Netflix & GoI collaborate for video series on ‘women change-makers’
Netflix India, in collaboration with the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, has released a series of short video series under an initiative called ‘Azadi Ki Amrit Kahaniya’, highlighting the role of women achievers. As part of a broader partnership, the global OTT platform will also conduct workshops and masterclasses for the skill development of Indian filmmakers.
Under this partnership:
- Netflix and ministry will partner to develop a creative ecosystem by organizing training programs for post-production, VFX, animation, and music production among others and will be organized on the ground and virtually.
- The Minister lauded the remarkable achievements of the three women on the dais and said their stories will inspire people across the country. He also expressed hope that after this collaboration filmmakers from across the world will come to India to make films and documentaries for not just the Indian audience but to showcase it to the entire world.
- The Minister stated that the partnership between the Ministry and Netflix was only a beginning and will not be limited to Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Reliance Industries becomes first Indian company to hit Rs 19 lakh m-cap
Reliance Industries Limited has become the first Indian company to hit the Rs 19 lakh crore market valuation mark in intra-day trade. The market heavyweight stock jumped 1.85 per cent to its record high of Rs 2,827.10 during the day on the BSE. It finally settled flat at Rs 2,777.90, up 0.08 per cent.
In March this year, the company’s market valuation had gone past Rs 18 lakh crore. Last year on October 13, the company’s market valuation went past Rs 17 lakh crore mark. Following the gain in the share price, the company’s market valuation jumped to Rs 19,12,814 crore in morning trade on the BSE. At the close of trade, the market valuation was at Rs 18,79,237.38 crore.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Reliance Industries Ltd CEO: Mukesh Ambani (31 Jul 2002–);
- Reliance Industries Ltd Founder: Dhirubhai Ambani;
- Reliance Industries Ltd Founded: 8 May 1973, Maharashtra;
- Reliance Industries Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai.
A book titled ‘Chinese Spies: From Chairman Mao to Xi Jinping’ authored by Roger Faligot
HarperCollins India has published a new book titled “Chinese Spies: From Chairman Mao to Xi Jinping” authored by French journalist Roger Faligot and translated by writer, editor and translator, Natasha Lehrer. The foreword of the book is written by Vikram Sood, the former head of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s foreign intelligence agency. The book ‘Chinese Spies’ was originally published in French in 2008 and later translated into English from the updated 4th edition by Natasha Lehrer.
World Stationery Day 2022 celebrates on 27th April
World Stationery day is celebrated every year on the last Wednesday of April. This year World Stationery Day 2022 is observed on the 27th of April. The day is celebrated to mark the importance of stationery and writing on paper than using computers. It is celebrated around the world by enthusiasts to protect and encourage the use of Stationery.
History of World Stationery Day:
World Stationery Day is celebrated every year since 2012 to honour the 800th anniversary of the creation of the Magna Carta which is one of the most important written documents in British history. It stands as an excellent example to show the longevity of handwritten documents. Magna Carta was created in 1215. This day was designed to encourage the art of writing all around the world. Writing is a fundamental aspect of communication that deserves to maintain an active presence in people’s lives around the world. Celebrating World Stationery Day will preserve a special artform while helping participants grow closer with loved ones.
Former Indian women’s hockey team captain Elvera Britto passes away
Former Indian women’s hockey team captain, Elvera Britto has passed away at 81 due to old-age-related problems. He led Karnataka’s domestic team to win seven national titles. She ruled the domestic circuit from 1960 to 1967. She also represented India against Japan, Sri Lanka, and Australia. She is the second women hockey player to be conferred with the Arjuna Award (1965) after Anne Lumsden.
Asian Wrestling Championships 2022: India finished with 17 medals
The 30-member Indian contingent participated at the 35th Edition of Asian Wrestling Championships 2022 held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Indian wrestlers secured a total of 17 medals, that includes (1-Gold, 5-Silver, and 11-Bronze medals). Gold Medalist: Ravi Kumar Dahiyais the only Gold medalist representing India, in the men’s 57kg freestyle category, beating Kazakhstan’s Rakhat Kalzhan on technical superiority.
Ravi Kumar became the first Indian to win 3 Gold medals in Asian Wrestling Championships which includes 2020 in New Delhi, India, 2021 in Almaty, Kazakhstan and 2022 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia respectively.
2022 Asian Wrestling Championships Medals Table:
| Rank | Country | Total |
| 1 | Japan | 21 |
| 2 | Iran | 15 |
| 3 | Kazakhstan | 21 |
| 5 | India | 17 |
Suryoday Small Finance Bank tie-up with Kyndryl for Digital & IT transformation
Suryoday Small Finance Bank has partnered with New York, US-based Kyndryl, an IT infrastructure services provider for a period of 5 years. The bank will partner with Kyndryl to drive its technology transformation program, improve operational efficiency, and increase digital banking adoption among its customers as part of a five-year transformation deal.
Under this partnership:
- Kyndryl will drive the bank’s Information technology (IT)/Digital transformation program, improve operational efficiency, and increase digital banking adoption among the bank’s customers.
- Overall, Kyndryl will modernize the bank’s technology and network connectivity. The bank will utilize Kyndryl’s advisory and implementation services to deploy and support a new core banking system.’
