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Thursday, October 28, 2021

Daily GK Update- 28th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi launches 5,000-crore ‘Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the “Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission” from his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is one of the largest pan-India schemes for strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country and is in addition to the National Health Protection Mission (Ayushman Bharat Yojana). About the scheme:

(1) Total outlay of the scheme: Rs. 5,000-crore

(2) Purpose: to address gaps in public health infrastructure, with a focus on critical care facilities and primary care in both urban and rural areas.

(3) Benefit: The scheme shall strengthen India’s ability to fight and contain outbreaks of diseases in the future.

(4) Under the scheme, 17,788 rural health and wellness centres in 10 high focus states will get the support of the scheme. For urban areas, 11,024 urban health and wellness centres will be established in all the states. Apart from this, a national institution for one health, four new national institutes for virology, a regional research platform for WHO South-East Asia Region, nine biosafety level-III laboratories, five new regional national centres for disease control will also be set up.

 

2. Centre plans to form empowered group of secretaries under Cabinet secretary to review implementation of PM GatiShakti: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has decided to set up an institutional framework to implement, support and monitor the entire programme of PM GatiShakti– the national master plan for ‘multi-modal connectivity’. Under this, the government will constitute an empowered group of secretaries (EGOS), a network planning group and a technical support unit.

(1) EGOS: This will have the cabinet secretary as the Chairperson, the head of the commerce ministry’s logistics division as convenor and secretaries of 18 ministries as members.

(2) Term of Refenerence of EGOS: Review implementation of the programme and prescribe norms for undertaking any subsequent amendments to it.

(3) Network Planning Group: This group will assist the EGOS and consist of heads of such wings of respective infrastructure ministries.

(4) Technical support unit: It will have experts from various infrastructure sectors, including aviation, maritime, rail, roads and highways, ports, etc, to oversee the complexities involved in the overall integration of networks.

 

3. Central Government notifies Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2021: The Department of Telecom (DoT) has notified the Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2021 on October 21, 2021, by amending the Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016. The new rules have been introduced to ease the Right of Way (RoW) related permission and procedures for establishment and augmentation of Digital Communications Infrastructure across the country. Amendments notified are as follows:

(1) The one-time compensation for establishment of overground telegraph line has been fixed at maximum Rs 1000 per kilometre.

(2) No fee will be charged other than Administrative fee and Restoration charges for establishing, maintaining, working, repairing, transferring or shifting the underground and overground telegraph infrastructure.

(3) Besides, Documentation for Right of Way (RoW) application for overground telegraph line has also been simplified.

 

4. GAIL to build India’s largest green hydrogen plant: State-owned GAIL (India) Ltd will build India’s largest green hydrogen-making plant as it looks to supplement its natural gas business with carbon-free fuel. GAIL Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Jain said the company is looking at building a 10-megawatt (MW) electrolyzer capable of generating 4.5 tonnes of green hydrogen daily. The firm has already floated a global tender to buy the electrolyzer and is hoping to get delivery in 12-14 months. It will be double the size of the one announced by state electricity producer NTPC.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India, UK and Australia to jointly launch IRIS initiative at COP26: India, Australia, and the UK in collaboration with small island developing states (SIDS), have planned to launch a new initiative “Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS)”, on the sidelines of the Conference of Parties (COP26). The IRIS platform aims at creating an infrastructure that can withstand disasters and lessen economic losses in island nations. The IRIS initiative will be launched with initial funding of $10 million from Australia, India and the UK. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) is scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 12, 2021.

 

2. International Animation Day: 28th October: International Animation Day is observed every year on October 28 to celebrate the art of animation and also recognise the artists, scientists and technicians behind animation. This year marks the 20th International Animation Day. The day was created in 2002 by International Animated Film Association (ASIFA), an International Animated Film Association, a member of UNESCO.

