GK & Current Affairs Quiz: July 25, 2017

Notes:
India will host the men’s World Boxing Championship for the first time in 2021 besides women’s World Boxing Championship in 2018. It is recently announced by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in the executive committee meeting in Moscow, Russia. India has never conducted the men’s World Championship but has played host to the 2006 women’s mega-event. The major men’s boxing events hosted by India have been the 1990 World Cup in Mumbai and the 2010 Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi. Beside this, the AIBA Executive Committee has unanimously awarded the 2019 women’s World Championships to Trabzon, Turkey and the AIBA Men’s World Championships 2019 to Sochi, Russia. The AIBA 2018 Congress was awarded to the Russian capital city of Moscow.

Notes:
India has been ranked 132nd among 152 nations in a new global Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) index, which was prepared by international NGO Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI). The new global ranking of governments is based on what they are doing to tackle the gap between rich and poor. The report highlights India’s less-than adequate spending on welfare measures on account of its low tax to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio compared to that of some other nations as well as the disparity between wages of men and women for the same work. India collects just 16.7% of GDP as taxes, while South Africa manages to collect over 27%, pointed out the report. The CRI index ranks nations on the basis of their welfare spending, the progressive nature of their tax system and prevailing wage inequality in the labour market. The list is topped by Sweden, followed by Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Finland.

Notes:
Mervyn Rose (87), an Australian tennis player, has passed away in Australia on July 23, 2017. He won 7 Grand Slam titles (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) in his tennis career and represented Australia in the Davis Cup from 1951 to 1957. He coached numerous female and male players, including Billie Jean King, Margaret Court, Ernie Ewart, Michael Fancutt, Brett Prentice and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario. Rose is remembered for his unique character and for great coaching and mentoring to both amateur and professional players.

Notes:
The Union Government has launched the mobile phone app “Aarambh” to simplify the maintenance management of rural roads. The purpose of the app is to use of Geographic Information System (GIS) based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans. Its usage would greatly enhance the service delivery of the state level institutions in planning and implementing performance based rural roads maintenance contracts. The app was launched jointly by the Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Drinking Water & Sanitation Narendra Singh Tomar and ILO Deputy Director General (Policy) Ms. Deborah Greenfield on July 24, 2017. Apart from this, the Ministry has also launched a concept note and guidance note “Mobilizing Funds for Maintenance of Rural Road” to outline innovative ways which can be adopted by the state Governments for mobilizing additional funds for road maintenance and presents some international best practices worldwide.

Notes:
The Lucknow Metro will become the India’s first metro to have its own FM radio station along with a collaboration with private radio station to provide information regarding metro safety as well as on and off board entertainment. This service aims for infotainment and monetary purpose. It will offer free WiFi service for all the ‘Go Smart’ Card holders, which holds various other benefits as well. Beside this, Lucknow metro will also become the first metro in India to provide Commuters with free purified and chilled drinking water along with free toilet services at all of its stations.

Notes:
India finished at 7th position in the 6th edition of Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG-2017) at Nassau in Bahamas after winning 11 medals. India won four gold, one silver and six bronze medals in the six-day multi-sporting event which concluded on July 24, 2017. In boxing, India bagged four medals with World Youth champion Sachin Siwach clinched the gold in light flyweight in 49kg category and Muhammed Etash Khan won a bronze in boys bantamweight (56kg) division. Among the girls boxers, Jony clinched a silver medal in lightweight in 60kg category where as Ekta took a bronze medal in the flyweight 51kg category. In tennis, Zeel Desai and Siddhant Banthia claimed three medals across all three categories in singles and mixed doubles. Desai won her girls singles final against Eliza Omirou of Cyprus 6-3 7-6, while Banthia clinched the bronze with a win over Cypriot Eleftherios Neos 6-2, 6-0. The duo of Banthia and Desai took India to a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the mixed doubles finals against Neos and Omirou of Cyprus. The Indian contingent had comprised 28 participants across six disciplines that are athletics, cycling, swimming, judo, boxing and tennis.

Notes:
India skipper Mithali Raj has been chosen as the captain of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 team by the International Cricket Council (ICC). She was selected as captain after she led India to the final in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup, which was won by England Women Team. Mithali led by example, scoring 409 runs during the 30- day tournament. There are four members of the England women’s team in the Women’s World Cup XI, including Tamsin Beaumont, who was declared Player of the Tournament, and seamer Anya Shrubsole, who captured six wickets in the final to shatter Indian hopes of claiming a maiden title. South Africa also has three members that included opener Laura Wolvaardt and bowlers Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk.

Notes:
Prof Yash Pal (90), the internationally acclaimed physicist and higher education reformer, has passed away in Noida in Uttar Pradesh on July 25, 2017. He was born in 1926 in Jhang district of British India that is now in Pakistan. He gained recognition due to his contribution in the study of cosmic rays. Professor Yash Pal was lappointed as the Chief Consultant of the Planning Commission. He acted as the Secretary of Department of Science and Technology from 1984 to 1986. He was appointed as the Chairman of University Grants Commission where he served a full single-term of five years and also served as the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University. He served as a member of UN Advisory Committee on Science and Technology for Development. He is also known for his appearances on the science programme, Turning Point on Doordarshan and explaining scientific concepts in layman’s language. Pal was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1976 and Padma Vibhushan in 2013 for his contribution to Science.

Notes:
Indian weightlifter Konsam Ormila Devi has bagged a gold medal at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Kathmandu, Nepal. According to the Indian Weightlifting Federation, the weightlifter from Manipur lifted 56kg in snatch and 70kg in clean & jerk for a total effort of 126kg in the 44kg weight category to finish on the top of the podium.

Notes:
The Sri Venkateshwara National Park (SVNP) is a national park and biosphere reserve located in Andhra Pradesh, India and covers an area of 353 km2. The park is known for its many waterfalls including the Talakona, Gundalakona and Gunjana. It is home to hyena, golden jackal, Indian fox, small Indian civet, jungle cat, etc. The key threats that national park is facing are construction and quarrying.