Daily GK Updates - 29th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rajnath to inaugurate 3rd edition of Military Literature Festival: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the 3-day-long Military Literature Festival (MLF) on 13 December 2019 at Chandigarh. The event would present an international level forum to foster and preserve the exchange of knowledge related to military literature and associated works. The 10 books of noted defence and literary authors would also be released on occasion. This year, the event would commemorate Indian participation in the Burma Campaign in World War II, the 75th anniversary of which falls next year.

2. G K Reddy inaugurates 1st Intl. Conf on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience”: Minister of State for Home Affairs, inaugurated the 1st International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction and Resilience” in New Delhi. The Conference called for developing technology to anticipate disasters like landslides and develop infrastructure to quickly respond to minimise the damage. The landslides have attracted global attention as they may cause huge havoc on communities, livestock, environment leading to huge loss of lives. This conference will go a long way in finding long term solutions to natural disasters.

Note: Minister of State for Home Affairs: G Kishan Reddy.

3. Global Exhibition on Services-2019 organised in Bengaluru: Union Minister Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the 2019 Global Exhibition on Services (5th edition) in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The inaugural function was also attended by Chief Minister of Karnataka B. S. Yediyurappa. GES is an annual event established by the Department of Commerce, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in association with Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

4. ISRO transfer space-grade Li-Ion cell technology to BHEL: ISRO has transferred its indigenous technology to produce space-grade Li-Ion cells to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). In March 2018, BHEL signed the Technology Transfer Agreement with ISRO for acquiring the Li-Ion Cell production technology. This production facility is primarily targeting to meet Li-Ion Cell requirements for ISRO and other strategic sectors. BHEL can also produce and sell Li-Ion cells for meeting other national/commercial applications by suitably modifying the space-grade cell which can lead to cost reduction. BHEL is in the process of establishing the Li-Ion production facility near Bangalore in Karnataka.

Note: Chairman & MD of BHEL: Nalin Shinghal; Founded in: 1964; Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

5. MHRD launches 3 books for children namely Kumbh, Garam Pahad and Dilli ki Bulbul: Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched 3 books which are a collection of stories for Children namelyKumbh, Garam Pahad and Dilli ki Bulbul (Sindhi edition) in New Delhi. Authored by a popular writer of children’s books and travelogues Dr Anita Bhatnagar Jain. She is an officer of Indian Administrative Services (1985 batch). The three books are a collection of stories for children and have brought out environmental issues and topics like socio-cultural unity& cultural heritage in a very simple and interesting manner.

6. Tata Comm board appoints A S Lakshminarayanan as MD and CEO: The Board of Tata Communications (Tata Comm) appointed Amur Swaminathan Lakshminarayanan as the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the telecom company for a term of five years with effect from 26 November 2019. Prior to joining Tata Comm, Lakshminarayanan was the president and CEO of TCS, Japan where he was in charge of accelerating the company’s market opportunity and developing the brand in the region.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. EU Parliament declares climate emergency: The European Union’s legislature has declared a climate emergency, in a symbolic move aimed at increasing pressure on the incoming European Commission to take a stronger stance on climate change. The parliament voted 429/225 with 19 abstentions to call the increasing environmental challenges linked to climate change an emergency. The climate declaration was passed in Strasbourg during a European Parliament debate on the upcoming United Nations’ COP25 climate summit. The summit kicks off on 2nd December in Madrid. EU lawmakers urged the European Commission to fully ensure all relevant legislative and budgetary proposals are fully aligned with the 1.5-degrees-Celsius target limit on global warming. The resolution calls on the EU to cut emissions by 55 per cent by 2030 to become climate neutral by 2050.

Note: European Union Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium; European Parliament president: David-Maria Sassoli.

2. Maldives' former president Abdulla Yameen sentenced to 5 yrs in jail: Maldives’ former president Abdulla Yameen (served from 2013 to 2018) has been found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to five years in prison. The five-judge bench of the criminal court unanimously concurred that Yameen is guilty on the charge of laundering state funds for personal gain. He was accused of over 1 million dollars deposit in his bank account by a company that was used to channel resort acquisition fees.

3. Pak SC grants 6 months conditional extension to Army Chief Gen Bajwa: Pakistan's Supreme Court granted a six-month conditional extension to Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army Mr. Bajwa (since 29 November 2016) continue as the Army chief for another six months. Pakistan's government withdrew the 19th August orders after the top court's observations in the case and issued a fresh notification which was also rejected by the court.

4. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People: 29 November: In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine. This date, which was chosen because of its meaning and significance to the Palestinian people, is based on the call by the United Nations General Assembly for an annual observance of the resolution on the partition of Palestine. The International Day of Solidarity traditionally provides an opportunity for the international community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine remains unresolved and that the Palestinian people have yet to attain their inalienable rights as defined by the General Assembly, namely, the right to self-determination without external interference, the right to national independence and sovereignty, and the right to return to their homes and property, from which they have been displaced.

Note: Palestine is a de jure sovereign state in the Middle East claiming the West Bank (bordering Israel and Jordan) and Gaza Strip (bordering Israel and Egypt) with East Jerusalem as the designated capital.

Palestinian Capital: Ramallah, East Jerusalem; Currencies: Israeli new shekel, Jordanian dinar.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Deepika wins gold, Ankita bags silver in Asian archery Championships: Indian archers Deepika Kumari won gold while Ankita Bhakat bagged the silver medal in the women's individual recurve event of the 21st Asian Championships in Bangkok. Deepika defeated Ankita 6-0 in the one-sided final. Earlier, the duo had secured an individual Olympic quota for the country by storming into the semi-finals of the event.

