Daily GK Update - 5th April 2015: K.N. Tripathi Sworn in As Governor of Mizoram

Daily GK Update - 5th April 2015
K.N. Tripathi sworn in as Governor of Mizoram

i. West Bengal and Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi took additional charge of Mizoram .
ii. He was sworn in as 16th Governor of Mizoram on 4 April 2015.
iii. Justice Michael Zothankhuma of the Gauhati High Court administered oath of office to him at Raj
Bhavan in Aizawal.
iv. Tripathi was given additional charge of Mizoram after Union Government had sacked then
Governor Aziz Qureshi.
Pedro Cateriano Bellido appointed as Prime Minister of Peru

i. Pedro Cateriano Bellido was appointed as Prime Minister of Peru by the President Ollanta Humala.
ii. He will replace Ana Jara, who had lost a confidence vote and was sacked by Peruvian Congress
amid allegations of corruption.
About Pedro Cateriano Bellido

a. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as Perus Defence Minister and was appointed in July
2012, Cateriano, by profession is a lawyer and is specialized in constitutional law.
b. He was member of the Peruvian parliament from 1990 to 1992. Cateriano also had served as
deputy justice minister from 2001 to 2002. He also teaches law at the University of Lima.
Malli Mastan Babu, India's ace mountaineer passes away
i. Malli Mastan Babu, one of Indias top mountaineers passed away. His dead body was recovered in
the Andes Mountains between Argentina and Chile after he went missing on 24th March, 2015 during
an expedition to Cerro Tres Cruces Sur.
ii. Babu was regarded as the fastest 7 summiteer that is fastest mountaineer to climb summits in all
seven continents from India.
iii. In 2006, he had famously scaled 7 summits of the world in record 172 days.
iv. He was the first Indian mountaineer to summit the tallest peak in Antarctica, Mt Vinson Massif. He
was also the first person from Andhra Pradesh to scale the Mt Everest.
v. Babu hails from Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh and was a 2000-2002 IIM Kolkata pass out. He
also had a degree from IIT Kharagpur.
FM Global released Global Resilience Index 2015 Report

i. The Index offers powerful insights to help business executives target their investments towards
more reliable returns and to protect their customers from unforeseen disruption.
ii. Out of the 130 countries and regions assessed Norway topped the list in terms of business
resilience and Venezuela came at last.
iii. The Index used nine core drivers that are categorized into three factors namely Economic
Productivity, Risk Quality, and Supply Chain to assess business resilience of the countries or regions
surveyed.
Indias position in the Index

India has been placed at the 119th position in the 2015 Index compared to 112th rank it
secured in the 2014 Index.
India is ranked at the 115th position in the Economic Productivity category that takes into
account GDP per capita, political risk and oil intensity. This rank is same as in the Index 2014.
In the Risk Quality factor, India is placed at the 109th position from 113th rank in 2014 which
took into account exposure to natural hazard, Quality of natural hazard risk management and Quality
of fire risk management.
In the Supply Chain category, which takes into account control of corruption, Infrastructure
and local supplier quality, India has improved its rank from 100th position in the year 2014 to 89th
position.
According to the report, despite Indias huge economic potential it is placed at the 119th
position because one third of its population is still living below the poverty line-one of the highest
incidences outside sub-Saharan Africa.
1. SBI, ICICI, HDFC Bank heed Raghuram Rajan's call, cut base rate
i. State Bank of India was the first off the block to impress the regulator by reducing its base
rate, forcing private sector peers HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank to follow suit as they took heed
of RBI governor Raghuram Rajan's stern message to ensure transmission of monetary
policies.
ii. State Bank of India lowered its base rate by a token 15 basis points from 10% to 9.85%.
HDFC Bank lowered its base rate by 15 bps to 9.85%, while ICICI Bank cut it by 25 bps to
9.75%, the lowest in the industry now.
iii. SBI's new base rate is effective from April 10, while HDFC Bank's will come into effect from
April 13. ICICI Bank said its existing floating rate customers will get the benefit of the new rate
from April 10, while new borrowers will get it from July 1.
iv. HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have also reduced deposit rates by 25 bps for medium-term
deposits of up to Rs 1 crore.
Base rate is the minimum rate at which a bank can lend. One basis point is onehundredth of a percentage point.
2. Rs 20,000 cr MUDRA Bank launched by PM Narendra Modi
i. PM Narendra Modi launched the Rs 20,000 cr Micro Units Development Refinance Agency
(MUDRA) Bank and said , the aim of the bank is to fund the unfunded small entrepreneurs
and to strengthen savings habit in the country.
ii. MUDRA Bank will provide credit of up to Rs 10 lakh to small entrepreneurs and act as a
regulator for Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs).
iii. The roles envisaged for MUDRA include laying down policy guidelines for micro enterprise
financing business and registration of MFI entities as well as their accreditation and rating.
iv. MUDRA is to be set up through a statutory enactment. It would be responsible for
developing and refinancing through a Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana.
v. MUDRA would also partner with state/regional level coordinators to provide finance to Last
Mile Financiers of small/micro business enterprises.
3. Narendra Modi announces compensation for farmers

i. Coming to the rescue of farmers hit by unseasonal rains and hailstorm, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi announced higher compensation for crop damage and eased criteria for them
to avail government support.
ii. Modi said criteria of 50 per cent crop damage for providing compensation to affected
farmers has been reduced to 33 per cent which will help more farmers to get compensation
for their crop loss.
iii. Following Mr. Modi's footsteps the Reserve Bank has instructed banks to restructure loans
of farmers whose crops have been damaged by the recent unseasonal rains and hailstorms.
iv. In its first bi - monthly monetary policy on 7th April 2015, the RBI said that the adverse
impact of unseasonal rains and hailstorms in March is still unfolding.
4. Snapdeal acquires FreeCharge
i. Online marketplace Snapdeal acquired Indias fastest growing mobile transaction platform
FreeCharge.
ii. With this acquisition, Snapdeal has become Indias largest mobile commerce firm with 40
million users and the largest mobile transactions base for any company.
iii. Now Snapdeal can offer wide range of services and products including financial services,
mobile recharge and utility payments to its growing user base.
5. Mayilsamy Annadurai appointed as Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC)
i. Mayilsamy Annadurai is appointed as Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bengaluru.

ii. He took over as Director, ISAC from Dr SK Shivakumar who superannuated on 31 March
2015.
iii. As the Director of ISAC he will oversee development of satellite technology and
implementation of satellite systems for scientific, technological and application missions.
iv. Before the present appointment he had been the Programme Director of Indian Remote
Sensing Satellites (IRS) and Small Satellite Systems (SSS) at the ISAC since 2011.
6. Government raises stake in state-owned IFCI to 51%
i. IFCI Ltd has now become a stateowned firm with the government increasing its stake in
the infrastructure financing firm to 51.04 per cent.
ii. Government has acquired IFCI's 6,00,00,000 Preference shares of Rs 10 each from certain
scheduled commercial banks and has consequently increased its holding from 47.93 per cent
to 51.04 per cent of the paid-up share capital.
7. World Cup heartache fades as fresh IPL season starts
i. The Indian Premier League (IPL), with its heady cocktail of cricket, money and glamour,
begins its eighth edition on 8th April 2015. The T20 tournament brings together the superstars
of the game in an epic festival of club cricket at its best.
ii. The first and final match of IPL 2015 will both be played at the Eden Gardens. The title
clash will take place on May 24.
iii. Yuvraj Singh - bought by Delhi for Rs 16 crores - is the most expensive player in the
tournament. His amount is 3.5 crores more than even that of Dhoni.

1. Jitu Rai wins bronze at ISSF World Cup
i. Ace Indian shooter Jitu Rai on 12 April 2015 won a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol event at the
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Changwon, South Korea.
ii. Rai won the bronze medal after he scored 181.1 points in the final and had missed out for the gold
medal shoot-out by 0.4 points.
iii. Jitu Rai after winning won silver in the 50m Free Pistol event in 2014 at the World Championships
in Granada, Spain had qualified for the 2016 Olympics.
2. 17 Agreements signed between India and France during PM Narendra Modis visit
i. India and France on 11 April 2015 signed 17 agreements in various fields during Prime Minister
(PM) Narendra Modis visit to France.
ii. They were signed in presence of Indian PM and his counterpart French President Francois
Hollande after they had held wide-ranging talks in Paris.
Some of key agreements signed are
MoU between Larsen and Tubro and AREVA- It aims at improve the financial viability of the
Jaitapur Nuclear plant project by reducing cost by increasing localization. It will also enable France to
transfer of technology to India for development of indigenous nuclear energy industry in India.
Pre-engineering agreements (PEA) between NPCIL and Areva- It intends to bring clarity
on all technical aspects of the plant. It will help all parties including AREVA, Alstom and NPCIL to fix
their price and optimise all provisions for risks (still included at this stage) in the costs of the project.
MoU between CNES and ISRO on Megha Tropiques satellite-It extends MoU for two more
years of joint project for sharing and use of data from the satellite. The satellite was launched in
October 2011 on board of Indian launch vehicle PSLV.
MOU between ISRO, CNES and ONERA- It proposes cooperation in the areas of satellite
remote sensing, satellite communications and satellite meteorology and others field.
MoU between Union Sports Ministry and French Ministry of Sports- It envisages
cooperation and exchange of experiences in the fields of sports medicine and institutional
cooperation.
Railway protocol between Union Railways Ministry and French National Railways
(SNCF)- It seeks to establish cooperation between Indian and French Railways for semi-high speed
rail and station renovation.
Other agreements signed between both nations in the fields of economy, energy, culture,
tourism, conservation, Ayurveda, skill development and science and technology. Note- NPCIL
(Nuclear Power Corporation of India), CNES (French National Centre for Space Studies), ISRO
(Indian Space Research Organisation).
3. Asteroid 316201 named after Malala Yousafzai
i. Asteroid 316201 was named as 316201 Malala after the youngest Nobel laureate and girls
education campaigner Malala Yousafzai.
ii. The asteroid was named after her by Amy Mainzer, astronomer at NASAs Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in California, United States under the International Astronomical Union rules.
iii. In 2010, Mr. Mainzer had discovered the asteroid which was known as 316201. As a discoverer of
the asteroid he had owned the rights to name it.
iv. Asteroid 316201 Malala is located in the Main Belt between Mars and Jupiter. It orbits around the
Sun every 5.5 years and is more-than 2 mile wide.
4. Yuki Bhambri wins $15,000 ITF Futures tournament title