History of International Animation Day: ASIFA created the International Animation Day (IAD) in 2002, honouring the birth of animation, recognized as the first public performance of projected moving images: Emile Reynaud’s Theatre Optique in Paris, on the 28th October 1892.

Note: President of ASIFA: Sayoko Kinoshita; ASIFA Founder: John Halas; ASIFA Founded: 1960, Annecy, France.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Viktor Axelsen and Akane Yamaguchi won Denmark Open 2021: Danish Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen won the Mens’ single 2021 Denmark Open Badminton held at the Odense Sports Park, Denmark. He defeated world number one Kento Momota of Japan. Akane Yamaguchi of Japan won her second title in the women’s category defeating An Se-young (South Korea).

List of all winners of Denmark Open 2021:

Category

Winner

Mens’ single

Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)

Womens’ single

Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)

Men’s double

Takuro Hoki, and Yugo Kobayashi (Japan)

Women’s double

Huang Dongping and Zheng Yu (China)

Mixed double

Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino (Japan).

 

2. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins United States Grand Prix 2021: Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) has won the 2021 United States Grand Prix held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, United States. This is the 8th win for Verstappen in this season. The race was the 17th round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) stood second while Sergio Perez (Mexico- Red Bull) came third.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI introduces Scale Based Regulation (SBR) for NBFCs: The Reserve Bank of India has put in place a revised regulatory framework for NBFCs which is a Scale Based Regulation (SBR). These guidelines shall be effective from October 01, 2022. Now for regulation of NBFCs under the new Scale Based Regulation (SBR), RBI has categorized NBFCs into four layers (or 4 scales) based on their size, activity, and perceived riskiness. These are: NBFC – Base Layer (NBFC-BL), NBFC – Middle Layer (NBFC-ML), NBFC – Upper Layer (NBFC-UL) and NBFC – Top Layer (NBFC-TL).

(1) The Top Layer will ideally remain empty: This layer can get populated if the Reserve Bank is of the opinion that there is a substantial increase in the potential systemic risk from specific NBFCs in the Upper Layer.

(2) Minimum Net Owned Fund Requirement: Regulatory minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) for NBFC-ICC, NBFC-MFI and NBFC-Factors will be increased to Rs. 10 crore (from Rs 2 crore at present). For NBFC-P2P, NBFC-AA, and NBFCs with no public funds and no customer interface, the NOF shall continue to be Rs. 2 crore.

(3) Ceiling on IPO Funding: There will be a ceiling of Rs. 1 crore per borrower for financing subscription to Initial Public Offer (IPO) of NBFCs. This IPO ceiling will come into effect from April 01, 2022.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Siddhartha Lal reappointed Eicher Motors MD for 5 years: Eicher Motors Ltd passed the resolution to reappoint Siddhartha Lal as the Managing Director of the company for five years, starting May 1, 2021. The board also approved a revised remuneration structure for the Managing Director, with a maximum cap of 1.5 per cent of profits as per Section 198 of the Companies Act. The proposal for reappointment was cleared with almost 93.8 per cent of the total 226 million votes casted going in favour of the resolution.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Dr. Rajiv Nigam Selected for 2022 Joseph A. Cushman Award: Former Chief Scientist at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dr. Rajiv Nigam has been selected for the 2022 Joseph A. Cushman Award for Excellence in Foraminiferal Research. Dr. Nigam is the first Indian Citizen to be selected for the prestigious award. He has been chosen for his outstanding lifetime contributions to the field of foraminifera (microfossil) research. Dr. Nigam will receive the award at the Cushman Reception during the 2022 Geological Society of America meeting in Denver, Colorado, USA, from October 9-12-2022. The Joseph A. Cushman Award was established by USA based Cushman foundation for foraminiferal research in 1979.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India-UK conducts maiden Tri-Service exercise ‘Konkan Shakti 2021’: The Armed Forces of India and the United Kingdom (UK) are undertaking the sea phase of the maiden Tri-Service exercise ‘Konkan Shakti 2021’ off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea from October 24 to 27, 2021. The harbour phase of the seven-day exercise was held in Mumbai from October 21 to 23, 2021. The exercise Konkan Shakti 2021 aims at further strengthening the cooperation between the two countries.

