Daily updates 18 September 2019

National

1. 5th International Ramayan Festival organized in New Delhi

• The 5th International Ramayan Festival organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), in New Delhi. ICCR was established with the vision of propagating Indian culture and its values to the whole world.
• The Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah presided as Chief Guest over the 5^th International Ramayan Festival.
• International Ramayan Festival is being organized for 5th year in a row, during which 17 countries have participated with their artists and rendered their versions of Ramayan.
• Ramayan is one such scripture that has transcended Personal, Societal, Religious, Cultural and National boundaries and reached a global audience.

International

2. Sri Lanka unveils South Asia’s tallest tower

• Sri Lanka unveiled South Asia’s tallest tower, costing over $100 million, 80% of which has been funded by China under the controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• The 350-metre-tall 17-storey Lotus Tower, located in the heart of Colombo city.
• The tower spread over an area of 30,600 sq. metres. The project which began in 2012 under the then-president Mahinda Rajapakse.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

• Sri Lanka Capitals: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency: Sri Lankan rupee.
• Prime minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe; President: Maithripala Sirisena.

State in News

3. Hyderabad-Karnataka Region Renamed 'Kalyana Karnataka'

• Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced that the Hyderabad-Karnataka region has been renamed as 'Kalyana Karnataka' and a separate secretariat would be established for its development.
• Hyderabad Karnataka region comprising six north-eastern districts of the State — Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal and Ballari.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

• Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru, Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

4. Arunachal Pradesh CM dedicates Dikshi Hydroelectric Project to people of state

• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu dedicated the Dikshi Hydroelectric Project to the people of the state.
• The 24 Mega Watt Hydroelectric Project has been installed at Dikshi Village in West Kameng District. It is a Run of the River project constructed on the river Phudung by Devi Energies Private Limited.
• It was completed in a record time of four years with an investment of about 430 crore rupees. Government of Arunachal Pradesh is the sole beneficiary of the power generation from this project.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• Governor of Arunachal Pradesh: B. D. Mishra; Capital: Itanagar.

Agreements

5. Kerala govt inks MoU with Maldives on cancer care

• Kerala signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maldives to strengthen cancer care in the island nation.
• The Kerala government and the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) have jointly signed the MOU with the health ministry of Maldives as part of improving cooperation between the two countries.
• The MoU was signed between Maldivian Minister Abdulla Ameen and Kerala Health Minister KK Shylaja in the presence of the state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

• Capital of Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram; Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.
• Capital of Maldives: Male; Currency of the Maldives: Maldivian Rufiyaa.
• President of the Maldives: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

6. ISRO, DRDO sign MoUs to provide technologies for Human Space Mission

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) joined hands with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the development of human-centric systems for the Human Space Mission to demonstrate its human space flight capabilities.
• The purpose behind the development is to provide technologies for human-centric systems and technologies specific to the Human Space Mission. ISRO aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability before the 75th anniversary of India's independence in 2022.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For ESIC:

• ISRO Director: K Sivan, Headquarters: Bengaluru, Established: 1969.
• Chairman of DRDO: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters: New Delhi; Founded: 1958.

7. Wipro Infrastructure and BEML sign MoU

• Defence PSU Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) have signed an MoU to work together in the areas of aerospace, industrial automation, 3-D printing, artificial intelligence and hydraulic system engineering.
• The MoU entails the two firms working together on projects, products, systems, services and projects for DRDO Labs and other government entities in India as well as overseas. Key focus areas include aerospace components and parts through SEZ, metal additive manufacturing and design optimization for new critical aggregates, legacy components & spares, and process automation.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• Chairman & Managing Director of BEML: D K HOTA. Headquarters: Bengaluru.

Appointment

8. Wing Commander Anjali Singh becomes India's first female military diplomat

• Wing Commander Anjali Singh has joined the Indian Embassy in Russia as India's first female military diplomat to be posted in any of the Indian missions abroad.
• She has joined her new assignment as the Deputy Air Attache. She has served the Indian Air Force for 17 years and is trained on MiG-29 aircraft.
• An air attache is an Air Force officer who is part of a diplomatic mission this post is normally filled by a high-ranking officer.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital: Moscow.
• The Russian ruble is the currency of Russia.

