The 45-year-old Gakharia served as the Prime Minister from 8 September 2019 to 18 February 2021. He was stepping down because of disagreements within his own team over the decision to arrest Nika Melia, chairman of the United National Movement opposition party.

Note: Georgia Capital: Tbilisi; Currency: Georgian lari.

 

2. Ajai Malhotra becomes first Indian chairperson at UNHRC advisory:Ajai Malhotra became the first Indian to be elected as the Chairperson of the United Nations Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council. He has been on the Indian team negotiating issues such as biological diversity, climate change, desertification, education, energy, forestry, health, human rights, human settlements, intellectual property, international law, labour, ozone depletion, sustainable development and trade.

About the Ajai Malhotra: Malhotra first joined the Indian Foreign Services in 1977. Malhotra has previously served as ambassador to Russia, Kuwait, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York and Romania.

Note: Human Rights Council Founded: 15 March 2006; Human Rights Council President: NazhatShameem; Human Rights Council Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

 

3. International Mother Language Day: 21th February: The International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is observed annually on 21 February to raise awareness regarding linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. The theme of the Day this year, “Fostering multilingualism for inclusion in education and society”. International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The UN General Assembly welcomed the proclamation of the day in its resolution of 2002.

Note: UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Chris Morris becomes IPL’s most expensive player: Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) superstar and South African all-rounder Chris Morris shattered all records at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 auction in Chennai. Rajasthan Royals went all-out for the South African all-rounder Morris, buying him for a whopping INR 16.25 crore. Morris, who was declared surplus to requirement by the ViratKohli-led side after the conclusion of the IPL 2020 last year, turned out to be the most expensive player bought in the history of the cash-rich tournament.

 

2. Vivo is back as title sponsor for Indian Premier League 2021 Season: The Chinese mobile and technology company brand Vivo has returned as the title sponsors of IPL for the 2021 edition. This was informed by the Indian Premier League Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel at the IPL 2021 Auction in Chennai. In 2018, Vivo acquired the IPL title sponsorship for Rs 2,199 crore in a five-year deal. However, military clashes at the India-China border in June 2020, led VIVO to pull out as sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL). VIVO was then replaced by Indian online gaming platform Dream11 in 2020 season.

 

3. Kings XI Punjab renamed as Punjab Kings ahead of IPL auction: The IPL Franchise, Kings XI Punjab has formally been renamed as Punjab Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League auction. The new brand name and logo of the team was officially released by the management. The Punjab-based IPL franchise ‘Punjab Kings’ is co-owned by Bollywood actress PreityZinta, along with businessman Ness Wadia, Mohit Burman and Karn Paul. The side is currently led by batsman KL Rahul, with former Indian captain Anil Kumble as its head coach.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI permits residents to make remittances to IFSCs under LRS: The Reserve Bank of India has permitted resident individuals to make remittances under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) to International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in the country. The decision of the RBI is aimed at deepening the financial markets in the IFSCs and providing an opportunity for resident individuals to diversify their portfolios. The RBI has reviewed the extant guidelines on LRS and decided to permit resident individuals to make remittances under LRS to IFSCs set up in India under the Special Economic Zone Act, 2005.

The remittance shall be made only for making investments in IFSCs in securities, other than those issued by entities/companies resident (outside IFSC) in India. Any funds lying idle in the account for a period up to 15 days from the date of its receipt into the account shall be immediately repatriated to domestic INR account of the investor in India.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