The two forces integrated within their groups with exercises such as replenishment at sea approaches, air direction and strike operations by fighter aircraft (MiG 29Ks and F35Bs), cross control of helicopters (Sea King, Chetak and Wildcat), transiting through war-at-sea scenarios, and gun shoots on expendable air targets. The simulated induction of Army troops was also undertaken and was followed by the setting up of a joint command operations centre. The two forces thereafter effected a rendezvous at sea with advanced air and sub-surface exercises.

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Daily GK Update- 27th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Invest India elected as President of Geneva-based WAIPA: Invest India, a young startup within the Government of India has been unanimously elected as the President of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) for 2021-2023. Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency to help investors looking for investment opportunities and options in India.

The members of the Steering Committee of WAIPA for 2021-23 includes:

President: Invest India

Two Vice Presidents: Egypt and Switzerland

9 Regional Directors: Brazil, South Korea, Finland, Kuwait, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Ghana, and Samoa.

Note: World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies Founded: 1995.

 

2. NITI Aayog launches “Innovations for You” Digi-Book: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog has launched a Digi-book named “Innovations for You”. The sector in focus in this Digi-book is Healthcare. “Innovation for you” is an initiative of Niti Aayog to share success stories of Atal Innovation Mission’s Startups in different domains. The Digi-book was launched with the aim of serving as an encouragement for upcoming entrepreneurs in order to work on the path of creativity and imagination for addressing some of the pressing challenges in India. It also aims to showcase the best innovations and entrepreneurs to bring them to the forefront.

NITI Aayog’s Digi Book:

(1) NITI aayog has launched the DIGI book, as India is celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

(2) Digi-book is a compilation of 45 health tech start-ups. These start-ups have been incubated at the Atal Incubation Centres across the country.

(3) These start-ups have been leveraging technologies such as AI, IoT, ICT and others for providing socially relevant solutions to health issues like neonatal & child care, mental health, dental care, anaemia and monitoring human vitals.

 

3. India’s first ‘test tube’ Banni buffalo calf born in Gujarat: The first IVF calf of “Banni” breed of buffaloes, found primarily in Gujarat’s Kutch region, was born at a farmer’s house in the state’s Gir Somnath district. The process was carried out to enhance the number of genetically superior buffaloes to increase milk production. Banni buffalo is known for its resilience and higher milk-producing capacity in an arid environment. The breed had achieved six pregnancies from 18 recipient buffaloes at his farm, which were implanted with embryos through IVF technology, and the process was carried out by JKBovagenix of NGO JK Trust. India has more than 109 million buffaloes that are 56 per cent of the world’s buffalo population.

 

4. U.P. govt renames Faizabad station as Ayodhya Cantt: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to rename the Faizabad Junction to Ayodhya Cantt railways station. Opened in 1874, the Faizabad railway station comes under the Northern Railway zone. It falls under the Lucknow-Varanasi section. Earlier in 2018, the Yogi Adityanath government had renamed Faizabad Ayodhya on the occasion of Diwali. The BJP government also changed the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj and Mughalsarai railway junction as Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay junction.

Note: UP Capital: Lucknow; UP Governor: Anandiben Patel; UP Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.

 

5. Indian Army celebrates 75th Infantry Day on 27 October: The Indian Army celebrates October 27 every year as the ‘Infantry Day’. This year nation celebrates its 75th Infantry Day on October 27, 2021. On this day that the 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar airbase and displayed resoluteness and extraordinary courage and became ‘The Wall’ to thwart the evil designs of the Pakistan Army, who had invaded Kashmir with the help of tribal raiders in 1947.

