Daily GK Update- 7th Jan, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Paytm bank receives RBI nod to appoint Surinder Chawla as new CEO: Paytm Payments Bank has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India for the appointment of Surinder Chawla as its new chief executive. He is currently serving as head of branch banking at RBL Bank. He had also worked with HDFC Bank as head of retail liabilities product group and senior executive VP. Paytm Payments Bank CEO, Satish Kumar Gupta was retired in October 2022.

Since then, Deependra Singh Rathore has been serving as interim CEO of the payments bank.

 

2. Leh Sub Area and Looms of Ladakh Co-operative Ltd sign MoU: Leh Sub Area and Looms of Ladakh Co-operative Limited under the aegis of Fire and Fury Corps have signed an MoU at Leh,Ladakh. Aim: To impart weaving and tailoring training to Veer Naris, widows and dependent ladies of veterans from Ladakh in three cycles of two months each. Looms of Ladakh will also employ them post-completion of their training. With this agreement, approximately, 200 Veer Naris, widows and dependent ladies of veterans will be benefitted. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Leh Sub Area and Looms of Ladakh Co-operative Limited on Saturday at Leh, under the aegis of Fire and Fury Corps. The aim of the Memorandum of Understanding is to impart weaving and tailoring training to Veer Naris, widows and dependent ladies of veterans from Ladakh in three cycles of two months each.

 

3. Odisha CM Patnaik inaugurates Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium: Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, the largest hockey stadium in the country Rourkela is the second venue of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 after the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar Rourkela will host 20 of the 44 matches while the remaining 24 matches will be played at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. India's first match against Spain is scheduled to be played at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on January 13.

India's first match against Spain is scheduled to be played at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on January 13. Two days later, India will be up against England at the same venue.

 

4. 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention organized in Madhya Pradesh: The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is being organized in Indore from 8th Jan to the 10th of January in partnership with the Government of Madhya Pradesh. The theme of this PBD conference is “Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal”. Over 3,500 Diaspora members from around 70 different countries have registered for the convention. The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention is also significant because it is being organized as a physical event for the first time after a gap of four years. The postal stamp is dedicated to the safe and legal migration of India’s Pravasi. Ministry of External Affairs had launched the “Surakshit Jayen Prashikshit Jayen” – Go Safe, Go Trained The goal of this campaign is to raise public awareness about the importance of using safe and legal channels while traveling for overseas employment.

5. India’s first Inclusion Festival, Purple Fest begins in Goa: Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar has inaugurated ‘Purple Fest: Celebrating Diversity’, India’s first festival of inclusion in Goa. Objective – To showcase how we can come together to create a welcoming and inclusive world for everyone. The Purple Fest will feature a variety of thrilling live performances, sporting events, major exhibitions, immersive experience zones, accessible movie screenings, and talks on important topics such as inclusive education, tourism, employment, and independent living. Purple Fest is the first festival of its kind in Goa. It is an inclusive event that aims to highlight how we can work together to make the world a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

 

6. Military Tattoo & Tribal Dance Festival to be held in New Delhi: A Military Tattoo and Tribal Dance Festival – Aadi Shaurya – Parv Parakram Ka will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi on January 23 & 24, 2023. The two-day festival will showcase the prowess of the Armed Forces and the ethnic beauty of India’s tribal culture. As part of the Republic Day Celebrations 2023 and to mark the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (celebrated as Parakram Diwas), this festival will showcase the prowess of the Armed Forces and the ethnic beauty of India’s tribal culture. The festival is free to attend, with tickets available through bookmyshow.com.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India to host 'Voice of Global South Summit' virtually: India will host a special 'Voice of Global South Summit' virtually on 12th and 13th of January 2023. Theme of the Summit is Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose. The Summit aimed to bring together countries of the Gobal South and share their perspectives and priorities on a common platform across a whole range of issues. This initiative is inspired by PM Modi vision of Sabka Saath, Sabha Vikas, Sabka Vishwas Aur Sabka Prayas and India's principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. India will host a special virtual Summit on 12th and 13th of this month called 'Voice of Global South Summit'. Briefing media in New Delhi this evening, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, the theme of the Summit is Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose.

 

2. Delhi, Bengaluru among 10 best-performing airports globally in 2022: Cirium: According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport were among the top 10 on-time airports globally. Bengaluru's airport was the second best airport globally in 2022 in terms of on-time arrivals and departures.