i. Yuki Bhambri on 11 April 2015 has won the 15,000 US Dollar ITF Futures tournament title. In the
final he recorded a straight-set win over Dzmitry Zhyrmont of Belarus played at Karshi, Uzbekistan.
ii. Bhambri defeated his rival with Bhambri with 6-2 6-4 score. This win has pocketed 27 ranking
points on Bhambri which will take him to a rank between 215 and 220. It was also Yukis 10th ITF
Futures singles title.
iii. This win also has ensured Yukis entry into the French Open qualifying event which will be the Clay
Court Grand Slam that will begin on the19 May 2015.
About ITF Futures tournament title
ITF Futures tournament title is a series of professional tennis tournaments held around the
world.
These tournaments are organized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
This title represents the lowest rung of the mens professional tennis ladder.
These tournaments are incorporated into the ATP rankings which helps young professionals
to progress on to the ATP Challenger Tour and then in ATP World Tour.
5. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates Songs and Dances of the North East festival
i. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated first Songs and Dances of the North East, a cultural
festival in New Delhi.
ii. The day long festival was organized by Government of Meghalaya and sponsored by the North
Eastern Council (NEC).
iii. The purpose of festival is to showcase the culture of Indias northeast region and highlight the
immense contribution made by the people of the region in nation building.
iv. This festival will be held by rotation in different parts of the country as part of the series of events
planned by NEC and Union Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER).
v. All eight States of the northeast region will collaborate to host the festival in different parts of the
country with an aim to attract investors and visitors to the region.
6. Bharat Hari Singhania became the president of JK Organization

i. Bharat Hari Singhania assumed the presidency of JK Organization. The company issued a formal
statement on 9 April 2015 in this regard.
ii. He succeeded Gaur Hari Singhania who died on 4 April 2015.
iii. The JK Group is 125-year-old and has footprint in 100 countries. It has overseas manufacturing
operations in Indonesia, Mexico, Romania, Belgium, Portugal and the UAE.
About Bharat Hari Singhania
He is an industrialist with over forty-four years of experience in managing various industries

including cement, automotive tyres, paper, synthetics, audio magnetic tapes and high yielding hybrid
seeds.
He has been the Chairman of JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd., the holding company of Hansdeep
Industries and Trading Company Ltd., since May 2013.
He has been a Director of Bengal and Assam Company Ltd. since February 2009.
He is also the chancellor of JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur.

7. Arun Kumar Jha appointed as CEO of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
i. Arun Kumar Jha was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Khadi and Village Industries
Commission (KVIC).
ii. The decision in this regard was taken on 10 April 2015 by the Department of Personnel and
Training (DoPT) of the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
iii. As the CEO of KVIC, he will oversee the day-to-day functioning of the commission and report
about its activities to the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
iv. Before this appointment, he had been working as the Director General of National Institute of
Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) functioning under the Union Ministry
of MSME.
v. Jha is a 1985-batch Indian Economics Service (IES) officer.
About KVIC
It is a statutory body established by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956.
It functions under the aegis of Union Ministry of MSME.
Its primary objective is to create self-reliance amongst the poor and build strong rural
community spirit by producing saleable articles and providing employment.
8. Lewis Hamilton wins Chinese Grand Prix of Formula One
i. Mercedes Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton from Britain on 12 April 2015 won Chinese Grand Prix of
Formula One on the Shanghai International Circuit in China. This was his second win of the season
and his fourth Chinese Grand Prix win.
ii. It was also Lewis Hamiltons overall 35th Grand Prix win.
iii. In Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton was followed by teammate Nico Rosberg at second place.

1. Modi inaugurates German industrial fair
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened on Sunday the Hanover Messe, the worlds largest industrial
fair, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
ii. India is the partner country of this year's trade fair, which brings together about 6,500 exhibitors
from 70 nations.
iii. Germany is Indias largest trading partner in Europe and total bilateral trade between the two
countries was valued at 16.08 billion euro (17 billion dollars) in 2013. There are currently more than
1,600 Indo-German business collaborations and 600 Indo-German joint ventures in operation.
2. Larsen & Toubro inks MoU with AREVA
i. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced signing a memorandum of

understanding (MoU) with AREVA of France for co-operation to maximise localisation of the EPR
nuclear power plant to be built at Jaitapur, Maharashtra.
ii. This partnership will add new dimensions to the capabilities of Indias manufacturing sector in the
nuclear business.
iii. AREVA will transfer technology to utilise the forging capabilities of L&T Special Steels and Heavy
Forgings (a joint venture with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.).
3. SBI Cuts home loan rate by another 10 bps for new buyers
i. State Bank of India (SBI), has cut the interest rate for new home loans by another 10 bps, to 9.9 per
cent.
ii. In effect, the interest rate for new home loans will be reduced by 25 bps. For the existing ones, 15
bps is the reduction.
iii. The move comes amid the RBI directive that an interest rate differential will not be allowed if
customer profiles are similar.
4. Gujarat government launches industrial tourism to showcase development

i. In a first of its kind initiative in the country, Gujarat government is promoting a tour package covering
major industrial installations which have earned global acclaim for the state.
ii. Some of the major attractions of this recently launched tour package include a visit to Tata Nano
plant in Sanand, Pipavav port near Amreli, Alang ship breaking yard in Bhavnagar and Amul Dairy in
Anand.
iii. The package, called Industrial Tour of Gujarat, has been offered by city-based Akshar Travels Pvt
Ltd, official partner of state-run tourism agency Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL), which is
promoting the tour on its website.
5. German Nobel laureate Guenter Grass dies at age 87
i. Guenter Grass, the Nobel-winning German writer who gave voice

to the generation that came of age during the horrors of the Nazi era has died. He was 87.
ii. Grass was lauded by Germans for helping to revive their culture in the aftermath of World War II
and helping to give voice and support to democratic discourse in the post war nation.
iii. Grass made his literary reputation with The Tin Drum, published in 1959. It was followed by Cat
and Mouse and Dog Years, which made up what is called the Danzig Trilogy after the town of his
birth, now the Polish city of Gdansk.
6.
Sania
seals
historic
world
no.
1
rank
with
Charleston
title
i. Sania Mirza created history by becoming the first female tennis player from India to achieve the
world
number
one
rank
in
doubles.
ii. Sania achieved her stupendous title win at the WTA Family Circle Cup with partner Martina Hingis.
iii. The top-seeded Indo-Swiss pair defeated Casey Dellacqua and Darija Jurak 6-0 6-4 in just 57
minutes
in
the
lop-sided
final
of
the
$731,000
clay
court
event.
iv. Before Sania, only Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had achieved the top rank when they
dominated mens doubles circuit in the last 90s.

