15 OCT 2015 GK UPDATE

15th October, 2015

 

1. Kailash Satyarthi selected for 2015 Harvard Humanitarian of the Year Award

Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi has been selected for the prestigious 2015 Harvard Humanitarian of the Year Award. He awarded this award in recognition for championing the cause of child reform and ending all forms of violence against children. It is an annual award is given by Harvard University.  Kailash Satyarthi is the founder of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement). Through his NGO, he campaigns for protection of child rights and to abolish illegal human trafficking.   Satyarthi ss the eighth Nobel laureate from India.

2.  DRDO Missile complex renamed as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex 

 The country’s prestigious DRDO Missile Complex in Hyderabad was on 15 October 2015 renamed as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar during an event at Research Centre Imarat on the occasion of the 84th Birth Anniversary of Dr Kalam, the Missile Man.  Parrikar also inaugurated two advanced R&D facilities of RCI- Outdoor RCS Test Facility ORANGE at Dundigal and Kautilya Advanced Research Centre at RCI, Hyderabad.

3. India, US and Japan navies kick off 2015 Malabar Naval Exercise

 India, United States and Japan navies have started 2015 Malabar Naval Exercise of the eastern coast in Bay of Bengal and India Ocean. The high-end warfighting and complex trilateral exercise is part of annual series of exercises conducted to advance multi-national maritime relationships and mutual security issues.

4. Pranab Mukherjee becomes 1st Indian President to address Israeli Parliament Knesset

Pranab Mukherjee became first Indian President to address Israeli Parliament Knesset. He addressed the Knesset as last leg of his official visit to 3 countries of west Asia viz. Jordan, Palestine and Israel. He is also is first Indian President to make a state visit Israel.

5. Union Cabinet gives nod to RCE for Kaladan Multi Modal Project in Myanmar

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the Revised Cost Estimate (RCE) of 2904.04 crore rupees for the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar. Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. To create a multi-modal mode of transport for cargo shipment from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar. It will provide an alternate access route to India’s north east region and contribute towards the regional economic development.

6. Union Cabinet approved MoU with Mozambique for cooperation in renewable energy

The Union Government on 14 October 2015 approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India and Mozambique. This agreement aims at establishing a cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation, investment promotion and partnership on new and renewable energy issues on the basis of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity.

7. Tata Housing tied-up with Facebook to sell its affordable homes online

Real estate developer Tata Housing on 14 October 2015 tied-up with social networking firm Facebook to sell its affordable homes online. For this purpose, Tata Housing launched the new campaign titled Social sell on Facebook. Through this new campaign Social sell, the company plans to sell around 250 units of its new five-acre residential project in Goa called Goa Paradise. The initiative is in line with the company’s target to generate over 30 percent of its overall sales online in the next five years.

8. Dell Inc acquired EMC Corporation for 67 billion US dollars

Dell Inc and EMC Corporation on 12 October 2015 signed a definitive agreement under which Dell, together with its owners will acquire EMC Corporation, while maintaining VMware as a publicly-traded company.

9. Portugal became the first European country to sign the MoU on establishment of Nalanda University

Portugal on 9 October 2015 became the first European country to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of Nalanda University.

10. Uttar Pradesh Government launched mobile app mSehat for health workers

Uttar Pradesh government on 13 October 2015 launched the mobile app mSehat for health workers to record maternal and infant data in real-time. The application was developed by Kellton Tech, a company that was selected as the technology partner for the initiative by State Innovations in Family Planning Services Agency (SIFPSA).