DRDO successfully flight-tests indigenously developed MPATGM
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested indigenously developed third-generation Man-Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM) for its minimum range. The missile was launched from a man-portable launcher integrated with a thermal site, and all the mission objectives were met.
About the Missile:
- The missile has already been flight-tested for the maximum range.
- MPATGM is a low weight, fire and forgets missile, incorporated with state-of-the-art Miniaturized Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics.
- It is being developed to strengthen the combat capabilities of the Indian Army.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
- DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.
- DRDO Established: 1958.
DRDO successfully test-flights surface-to-air missile ‘Akash-NG’
The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG), from Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the coast of Odisha. The Akash missile system has been developed by the DRDO’s laboratory in Hyderabad in collaboration with other wings of the premier defence research organisation.
The Akash-NG weapon system is a surface-to-air missile that can strike targets at a distance of around 60 km and fly at a speed of up to Mach 2.5. The flight data on the missile confirmed the success of the test. DRDO deployed a number of monitoring mechanisms such as electro-optical tracking systems, radar and telemetry.
Australia’s Brisbane to Host 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has voted the Australian city of Brisbane as the host city for the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games. Brisbane is the third Australian city to host the Olympic Games after Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000. With this, Australia will also become the only second country in the world, after the United States, to stage the summer Olympic Games in three different cities.
Leftist school teacher Pedro Castillo declared New Peru President
Rural teacher-turned-political novice, Pedro Castillo became the winner of Peru’s presidential election after the country’s longest electoral count in 40 years. Castillo, whose supporters included Peru’s poor and rural citizens, defeated right-wing politician Keiko Fujimori by just 44,000 votes. Electoral authorities released the final official results more than a month after the runoff election took place in the South American nation.
The economy of Peru, the world’s second-largest copper producer, has been crushed by the coronavirus pandemic, increasing the poverty level to almost one-third of the population and eliminating the gains of a decade.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Peru Capital: Lima;
- Peru Currency: Sol.
Kotak Mahindra Bank signs MoU with the Indian Navy for salary account
The Indian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kotak Mahindra for salary accounts of all its personnel – both serving and retired. The bank will reportedly offer special salary account benefits to the Indian Navy like enhanced complimentary personal accident insurance cover, special education benefit for children, and additional girl child benefit, and attractive rates and zero processing fees on personal loans, home loans and car loans.
The Kotak salary account provides a range of privileges, and we have further personalized our offering, keeping in mind the requirements of Indian Navy personnel and their families. With a full suite of products, we will support the Indian Navy with all their banking requirements, backed by quality customer service and digital-first solutions.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.
- Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.
- Kotak Mahindra Bank Establishment: 2003;
- Kotak Mahindra Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- Kotak Mahindra Bank MD & CEO: Uday Kotak;
Veteran thespian Urmil Kumar Thapliyal passes away
Renowned theatre personality and litterateur, Urmil Kumar Thapliyal has passed away. Thapliyal worked all through his life for the revival of nautanki and popularising theatre. The veteran was associated with Darpan, the 50-year-old popular theatre group of the state capital. He also had long innings with the All India Radio.
SBI selects Paisalo as its National Corporate Business Correspondent
State Bank of India (SBI) has selected “Paisalo Digital” as the National Corporate Business Correspondent of the Bank for financial inclusion by providing banking services through kiosks. The signing of the Service Level Agreement and other formalities shall be done shortly. Paisalo is tapping into the Rs 8 lakh crore market opportunity of small-ticket loans for India’s 365 million unbanked population.
Ensuring superior financial inclusion and increasing the outreach, the financial solutions company shall extend its services and its reach to the general public including its existing customers and new customers. As a business correspondent for State Bank of India, they will focus and improve the synergy with the thrust of the already up and running fully digital small loan business under SBI-Paisalo Loan Co-origination.
About the Paisalo Digital Limited:
Paisalo Digital Limited is a Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking NBFC registered with the Reserve Bank of India. The Company was incorporated in the year 1992 as a Private Limited Company, converted itself in a Public Limited Company in the year 1995 and got listed in the year 1996 through Initial Public Offer (IPO). Presently the company is listed on NSE & BSE.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara.
- SBI Headquarters: Mumbai.
- SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.
ICICI Bank, HPCL launch ‘ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver’ Credit Card
ICICI Bank has announced the launch of a co-branded credit card with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to enable users to get benefits and reward points for using multiple credit cards in one. Named, ‘ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver Credit Card’, the card offers best-in-class rewards and benefits to customers on their everyday spends on fuel as well as other categories including electricity and mobile, departmental stores like Big Bazaar and D-Mart, and e-commerce portals, among others. Powered by VISA, the card is unique among its peers which typically offer benefits on only one category of spends.