History of Infantry Day: Infantry Day is celebrated as a remembrance of the first military event of independent India, when the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of Indian Army fought battle to accomplish victory over the first attack on the Indian soil by the Pakistan Army and Lashkar invader on October 27, 1947, in the Kashmir valley, who tried to grab J&K.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. South Korea flight tests first homegrown space rocket “Nuri”: South Korea recently launched its first indigenously developed rocket, known as “Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle II” or “Nuri”. The launch vehicle lifted off from the Naro Space Center, in Goheung, built on an island nearly 300 miles (500 kilometres) south of Seoul. Nuri rocket is 47.2 metres long and weighs 200 tons. The three-stage rocket is fitted with six liquid-fuelled engines. It has been built at an estimated cost of 2 trillion won (£1.23bn or $1.6bn).

Note: South Korea President: Moon Jae-in; South Korea Capital: Seoul; South Korea Currency: South Korean won.

 

2. China launches satellite ‘Shijian-21’: China successfully launched a new satellite named Shijian-21. The satellite will be used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. Shijian-21 was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on a Long March-3B carrier rocket. The satellite will be mainly used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. This launch marked the 393rd mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; China Currency: Renminbi; China President: Xi Jinping.

 

3. World Day for Audiovisual Heritage: 27th October: The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is observed every year on 27 October. The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is a key initiative for both UNESCO and the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA) to honour audiovisual preservation professionals and institutions that safeguard our heritage for future generations. The day was chosen to raise awareness of the significance and preservation risks of recorded sound and audiovisual documents. The theme of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2021: “Your Window to the World”.

History of the day: The 33rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference adopted 33 C/Resolution 53 to proclaim 27 October as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, in commemoration of the adoption, in 1980 by the 21st session of the General Conference, of the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images.

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Nagaland to host 56th National Cross Country Championship: The 2022 South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships is scheduled to be held in Kohima, Nagaland on January 15, 2022. Besides this, the 56th National Cross Country Championships will also be clubbed with the South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships. This will be the first-ever national athletics event hosted by Nagaland. Top athletes from the eight South Asian countries will take part in the day-long international sports event. The championship will involve running on different types of terrain including sprint over dirt, jog downhill and mounting uphill.

Note: Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: Jagdish Mukhi.

 

2. Hyderabad Cricket Association unveiled World’s biggest cricket bat: Former India captain and now Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president Mohd Azharuddin has unveiled what is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the biggest cricket bat, designed by Pernod Ricard India (P) Ltd, on Tank Bund. The bat measures 56.10 feet, weighs 9-tonnes and is made of poplar wood. This was to convey best wishes to the Indian cricket team and bring back the T-20 World Cup in Dubai.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank surpasses HUL to occupy 5th spot in m-cap: Private sector lender ICICI Bank has crossed the market capitalisation of Hindustan Unilever to become the fifth-largest company by market value. According to BSE data, ICICI Bank’s market capitalisation (m-cap) stood at ₹5.83 lakh crore, just above HUL’s ₹5.76 lakh crore. This follows the bank posting its highest ever quarterly net profit in the July to September 2021 quarter.

The bank’s scrip touched a 52-week high of ₹859.70 on the BSE before ending at ₹841.05, registering a gain of 10.8 per cent over the previous day’s close. ICICI Bank becomes the second lender after HDFC Bank to break into the top five companies on the BSE in terms of m-cap.

Note: ICICI Bank MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi; ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Bank Tagline: Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ramnath Krishnan appointed as MD and Group CEO of ICRA: Ramnath Krishnan has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of rating agency ICRA. He replaces N Sivaraman, who resigned with immediate effect citing personal reasons on October 23, 2021. Gurgaon based ICRA is a unit owned by global rating agency Moody’s Corporation.