Note: Asian Archery Championships is the archery championship organized by the World Archery Asia.

2. Sports Ministry constitutes a committee to review Draft National Sports Code: Sports Ministry has constituted a 13-member expert committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Mukundakam Sharma to review the Draft National Sports Code. Former sports persons Gagan Narang, Bhaichung Bhutia, Anju Bobby George and national badminton coach Pulella Gopichand are part of the panel. The panel has been formed to suggest measures to make the Sports Code acceptable to all the stakeholders. It will try to strike a balance between the autonomy of National Sports Federations vis-a-vis need for transparency and autonomy.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Moody’s expects Centre’s fiscal deficit to rise to 3.7%: Global rating agency Moody’s expects the Centre’s fiscal deficit to touch 3.7% of the GDP. The Centre has targeted to keep the deficit at 3.3 per cent for the current fiscal (2019-20), but it has already reached 92.6 per cent of the Budget estimate in first six months of the current fiscal. For all the state governments, the fiscal deficit estimated to be around 3 %. A fiscal deficit is a shortfall in a government’s income compared with its spending. It is calculated as a percentage of GDP, or simply as total dollars spent in excess of income.

Note: Moody’s founder: John Moody; Headquarters: New York City, United States; Moody’s founded: 1909.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. French film ‘Particles’ wins the Golden Peacock Award at IFFI 2019: French film ‘Particles’ has won the coveted Golden Peacock Award at the 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. Particles is a 2019 French-Swiss co-produced drama film directed by Blaise Harrison and produced by Estelle Fialon. The Golden Peacock Award carries a cash prize of Rs 40 lakhs to be shared equally between the Director and the Producer, Trophy and the citation. The IFFI 2019 ‘Best Director Award’ was conferred to Lijo Jose Pellissery for his Malayalam film ‘Jallikattu’. The Best Director award carries a Silver Peacock trophy, a citation and a cash prize worth Rs 15 lakh. The Best Actor (Male) Award went to Seu Jorge for his role in Marighella and Best Actor (Female) Award went to Usha Jadhav for her role in a Marathi crime film, Mai Ghatt: Crime No. 103/2005.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Army successfully test-fired 2 Spike LR missile in MP: The Indian Army has successfully test-fired 2 Spike long-range anti-tank missiles at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. Spike is a 4th-generation missile which can engage any target with precision at ranges up to 4 km. India became the 33rd country to have the Spike missile as part of its inventory. The missile has the ability to fire, observe and update, providing substantial flexibility to the firer to pinpoint the impact point. It also has the ability to switch to a different target mid-flight. The firer has the option of firing from a low or high trajectory.

Note: Headquarters: New Delhi; Commander-in-Chief: President Ram Nath Kovind.

OBITUARIES

1.  World-renowned rock climber Brad Gobright passes away in Mexico fall: A world-renowned rock climber, US national Brad Gobright, fell to his death while climbing a sheer rock face in northern Mexico. He was known for his gravity-defying solo ascents with no ropes. US national Gobright (31-years) and fellow American Aidan Jacobson (26-years) were climbing a route known as the Shining Path in the northern state of Nuevo Leon

Daily GK Updates - 28th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. HRD Ministry launches Kartavya Portal: Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister launched the kartavya.ugc.ac.in portal for holding monthly essay competitions for students. The portal was launched as part of year-long ‘Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan’ being observed throughout the country. The portal will be used primarily for holding monthly essay competitions for students as well as other activities including quizzes, poster making, debates pertaining to Nagrik Kartavya Paalan Abhiyan. The Department of Higher Education under HRD Ministry will be holding 11 rounds of National Essay Competitions during the year. The topics of the essay will be based on one Fundamental Duty every month.

Note: Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

2. 47th All India Police Science Congress begins in Lucknow: Retired IPS officer ‘Kiran Bedi’ (Puducherry Lieutenant Governor) has inaugurated the 47th All India Police Science Congress (AIPSC) at the police headquarters in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be the chief guest at the valedictory function During 6 sessions of the event, police officers, academicians, researchers, judicial and scientific experts will present their papers. It will take place includes some very contemporary issues like Reforms in Policing, Role of social media in countering radicalization and terrorism.

Note: The last time Lucknow was the host for AIPSC was in 1997.

3. ADB approves 2nd tranche of USD 150 mn for West Bengal: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved the 2nd tranche of USD 150 million (about Rs 1,065 crore) for West Bengal to boost capital investment and infrastructure in the state. The board of ADB approved a loan of $ 300 million (about Rs 2,130 crore) to continue a comprehensive series of fiscal reforms in West Bengal to revive financial health of public sector enterprises. The introduction of medium-term expenditure frameworks in two departments, and implementation of an integrated tax monitoring system, among others.

Note: Asian Development Bank Headquarters: Manila, Philippines; President: Takehiko Nakao.

4. Logo, motto introduced for Lokpal: Lokpal Chairman Justice (retired) Pinaki Chandra Ghose launched the new logo and motto for the apex anti-corruption ombudsman. A new motto, “Ma Gridhah Kasyasvidhanam (Do not be greedy for anyone’s wealth)”, was also adopted. Earlier, an open competition was conducted, inviting entries for the logo and the motto. A total of 2,236 entries for the logo and 4,705 entries for the motto were received. A logo designed by Prashant Mishra, a resident of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, was finally selected. The logo symbolises how Lokpal protects and cares for the people of India by establishing justice as per law.