India’s first IFSC: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Oxford Economics Revises India’s GDP to 10.2% for 2021: The global forecasting firm Oxford Economics has revised India’s economic growth projection for the Calendar year 2021 to 10.2 per cent, compared to a previous estimate of 8.8 per cent. The reason for the upward revision is the receding COVID-19 risks and the shift in the monetary policy outlook. Oxford Economics is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom and has 6 office locations across 5 countries. It provides global forecasts and analysis to predict and manage economic risk.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Union Minister Captain Satish Sharma passes away: Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Captain Satish Sharma passed away. He served as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas from 1993 to 1996 in the Narasimha Rao government. Captain Satish Sharma was a close aide of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was a three-time Lok Sabha MP, representing Rae Bareli and Amethi constituencies and Rajya Sabha member for three terms representing the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Daily GK Updates – 20th Feb, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. ThaawarchandGehlot Releases 3rd Edition of Indian Sign Language Dictionary: The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment ThaawarchandGehlot released the “3rd edition of the Indian Sign Language (ISL) Dictionary, in a virtual event. The 3rd edition of the ISL dictionary contains a total of 10,000 terms. These include the 6000 terms of the first and second edition of the dictionary.

About the Dictionary: The terms are of everyday use from academic terms, legal & administrative terms, medical terms, technical terms and agricultural terms. The Dictionary has been developed by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), an autonomous Institute under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The 1st edition of the ISL Dictionary was launched on 23 March 2018 with 3000 terms. The 2nd edition was launched on 27th February 2019, with 6000 terms (including earlier 3000 terms).

 

2. Centre Launches new Instant Messaging platform ‘Sandes’: The National Informatics Centre (NIC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has launched an instant messaging platform called “Sandes”. Similar to WhatsApp, the new government instant messaging systems (GIMS) platform can be used for all kinds of communications by anyone using a mobile number or email id.

About the app: The need to build a home-grown messaging platform was felt by the government to ensure secure communication between people as they worked from home, following the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19. The Sandes app is also a part of the government strategy to encourage the use of India-made software so as to build an ecosystem of indigenously developed products.

Note: National Informatics Centre Founded: 1976; National Informatics Centre Director-General: Neeta Verma; National Informatics Centre Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

3. Mamata Banerjee launches ‘Maa’ scheme to provide meals at Rs 5: West Bengal government launched “Maa” canteens for providing subsidised cooked meals for the poor and the destitute at a nominal cost of ₹5. The govt will give a subsidy of ₹15 and people have to pay ₹5. The kitchen will run by Self-Help Groups (SHG). The government allocated ₹ 100 crores for this project.

About the canteens: The canteens will be open from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. every day. People will get a plate of rice, dal, a vegetable and egg curry. This new initiative is for common people. Though we give free rations there is still a huge demand for cooked food. Therefore, we are starting these community kitchens.

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

 

4. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launches Pilot Pey Jal Survekshan: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the Pilot Pey Jal Survekshan under Jal Jeevan Mission- Urban. The Pilot Pey Jal Survekshan has been launched in 10 cities, which are Agra, Badlapur, Bhubaneswar, Churu, Kochi, Madurai, Patiala, Rohtak, Surat and Tumkur. The motive of the Jal Jeevan Mission Urban is to provide universal coverage of water supply to all households through functional taps in all 4,378 statutory towns in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal – 6.

Objective: To ascertain the equitable distribution of water, reuse of wastewater and mapping of water bodies with respect to quantity and quality of water through a challenging process.

Outlay: The Government has proposed a total outlay of Rs 2.87 lakh crore for JJM (U) in fiscal 2021-22, which includes Rs. 10,000 crore for continuing financial support to AMRUT Mission.

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

 

5. IIT Madras-incubated Pi Beam launches PiMo e-bike: An IIT Madras-Incubated start-up Pi Beam Electric has recently launched a sustainable electric two-wheeler, dubbed as PiMo. The utility e-bike has been developed for personal and commercial use. It does not require a licence or registration.

Key Features: The cost of the electric two-wheeler has been fixed at Rs. 30, 000. It eliminates fuel costs as it runs on battery. The electric vehicle offers ‘Battery Swapping’, meaning that the drained battery can be exchanged for a fully charged one at designated locations. The battery can charge faster than a smartphone and comes with a range of 50 km. Pi Beam aims to sell 10,000 vehicles by the end of the financial year 2021-22.