While, Japan's Haneda Airport was the best-performing airport. Indira Gandhi Airport stood seventh in the on-time rankings globally. Despite a challenging operational environment, 2022 saw a 26 per cent jump from 2021 in the number of flights operated globally and Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport were among the top 10 on-time airports globally, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

 

3. World’s first Palm-leaf Manuscript Museum in Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has opened the world’s first museum of palm leaf manuscripts, enriching the state culturally and educationally. The museum, which opened last week, has 187 manuscripts chronicling a mine of stories based entirely on primary sources. These documents are written on clean and clear palm leaves, which are furnished in the record rooms. In that period these palm leaves were treated before writing the description. The museum is a repository of curious nuggets of administrative, socio-cultural and economic facets of the Travancore kingdom which lasted for 650 years till the end of the 19th century. It had been the Central Vernacular Records Office since 1887 before becoming a museum.

 

4. Kevin McCarthy elected as new speaker of the US House of Representatives: Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has been elected as the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. He was serving as the House Minority Leader in the House. He was picked after days of Election Drama, making the election process for electing the Speaker as the longest in 160 years. 57-year-old McCarthy got 216 votes in the final tally, to be elected as Washington’s top legislator, who presides over House business and is second in line to the presidency.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Tamil Nadu's Pranesh M becomes 79th Grandmaster of India: M Pranesh (16) from Tamil Nadu has secured the title in the 2022/2023 Rilton Cup, the first tournament of the FIDE Circuit, to become the 79th chess Grandmaster of India. He has crossed the live rating of 2,500 Elo points. He won his first norm at the 18th Delhi GM Open, second norm at the Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival in Spain and third norm at the Asian Continental Chess Championship in Stockholm, Sweden. He was trained by renowned coach RB Ramesh.M Pranesh clinched the title in the Rilton Cup, the first tournament of the FIDE Circuit, here to become India’s 79th chess Grandmaster.
The 16-year-old Pranesh crossed the 2500-rating threshold and became a GM, having completed his three norms before the Rilton Cup.

 

2. Sania Mirza announces her retirement from professional Tennis: Indian tennis player, Sania Mirza has announced her retirement from professional Tennis. She will retire at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai in February 2023. She became the first Indian to win a WTA singles title, when she won her hometown Hyderabad event in 2005. She broke into the top 30 by 2007 and reached her career-high ranking of world number 27. In 2015, she partnered up with Swiss legend Martina Hingis and won three Grand Slam doubles titles.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Sebi issues debt broker license to Zerodha-backed GoldenPi Technologie: The SEBI has issued a debt broker license to the GoldenPi Technologies. With the development, GoldenPi became the first online bond platform provider to receive a debt brokerage license from Sebi. In 2022, SEBI has introduced regulations for online debt trading platforms. As per this platform, no company or individual shall act as an online bond platform provider without the certificate of registration as a stock broker under the SEBI Regulations, 2021.

 

2. Axis Bank partners with OPEN to launch a fully digital current account: Axis Bank has partnered with OPEN to provide a fully native digital current account journey for its customers including SMEs, freelancers, homepreneurs, influencers and more. This agreement offers the larger business community access to the holistic banking experience of Axis Bank with OPEN’s end-to-end financial automation tools for business management. This is Axis Bank’s first-ever partnership with a fintech player to launch a fully digital current account.

Daily GK Update- 6th Jan, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Foreign universities will need UGC nod to set up campuses in India: University Grants Commission's (UGC) Chairman, M Jagadesh Kumar has unveiled the draft norms to allow foreign universities to set up campuses in India. As per the draft norms, foreign universities can set up their campuses in India after receiving the approval from UGC. The initial approval will be for 10 years. Foreign varsities with campuses in the country will only be allowed to offer full-time programmes in physical mode (No online or distance learning).

 

2. Hydro Tourism to be developed at NHPC Dam, near Alchi, Leh: Ladakh Tourism department has collaborated with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to develop Hydro tourism at world's highest hydro power project on the Indus river, near Alchi in Leh. Aquatic sports like Jet Skiing, Motorboating, Ice Skating during winter, and boating during summer season will be rolled out in a phased manner. Similarly, tourism department is also introducing border tourism in cooperation with Fire and Fury Corps of Indian Army.

 

3. Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurates ‘North East Krishi Kumbha-2023’: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar has inaugurated the three-day ‘North East Krishi Kumbha-2023’ in Meghalaya. He also participated in the 49th Foundation Day celebration of the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam. The event included live demonstrations and exhibition of recent technologies through 102 stalls, by the host institute and its regional centers along with all the ICAR institutes.

