1 April 2015 Current AffairsAahar Scheme Launched In
OdishaOdisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched his governments
much-hyped subsidised Aahar scheme on the occasion of the States
Foundation Day on 1 April. The scheme was launched in Bhubaneswar,
Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela in the first phase. The
Chief Minister launched the scheme in two towns first at the
Capital Hospital premises in Bhubaneswar followed by Government
Hospital in Rourkela.
Gulshan Rai Takes Charge As Indias First Cyber Security
ChiefGulshan Rai, the Director General of Indian Computer Emergency
Response Team (Cert-In), on 1 April took charge as Indias first
cyber security chief under the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) as
Special Secretary for cyber security. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
in March 2015 had created this new post in PMO and had appointed
Rai as its head.
Andhra Pradesh Govt Approves Amaravathi as new State CapitalThe
Andhra Pradesh Government on 1 April approved Amaravathi town, the
ancient seat of power of Satavahana rulers, as its new capital
coming up in the Vijayawada-Guntur region, which is also known for
its historical and spiritual significance.
Worlds Oldest Person Misao Okawa DiedMisao Okawa, a Japanese
woman who was recognized by Guinness World Records as the worlds
oldest person, died on 1 April . She was 117. Okawa was born in a
kimono shop on March 5, 1898. She was awarded the Guinness World
Records title of oldest living person as well as the oldest living
woman on 27 February 2013, a few days before her 115th
birthday.
Renowned Hindi Poet Kailash Vajpeyi DiedRenowned Hindi poet
Kailash Vajpeyi was died on 1 April in New Delhi. He was 79.
Kailash Vajpeyi was born in 1936 at Hamirpur of Uttar Pradesh and
began his career as a journalist and subsequently started teaching
at Delhi University. Vajpeyi was awarded with Sahitya Akademi award
in 2009 for his work Hawa mein hastakshar (Signature in the air).
He also received the Vachaspati title from Lucknow University. Born
in 1936 at Hamirpur of Uttar Pradesh, he has published over 28
books, including 14 volumes of poetry. His works include renowned
titles such as Sufinama, Sankrant apart from essays that also have
been translated in English, Spanish and German.
2 April 2015 Current AffairsIndian-Origin Nurse To Be Honoured
In SingaporeDr Subadhra Devi Rai, a nurse and a senior lecturer at
the School of Health Sciences (Nursing) at Nanyang Polytechnic in
Singapore, was named for the 2015 International Achievement Award
by the Florence Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF) of the
International Council of Nurses.Rai was selected as the recipient
of the award for her outstanding work in the health of women and
refugees.
Tata Steel Won Prime Ministers Trophy For 8th TimeTata Steel was
conferred with the Prime Ministers Trophy on 2 April at Rourkela
for being the Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant in the country
during the performance year 2010 2011. In recognition of the
Companys outstanding performance, the Prime Ministers Trophy was
presented by the Honble Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to
T V Narendran, Managing Director, India & South East Asia, Tata
Steel. The Company was adjudged as the best steel plant for the
eighth time since this trophy was instituted in 1992-93.
McCullum Received Sir Richard Hadlee MedalNew Zealand captain
Brendon McCullum has been named the winner of the Sir Richard
Hadlee Medal for 2014-15. McCullum won the award for his remarkable
performance both as a player and the captain during the 2014-15
season. The highest cricketing honour of New Zealand was presented
to him during the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) Awards presentation
ceremony held in New Zealands capital Auckland.3 April 2015 Current
AffairsPresident Pranab Mukherjee Gives Assent To Re-promulgation
Of Land OrdinancePresident Pranab Mukherjee on 3 April gave his
assent to re-promulgate the Land Acquisition Ordinance as per
Article 123 of Constitution. On March 31, the Union Cabinet had
made a recommendation to the President in this regard as the
government failed to convert the ordinance into legislation due to
stiff opposition in Rajya Sabha.The new ordinance, which is the
11th by the Narendra Modi government, includes nine amendments that
were part of the bill passed in Lok Sabha last month.
Captain Anoop Kumar Sharma Takes Over As CEO of Essar
ShippingCaptain Anoop Kumar Sharma has taken over as whole-time
director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Essar Shipping Ltd
(ESL). He replaced Ramakrishnan A. R. who had retired from service
on 31 March 2015. Sharma has been associated with ESL since August
2008.
Muslim Girl Mariyam Asif Siddiqui Won Bhagwad Gita
ContestMariyam Asif Siddiqui, a 12-year-old Muslim girl won the
first place in a Bhagwad Gita competition organised by the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Siddiqui
who studies in Class 6 of Cosmopolitan High School at Mira Road
near Mumbai won the contest from among 4500 students of 195
schools.4 April 2015 Current AffairsIndia Ranks 119 On 2015 FM
Global Resilience IndexIndia has been ranked a low 119 out of 130
countries on an index that measures business resilience of nations
based on economic, risk quality and supply chain factors, dropping
seven notches from last year, reports PTI from New York. The 2015
FM Global Resilience Index has been topped by Norway for being the
country best suited for companies seeking to avoid disruptions in
their global supply chain operations.
Union Government Extends National Food Security Act deadline By
6 MonthsUnion Government again has extended rolling out deadline
for National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 by six months. The
deadline, which has already been extended twice for implementing
the food law, was ending on April 4. The extension will help
remaining states adopt and implement the law within next six
months. Only 11 states and Union Territories have so far
implemented the National Food Security Act which was passed by
Parliament in September 2013. The rest 25 states/UTs have not
implemented it yet.
K.N. Tripathi Sworn In as Governor of MizoramWest Bengal and
Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi took additional charge of
Mizoram. He was sworn in as 16th Governor of Mizoram on 4 April
2015. Justice Michael Zothankhuma of the Gauhati High Court
administered oath of office to him at Raj Bhavan in Aizawal.
Tripathi was given additional charge of Mizoram after Union
Government had sacked then Governor Aziz Qureshi.
Minor Planet Named As 4538 Vishyanand After Indian Chess Legend
Viswanathan AnandIndias first chess grandmaster, Vishwanathan Anand
has been granted the honor of having a minor planet named after
him. With this privilege, Anand joins former world chess champions
Alexander Alekhine and Anatoly Karpov who have had a similar honour
bestowed on them.The minor planet, now known as Vishyanand, was
previously identified as planet 4538 and is located somewhere
between the planets of Mars and Jupiter. Minor planet 4538
Vishyanand was discovered on 10 October 1988 by Japanese
astronormer Kenzo Suzuki. Initially, the planet was unnamed for
almost 10 years.5 April 2015 Current AffairsNovak Djokovic and
Serena Williams Won The 2015 Miami Open Singles TitlesSerbian ace
tennis player Novak Djokovic and American ace tennis player Serena
Williams won the 2015 Miami Open Mens and womens singles titles of
the respectively at Crandon Park Tennis Center in Miami, Florida.