 

6. Award winning Author Irwin Allan Sealy’s new novel ‘ASOCA’: Prizewinning writer Irwin Allan Sealy’s new novel ‘ASOCA: A Sutra’, an imagined memoir of AshokaThe Great. The novel will be presented as an imagined memoir of AshokaThe Great, the emperor who ruled most of the Indian Subcontinent and played a pivotal role in the spread of Buddhism from India to other parts of Asia in the 3rd century BC. It will be published by Penguin Random House India. Earlier, Penguin had published the thirtieth-anniversary edition of Sealy’s critically acclaimed debut novel The Trotter-Nama and this is the second book by the author to be published by PRH. This book will be released under Penguin’s Viking imprint in July 2021.

 

7. Kiran Bedi Removed As Puducherry Lt Governor: Kiran Bedi, the Lieutenant-Governor of Puducherry, has been removed from the top position. TamilisaiSoundararajan, the Governor of Telangana, has been given additional charge as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry till a permanent replacement will be announced. The development comes in the backdrop of a major shake-up in the Puducherry Assembly after several Congress legislators resigned ahead of the Assembly elections due this year.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Preeti Sinha appointed to head United Nations Capital Development Fund: The UN Capital Development Fund has appointed Indian-origin investment and development banker PreetiSinha as its Executive Secretary, the highest leadership rank in the institution. She succeeds Judith Karl. He will work with a focus on providing micro-finance assistance to women, youth, small and medium-sized enterprises in under-served communities.

About United Nations Capital Development Fund: The New York-based United Nations Capital Development Fund is an autonomous UN organization affiliated with UNDP. It was established in 1966. The original mandate of UNCDF: to assist developing countries in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants and loans.

The organisation provides micro-finance access to the 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of the world, to help them unlock the full potential of public and private finance.

 

2. World Day of Social Justice: 20th February: World Day of Social Justice is celebrated annually all over the world on 20 February. The International Labour Organization unanimously adopted the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization on 10 June 2008. This year theme of World Day of Social Justice is“A Call for Social Justice in the Digital Economy”.

Aim of the day: Recognize the need to promote and tackle issues of social justice such as poverty, exclusion, gender equality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections. Focus on the goal of achieving full employment and support for social integration. Encourage people to look at how social justice affects poverty eradication.

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

 

3. World Pangolin Day: 20th February: World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the “Third Saturday of February” every year. In 2021, the annual World Pangolin Day is being celebrated on 20 February 2020. It marks the 10th edition of the event. The day aims to raise awareness about these unique mammals and speed up conservation efforts. Pangolin numbers are rapidly declining in Asia and Africa.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Lombard partners with Flipkart to offer ‘Hospicash’ insurance: The e-commerce company Flipkart has partnered with ICICI Lombard to offer its customers the ‘Group SafeGuard’ insurance, a group health insurance policy. The ‘Group SafeGuard’ comes with daily cash benefits starting from Rs 500, and ‘Hospicash’ benefit for Flipkart consumers.

About the Hospicash: The product will allow consumers to avail a payout for each day of hospitalisation. The fixed daily amount will enable consumers to pay for incidental medical or emergency expenses. The insurance is affordably priced, paperless, and flexible; covering both accidental hospitalisations or planned surgeries/treatment.

Note: Flipkart headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; Flipkart CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy.

ICICI Lombard CEO: BhargavDasgupta; ICICI Lombard Headquarters: Mumbai; ICICI Lombard Founded: 2001.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. HCL Tech inks pact with IIT Kanpur to build up competence in cybersecurity: HCL Technologies has inked an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) to collaborate in the area of cybersecurity. As part of the pact, the IT company will work with C3iHub, a specialised cybersecurity research centre at IITK. This collaboration will bring together the country’s brightest minds, advanced research capabilities and global resources to develop advanced solutions in the area of cybersecurity.