 

4. Cabinet approves continuation of Schemes of Ministry of Development of NER: The Govt has approved continuation of schemes of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, with an outlay of 12,882 crore rupees for the balance period of the 15th Finance Commission (2022-23 to 2025-26). Outlay for the North East Special Infrastructure Scheme will be Rs.8139.5 crore. Outlay for ‘Schemes of NEC’ will be Rs.3202.7 crore including committed liabilities of ongoing projects. Outlay for Special Packages for BTC, DHATC and KAATC in Assam is Rs.1540.

 

5. 50 ASI-protected monuments disappear: According to the Ministry of Culture report titled ‘Issues relating to Untraceable Monuments and Protection of Monuments in India’ submit to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, 50 of India’s 3,693 centrally protected monuments have gone missing. The rapid urbanisation has engulfed 14 monuments. As many as 12 monuments have been submerged by the constructions of reservoirs and dams, while 24 have gone missing. Security guards protect only 248 monuments.

 

6. Silent Valley bird species increases to 175: The bird survey conducted at the Silent Valley National Park in December 2022, 17 new bird species have been added to the existing list. So far, 175 species of birds have been spotted in Silent Valley. The survey was held in the last week of December 2022, to mark the 30th anniversary of the first bird survey in Silent Valley. The first survey was held in the last week of December 1990. The survey was held in association with the Kerala Natural History Society.

 

7. First G-20 meeting to take place in Puducherry on Jan 31: Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said that the first G-20 meeting will be held in Puducherry on January 31. The Lt Governor released stickers, badges, and posters with the G20 logo and also inaugurated a selfie booth in the presence of Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy at an event. Representatives of different countries will participate in the meeting and many important decisions will be taken. These programs will be organized in different parts of the country in different segments. Kolkata will host the first meeting on the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion.

 

8. Varanasi Cantt Railway Station awarded ‘Eat Right Station’ with a certification by FSSAI: The Varanasi Cantt railway station has been awarded a 5-star ‘Eat Right Station’ certification by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for providing quality and nutritious food to passengers. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) award the “Eat Right Station” certification to the railway stations that set benchmarks (as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006) in providing safe and wholesome food to passengers. FSSAI is an autonomous statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The stations are awarded a certificate following the completion of an FSSAI-empanelled third-party audit. The 5-star rating indicates full compliance by the station to ensure safe and hygienic food is available to passengers,. The other railway stations with this certification include Anand Vihar Terminal Railway Station (Delhi), Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai), Mumbai Central Railway Station (Mumbai), Vadodara Railway Station, Chandigarh Railway Station.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. G20 Foreign ministers to meet in Delhi in March 2023: The G20 foreign minister meet is scheduled to take place in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi in March 2023. The government has issued an expected guest list that includes Joe Biden (US President), Vladimir Putin (Russia President), Rishi Sunak (UK Prime Minister), Xi Jinping (China Presidet), among others. Special invitee guest countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE. India's G20 Sherpa: Amitabh Kant

 

2. India & France hold 36th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi: India and France held the 36th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi. The two sides discussed a wide range of bilateral and global issues. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval led the Indian delegation while the French delegation was led by Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President. The last edition of the Strategic Dialogue was to be held in Paris in November 2021. During the 36th Strategic Dialogue, both sides also agreed to deepen the most significant three pillars of the India-France strategic partnership, including defence to counter-terrorism, civilian nuclear energy, space, and cybersecurity.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Manchester City inks deal with Reliance Jio to spur India push: Jio Platforms Limited (Jio) has signed a partnership agreement with Manchester City to become the Official Mobile Communications Network Partner of Club in the country. Man City's OTT platform 'CITY' will be integrated into the JioTV platform. It will provide fans further access to exclusive club content including match highlights, live Manchester City Women's team and Elite Development Squad fixtures, matchday content and City Studios documentaries.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI issues update for 'Fresh KYC' process: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a periodic updation of Know Your Customer (KYC) details for customers. As per the release, a fresh process of KYC can be done by visiting a bank branch, or remotely through a video-based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP). If there is no change in the KYC, a self-declaration from the individual customer is sufficient to complete the re-KYC process. Customers can use registered details (Such as ATMs) to do re-KYC.