Note: A Lokpal is an anti-corruption authority or body of an ombudsman who represents the public interest in the Republic of India. Headquarters of Lokpal: New Delhi, India.

5. Cabinet extends the term of 15th Finance Commission by 11 months: The Union Cabinet has extended the term of the 15th Finance Commission by 11 months to October 30th next year. This will suggest formulae for tax devolution for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

Note: The Fifteenth Finance Commission is an Indian Finance Commission constituted in November 2017. It will give recommendations for devolution of taxes and other fiscal matters for five fiscal years, commencing 1 April 2020. The commission's chairman is N. K. Singh, and Full-time members being Ajay Narayan Jha, Ashok Lahiri and Anoop Singh.

6. Madhya Pradesh’s Devi Ahilya University gets A-plus grade from NAAC: The Indore-based Devi Ahilya University becoming Madhya Pradesh’s first varsity to be accorded A-plus grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The Centre of higher learning now became entitled to several other facilities. It may introduce courses recognised by the University Grants Commission without the latter’s permission besides commencing open distance-learning courses.

Note: Director of NAAC: S. C. Sharma; NAAC Headquarters location: Bengaluru; Founded: 1994.

7. Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in New Delhi: The President of Sri Lanka ‘Gotabaya Rajapaksa’ reached New Delhi on a three-day state visit to India. During the visit, Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow. This will be his first official visit abroad after assuming office on the 21st of this month. He will pay homage to Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, at Rajghat. On the same day, the Sri Lankan President will hold talks with the Prime Minister, President Ram Nath Kovind and External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar. A host of issues including stability in the Indian Ocean region, economic cooperation and the Tamil issue in Sri Lanka may figure during the talks between two leaders.

Note: Sri Lanka Capital: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency: Sri Lankan rupee

8. Uddhav Thackeray sworn in as Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray (59-years) took oath as the chief minister (18th) of Maharashtra state. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath ceremony at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. Mr. Thackeray is the third Shiv Sena leader to hold the post after Manohar Joshi (1995–1999) and Narayan Rane (1 Feb- 17 Oct1999). Thackeray is the candidate of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress alliance for the post of Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Note: Uddhav Thackeray is the son of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Mr Thackeray is married to Rashmi Thackeray and has two sons, Aditya (MLA from Mumbai) and Tejas. He has also published photo-books Maharashtra Desh (2010) and Pahava Vitthal (2011), capturing various aspects of Maharashtra.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India attends WATEC Conference in Israel: Union Minister of Jal Shakti, represented India at the 8 WATEC (Water Technology and Environment Control) Conference 2019. The theme of the conference is “Water Stewardship and Innovation–driving global leadership in the responsible planning management, and protection of water”. The conference held at David Intercontinental in Tel Aviv, Israel. The conference, organized by Kenes Exhibitions, aimed to get updates on technologies related to water and environmental management. Israel is considered a world hero in terms of water management. The country treats and reuses 80% of its sewage water for agriculture. With drip irrigation and seawater desalination, the country has become a global leader in agriculture. Several countries participated in the conference & showcased their new-age technologies and solutions.

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

2. India-Netherland: “Water 4 change”, an urban water management system: The Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), operating under the Government of Kerala has launched the “Water 4 Change”. Under the project, six prominent institutions from the Netherlands will perform long-term research and field-level action on urban water management systems along with Indian scientists. The project will bring solutions for water problems in the cities of Kozhikode, Shimla, Bhuj and Bhopal. The CWRDM was established by the Government of Kerala to cater to the needs of research and development in water management of the state.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Abhishek-Jyothi combine claims compound mixed pair gold at Asian Archery C'ships: Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam claimed the gold in compound mixed pair event at the 21st Asian Archery Championships, in Bangkok, Thailand. The Indians defeated Chinese Taipei opponents Yi-Hsuan Chen and Chieh-Luh Chen 158-151 in the final clash. India picked up seven medals including one gold, two silver and four bronze meddles in the event. The Indian archers participated in the tournament as neutral athletes under the World Archery flag due to the suspension of the national federation Archery Association of India (AAI).

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Reserve Bank flags rising bad assets from Mudra loans: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has expressed concern over rising bad loans from Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY). This scheme was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015, which offers faster credit, with ticket sizes starting from ₹50,000 and going up to ₹10 lakh, to small businesses. According to RBI, the percentage of MUDRA loans were at 2.52% in 2017-18, It has now raised to 2.89% in 2018-19. It also says that the number of loans being sanctioned under the scheme has increased greatly.

2. India Ratings projects India’s GDP growth for FY20 at 5.6%: Fitch group firm India Ratings and Research has projected India’s GDP Growth rate for FY20 (2019-20) at 5.6% (earlier- 6.1%). The new projection suggests that second quarter of 2019-20 GDP growth is likely to be 4.7%. Note: Fitch Ratings Inc. is one of the big three credit rating agencies (other two -Moody's and Standard & Poor's). It is one of the three nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSRO) designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1975. Fitch Ratings is dual-headquartered in New York (US) and London (UK).

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. RIL market cap hits ₹9.5 lakh crore, a first for an Indian company: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is the first Indian company to cross Rs.9.5 lakh in market capitalization (m-cap). Recently Vodafone India and Bharti Airtel had announced their tariff hike which will be implemented from December 2019. This has increased the share price of RIL in the market and is believed to attract more subscribers for Reliance Jio. On 26 Nov 2019, its m-cap touched Rs 9,99,045 crore nearing the Rs 10 lakh crore mark. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), RIL’s closest rival in market capital had a share price of Rs.2,110, 2% lower on BSE and m-cap of Rs.7,71,996.87 crore.