About the collaboration: HCL and IITK will bring in real-world industry exposure to carry out joint initiatives and research. The teams will develop a security framework and solutions for cybersecurity challenges in current and future operational technologies as one of the first areas of interest. They will also work together to discover and manage cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and risks for critical infrastructure.

Note: HCL Technologies CEO: C Vijayakumar; HCL Technologies Founded: 11 August 1976; HCL Technologies Headquarters: Noida.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conferred SKOCH Chief Minister of the Year Award: The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year Award. The Award has been presented to the CM by Chairman, Skoch Group, Sameer Kochhar personally at Tadepalli in Andhra Pradesh. The award selection was based on a study of project-level outcomes in various States.

Similarly, initiatives have been taken across the government to respond to COVID-19 and have shown desirable outcomes. All the above and more is evident in a year-long study of 123 projects from across sectors in Andhra Pradesh. The State has taken several revolutionary measures in the past two years to make governance more efficient and transparent. Innovative measures have been taken across sectors, the credit for which goes to the Chief Minister.

Note: Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy; Governor: BiswaBhusanHarichandan.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India joins Iran-Russia’s two-day navy exercise: India joined Iran and Russia in the naval exercise dubbed as “Iran-Russia Maritime Security Belt 2021”, which kicked-off in the northern part of the Indian Ocean. The Chinese navy will also join the exercise. The purpose of the drill is to enhance the security of international maritime trade, confront maritime piracy and terrorism, and exchange information.

About the drill: The drill will cover an area of 17,000 square kilometres (6,500 square miles). It will include shooting at sea and air targets and liberating hijacked ships, as well as search and rescue and anti-piracy operations. The exercise ‘Iran-Russia Maritime Security Belt’ is so flexible that any country could join if they wish to do so.

Daily GK Updates – 19th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Rajnath Singh launches e-Chhawani portal for online civic services to Cantt Boards:Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently launched an online portal ‘e-Chhawani’ and mobile app, to facilitate ‘ease of living’ and ‘ease of doing’ for the residents of the Cantonment Boards across the country. The ‘e-Chhawani’ portal will provide online municipal services to more than 20 lakh citizens across all 62 Cantonment Boards of India while sitting at home.

About the portal: The portal can be accessed at https://echhawani.gov.in/. The residents of cantonment areas can register their complaints regarding civic issues and even get their documents like trade licence, sewerage connectivity applications through the portal. Jointly been developed by eGov Foundation, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE), and National Informatics Centre (NIC). A cantonment board is a civic administration body in India under control of the Ministry of Defence. It takes care of mandatory duties such as the provision of public health, water supply, sanitation, primary education, and street lighting etc.

 

2. Puducherry launches campaign to become Covid-free by February 28: In Puducherry, a campaign has been launched titled “Zero Covid by Feb28” to ensure that there are no COVID-19 cases by the end of February 2021, in the union territory. The overall caseload in Puducherry was 39,448 while 38,533 had recovered so far, leaving 258 active cases. Under the campaign, all those who had come into contact with people infected with coronavirus would be identified and provided treatment, so that the further spread of the pathogen could be prevented.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry (UT): Dr Kiran Bedi; Chief Minister of Puducherry: V. Narayanasamy.

 

3. Justice PuligoruVenkata Sanjay Kumar sworn-in as Chief Justice of Manipur HC: Justice PuligoruVenkata Sanjay Kumar has been sworn-in as the Chief Justice of Manipur High Court at Raj Bhavan, Imphal. He was appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur by the President of India. Prior to this, he served as a Judge in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

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

 

4. Indian astronomers detect huge optical flare in black hole ‘BL Lacertae’: Indian astronomers have reported one of the strongest flares from a feeding supermassive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae, analysis of which can help trace the mass of the black hole and the source of this emission, the Department of Science and Technology said. Blazars or feeding supermassive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism.