 

2. RBI opens sandbox to 6 firms to test anti-fraud solutions: RBI has selected six entities for the ‘Test Phase’ under regulatory sandbox for the theme ‘Prevention and Mitigation of Financial Frauds’. The selected entities will commence testing of their products from February 2023. The six entities are Bahwan Cybertek, Crediwatch Information Analytics, enStage Software (Wibmo), HSBC in collaboration with Wibmo, napID Cybersec and Trusting Social. Aim: To promote efficiency and bring benefits to consumers

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. SS Rajamouli wins Best Director for RRR at New York Film Critics Circle: Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has honoured with the Best Director Award for RRR at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards 2022. RRR has also been nominated in the Best Foreign Film category, and Best Original Song (for Naatu Naatu Song) at the Golden Globe Awards 2023. Naatu Naatu has also shortlisted in the Best Song category at the 95th Academy Awards.

Other Awards:

·       Best Picture: Tar (Directed by Todd Field)

·       Best Actor: Colin Farrell (Tar)

·       Best Actress: Cate Blanchett

 

2. Odisha wins World Habitat Award 2023 for its JAGA Mission: Odisha has won the UN-Habitat's World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission (5T initiative of the state). 5T: Team work, Technology, Transparency, Transformation and Time limit. It is the world's largest land titling and slum upgrading program that aims to empower the lives of slum dwellers. Under this mission, 100% households in 2,724 slums have been provided with pipe water connections, and 8 cities become slum-free.

 

3. Maharashtra Jalna and Nagpur Police win ‘Best Police Unit’ award: Jalna district police and Nagpur city police in Maharashtra have bagged the ‘Best Police Unit’ awards for 2021 in the state. The award has been given under different classes for maintaining law and order, and evolving community policing. The Jalna police got the award in ‘Class A’ and the Nagpur police in ‘Class B’. Police units with less than 6,100 Indian Penal Code cases are grouped in ‘Class A’, while those with more than 6,100 IPC cases are grouped in ‘Class B’.

Daily GK Update- 5th Jan, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Jal Ministry organises first All India Annual State Ministers Conference: The Jal Shakti Ministry has organised the first All India Annual State Ministers Conference on Water in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on January 5, 2023. Theme: Water Vision @ 2047 Aim: To bring together key policymakers to discuss ways to harness water resources for sustainable development and human progress. The Conference has also deliberated on ‘5P’ mantra (Political will, Public financing, Partnerships, Public Participation and Persuasion for sustainability)

 

2. MP govt launched Chief Minister's Residential Land Rights Scheme: MP CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched the Chief Minister's Residential Land Rights scheme (Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu Adhikar Yojana) at the Bagaj Mata temple complex in Tikamgarh district. Under the scheme, plots worth about 129 crore rupees were distributed to 10 thousand 918 families of Tikamgarh district. Aim: To provide free plots to the poor living in rural areas for building their houses. The benefits of all other schemes will also be provided.

 

3. Govt approved investment for 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project: The Government has approved the investment for the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh with an estimated cost of over 2,614 crore rupees (Rs 2,246.40 crore (Hard cost amounting), Rs 358.96 crore (Interest During Construction) and 9.15 crore (Financing Charges).

The project will be built on the Sutlej river. It will be constructed by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam limited in over 5 years. The project will generate employment for about 4,000 persons.

 

4. Union Government approves National Green Hydrogen Mission: The government has approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an initial outlay of 19,744 crore rupees. Aim: To make India a Global Hub for production, utilisation and export of Green Hydrogen. Of the Rs 19,744 crore outlay, 17,490 crore for Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT) programme. The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) will also formulate the scheme guidelines for implementation of the respective components.

 

5. Digantara launched second satellite to monitor space weather: Digantara (Space start-up) has launched its second satellite Pushan-Alpha as rideshare onboard SpaceX’s Transporter-6 mission from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US. The satellite will serve as a space weather testbed in the sun synchronous orbit. It will also enhance precision driven situational space awareness applications. Its observations will help complement Digantara’s ROBI (ROBust Integrating proton fluence meter) mission. Digantara Aerospace CEO: Anirudh Sharma President Murmu inaugurated the 18th National Jamboree of the Bharat Scouts and Guides in Rajasthan: President Droupadi Murmu has inaugurated the 18th National Scout and Guide Jamboree, at Rohat in the Pali district of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is hosting Jamboree after 66 years.

