Daily GK Update- 26th Apr, 2024

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. SJVN launched India’s 1st Green Hydrogen Project in Himachal Pradesh: Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) has inaugurated India’s first multi-purpose green hydrogen pilot project at Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station in Himachal Pradesh. The project will produce hydrogen for the High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) Coating Facility and generate 25 kW electricity. Aimed at advancing green hydrogen as a clean energy source, aligning with the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

 

2. Axis Bank reappoints Amitabh Chaudhry as chief for a further period of 3 years: The Board of Axis Bank has approved the re-appointment of Amitabh Chaudhry as MD & CEO of the Bank, for a further period of three years with effect from January 1, 2025 up to December 31, 2027. This re-appointment is subject to approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and approval of the members, in terms of applicable laws. Chaudhry, age 59 years, joined Axis Bank as MD & CEO with effect from January 1, 2019, after successfully leading HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited (HDFC Life), for over nine years, per the Bank’s regulatory filing.

 

3. Great Nicobar Island Development Project: The Rs 72,000 crore ‘Great Nicobar Island Development Project’ aimed at the holistic development of the Great Nicobar Island has come under scrutiny due to its potential impact on the indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities. Experts have raised concerns about ..

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Nepal hosts inaugural Rainbow Tourism Conference: Mayako Pahichan Nepal, in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, orchestrated the groundbreaking first International Rainbow Tourism Conference. This one-day event marks a significant leap forward in fostering diversity and inclusivity within Nepal’s tourism industry, positioning the country as a welcoming destination for the sexual minority community in South Asia. The conference’s main objective is to position Nepal as an LGBT-friendly tourism destination.

 

2. 25 April – International Girls in ICT Day: International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated every year on the last day Thursday of April. This year, it falls on 25 April 2024. The main goal behind observing International Girls in ICT Day is to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the ICT sector. Theme 2024 – Leadership The history of International Girls in ICT Day dates back to 2014, when the International Telecommunication Union’s Plenipotentiary Resolution 70 was passed.

 

3. 25 April – International Delegate’s Day: International Delegate’s Day is observed every year on 25 April. Objective – To raise awareness of the role of the representatives and delegates of the Member States to UN. It marks the anniversary of the first day of the San Francisco Conference, also known as the United Nations Conference on International Organization.

 

4. 26 April – World Intellectual Property Day: The World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) is celebrated on 26 April 2024 every year. The day is dedicated to promoting the role of intellectual property (IP) in stimulating innovation and creativity. This day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the need for a balanced approach to intellectual property protection that takes into account the rights of creators and copyright holders, as well as the public interest. Theme 2024 – IP and the SDGs: Building Our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity

 

5. Fourth Session on Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations: The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to develop an international legally binding treaty on plastic pollution commenced recently in Ottawa, Canada. The objective of this penultimate round of negotiations is to refine the text of the draft ..

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Armenia and Azerbaijan Move Towards Normalizing Ties with First Border Marker: Armenia and Azerbaijan have placed the first border marker, following a bitter conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Experts from both countries are working on demarcating their boundaries as part of the peace process. The two nations are working towards a ..

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. Great Nicobar Island Development Project: The Rs 72,000 crore ‘Great Nicobar Island Development Project’ aimed at the holistic development of the Great Nicobar Island has come under scrutiny due to its potential impact on the indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities. Experts have raised concerns about

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Credit card spends rise 27% to Rs 18.26 trillion in FY24: RBI data: Credit card spends surged 27 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 18.26 trillion in financial year 2023-24 (FY24) from nearly Rs 14 trillion in the year-ago period, according to RBI data. In March 2024, credit card spends rose nearly 10.07 per cent to Rs 1.64 trillion from Rs 1.49 trillion in February. This is on account of the financial year close and festival sales during March. Among the top card players, use of HDFC Bank’s credit card was at Rs 43,471.29 crore in March, 8.57 per cent higher than Rs 40,288.51 crore in February.