1. Following consumer backlash, Flipkart pulls out of Airtel Zero
i. Following popular outrage against net neutrality violations to

internet apartheid, eretailer Flipkart pulled out of the controversial Airtel Zero preferential access
platform.
ii. Flipkart was one of the partners in the Airtel Zero platform which allowed Airtel's subscribers to
access select websites and services for zero data charges, as long as owners of these
websites/services paid Airtel.
iii. Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said a six-member panel has been constituted by the
telecom department to submit its recommendations regarding the same by early next month.
2. FM transmission of Vividh Bharati launched

i. The popular Vividh Bharati services of All India Radio (AIR) will now be available to listeners in and
around Delhi on mobile handsets with the launch of FM transmission of the channel.
ii. Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, who launched the FM transmission, also
delivered a message to the listeners of the channel, saying Vividh Bharati services would reach
people within a range of 60-65 km with much clarity at all times in all weather conditions.
iii. Vividh Bharati offers a mix of film music, skits, short plays and interactive programmes. It is known
to have the largest collection of film and non-film songs in the country.
iv. Mobile applications of all channels that are livestreamed by AIR like Vividh Bharati, FM Gold, FM
Rainbow, Urdu service and several regional channels, will also be made available.
3. Indias GDP growth rate to reach 8% by 2017: World Bank

i. The World Bank has predicted a GDP growth rate of 8 per cent for India by 2017 and said that a
strong expansion in the country, coupled with favourable oil prices.
ii. In India, GDP growth is expected to accelerate to 7.5 per cent in

fiscal year 2015/16. It could reach 8 per cent in FY 2017/18, on the back of significant acceleration of
investment growth to 12 per cent during FY 2016-FY 2018.
iii. The report shows that households in the region stand to gain from lower oil prices, both directly
through lower energy spending and indirectly through faster growth.
4. FDI in services sector up 47 per cent during April-January

i. FDI inflows into services sector grew by about 47 per cent to $2.64 billion in April-January last fiscal.
ii. Helped with the growth in FDI in important sector like services, overall foreign inflows in the country
rose by 36 per cent to $25.52 billion during the ten months of 2014-15.
iii. The other sectors where inflows have recorded growth are: telecom ($2.83 billion), automobile
($2.04 billion) and power ($612 million).
iv. Government has raised the FDI cap in insurance sector to 49 per cent from 26 per cent. The policy
was also relaxed in other sectors such as defence, railways and medical devices.
5. Retail inflation drops to 3-month low of 5.17% in March
i. Easing of food prices, mainly milk and vegetables, pulled down

the March retail inflation to 3-month low of 5.17 per cent.
ii. The retail inflation as measured by Consumer Price Index was 5.37 per cent in February, and 5.19
per cent in January.
iii. It was 8.25 per cent in March last year.
iv. To calculate the CPI, price data are collected from selected towns by the field operations division of
NSSO and from selected villages by the Department of Posts.
Haryana
govt
to
give
cabinet
minister
status
to
Baba
Ramdev
i. The BJP government in Haryana has decided to give the status of cabinet minister to yoga guru
Ramdev, who was earlier made the states brand ambassador to promote yoga and ayurveda.
ii. The governments decision was announced on Monday by

education minister Ram Bilas Sharma, who said the state government would also honour Ramdev at
a
function
at
Indradhanush
Auditorium
in
Panchkula
on
April
21.
iii. Recently, government announced to make yoga compulsory in all schools and equip all sports
stadiums in every district with a yoga centre. Municipal bodies and Huda would construct yoga
practice halls in their areas of jurisdiction. Special coaching of physical education teachers in yoga will
be organised.
North
Korean
foreign
minister
Ri
Su
Yong
to
visit
India
i. North Koreas top diplomat, Ri Su-yong, arrived in India on a rare visit where Delhi hosted the meet.
ii. Ri became the first North Korean foreign minister to visit India in at least 25 years.
iii. In New Delhi, Ri met with his counterpart, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
According to reports, the two discussed North Koreas nuclear weapons program and regional
security
issues,
including
the
stability
of
the
Korean
peninsula.
iv. In addition to Swaraj, Ri met with Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari. Ris trip to India comes
ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis scheduled visit to Seoul, South Korea, which is
expected in May.

1. Indian Prime Minister Modi inks uranium deal, talks trade with Stephen
Harper
i. Canada and India have signed with a series of agreements and promises that will send
Canadian uranium to the South Asian nation, liberalize visas for Canadian travellers,
soon ratify a long-awaited foreign investment deal and lay a road map to complete
stalled trade talks.
ii. Under an agreement signed between Modi had Harper, Cameco Corporation will supply
3,000 metric tonnes of uranium over five years to India for $254 million.
iii. The two countries also decided to strengthen defence and security cooperation and
decided to cooperate to stabilise the Asia Pacific region. Modi also announced Electronic
Visa Authorisation for tourist visa for Canadian nationals.
iv. Canada's Stephen Harper returns 900-year-old Khajuraho temple sculpture to PM
Narendra Modi
v. The sculpture, known as 'Parrot Lady', was handed over by Harper to Modi yesterday in
accordance with 1970 UNESCO Convention.
2. RBI allows differential interest rate on deposits

i. The Reserve Bank of India said banks will have the discretion to offer differential
interest rates based on whether the term deposits are with or without-prematurewithdrawal-facility, subject to conditions.
ii. All term deposits of individuals (held singly or jointly) of Rs. 15 lakh and below should,
necessarily, have premature withdrawal facility.
iii. For all term deposits above Rs. 15 lakh banks can offer deposits without the option of
premature withdrawal as well.
3. Agni-III missile test-fired successfully by SFC
i. India on Thursday successfully test-fired nuclear

weapons-capable Agni-III ballistic missile from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.
Although the missile has a strike range of more than 3,000 k.m.
ii. it was tested for a lesser range, in today's mission.
iii. Agni-III is one of the sophisticated and accurate missiles of its class and has already
been inducted into armed forces.
iv. It is capable of carrying a payload weighing 1.5 tonnes to a distance of more than
3,000 k.m.
4. Janata Parivar announces merger

i. Leaders of six Janata Parivar parties announced their decision to merge into one larger
entity. Mulayam Singh Yadav will the head new party
ii. The new party will have a strength of 15 members in the Lok Sabha and 30 in the
Rajya Sabha.
iii. With 30 MPs, the new party will be the third largest bloc behind the Congress (68) and
the BJP (47) in the Rajya Sabha, where the Modi government continues to be in a
minority.
iv. In the Lok Sabha, the party will have 15 MPs, making it the eighth largest party in the
House.
5. MoU to set power plant in Kazakhstan between BHEL and Russian firm
INTMA inked
i. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), an engineering and manufacturing company
announced that it has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Russian
company named INTMA with an aim to set up a gas-based power project in Kazakhstan
as well as further boost its presence in the CIS countries.
ii. BHEL, currently executing 23 major projects in 16 countries has set its footprint in over
75 countries.
iii. INTMA is one of the leading general Engineering Procurement and Construction
contractors (EPC) in Russia and Kazakhstan.
6. Asia Cup 2016 to be played in T20 format

i. Asia Cup 2016 is set to undergo a radical change and will be a Twenty20 competition
instead of the 50-over game.
ii. It would be revamped to include more Associate nations and to give some practice
prior to the T 20 World Cup .
iii. The tournament would then revert to a 50-over tournament in 2018 ahead of the 2019
World Cup in England and be played as a T20 competition again in 2020.
7. Sachin Tendulkar elected as member of Laureus Sports Academy

i. Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was inducted as one of the five new members into
the prestigious Laureus Sports Academy in a glittering annual award ceremony at the
Shanghai Grand theatre.
ii. Besides Tendulkar, retired Chinese professional basketball player Yao Ming, Kenyan
long-distance runner Tegla Loroupe, Chinese gymnast Li Xiaopeng and former Chinese
short track speed skater Yang Yang were the other athletes to be inducted into the
Laureus academy.
iii. Tendulkar, who made his ODI debut against Pakistan way back in 1989, retired from
the format after the Asia Cup in 2013 after completing a century of international
hundreds.
Daily GK Updates - 17th April 2015

1. Modi Xi among Time's most influential people
i. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who entered office this year on the promise of reviving the
countrys economy, is the winner of this years reader poll for TIME Person of the Year.
ii. In the final tally, Modi received more than 16% of the almost 5 million votes cast.
iii. Readers from more than 225 countries in total participated, with U.S. votes leading the pack at
37%, followed by India at 17% and Russia at 12%.
iv. Mr. Modi was named by TIME among the 100 most influential people in the world in its annual list
on Thursday, with U.S. President Barack Obama penning a flattering profile of him.
2. India to grow at 7.5 % in 2015: Moodys

i. A week after it revised its outlook on India to positive from stable, international credit rating major
Moodys pegged Indias growth at 7.5 percent for 2015.
ii. Low inflation rate has enabled the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to cut interest rates by 50 basis
points in early 2015 which has helped in easing pressure on the private sector.
iii. Moodys Analytics is of the view that Indias stateowned companies are notoriously inefficient,
with significant bureaucracy and endemic corruption.
3. Obama to honour Satya Nadella with 'Champion of Change' award

i. US President Barack Obama plans to honour Microsoft's Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella with the
'Champions of Change' award for bringing about change within his company to support working
families.
ii. Before being named CEO in February 2014, 47-year-old Nadella

held leadership roles in both enterprise and consumer businesses across the company.
iii. the White House released a Middle Class Tax report highlighting his budget proposals to help
those 44 million middle-class Americans.
iv. The 'Champions of Change' programme was created as an opportunity for the White House to
feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.
4. RIL Reclaims Tag of Most Profitable Indian Firm

i. Reliance Industries regained its status as the most profitable Indian company after posting an 8.5
per cent rise in consolidated net profit for the March quarter.
ii. The operator of the world's biggest refining complex reported a net profit Rs 6,381 crore for the
three months to March, 2015.
iii. RIL had lost its crown as India's most profitable firm to outsourcing giant TCS in the December
quarter.
iv. TCS, which announced its March quarter numbers on Thursday, reported a net profit of around Rs
5,900 crore (including one-time bonus for employees).
5. UN Peace Envoy Jamal Benomar Resigns
i. United Nation (UN) peace envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar has

resigned, after losing support from Gulf countries for his mission in the conflict-riven nation.
ii. His resignation comes after UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for the swift
resumption of peace talks and an end to violence in Yemen.
iii. The adopted resolution adopted calls on the Huthis to withdraw from Sanaa and all other areas
they have seized.
6. Pakistan, Russia to hold first-ever joint military exercises

i. Pakistan and Russia have agreed to hold first-ever joint military exercises as part of their enhanced
defence cooperation, in a sign of increasing bonhomie between the Cold War-era adversaries.
ii. The agreement was reached during a meeting in Moscow between Pakistan Defence Minister
Khawaja Asif and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu.
iii. Asif is on an official visit to Moscow to attend a regional security conference. He held talks with the
Russian defence minister, during which the two ministers agreed to increase military cooperation in
training and import of arms and equipment.
7. Mohan Kumar appointed as new Indian Ambassador to France

i. Senior diplomat Mohan Kumar, currently India's top envoy to Bahrain, has been appointed the next
Ambassador to France to succeed Arun Kumar.
ii. A 1981-batch IFS officer, Mohan Kumar is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
iii. The official announcement for Mohan Kumar's appointment comes six days after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's visit to France.