6. Theme of the 18th National Scout and Guide Jamboree: Progress with Peace. Over 35,000 scouts and guides from all over the country will participate in this 7-day mega-event. A smart jamboree village has been set up with all the facilities on a two hundred twenty hectare area at Nimblee village 3500 tents have been erected at the venue. The first National Scout and Guide Jamboree was held in Andhra Pradesh in 1951. The 17th Jamboree was held in Mysuru, Karnataka in December 2016 -January 2017.

 

7. 2nd Phase of Sari Festival “VIRAASAT” begins in New Delhi: The second phase of the Sari Festival “VIRAASAT” is celebrating 75 handwoven Saris of India in New Delhi. This phase is being organized by the Ministry of Textiles from 3rd to 17th January 2023 at Handloom Haat, Janpath, New Delhi. The second phase, having 90 participants from different parts of the country, will bring participation of famous handcrafted varieties of Saris like Tie and Dye, Chikan embroidered Saris, Hand Block Saris, Kalamkari printed Saris, Ajrakh, Kantha and Phulkari. The first phase of “VIRAASAT”- started on the 16th and concluded on 30th of last month. A social media campaign has also been launched under a common hashtag #MySariMyPride to support the Indian handloom weavers.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Complaints received under ombudsman schemes rises 9.39% in 2021-22: RBI: According to the annual report of Ombudsman Schemes, 2021-22, released by the RBI, the complaints received under ombudsman schemes has been increased by 9.39% in 2021-22. The volume of complaints received under the RB-IOS and consumer education and protection cells stood at 4,18,184 in 2021-22. About 42% complaints were related to the digital modes of payment and transactions. Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS) was launched on November 12, 2021. RBI lifts restrictions on Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services: RBI has lifted restrictions on Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited on loan recovery via third-party services. On September 22, 2022, RBI had directed Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services to immediately cease carrying out any recovery or repossession activity through outsourcing arrangements, till further orders. Mahindra Finance could continue recovery or repossession activities through its own employees.

 

2. ICICI Bank launches digital solutions for exporters: ICICI Bank has launched 'digital solutions for exporters', a comprehensive set of banking and value-added services on a single platform. Aim: To simplify the journey of exporters by decongesting the current time-intensive manual procedures It will digitise the entire export life-cycle from discovery of export markets, foreign exchange services to receipt of export incentives. Key services: Insta EPC, Trade accounts, Paperless exports solutions, and many more

 

3. Aegon Life Insurance launches iTerm Prime Insurance plan: Aegon Life Insurance has launched iTerm Prime Insurance plan catering to the need of self-employed individuals with a special 10% discount on first-year premium. It offers a minimum sum assured of ₹25 lakhs, with no upper limit on a consumer’s requirement. It also offers a ‘Special Exit Value’ option that allows the policyholder to get all premiums back when they turn 55 years old. It is designed to encourage emerging India to gain access to life insurance.

 

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Dr. Tapan Saikia to receive Assam highest civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’: Assam CM, Himanta Biswa Sarma has selected 21 personalities for the Assam State Civilian Awards 2022. The State’s highest civilian award, ‘Assam Baibhav’ to Dr. Tapan Saikia for his contributions in the field of cancer care. Assam Saurav (Assam second highest civilian award) will be conferred to Krishna Roy; Gilbertson Sangma; Nayanmoni Saikia; Dr. Binoi Kumar Saikia and Dr. Shashidhar Phukan. som Gaurav (third highest civilian award) will be conferred to 15 people.

 

2. Odisha won World Habitat Award 2023: Odisha has won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission, a 5T initiative of the state. The Jaga mission is the land titling and slum upgrading program that aims at empowering the lives of slum dwellers. The Government of Odisha has set itself the ambitious target of becoming the first slum-free state in India and is leading the Jaga Mission programme to upgrade all of the state’s 2,919 slums. The initiative in the last five years, 1,75,000 families have been granted land tenure security. 100 percent of households in 2,724 slums have been provided with pipe water connections, 707 slums have transformed fully into liveable habitats, 100 percent of households in 666 slums have individual toilets, and 8 cities have become slum-free. In 2019, Odisha’s Jaga mission received World Habitat Awards for its success in providing land tenure security to slum dwellers.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. NASA's Apollo 7 astronaut, Walter Cunningham passes away: The last surviving astronaut from the first successful crewed space mission in NASA's Apollo programme, Walter Cunningham has been passed away at the age of 90. He was one of the three astronauts of Apollo 7 mission, that was launched in 1968 and lasted for 11 days. Before joining NASA, he was enlisted in the US Navy and began training as a pilot in 1952. He was served as a fighter pilot with the US Marine Corps on 54 missions in Korea.