In the Mens Singles final matchDjokovic defeated Britains Andy
Murray by 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-0 score. This was Djokovics fifth Miami
Open trophy. Serene Williams defeated the twelfth seed Suarez
Navarro of Spain 6-2, 6-0 to secure the title for eighth time. With
this win, Williams has won 66 singles titles, one behind Billie
Jean King of the US.
Chen Long and Carolina Marin Won Malaysia Open TitlesChinas Chen
Long and Spains Carolina Marin clinched the mens and womens singles
titles, respectively, in the $500,000 Malaysia Open Super series
Premier badminton tournament at the Putra Stadium in Kuala Lumpur
on 5 April.
Sania Mirza and Martina Hignis Won Miami Open Womens Doubles
TitleIndias Sania Mirza and Switzerlands Martina Hingis pair has
won 2015 Miami Open Womens doubles Title. In the title clash played
in Miami, Florida, the duo defeated the Russian pair of Elena
Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova by 75, 61 score. This was second
consecutive team title for the Indo-Swiss pair. Earlier on 21 March
2015, Mirza and Hingis had won the Indian Wells Open.6 April 2015
Current AffairsPM Narendra Modi Launched National Air Quality
IndexPrime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 April launched the National
Air Quality Index (AQI) for monitoring the quality of air in major
urban centres across the country on a real-time basis and enhancing
public awareness for taking mitigative action. As part of the
endeavour, the Union Environment Ministry proposes to extend the
measurement of air quality to 22 state capitals and 44 other cities
with a population exceeding one million. The AQI has been at
present launched for 10 cities Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow,
Varanasi, Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
It will have one number, one colour and one description to inform
the public about air quality in a simple and easily understandable
format.
Rajeev Shukla Appointed as Chairman of IPL Governing
CouncilFormer Union minister and Congress leader Rajeev Shukla was
re-appointed as the chairman of the Indian Premier Leagues (IPL)
Governing Council by the Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI).Former Union Minister and Congress leader Shukla was the IPL
chairman till 2013 when he resigned from the post in the aftermath
of the IPL spot-fixing scandal.
Arab poet Adonis Selected For 2015 Kumaran Asan World Prize For
PoetryParis- based Syrian-Lebanese Arab poet Adonis has been chosen
for 2015 Kumaran Asan World Prize for poetry, instituted by the
Kumaran Asan Memorial Association to honour poets of international
stature and introduce them to Indian readers. Adonis, author of
more than twenty volumes of poetry in Arabic and widely translated
into almost all languages is a perennial contender for the Nobel
Prize for many years. Born Ali Ahmad Said Esber in Western Syria in
1930, he was imprisoned for a while because of his secular and
nationalistic positions.7 April 2015 Current AffairsGujarat Won
Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 TrophyGujarat won the 2014-15 Syed Mushtaq Ali
T20 Trophy played at the KIIT Cricket Stadium, Bhubaneshwar. In the
final clash, Gujarat defeated Punjab by two wickets.
RBIs First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2015-16Governor
Raghuram Rajan-led Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its first
bi-monthly monetary policy review has decided to keep the repo rate
and cash reserve ratio unchanged.Following are the highlights of
RBIs first bi-monthly monetary policy statement 2015-16 :-*
Short-term lending rate (Repo) unchanged at 7.5%.* Cash Reserve
Ratio (CRR) unchanged at 4%.* Statutory Liquidity Ratio unchanged
at 21.5%* Estimates GDP growth at 7.8% in FY16, up from 7.5% in
FY15 .* Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation forecasted at
5.8% by March 2016* 100% CPI inflation to dip to 4% in August
2015.* Hailstorms in March affected 17% of the rabi crop sown area
.* Future rate cuts will depend on interest rate reduction by
banks.* India better prepared to deal with volatility post US
Federal Reserve rate action.* State cooperative banks to be allowed
to set up off-site/ mobile ATMs without prior approval from RBI.*
RBI to formulate scheme for market making by primary dealers in
semi-liquid and illiquid G-Secs.
Union Cabinet Approved Amendments To Real Estate BillAmendments
to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013, were
approved by the Union Cabinet on 7 April. The Bill is pending in
the Rajya Sabha. The Bill paves the way for the creation of a
regulator to protect home buyer interests as well as ensure
accountability and transparency. With the amendments the provisions
of the Bill are also applicable to commercial real estate.
World Health Day 2015 Observed Across The WorldWorld Health Day
2015 was observed across the world on 7 April 2015. The day
provides an opportunity for individuals to get involved in
activities that can lead to better health. The theme for World
Health Day 2014 is From farm to plate, make food safe. The theme
was selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to bring focus
on growing global burden of food borne diseases and underscore the
need for coordinated cross-border action across the entire food
supply chain i.e. from farm to plate. First World Health Day was
celebrated on 7 April 1950 and marks the anniversary of the WHO in
1948. In 2013, the theme of the World Health Day was Control your
blood pressure.8 April 2015 Current AffairsPrime Minister Narendra
Modi Launched MUDRA BankPrime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 April
launched the Micro Units Development Re-finance Agency (MUDRA) Bank
in New Delhi. MUDRA Bank will primarily serve the financial needs
of small entrepreneurs and will also act as a regulator for
Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs). It is being set up through a
statutory enactment and will be responsible for developing and
refinancing through the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, which was also
launched on this occasion. MUDRA Bank has a corpus of Rs 20,000
crore and a credit guarantee corpus of Rs 3,000 crore. Initially it
will work as part of the Small Industries Development Bank of India
(SIDBI).
Sri Lankas Kumar Sangakkara Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year
For 2014Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara has been named the
cricketer of the year in the 2015 Wisden Cricketers Almanack.
Sangakkara joined Indias Virender Sehwag as the only two players to
be named as Wisdens Leading Cricketer in the World for a second
occasion. Sangakkara won the award after a stellar 2014 that saw
him score an all-time record 2,868 international runs in the
calendar year, including a triple century. His feats, which added
to an already brilliant career, included a man-of-the-match
performance in Sri Lankas World Twenty20 final win over India in
2014.
BVR Mohan Reddy Elected As new Chairman of NASSCOM For
2015-16National Association of Software and Services Companies
(NASSCOM) on 8 April announced that the Executive Council has
elected BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder and Executive Chairman, Cyient
Ltd. (formerly Infotech Enterprises) as the Chairman of NASSCOM for
2015-16. He succeeds R Chandrasekaran, Executive Vice Chairman of
Cognizant India, who served as Chairman of NASSCOM for the year
2014-15. The Executive Council also announced the election of CP
Gurnani, CEO and MD of Tech Mahindra as the Vice Chairman of
NASSCOM for 2015-16.