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

 

5. IIT Bombay launches fundraising campaign ‘Cherish IIT Bombay 2021’: IIT Bombay has launched its first-ever annual fundraising campaign in India, Cherish IIT Bombay 2021. As per information shared by the IIT, the funds will be used for the creation of world-class laboratory complexes, modernization of lecture halls and continuation of awards to attract and retain faculty. The donations made to IIT Bombay by corporate bodies and individuals are 100% tax-deductible under section 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act.

 

6. Soil Health Card Day: 19th February: Every year India observes the Soil Health Card Day on 19 February to commemorate the launch of the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme, and create awareness about the benefits of the scheme. 2021 marks the sixth year of the launch of the SHC Scheme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme on 19th February 2015 at Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The scheme aims at issuing soil health cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in the soil. The scheme ensures additional income to farmers by an increase in yields and it also promotes sustainable farming.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. China Overtakes the US as Largest Trading Partner of European Union: The People’s Republic of China has overtaken the United States (US) as the biggest trading partner of the European Union (EU) in 2020, according to the data by the European Union statistics agency, Eurostat. Britain, which left the European Union in 2020, was the third-largest trading partner for the bloc, behind China and the United States. The trade volume of the EU with China reached 586 billion euros ($711 billion) in 2020, compared to 555 billion euros ($673 billion) for the US. Bilateral trade with the UK reached 444.7 billion euros.

The EU exports to China rose by 2.2 per cent to 202.5 billion euros while imports from China increased by 5.6 per cent to 383.5 billion euros. Similarly, EU exports to the United States fell by 13.2 per cent in the same period and imports by 8.2 per cent. Exports to the UK fell by 13.2 per cent, while imports dropped by 13.9 per cent.

 

2. Ajay Mathur elected new DG at special assembly of ISA: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has announced Dr Ajay Mathur as its new Director-General following his election at the first special assembly of ISA members. DrMathur replaces MrUpendraTripathy, who has served as Director-General since the ISA was founded in 2015.

About the International Solar Alliance: ISA accelerate the demand for and use of safe, sustainable, and affordable solar energy for all. It aims to mobilize over $1 trillion USD of investment into solar projects by 2030 through focused advocacy, policy and regulatory support, capacity building, and overcoming perceived investment barriers.

Note: International Solar Alliance Headquarters: Gurugram; International Solar Alliance Founded: 30 November 2015; International Solar AllianceFounded: Paris, France.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. NamanOjha announces retirement from all forms of cricket: Former India wicketkeeper-batsman NamanOjha has announced his retirement, from all formats of cricket. He made his first-class debut for Madhya Pradesh in 2000-01. The 37-year-old from Madhya Pradesh holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in the Ranji Trophy. He has also represented India in all three formats, featuring in one Test, one ODI and two T20 Internationals.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI constitues 8-member expert panel for strenthening Urban Co-operative Banks: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an eight-member expert committee on Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) to examine issues and suggest a road map for strengthening the sector. The committee will be chaired by the former RBI Deputy Governor N. S. Vishwanathan.

Role of the Committee: Assess the regulatory measures taken by the RBI and other authorities in respect of UCBs and their impact over the last five years to identify key constraints and enablers in fulfilment of their socio-economic objective. Review the current regulatory approach and recommend suitable measures to strengthen the sector. Suggest effective measures for faster rehabilitation and resolution of UCBs and assess the potential for consolidation in the sector

Other members:

(1) Harsh Kumar Bhanwala: Former Chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) ,

(2) MukundChitale: Chartered Accountant

(3) NC Muniyappa and RN Joshi: retired Indian Administrative Service officers

(4) MS Sriram: IIM Bengaluru Professor

(5) Jyotindra Mehta: President of the National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies

(6) Neeraj Nigam: Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Regulation, RBI

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

 

2. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance launches new product ‘ICICI Pru Guaranteed Income for Tomorrow’: ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has launched a new goal based savings product – ‘ICICI Pru Guaranteed Income for Tomorrow’ (GIFT), which provides guaranteed income to policyholders to help them achieve their long-term financial goals. This non-participating savings product can enable customers to eliminate the uncertainty of future income streams to a large extent. The life cover provides financial security to the family, which is essential for a robust financial plan.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Delhi Police receives Best Marching Contingent Trophy-2021:Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented the trophies of best marching contingents of the Republic Day Parade 2021 in New Delhi on February 15, 2021. Jat Regimental Centre bagged the trophy of best marching contingent among the Tri-Services while Delhi Police was adjudged as the best marching contingent among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and other auxiliary services. Brigadier Adarsh K Butail and Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Virendra received the trophy on behalf of the Jat Regimental Centre and Special Commissioner of Police Robin Hibu and Assistant Commissioner of Police VivekBhagat, Commander received the trophy on behalf of Delhi Police. The two contingents were adjudged on the basis of assessment by two panels of judges.

 

2. Theodore Baskaran won Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award 2020: S. Theodore Baskaran who is a writer, a historian, a naturalist and an activist has won the Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award, 2020. The award was instituted by the Sanctuary Nature Foundation. Theodore Baskaran was chosen for the award in the light of his dedication to the wildlife conservation. He won the award for his writing prowess in English and Tamil contributing towards the conservation discourse. He was also chosen for the award in the backdrop of inspiring the young naturalists. Some of his books in the English language include- Dance of the Sarus: Essays of a Wandering Naturalist; Book of Indian Dogs and A Day with the Shama: Essays on Nature.

About Theodore on Conservation: Theodore is of the view that any conservation initiative should be in the local language in order to gain momentum as a people’s movement. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award (IyalVirudhu) for his writing on nature in Tamil. The award was given by the Canada Literary Garden in the year 2014 in Toronto.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Bihar-Jharkhand Governor & Jurist M Rama Jois, passes away: Noted jurist and a former Governor of Bihar and Jharkhand, Justice (Retd.) M. Rama Jois has passed away. The former Rajya Sabha MP, had also served as the Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was also a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India.

Daily GK Updates – 18th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Gadkari launches India’s first CNG Tractor: Union road transport and highways minister, Nitin Gadkari has launched India’s first-ever diesel tractor, converted to a much cleaner (compressed natural gas) CNG variant. With this, farmers will be able to save more than ₹1 trillion annually on fuel cost, which will help them to improve their livelihood.

About the initiative: This conversion is jointly done by Rawmatt Techno Solutions and TomasettoAchille India. The CNG tractor will help farmers to increase their income, by lowering costs and help to create job opportunities in rural India. The farmers can save up to 50 per cent on the fuel cost as the current Diesel prices are around 77 rupees per litre whereas CNG is only 42 rupees per kilogram. The conversion from diesel to CNG will be beneficial as it is a clean fuel with the lowest carbon and pollutant content. It is also economical as it has zero lead and is non-corrosive, non-dilutive and non-contaminating which helps in increasing the life of the engine.

 

2. India’s Homegrown App MapMyIndia Ties up with ISRO: India’s homegrown app MapMyIndia ties up with ISRO to build an alternative to Google Maps. The agreement between ISRO and MapmyIndia is suggested to become an alternative to Google maps and similar platforms. The collaboration with MapMyIndia will turn out to be a benefit for users because it will use digital maps of MapmyIndia and satellite imagery and earth observation data of ISRO.

According to this collaboration the mapping data along with the information regarding pollution, agricultural output, weather, land-use changes, flood and several disasters will be visible to the users. Rohan Verma, CEO of MapmyIndia, called the agreement a path-breaking milestone with the aim of fulfilling the objective of Atamanirbhar Bharat. About the app:

(1) The app will benefit the Indians because it will ensure the maps according to the true sovereignty of India while depicting the Indian borders as per the Indian government. The Department of Space signed an MoU with CE Info Systems Private Limited, a geospatial technology company owned by MapmyIndia.

