Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Quick Gyan (QG) Section of D2G. QG is just a glimpse of what happened today all over the world.
Only For Serious Candidates : We strongly recommend you to read the Current Affairs in detail. For your convenience, we have provided quick links under the updates. Make use of it.
Always Keep Yourself Updated!!!
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Manipuri documentary bags top award at 14th MIFF
Manipuri movie “Phum Shang” has won the Golden Conch award for the best documentary film (up to 60 minutes) at the 14th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for Documentary, Animation and Short Films. Swiss drama “My Name is Salt” and Indian entry “Placebo” shared the Gold Conch award for the best feature length documentary film. 52-minute long “Phum Shang”, directed by Hao Bam Pabankumar, who is an alumnus of the Satyjit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata, presents the serious environmental problems faced at the Loktak lake. Pabankumar also won a cash prize of Rs 3 lakhs.
Quick Link – Phum Shang has won the Golden Conch award
APPOINTMENTS
Mu Sigma appoints Ambiga Dhiraj as new CEO
Analytics services provider Mu Sigma Inc. has appointed its chief operating officer (COO) Ambiga Dhiraj as its chief executive officer (CEO). Mu Sigma’s founder and former CEO, Dhiraj Rajaram, will remain the chairman. The company said that the new CEO will head the company out of Bengaluru, while the chairman will focus on client engagement in the US. Last year in July, Mu Sigma’s managing director, Ganesh Lakshminarayanan, quit the company a year after joining it, and in March, its chief financial officer (CFO) Atul Bansal left the firm. Mu Sigma is yet to appoint a full-time CFO.
Quick Link – Ambiga Dhiraj as New CEO
Aruna Sethi appointed as head of Indian Cost Accounting Service
Mrs. Aruna Sethi (ICoAS 1985), Principal Adviser (Cost), took over the charge of Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS) as head. She is the first lady ICoAS officer who has achieved this laurel. She has earlier held important portfolios in Government of India including Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Defence etc.
Quick Link – Aruna Sethi as ICOAS Head
DJ Pandian appointed AIIB Vice-President
Former chief secretary of Gujarat DJ Pandian has been appointed vice-president and chief investment officer of the newly-created Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). AIIB President-designate Jin Liqun had last month called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also had meetings with officials of the Finance Ministry. The Beijing-based USD 100 billion multi-lateral lender AIIB was set up to boost lending for infrastructure projects. The China-initiated development bank was formally set up in Beijing on December 25, 2015. China had nominated its former finance minister Jin as the first president of AIIB.
Quick Link – DJ Pandian as AIIB -VP
Major Gen Jai Shanker Menon appointed as UNDOF Head
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Major General Jai Shanker Menon to head the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which monitors the Syria-Israel ceasefire in the Golan Heights. Menon succeeds Lieutenant General Purna Chandra Thapa of Nepal whose assignment ended recently. Menon was Additional Director General for Equipment Management in the Indian Army. Menon is familiar with the region having served with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from 2007 to 2009. UNDOF was set up in 1974 to supervise the ceasefire and disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria in the area seized by Israel during the 1967 War.
Quick Link – Jai Shanker Menon as UNDOF Head
INDIAN AFFAIRS
India becomes second largest smartphone market
India has surpassed the US to become the world’s second largest smartphone market, crossing 220 million in active unique smartphone users in 2015. According to Hong-Kong-based Counterpoint Technology Market Research, Smartphone shipments in India grew a healthy 15 percent annually in the December quarter of 2015 versus the previous quarter and 23 percent on the year-earlier quarter. In all, India crossed the 100 Million smartphones-sold-in-year milestone at the end of 2015.
Quick Link – Second smartphone market-India
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal signed in Auckland
The Trans Pacific Partnership, one of the biggest multinational trade deals ever, has been signed by ministers from its 12 member nations in New Zealand. The ceremony in Auckland brings the huge trade pact, which has been five years in the making, another step towards to becoming a reality. The 12 nations account for some 40% of the world’s economy – they now have two years to ratify or reject the pact.
Quick Link – Trans Pacific Partnership
FOREIGN RELATION
Joint Declaration between India and Germany
The Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was apprised about signing of a Joint Declaration between the ministry of science & technology and the federal ministry of education and research of Germany on the extension of the tenure of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC). The Declaration is for the extension of tenure of the bilateral IGSTC for a period of five years beyond 2017 till 2022 and it provides for enhancement of funding allocation from 2 million Euros per year to a maximum of 4 million Euros per year by each side.
Quick Link – IGSTC
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
First Artificial Graphene created
Scientists, led by an Indian-origin researcher, have created an artificial material with a structure similar to the ‘wonder material’ graphene. Discovered in 2004, graphene is a one-atom-thick sheet of graphite. Graphene transistors are predicted to be substantially faster and more heat tolerant than today’s silicon transistors and may result in more efficient computers and the next-generation of flexible electronics. Jak Chakhalian, professor of physics and director of the Artificial Quantum Materials Laboratory at the University of Arkansas in US, said “We’ve basically created the first artificial graphene-like structure with transition metal atoms in place of carbon atoms.
Quick Link – Artificial Graphene
India’s first ayurvedic anti-diabetic drug launched
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched India’s first anti-diabetic ayurvedic drug for type two Diabetes mellitus. The drug BGR-34 is developed jointly by National Botanical ResearchInstitute (NBRI) and Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), the Lucknow-based research units of CSIR. While the modern diabetes drugs are known for side-effects and toxicity, BGR-34 works by controlling blood sugar and limiting the harmful effects of other drugs.
Quick Link – Ayurvedic anti-diabetic drug
SPORTS
Kerala wins 61st National School Athletics championship
Kerala has emerged champions in the 61st National School Athletics Meet, which began on January 29 and concluded on February 2. Kerala emerged as the overall winner for the 19th consecutive time. The national School Athletics championship was held at Olympian Rahman Stadium in Kozhikode, Kerala. The host of the championship got 306 points winning 39 gold, 29 silver and 17 bronze medals. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu stood at second position with 116 points winning 11 gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze medals. Maharashtra with 101 points obtained the third position.
Quick Link – Kerela wins 61st National School Athletics
Thank you 🙂 🙂 🙂