Sumit Mazumder Elected As new President of CII for Year
2015-16Sumit Mazumder has been elected president of Confederation
of Indian Industry (CII) for the year 2015-16. He is the Chairman
and Managing Director of the TIL Limited, Indias largest
manufacturer of material handling equipment. He will succeed Ajay
Shriram, Chairman of DCM Shriram Consolidated Ltd.9 April 2015
Current AffairsLegendary Tamil writer D Jayakanthan DiedLegendary
Tamil writer D Jayakanthan, who charted a new course in Tamil
literature with his bold and progressive works, died in Chennai,
Tamil Nadu. He was 81. Jayakanthan was famously known as JK among
novelists and literary enthusiasts. Apart from being novelist, he
was also journalist, essayist, pamphleteer, filmmaker and critic.
He has written around 40 novels and 200 short stories and used his
pen effectively against social injustices and economic inequality.
He was also associated with undivided Communist Party of India
(CPI). He was founder of the Indo-Russian Cultural and Friendship
Society. His popular novel, Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal, which
was later made into a film, won him the Sahitya Akademi Award in
1972. He was also a recipient of the Jnanpith Award in 2002.
Nuclear-Capable Dhanush Missile Successfully Test FiredIndia on
9 April successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Dhanush
ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km from a naval ship
off the Odisha coast. The surface-to-surface Dhanush, a naval
variant of Indias indigenously-developed Prithvi missile, was test
fired from a ship in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast by the
Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence force.The
single-stage, liquid-propelled Dhanush having 350 km range has
already been inducted into the armed forces and is one of the five
missiles developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme
(IGMDP. Dhanush missile is capable of carrying conventional as well
as nuclear payload of 500 kg and hit both land and sea- based
targets.The previous trial was successfully conducted on 14
November 2014.
Former Air Chief Marshal of IAF Hrushikesh Moolgavkar DiedFormer
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal (retired) Hrushikesh
Moolgavkar was died in Pune on 9 April. He was 95. Moolgavkar had
been a recipient of the prestigious Param Vishisht Seva medal and
Mahaveer Chakra. Moolgavkar had the honour of leading the fly-past
on Indias first Independence Day on 15 August 1947, and also on
Republic Day on 26 January 1951. He had led the fly-past as a
Squadron Leader. Selected and commissioned as a Pilot Officer in
Royal Indian Air Force on 30 November 1940, he was appointed as the
Chief of Air Staff on 1 February 1976.His major achievement as
Chief of Air Staff was implementation of new measures that brought
down the accident rates. After serving IAF for 38 years, he retired
on 31 August 1978.10 April 2015 Current AffairsIndia and France
Signed 17 AgreementsIndia and France signed 17 agreement and made
three announcements during Prime Minister Narendra Modis first
visit to the country on 10 April. These included deals on Rafale
fighter jets, Jaitapur nuclear reactor, renewable sources of
energy, railways, smart city and several others.
Arun Kumar Jha Appointed CEO of Khadi and Village Industries
CommissionArun Kumar Jha was on 10 April appointed as Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC), Mumbai. Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has
appointed him to the post of CEO (Joint Secretary level post) in
order to balance period of his overall 5 year tenure up to
September 2016. Arun Kumar Jha, a 1985-batch officer of Indian
Economics Service, is presently working as Director General,
National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business
Development (NIESBUD) under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises.
Former Australian Cricket Captain Richie Benaud DiedFormer
Australia cricket captain and renowned commentator Richie Benaud
has died on 10 April. He was 84. In his Test cricket career, he had
played 63 matches. His debut match was against West Indies in 1952.
He had made 2201 runs and had taken 248 wickets. In 1958, he was
appointed captain of Australian Test Team. He had led the team in
28 Test matches. He had scored 23 centuries in first class cricket.
After retiring from cricket he pursued his career in journalism and
broadcasting. In 1960, he made first radio cricket commentary for
BBC in Britain. His last commentary was in 2005 Ashes series.11
April 2015 Current AffairsApurvi Chandela Won Bronze In ISSF Rifle
and Pistol World CupCommonwealth Games gold medal winning Indian
shooter Apurvi Chandela won Bronze medal in the 10-metre air rifle
event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Rifle
and Pistol World Cup on 11 April in Changwon, South Korea. She won
the bronze after she shot score of 185.6 in the qualifying fifth
final round. With this win, Apurvi Chandela has qualified for the
2016 Olympics, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is
the second Indian shooter to bag an Olympic quota place after
Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medallist Jitu Rai.
Seoul Succeeds In WWFs Earth Hour City Challenge 2015Seoul city,
the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea, was awarded the
title of Global Earth hour Capital 2015 after it won the Earth Hour
City Challenge (EHCC) of World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Total 163
cities from 16 countries participated. The city of Balikpapan,
Indonesia was recognized as the Most Loveable City for 2015 and
Thane city was named as the National Earth Hour Capital 2015 of
India.
India Designated As Chair To The Ninth Meeting of IRENA in Abu
DhabiIndia has been designated as Chair to the Ninth Meeting of
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Council which is
scheduled to be held on 10-11 June 2015 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates (UAE).India will chair the meeting of the 21 member
council, which will guide the agencys future programmes and
activities and helps set the agenda for the meeting of the annual
Assembly to be held in January 2016.12 April 2015 Current
AffairsNew Zealand Won Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey TournamentNew
Zealand won the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament title for the
second time on 12 April. In the final match, New Zealand defeated
World Champions Australia by 3-1 goals in the penalty shoot-out.
India won the bronze i.e. finished third by defeating South Korea
by 4-1 goals in the penalty shoot-out after both the teams were
tied at 2-2 at regulation time.
Retired Lieutenant General Hanut Singh DiedLieutenant General
Hanut Singh (retd), the recipient of the Mahavir Chakra and hero of
1971 Indo-Pak war, was died in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. He was 82. He
commanded the 17 Horse, or the Poona Horse regiment in the 1971
Indo-Pak war. He was honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal
(PVSM) and the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). He retired from the Army in
1991. Lt. Gen. Singh, who was a cousin of former union minister
Jaswant Singh, was born in the year 1933 in Jasol in Rajasthans
Barmer district.
Sania Mirza Is First Indian To Be World No.1 In Womens
DoublesSania Mirza created history on 12 April when she became the
first female tennis player from India to achieve the world number
one rank in doubles. She achieved this feat after winning WTA
Family Circle Cup along with her Swedish partner Martina Hingis.
With this win Sania scored 470 points, making her tally to 7965 and
surpassing Italys Sara Errani (7640) and Roberta Vinci (7640) to
the number one rank in the ranking table.