- Kyndryl will provide advisory and implementation services to the bank to deploy and support a new core banking system and integrate with digital channels to deliver an agile banking platform that accelerates retail business growth and enhances the bank’s customer experience.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Suryoday Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- Suryoday Small Finance Bank MD & CEO: Baskar Babu Ramachandran;
- Suryoday Small Finance Bank Tagline: A Bank of Smiles.
Former CM of Meghalaya J D Rymbai passes away
The former Chief Minister of Meghalaya, James Dringwell Rymbai, died at the age of 88. He was born in Meghalaya on October 26th, 1934. The Meghalaya Government had declared three days of state mourning from April 21st to April 23, 2022, as a mark of respect for his sad and sudden demise. He had entered into electoral politics in 1982 and contested elections to the legislative assembly from the Jirang constituency successfully. On June 15, 2006, the veteran politician was elected Chief Minister of Meghalaya and served until March 2007.
SBI Cards tie-up with TCS to boost digital transformation
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has expanded its strategic partnership with SBI Cards and Payments Services Ltd to power SBI Card’s digital transformation. TCS had helped the SBI cards to transform its core cards sourcing platform and digitized a significant portion of the process. TCS has been providing services to SBI Card for over a decade since 2008, and the new deal represents an extension of that relationship.
How does TCS help SBI cards?
- TCS had helped the company transform its core cards sourcing platform and digitized a significant portion of the process.
- With this expansion in partnership, it will further digitalize the online onboarding processes enabling a faster turnaround and frictionless experience with greater customer satisfaction. In addition, it will enable SBI Card to grow its e-card issuance.
- TCS will continue to digitalize and change online onboarding processes in order to provide a faster and more frictionless experience for customers, resulting in higher customer satisfaction.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- SBI Card CEO: Rama Mohan Rao Amara (30 Jan 2021–);
- SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram;
- SBI Card Founded: October 1998.
Airtel Payments Bank tie-up with IndusInd Bank to offer FD Facility
Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with IndusInd Bank to offer fixed deposit (FD) facilities to its customers. A customer can open FD of Rs 500 up to Rs 190,000 on the Airtel Thanks app. With this partnership, customers of Airtel Payments Bank savings account will get an interest rate of up to 6.5 %p.a. and senior citizens will get an additional 0.5% on all fixed deposits.
Customers of the Airtel Payments Bank will be able to book several FDs for a fixed term of one, two, or three years. Customers can dissolve an FD before its maturity date via the Airtel Thanks app without incurring any penalties or processing fees for early withdrawals. Within minutes, the invested amount will be paid back to the associated account.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- IndusInd Bank Founded: 1994;
- IndusInd Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- IndusInd Bank MD & CEO: Sumant Kathpalia;
- IndusInd Bank Tagline: We Make You Feel Richer.
SIPRI’s “Trends in World Military Expenditure report 2021″: India ranked 3rd
According to the Sweden-based think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, titled “Trends in World Military Expenditure Report 2021”, India’s military expenditure is the third highest in the world behind the US and China. Military spending in India is amounting to $76.6 billion in 2021 which grew by 0.9% from 2020. Russia has also increased its military expenditure for the third consecutive year.
The report’s data is based upon the updated SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, which provides military spending data by country for the years 1949–2021. The five largest spenders in 2021 were the US, China, India, the UK (United Kingdom) and Russia, together accounting for 62% of expenditure.
Jharkhand’s Jamtara became country’s 1st district with library in every village
Jamtara in Jharkhand has become the only district in the country where all gram panchayats have community libraries. This district with a population of about eight lakh has a total of 118-gram panchayats under six blocks and each panchayat has a well-equipped library that is open for students from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Career counselling sessions and motivational classes are also held free of cost here. Sometimes, IAS and IPS officers also visit these libraries to guide students. Everyone is welcome to visit these innovative sites.
Gradually, libraries were set up in panchayats such as Chandradeep, Panjaniya, Menjhia, Gopalpur, Shaharpura, Champapur, and Jhilua. The villagers elected a President, Treasurer, and Librarian from amongst themselves, to run these libraries.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Jharkhand Capital: Ranchi;
- Jharkhand Chief Minister: Hemant Soren;
- Jharkhand Governor: Ramesh Bais.
TCS’ Krishnan Ramanujam appointed as Nasscom Chairperson for 2022-23
The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) announced that Krishnan Ramanujam, President, Enterprise Growth Group at Tata Consultancy Services, has been appointed as its Chairperson for 2022-23. Ramanujam succeeds Rekha M. Menon, Chairperson and Senior Managing Director of Accenture in India, in this role.
Nasscom also announced the appointment of Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India, as its Vice-Chairperson for 2022-23. Maheshwari will succeed Ramanujam in this role.
The new Nasscom leadership, along with President Debjani Ghosh, will lead the industry body to carry out its diverse array of priorities to achieve the 2025 vision for the industry. In line with the changing industry landscape, the key priorities will be to re-align and re-calibrate the course of the technology industry to maximise growth from technology potential to technology impact, reimagine India as the preferred hub for digital talent, innovation and impact at scale, and shape the next frontiers of digital next to catalyse future-readiness for the techade.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Nasscom President: Debjani Ghosh;
- Nasscom Headquarters location: New Delhi;
- Nasscom Founded: 1 March 1988.