Note: Reliance Industries Limited Founded: 8 May 1973; Founder (Reliance Industries Limited): Dhirubhai Ambani; CEO: Mukesh Ambani; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Royal Aeronautical Society honour for DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy: Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) London has conferred the Honorary Fellowship of the Society for the year 2019 to G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO. He is the first Indian recipient of this prestigious award in over 100 years. The Society’s highest award is bestowed in recognition of Reddy’s pioneering technological contributions over the past three decades which has enabled the country to realise frontline military systems and world-class missile technologies. This fellowship is considered as Nobel Prize in the aerospace. It is the world’s highest distinctions for aerospace achievement awarded for only most exceptional contributions to the aerospace profession. The first Honorary Fellowship was awarded in the year 1917.

Note: DRDO formed: 1958, Headquarters: New Delhi.

DEFENCE

1. Bipin Rawat to be first Chief of Defence Staff: General Bipin Rawat to be first Chief of Defence Staff. He will end his tenure as the Army Chief in December 2019. He will take over as the first Chief of Defence Staff – a four-star position being created as part of a defence management overhaul. He will get a term of 2 years as the CDS. He took over as the 27th Chief of Army Staff on 31 December 2016 after General Dalbir Singh retired.

2. Indian Army inducts Israel made Anti-Tank Guided Missiles Spike along LoC in J&K: The Indian Army has inducted Israel made Anti-Tank Guided Missiles Spike along the LoC in the northern command theatre in Jammu and Kashmir to bolster defence along the border with Pakistan. Known as the "fire and forget" missiles, Spike is portable by men and are powerful enough to destroy tanks and bust bunkers within four kilometres.

3. India & Japan holds Mine Countermeasure Exercise (MINEX) 2019: A maiden bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) have conducted Mine Countermeasure Exercise (MINEX) 2019 at Kochi, Kerala. Officials of the Indian Navy and from the warships Bungo and Takashima of JMSDF’s Minesweeper (a naval ship that is deployed in removing naval mines) Division 3, commanded by Captain Seiji Ikubu took part in the exercise.

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

OBITUARIES

1. Australian writer & broadcaster Clive James passes away: Australian writer and broadcaster Clive James (80-years) passed away at home in Cambridge. He was born in 1939, he moved to England in 1961 and rose to prominence as a literary critic and TV columnist. He went on to deliver wry commentary on international programming in such shows as Clive James On Television.

Daily GK Updates - 27th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Uttar Pradesh govt to set up state's 1st vulture conservation: The Uttar Pradesh government will set up state's first vulture conservation and breeding centre in farenda area of Maharajganj district. The new centre will be set up on the lines of Jatayu Conservation Centre at Pinjore in Haryana (first in the country). It would be set up in association with Bombay Natural History Society, a wildlife research organization. It will be the first scientific assessment of vultures in the state to find out which species is most threatened and the locations where these natural scavengers are thriving.

Note: There has been a sharp decline in the population of vultures in the country which has come down from 40 million to 19,000 in a span of over three decades.

2. Chattisgarh declares Guru Ghasidas National Park as tiger reserve: The Chhattisgarh government has decided to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park in the state’s Korea district as a tiger reserve. The decision was taken at a meeting of Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Presently the state has three tiger reserves, namely Indravati in Bijapur district, Udanti-Sitanadi in Gariaband and Achanakmar in Bilaspur. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had approved to declare Guru Ghasidas National Park as a tiger reserve in 2014.

Note: Governor of Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey.

3. Seminar "DEFCOM INDIA 2019" underway in New Delhi: Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik has inaugurated a two-day seminar "DEFCOM INDIA 2019’ in New Delhi. The theme of ‘DEFCOM INDIA 2019’ is ‘Communications: A Decisive Catalyst for Jointness’. The seminar is devoted to the seminal theme of leveraging communications for achieving jointness between the three services.

4. CCEA approves to increase authorized capital of FCI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs(CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved to increase the authorized capital of Food Corporation of India (FCI) from existing 3,500 crore rupees to 10,000 crore rupees. With this, additional equity capital can be infused in FCI through the Union Budget, to fund the foodgrains stock, perpetually held by FCI. This will reduce the borrowings of FCI, save its interest cost and reduce food subsidy in consequence.

5. Subhash Chandra resigned as Chairman of the Zee Entertainment Enterprises' board: Media mogul Subhash Chandra has resigned as Chairman of the Zee Entertainment Enterprises' board with immediate effect. Mr. Chandra will continue as a non-executive director, which he founded in 1992. Subhash Chandra resigns to comply with a rule mandating that Chairman can’t be related to MD & CEO. Zee board appoints six independent directors; all the appointments will have to be approved by the shareholders.

Note: Zee Entertainment Enterprises is an Indian mass media company owned by Essel Group. Headquartered: Mumbai. ZEEL has reported revenue of Rs 6,857.86 crore for 2018-19.

6. Book titled “Hemant Karkare -A Daughter’s Memoir” by Jui Karkare Navare released: On 11th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, a book titled “Hemant Karkare -A Daughter’s Memoir” by his daughter Jui Karkare Navare was released in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The book has been published by The Write Place. The book portrays former Anti-Terrorism Squad(ATS) chief Hemant Karkare’s life as a father to Jui Karkare Navare. 18 security personnel lost their lives in the 26/11 terror attacks, also known as the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The attack was carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan, in 8 places of Mumbai.