2. FSIB recommendations for SBI and Indian Bank MD appointments: The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended the appointment of Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh for the position of Managing Director in State Bank of India and Asheesh Pandey for the position of MD & CEO in Indian Bank. Singh is currently Deputy Managing Director (Retail- Personal Banking & Real Estate) at SBI. Currently, Shanti Lal Jain is the MD and CEO of Indian Bank. He assumed charge on September 1, 2021. Prior to this, he served as Executive Director of Bank of Baroda (BoB) for three years, from September 2018 to August 2021.

 

Daily GK Update- 25th Apr, 2024

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. C-DOT and IIT Jodhpur sign agreement for “Automated Service Management in Network of 5G: C-DOT, the premier Telecom R&D Centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur have signed an agreement for “Automated Service Management in 5G and Beyond Networks Using AI”. The agreement is signed under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) of the DoT, which is designed for providing funding support to domestic companies and institutions involved in technology design, development, commercialization of telecommunication products and solutions to enable affordable broadband and mobile services in rural and remote areas.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indonesia commission formally declares Prabowo next President: Indonesia's election commission formally declared Prabowo Subianto (72-years) as the next president of the world's third-largest democracy, after the country's constitutional court shot down challenges to his first-round majority victory. Subianto, who is currently defence minister, will succeed Joko Widodo in October. He noted that the elected pair secured a total of 96,214,691 votes, or 58.59 percent of the total national valid votes.

 

2. Ministerial Round Table Conference at World Energy Congress 2024: A Ministerial Round Table Conference was held at the ongoing 26th edition of World Energy Congress in Rotterdam, Netherlands The Round Table Conference discussed how the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai was a game changer The Ministerial Round Table also discussed energy innovation and collaboration, and implications in managing the evolving energy trilemma trade-offs During the conference, the Union Power Secretary highlighted India’s pivotal role in COP28.

 

3. International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure begin in New Delhi: The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure’s 6th edition has begun in New Delhi. The conference’s theme is “Investing today for a more resilient tomorrow”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed the importance of investing in infrastructure that can withstand disasters for a better tomorrow. The need to incorporate resilience into both new infrastructure projects and post-disaster reconstruction efforts. Furthermore, in a world where disasters know no borders, he urged the necessity for collective resilience among nations.

 

4. 25 April – World Malaria Day: World Malaria Day is observed every year on 25 April. Objective – To raise awareness about the global effort to control and ultimately eradicate Malaria. Theme 2024 – Accelerate the Fight Against Malaria for a More Equitable World It was first held in 2008, and the day was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States during the World Health Assembly of 2007.

5. 25 April – World Penguin Day: World Penguin Day is observed every year on 25th April. This day is significant because it coincides with the start of the northern migration of Adelie penguins. Adelie penguins are one of the 17-20 species of penguins recognized worldwide. The southern hemisphere is home to most of the penguins, with a total of about 20 species known to humans.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. India Fourth Largest Arms Spender in World in 2023: SIPRI: According to a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, India was the fourth largest military spender in the world in 2023 after the United States, China and Russia. The Indian expenditure on military 2023 was $83.6 billion. In the interim Union Budget of 2024-25 the government of India allocated Rs 6.21 lakh crore for defence spending. The 2024-25 allocation for defence accounts for 1.89% of India's GDP.

 

2. DRDO develops lightest Bullet Proof Jacket of country for protection against highest threat Level: A unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully developed the lightest bulletproof jacket in the country for protection against the highest threat level 6. This jacket is based on a new design approach where novel material along with new processes has been used. DRDO’s Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur has successfully developed the lightest bulletproof jacket in the country for protection against 7.62 x 54 R API (level 6 of BIS 17051) ammunition. Recently, this bulletproof jacket was successfully tested at TBRL, Chandigarh as per BIS 17051-2018.