Daily GK Update- 4th Jan, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Manipur celebrates Gaan Ngai festival: Zeliangrong community of Manipur has celebrated the Gaan Ngai festival on 4th Jauary 2023. This festival also marks the end of the year when the farmers have stored their foodgrain in their ganeries. They show their gratitude by offering to the almighty a good harvest and praying for a better life. It is a custom to produce new fire by rubbing dry wood and split bamboo pieces and distributing them. The Zeliangrong community comprises Rongmei, Liangmei, and Zeme tribes. In Manipur, the Gaan Ngai festival of the Zeliangrong community will be celebrated tomorrow. The Gaan Ngai festival is one of the major festivals of Manipur which is celebrated every year after harvesting.

 

2. MoD, MoE, MSDE and all three Services sign MoUs for education of Agniveers: The Ministry of Defence (MoD), Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and all three Services have signed MoUs to facilitate the continued education of Agniveers while serving in the Armed Forces. National Institute of Open School and IGNOU will awarded 12th Class certificates and Bachelor’s degrees to Agniveers. This will enable Agniveers to complete education in a timely manner and develop additional qualities and skills The Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and all three Services have signed MoUs with various stakeholders to facilitate the continued education of Agniveers while serving in the Armed Forces.

 

3. Shashi Tharoor’s latest book Ambedkar: A Life launched: A book titled 'Ambedkar: A Life', authored by Shashi Tharoor has been launhced at the Kitaab Kolkata event. Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) at the ITC Sonar presented by Shree Cement organized the event. The event was attended by bibliophiles young and old, members of Ehsaas Women and FICCI FLO. Other notable books of Shashi Tharoor: Riot (2001), Why I Am A Hindu (2018), The Paradoxical Prime Minister (2018), India: From Midnight to the Millennium (1997) 

 

4. BharatPe appoints Nalin Negi as interim CEO: BharatPe has appointed current chief financial officer (CFO), Nalin Negi as the interim chief executive officer (CEO). He has replaced Suhail Sameer, who stepped down from the position. He will take on the role of strategic advisor, effective January 7, 2023. Negi has previously worked at GE Capital and SBI Card. He was the CFO of SBI Card for over ten years. BharatPe was founded in March 2018. BharatPe Board Chairman: Rajnish Kumar 

 

5. President Murmu inaugurated Samvidhan Udyan in Jaipur: President Droupadi Murmu has inaugurated Samvidhan Udyan at Raj Bhavan in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The President also inaugurated the Transmission System for Solar Energy Zones in Rajasthan and lay the foundation stone for one thousand Mega Watt Bikaner Solar Power Project virtually.

She also launched a National Campaign on ‘RISE-Rising India through Spiritual Empowerment’, organized by Brahma Kumaris. Murmu also inaugurated the 18th National Scout-Guide Jamboree, at Rohat in Pali district Rajasthan. Over 35,000 scouts – guides from all over the country will participate in this mega-event scheduled to be held from the 4th to the 10th of January. Rajasthan is hosting it after 66 years.

 

6. PM Modi to launch world’s longest river cruise from Varanasi to Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world’s longest luxury river cruise – ‘Ganga Vilas’ – from Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi to Dibrugarh in Assam on January 13. The cruise will cover 3,200 kilometres in 50 days. Passing through the rivers of India and Bangladesh, the cruise will be covering 27 different river systems and will stop at over 50 tourist sites, including world heritage. This will be the largest river journey by a single river ship in the world and would put both India and Bangladesh on the river cruise map of the world. The Ganga Vilas cruise, which will start from Varanasi, will pass through prominent cities like Kolkata and Dhaka before reaching Bogibeel in Dibrugarh district of Assam on March 1. Private players Antara Luxury River Cruises and JM Baxi River Cruises along with the governmental partnership from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) will operate the river cruise. The luxury river cruise vessel, Ganga Vilas, have 18 cabins/suites and all other associated facilities.