1. PM Narendra Modi's visit to Canada generated business worth 1.6 billion dollars
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Canada has generated business worth more than 1.6 billion
Canadian dollars, according to official figures released by the Harper government in Toronto.
ii. Sixteen commercial agreements and announcements were made by Canadian and Indian
companies and organisations during Prime Minister Modi's visit.
iii. Harper and Modi welcomed the progress made on negotiating a Bilateral Foreign Investment
Promotion and Protection Agreement and agreed to intensify discussions to finalise all outstanding
issues.
iv. agreement involving Saskatchewan-based Cameco will see the company supply India with over
seven million pounds of uranium over the next five years.
2. Vishal Sikka appointed as University Advisory Professor at ECNU
i. The East China Normal University (ECNU), one of the prestigious

universities in China, announced the appointment of Dr. Vishal Sikka, Chief Executive Officer of
Infosys, as Advisory Professor.
ii. Professor Shijun Tong, CCP Secretary of ECNU, formally conferred the Advisory Professorship to
Mr Sikka.
iii. East China Normal University, commonly referred to as ECNU, is a comprehensive research
university in Shanghai, China. Established in 1951,it is the first national normal university of the
People's Republic of China.
3. SEBI bars 129 entities, suspects money laundering

i. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) barred Mishka Finance and Trading and 128 other
entities from the securities market.
ii. These entities are estimated to have shown fictitious capital gains to the tune of Rs.254 crore and
just 29 of them made unlawful gains to the tune of Rs. 92 crore on an investment of just Rs. 2 crore.
iii. SEBI has suspended trading in nearly 30 listed companies for such violations while action has
been taken against more than 500 entities, including promoters and others, for tax evasion of over
Rs.3,000 crore.
4. Two Indians named 2015 Yale World Fellows in US

i. Two Indians are among 16 people named by Yale University as its 2015 World Fellows, the
signature global leadership development initiative at the prestigious US institution.
ii. Zeena Johar, SughaVazhvu Healthcare Founder and journalist and author Rahul Pandita are the
Indians who are named by the university.
iii. Johar founded SughaVazhvu Healthcare (SVHC) and IKP Centre for Technologies in Public Health
(ICTPH) to create a primary- care delivery network through rural clinics.
iv. New Delhi-based Pandita has reported extensively about conflicts in Iraq and Sri Lanka and is
known for his reportage on Maoist insurgency in central and eastern India, and on the turmoil in
Kashmir.
5.
World
Heritage
Day
2015
observed
globally
i. World Heritage Day was observed across the world on 18 April 2013. The day is observed with an
aim to create awareness among the people to conserve and protect the valuable assets and cultural
heritage
across
the
world.
ii. The day marks the necessity of protecting the historical monuments and sites located in every part
of the world by making collective efforts at international level.
iii. The first world Heritage Day was celebrated on 18 April 1982 by the International Council on
Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in Tunisia and was approved in 1983 by UNESCO.
iv. The 2015 World Heritage Day also marked 50th anniversary of ICOMOS.
6.
World
Hemophilia
Day
2015
observed
globally
i. World Haemophilia Day was observed globally on 17 April 2015 with theme Building a family of
support. The day provides an opportunity to talk to your extended family and friends, colleagues, and
caregivers to raise awareness and increase support for those living with an inherited bleeding
disorder.
ii. Hemophilia day was established in 1989 with the support of the World Federation of Hemophilia
(WFH).
iii. The date of 17 April was chosen to honor Frank Schnabel the founder of WFH, whose birthday falls
on
the
same
date.
7.
Hinduja
brothers
win
Asian
Business
Leader
of
the
year
award
i. NRI industrialists Hinduja brothers S P Hinduja and G P Hinduja have won the Business Leader
of the Year 2015 award at the prestigious 5th Asian Awards for their outstanding achievement in the
field
of
business.
ii. Receiving the award, Co-Chairman of the Hinduja Group G P Hinduja said this year his group has
been winning one or two award every month and each award keep us going and put more
responsibility on our shoulders to do better. He received the award from Lord Karan Billimoria.
iii. Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan also received an award for outstanding achievement in cinema
while Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara, who scored four consecutive centuries in the recent
World
Cup,
won
an
award
for
achievement
in
sports.
iv. The Asian Awards honouring Asian Excellence is founded by businessman Paul Sagoo.
Daily GK Updates - 20th April 2015

Yechury is new CPI(M) chief
i. Rajya Sabha member Sitaram Yechury was elected the fifth general secretary of the
Communist Party of India (Marxist).
ii. To ensure a smooth transition by averting a vote, Mr. Pillais candidature was
withdrawn paving the way for the unanimous election of the 91-member CC, after which
Mr. Karat proposed Mr. Yechury for general secretary which was unanimously accepted.
iii. Three party veterans two former Chief Ministers, V.S. Achuthanandan from Kerala and
Budhhadeb Bhattacharya from West Bengal, and Nirupam Sen have been dropped from the CC.
ICICI launches NFC-enabled payment service Tap-n-Pay

i. ICICI Bank in collaboration with Tech Mahindra launched a payment service Tap-n-Pay
based on the near-field communications (NFC) technology, enabling customers make
over-the-counter payments without using cash.
ii. It can be used for merchant payments by merely tapping a NFC-enabled mobile phone
or a tag on the counter.
iii. For making payments, the user will have to bring the NFC tag or the mobile phone
near a device at the merchants facility and the amount will automatically get debited
from the prepaid account.
Navy launches stealth destroyer INS Visakhapatnam
i. The Indian Navy launched Visakhapatnam, the first of

stealth destroyers under the P15-B project.
ii. The warship is 163 metres in length and has a displacement of 7,300 tonnes.
iii. The ship is the first of the four follow follow-up order of the Kolkata class warships.
iv. The total cost of the project is little over Rs 29,600 crore.
BHEL commissions 250-MW thermal unit in Jamnagar

i. State-owned power equipment maker BHEL has commissioned a 250-mw coal-based
thermal power plant in Gujarat.
ii. The unit has been commissioned at the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd's
(GSECL) Sikka thermal power station (TPS) by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), on
EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) basis, the company said in a regulatory
filing today.
iii. Sikka TPS is located near Jamnagar, an industrial town in Gujarat.
iv. Two units of 120 mw each, supplied and executed earlier by BHEL are already in
operation at Sikka. Another 250 mw unit, presently under execution at Sikka TPS, is also
in an advanced stage of commissioning.
Kerala launches project to help people overcome substance

i. The Kerala government on Sunday launched a major campaign "Subodham" to help
people in the state overcome alcohol, drug and other substance abuse.
ii. The project was launched by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Art of Living
Foundation founder Sri Sri Ravishankar in the presence of religious leaders,
representatives of student organisations and NGOs working against drug abuse.
iii. "The state government aims to wipe out the menace of substance addiction from our
society through 'Subodham'. If total alcohol prohibition could save the society, the state
government is ready to forego the revenue from the sale of liquor that is around Rs 7,000
crore per annum," said Chandy.
Former Bengal U-19 captain Ankit Keshri succumbs to on-field injury

i. In another tragic on-field incident after Phillip Hughes' death last November, a
promising Bengal batsman Ankit Keshri on passed away owing to an injury sustained
during a Cricket Association of Bengal's senior one-day knock-out match.
ii. The 20-year-old, a talented right-hander, had captained

the Bengal U-19 team in Cooch Behar Trophy and was in the 30-member India U-19
probables list for the 2014 Colts World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
iii. Keshri was not a part of the playing XI and was the 12th man of the side in the fateful
match. He came to replace Railways Ranji all-rounder Arnab Nandi, who had taken a
break.
Lewis Hamilton cruises to Bahrain GP win, Raikkonen second

i. Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Bahrain Grand Prix for the
second year in a row with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen back on the podium to deny Mercedes
another one-two finish under the floodlights.
ii. The Briton's flying pole-to-flag victory at the desert track was his third win in four races
this season and 36th of his career.
iii. He increased his lead over Rosberg in the standings to 27 points. The Briton now has
93 points to the German's 66.
Daily GK Updates - 21st April 2015