 

2. Adidas ropes in Deepika Padukone as Global brand ambassador: German sportswear brand Adidas has roped in Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone as global ambassador for women sports. She will represent Adidas women globally. She joins the elite list of female brand ambassadors of Adidas in India, including Mirabai Chanu; boxers Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen and Simranjeet Kaur; sprinter Hima Das, and squash player Dipika Pallikal.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Rajinikanth honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Actor Rajinikanth was honoured with the prestigious 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 67th National Film Awards ceremony, for his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter. He received the prestigious award from Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu for his stupendous contribution to Indian cinema.

Instituted in 1969, the award is the highest honour for an artiste in Indian cinema. The award was decided by a jury consisting of five members: Asha Bhonsle, director Subhash Ghai, Mohanlal, Shankar Mahadevan and actor Biswajeet Chatterjee. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2019 was to be announced last year but was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, as were the National Film Awards for 2019.

Some of the winners:

 

Best Feature Film:

Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam)

Best Actor (shared):

 Manoj Bajpayee for Bhonsle (Hindi), and Dhanush for Asuran (Tamil)

Best Actress:

Kangana Ranaut for Panga (Hindi) and Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (Hindi)

Best Supporting Actress:

Pallavi Joshi for The Tashkent Files (Hindi)

Best Supporting Actor:

Vijay Sethupathi for Super Deluxe (Tamil)

Best Director:

Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan for Bahattar Hoorain (Hindi)

Best Action Direction:

Avane Srimannarayana (Kannada), Vikram Mor

Best Choreography:

Maharishi (Telugu), Raju Sundaram

Best Special Effects:

Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam), Siddharth Priyadarshan

Special Jury Award:

Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil), Radhakrishnan Parthiban

Best Lyrics:

Prabha Varma for Kolaambi (Malayalam)

Best Music Direction:

D. Imman for Viswasam (Tamil)

Best Background Music:

Prabuddha Banerjee for Jyeshthoputro (Bengali)

Best Children’s Film:

Kastoori (Hindi)

Best Film on Environment Conservation:

Water Burial (Monpa)

Best Film on Social Issues:

Anandi Gopal (Marathi)

Best Female Playback Singer:

Savani Ravindra for Bardo (Marathi)

Best Male Playback Singer:

B Praak for Kesari (Hindi)

Best Hindi Film:

Chhichhore

Most Film Friendly State:

Sikkim

Best Book on Cinema:

A Gandhian Affair: India’s Curious Portrayal of Love in Cinema, by Sanjay Suri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Invest India elected as President of Geneva-based WAIPA: Invest India, a young startup within the Government of India has been unanimously elected as the President of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) for 2021-2023. Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency to help investors looking for investment opportunities and options in India.

The members of the Steering Committee of WAIPA for 2021-23 includes:

President: Invest India

Two Vice Presidents: Egypt and Switzerland

9 Regional Directors: Brazil, South Korea, Finland, Kuwait, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Ghana, and Samoa.

Note: World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies Founded: 1995.

 

2. NITI Aayog launches “Innovations for You” Digi-Book: The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog has launched a Digi-book named “Innovations for You”. The sector in focus in this Digi-book is Healthcare. “Innovation for you” is an initiative of Niti Aayog to share success stories of Atal Innovation Mission’s Startups in different domains. The Digi-book was launched with the aim of serving as an encouragement for upcoming entrepreneurs in order to work on the path of creativity and imagination for addressing some of the pressing challenges in India. It also aims to showcase the best innovations and entrepreneurs to bring them to the forefront.

NITI Aayog’s Digi Book:

(1) NITI aayog has launched the DIGI book, as India is celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

(2) Digi-book is a compilation of 45 health tech start-ups. These start-ups have been incubated at the Atal Incubation Centres across the country.

(3) These start-ups have been leveraging technologies such as AI, IoT, ICT and others for providing socially relevant solutions to health issues like neonatal & child care, mental health, dental care, anaemia and monitoring human vitals.