7. ISRO launches India’s earth observation satellite ‘Cartosat-3’: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched India’s most sophisticated Earth observation satellite Cartosat-3 and 13 US nanosatellites from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The launch enhanced India's ability in high-resolution imaging and also reinforce India as a global launch destination for small satellites using its workhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. According to ISRO, the 1,625 kg Cartosat-3 is an advanced agile satellite to obtain panchromatic and multispectral imagery with an operational life of five years. The advanced earth observation and imaging satellite will be used for weather mapping, cartography or army defence and other strategic applications.

Note: SLV-C47 is the 21st flight of PSLV in the ‘XL’ configuration (with 6 solid strap-on motors). This will be the 74th launch vehicle mission from Sriharikota. Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile advanced satellite having high-resolution imaging capability. The satellite will be placed in an orbit of 509 km at an inclination of 97.5 degrees.

Headquarters of ISRO: Bengaluru; Chairperson of ISRO: Kailasavadivoo Sivan.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Uzbekistan sign pact on counter-terror cooperation: India and Uzbekistan have signed a pact for further strengthening of cooperation in the fields of counter-terrorism and organised crime. The agreement was signed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his Uzbekistan counterpart Pulat Bobojonov here to further increase cooperation between India and Uzbekistan in diverse fields including counter-terrorism, organized crime and human trafficking.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest including bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation, capacity building and training for Uzbek security personnel in Indian institutions, border guarding and disaster management.

Note: Capital of Uzbekistan: Tashkent; Currency: Uzbekistani soʻm.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI & U GRO ink loan co-origination agreement: NewQuest-backed U GRO Capital inked an SME loan co-origination agreement with State Bank of India to facilitate broader credit outreach and faster disbursal. The alliance to leverage U GRO Capital’s proprietary technology platform ‘GRO-Xstream’ to provide in-principle loan approval within 60 minutes. U GRO Capital, a BSE listed, technology-enabled small business lending platform entered into a loan co-origination.

Note: Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of U GRO Capital: Abhijit Ghosh; U GRO Capital Launch: December 2017.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. RIL market cap hits ₹9.5 lakh crore, a first for an Indian company: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is the first Indian company to cross Rs.9.5 lakh in market capitalization (m-cap). Recently Vodafone India and Bharti Airtel had announced their tariff hike which will be implemented from December 2019. This has increased the share price of RIL in the market and is believed to attract more subscribers for Reliance Jio. On 26 Nov 2019, its m-cap touched Rs 9,99,045 crore nearing the Rs 10 lakh crore mark. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), RIL’s closest rival in market capital had a share price of Rs.2,110, 2% lower on BSE and m-cap of Rs.7,71,996.87 crore.

Note: Reliance Industries Limited Founded: 8 May 1973; Founder (Reliance Industries Limited): Dhirubhai Ambani; CEO: Mukesh Ambani; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Manisha Kulshreshtha wins 28th Bihari Puraskar: Noted writer from Rajasthan, Manisha Kulshreshtha, was awarded the 28th Bihari Puraskar for 2018 for her novel ‘Swapnapash’. The award is presented by the KK Birla Foundation and is for writers of Rajasthani origin. It is given annually to an outstanding work in Hindi or Rajasthani published in the past 10 years. Named after famous Hindi poet Bihari, the award carries a cash prize of 2.5 lakh, a citation, and a plaque.

Note: The K.K Birla foundation is named after Krishna Kumar Birla, famous Indian industrialist. Established: 1991, Delhi.

2. Indian journalist Neha Dixit recipients of International Press Freedom Award: Indian journalist Neha Dixit has receipt 2019 International Press Freedom Awards. This award is awarded by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-profit organization whose aim is to enable journalists to work without the fear of reprisal. Dixit received the award for her reports on sex trafficking scandals in India by Investigative reporter in Miami Herald, Julie k.Brown.

Note: Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) formation: 1981; Headquarters: New York, United States.

3. Sundram Fasteners’ Suresh Krishna gets ‘Quality Ratna’ award: India’s first ‘Quality Ratna’ award to Suresh Krishna, Chairman, Sundram Fasteners Ltd. He has been a role model for society in embracing the principles of quality in both personal and professional life. He pioneered the constitution of the TPM Club of India in collaboration with the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance in 1998 and was its first Chairman. This award was awarded by trade body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Institute of Quality, in its 27th Quality Summit held in Bengaluru.

Note: CII Formation: 1895; Headquarters: New Delhi, India.

4. Ekalabya award 2019 for Odia weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera: Odia women weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera, who has brought laurels for both the State and the country in several national and international events, will receive the 27th Ekalabya Award for 2019. The annual award instituted by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation. She has won two gold, three silver and a bronze medal in different International weightlifting events held between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2019.

Note: The annual award instituted in 1993 by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation. Ekalabya Award instituted to encourage and inspire young sportspersons to perform at the national and international arena.

5. Billie Eilish is Billboard’s 2019 ‘Woman of the Year’: Singer Billie Eilish will be honoured as Billboard’s 2019 Woman of the Year. Billie Eilish is the youngest artist ever to be named Billboard’s Woman of the Year. Pop star Taylor Swift will be honoured at Billboard’s event, receiving the inaugural Woman of the Decade award. Billie has disrupted the entertainment industry through her music and social media platforms, leaving an indelible impact on the global cultural zeitgeist. Eilish gets her crown during the Billboard Women in Music event on 12th December this year.