 

7. Rajnath Singh inaugurated steel arch Siyom Bridge in Arunachal Pradesh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the 100 metre-Siyom Bridge in Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It is a state-of-the-art Class 70 steel arch superstructure bridge. He also inaugurated 27 other infrastructure projects in Arunachal Pradesh. All these projects have been prepared at a cost of Rs. 724 crore in seven border states and union territories. He also inaugurated three VSAT-based telemedicine nodes in Ladakh and Mizoram. The Siyom Bridge is one of the 28 projects completed by the Border Roads Organisation at a cost of Rs 724 crore to strengthen border infrastructure. Of the 28 projects inaugurated by the Defence Minister, eight are in Ladakh, five in Arunachal Pradesh, four in Jammu and Kashmir, three each in Sikkim, Punjab and Uttarakhand and two in Rajasthan. In addition, three telemedicine nodes were inaugurated, two in Ladakh and one in Mizoram.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India to take charge of APPU in Bangkok, Thailand: India will take charge of the Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU) in Bangkok, Thailand from January 2023. Dr. Vinaya Prakash Singh will take over the charge of Secretary General of the Union for a tenure of four years. The APPU is an intergovernmental organization of 32-member countries of the Asian-Pacific region. Aim of APPU: To extend, facilitate and improve postal relations between member countries and to promote cooperation in the field of postal services. The goal of APPU is to extend, facilitate and improve postal relations between member countries and to promote cooperation in the field of postal services. Dr. Vinaya Prakash Singh, erstwhile Member (Personnel), Postal Services Board will take over the charge of Secretary General of the Union for a tenure of four years.

 

2. China becomes the first country in Asia to launch Hydrogen powered Train: China has become the first country in Asia and second in the world to launch Hydrogen powered urban trains. Germany was the first country to introduce hydrogen-powered trains in September 2022. The hydrogen train gets a top speed of 160 km/h, and the operational range without refueling is 600 km. The German Coradia iLint serial train developed by French company Alstom has set a record 1175 Km range without refueling. As per Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, India will most likely get its first-ever indigenous Hydrogen trains by December 2023. As per the minister, like Vande Bharat Express, the Indian Railways is working on the new environment-friendly trains and the engineers are designing it. The design process is already going on and we should be able to roll out the first hydrogen train in the country by December 2023. France’s rail transport company Alstom has made the hydrogen train in Germany. Fuel cells have been installed in this train, which generates energy by mixing hydrogen with oxygen and in return, only water and steam are emitted. This eco-friendly train can travel up to 1000 kilometres in one go and its maximum speed is 140 km/h. China began manufacturing hydrogen trams in 2010.

 

3. India takes over leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union: India will take over the leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU) having its Headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand from this month. Vinay Prakash Singh assumed the charge as the Secretary General of the Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU) on 1 January 2023. This is the first time that an Indian is leading an international organization in the postal sector. Dr. Singh will remain in office for 4 years.

 

4. IIT-M collaborated with DRDO to develop defence technology: IIT Madras Centre of Excellence (CoE) has collaborated with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop Advanced Defence Technologies. Both DRDO and IIT Madras are working together on Advanced Defence Technologies including Combat Vehicle Technologies. It is an important milestone in bringing together the Academia, Industry and DRDO to collaborate and develop Atmanirbhar technologies for critical needs of our country. Specifically, this will provide a first-of-its-kind opportunity for Startups and MSMEs to participate in this critical Nation Building activity. IIT Madras CoE- ‘DRDO Industry Academia- Ramanujan Centre of Excellence’ (DIA-RCoE) will be conducting a directed research process to meet the national defence and security needs of the nation.

 

5. 4 January – World Braille Day: World Braille Day is celebrated every year on 4 January around the world and it also marks the birth anniversary of Braille’s inventor Louis Braille. Objective – To promote awareness about Braille and the contributions of Louis Braille. The United Nations has been commemorating the day since 2019. Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809. He lost his vision at an early age following an accident. An educator for the visually impaired, Braille developed his eponymous writing and reading system in order to help others. His writing system used six tactile dots in order to represent alphabetic, numerical, musical, mathematical, and scientific symbols. He had received a scholarship to the National Institute for Blind Children, where he taught later.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Koustav Chatterjee becomes 78th Grandmaster of India: 19-year-old Koustav Chatterjee became India’s 78th Grandmaster in MPL 59th National Senior Chess Championship in New Delhi. He is also the tenth GM from West Bengal. Koustav earned his first GM norm in October 2021 at a Grandmasters’ chess tournament in Bangladesh. He crossed FIDE rating 2500 in August. Koustav is in the joint-lead with GM Abhijeet Gupta at the National Senior Chess Championship with a score of 8/10 after 10 rounds.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. India and ADB sign loan agreements to boost infrastructure sector in India: India has signed various loan agreements with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to boost the infrastructure sector in the country. A loan agreement of 350 million US dollars was signed to improve connectivity in Maharashtra. Govt also signed agreement worth 300 million US dollars to upgrade over 300 Km of State highways and district roads in Assam. A 220 million dollar loan agreement was signed to improve energy security, and resilience of the power sector in Tripura. Several loan agreements have been signed today by the Government and the Asian Development Bank to boost the infrastructure sector in the country. The Finance Ministry said, a loan agreement was signed worth 350 million US dollars to improve connectivity in Maharashtra, and a loan agreement worth 300 million US dollars will be utilised to upgrade over 300 kilometres of State highways and major district roads in Assam.