 

3. India’s first ‘test tube’ Banni buffalo calf born in Gujarat: The first IVF calf of “Banni” breed of buffaloes, found primarily in Gujarat’s Kutch region, was born at a farmer’s house in the state’s Gir Somnath district. The process was carried out to enhance the number of genetically superior buffaloes to increase milk production. Banni buffalo is known for its resilience and higher milk-producing capacity in an arid environment. The breed had achieved six pregnancies from 18 recipient buffaloes at his farm, which were implanted with embryos through IVF technology, and the process was carried out by JKBovagenix of NGO JK Trust. India has more than 109 million buffaloes that are 56 per cent of the world’s buffalo population.

 

4. U.P. govt renames Faizabad station as Ayodhya Cantt: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to rename the Faizabad Junction to Ayodhya Cantt railways station. Opened in 1874, the Faizabad railway station comes under the Northern Railway zone. It falls under the Lucknow-Varanasi section. Earlier in 2018, the Yogi Adityanath government had renamed Faizabad Ayodhya on the occasion of Diwali. The BJP government also changed the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj and Mughalsarai railway junction as Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay junction.

Note: UP Capital: Lucknow; UP Governor: Anandiben Patel; UP Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.

 

5. Indian Army celebrates 75th Infantry Day on 27 October: The Indian Army celebrates October 27 every year as the ‘Infantry Day’. This year nation celebrates its 75th Infantry Day on October 27, 2021. On this day that the 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar airbase and displayed resoluteness and extraordinary courage and became ‘The Wall’ to thwart the evil designs of the Pakistan Army, who had invaded Kashmir with the help of tribal raiders in 1947.

History of Infantry Day: Infantry Day is celebrated as a remembrance of the first military event of independent India, when the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment of Indian Army fought battle to accomplish victory over the first attack on the Indian soil by the Pakistan Army and Lashkar invader on October 27, 1947, in the Kashmir valley, who tried to grab J&K.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. South Korea flight tests first homegrown space rocket “Nuri”: South Korea recently launched its first indigenously developed rocket, known as “Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle II” or “Nuri”. The launch vehicle lifted off from the Naro Space Center, in Goheung, built on an island nearly 300 miles (500 kilometres) south of Seoul. Nuri rocket is 47.2 metres long and weighs 200 tons. The three-stage rocket is fitted with six liquid-fuelled engines. It has been built at an estimated cost of 2 trillion won (£1.23bn or $1.6bn).

Note: South Korea President: Moon Jae-in; South Korea Capital: Seoul; South Korea Currency: South Korean won.

 

2. China launches satellite ‘Shijian-21’: China successfully launched a new satellite named Shijian-21. The satellite will be used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. Shijian-21 was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on a Long March-3B carrier rocket. The satellite will be mainly used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. This launch marked the 393rd mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; China Currency: Renminbi; China President: Xi Jinping.

 

3. World Day for Audiovisual Heritage: 27th October: The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is observed every year on 27 October. The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is a key initiative for both UNESCO and the Coordinating Council of Audiovisual Archives Associations (CCAAA) to honour audiovisual preservation professionals and institutions that safeguard our heritage for future generations. The day was chosen to raise awareness of the significance and preservation risks of recorded sound and audiovisual documents. The theme of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2021: “Your Window to the World”.

History of the day: The 33rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference adopted 33 C/Resolution 53 to proclaim 27 October as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, in commemoration of the adoption, in 1980 by the 21st session of the General Conference, of the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images.

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

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Nagaland to host 56th National Cross Country Championship: The 2022 South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships is scheduled to be held in Kohima, Nagaland on January 15, 2022. Besides this, the 56th National Cross Country Championships will also be clubbed with the South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships. This will be the first-ever national athletics event hosted by Nagaland. Top athletes from the eight South Asian countries will take part in the day-long international sports event. The championship will involve running on different types of terrain including sprint over dirt, jog downhill and mounting uphill.

Note: Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio; Governor of Nagaland: Jagdish Mukhi.

