Current Affairs Daily Digest – August 20 2019
1. Qamar Javed Bajwas term extended as Pakistans Chief of Army Staff
Pakistan Prime Minister Office got a 3-year extension of General Qamar Javed Bajwa‘s tenure as Chief of Army Staff. Bajwa’s original term to end in November 2019. He serves as Army chief for three years. He will remain as Army chief till November 2022.
2. Shavendra Silva appointed as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
Sri Lankan field commander appointed the new Army Commander, the President’s office announced.Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, 55 take charge as incumbent Army chief Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake’s service. President Maithripala Sirisena’s office announced that Lt Gen Shavendra Silva named as the new army commander.
Silva headed the Army’s 58th Division in the final battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in the final stages of the civil war in 2009.
3. Sadbhavana Diwas observed on 20 August
Sadbhavana Diwas is celebrated on 20 August every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. This year will be the 75th Birth Anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi.
On this day national integration, peace, love, affection and communal harmony among all Indians are encouraged. Shri Rajiv Gandhi was born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay. Mr Rajiv Gandhi youngest Prime Minister of India.
4. Bangalore Cup Hockey: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) beat Army XI
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) beat Army XI with 5-0 to win Dolo-650 Bangalore Cup All India Hockey Tournament 2019 held at the Field Marshal KM Cariappa Hockey Arena, Bengaluru, Karnataka. The year 2019 marks the 4th edition of Bangalore Cup Invitation. Previous edition of tournament was held in 2017 in which ONGC won and South Central Railway ended as runners-up.794.
5. Who is Ravinder Takkar, Vodafone Idea’s new CEO?
Ravinder Takkar, Vodafone Group’s representative in India, was appointed as the CEO of Vodafone Idea for three years. Takkar has been with Vodafone Group for 25 years and previously served as CEO of Vodafone Romania for three years and CEO of Vodafone Partner Markets in London. He is currently a board member of Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers.
6. Jaishankar R. Padmanabhan selected for appointment as NHB Executive Director
National Housing Bank (NHB) has selected Jaishankar R. Padmanabhan for appointment to the post of Executive Director (special grade). This appointment is subject to necessary clearances and verifications, according to NHB.
Jaishankar is currently Chief General Manager at India Infrastructure Finance Co Ltd (IIFCL), a state-owned infrastructure lender.
7. Govt removes debenture reserve requirement for housing finance cos, NBFCs
The government has removed the redemption reserve requirement for issuance of debentures by non-banking financial companies, housing finance companies and listed firms, a move aimed at reducing cost for raising capital. Under the companies law, these entities raising money had to create Debenture Redemption Reserve (DRR) and that requirement has now been done away with.
8. India largest SO2 emitter in world: Greenpeace
India is the world’s largest emitter of anthropogenic sulphur dioxide, which is produced from coal burning, and greatly contributes to air pollution, a study claimed on August 19.
According to an analysis of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) data released by environmental NGO Greenpeace on August 19, India has more than 15% of all anthropogenic sulphur dioxide (SO2) hotspots in the world detected by the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) satellite.
Did you Know?
The major SO2 emission hotspots in India are Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, Neyveli and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Talcher and Jharsuguda in Odisha, Korba in Chhattisgarh, Kutch in Gujarat, Ramagundam in Telangana and Chandrapur and Koradi in Maharashtra.
9. Paytm promotes CFO Madhur Deora as President
Gearing up for the next phase of growth in consumer Internet and financial services, digital payments player Paytm announced the promotion of its Chief Financial Officer Madhur Deora as the company’s President.
Prior to joining Paytm in October 2016, Deora served as Managing Director in Citigroup’s investment banking business.
10. India’s junior women boxers win 4 gold
India’s junior women boxers completed their campaign with a rich haul of four gold, four silver and four bronze medals at the 3rd Nation’s Cup in Vrbas, Serbia. While the contingent won the Runners-up trophy, India’s 48kg gold medallist Tamanna, who blanked Russia’s Alena Tremasova 5-0 in the final, picked up the coveted ‘Best Foreign Boxer’ award.
11. Mumbai to Host Prestigious World Youth Chess Championship in October
India’s latest chess sensation and the world’s second youngest Grand Master Praggnanandhaa R. will be the star attraction at the prestigious World Youth Chess Championship to be held in Mumbai in October.
The 14-year-old king of the chequered board from Chennai will lead a star-studded field, including six world champions in various age-groups, in the mega tournament from October 1 to 13.
12. Legendary composer Khayyam passes away at 93
After battling for life in the ICU at a Mumbai hospital since July 28, legendary music composer Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi, popularly known as Khayyam, breathed his last at august 19. The hospital declared cardiac arrest as the cause of his death.
The Padma Bhushan recipient was admitted because of infection in lungs and was in critical condition ever since admission. Ghazal singer Talat Aziz, who was looking after the composer and his wife Jagjit Kaur during this tough phase, shared the news with Bombay Times.
13. World Mosquito Day onserved on august 20
World Mosquito Day, observed annually on 20 August, is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Ross is responsible for the annual observance, having declared shortly after his discovery that the day should be known as World Mosquito Day in the future.