 

SPORTS 

 

1. Usain Bolt named ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Brand Ambassador: Legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has been named by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as the ambassador for the 9th ICC Men’s T-20 World Cup, which will be hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America jointly from 1 to 29 June 2024. As a brand ambassador, Usain Bolt will promote the World Cup event, attend T20 World Cup matches in the West Indies, and participate in fan engagement events to promote the cricket sport within the United States.

 

2. Narsingh Yadav elected chairman of WFI’s seven-member athletes’ panel: Former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Narsingh Pancham Yadav was elected chairman of the Wrestling Federation of India’s Athletes’ Commission. A total of eight candidates were in fray for the seven positions and after polling, conducted on ballot paper, seven members got elected. They then chose Narsingh as chairman of the commission. Ahead of the 2016 Olympics, the Games-bound Narsingh had grabbed headlines when two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, who missed the qualification event due to an injury, requested for a trial bout against him.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. Microsoft launches lightweight artificial intelligence model Phi-3-mini: Microsoft has launched Phi-3 Mini, a freely available, lightweight small language AI model. The company plans to further release two other models in the same scale. The model is meant to be simpler and cheaper compared to other heavyweight large language models like OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo. This is the smallest model that Microsoft has released yet and can be run locally, which means it can run for free on a smartphone without requiring an internet connection.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI bars Kotak Mahindra Bank from onboarding new customers via online: The RBI directed Kotak Mahindra Bank to stop onboarding of new customers through its online and mobile banking channels and also barred it from issuing fresh credit cards, with an immediate effect. The bank was found to be deficient in its IT Risk and Information Security Governance for the years 2022 and 2023. In the past two years, the RBI has been in continuous high-level engagement with the bank on all these concerns with a view to strengthening its IT resilience.

 

2. SBI Card introduces inaugural travel-centric core credit card ‘MILES’: SBI Card introduced its inaugural travel-centric core credit card, ‘SBI Card MILES’. The card promises comprehensive travel benefits, including the conversion of Travel Credits to Air Miles and Hotel Points, enhanced rewards on all travel bookings, and access to airport lounges. The bank has partnered with more than 20 leading airline and hotel brands such as Air Vistara, Air India, SpiceJet, and IHG Hotels & Resorts.

 

3. Razorpay launches UPI Switch with Airtel Payments Bank: Digital payments platform Razorpay has launched its own Unified Payments Interface (UPI) infrastructure, or UPI switch, in partnership with Airtel Payments Bank. The company will now provide its UPI Switch service to Airtel Payments Bank, enabling it to manage UPI transactions on the payments bank’s platform. The solution can handle up to 10,000 transactions per second (TPS). Razorpay received a final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in December last year to operate as a payment aggregator, enabling it to onboard new merchants after a nearly one-year-old regulatory ban.

 

 

Daily GK Update- 24th Apr, 2024

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Nidhi Jain appointed as CVO of Cotton Corporation of India: The Central Government has approved the appointment of Nidhi S Jain (IA&AS) as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Cotton Corporation of India Limited (CCI). She has been appointed to the post for an initial period of three years. Nidhi is an Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) service officer of 2009-batch. Presently, she is posted as Director of Audit (Environment & Scientific Departments), Branch office, Mumbai.

 

2. Prof Naima Khatoon become the first women VC of AMU: Professor Naima Khatoon has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The Ministry of Education appointed Khatoon after receiving approval from President Droupadi Murmu, who serves as the Visitor of the university. With that, AMU has also become the third central university to have a woman Vice-Chancellor. While Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is is the current VC of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Najma Akhtar completed her tenure as the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in 2023.

