Latest Current Affairs January 15
- Actor Sudhir Dalvi gets Janakavi P Sawlaram award
Actor Sudhir Dalvi was honoured with the Janakavi P Sawlaram award at Thane, Maharashtra. The award is jointly given by the Thane Municipal Corporation and the Janakavi P Savlaram Kala Samiti.
Well-known dancer Jaishree T was bestowed with the Ganga Jamuna award, which is instituted in memory of a popular song written by Sawlaram.
- Vijay Kumar appointed as MD & CEO of NCDEX
Market regulator Sebi has approved appointment of Vijay Kumar as Managing Director and CEO of the country’s largest agri-commodity bourse National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX).
NCDEX
National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX) is an online commodity exchange based in India.
It has an independent board of directors and provides a commodity exchange platform for market participants to trade in commodity derivatives.
It is a public limited company, incorporated on 23 April 2003 under the Companies Act, 1956 and obtained its Certificate for Commencement of Business on 9 May 2003. It commenced operations on 15 December 2003.
- Union Home Minister inaugurates IWDRI 2018 in New Delhi
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI).
The two-day workshop is being organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).
As the infrastructure systems are globally interconnected, disruptions in one part of the world can cause havoc in another part of the world.
It is, therefore, important that all stakeholders come together to address the challenges and devise solutions to create resilient infrastructure.
- Ministry of Petroleum launches Saksham 2018 Campaign
The Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has launched month long Saksham 2018 (Sanrakshan Kshamta Mahotsav). Saksham is annual flagship event of PCRA with active involvement of Oil & Gas PSUs along with other stakeholders like State Governments.
- UIDAI allows face recognition for Aadhaar authentication
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced the addition of facial recognition-based authentication for Aadhaar users, especially those who have problems with other forms of biometric verification such as fingerprint or iris.
UIDAI introduces yet another landmark technology for authentication – Face Authentication. #AadhaarFaceAuth will help all elderly or other facing issues with fingerprint authentication. Service to be launched by July 1, 2018.
- 15th January 2018: National Army Day
Army Day is celebrated on 15th January every year in India, in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa‘s (then a Lieutenant General) taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on 15th January 1949. Army day is dedicated to the soldiers who fought to safeguard the country’s honour.
- Federal Bank ties up with Hedge Equities
Federal Bank has entered into a strategic partnership with Hedge Equities for providing portfolio investment scheme (PIS) services to NRIs.
A formal agreement was executed in which Jose K Mathew, EVP & Head — Retail Business, Federal Bank, and Alex Babu, MD, Hedge Equities, exchanged the MoU announcing the tie-up.
Federal Bank is authorised by the RBI to issue permission letter to NRIs on behalf of RBI to transact in the secondary market.
- India, Israel ink Nine Pacts on Cyber Security, Other Sectors
India and Israel have inked nine pacts in key areas, including cyber security and oil & gas sectors amid PM Narendra Modi’s call to Israel firms to take advantage of the liberalised FDI regime in the defence sector that would boost Make in India initiative.
India and Israel will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas such as agriculture, technology and security.
- India, Sri Lanka sign four agreements for collaboration in ICT sector
India and Sri Lanka have signed four agreements for collaboration in ICT sector, setting up of e-office system and connecting of National Knowledge network (NKN) for collaboration among universities and academics.
The MoU for cooperation was signed by Union minister for Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad with his Sri Lankan counterpart in Colombo.
National Informatics centre (NIC) has set up a model E-office system for Sri Lanka and both projects were formally inaugurated on the occasion.
- NASA discovers farthest known galaxy in the universe “SPT0615-JD”
NASA scientists have spotted the farthest known galaxy in the universe, a primitive cluster of stars just 500 million years old.
An intensive survey deep into the universe by NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes has yielded the image of the galaxy named SPT0615-JD, stretched and amplified by a phenomenon called gravitational lensing.
Though a few other primitive galaxies have been seen at this early epoch, they have essentially all looked like red dots given their small size and tremendous distances.
- Assam wins 8th Sub-junior National Hockey Championship
Assam emerged champion at the final of the Hockey India 8th Sub-Junior Men’s National Championship 2018. The host defeated Rajasthan by 3-2.
The state government has decided to appoint successful state players at national and international events in the level of ACS, APS and other allied services besides giving cash awards up to Rs 1 crore..
- Veteran journalist and writer Gnani Sankaran passes away
Veteran Tamil writer, journalist and theatre personality, Gnani Sankaran, died. He was 64. Known for his spirited life and daring positions on various issues, Gnani is often recalled by his friends as a firebrand journalist of Madras of early 1980s, besides his many experiments in literature, street plays and theatre.
- Sarod maestro Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta passes away
Sarod maestro Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta passed away. He was 84. He received Padma Bhushan award.
The musician, born in 1933 at Bhagalpur, Bihar, learnt sarod under the tutelage of Pt Radhikamohan Moitra.
- Veteran Actress Charu Rohatgi Passes Away
Actress Charu Rohatgi who is known for working in Parineeti Chopra – Arjun Kapoor starrer film ‘Ishaqzaade’ has passed away.