1. Former Odisha Chief Minister J.B Patnaik passes away
i. Former Governor of Assam and three-time Chief Minister of Odisha Janaki Ballav Patnaik passed
away in a private hospital at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.
ii. He was born in Puri district on January 3, 1927. He was Chief Minister of Odisha from 1980 to 1989
and again from 1995 to 1999.
iii. He was also the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly from 2004 to 2009.
iv. Mr. Patnaik, who started his career as a journalist, was a Sanskrit scholar and wrote several books.
2. Egypt President Morsy jailed for 20 years
i. An Egyptian criminal court sentenced

Mohammed Morsy to 20 years in prison over the killing of protesters in 2012.
ousted
President
ii. The case stems from violence outside the presidential palace in December 2012. Morsys
supporters attacked opposition protesters, sparking clashes that killed at least 10 people.
iii. 12 Brotherhood leaders and supporters, including Mohammed el-Beltagy and Essam el-Erian, also
were sentenced to 20 years in prison.
3. Sulekha.com raises Rs 175 crore from GIC, NVP

i. Chennai-based local listing services provider Sulekha.com has raised Rs. 175 crore from the
sovereign wealth fund of Singapore-GIC and Norwest Venture Partners.
ii. The Chennai-based company has about 50 lakh businesses listed on its platform.
iii. Satya Prabhakar is the Founder and CEO of Sulekha.com.
4. Japan maglev train breaks world speed record again
i. A Japanese magnetic levitation train has broken its own world

speed record, hitting 603km/h (374mph) in a test run near Mount Fuji.
ii. The train beat the 590km/h speed it had set last week in another test.
iii. Japan is known for its shinkansen that run on steel rails, but has been investing in maglev
technology which it is hoping to sell overseas.
iv. Central Japan Railway (JR Central), which owns the trains, wants to introduce the service between
Tokyo and the central city of Nagoya by 2027.
5. China Readies $46 Billion for Pakistan Trade Route

i. Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to unveil a $46 billion infrastructure spending plan in Pakistan
that is a centerpiece of Beijings ambitions to open new trade and transport routes across Asia and
challenge the U.S. as the dominant regional power.
ii. The plan will be known as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
iii. China sees a historic opportunity to redraw the geopolitical map by succeeding where the U.S. has
largely failed.
iv. A cornerstone of the project will be to develop the Pakistani port of Gwadar, a warm-water port run
by the Chinese on the doorstep of the Middle East.
6. E-Samiksha launched to monitor rail projects online

i. With an aim of monitoring implementation of various ongoing projects including Rail Budget
proposals, railways today launched E-Samiksha, an online monitoring mechanism.
ii. Now each and every project implementation can be monitored on real-time basis, Railway Minister
Suresh Prabhu said here after launching the system.
iii. Designed by NIC, the software is currently being used by Cabinet Secretariat, PMO and other
Ministries for monitoring progress implementation of various programmes and follow-up of meetings.
iv. Apart from budget-related projects, the E-Samiksha can also be used for monitoring the
infrastructure target and board meeting follow-up.
7. Bharatiya Mahila Bank inks MoUs with LIC, New India Assurance
i. Bharatiya Mahila Bank Ltd has entered into MoUs with New India Assurance Company Ltd and Life
Insurance Corporation of India to provide insurance cover to its accountholders.
ii. The insurance covers are being provided under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Suraksha Bima Yojana and
the Pradhan Mantri Jeevanjyoti Bima Yojana schemes respectively.
iii. The insurance option is voluntary and comes at a premium of Rs. 12 for the PM Jan Suraksha
Bima Yojana and Rs. 330 for the PM Jeevanjyoti Bima Yojana.
iv. The age eligibility under the former is 18-70 years and under the latter 18-50 years. The enrolment
period under the schemes will be from June 1, 2015, to August 31, 2015.
Daily GK Updates - 22nd April 2015

1. Indira, Rajiv names dropped from two Hindi awards
i. The BJP-led NDA government has dropped the names of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and
Rajiv Gandhi from two awards for propagating Hindi.
ii. The Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Puraskar and Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Gyan-Vigyan Maulik Pustak
Lekhan Puraskar, launched more than two decades ago, have given way for Rajbhasha Kirti
Puraskar and Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar.
iii. The two awards have been discontinued by the Union Home Ministry, which instead launched two
new schemes for doing outstanding work for promoting the progressive use of official language.
2. H.L.Dattu to head NJAC

i. The six-member NJAC headed by the Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu will be constituted by the
center.
ii. National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) is a body responsible for the appointment and
transfer of judges to the higher judiciary in India.
iii. The Commission is established by amending the Constitution of India through the ninety-ninth
constitution amendment vide the Constitution (Ninety-Ninth Amendment) Act, 2014 passed by the Lok
Sabha on 13 August 2014 and by the Rajya Sabha on 14 August 2014.
3. Sesa Sterlite renamed as Vedanta Ltd
i. Metals and mining conglomerate Sesa Sterlite has changed its

name to Vedanta Ltd to better align with its international identity Vedanta Resources.
ii. Sesa Sterlite is a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc, UK.
iii. The company produces and processes oil and gas, zinc, lead, silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium
and commercial power and is present in India, South Africa, Namibia, Ireland, Australia, Liberia and
Sri Lanka.
iv. Cairn India, Hindustan Zinc Ltd and BALCO are the subsidiaries of the company.
4.
International
Mother
Earth
Day
observed
i. International Mother Earth Day was observed globally on 22 April

2015
with
the
theme
Its
our
turn
to
lead.
ii. The theme highlights the need for change and seeks to inform the communities and leadership that
action needs to be taken on climate by promoting a goal of environmental awareness through
developing sustainable initiatives and galvanizing every human to pledge Acts of Green.
iii. This is the 45th anniversary of the Earths Day, the year when the world leaders will pass a binding
climate
change
treaty
in
Paris
in
December
2015.
iv. The treaty will be adopted to make sure the future of Earth, our planet and the survival of life on it.
5.
Tamil
Nadu
govt
cancels
plot
allotted
for
Coca-Cola
plant
i. The Tamil Nadu government on Monday cancelled allotment of land for Hindustan Coca-Cola
Beverages Pvt Ltd to set up a bottling unit in Perundurai, the State Industries Promotion Corporation
of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) complex in Erode district, amid growing protests by local residents
over
possible
exploitation
of
groundwater.
ii. The Tamil Nadu government took the decision to cancel the lease agreement, blaming the firm for
"not
complying
with
the
terms".
iii. It was on June 21, 2013, SIPCOT allotted the land first and after two amendments in the
agreement, a lease deed was executed and registered finally by HCCBPL on January 23, 2014.
6. Kudermukh and Rajaji National Parks Declared as Tiger Reserves: Centre
i. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has accorded final approval to two national parks
i.e. Kudermukh National Park in Karnataka and Rajaji National Park in Uttarkhand for being declared
as tiger reserves.
ii. In accordance to this approval, Rajaji National Park is declared as India's 48th Tiger Reserve. With
this notification, Uttarakhand got its second tiger reserve after the Corbett Tiger Reserve.
iii. The notification was announced by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat while releasing logo
of
the
Rajaji
Tiger
Reserve.
iv. The Rajaji National Park that came into existence in 1983 is spread across three districts of
Uttarakhand namely Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal in an area over 820 square km.
7.
Pakistan
confers
Nishan-e-Pakistan
on
Chinese
president
Xi
Jinping
i. Pakistan conferred the Nishan-e-Pakistan, its top civilian award, on Chinese President Xi Jinping,
lauding his "outstanding contribution in the promotion of the relationship between the two countries".
ii. President Mamnoon Hussain conferred the award on 61-year-old Xi during a ceremony held at the
President's
House.
iii. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, federal ministers, members of the
National Assembly and Senate, the three service chief and the Chinese delegation.
iv. The award was given for Xi's contribution in promoting China's relationship with Pakistan. Xi, also
the General-Secretary of the ruling Communist party, was given a warm welcome on his arrival in the
President's House in a traditional horse carriage.
Daily GK Update - 23rd April 2015