 

3. 24 April – National Panchayati Raj Day: India celebrates National Panchayati Raj Day every year on 24 April. It marks the creation of the Panchayati Raj System, a way of governing that started in 1993 with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act. This system gives power to local groups, called Gramme Panchayats, to run their areas and decide how they develop. The Panchayati Raj System is a big step for democracy, especially in rural places. It lets local groups make decisions about their communities. This makes democracy more active, with people taking part in choices that affect them directly.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Reliance Jio emerges as World’s largest mobile operator in data traffic: Reliance Jio become the world’s largest mobile operator in terms of data traffic, ahead of China Mobile. The total traffic on the Jio network has reached 40.9 Exabytes, which is a 35.2 percent year-on-year increase. Also, Jio has a very strong and wide subscriber base of 481.8 million. Jio has also become the first Indian company to cross the ₹100,000-crore threshold in pre-tax profits. The annual data traffic has dramatically increased by 2.4 times since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the monthly per capita data usage has skyrocketed to 28.7 GB from just 13.3 GB three years ago.

 

2. Air India signed codeshare pact with Japan’s All Nippon Airways: Air India has entered into a codeshare partnership with Japan’s All Nippon Airways. With the codeshare, effective for travel from May 23, Air India and All Nippons Airways passengers can fly to their desired destination by combining those flights between India and Japan with a single ticket. Air India will add its ‘AI’ designator code on ANA’s flights between Tokyo Haneda and Delhi as well as Tokyo Narita and Mumbai. ANA will add its ‘NH’ designator code on Air India’s flight between Tokyo Narita and Delhi.

 

3. India’s Gita Sabharwal Appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Gita Sabharwal of India as the United Nations resident coordinator in Indonesia. Sabharwal, brings close to 30 years of experience in development supporting climate transition, sustainable peace, governance and social policy, while leveraging digital technology and data to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Previously, Sabharwal served as the UN resident coordinator in Thailand and as peacebuilding and development adviser for the United Nations in Sri Lanka.

 

4. 24-30 April – World Immunization Week: Every year for World Immunization Week, the last week of April (24-30 April), the global immunization community celebrates the lifesaving power of vaccines. The day also aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. Theme 2024 – Humanly Possible In May 2012, the World Health Assembly, the body that makes decisions for the World Health Organization (WHO), approved World Immunisation Week. More than 180 nations took part in the inaugural World Immunisation Week, which was held in 2012.

 

5. 24 April – International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace: International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace is observed every year on 24 April. This day aims to promote the principles of multilateralism and diplomacy in resolving global challenges and conflicts. The Day acknowledges the use of multilateral decision-making and diplomacy in achieving peaceful resolutions to conflicts among nations. The first International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace was celebrated on April 24, 2019. It was first proposed by the delegation of Azerbaijan to the United Nations in 2018 as a way to promote and reinforce the principles of multilateralism and diplomacy in international affairs.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS 

 

1. Saurav Ghosal retires from Professional Squash: India’s finest men’s squash player Saurav Ghosal has announced his retirement from professional squash after completing a glittering 22-year journey although he would continue representing the country at multi-discipline events for some more time. Besides winning two gold medals in team events of Incheon and Hangzhou Asian Games, Ghosal has three Commonwealth Games medals and also bagged the yellow metal in the 2022 World Doubles Championships in mixed doubles in Glasgow. Kolkata-born Ghosal also remains the only Indian man to reach the world’s top 10, achieving that career-high ranking in April 2019 and spending six months there.

 

2. Yuzvendra Chahal becomes first bowler with historic 200 IPL wickets: Yuzvendra Chahal became the first bowler to pick up 200 wickets in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The leg-spinner accomplished the milestone in RR’s match against Hardik Pandya’s MI at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Chahal has been an asset for the Royals since he joined them in the 2022 edition of the T20 league. in 2022, the veteran won the Purple Cap when RR finished as the runners-up after losing to Gujarat in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. BharatPe launches all-in-one payment device BharatPe One: BharatPe has launched a payments device that combines point of sale (POS), QR code, and speaker functionalities. The payments startup will introduce BharatPe One in some 100 cities and expand to another 450 in six months.

BharatPe One will streamline transactions for merchants, offering versatile payment acceptance options including dynamic and static QR codes, POS, and speaker capabilities, said the company.

