Current Affairs Daily Digest – June 06 2020
1. Power Ministry launched iCommit initiative
Union Minister of Power R. K. Singh launched the #iCommit initiative for building an energy resilient future on 5 June 2020. A campaign was also launched to encourage all stakeholders and individuals to continue moving towards energy efficiency.
2. Former Delhi Police commissioner Ved Marwah passed away
Former Delhi Police commissioner Ved Marwah passed away on 5 June 2020. He was 87 years old. The former Governor of Mizoram, Manipur, and Jharkhand also served as the director-general of the National Security Guard (NSG), and as an adviser to governors in J&K and Bihar.
3. EESL, USAID launched Healthy and Energy Efficient Buildings
State-run Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has partnered with US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Market Integration and Transformation Program for Energy Efficiency (MAITREE) program and launched ‘Healthy and Energy Efficient Buildings’ initiative. The initiative is a part of the US-India bilateral Partnership between the Power Ministry of India and USAID.
4. India to host AFC 2022 Asian Womens Cup
India is to host the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup. The hosting rights have been awarded to India by the Asian Football Confederation. This is the second time India will be hosting the event. India hosted the event for the first time in 1979. The information was passed by the All India Football Federation.
5. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw awarded EY World Entrepreneur of the year
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Founder and Chairperson & Managing Director of Biocon, has been named EY World Entrepreneur fo the year 2020. The award is to recognize her contribution to improving universal access to affordable life-saving medicine and thus transforming the world.
She became only the third Indian to receive this prestigious award after Uday Kotak and Narayana Murthy. Shaw became only the second woman to receive this award. Olivia Lum of Hyflux Limited from Singapore is the first person to have won the title in 2011.
6. June 6: Russian Language Day
Every year, on June 6, the United Nations celebrated Russian Language Day. This was established by the UNESCO in 2010. The Russian Language Day is celebrated on the birth day of Aleksandr Pushkin. He was a Russian Poet and is considered as the father of modern Russian literature.
7. CeNS: Low cost Catalyst for Hydrogen Generation
The scientists and researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences operating under Department of Science and Technology have invented a low cost effective way to generate hydrogen from water using Molybdenum dioxide.
8. L&T re-appoints AM Naik as Non-Executive Chairman for 3 years
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) said that it has re-appointed AM Naik as Non-Executive Chairman for a three-year period with effect from October 1, 2020 and upto September 30, 2023. His current term was set to end on September 30, 2020. Naik was appointed Group Executive Chairman of L&T in 2012 but he stepped down from executive responsibilities in 2017.
9. Rahul Shrivastava appointed as next Ambassador of India to Romania
Rahul Shrivastava, a senior diplomat has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Romania. Mr Shrivastava, a 1999 batch IFS officer is presently a joint secretary in the ministry.
10. India pledges to donate USD 15 million to International Vaccine Alliance GAVI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to donate USD 15 million to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). He made the announcement during the Global Vaccine Summit hosted by the United Kingdom (UK) on June 4, 2020.
The virtual summit was opened by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson who urged the nations around the world to pledge for vaccination funding in order to save millions of lives as well as to protect the world from future outbreaks.
11. DLF’s K P Singh retires at 90, son Rajiv Singh to take over reins
Kushal Pal Singh, the face of India’s largest listed real estate firm DLF, on Thursday stepped down from the chairmanship of the company at the age of 90. He will be replaced by son Rajiv Singh, currently serving as vice chairman, the firm announced. The nonagenarian will, however, continue in a non-executive role as chairman emeritus.
12. Chhattisgarh govt launches ‘Spandan Campaign’ to check suicide and fratricide
The Chhattisgarh government launched the Spandan Campaign to contain incidents of suicide and fratricide involving police personnel, and instructions were issued to senior officers to strictly adhere to guidelines in this regard.
13. Former Miss World Manushi Chhillar appointed as Adidas brand ambassador
Miss World 2017 winner Manushi Chhillar has joined the league of star cricketer Rohit Sharma, sprint sensation Hima Das and Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as brand ambassador of the Indian arm of German sports brand Adidas. The footwear giant said Chillar will lead Adidas’s mission to inspire more women to embrace fitness.
14. SA scientist Quarraisha Abdool Karim wins R10m French prize
Acclaimed HIV researcher professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim recently won the prestigious Christophe Mérieux Prize for 2020. The award is chosen by the Institut de France, based on proposals from the foundation, and comes with nearly R10 million to support further research.