Lewis Hamilton Won The Chinese Formula One Grand PrixLewis
Hamilton of Mercedes team won the Chinese Formula One (F1) Grand
Prix on 12 April. With this win, reigning world champion Hamilton
took his second victory of the season and his fourth at Chinese
GP.13 April 2015 Current AffairsBHEL commissions 600-MW Thermal
Unit In ChhattisgarhBharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on 13
April commissioned 600 MW unit of a thermal power project for the
Dainik Bhaskar Power Limited (DBPL) at Dhabra in Janjgir Champa
district of Chhattisgarh. This is the second unit of this power
project commissioned by BHEL the first 600 MW was commissioned in
2014. With the total installed capacity of 11,400 MW the share of
BHEL stands at 68 per cent of the total installed capacity in
state.
Nobel Laureate German Novelist Gunter Grass DiedThe
Nobel-winning legendary German writer Gunter Grass passed away on
13 April 2015 at the age of 87 years. He was born on 16 October
1927 in the Free City of Danzig (now Polands Gdansk). His writings
mainly focused on the Nazi era, the horrors of the war and the
destruction and guilt that remained after defeat of Germany. He was
best known for his first novel The Tin Drum that was published in
1959. The book was a key text in European magic realism and was
adapted as a film of the same name, which won both the 1979 Palme
dOr and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He served
in the German military during World War II and was jailed between
1945 and 1946. He was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal
Society of Literature in 1993. In 1999, he was awarded Nobel Prize
for literature for his efforts to revive German literature after
the Nazi era. Hermann Kesten Prize (1995). He was elected an
Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1993.
Haryana Grants Ramdev Cabinet Minister StatusThe Haryana
government on 13 April decided to give status equivalent to Cabinet
Minister to yoga guru Ramdev, who has been appointed as the states
brand ambassador to promote yoga and ayurveda in January 2015.
National Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2014 NotifiedThe
National Judicial Appointments Commission(NJAC)Bill, 2014 and 99
Amendment Act,2014 come into force as were proposed to come into
force on date at which Central Government would notify them in the
Official Gazette and finally it has been notified on 13 April . The
National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, 2014 will replace
traditional old methond of collegium system of appointing judges of
Supreme Court and high courts as now decision regarding appointment
of judges of High courts and Supreme Court will be taken by NJAC.14
April 2015 Current AffairsAllan Donald Resigned As Bowling Coach Of
South AfricaFormer South African cricketer Allan Donald on 14 April
2015 resigned as the bowling coach of South Africa Cricket team.
The resignation coincided with the end of his four year tenure.
Donald was appointed in June 2011 as part of Gary Kirstens
management team and continued in the role under Russell Domingo
from August 2013.
MHA renames Visa On Arrival Scheme To E-Tourist VisaUnion
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 14 April decided to rename
Tourist Visa on Arrival-Electronic Travel Authorization (TVoA-ETA)
scheme as e-Tourist Visa (eTV) scheme. The renamed scheme will come
into effect from 15 April 2105. Government of India had launched
Tourist Visa on Arrival enabled by Electronic Travel Authorization
(TVoA-ETA) on 27th November, 2014 to 44 countries at nine airports
to facilitate short duration international travellers. Since the
launch of the scheme, one lakh ten thousand (1,10,000) Visas have
been issued by Government under this scheme.
Arun Jaitley Inaugurates Vividh Bharti FM service In DelhiUnion
Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley on 14 April
inaugurated FM service of Vividh Bharti from Delhi at the All India
Radio (AIR), New Broadcasting House. With this launch, the services
of Vividh Bharati of AIR will be available to listeners in and
around Delhi. The service will also be available on mobile
phones.
India Tops Global Remittances List With $70 BillionAccording to
World Banks Report on Remittance, India has topped the list of
global remittances in 2014, with migrant Indians sending $70
billion back to the country. Indias largest neighbour China
received $64 billion in inward remittances during the same year.
Saudia Arabia, the US, Germany, Russia and the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) continue to remain the top five migrant destination countries
for remittances to India. China, Philippines, Mexico and Nigeria,
apart from India, are the top five remittance recipient countries,
in terms of value of remittances. Total remittances in 2014 reached
USD 583 billion. This is more than double the official development
assistance (ODA) in the world. India received USD 70 billion, China
USD 64 billion, the Philippines USD 28 billion. However, the
increase was negligible, since the remittances stood at $ 69.97
billion in 2013.15 April 2015 Current AffairsDjokovic Named Laureus
World Sportsman Of The YearThe Laureus World Sports Awards for the
year 2015 were given in seven categories on 15 April at Shanghai in
China. Tennis star Novak Djokovic was named Laureus World Sportsman
of the Year for the second time. Djokovic was first bestowed the
honour in 2011 following his first Wimbledon title, and has again
collected the top gong after beating Roger Federer to his second
last July. World indoor champion Genzebe Dibaba was named
sportswoman of the year. The middle-distance runner became the
first sportsperson from Ethiopia to win an award in any category at
the prestigious event, which began in 2000. Dibaba was rewarded for
her 2014 season in which she set world indoor records for 1500m and
3000m as well as a world indoor best for two miles.The full list of
winners is:-*Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Novak Djokovic
(Serbia) Tennis*Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Genzebe
Dibaba (Ethiopia) Athletics*Laureus World Team of the Year- Germany
(mens) Football*Laureus World BreakThrough of The Year Daniel
Ricciardo (Australia) Formula One*Laureus World Comeback of the
Year- Schalk Burger (South Africa) Rugby Union*Laureus World
Sportsperson of TheYear With a Disability Tatyana McFadden (US)
Wheelchair racing/cross-country skiing*Laureus World Action
Sportsperson of The Year Alan Eustance (US) Skydiving
Dr. Mohan Kumar Appointed as new Ambassador To FranceDr. Mohan
Kumar, presently Ambassador of India to Bahrain, was appointed as
the next Ambassador of India to France. He is a 1981-batch Indian
Foreign Service (IFS) officer. He will succeed Arun Kumar who was
appointed Ambassador to the United States.
Justice Meenakshi Becomes First Woman Judge of Sikkim High
CourtMeenakshi Madan Rai was sworn in as the first lady judge of
the Sikkim High Court on 15 April. Governor of Sikkim Srinivas
Patil administered the oath of office to her at Raj Bhavan in
Gangtok. After taking oath of office, she took charge as judge.
