Current Affairs Quiz 10th November 2022, Daily GK Update

Exp. Atal Innovation Mission launched women-centric challenges under ANIC program

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog has launched the Women-centric challenges under the 2nd edition of the Atal New India Challenge (ANIC).

Objective – To support technology-based innovations that solve sectoral challenges of national importance.

The Woman centric challenges address the major issues faced by women from all spheres of life.

These include driving women’s hygiene through innovation, innovations to improve women’s safety, professional networking opportunities for women, innovations that make working mothers’ life better, and easing the life of Rural Women.

Atal Innovation Mission launched – 2016

NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)

• Founded – 1st January 2015
• Preceding – Planning Commission (15th March 1950)
• Headquarters – New Delhi
• Chairperson – Narendra Modi
• Vice Chairperson – Suman K Bery
• CEO – Parameswaran Iyer
• NITI Aayog comes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Exp. Reliance set to acquire METRO Cash & Carry India in Rs 4,060 crore deal

Reliance Industries is set to acquire German retailer METRO AG’s Cash & Carry business in India in a deal estimated at around 500 million euros (Rs 4,060 crore).

The deal includes 31 wholesale distribution centres, land banks, and other assets owned by the German company that is expected to expand Reliance’s presence in the B2B segment.

Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, subsidiary of Reliance Industries, is the holding company of all the retail companies.

About Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)

• Founded – 8 May 1973
• Founder – Dhirubhai Ambani
• Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
• CMD – Mukesh Ambani
• Owner – Mukesh Ambani (50.49%)
• Director – Nita Dalal Ambani
• Subsidiaries – Jio Platforms (67.03%), Jio Payments Bank (70%)

Exp. Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary notified as 17th wildlife sanctuary of Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government has notified the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary on 68,640 hectares as the state’s 17th wildlife sanctuary.

The sanctuary, covering reserve forest areas in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts, is home to 35 species of mammals, 238 species of birds, Leith’s soft-shelled turtles, smooth-coated otters, marsh crocodile, and four-horned antelopes, and is wildlife paradise.

The sanctuary was notified under Section 26-A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

This sanctuary will connect Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary (TN) with the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary (Karnataka).

Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin has declared the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary as 17th wildlife sanctuary of state.

About Tamil Nadu

• Capital – Chennai
• Chief Minister – M K Stalin
• Governor – R N Ravi

Exp. QS Asia University Rankings 2023 released; IIT Bombay top institute in South Asia

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay is the top educational institute in South Asia, as per the recently released QS Asia University Rankings 2023.

IIT Bombay bagged the 40th position in the QS ranking followed by IIT Delhi which secured rank 46th.

A total of 19 institutes made it to the list of top 200 universities which include IIT Bombay (rank 40), IIT Delhi (rank 46), IISc Bangalore (rank 52), IIT Madras (53), IIT Kharagpur (61), IIT Kanpur (66) University of Delhi (85), IIT Roorkee (114), JNU (119), IIT Guwahati (124), VIT Vellore (173), University of Calcutta (181), Jadavpur University (182), Anna University (185), Chandigarh University (185), IIT Indore (185), BITS Pilani (188), Jamia Millia Islamia (188), and Amity University Noida (200).

A total of 118 institutes featured in the list are from India, China- 128, Japan- 106, and South Korea- 88.

China’s Peking University topped the list, the top 10 Asian universities are-National University of Singapore (rank 2), Tsinghua University, Beijing (rank 3), The University of Hong Kong (rank 4), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (rank 5).

The QS ranking 2023 is being formulated on the basis of academic and employer reputations, the number of staff holding a PhD, and the percentage of international students, others. A total of 760 Asian universities are in the university ranking list this year.

Exp. SIDBI signed an MoU with Bureau of Energy Efficiency to finance green MSMEs

The government body for energy efficiency Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power has signed an MoU with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to finance green MSMEs

Objective – To promote energy efficiency financing for MSMEs and explore the internet of things (IoT)-based solutions, greening MSMEs, capacity building of various stakeholders, etc.

SIDBI announced partnerships with multiple stakeholders to help MSMEs become more energy efficient in their operations to support India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 targets.

About Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

• Founded – 2 April 1990
• Headquarters – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
• Chairman & MD – Siva S Ramann

Recent MoUs in Banking Sector

• Mahindra Finance partnered with India Post Payments Bank to boost credit access for customers
• CASHe partnered with IRCTC to launch ‘travel now pay later’ facility
• RBL Bank partnered with BookMyShow to launch ‘Play’ credit card
• IDBI Bank partnered with Vayana Network on supply chain finance
• DBS partnered with sandbox to launch ‘DBS BetterWorld’
• HDFC Bank signed an MoU with Institute of Economic Growth to conduct independent research
• HDFC ERGO to build online insurance platform on Google Cloud
• HDFC Bank partnered with Tata Neu to launch two new credit cards
• Universal Sompo partnered with Repco Home Finance to insure loans

Exp. First Indian scientist Dr Subhash Babu awarded Bailey K. Ashford Medal

Prominent Indian physician and scientist Dr. Subhash Babu has been conferred the prestigious 2022 Bailey K. Ashford Medal, and 2022 Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH) award for his exemplary research work and contribution in tropical medicine.

In its 82-year history, the award has never been given to an Indian scientist or an Indian institution for work.

Dr. Subash Babu is the Scientific Director of the ICER (International Centre for Excellence in Research) – India Programme.

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) is the world’s largest scientific organization in tropical medicine, and the medal is awarded annually to one or more mid-career-investigators for distinguished work in tropical medicine.