The device is part of BharatPe’s suite of simple, easy-to-use, and secure fintech products, which includes payments and business loans for its merchant partners.

 

2. Indian Bank ties up with Tata Solar Power to finance Central Rooftop Solar scheme: Indian Bank has entered into a strategic partnership with Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd. (TPSSL) to boost solar energy adoption by providing financial support to residential consumers for installations. The collaboration aims to provide financial support under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana scheme for installations up to 3 KW, and from 3-10 KW under the regular scheme. Residential consumers can avail loans up to ₹2 lakh at an annual interest rate of 7%, with a nominal margin money requirement of 10% and collateral-free financing. The repayment tenure is 10 years.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Puravankara bags CIDC Vishwakarma Award for Social Development and Impact: Puravankara Limited, one of India’s most trusted and admired real estate developers, has bagged the Achievement Award for Creating Social Development and Impact at the 15th Edition of the Vishwakarma Awards, hosted by the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC). CIDC is a joint initiative by the Niti Aayog and the Indian construction industry. The award recognises Puravankara’s exemplary efforts in driving positive change through its impactful campaigns, particularly its collaboration with the Biome Environmental Trust in rejuvenating heritage wells as part of the “Million Wells for Bengaluru” campaign.

 

2. Cillian Murphy won 21st Irish Film & Television Awards 2024: The Oscar-nabbing success of Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture winner, Cillian Murphy emerged victorious once again at the 21st annual Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTAs), held in Dublin. The actor secured the coveted Best Actor award for his portrayal of the titular American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, which swept up a majority of the award season last year. The awards ceremony, held at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre and hosted by Baz Ashmawy, celebrated excellence in Irish cinema and television honouring established talents and emerging stars alike.

 

3. Medanta Gurugram ranks on Newsweek’s 2024 list of the ‘World’s Best Hospitals’: Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram operated by Global Health Limited has once again been named as the best private hospital in India by the prestigious ‘Newsweek – World’s Best Hospitals 2024’ rankings. This is the fifth consecutive year that Medanta has achieved the status as the best private hospital in India. Medanta also remains the only private hospital from India to feature in the top 250 hospitals of the world.

 

 

Daily GK Update- 23rd Apr, 2024

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM inaugurates 2550th Bhagwan Mahaveer Nirvan Mahotsav on occasion of Mahaveer Jayanti: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 2550th Bhagwan Mahaveer Nirvan Mahotsav on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. During the event, the PM released a commemorative stamp and coin to mark the occasion. Bhagwan Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar, illuminated the path of peaceful co-existence and universal brotherhood through Jain principles like Ahimsa (Non-Violence), Satya (Truthfulness), Asteya (Non-Stealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity) and Aparigraha (Non-attachment).

 

2. Khasi Tribe’s Seng Khihlang Festival Concluded in Meghalaya: The 34th Seng Khihlang festival concluded in Wahiajer, Meghalaya. The Seng Khihlang festival holds immense significance for believers who follow the Khasi Indigenous Faith. It is a time of unity and celebration, and is under the stewardship of the Seng Khasi Sein Raij. The Khasi people are an indigenous ethnic group residing in the eastern part of Meghalaya, in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of north-eastern India. They also have a significant population in the bordering state of Assam and in certain parts of Bangladesh.

 

3. OpenAI hires first India-based official Pragya Misra: OpenAI has hired Pragya Misra, 39, its first official in India, in order to handle government relations. Misra previously worked at Truecaller AB and Meta. An intermediary between U.S.-based AI companies and the Indian administration is key as the country has started voting in its 2024 general elections. The AI startup backed by Microsoft interacted with Indian tech policy and civil society representatives on February 12 as experts and activists flagged fears of generative AI being used to hurt India’s elections.