Canada To Supply Uranium For Indias Nuclear Plants For Next 5
YearsCanada has agreed to supply 3,000 metric tonnes of uranium to
India under a $254 million five-year deal to power Indian atomic
reactors. The $350-million uranium agreement, which was signed by
Cameco and the Atomic Energy Commission of India in the presence of
Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Stephen Harper, marked a new
chapter in Indias ties with Canada, which had imposed sanctions on
India after its nuclear tests.16 April 2015 Current AffairsIndia
Successfully Test Fires Nuclear Capable Agni III Ballistic
MissileIndia on 16 April successfully test fired its
nuclear-capable Agni-III ballistic missile with a strike range of
more than 3,000 km from Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. The
test-fire was conducted from a mobile launcher by the Strategic
Force Command (SFC) with the logistic support from the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Agni-III missile
is powered by a two-stage solid propellant system. With a length of
17 metres, the missiles diameter is 2 metres and launch weight is
around 50 tonnes.
Former Nepal PM Surya Bahadur Thapa DiedFormer Nepal Prime
Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa was died in Gurgaon, Haryana. He was
87. Bahadur Thapa started his political career by executing
underground student movement in 1950. In 1958, he was elected to
the Assembly and became Chairman of the Advisory Council. In 1959,
he was elected to the Upper House. He served as Prime Minister of
Nepal for five times. He worked under three different kings and his
terms were in 1963-64, 196569, 197983, 199798 and 2003-04. He had
been the first Prime Minister of the Panchayat System.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella To Be Honored with Champion of
ChangeAwardUS President Barack Obama plans to honor Microsofts
Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella with the Champions of Change award
for bringing about change within his company to support working
families.
Susanta Lahiri Awarded Hevesy Medal Award 2015Professor Susanta
Lahiri, Chemical Sciences Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear
Physics, Kolkata, received the Hevesy Medal Award 2015 at the Tenth
International Conference on Methods and Applications of
Radio-analytical Chemistry for his outstanding contributions to
heavy ion induced radioisotope production, tracer packet technique,
converter targets, and green chemistry.17 April 2015 Current
AffairsIndia Ranks 125th In the World For Fixed Broadband
PenetrationAccording to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) report, India ranks 125th in the world for fixed broadband
penetration. Some of our neighbours like Bhutan and Sri Lanka are
ahead of us. In the wireless or mobile broadband segment, India is
ranked at 113th with a penetration of 3.2 per 100 inhabitants. The
regulator also suggested the need to revamp government bodies
involved in decision making that impact spread of broadband
including that of Wireless Planning Commission (WPC) custodian of
spectrum at Department of Telecom.
Vankadarath Saritha Joined As First Woman Bus Driver of the
DTCVankadarath Saritha on 17 April joined as the first woman bus
driver of the Delhi Transport Corporation. She is a 30-year-old
driver from Nalgonda in Telangana. She has been posted in day-time
duty at the Sarojini Nagar depot.
Former Czech Republic Prime Minister Stanislav Gross DiedFormer
Czech Republic Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has died at the age
of 45. He was the youngest Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
from 2004 to 2005 at the age of 34.
World Hemophilia Day was Observed Across The WorldWorld
Hemophilia Day was observed on 17 April 2015 across the world. The
day is observed to advocate for the global efforts to ensure
appropriate care and treatment of diseases, which are the oldest
known genetic bleeding disorders caused by Genetic Deficiency. 17
April is observed as the World Hemophilia Day every year across the
world. Hemophilia generally is a blood disorder that effects a huge
population across the world. The disease is generally transmitted
to the daughter from his father at the time of birth, who further
becomes the carrier of hemophilia cells of the defected gene to her
children. This is a non-curable disease but can be handled, if
treated finely. World Hemophilia Day aims to increase awareness of
this disease and other bleeding disorders as well as where we have
been, where we want to go, and that together, we can close the gap
in care. Hemophilia B is the second most common kind of bleeding
disorder, also termed as factor IX deficiency.18 April 2015 Current
AffairsWorld Heritage Day was Observed On 18 April 2015The world on
18 April 2015 celebrated the World Heritage Day to celebrate the
International Day for Monuments and Sites. The 2015 World Heritage
Day also marked 50th anniversary of ICOMOS. 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. World Heritage Day or the International Day for
Monuments and Sites is observed with an aim to encourage local
communities and individuals throughout the world to consider the
importance of cultural heritage in their lives, identities and
communities. It is also aimed to promote awareness of its diversity
and vulnerability and the efforts required to protect and conserve
it. The day generally is celebrated across the world by organizing
several events like exhibitions, excursions, scientific conferences
and symposia, photography competitions, excursions and others.
Indian Economy To Grow at 7.5 Percent In 2015Global Rating
Agency Moodys forecasted that Indian economy will grow at 7.5
percent in 2015. This growth rate is marginally higher compared
with 7.2 percent in 2014. As per the report, Indias economy is on a
cyclical upswing and forward-looking indicators suggest domestic
demand is gathering momentum.
Shah Rukh Khan Won Asian Award In LondonBollywood superstar Shah
Rukh Khan won an Outstanding Contribution to Cinema honour in
London at the fifth annual The Asian Awards, where he was seen
partying with the likes of One Directions former band member Zayn
Malik. The Asian Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of
individuals born in or with direct origin from across pan-Asia in
all disciplines of life from business and the arts, to sport and
public service. Previous winners in the cinema category include,
Irrfan Khan, Anupam Kher and Yash Chopra.19 April 2015 Current
AffairsNasim Zaidi Takes over as new CECNasim Zaidi has assumed
charge as the 20th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on 19 April.
He succeeds HS Bramha. A 1975-batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh
cadre, Brahma , who hails from Assam, was elevated as the 19th
Chief Election Commissioner in January 2015 and had a stint of a
little over three months. Zaidi has earlier served as Election
Commissioner since July 2012. Before joining the Election
Commission, Zaidi had served the nation as a long time civil
servant of the Indian Administration Service (1976- Batch).
Kerala Govt Launched Subodham Project To End Liquor AbuseKerala
government has launched a major campaign Subodham, in a bid to wean
people away from addiction to liquor. Liquor consumption has
alarmingly increased in Kerala over the years and has spread to all
sections of the society. The Subodham is supported by the UNICEF,
as well as, several religious leaders, non-governmental
organisations and other stake holders. It is the first step towards
Punarjani 2030 Project an initiative of Kerala government to
completely eradicate the menace of substance abuse in the state.
Besides, the government has also decided to introduce anti-drug and
alcohol awareness content in the curriculum from the next academic
year.
Lewis Hamilton Won The Bahrain Formula 1 Grand PrixFormula One
world champion Lewis Hamilton, representing Mercedes, won the
Bahrain Grand Prix for the second year in a row on 19 April.
Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) made his entry into the podium
with second place while Hamiltons Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg
(Germany) came third.