Awards

9. V K Yadav, Chairman of Railway Board awarded with Eminent Engineers Award

• The Union Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, awarded Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman of Railway Board with Eminent Engineers Award.
• The award was presented at the special event to mark the 52nd Engineers’ Day organised by the Institution of Engineers in New Delhi. The award was for his outstanding contributions in the field of engineering. The theme of 52nd Engineers’ Day was “Engineering for change”.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

• Union Minister of Railways: Piyush Goyal.
• John Mathai was the first Railways Minister of Independent India.

Defence

10. India successfully flight-tested indigenous air-to-air missile Astra

• Indian Air Force has successfully flight-tested air-to-air missile Astra off the coast of Odisha. The missile was launched from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI combat aircraft.
• The missile was tracked using radars, electro-optical tracking sensors and struck its target successfully.
• The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the premier research and development organisation of the armed forces.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

• Chairman of DRDO: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters: New Delhi; Founded: 1958.
• Motto of DRDO: “Strength’s Origin is in Science.

Sports

11. Dinesh Mongia announces retirement froms all form of cricket

• Former Indian Cricket all-rounder Dinesh Mongia announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
• He ended with an aggregate of 57 ODIs but never played a Test. His first-class record of 121 matches included 21 centuries. He also played for Lancashire and Leicestershire.
• Mongia is a member of the Indian team, which finished runner-up in the 2003 World Cup, his last appearance on the field was in 2007 for Punjab before he joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and was subsequently banned by the BCCI.

Miscellaneous

12. Documentary film based on life of Uttarakhand farmer nominated for Oscars

• Moti Bagh, a documentary film based on the struggle of a farmer in a remote Uttarakhand village, has been nominated for the Oscars.
• The film, based on the life of Vidyadutt Sharma, a farmer living in Pauri Garhwal region, also won the 1st prize at the International short film festival in Kerala. This documentary film was directed by Nirmal Chandra Dandriyal.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Main:

• CM of Uttarakhand: Trivendra Singh Rawat.
• Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.
• Capital of Uttarakhand: Dehradun.

13. US swimmer Sarah Thomas criss-crosses English Channel in 54-hour

• American breast cancer survivor Sarah Thomas became the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop in a 54-hour feat of endurance.
• She diagnosed with cancer a year ago. She said the hardest part of the swim was dealing with the saltwater, which left her throat and mouth sore.

Daily updates 17 September 2019

National

1. India’s 1st National Antimicrobial Resistance Hub set up in Kolkata

• India’s first National Antimicrobial Resistance Hub was recently inaugurated in Kolkata.
• The Kolkata centre would be the hub for research on antibiotic resistance not only for the country but for the entire South Asia.
• The centre was jointly inaugurated by the ICMR, in association with the U.S. Consulate of Kolkata and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

2. India to fund 1000 PhD fellowships for ASEAN students at IITs

• India has formally launched an initiative to fund 1000 scholars from South East Asian countries to pursue PhD at its 23 Indian Institutes of Technology.
• It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Human Resource Development. The scheme has an initial budget of Rs. 300 crore.
• The funding will cover the entire cost of study and living expenses for up to 5 years of a PhD programme. The admission portal for the programme would be executed by IIT Delhi.

3. Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 implemented

• The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 has come into effect.
• The Bill will facilitate smooth and speedy eviction of unauthorized occupants from Government residential accommodations and ensure retrieval of these residential accommodations from unauthorized occupants.
• The Act confers powers upon the Estate Officers to evict such unauthorized occupants from public premises in a smooth, speedy and time-bound manner.
• As per the Amendment Act, the Estate officer will issue short Show cause notice of three days before eviction of the unauthorized occupant from Government accommodation.

4. Civil Servants of Maldives & Bangladesh begins training in India

• India has commenced a special training programme for Maldivian and Bangladeshi civil servants at Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.
• The special training programme for the civil servants of the two countries is being conducted by the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme.
• The NCGG is India's leading civil services training institution and has been training civil servants from a number of countries in South Asia and Africa.

Economy News

5. GSTN makes Aadhaar verification mandatory for new dealers from Jan 2020

• The Goods and Services Tax Network has decided to make Aadhaar authentication or physical verification mandatory for new dealers from January 2020.
• Those who do not want Aadhaar authentication, physical verification will be carried out, which will be completed in three days.
• The step has been taken to check malpractices in Goods and Services Tax. In the first phase, Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for new dealers. Afterwards, all those enrolled on GSTN would be asked to provide their Aadhaar numbers.