Recent Awards

• International Kannadiga Rathna award – YKC Wadiyar
• Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman 2022 – Ajit Doval, Bipin Rawat, Prasoon Joshi, Girish Chandra Tiwari, Viren Dangwal
• Chevalier Award by French government – Aruna Sairam
• Ezhuthachan Award 2022 by Kerala govt. – Noted Malayalam writer Sethu
• First Kerala Jyothi – M T Vasudevan Nair

Exp. Three Indian women featured in Forbes’ Asia’s Power Businesswomen 2022

Three top Indian entrepreneurs have been featured in the Forbes’ Asia’s Power Businesswomen 2022 list.

They are among the 20 business leaders who were ranked for their achievements in their current role of running a business with sizeable revenue and demonstrating strong leadership throughout their careers.

Soma Mondal (Chairperson of Steel Authority of India Ltd), Namita Thapar (Executive director at India business of Emcure Pharma), and Ghazal Alagh (Co-founder and chief innovation officer of Honasa Consumer) are on the list.

Other women featured on the list are from Australia, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Exp. Indian Navy participated Malabar Naval Exercise in Japan

India has participated in 26th International Malabar Naval Exercise, organized in Yokosuka of Japan.

Australia, Japan, and the USA are also participating in the Malabar Naval Exercise.

From India, Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kamorta have been demonstrated at the event.

The exercise will continue till the 18th of December.

The MALABAR exercise was initiated in 1992 between the navies of India and the United States.

Later, it was joined by Japan in 2015, and Australia in 2020.

Recent Exercise

• The first edition of the India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise (IMT TRILAT) concluded at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

• Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF) are participating in a bilateral exercise named ‘Garuda’ from 26th Oct to 12th Nov 2022 at Air Force Station Jodhpur.

• The Indian Navy hosted the 29th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) at Visakhapatnam.
• The Indian and US militaries carried out a three-day joint humanitarian assistance exercise ‘Tiger Triumph’ in Visakhapatnam.
• NATO has begun its long-planned annual nuclear exercise “Steadfast Noon” in northwestern Europe.
• The Indian Navy has conducted a security exercise, called “Prasthan”, in the Offshore Development Area (ODA) off Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.

Exp. India to host women’s World Boxing Championship in 2023

India will host the women’s world boxing championships in 2023 in New Delhi.

It will be the third time that the women’s competition will be held in the country having conducted the championships in 2006 & 2018.

It will be conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA) & the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).

The 2022 Championships was held in Istanbul, Turkey from 8 to 20 May 2022.

India also hosted the women’s youth world championships in 2017.

The event will also increase in prize money with a total prize pool of approximately Rs 19.50 crore (USD 2.4 million). The gold medalists will be awarded with approximately Rs 81 lakh (USD 100,000).

Exp. Holger Rune won Men’s singles 2022 Paris Masters title

19-year-old Danish player Holger Rune has defeated the six-time champion, Novak Djokovic to clinch his first Men’s single, 2022 Masters Title in Paris.

He has become the youngest winner of the Paris tournament since Boris Becker in 1986.

He is the fifth first-time Masters winner this season and will be the first Danish man to break into the top 10.

While the Men’s double was won by Wesley Koolh of (Netherlands) and Neal Skupski (United Kingdom).

Exp. Aruna Miller becomes first Indian American to be elected as LG of Maryland

Aruna Miller has scripted history by becoming the first Indian-American politician to win the race of Lieutenant Governor in the state of Maryland, adjoining the US capital.

She will also be the first South Asian woman to serve at such an important position.

Miller is a former executive director of Indian American Impact project.

The Lieutenant Governor is the state’s highest official following the Governor and assumes the role when the Governor is out of state or incapacitated.

Recent Appointment

• Chairman of National Monuments Authority (NMA) – Prof. Kishor Basa
• Chairperson of 22nd Law Commission of India – Former Karnataka HC Chief Justice Rituraj Awasthi

• Deputy Chair of GSMA – Gopal Vittal
• Honorary Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) – Amit Dasgupta
• President of International Hockey Federation – Tayyab Ikram

Exp. Shivnarine, Charlotte, and Abdul Qadir inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the latest legends who join the prestigious list of cricketing greats that make up the ICC Hall of Fame.

Legendary West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pakistan’s iconic leg-spinner Abdul Qadir and England’s multi-time World Cup-winning skipper Charlotte Edwards were inducted into the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame.

Shivnarine was inducted in 107th ICC’s hall of Fame and finished with 20,988 international runs, 41 centuries, and 125 half-centuries across formats.

Charlotte was inducted in 108th ICC’s Hall of Fame, her 5992 runs in women’s ODIs are the second most in the game’s history.

Qadir was the 109th inducteed on the list.

About International Cricket Council (ICC)

• Formation – 15 June 1909
• Headquarters – Dubai, UAE
• Chairman – Greg Barclay (New Zealand)
• Deputy Chairman – Imran Khwaja (Singapore)
• CEO – Geoff Allardice (Australia)
• General Manager – Wasim Khan
• Membership – 108 members

Exp. 10 November – World Science Day for Peace and Development

World Science Day for Peace and Development is observed every year on 10th November.

Objective – To raise the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives.

Theme 2022 – Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development

It was established by UNESCO in 2001 and was first celebrated in 2002.

November 10, 2002, marked the first World Science Day for Peace and Development celebrated around the globe.

Exp. 10 November 2022 – World Usability Day

World Usability Day is observed annually on the second Thursday of November and this year is celebrating on November 10.

It’s also referred to as Make Things Easy Day.

Objective – To bring a variety of communities together which can work in making this world an easier place to live.

Theme 2022 – Our Health

It was established in 2005 by the Usability Professionals Association.