Sitaram Yechury Elected as new General Secretary of
CPI(M)Sitaram Yechury was elected as the new General Secretary of
the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on 19 April at partys 21st
Congress held in Visakhapatnam. Sitaram Yechury was unanimously
elected CPI (M)s new General Secretary to replace Prakash Karat,
who has completed three terms as General Secretary of the party.20
April 2015 Current AffairsNavys Stealth Destroyer Visakhapatnam
LaunchedIndian Navys new stealth destroyer named INS Visakhapatnam
was launched on 20 April at the Mazgaon Docks Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai,
Maharashtra. It has been designed indigenously and has been fitted
with advanced features. It will be the first of P15-B stealth
destroyers (under Kolkata-class) and will be propelled by four gas
turbines. The ship weighed approximately 3,000 tons during the
launch. The 163-metre-long vessel will be propelled by four gas
turbines, and is designed to achieve a speed of over 30 knots at a
displacement of approximately 7,300 tons. The vessel is expected to
be commissioned in the Navy in 2018.
Neeraj Kumar Appointed BCCIs ACSU chiefFormer Delhi Police
Commissioner Neeraj Kumar was appointed as chief advisor of the
Board of Control for Cricket in Indias (BCCI) Anti Corruption &
Security Unit (ACSU) for a term of one year. The decision to
appoint Neeraj Kumar to the top post was taken at the Governing
Council Meeting of the Indian Premier League New Delhi, which was
chaired by IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla. He will succeed Ravi Sawant
as his term ended and will have term of one year.
ICICI Bank Launches NFC payments Service with Tech
MahindraIndias largest private sector lender ICICI Bank has
launched a new service called Tap n Pay which enables Near Field
Communications (NFC) payments for users using NFC enabled tag or
mobile phone at the merchants point-of-sale device. It was launched
by bank in collaboration with Tech Mahindra. ICICI Banks Tap-n-Pay
payment service is based on the near-field communications (NFC)
technology. It can be used for merchant payments by merely tapping
a NFC-enabled mobile phone or a tag on the counter. One important
feature of this service is that it is a close-end one, only for a
close group of customers, like canteen payments at the work place,
and not universal like a debit or credit card. Any person having
any bank account, and not limited to ICICI customers, can avail the
service. 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,
without keying-in any code.21 April 2015 Current AffairsChinese
President Conferred with Nishan-e-PakistanPakistan Government on 21
April conferred Nishan-e-Pakistan, top civilian award on Chinese
President Xi Jinping. The award was given for Xis contribution in
promoting Chinas relationship with Pakistan. The Nishan-e-Pakistan
is Pakistans highest civil award given by the government for the
highest degree of service to the country. The award was established
in March 1957.
Former Odisha Chief Minister J.B Patnaik DiedFormer Governor of
Assam and three-time Chief Minister of Odisha Janaki Ballav Patnaik
, passed away in Tirupati on 21 April. He was 89. Patnaik 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. He was also
the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly from 2004 to 2009. He
was appointed Assam Governor in 2009 and occupied this post till 10
December 2014.
CSA launched Africa T20 CupCricket South Africa (CSA) on 21
April launched the 16-team Africa T20 Cup which will be the African
curtain-raiser to the 2015-16 season.The tournament was planned to
promote the game and nurture young talent in the continent. The
tournament featuring Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, hosts South Africa
and 12 CSA affiliates will run from 4 September to 4 October
2015.
Indian Railways Launches E-Samiksha To Monitor Rail Projects
OnlineIndian Railways on 21 April 2015 launched online monitoring
mechanism E-Samiksha to monitor rail projects. It aims at
monitoring implementation of various ongoing projects of Indian
Railways on real-time basis including Rail Budget proposals.
E-Samiksha is designed by National Informatics Centre (NIC). It has
been developed to make it a highly interactive web-based,
user-friendly and customised system.22 April 2015 Current
AffairsUnion Cabinet Approved Amendment To Juvenile Justice BillThe
Union cabinet on 22 April approved amendment to the Juvenile
Justice Bill to provide that if a heinous crime is committed by a
person in the 16-18 age group, it will be examined by the Juvenile
Justice Board to assess if the crime was committed as a child or as
an adult. The union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, has approved introduction of Amendment to the Juvenile
Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill 2014.
Rajaji Becomes Second Tiger Reserve In UttarakhandRajaji
National Park in Uttarakhand is declared as Indias 48th Tiger
Reserve after The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
granted final approval. With this announcement, Uttarakhand got its
second tiger reserve after the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The
notification was announced by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish
Rawat while releasing logo of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve. 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. The park is a home to 315
bird species, 40 species of reptiles and fish and 400 Asian
elephants. The park was named after the last Governor-General of
independent India, C Rajagopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji. C.
Rajagopalachari was one of the first recipients of Indias highest
civilian award Bharat Ratna in 1954.
International Mother Earth Day was Observed on 22 AprilThe world
on 22 April 2015 observed the International Mother Earth Day. This
day is observed with an aim of spreading awareness to protect
earths environment. The theme selected for 2015 is Its our turn to
lead. International Mother Earth Day also known as Earth Day is
being celebrated across the world since 1970. The first Earth Day
was celebrated on 21 March 1970, the day of vernal equinox that
year. The concept of observing Earth Day is the brainchild of John
McConnell, who proposed the idea of a global holiday called Earth
Day at a UNESCO conference on Environment in 1969. He chose the
vernal equinoxthe first day of spring in the northern hemisphere,
the first day of autumn in the southern hemispherebecause it is a
day of renewal. Vernal equinox is a day on which the night and day
are of the same length, everywhere on Earth. Further the UN
Secretary-General U Thant on 26 February 1971 signed a proclamation
that stated that the United Nations would celebrate Earth Day
annually on the Vernal Equinox as the international Earth Day. A
month later, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson founded a
separate Earth Day as an environmental teach-in first held on 22
April 1970.23 April 2015 Current AffairsIndian-American Vivek
Murthy Takes Over As U.S. Surgeon-GeneralThirty-seven-year-old
Indian-American Vivek Murthy was sworn-in as the U.S.
Surgeon-General by Vice-President Joe Biden on 23 April. Vivek
Muthy became the youngest-ever in-charge of the countrys public
health. As the US Surgeon General, Murthy carries the rank of Vice
Admiral. Dr. Murthy is the countrys 19th Surgeon General.