(2) The most exhaustive digital map database of the country was created indigenously over the last 25 years by MapmyIndia covers 7.5 lakh Indian villages, 7500+ cities at the building and the street level which are connected through a road network of almost 63 lakh kilometres.

(3) ISRO generates earth observations and satellite imagery through its satellite constellation. ISRO will be more responsive in terms of satellite imagery needed by the Indians, required especially during crises and disasters.

Note: ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; ISRO established: 15 August 1969.

 

3. Skill ministry launches fellowship programme in partnership with IIMs: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme in partnership with nine Indian Institutes’ of Management (IIM) across India. Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister MahendraNath Pandey chaired the event on ‘Transforming skilling through strategic partnerships under SANKALP’ and rolled out the MGNF and other initiatives.

About the programme: The two-year government-funded programme has been launched under the World Bank loan assisted programme SANKALP (Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion). The selected fellows under the programme will be given a stipend of about Rs 50,000 per month during the first year and Rs 60,000 per month during the second year. Initially, the fellows will be imparted training by the nine top IIMs of the country and after that, the fellows will work on strengthening the District Skill Committees and the District Skill administration.

 

4. 11th Edition of ‘RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav’ inaugurated in West Bengal: The Governor of West Bengal, Shri JagdeepDhankhar inaugurated the 11th RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav at Cooch Behar Palace at West Bengal. The RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Culture, organised under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Programme, since 2015, to celebrate the idea of unity in diversity. The event was inaugurated in the presence of Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel.

About the RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav: RashtriyaSanskritiMahotsav is a platform to showcase, folk and tribal art, dance, music, cuisines, and culture of one state in other states and providing an effective opportunity to the artists and artisans to support their livelihood.

Note: West Bengal Governor: JagdeepDhankhar; West Bengal Capital: Kolkata; West Bengal CM: Mamata Banerjee.

 

5. Kanchoth festival celebrated across J&K’s Chenab valley: The ancient Kanchoth festival, a symbol of ancient Nag culture, was observed with religious fervour and gaiety across the Chenab valley region of Jammu and Kashmir. The festival is celebrated by locals, mainly Nag followers who believe that on this day of Gouri Tritiya, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married and the latter insisted on a throne made of snow as her wedding gift.

The festival is celebrated by locals, mainly Nag followers who believe that on this day of Gouri Tritiya, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married and the latter insisted on a throne made of snow as her wedding gift.

Note: Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir: Manoj Sinha.

 

6. Peter Mukerjea pens memoir ‘Starstruck: Confessions of a TV Executive’: Former media baron Peter Mukerjea has come out with his memoir ‘Starstruck: Confessions of a TV executive’. The book is presented as a recollection of his experiences in the satellite television industry in India and the changes it has gone through over the years. Mukerjea is the former chief executive of Star India. Through this book, he has shared his journey, to highlight and showcase the plenty of mistakes made and the plenty of lessons learnt over almost three decades. It must be remembered that Mukerjea was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in November 2015 in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. ‘PahelaPhagun’ spring festival celebrated in Bangladesh: The first day of the spring called ‘PahelaPhagun’ was celebrated in Dhaka, Bangladesh despite the continued shadow of Corona pandemic in the country. Cultural organisations held programmes at different venues in the city to herald the beginning of the spring. Programmes were held at the SuhrawardyUdyan, NandanManch of Shilpakala Academy and several other locations.The JatiyaBasantaUtsabUdjapanParishad organized the programme at the SuhrawardyUdyan in Dhaka. Young women wearing yellow saris and youth dressed in ‘Punjabis’ took part in the festivity. The programme featured dance and musical performances. The traditional programme of ‘BasantaUtsab’ at the Fine Arts faculty in Dhaka university was cancelled since educational institutions have been closed till Feb. 28 by the government due to the Corona pandemic.

Note: Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; President of Bangladesh: Abdul Hamid.