 

4. Pine Labs’ Setu names former SAP India executive Raisinghani as its CEO: Pine Labs-owned API infrastructure company Setu has appointed Anand Raisinghani as the company’s new chief executive officer (CEO). Raisinghani, who succeeds Sahil Kini at the company, will work in the space of open banking, account aggregation, API platforms, embedded finance, and data gateway. He is a former executive at SAP India where he was the vice-president (VP). The company has also received a Certificate of Registration from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as an Account Aggregator.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. First ever Hindi radio broadcast started in Kuwait: The first-ever Hindi radio broadcast has started in Kuwait. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait lauded Kuwait’s Ministry of Information for starting a Hindi programme on Kuwait Radio on FM 93.3 and AM 96.3 every Sunday. This step taken will further strengthen the ties between the two nations. India and Kuwait have long-standing trade ties, with the Indian rupee serving as Kuwait’s official currency until 1961. The year 2021-22 commemorated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

 

2. 21 April – World Creativity and Innovation Day: World Creativity and Innovation Day is celebrated every year on April 21. Objective – To raise awareness about the role of creativity and innovation in human development. Theme 2024 – Inspire The day is dedicated to showcasing how creativity can be used to drive economic, social, and sustainable development. It also aims to raise awareness about the role of creativity in the creation of future-ready products, services, and technologies.

 

3. 23 April – World Book and Copyright Day: World Book and Copyright Day is celebrated every year on April 23rd. This day is dedicated to the celebration of literature in all forms and to promote the enjoyment of books. It is also a day to reflect on the past and the future through reading. The idea for World Book and Copyright Day comes from a traditional celebration in Catalonia, which is a region in Spain. On April 23rd, people in Catalonia exchange books and roses as gifts. This tradition is called “La Diada de Sant Jordi” or Saint George’s Day.

 

4. 23 April – World Table Tennis Day: World Table Tennis Day is celebrated every year on 23 April. It is not just a game of skill but also a medium for social change. The game brings people together and provides them with a peaceful and fun common goal. The history of table tennis dates back to the British military, when officers in India learned to play the game during their time in the country. The game was originally played with a golf ball, and books were used as racquets. In 1901, James W. Gibb, a British table tennis enthusiast, discovered that the better-suited celluloid balls were more suitable for the game. The modern racquet was invented by E.C. Goode in the same year.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy Conducted Exercise Poorvi Lehar On East Coast: The Indian Navy carried out an extensive exercise along the East Coast as part of efforts to check its preparedness to meet any maritime security challenges. The exercise ‘Poorvi Leher’ witnessed participation of ships, submarines, aircraft and special naval forces. The exercise was aimed at validation of procedures towards assessment of the Indian Navy’s preparedness to meet maritime security challenges in the region.

 

 

 

 

 

SPORTS 

 

1. Rajasthan Royals Launch New Cricket Academy In Jaipur: Royals Sports Group-owned IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) has inaugurated their first-ever cricket academy in the Jaipur, Rajasthan. The inaugural champions had announced its plans to come up with an Academy in Jaipur in October 2023. The newly set-up Academy boasts of impressive infrastructure with the presence of two match playing grounds and 15 training strips with Natural Turf, AstroTurf, Matting, and Kota stone wickets. The facility also has a residential setup that can accommodate up to 30 players, proving to serve as a convenient set-up for the young players to focus on training.