1. Railway launches mobile app for paperless unreserved tickets
i. Moving ahead in line with digital India, railways launched mobile application for
paperless unreserved tickets.
ii. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu introduced from here the mobile app for paperless
unreserved ticketing for commuters in Egmore and Tambram suburban sections in
Chennai under Southern Railway zone.
iii. Developed by Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) "utsonmobile" - the paperless
unreserved ticketing feature in mobile application aims to eliminate the need.
iv. The application provides necessary on-screen alerts to guide the passenger during the
booking process.
2. Shah Rukh Khan honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation Award
i. Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Film
Foundation Award 2015 for his performance in the movie Happy New Year. The award
ceremony was held in Mumbai.
ii. Actor Rajkummar Rao won the prestigious award for his performance in the critically
acclaimed film Citylights, which was released in 2014.
ii. Actress Huma Qureshi bagged an award for her memorable performance in the movie
Dedh Ishiqya.
iii. Bollywood actors Shreyas Talpade, Tiger Shroff, actress Jaya Prada, singer Udit
Narayan and Pankaj Udhas were also felicitated with the award.
3. JBM Group enters solar power sector
i. Auto component-maker JBM Group announced its entry

into the solar energy sector with plans to invest Rs 1,600 crore in the next three years.
ii. The group plans to invest Rs 1,600 crore over three years and have a combined
capacity of 300 MW under the newly formed entity - JBM Solar (P) Ltd, the company said
in a statement.
iii. JBM Solar plans to be an independent power producer (IPP) with focus on both, ground
mounted and solar rooftop projects.
4. Union Cabinet approves lowering of age of Juveniles from 18 to 16 years for

heinous crimes
i. Union Cabinet has approved lowering of age of juveniles from eighteen to sixteen years
for heinous crimes. Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet meeting chaired
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
ii. The cabinet also approved to introduce Amendment to the Juvenile Justice (Care and
Protection of Children) Bill, 2014. This amendment will propose and add special
provisions to tackle heinous offences like murder and rape committed by juveniles in the
age group of 16-18 years.
iii. The proposed bill will amend the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. The parent Act clearly
defines and classifies offences as serious, petty and heinous and defines differentiated
processes for each classified category.
iv. While the amendments in the bill adds provisions that in case a heinous crime
committed by a person between 16 and 18 years, will be examined by the Juvenile
Justice Board (JJB) to assess if the crime was committed as a child or as an adult.
5. World Bank established Pollution Management and Environmental Health

program
i. World Bank established Pollution Management and

Environmental Health (PHEM) program. The program was officially launched on Global
Citizen 2015 Earth Day in Washington, D.C.
ii. The 45 million US Dollar PMEH program will initially run from 2015 to 2020 and focus
primarily on air quality management in countries facing rapid urbanization and strong
needs for pollution abatement measures, but also tackle water and land pollution.
iii. In particular, the program will focus on air quality management in five major urban
areas in India, China, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
6. Djokovic wins Monte Carlo Masters

i. The top-ranked Serb won the first big clay-court tournament of the season with a 75,
46, 63 win over Tomas Berdych in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters.
ii. Djokovic broke again for a 40 lead, but the eight-time Grand Slam champion failed to
hold his serve in the next game.
iii. Djokovic, became the first player in tennis history to win the first three Masters
tournament of the year after completing the Indian Wells-Miami sweep this spring.

1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has redefined priority sector loan norms
i. RBI has modulated PSL norms which stipulate that banks operating in India must offer 40% of all
loans to farmers, small entrepreneurs and so-called weaker sections of society.
ii. The old norms had stipulated that 13.5% of agriculture loans should be given to the farmers directly
as crop loans and the rest, 4.5%, could be indirect loans to the farm sector, to allied industries such as
food processing and fertilizer. Now, RBI has abolished the distinction between direct and indirect
loans.
iii. RBI has introduced a sub-target within the 18% share of agriculture. Banks must give 8% loans to
small and marginal farmers.
iv. Social infrastructure, such as school and healthcare facilities in smaller towns, and renewable
energy have been included in the basket of priority loans.
2.
Indian-American
Vivek
Murthy
takes
over
as
US
Surgeon-General
i. 37-year-old Indian-American Vivek Murthy was sworn-in as the US Surgeon General by Vice
President Joe Biden at a ceremony, becoming the youngest-ever in-charge of the country's public
health. Murthy, who took the oath on the Gita, is now the highest ranking Indian-American in the US
President Barack Obama Administration.
ii. He succeeded Boris D. Lushniak who had served as Surgeon General from 2013 to December
2014.
iii. The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the U.S. Public Health
Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public
health
in
the
federal
government
of
the
United
States.
iv. The U.S. Surgeon General is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by a
majority vote of the Senate. The Surgeon General serves a four-year term of office.
3. India among unhappiest countries in the world
i. People from countries as diverse as Bhutan and Pakistan are much happier than Indians, according
to the World Happiness Report 2015.
ii. India is one of the unhappiest countries in the world. It ranks 117 out of the 158 countries surveyed
for the report.
iii. In the South Asian region, the country fares better than Nepal (121st rank), Myanmar (129th), Sri
Lanka (132nd) and Afghanistan (153rd).
iv. The top country in the list is Switzerland with a score of 7.587; India is at 4.565.
4. GST moved in Lok Sabha
i. The long-pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill was moved
in the Lok Sabha for consideration amid stiff resistance by several Opposition parties.
ii. The Bill seeks to establish a GST Council tasked with optimising tax collection for goods and
services by the State and Centre.
iii. The Council will consist of the Union Finance Minister (as Chairman), the Union Minister of State in
charge of revenue or Finance, and the Minister in charge of Finance or Taxation or any other,
nominated by each State government.
5. Rajya Sabha clears bill to protect rights of transgenders
i. The Rajya Sabha, unanimously handed a personal members bill to protect the rights of the group.
ii. The personal member bill supplies for the formulation and implementation of a complete national
coverage to guarantee general improvement and welfare of transgenders by the State.
iii. There are 58 clauses and 10 chapters in the Bill depicting different aspects of transgenders life
from childhood to oldage, so that they are supported and integrated in the society.
iv. A National Transgender Welfare Commission and a special transgender court will also be set up.
6.
24
April:
National
Panchayati
Raj
Day
i. National Panchayati Raj Day was observed across India on 24 April 2015. The day is observed to
mark the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from
24 April 1993.
ii. The Amendment institutionalized Panchayati Raj through the Village, Intermediate and District
levels Panchayats. This registers a defining moment in the history of decentralization of political
power
to
the
grassroots
level.
iii. On the day, the best performing Gram Panchayats and Gram Sabhas were honoured with
Panchayat Sashaktikaran Award 2015 and Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Award 2015.
1. Marathi novelist Bhalchandra Nemade bags 50th Jnanpith Award

i. Modi awarded the 50th Jnanpith Award to eminent Marathi litterateur Bhalchandra Nemade whose
several books, including Kosala and Hindu, have influenced Indian writing.
ii. He was presented award comprising of 11 lakh rupees and a citation plaque and a bronze replica of
Saraswati by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
iii. Nemade's contribution rests in initiating Deshivad, a theory of nativism that negated globalisation,
asserting the value of a writer's native heritage, and language.
iv. Seventy-six-year-old Nemade hails from Jalgaon.
2. Bank of Baroda ties up with UAE Exchange for instant money transfer
i. Bank of Baroda, a leading Indian public sector bank, has tied up with UAE Exchange to offer an
instant cash transfer facility to NRI customers.
ii. UAE Exchange, a global remittance and foreign exchange company, serves over 7.9 million
customers worldwide and currently has over 750 branches across 32 countries.
iii. Following the agreement, customers can send money to their desired bank accounts in Bank of
Baroda in India, within minutes.
iv. Bank of Baroda has a network of more than 5,000 branches across Europe, US, Africa, Asia and
Australia and in financial centres like New York, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
3. Another strong tremor hits Nepal

i. A powerful tremor measuring 6.7 magnitude struck Nepal again, according to US Geological Survey
(USGS).
ii. The government has already declared emergency in affected areas and announced a relief
package of Rs.500 million.
iii. Tremors were also felt in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand.
4. FIU detects over Rs. 7,800 cr black money

i. Government detected a whopping over Rs 7,800 crore of illegal monies within the country and
abroad during 2013-14 as the elite Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) found all-time high cases of
suspicious transactions in the countrys economic channels.
ii. The agency also received a total of 87,79,082 Cash Transaction Reports (CTRs), 3,01,804
Counterfeit Currency Reports (CCRs) and 80,616 Non-Profit Organisation Transaction Reports
(NTRs).
iii. CTR is fund movement of the value of more than Rs. 10 lakh in one tranche or a series of
transactions internally connected to each other in either Indian currency or foreign in the countrys
banking or any other channel.
iv. A CCR pertains to an instance of usage of fake currency in any bank by an entity while NTRs
pertain to filing of dossiers by Non-Governmental and non-profit organisations with regard to their
economic operations.
5. Anil Kapoor conferred with Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2015

i. Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor conferred with prestigious Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award
2015.
ii. He was presented the award by noted historian and writer Babasaheb Purandare. Apart from Anil
Kapoor, veteran Marathi actor Dilip Prabhavalkar was also bestowed with the prestigious Master
Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2015.
iii. Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award was instituted in 1999 in memory of Dinanath Mangeshkar,
father of Lata Mangeshkar.
6. Ratan Tata picks up stake in Xiaomi
i. Iconic business leader Ratan Tata has acquired a stake in Chinese

handset maker Xiaomi, the first investment by any Indian in the smartphone maker.
ii. Mr. Tata, who retired as head of over $100 billion conglomerate in December 2012 and currently
serves as chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, has emerged as a major venture capital investor since his
retirement.
iii. He has already made personal investments in homegrown e-commerce players like Snapdeal,
Urban Ladder, Bluestone and Cardekho.com.
iv. In December last year, Xiaomi raised $1.1 billion, valuing the firm at $45 billion. Often touted as the
Apple of China, the company has grown to become a major competition to global giants like
Samsung and Apple.