 

2. HDFC Bank partners with Microsoft for digital transformation: HDFC Bank has partnered with Microsoft in the next phase of its digital transformation. Aim: To unlock business value by transforming the application portfolio, modernising the data landscape, and securing the enterprise with Microsoft Cloud. The bank is developing in-house intellectual properties (IP) as well as partnering with several companies. The bank has leveraged Microsoft Azure to consolidate and modernise its enterprise data landscape by Federated Data Lake. The private sector lender is developing in-house IPs as well as partnering with several companies, including FinTechs, to co-create technology IPs, the lender said in a statement.

 

3. India Accelerator, ICICI Bank and Infosys Finacle join hands: India Accelerator has launched a program created to nurture and co-innovate with the startup ecosystem in India named 'i3 Launchpad'. This has been developed in collaboration with ICICI Bank and Infosys Finacle. Objective: To support a community of entrepreneurs who are on a mission to create brands that can have a global impact. The program is open to startups across all industries and will onboard two cohorts a year, with a target of 12-18 startups in each cohort. The program is open to startups across all industries and will onboard two cohorts a year, with a target of 12-18 startups in each cohort. Sectors in focus for the first cohort include fintech, enterprise tech & SaaS, proptech, wealthtech, sustainability & greentech, and insurtech.

4. Niva Bupa and Sundaram Finance signs corporate agency agreement: Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company (formerly Max Bupa Health Insurance Company) has signed a corporate agency agreement with Sundaram Finance Limited. Sundaram Finance will use its network across the country to reach out to customers as part of this partnership Niva Bupa’s select range of indemnity plans would be offered to Sundaram Finance’s growing customers Sundaram Finance Limited MD: Rajiv Lochan Niva Bupa Health Insurance MD & CEO: Krishnan Ramachandran

 

5. Bandhan Bank launched ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’ campaign: Bandhan Bank has launched its campaign ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’, featuring cricketer Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador. The campaign was conceptualised by Leo Burnett Orchard. Bandhan was constituted in 2001 as a not-for-profit entity. The RBI had accorded ‘universal banking licence’, following which the Bank has started operating on August 23, 2015. Objective: To bring in financial inclusion and women empowerment

Bandhan Bank headquarters: Kolkata

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Captain Shiva Chouhan becomes first woman officer to be deployed at Siachen: Captain Shiva Chauhan (Indian Army's Fire and Fury Corps) has become the first woman officer to be operationally deployed in Kumar Post (height: 15,632 feet) at the highest battlefield in the world-Siachen. She hails from Rajasthan. She led an arduous 508-km long `Sura Soi’ Siachen Sappers cycling expedition from the Siachen War Memorial to Kargil War Memorial in July 2022. She got inducted to the Siachen Glacier on January 2 after an arduous climb. Before this, no women officer was ever deployed at Siachen glacier at such an altitude in the past 40 years after India launched Operation Meghdoot to secure the world’s highest and coldest battleground.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Noted Rabindra Sangeet exponent Sumitra Sen passes away: Noted Rabindra Sangeet exponent, Sumitra Sen has been passed away at the age of 89. Her rendition of songs inlcude Jokhon Porbe Na Mor, Sokhi Vabona Kahare Bole and Mone Ki Dwidha. In 2012, she was honoured with the Sangeet Mahasamman award by West Bengal government. Rabindra Sangeet also known as Tagore Songs, are songs from the Indian subcontinent written and composed by the Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore. Noted Rabindra Sangeet exponent Sumitra Sen passed away in Kolkata Monday. She was 89. Her daughter Srabani Sen took to the social media platform Facebook to inform of her death.