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. Microsoft announces VASA-1 AI model to turn images into videos: Microsoft has introduced a new VASA 1 AI model, a framework designed to generate lifelike talking faces for virtual characters, boasting appealing Visual Affective Skills (VAS). With just a single static image and a speech audio clip, the company says its VASA-1 can create life-like short videos. The model also gives several options to make changes to the video. Here is everything you need to know. The VASA 1 can deliver high video-quality content with realistic facial and head dynamics. The model supports the online generation of 512 x 512 videos at up to 40fps with negligible starting latency.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Net direct tax collection surges to over Rs 19 lakh cr during last fiscal: India’s net direct tax collections surged 17.7% year-on-year to ₹19.58 lakh crore in the fiscal year ended March 2024, surpassing the revised estimates. Net direct taxes in 2023-24 exceeded the budget estimates by₹ 1.35 lakh crore (7.40%) and the revised estimates by ₹13,000 crore. Higher direct tax collections will give the Centre headroom to meet its fiscal deficit target for FY24. The Centre had budgeted ₹18.23 lakh crore as net direct tax revenue for 2023-24, which was later revised upwards to ₹19.45 lakh crore.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mohammed Salem wins 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award: Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem has won the prestigious 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award for his image of a Palestinian woman cradling the body of her five-year-old niece in the Gaza Strip. The picture was taken on October 17, 2023, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where families were searching for relatives killed during Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave. Salem’s winning image portrays Inas Abu Maamar, 36, sobbing while holding Saly’s sheet-clad body in the hospital morgue.

 

2. Ratan Tata receives prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award 2021: Industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata, chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, was honoured with the prestigious KISS (Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences) Humanitarian Award 2021. The award ceremony was held at his residence in Mumbai, marking a significant recognition of his commitment to social development and exemplary corporate leadership. The award was presented by the Founder of KIIT and KISS Achyuta Samanta.

 

 

Daily GK Update- 22nd Apr, 2024

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. BEL signs MoU with IIT-Mandi for co-operation in research: Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi for co-operation in research and technology, product development, in the areas of semiconductors, quantum technologies, and drones. BEL is engaged inter alia in the design, development and manufacture of professional-grade electronic equipment, systems, sub-systems and modules in the areas of Communications, Electro-Optics, Electronic Warfare, Radars, Satcom, Telecommunications and Networking, Solar Photovoltaic, Strategic Electronic Components and civilian.

 

2. Keki Mistry appointed as chairman of HDFC Insurance Board: Banker Deepak S Parekh resigned from the post of chairman and non-executive director of HDFC Life Insurance. Following Parekh’s resignation, the company has been appointed Keki Mistry as the Chairman of HDFC Board. Mistry has been associated with the company since December 2000 and is currently acting as Non-Executive Director. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Mistry was the Vice Chairman & CEO of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Limited.

 

3. MS Dhoni appoints Citroen’s new brand ambassador: French carmaker Citroen has engaged cricketing legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador in India. Dhoni is likely to endorse the brand for two years, charging Rs 7 crore for a year. While Dhoni has endorsed other automobile brands in the past, including Ashok Leyland and TVS Motor, it’s the first time that he will be associating with a car brand.

 

4. Santosh Viswanathan appointed India Region Head of Intel: Intel has appointed Santhosh Viswanathan to head the India region business as its Managing Director (MD). In March, the company announced India as a separate region within its SMG (Sales, Marketing, and Communications Group) organisation, to capitalise on the country’s rapid growth and business opportunities. Viswanathan holds an engineering degree in industrial engineering and management and a master’s degree in business administration.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India signs MoU with Bulgaria to enhance collaboration, exchange auditing expertise: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SAI (Supreme Audit Institutions) Bulgaria, the Bulgarian National Audit Office, in Sofia. The agreement, inked by the two Supreme audit institutions, aims to enhance collaboration and the exchange of expertise in the field of auditing between the two nations. Through this MoU, a platform will be established for the exchange of knowledge and experience amongst auditing professionals and technical teams through collaboration in training programs, and mutual assistance in conducting audits.

 

2. 22 April – International Mother Earth Day: World Earth Day, also known as International Mother Earth Day, is observed every year on 22 April. Objective – To raise awareness and promoting the sustainability of our planet. Theme 2024 – Planet vs. Plastics The late 1960s saw a rise in public debate about environmental issues, with Rachel Carson’s influential book ‘Silent Spring’ (1962) and ‘the Santa Barbara oil spill’ (1969) raising awareness of environmental destruction. This was the beginning of the concept of Earth Day.