1. Government to amend Child Labour Prohibition Act
i. The government plans to push through an amendment to the Child Labour Prohibition Act in the
current session of Parliament, which will allow children below the age of 14 to work in select family
enterprises if it doesn't hamper their education.
ii. The bill will retain the proposal of a complete ban on child labour in any organisation, big or small.
iii. Children between 14 and 18 years will not be allowed to work in hazardous industries. According to
the labour ministry official, this provision is in conformity with the ILO convention
iv. India has seen a sharp drop in the number of child labourers in the last decade, down to 4.3 million
from 12.6 million.
2. Capgemini acquires iGATE for $4 billion

i. Capgemini and iGATE have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Capgemini will
acquire iGATE for a cash consideration of $48 per share.
ii. the transaction will amount to $4 billion and is expected to be immediately accretive to Capgeminis
normalized Earnings Per Share (EPS)1.
iii. iGATE is US-listed IT services company headquartered in New Jersey.

iv. This transaction would lead to a group with an estimated combined revenue of 12.5 billion in
2015, an operating margin above 10 per cent and around 190,000 employees.
3. CJI refuses participation to choose NJAC

i. Chief Justice of India H L Dattu has refused to participate in a three-member panel for selecting two
eminent persons in the six-member National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).
ii. The five-judge constitution bench, headed by Justice J S Khehar,

which is hearing the issue of constitutional validity of the new law on appointment of judges to higher
judiciary, was told by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that Dattu has written to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi that he would not participate in the meeting of the panel till the matter is decided by
the apex court.
iii. The three-member panel comprises Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister and the Leader of
Opposition, who are authorised to select and appoint two eminent persons in the six-member NJAC
for appointment of judges to higher judiciary.
4. All MAT tax claims under DTAA to be settled in a month

i. Central Board of Direct Taxes will settle all minimum alternate tax (MAT) matters of FIIs coming
under the ambit of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements within a month of filing of claims.
ii. The move is aimed at quickly resolving the controversial tax issue
facing foreign portfolio investors.
iii. The Income Tax Department has sent notices in 68 cases to FIIs for payment of dues totalling Rs
602.83 crore towards Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT).
iv. Central Board of Direct Taxes said several FIIs, which have received income from transactions in
securities, claim such income as exempt from tax under the DTAAs signed between India and their
countries of residence.
5. Bharatiya Mahila Bank Wins The Asian Banker Achievement Award 2015
i. Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) has won The Asian Banker Achievement Award 2015.
ii. The award was presented to the BMB in the Technology Implementation category of Best
Outsourcing Project (New Bank).
iii. Usha Ananthasubramanian, Chairman and Managing Director of BMB received the award at a
function held in Hongkong as a part of The Asian Banker Summit 2015.
iv. BMB is Indias first all-women public sector bank and was formally launched on November 19,
2013. It's objective is to focus on the banking needs of the women and promote economic
empowerment.
6. DIPP notifies 49 per cent FDI in pension sector
i. The government has raised the limit of foreign direct investment in

pension sector to 49 per cent in line with the FDI cap in the insurance sector.
ii. In pursuance of the enactment of Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority Act, iv. 2013,
government has decided to permit FDI in the pension sector.
iii. The FDI cap in the sector has been hiked to 49 per cent and that includes foreign investment in the
forms of FPI, FII, QFI, FVCI, NRI and DR.
iv. All investments in the pension sector, however, will have to abide by the pension sector regulator
PFRDA.
7. BCCI to nominate Rohit Sharma for Arjuna award

i. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has nominated Rohit Sharma for the Arjuna award
for 2015. Rohit has had an excellent last year for India in international cricket.
ii. Since January 1, 2014, he has averaged 55.05 from 21 innings with 3 centuries and 5 fifties, with
the epic 264 his highest score.
iii. The decision to nominate Rohit was taken in the BCCI working committee meeting in Kolkata.

1. Maharashtra collaborates with Israel on Smart Cities
i. In a key stride in collaboration between the State and Israel, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra
Fadnavis and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai agreed to cooperate in building smart cities.
ii. Maharashtra has decided to create sustainable and friendly urban spaces that integrate the use of
technology, social media, community participation and e-governance to build smart cities of
Maharashtra like Nagpur, Mumbai, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik to a global standard.
iii. Mr. Fadnavis will attend an exhibition on agricultural technology, Agritech Israel 2015, and explore
areas of co-operation including in emergency preparations and crises management technologies.
iv. Agritech Israel 2015 is one of the world's most important exhibitions in the field of agricultural
technologies.
2. Haryana announces Rs 1,092 crore farmer compensation
i. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced compensation of Rs 1,092 crore to farmers
affected by inclement weather conditions, to be disbursed by May 15.
ii. Of the total amount, Rs 720 crore will be provided by the Centre while rest will be provided by the
state government.
iii. 3.17 lakh acres was hit with crop loss between 76 to 100 per cent, 1.92 lakh acres with crop loss
between 51 to 75 per cent and 8.24 lakh acres between 25 and 50 per cent.
3. Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari is New Yorks first Indian-American woman judge

i. Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari has been sworn-in as a criminal court judge in New York by Mayor Bill
de Blasio.
ii. She became the first India-born woman to be appointed a judge in New York City.
iii. Ms. Rajeswari, 43, who had migrated to the U.S. from Chennai as a teenager, previously worked
with the Richmond County District Attorneys Office for her entire career in several bureaus including
Criminal Court, Narcotics, Supreme Court, and the Sex Crimes Special Victims Bureau, where she
last served as Deputy Chief.
iv. Currently, there are two male judges of Indian descent in civil court settings Jaya Madhavan on
the New York City Housing Court in Bronx County, and Anil C. Singh of New York County Supreme
Court, 1st District.
4. TMC emerges clear winner in Bengal civic polls

i. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) party retained control of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)
apart from emerging the winner in 73 other municipal bodies in West Bengal.
ii. The TMC extended its tally in KMC from 93 seats in 2010 to 115 this year, out of a total of 144
seats.
iii. The BJP managed to secure only seven seats, trailing the Left Front, which claimed twice as many.
5. 5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Pakistan's Northwest

i. Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was hit by a 5.5 magnitude earthquake, with the epicenter
close to the border with Tajikistan.
ii. Tremors were also felt in other regions such as Malakand and Swat, leading to fears among locals
as it comes days after the devastating Nepal earthquake, that has killed over 4000.
iii. The depth of the earthquake was 144 kilometres, according to the meteorological department.
6. Corporation Bank, New India Assurance Company signs MoU on PMSBY

i. Corporation Bank and New India Assurance Company Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) for implementing Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana [PMSBY], central government`s
scheme to provide security against personal accidental risk and permanent or partial disability.
ii. Under PMSBY, Bank`s Aadhar-linked SB account holders will be eligible for coverage against
personal accidental risk, permanent/partial physical disability up to Rs 2 lakh. One has to pay a
nominal premium of Rs 12 plus service tax.
iii. New India Assurance Company Ltd will issue a master policy under group insurance scheme,
which is voluntary for the customers.
iv. The social security scheme is meant for all Aadhar linked SB account holders who are not covered
under any other social security scheme, whose age is in between 18 to 70 years can enroll in to the
scheme by paying a premium amount, a bank communique here states.

1. Cabinet clears anti corruption law
i. Bringing corruption into the heinous crime category, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved
official amendments to an anti-graft legislation enhancing the penalty under it to a maximum of seven
years imprisonment from the present five years.
ii. The proposed amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 provides for more stringent
punishment for the offences of bribery--both for the bribe giver and the bribe taker.
iii. The official amendments propose to confer the powers of attachment upon the trial Court (Special
Judge) instead of the District Court.
iv. The proposed amendments would fill in perceived gaps in the domestic anti-corruption law and
also help in meeting the country's obligations under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption
(UNCAC).
2. Union Cabinet approves Atal Mission for Rejuvenation