DEFENCE

1. India to host naval drill Milan 2020: The Indian Navy will host military drill ‘Milan 2020’ in March which will witness the participation of several countries. 41 nations from South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe that share defence cooperation with India have been invited for the drill. MILAN stands for ‘Multilateral Naval Exercise’. The government pursues cooperation initiatives with friendly foreign countries, including in the Indian Ocean Region, through structured interactions like Staff Talks, Empowered Steering Group. The areas of cooperation include capacity building, marine domain awareness, training, hydrography, technical assistance, operational exercise.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Tamil television and film actor Bala Singh passes away: Tamil television and film actor Bala Singh (67-years) passed away in a private hospital in Chennai. Bala Singh was known for playing villainous roles with much aplomb. He played notable characters in Kamal Haasan's Indian, Ullaasam, Simmarasi, Dheena, Virumaandi, Saamy, Kannathil Muthamittal, Pudhupettai and many more films. Bala was last seen in the serial Aathira as Rajarajan in the year 2016.

2. Cartoonist Sudhir Dar passes away: Cartoonist Sudhir Dar (87-years) passed away due to cardiac arrest in Noida. Sudhir Dar began his career with The Statesman (in 1961), after which he moved to the Hindustan Times. Dar’s cartoons were often political in nature, often taking direct shots at the bureaucracy and the general corruption in Indian politics

3. Former Indian Navy chief Sushil Kumar passes away: Former Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sushil Kumar (79-years)passed away at a military hospital in New Delhi. Sushil Kumar was Navy Chief from 1998-2001. He authored a book named "A Prime Minister to Remember- Memories of a Military Chief" which highlighted the key defence-related decisions taken by late former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Kumar had credited Vajpayee for turning the strategic tactical loss into a massive victory.

Daily GK Updates - 26th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Constitution Day of India 2019: Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas is celebrated on 26 November cross the country to mark the adopting of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly on this day in 1949. In 2019, it marks the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. It came into force on 26th January 1950, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of the Indian Republic. It is aimed at reiterating and reorienting the citizens towards the values and principles expressed in the Constitution and encouraging all Indians to play their rightful role in strengthening the Indian Democracy. It also aims to create awareness of Fundamental Duties as enshrined in the Constitution.

Note: India’s constitution is the longest written constitution in the world. It took around 2 years, 11 months and 17 days to complete the Constitution.

2. GOI launches Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal: Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs has launched Credit-linked Subsidy Services Awas Portal (CLAP) in New Delhi. The portal provides a transparent and robust real-time web-based monitoring system for credit-linked Subsidy Services (CLSS) beneficiaries. Using the portal, a beneficiary can track his application status in real-time. The initiative would also benefit other stakeholders to work in synergy to release subsidy to beneficiaries on time.

Note: Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri.

3. Etawah Lion Safari inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh: The Etawah Lion Safari, formally known as Etawah Safari Park was thrown open for public in Uttar Pradesh without the lion segment. The Safari has been inaugurated by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Minister Dara Singh Chauhan. It is spread in 350 hectares of land and has been developed as an educative tourist destination for children as well as youths. It is one of the biggest safari parks in Asia, spread over an area of 350 hectares (860 acres). The Etawah lion safari is the first in India to have a lion breeding centre set up with an aim to develop a research facility on Asiatic lions.

Note: UP CM: Yogi Adityanath, Governor: Anandiben Patel.

4. CBDT inaugurates Web Portal for exchange of information on Income Tax: Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has inaugurated the Web Portal for Exchange of Information on Income Tax which will consolidate all relevant Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) related information at one place. This portal will help inconvenient access by the public, financial institutions as well as departmental officers at large. The Web Portal would be a repository of policy and technical circulars, guidance, notifications issued by the CBDT. It would provide links to relevant circulars, guidance issued by regulatory authorities in India and other international bodies.

5. Railways sets up Institute for Financial Management in Hyderabad: The Indian Railway Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) has been set up in Hyderabad, Telangana. This new entity is set up to impart professional training in the management of railway finances. The project was conceived and constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) at a cost of Rs 85 crore. IIRFM marks an important addition to the list of premier professional institutions in the country in the field of financial management in Indian Railways. The ensuing batch of probationers belonging to Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) will have the opportunity to get trained.

Note: Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal.

6. Delhi Assembly hosts 3-day Commonwealth Youth Parliament: Delhi Assembly hosted a three-day Commonwealth Youth Parliament. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed the inaugural session of the 10th Commonwealth Youth Parliament in Delhi Assembly. It is for the first time that an Indian Legislature is hosting the Commonwealth Youth Parliament. As many as 47 participants from 24 Commonwealth countries are participating in the event along with eleven participants from India. The event is being organized to enlighten the youth about legislative processes and encourage their participation in legislative procedures and decision making.

7. National Milk Day: 26 November: The National Milk Day (NMD) is being observed every year on 26th November across India to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Verghese Kurien (Father of the White Revolution). The idea of observing National Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in 2014 on the lines of World Milk Day that is observed on 1st June every year under the aegis of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Dr. Kurien he was conferred with many accolades such as Ramon Magsaysay Award, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Krishi Ratna, World Food Prize, Padma Vibhushan, etc. He was also given 15 honorary doctorates from various universities from across the world.

Note: Dr. Verghese Kurien is also known as the Milkman of India and the architect of Operation Flood.