 

3. 21 April – World Curlew Day: World Curlew Day is observed every April 21 by various environmental organizations to raise awareness about the problems faced by curlews. Curlews are a group of birds comprising nine species from the genus Numenius. Long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage are characteristics that can easily help identify the bird. Mary Colwell started the day in 2017 as a grassroots initiative to help protect the species. The plight of the bird is mostly man-made, and it is our primary responsibility to make the planet a safe place for not just humans, but all other living beings as well.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS 

 

1. Kento Momota retires from international badminton: 29-year-old former world champion Kento Momota from Japan has announced retirement from badminton, citing mental and physical issues amid a lean patch at the highest level. The former World No. 1 confirmed that he will not represent his country again after the Thomas and Uber Cup, scheduled to be held in Chengdu in China from April 27. Momota won the World Championships title in 2018 and 2019, a glorious year in which he won as many as 11 titles on the tour. However, ever since his return to action in the following year after recovering from injuries, Momota managed to win only 3 titles.

 

2. India’s Gukesh D becomes youngest to win Candidates Chess Tournament: In Chess, 17-year-old Indian prodigy, Dommaraju Gukesh from Chennai made history as the youngest-ever player to win the FIDE Candidates tournament in Toronto. In the final round, Gukesh held fellow title contender Hikaru Nakamura of USA to a draw with black pieces but his fate was sealed on the other board where Ian Nepomniachtchi and Fabiano Caruana battled for 109 moves before draw.

Gukesh became the youngest-ever Candidates Tournament champion, beating Garry Kasparov’s record, who was 20 years when he won this tournament in 1984.

 

3. Max Verstappen won Chinese Grand Prix: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the first Chinese Grand Prix in five years, the fifth round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, in Shanghai.

Verstappen’s commanding performance saw him cross the finish line a staggering 13.7 seconds ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren, who secured second place. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, completed the podium, finishing a further six seconds behind Norris.

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. India’s Commitment to Debris-Free Space Missions by 2030: India has made a declaration to achieve debris-free space missions by 2030. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S. Somanath made the declaration at the 42nd Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) annual meet. This initiative aims to achieve debris-free space missions by all Indian space actors, governmental and non-governmental, by 2030. With 54 spacecraft in orbit and numerous non-functional objects, ISRO has been actively taking measures to dispose of or remove space debris. Efforts include deorbiting spacecraft once their mission is complete and designing systems to minimize debris creation.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Airtel Payments Bank launches NCMC-enabled Debit and Prepaid Cards: Airtel Payments Bank has launched eco-friendly NCMC (National Common Mobility Cards) enabled debit and pre-paid cards. The bank has partnered with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch these interoperable cards that are powered by RuPay. The launch comes in alignment with the bank’s commitment to India’s One Nation, One Card vision. The bank has introduced NCMC enabled debit card for its savings account customers and NCMC enabled pre-paid card for the wallet customers.

 

2. Outward FDI drops 39% to $28.64 billion in FY24: India’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), or overseas direct investment, declined by 39 per cent to $28.64 billion in the year ended March 2024, amid uncertain global economic conditions. In the year ended March 2023, outward FDI, which is represented by total financial commitment, stood at $46.96 billion, according to the RBI data. The data released shows overseas direct investment both under the automatic route and the approval route. Of the total overseas direct investment, commitments through the equity route stood at $9.62 billion in fiscal 2024, compared to $19.13 billion in FY2023. The equity contributed around 34 per cent of the total financial commitment made in FY2024.

 

3. Irdai removes age limit on health insurance policies: With a view to widen the market and foster adequate protection from healthcare expenses, insurance regulator IRDAI has removed the age limit of 65 years for individuals buying health insurance policies. This marks a significant departure from the conventional constraints that limited individuals in securing comprehensive coverage. IRDAI aims to foster a more inclusive and accessible healthcare ecosystem, ensuring adequate protection against unforeseen medical expenses.