Customers can apply for the ‘ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver Credit Card’ through the Bank’s internet banking platform or the mobile banking app, iMobile Pay. They get a digital card in a 100% contactless and paperless manner. The physical card is also sent to the customer by ICICI Bank within a few days. Further, customers can manage their transaction settings and credit limit conveniently on the iMobile Pay app.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- ICICI Bank MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi;
- ICICI Bank Tagline: Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka;
- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited Headquarters: Mumbai;
- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited CEO: Mukesh Kumar Surana;
- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited Chairperson: Mukesh Kumar Surana.
CM KCR to Launch ‘Telangana Dalit Bandhu’ from Huzurabad
Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao will launch his government’s new Dalit empowerment scheme, now christened Dalita Bandhu, on a pilot basis from the Huzurabad assembly constituency. The scheme, which was to be called Dalit Empowerment Scheme, has now been renamed as Dalita Bandhu scheme. As part of the scheme, eligible Dalit families would be given Rs 10 lakh in cash directly to their accounts. The sanctioned amounts will be deposited in the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries.
Poll-bound Huzurabad constituency has five mandals and the total number of Dalit families in this constituency stands at 20,929. All these families will be scrutinised before the final beneficiary list is made. All those found eligible will be extended the benefits of the scheme. Huzurabad constituency has only a total of around 2 lakh voters. Out of the total, CM KCR’s scheme will benefit nearly 21,000 families, which accounts for around 60,000 to 80,000 people, if this scheme is implemented soon.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Telangana Capital: Hyderabad;
- Telangana Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan;
- Telangana Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao.
MoRTH’s Secretary Aramane Giridhar gets additional charge as NHAI Chairman
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Secretary, Aramane Giridhar (IAS) has been given additional charge of the Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Present NHAI Chairman, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu has been appointed the new Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand. He took over as NHAI Chainman in October 2019.
- National Highways Authority of India Founded: 1988;
- National Highways Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi.
Aman Gulia and Sagar Jaglan become cadet world champions
Young wrestlers Aman Gulia and Sagar Jaglan emerged as the new world champions in their respective categories as India dished out an impressive show on the second day of the Cadet World Championship 2021 at Budapest, Hungary. Gulia emerged the winner with a convincing 5-2 win over American Luke Joseph Lilledahl in a 48kg final while Jaglan blanked James Mockler Rowley 4-0 in the 80kg summit clash.
Ariel Henry to take over as new Haitian Prime Minister
Ariel Henry has formally assumed the post of Prime Minister of Haiti. He assumed the role of the leader of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation in a ceremony in the capital Port-Au-Prince. Henry was installed as head of a new government in an attempt to stabilize a country on the brink of chaos since the murder of president Jovenel Moise at his residence in the early hours of July 7.
The swearing-in of Henry, who was named to the post by Moise days before his death, was seen as a key step towards holding elections as demanded by many Haitians.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince;
- Haiti Currency: Haitian gourde;
- Haiti Continent: North America.
Cachar district received National Silver SKOCH award
Cachar Deputy Commissioner, Keerthi Jalli received the National Silver SKOCH Award a few days ago for ‘Pushti Nirbhor’ (nutrition-dependent), a convergence project on transformation and development entailing setting up Nutri-gardens at houses in Dinnathpur Bagicha village. The village is near the India-Bangladesh border in the Katigorah circle of the Cachar district.
Under the project:
- 30,000 seedlings of vegetables, fruits and herbal plants were distributed among 140 beneficiaries.
- Each household of the village was also given payment for 75 man-days to implement the project.
- The main objective was to train the villagers toward becoming self-reliant during the pandemic, grow enough for their own nutritional needs and sell the surplus in the markets.
About the award:
Instituted in 2003, SKOCH Award salutes people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to make India a better nation.
JNCASR hits Nature Index Top 50 for materials science
The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre For Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, has been placed in the top 50 institutions worldwide for advances in materials science by the prestigious Nature Index. The list which includes 18 institutes from China, 12 from the United States and two from the United Kingdom places the JNCASR in the 23rd position globally among universities and institutions as part of its ‘50 Rising Institutions’ list.
The centre is also the only Indian institute on the list and shares the privilege with others such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University which is in the first place, the University of Texas Austin (fourth), the University of Berkley (12th) and the University of Cambridge (27th). JNCASR president Professor Giridhar U Kulkarni, who is also a materials scientist, described the mood at the centre as being jubilant.