8. Devendra Fadnavis announces to resign as Maharashtra CM: Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis announced his resignation after the Supreme Court asked him to face a floor-test to test the strength of his BJP-led government’s position. His deputy, Ajit Pawar of the NCP, had resigned minutes before.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kerala cadre IAS officer to head UN tourism body: Kerala cadre senior IAS officer Suman Billa is set to join the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at its headquarters in Madrid, Spain. He will take charge next week as Director, Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Development at the D1 level at UNWTO, a specialised agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

Note: UNWTO’s membership includes 158 countries; Founded: October 1975.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Sangram Dahiya, Varsha Varman win double trap national titles: Sangram Dahiya (Haryana) and Varsha Varman (Madhya Pradesh) clinched double trap titles, winning gold at the 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship in New Delhi. In the men's category, Sangram shot 142 out of 150 targets to clinch the gold medal. Former world champion Ankur Mittal has won Silver and Prithvi Singh Chahal bronze. Varsha, in the women’s category of 120 targets each, had 97 to her name to clinch the gold ahead of state-mate Manisha Keer, who had 93 hits winning Silver.

2. Indian archers bag recurve bronze at Asian Championships: Indian archers Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das won a bronze medal in the recurve and compound mixed event at the Asian Archery Championships in Kolkata. They defeated China by 6-2 to clinch the medal in the championships.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Ashok Leyland Ltd, ICICI Bank ink MoU for vehicle financing: Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland Ltd. (ALL) has entered into a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICICI Bank to offer customised financial solutions to customers across India with a focus on semi-urban and rural geographies. The bank will work in close coordination with the authorised dealers of Ashok Leyland to provide financial solutions to the customers.

2. SEBI slaps Rs 40.5 lakh fine on 7 firms for fraudulent trading: Markets regulator SEBI imposed a total fine of Rs 40.5 lakh on 7 companies for indulging in fraudulent trading in the illiquid stock options segment on the BSE. The total fine levied on the firms, Rs 10.5 lakh was levied on Green Venture Securities Management Pvt Ltd while Morgan Financial Services, Niranjan Housing, Navrang Tradelinks, Niranjan Metallic, Nishu Leasing and Finance and Midpoint Tradelink faced a fine of Rs 5 lakh each. The reversal trades executed by the Notice were non-genuine in nature and created an impression of genuine trading volumes in respective contracts.

 

Daily GK Updates - 25th November, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sangai Festival 2019 begins in Manipur: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has inaugurated the week-long Manipur Sangai Festival 2019 at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal. Every year the State of Manipur celebrates the “Manipur Sangai Festival” from 21st to 30th November. It started in the year 2010 and has grown over the years into a big platform for Manipur to showcase its rich tradition and culture to the world. The festival is organized by the State Tourism Department and biggest festival held annually to promote tourism. During the festival, cultural programmes, traditional games, folk dance and classical music will be performed by different communities of the State as well as from other States.

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

2. Amaravati included in India map as the capital of Andhra Pradesh: The Survey of India, India’s central engineering agency in charge of mapping and surveying has released an updated map of India with Amaravati as the capital of Andhra Pradesh (AP). Amaravati had been missing from the previous map released by the Centre On November 2, 2019, which showed Hyderabad as the common capital of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh. The state of AP was bifurcated in the year 2014 and while it was initially decided that Hyderabad would serve as the common administrative capital for a period of 10 years.

Note: Governor of Andhra Pradesh: Biswabhusan Harichandan; Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

3. UP govt launches immunisation campaign against Filaria: Uttar Pradesh Health & Family Welfare Minister Jai Pratap Singh has launched a massive immunisation campaign against the filariasis or Filaria. Under this campaign, more than 65 thousand teams of health workers will distribute medicines to around 6.5 crore people till 10 December. This year, state’s 19 districts have been divided in double drug and triple-drug categories in which they will be provided DEC tablet, Albendazole and ivermectin. The union government has set the year 2021 as the deadline for complete eradication of filaria in the country.

4. Gujarat Govt. announces Rs 3,795 Cr relief package for farmers: Gujarat Government has announced a relief package 3,795 crore rupees for farmers who suffered crop loss due to unseasonal rains. The relief package will help more than 56 lakh farmers across the state. According to Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, total package (1,641 crore rupees) will be given through a budgetary provision and 2,145 crores under the State Disaster Response Fund. Farmers will get assistance in the range of 4,000 rupees to 13,000 rupees.

5. Centre extends the ban on NDFB for 5 years: The union Govt. has extended the ban on National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) along with all its groups, factions and front organisations, by 5 more years. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs notification, NDFB was involved in the killing of 19 civilians in incidents of violence since January 2015.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ocean Dance Festival 2019 starts in Cox Bazar: Bangladesh’s State minister of cultural affairs KM Khalid has inaugurated the Ocean Dance Festival 2019 in Cox Bazar of Bangladesh. Ocean Dance Festival is the largest international dance festival of Bangladesh in which more than 200 dancers, choreographers and scholars from 15 countries are participating. The theme of this year's festival is 'Bridging the distance' or Durotter Shetubandhan. The festival is being organised by the Nrityajog which is the Bangladesh wing of World Dance Alliance (WDA). The festival aims to expand cultural tourism in Bangladesh. It also features seminars and discussion apart from the dance performances by the artists.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; PM: Sheikh Hasina.

2. New Delhi ranked 9th in fastest growing prime residential market in world: As per the ‘Prime Global Cities Index’ by Global property consultant Knight Frank, New Delhi has been ranked at 9th place in terms of fastest growing prime residential market in the world. Moscow has topped the ranking. Bengaluru is at 20th while Mumbai is ranked at 28th position. Frankfurt is at second and Taipei is at third. Seoul was the weakest-performing global city in the year.