Dr Sunitha Krishnan To Get 24th Yudhvir Foundation Memorial
AwardThe 24th Yudhvir Foundation Memorial Award will be given to
Prajwala founder Dr. Sunitha Krishnan for her extraordinary
achievement in the rescue, restoration and rehabilitation of
victims in trafficking and her exemplary care and support to HIV
patients. Dr. Sunitha Krishnan co-founded the anti-trafficking
organization named Prajwala (1996) as a transition centre for
second-generation prevention with 12 children in Mehboob Ki Mehndi
in Hyderabad. She is the recipient of numerous national and
international awards including the Stree Shakti Award by Govt. of
India (2003), Perdita Houston International Human Rights Award by
United Nation (2006), Outstanding Woman Award by National
Commission for Women India (2013), in recognition of her exemplary
crusade for social change. She also finds a name in the Limca Book
of Records for Womens Empowerment (2014).
Google India Tops Randstad Survey For Most Attractive
EmployerGoogle India has bagged the Randstad Award 2015 for Most
Attractive Employer in India, while Sony India has been adjudged
the runner-up. The sector-specific special recognition awards this
year were awarded to Tata Steel (manufacturing), P&G (FMCG),
and Honda India (Automobile). In line with the Randstad Award
philosophy, Microsoft India has been inducted into the Hall of Fame
category this year for winning the coveted Randstad Award title for
four consecutive years. The Randstad Award is hosted each year to
encourage best practices for talent attraction and to identify the
best Employer Brand in the country based on the perceived
attractiveness of a company.
World Book and Copyright Day was Celebrated On 24 AprilUnited
Nations (UN) observed World Book and Copyright Day across the world
on 23 April 2015. The day is an opportunity to recognise the power
of books to change our lives for the better and to support books
and those who produce them. World Book and Copyright Day or World
Book Day is marked annually on 23 April, a symbolic date for World
Literature. In 1995, UNESCO decided that the World Book and
Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April. On this day in 1611,
Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la
Vega died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent
authors such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov,
Josep Pla and Manuel Meja Vallejo. The connection between 23 April
and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Spain as a way
to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes, who died on that day. For
the year 2015, UNESCO designated Incheon, South Korea as the World
Book Capital 2015 in recognition of its programme to promote
reading among people and underprivileged sections of the
population.24 April 2015 Current AffairsIndia Ranks 117th In World
Happiness Report 2015According to the World Happiness Report 2015,
India ranks at 117th spot out of 158 nations that were included in
the list of happy countries. Whereas Pakistan is ranked at 81 and
Bangladesh is at 109. In 2013s report India was at 111th position.
It means India lost six happy slots to other nations.The report was
topped by Switzerland followed by Iceland, Denmark, Norway and
Canada. In the ranking the US is at 15th position, ranked 15, UK at
21st, Singapore features at 24th spot, Saudi Arabia (35), Japan
(46) and China (84).The 10 least happy of 158 countries include
Afghanistan, war-torn Syria joined and eight sub-Saharan countries
in Africa namely Togo, Burundi, Benin, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Ivory
Coast, Guinea and Chad. The report was published by the Sustainable
Development Solutions Network (SDSN) an initiative under the United
Nations.
Rajya Sabha Passed Private Bill For Transgender RightsIn a
historic legislative action, the Rajya Sabha approved a private
members bill on the rights of transgenders on 24 April. The bill
was passed unanimously by voice vote in the upper house of
Parliament. Usually a private members billintroduced by a
legislator who is not a member of the cabinetis withdrawn after
discussion in the upper House. The bill was introduced by Rajya
Sabha member Tiruchi Siva of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on 12
December2014. It came up for discussion in 2015 February and March
before being put to vote on 24 April 2015.
Indian-Origin Soldier Awarded Presidents Medal In IsraelA
22-year-old Indian-origin soldier with Israeli army has been
awarded the Presidents Medal of Excellence for his outstanding
service. diel Yosef, who immigrated to Israel from Mumbai four
years ago, got the award for serving in the Israel Defence Forces
(IDF). Presidents Medal of Excellence is awarded every year based
on recommendations from commanders of various IDF units for the
significant service and outstanding contribution to the Israeli
army and the State of Israel.
National Panchayati Raj Day was Observed On 24 AprilNational
Panchayati Raj (PR) Day was observed across India on 24 April 2015.
This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment)
Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993. 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. On the day, the best performing Gram
Panchayats and Gram Sabhas were honoured with Panchayat
Sashaktikaran Award 2015 and Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Award
2015.25 April 2015 Current AffairsWorld Malaria Day Observed Across
The WorldWorld Malaria Day was observed on 25 April 2015 across the
world. The theme, set by the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, is
Invest in the future: Defeat malaria. This reflects the ambitious
goals and targets set out in a draft post-2015 strategy to be
presented to the World Health Assembly in May. The new strategy
aims to reduce malaria cases and deaths by 90% by 2030 from current
levels. Four countries have been certified free of malaria in the
last decade and the post-2015 strategy sets the goal of eliminating
the disease from a further 35 countries by 2030.The day was
observed to highlight the need for continued investment and
sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control.
On the Occasion, World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a manual
to help countries to assess the technical, operational and
financial feasibility of moving towards malaria elimination.World
Malaria Day was instituted by WHO Member States during the World
Health Assembly of 2007. The day was celebrated on 25 April every
year.
NASA develops First 3-D Printed Full-Scale Copper Rocket Engine
PartNASA engineers have developed the first full-scale, 3-D printed
copper rocket engine part. The part developed was a combustion
chamber liner that operates at extreme temperatures and pressures
using additive manufacturing technique. Combustion chamber was
manufactured by using selective laser melting machine in the
Laboratory located in Marshall Space Flight Centres Materials and
Processing. 3-D printing or additive manufacturing technique has
the potential to reduce the time and cost of making rocket parts.
It can help to manufacture engine parts 10 times faster and reduce
the cost by more than 50 per cent.
Govt To Launch Toll Free Helpline For TB patientsThe health
ministry is set to launch a toll free helpline to reach out to
tuberculosis patients across the country. Any suspected patient can
call or even give a missed call on the helpline number and
government health workers will contact the person to check the
status of TB as well as provide medical intervention. India
accounts for almost 25% of the 8.6 million TB cases reported
worldwide. The number of drug resistant tuberculosis cases
estimated in India is also significantly high at 110,000.26 April
2015 Current AffairsGopinath Pillai Awarded Outstanding Service
Award For His Services In SingaporeIndian Origin diplomat, Gopinath
Pillai is awarded outstanding service award in Singapore for his
services. The award was given by National University of
Singapore(NUS). Current he is serving as Ambassador-at-Large of
Singapore and special envoy to Andhra Pradesh.
Anil Kapoor Conferred with Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award
2015Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor conferred with prestigious Master
Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2015. The award was presented to him by
writer and historian Babasaheb Purandare. Dilip Prabhavalkar,
Marathi actor was also selected for this award for the year 2015.
The award was instituted in 1999 in memory of father of Lata
Mangeshkar. It carries Rs. 1,01,001 and a memento. Rishi Kapoor and
Zakir Husain were conferred with this award in 2014.