 

2. Hyderabad Cricket Association unveiled World’s biggest cricket bat: Former India captain and now Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president Mohd Azharuddin has unveiled what is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the biggest cricket bat, designed by Pernod Ricard India (P) Ltd, on Tank Bund. The bat measures 56.10 feet, weighs 9-tonnes and is made of poplar wood. This was to convey best wishes to the Indian cricket team and bring back the T-20 World Cup in Dubai.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank surpasses HUL to occupy 5th spot in m-cap: Private sector lender ICICI Bank has crossed the market capitalisation of Hindustan Unilever to become the fifth-largest company by market value. According to BSE data, ICICI Bank’s market capitalisation (m-cap) stood at ₹5.83 lakh crore, just above HUL’s ₹5.76 lakh crore. This follows the bank posting its highest ever quarterly net profit in the July to September 2021 quarter.

The bank’s scrip touched a 52-week high of ₹859.70 on the BSE before ending at ₹841.05, registering a gain of 10.8 per cent over the previous day’s close. ICICI Bank becomes the second lender after HDFC Bank to break into the top five companies on the BSE in terms of m-cap.

Note: ICICI Bank MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi; ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Bank Tagline: Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ramnath Krishnan appointed as MD and Group CEO of ICRA: Ramnath Krishnan has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of rating agency ICRA. He replaces N Sivaraman, who resigned with immediate effect citing personal reasons on October 23, 2021. Gurgaon based ICRA is a unit owned by global rating agency Moody’s Corporation.

 

2. Adidas ropes in Deepika Padukone as Global brand ambassador: German sportswear brand Adidas has roped in Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone as global ambassador for women sports. She will represent Adidas women globally. She joins the elite list of female brand ambassadors of Adidas in India, including Mirabai Chanu; boxers Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen and Simranjeet Kaur; sprinter Hima Das, and squash player Dipika Pallikal.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Rajinikanth honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Actor Rajinikanth was honoured with the prestigious 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 67th National Film Awards ceremony, for his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter. He received the prestigious award from Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu for his stupendous contribution to Indian cinema.

Instituted in 1969, the award is the highest honour for an artiste in Indian cinema. The award was decided by a jury consisting of five members: Asha Bhonsle, director Subhash Ghai, Mohanlal, Shankar Mahadevan and actor Biswajeet Chatterjee. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2019 was to be announced last year but was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, as were the National Film Awards for 2019.

Some of the winners:

 

Best Feature Film:

Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam)

Best Actor (shared):

 Manoj Bajpayee for Bhonsle (Hindi), and Dhanush for Asuran (Tamil)

Best Actress:

Kangana Ranaut for Panga (Hindi) and Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (Hindi)

Best Supporting Actress:

Pallavi Joshi for The Tashkent Files (Hindi)

Best Supporting Actor:

Vijay Sethupathi for Super Deluxe (Tamil)

Best Director:

Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan for Bahattar Hoorain (Hindi)

Best Action Direction:

Avane Srimannarayana (Kannada), Vikram Mor

Best Choreography:

Maharishi (Telugu), Raju Sundaram

Best Special Effects:

Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam), Siddharth Priyadarshan

Special Jury Award:

Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil), Radhakrishnan Parthiban

Best Lyrics:

Prabha Varma for Kolaambi (Malayalam)

Best Music Direction:

D. Imman for Viswasam (Tamil)

Best Background Music:

Prabuddha Banerjee for Jyeshthoputro (Bengali)

Best Children’s Film:

Kastoori (Hindi)

Best Film on Environment Conservation:

Water Burial (Monpa)

Best Film on Social Issues:

Anandi Gopal (Marathi)

Best Female Playback Singer:

Savani Ravindra for Bardo (Marathi)

Best Male Playback Singer:

B Praak for Kesari (Hindi)

Best Hindi Film:

Chhichhore

Most Film Friendly State:

Sikkim

Best Book on Cinema:

A Gandhian Affair: India’s Curious Portrayal of Love in Cinema, by Sanjay Suri