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved Central
Government spending of about one lakh crore on urban development under two new urban missions
over the next five years.
ii. The Cabinet has approved the Smart Cities Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and
Urban Transformation of 500 cities (AMRUT) with outlays of Rs.48,000 crore and Rs.50,000 crore
respectively.
iii. Under the Smart Cities Mission, each selected city would get central assistance of Rs.100 crore
per year for five years. Smart City aspirants will be selected through a City Challenge Competition'.
iv. Smart City Action Plans will be implemented by Special Purpose Vehicles(SPV) to be created for
each city and state governments will ensure steady stream of resources for SPVs.
3. Rs 1,000 minimum pension under EPS to continue
i. The Cabinet approved the continuation of Rs 1,000 minimum

monthly pension for pensioners under the Employees' Pension Scheme beyond the financial year
2014-15.
ii. The decision to continue with the pension on perpetual basis was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet
chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
iii. The Cabinet also approved corresponding grant of continuous annual budgetary support for
implementing the minimum pension, which will be to the tune of Rs 850 crore per year on a tapering
basis.
4. Flipkart acquires Appiterate

i. Online marketplace Flipkart has acquired Delhi-based mobile engagement and marketing
automation company Appiterate.
ii. Appiterate started as an A/B testing product for native mobile apps later on expanded into a fullfledged mobile marketing automation platform.
iii. Post the acquisition, Appiterate's mobile marketing automation platform will be integrated into
Flipkarts mobile app.
5. World Women Chess: Harika wins silver, bronze for Humpy

i. D Harika and Koneru Humpy came up with fine individual performances to win silver and a bronze
respectively.
ii. Indian eves finished fourth in the womens world team chess championship.
iii. China was beaten in the final round by Georgia, who finished the event with an impressive 17
points to clinch the gold medal. Georgia drew just one and won the remaining eight matches in this
round-robin contest.
6. Delhi government gives nod to farmer scheme named after Gajender Singh
i. The Delhi government today gave approval for the setting

up of a farmer compensation scheme to be named after Gajender Singh, who allegedly
committed suicide during an AAP rally on April 22.
ii. The government has also decided to give job to a member of Gajendra's family and
martyr status for him, as demanded by the farmer's kin.
iii. The decisions were taken during a Cabinet meeting today, chaired by Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal.
iv. Singh, a 41-year-old farmer from Rajasthan, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from
a tree during an AAP rally against the land ordinance.
7. ISRO successfully
capacity
tests
indigenous
cryogenic
engine
with
four-tonne
i. An indigenous cryogenic engine, that will help India put satellites of upto four tonnes in
geostationary orbit, was tested successfully at ISRO's propulsion complex at
Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.
ii. The powerful version of the cryogenic engine was successfully ground tested at the
Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
iii. The test was conducted for 635 seconds and it was successful, Vikram Sarabhai Space
Centre sources in Thiruvananthapuram.
iv. India has till now been dependent on foreign launch vehicles to send heavier satellites
to the required orbits.

1. Govt withdraws PDMA, RBI Bill provisions from Finance Bill
i. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley withdrew the clauses from the Finance Bill pertaining to setting up of
the proposed Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA) and the amendments to the Reserve Bank of
India Act.
ii. The government in consultation with the RBI will prepare a detailed roadmap separating the debt
management function and the market infrastructure from the RBI.
iii. The entire chapter on PDMA (Chapter VII) in the Finance Bill is being dropped, in addition to the
changes proposed in sections 45U and 45W of the RBI Act.
iv. Having an independent debt management office is also the best international practice in countries
like US and UK neither public debt is managed by central bank nor is regulation of GSec, Currency
and Derivative with the central bank.
2. India and Japan sign action plan for investment and trade promotion
i. India and Japan on Thursday signed an action agenda for boosting investment and trade.
ii. Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Japanese Minister

of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoichi Miyazawa signed the action agenda for India-Japan
investment and trade promotion and Asia-Pacific economic integration.
iii. The five agenda points included in the action agenda are:
1) Development of selected townships in India as Japanese industrial townships.
2) Promotion of investment and infrastructure development.
3) Further development and cooperation in information technology.
4) Enhancing cooperation in strategic sectors.
5) Asia-Pacific economic integration.
3. RBI fines 3 banks Rs 4.5cr
i. The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 crore each on Dena Bank, Bank of
Maharashtra and Oriental Bank of Commerce and cautioned eight other public sector banks following
its investigation into last year's fixed deposit fraud.
ii. The fixed deposit fraud involved the perpetrators forging fixed deposit certificates of large
organizations and misusing cash credit facilities against them.
iii. The fraud, which ran into several hundred crores, affected organizations such as Mumbai
Metropolitan Regional Development Authority, South Indian Education Society and Jawaharlal Nehru
Port Trust.
iv. The banks cautioned by the RBI are Central Bank of India, Bank of India, Punjab and Sind Bank,
Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India and Vijaya
Bank.
4. Mamata declares Nadia first 'open defecation-free' district in India

i. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared Nadia as the first Open Defecation Free
(ODF) district in the country.
ii. Thanking UNICEF and the World Bank for helping the district achieve this feat, Ms. Banerjee
declared April 30 as the Nirmal Bangla Diwas to be observed in the years to come.
iii. UNICEF India representative David Mcloughlin congratulated the people of the district for achieving
the goal.
5.
Parliament
Passes
Amendment
to
Regional
Rural
Banks
Bill
i. Rajya Sabha passed the Regional Rural Banks (Amendment) Bill, 2014. With this, the bill has been
passed by both houses of the Parliament. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on 18 December 2014.
ii. The Regional Rural Banks (Amendment) Bill, 2014 that seeks to amend the Regional Rural Banks
(RRB) Act, 1976 was introduced by the Union Minister of Finance, Arun Jaitley.
iii. It seeks to amend the RRB Act, 1976 which mainly provides for the incorporation, regulation and
winding
up
of
Regional
Rural
Banks
(RRBs).
iv. It removes the five year limit cap that was put on the sponsor banks to assist the upcoming RRBs
under the RRB Act, 1976. As per the Act, sponsor banks were liable to train personnel and provide
managerial and financial assistance for the first five years.
6. Pak court jails 10 men for 25 years over 2012 attack on Malala Yousafzai
i. A Pakistani court jailed 10 men for 25 years each on Thursday for involvement in the 2012 shooting
of teenage activist Malala Yousafzai, targeted for her campaign against Taliban efforts to deny girls
education.
ii. Malala was seriously wounded and airlifted to Britain for treatment, where she now lives.
iii. Since then, Malala has become a symbol of defiance in the fight against militants operating in
ethnic Pashtun areas in northwest Pakistan. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

Daily GK Update - 5th April 2015: K.N. Tripathi Sworn in As Governor of Mizoram

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Daily GK Update - 5th April 2015: K.N. Tripathi Sworn in As Governor of Mizoram

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Daily GK Update - 5th April 2015

K.N. Tripathi sworn in as Governor of Mizoram

Pedro Cateriano Bellido appointed as Prime Minister of Peru

About Pedro Cateriano Bellido

FM Global released Global Resilience Index 2015 Report

Indias position in the Index

Daily GK Update - 8th April 2015

3. Narendra Modi announces compensation for farmers

5. Mayilsamy Annadurai appointed as Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC)

i. Mayilsamy Annadurai is appointed as Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bengaluru.

Daily GK Update - 12th April 2015

Some of key agreements signed are

4. Yuki Bhambri wins $15,000 ITF Futures tournament title

About ITF Futures tournament title

These tournaments are organized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

6. Bharat Hari Singhania became the president of JK Organization

About Bharat Hari Singhania

He is an industrialist with over forty-four years of experience in managing various industries

He is also the chancellor of JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur.

It functions under the aegis of Union Ministry of MSME.

Daily GK Update - 13th April 2015

2. Larsen & Toubro inks MoU with AREVA

i. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced signing a memorandum of

4. Gujarat government launches industrial tourism to showcase development

5. German Nobel laureate Guenter Grass dies at age 87

i. Guenter Grass, the Nobel-winning German writer who gave voice

Daily GK Update - 14th April 2015

i. Following popular outrage against net neutrality violations to

2. FM transmission of Vividh Bharati launched

3. Indias GDP growth rate to reach 8% by 2017: World Bank

ii. In India, GDP growth is expected to accelerate to 7.5 per cent in

4. FDI in services sector up 47 per cent during April-January

5. Retail inflation drops to 3-month low of 5.17% in March

i. Easing of food prices, mainly milk and vegetables, pulled down

ii. The governments decision was announced on Monday by

Daily GK Update - 16th April 2015

2. RBI allows differential interest rate on deposits

3. Agni-III missile test-fired successfully by SFC

i. India on Thursday successfully test-fired nuclear

4. Janata Parivar announces merger

6. Asia Cup 2016 to be played in T20 format

7. Sachin Tendulkar elected as member of Laureus Sports Academy

Daily GK Updates - 17th April 2015

2. India to grow at 7.5 % in 2015: Moodys

3. Obama to honour Satya Nadella with 'Champion of Change' award

ii. Before being named CEO in February 2014, 47-year-old Nadella

4. RIL Reclaims Tag of Most Profitable Indian Firm

5. UN Peace Envoy Jamal Benomar Resigns

i. United Nation (UN) peace envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar has

6. Pakistan, Russia to hold first-ever joint military exercises

7. Mohan Kumar appointed as new Indian Ambassador to France

Daily GK Update - 18th April 2015

2. Vishal Sikka appointed as University Advisory Professor at ECNU

i. The East China Normal University (ECNU), one of the prestigious

3. SEBI bars 129 entities, suspects money laundering

4. Two Indians named 2015 Yale World Fellows in US

Daily GK Updates - 20th April 2015

ICICI launches NFC-enabled payment service Tap-n-Pay

Navy launches stealth destroyer INS Visakhapatnam

i. The Indian Navy launched Visakhapatnam, the first of

BHEL commissions 250-MW thermal unit in Jamnagar

Kerala launches project to help people overcome substance