50th Jnanpith Award Conferred On Marathi Litterateur Bhalchandra
NemadeMarathi Litterateur Bhalchandra Nemade was conferred with
50th Jnanapith Award. He received the award from Prime Minister
Narendra Modi at an event in Parliament House in Delhi. The award
includes 11 lakh rupees and a citation. His novel, Kosala, written
in 1963 was considered as a path breaking in Marathi
literature.
Bharatiya Mahila Bank Won The Asian Banker Achievement Award
2015Bharatiya Mahila Bank Ltd has won The Asian Banker Achievement
Award 2015 for Technology Implementation in the category of Best
Outsourcing Project (New Bank). It was awarded for Technology
Implementation in the category of Best Outsourcing Project (New
Bank).27 April 2015 Current AffairsIndian-Origin Scientist Sangeeta
Bhatia Won 2015 Heinz AwardSangeeta Bhatia, an Indian-origin
scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), won
the prestigious 2015 Heinz Award in the Technology, the Economy,
and Employment category. Bhatias team has developed artificial
human microlivers for drug testing. These artificial microlivers
are being used to test the toxicity of drug candidates by many
biopharmaceutical companies. She is also using these microlivers to
model malaria infection and test drugs that can eradicate malaria
parasites completely in the laboratory. This model seeks to
eradicate malaria parasites completely as the reservoirs of
parasite remains in the liver even after a patients symptoms
subside. This was the 20th Heinz Award which is given annually
since 1993.
India Crowned Champions at Presidents Cup Boxing TournamentIndia
was crowned champions at the 22nd Presidents Cup Open International
Boxing Tournament on 27 April. This is for the first time that
India was crowned champions at the Presidents Cup which was held at
Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. India finished the tournament
on top with 33 points that included 4 Gold and 1 Bronze. Mongolia
was placed second in the tournament.
Loretta Lynch Sworn In As U.S. Attorney GeneralLoretta Lynch has
sworn-in as United States first African-American woman Attorney
General. She is 83rd Attorney General of country. She succeeded
former attorney general Eric Holder, who left the position on 24
April 2015 after serving as Attorney General for six years.
Omar Hassan al-Bashir Won The Presidential Election of
SudanIncumbent President of Sudan Omar Hassan al-Bashir won the
Presidential election of the country. He won another term in office
with 94 percent of votes. This win has extended Bashirs tenure as
President of the country for another five-year term. He had been in
power in Sudan since 1989.28 April 2015 Current AffairsNovelist
Siddhartha Gigoo Won Commonwealth Short Story PrizeSrinagar-born
novelist Siddhartha Gigoo has won the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story
Prize for Asia region for Umbrella Man, a tale of surreal
meditation on mental health and the environment. With this win he
will compete with the other four regional winners for the 5000
pounds grand prize which will be announced in London on 8 September
2015.
ISRO successfully Tests Indigenous Cryogenic Engine with
Four-tonne CapacityThe Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
successfully tested an indigenous cryogenic engine on 28 April
which will allow launch vehicles to carry satellites of up to four
tonnes. It will also give boost to Indias interplanetary probes and
manned space missions.
Railways Won 5th Senior Mens National Hockey ChampionshipRailway
Sports Promotion Board won 5th Senior Mens National Hockey
championship 2015. In the final match, they defeated Uttar Pradesh
Hockey by 5-3 goals which was played at Pune. While in this
championship, the 3rd Position was secured by Air India Sports
Promotion Board who had outplayed Hockey Gangpur-Odisha by 5-3
goals.
Raja Rajeswari Is The New York Citys First India-born Woman
JudgeChennai-born Raja Rajeswari has been sworn-in as a criminal
court judge in New York by Mayor Bill de Blasio, becoming the first
India-born woman to be appointed a judge in New York City.
Rajeswari, 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.29 April 2015 Current
AffairsLogo For International Day of Yoga LaunchedThe logo for
International Day of Yoga was launched on 29 April by External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for AYUSH
Shripad Yesso Naik. The United Nations General Assembly had on
December 11 adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as
the International Day of Yoga. The logo was selected by the
Committee of Yoga experts, which was constituted by Union Ministry
of AYUSH and has been approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union Cabinet Approved Prevention of Corruption (Amendment)
Bill, 2013The Union Cabinet on 29 April approved amendments to the
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 by pursuing the Prevention of
Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013. The proposed amendments are
mainly aimed at laying down more stringent measures to tackle
corruption.
Mukesh Khanna Appointed as new Chairperson of CFSIActor and
producer Mukesh Khanna has been appointed as the new chairperson of
the Children Film Society of India (CFSI). He was appointed by
Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as successor of
Amole Gupte. Actor-director Amole Gupte, who took the post in 2012,
had resigned from the office in June 2014.30 April 2015 Current
AffairsLok Sabha Passed Finance Bill 2015The Lok Sabha passed the
Finance Bill, 2015 by a voice vote on 30 April. As many as 41
amendments moved by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were passed,
including for tax relief to foreign investors with income from
securities transactions, royalties and technical service exempted
from the contentious minimum alternative tax (MAT).
India Ranks 13th In Generating Electricity From Nuclear
SourceIndia stands at the 13th place world-wide in generating
electricity from nuclear source and expects to increase the
installed nuclear power capacity from 5,780 MW to 10,080 MW by
2019. This information was given by Minister of State (MoS) Dr
Jitendra Singh in written reply in the Rajya Sabha to an unstarred
question. The ranking was based upon the data published by Power
Reactor Information System (PRIS) of International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) in 2014.
Two Indians Won Whitley Awards For Wildlife ConservationTwo
Indians have been awarded with the prestigious Whitley Awards for
their contribution to wildlife conservation. Dr Ananda Kumar, a
conservationist from India, was awarded the prize, in honour of his
work using innovative communication systems to enable
human-elephant coexistence in southern India. Another winner of the
Whitley Award, dubbed Green Oscar is Dr Pramod Patil. He has been
awarded for his work to protect the iconic great Indian bustard in
the Thar Desert. The awards were presented at a ceremony in Royal
Geographical Society, London. The winners of the award received a
Whitley prize worth 35000 pound.
India Extends E-Tourist Visa Scheme To 31 More CountriesIndia
will provide e-tourist visa to 31 more countries, including France
and Canada, enabling the citizens of these nations easy entry to
the country. The e-tourist visa had been launched in November 2014
for 45 countries from nine designated Indian airports. With the
latest addition, the total number of countries under this scheme
will go up to 76. According to reports, the scheme will be extended
to more countries in a phased manner. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi-led government at the Centre further intends to extend the
scheme to 150 countries by the end of this fiscal year.