 

2. Dharmendra Pradhan Participates in 11th IEA, IEF, OPEC Symposium: The 11th IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium on Energy Outlooks was held virtually on February 17, 2021, under the patronage of the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud. From India, the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan, participated in the symposium. The trilateral symposium discussed the long-term outlooks of key producer and consumer countries, apart from the comparative analysis of short, medium, and long-term energy outlooks that OPEC and the IEA published in 2020.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Assam government appoints Hima Das as DSP: Star sprinter Hima Das has been appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police by the Assam government. The 21-year-old from Assam, known as ‘Dhing Express’ referring to the town near her native village, is currently training at the NIS-Patiala and will be aiming to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics as the athletics calendar starts in a few days. The reigning world junior 400m champion, who won a silver in women’s 400m in the 2018 Asian Games, was also part of the gold-winning women’s 400m relay and mixed 400m relay quartets in the quadrennial event in Jakarta.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Finance Ministry to infuse Rs 3,000 crore in general insurance companies this quarter: The Finance Ministry will infuse Rs 3,000 crore capital into state-owned general insurance companies during the current quarter in a bid to improve their financial health. The cabinet had also decided to increase the authorised share capital of National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) to Rs 7,500 crore and that of United India Insurance Company Limited (UIICL) and Oriental Insurance Company Limited (OICL) to Rs 5,000 crore each to give effect to the capital infusion decision. The capital infusion will enable the three public sector general insurance companies to improve their financial and solvency position, meet the insurance needs of the economy, absorb changes and enhance the capacity to raise resources and improve risk management.

 

2. Equitas Small Finance Bank launches country’s first FASTag powered truck terminal: Equitas Small Finance Bank said it has launched a FASTag powered truck terminal at Khalapur, in Maharashtra. Equitas Small Finance Bank (Equitas SFB) has partnered with Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC) and Ocean Highway Facilities and Solutions Pvt Ltd for launching country’s first FASTag powered truck terminal at Khalapur, Maharashtra on the YashwantraoChavan Mumbai – Pune Expressway. The terminal has a capacity of 160 trucks, which can be parked at any given point in time. At this juncture more than 350 trucks visit the terminal in a day.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Four Women Scientists wins SERB Women Excellence Award 2021: The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has announced the SERB Women Excellence Award for the year 2021, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Four young women fellows of National Science Academies have been awarded SERB Women Excellence Award 2021.

The winners include:

(1) DrShobhna Kapoor – Assistant Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, working in the area of Chemical Biology with expertise in ‘Host-Pathogen Interactions and Membrane Biology, Chemical Biology and Biophysics’

(2) Dr Antara Banerjee – Scientist B National Institute For Research In Reproductive Health, Mumbai, Maharashtra from the Health Sciences area with expertise in Signal Transduction, Biology of Reproduction and Endocrinology,

(3) DrSonu Gandhi – Scientist D from National Institute Of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad from Bionanotechnology area focusing on Nanosensors, Design and Fabrication of Label-free Biosensors

(4) DrRitu Gupta – Assistant Professor at Indian Institute Of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan working on Nanotechnology with expertise in Materials Science, Nanodevices and Sensors, Health & Energy

About SERB Women Excellence Award 2021: It is a one-time award being presented by SERB to women scientists since 2013 to support basic research in the frontier areas of science and engineering. The women scientists should be below 40 years of age. She must have received recognition from any one or more of the National Academies such as Young Scientist Medal, Young Associateship, etc. The award provides a grant of Rs. 15 lakhs for a period of three years to the awardees to pursue their research ideas.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Indo-Pak War Veteran retired Major General BK Mahapatra passes away: War veteran Major General (retired) Basant Kumar Mahapatra, who had participated in major battles including the 1962 Indo-China war, and 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan war, has passed away. Hailing from Bhubaneswar in Odisha, Mahapatra was commissioned into armoured corps (Tanks) of the Indian Army as a Combat Officer and was popularly known as ‘Tank Man’. He was conferred with the prestigious AtiVishishtSeva Medal (AVSM).