GK & Current Affairs Quiz: July 13, 2018

Notes:
Dr. TCA Raghavan, a 1982 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has been appointed as Director General of Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) with effect from 24th July 2018. The post is equivalent to the rank of Secretary to the Government of India (GoI). Earlier, Dr. Raghavan has served as India’s High Commissioner to Islamabad and Singapore and has served in our missions at London, Thimphu and Kuwait.

Notes:
On July 12, Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of India (SBI) on the Defence Salary Package that will include free personal accident death, free permanent total disability cover and other accidental benefits to the deceased soldier and family. The revised MoU will benefit a large number of serving and retired Army personnel who have their accounts with the SBI. The first MoU between SBI and the Indian Army was signed in 2011 and was renewed in February 2015. The renewed MoU will be valid till January 3, 2019.

Notes:
Dada JP Vaswani (99),the Spiritual leader and head of Sadhu Vaswani mission, has passed away in Pune, Maharashtra on July 12, 2018. Born in Hyderabad, Sindh (Pakistan) on 2nd of August 1918, Vaswani was a world renowned spiritual leader known for promoting vegetarianism and animal rights. He is credited to have written over 150 self-help books. Sadhu Thanwardas Lilaram Vaswani, who founded Sadhu Vaswani Mission, was his Guru. He was the recipient of the 1998 U Thant Peace Award, given by the United Nations. Dada Vaswani’s birthday is celebrated as a Global Forgiveness Day.

Notes:
On 10th April 2022, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Nadabet Seema Darshan Project along the India-Pakistan border in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat. The project, which is being developed on the pattern of Wagah Border, will include an exhibition hall and a parade ground with an amphitheatre for 5,000 people. People can watch the border where the Gujarat’s seacoast meets the landmass. The project seeks to show how the BSF jawans protect the border round-the-clock. The project will encourage local economic activity in the Rann region, alongside visit to adjoining flamingo and wild ass sanctuaries.

Notes:
The play script “Hello Farmaish”, which is being shortlisted for The Hindu Playwright Award 2018, is written by Sneh Sapru. The play script is a satire that describes as a drama with bold streaks of magic realism. The winner of The Hindu Playwright Award will be announced on August 9, 2018 on the eve of the opening of the 14th edition of The Hindu Theatre Fest in Chennai on August 10. The award, instituted in 2008, carries a prize of Rs 2 lakh for the best original, unpublished and unperformed play script in English.

Notes:
India has become the 69th shareholder of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This move will enable Indian companies to undertake joint investments in regions in which the EBRD operates. Here, India takes a shareholding in the EBRD but it will not be a recipient of EBRD financing. London-headquartered EBRD is a multilateral development bank set up in 1991 after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It aims to promote private and entrepreneurial initiative in emerging Europe and invests in 38 emerging economies. The EBRD is also working closely with leading Indian organisations, such as FICCI, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), and the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Notes:
Prof N N Wig, the doyen of Psychiatry in India, has passed away in Chandigarh on July 13, 2018. He led many pioneering studies related to mental health at national and international levels and headed departments in various prestigious institutions like AIIMS, Delhi and PGIMER, died here at the age of 88 after a brief illness. Born on 1st October 1930 in Gujranwala (Pakistan), Wig founded the psychiatry department in Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in 1963. He dedicated his entire life towards creating awareness among people towards mental illness. He also contributed to the classification of psychiatric disorders in India and at the international level.

Notes:
Sprinter Hima Das has created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold at the IAAF World Under- 20 Athletics Championships in Tempere, Finland on July 12, 2018. Das, who is from Dhing village in Assam’s Nagaon distrist, has clinched the top spot in the women’s 400 meters final race on the third day of the competitions. She clocked 51.46 seconds to win the gold. No woman before Das has won a gold medal in a World Championship at any level, be it youth, junior or senior. She is also the first Indian, men or women, to have won a gold in a track event at the world level.

Notes:
The book “Aluminium: The Future Metal” has been authored by Tapan Kumar Chand, the CMD of NALCO. It gives a comprehensive overview of the strategic metal and its futuristic role in the growth of industry and economy of the country. The book is recently released by Narendra Singh Tomar , the Union Minister of Mines, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

Notes:
Shrimat Pandey is the newly-appointed chairman of the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) and will have tenure of five years. Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, administered oath of office to Pandey. The Commission was established on 2nd January 2000 under the ERC Act, 1998 o play a more effective role in the development of energy sector.