3. G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2019 held in Nagoya, Japan: The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2019 was held in Nagoya, Japan. The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the EU. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK and the US

4. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: 25 November: The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed across the world on 25 November annually. The theme for this year is “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands Against Rape”. This is a efforts to prevent and end violence against women at the global, regional and national levels show that there is widespread impunity on sexual violence and rape. The colour orange in the theme symbolizes a better future without the pervasive human rights violation that affects 1 in 3 women and girls all over the globe.

5. NVIDIA announces world’s largest GPU-accelerated cloud-based supercomputer: NVIDIA has announced a new kind of GPU-accelerated supercomputer in the cloud on Microsoft Azure. NDv2 supercomputer is designed to handle demanding AI and high-performance computing applications, using up to 800 NVIDIA V100 Tensor Core GPUs interconnected on a single. Mellanox InfiniBand backend network, making it the world’s largest GPU-accelerated cloud-based supercomputer. It enables customers to rent an AI supercomputer on-demand from their desk, and match the capabilities of large-scale on-premises supercomputers.

Note: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) NVIDIA: Jensen Huang; Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States (US).

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Lakshya Sen wins Scottish Open title: India’s Lakshya Sen has won the Scottish Open badminton men’s singles title, defeating Brazilian Ygor Coelho to seal his fourth title in 3 months. Entering the tournament as the top seed, the world number 41 registered an 18-21, 21-18, 21-19 win in 56 minutes to claim the title in Glasgow, Scotland. Within a month, Lakshya won his first BWF Super 100 title at the Dutch Open, with the second one coming soon after, at the SaarLorLux Open in Germany.

Note: Capital of Scotland: Edinburgh; Currency: Pound sterling.

2. India bag 28 medals including 13 gold in U-15 Asian Wrestling C’ships: India concluded its campaign at the Under-15 Asian Championships with 28 medals (13 gold, 14 silver and a bronze). For the first time, India finished on top of the team rankings in freestyle category with 225 points as all 10 wrestlers finished on the podium. Kazakhstan finished second while Japan was third.

3. MP athletes to get five per cent reservation in govt jobs:  Madhya Pradesh Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Jitu Patwari has announced that sports-persons of the state will get 5% reservation in government jobs. The Minister also announced that children from all CBSE, government and private schools would be involved in the Under 16 state-level Olympics. At present, the competition is being organized for children above 16 years of age. It includes 10 sports (hockey, basketball, football, volleyball, kabaddi, kho-kho, athletics, wrestling, badminton and table tennis).

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI enhances scope of Non-Resident Rupee Accounts: The RBI expanded the scope of Special Non-Resident Rupee Accounts (SNRR account) by permitting non-residents to open such accounts for rupee-denominated overseas borrowings, trade credit and trade invoicing for popularising cross-border transactions in the domestic currency. Any person resident outside India, having a business interest in India, can open a non-interest bearing Special Non-Resident Rupee Account (SNRR account) with a bank for bona fide transactions in rupees. The restriction on the tenure of SNRR account, which is currently 7 years, has also been removed.

2. Muthoot Finance to acquire IDBI Mutual Fund for Rs 215 crore: Muthoot Finance Ltd, the largest gold loan non-banking finance company in the country, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IDBI Asset Management Ltd and IDBI Mutual Fund Trustee Company Ltd. Muthoot Finance will purchase 100 per cent equity shares of IDBI Asset Management and IDBI MF Trustee for a total consideration of Rs 215 crore. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of February 2020. The deal is subject to receipt of approval from regulators including the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Note: Managing Director(MD) of Muthoot Finance Ltd: George Alexander Muthoot; Founded: 1939; Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Manoj Bajpayee bags best actor Asia Pacific Screen Award: Manoj Bajpayee has bagged the Best Performance by an Actor Award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for his role in ‘Bhonsle.’ The Hindi feature ‘Bhonsle’ narrates the story of a police constable (Bajpayee), who tries to fight the struggles of migrants and their battles with the local politicians. The movie was directed by Devashish Makhija. The acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee won against international actors like Wang Jingchun (China), Navid Mohammadzadeh, Mohsen Tanabandeh (Iran), and Eran Naim (Israel). Ridham Janve won the Young Cinema Award for his directorial debut film The Gold-Laden Sheep and the Sacred Mountain.

2. Floating school project in Bangladesh wins Aga Khan Architecture Award: Bangladesh’s Floating school project (in South Kanarchor) ‘The Arcadia Education Project’ wins the Aga Khan Architecture Award. The project involved the construction of a school in an area which is underwater during the monsoon months. The architect (Saif Ul Haque) designed this school which remains on the ground during the dry season and floats on water when the area is submerged in water during monsoon. He utilised only the local material-bamboo, used tyres and steel drums for constructing the amphibious structure for the school.

Note: The Aga Khan Award for Architecture is presented in three-year cycles and has a monetary prize totalling US$1 million that is shared by multiple winning projects. It recognizes projects, teams, and stakeholders in addition to buildings and people.

OBITUARIES

1. Former WB minister Kshiti Goswami passes away: The General Secretary of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and former West Bengal Minister Kshiti Goswami (76-years) passed away at a private hospital in Chennai. Goswami was PWD Minister in Jyoti Basu and Buddhadev Bhattacharjee’s cabinet in the Left Front Government in the State. He was also the state secretary of the RSP for a few years since 2012.