Schemes and Committees

6. ECGC launches scheme "Nirvik" to ease the lending process

• Ministry of Commerce & Industry through Export Credit Guarantee Corporation has introduced a new Export Credit Insurance Scheme called NIRVIK.
• The Niryat Rin Vikash Yojana has been launched to enhance loan availability to exporters and to ease the lending process. Under the new scheme NIRVIK, up to 90 per cent of the principal amount and interest will be covered through insurance.
• During the launch, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal revealed that Central government will give support of Rs 8,500 crore to Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India in the next 5 years.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Union Minister of Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal.

Appointment

7. Ramkumar Ramamoorthy appointed as CMD of Cognizant India

• Cognizant Technology Solutions has appointed Ramkumar Ramamoorthy as Chairman and Managing Director of Cognizant India.
• Ramkumar Ramamoorthy has played a leading role marketing and communications, market research and intelligence, public affairs, and knowledge management in his 21 plus years of experience in the company.

Defence

8. Trilateral Exercise "SITMEX" Commences at Port Blair

• A maiden trilateral exercise SITMEX, involving Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) started at Port Blair.
• The exercise aims to bolster the maritime inter-relationships among the Singapore Thailand and India, and contribute significantly to enhance the overall maritime security in the region.
• This would also strengthen the mutual confidence amongst three navies in terms of interoperability and development of a common understanding of procedures.

Awards

9. Bangladesh PM receives Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award

• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award 2019 in Dhaka.
• The award citation lauded Prime Minister Hasina for her vision of a peaceful and prosperous South Asia, free of tension, conflicts and terrorism.
• The award has been instituted in the memory of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The award is given every year to honour statesmen or leaders who have shown excellence in respective fields to achieve the best for their countries.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Capital of Bangladesh: Dhaka; Currency: Taka.

10. Bangladesh School project wins Aga Khan Architecture Award

• Arcadia Education Project which involves construction of floating school for marginalised children in South Kanarchor of Bangladesh, has been awarded the prestigious Aga Khan Architecture Award 2019.
• The award ceremony was held in Kazan, republic of Tatarastan.
• The architect of the project Saif Ul Haque designed a school which remains on the ground during dry season and floats when the area is submerged in water during monsoon.
• He utilised only the local material-bamboo, used tyres and steel drums for constructing the amphibious structure for school.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Capital of Bangladesh: Dhaka; Currency: Taka.

11. Neena Gupta wins two awards at Boston Film Festival

• Bollywood actor Neena Gupta has won 2 awards at Indian International Film Festival of Boston.
• The actress won the Best Actress award for 'Badhaai Ho' and her film 'The Last Color' emerged victorious in Best Feature Film category.
• 'The Last Color' was directed by chef Vikas Khanna. The film deals with taboo surrounding widows in Vrindavan and Varanasi in India.

12. Agnes Kharshiing conferred the 11th International Hrant Dink Award

• Meghalaya-based rights activist Agnes Kharshiing, who survived an assault by the coal mafia almost a year ago, received the 11th International Hrant Dink Award.
• She received the award along with Turkish activist against male violence, Nebahat Akkoc.
• The two activists were presented the award that commemorates the memory of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was killed in 2007, in Istanbul.
• The Hrant Dink Award is presented every year to individuals, organisations or groups that work for a world free from discrimination, racism and violence.

Obituaries

13. Former A.P. Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao passes away

• Former speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly Kodela Siva Prasada Rao passed away. He was a 6-time MLA elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
• He served as the Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly from 2014 to 2019. He also served as a minister in the NT Rama Rao and Chandrababu Naidu governments of Andhra Pradesh.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jaganmohan Reddy; Governor: Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.

Daily updates 15 and 16 September 2019

National

1. Great Ganga Run 2019 flagged off in New Delhi

• Jal Shakti Minister and Sports Minister flagged off "Great Ganga Run-2019" at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
• The marathon was organised to create awareness about River Ganga. The marathon was organised by Ministry of Jal Shakti. A large number of people from all age groups participated in the marathon.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Jal Shakti Minister: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
• Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports: Kiren Rijiju.

2. St. Vincent and Grenadines, 79th country to join India-led ISA

• Saint Vincent and Grenadines became the 79th country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an initiative by India aimed at combating the threats of climate change and global warming.
• The International Solar Alliance is a group of 121 solar resource-rich countries with headquarters in Gurugram, India. The organisation aims to deploy over 1,000 gigawatts of solar energy and mobilise more than USD 1,000 billion into solar power by 2030, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• St Vincent and the Grenadines Capital: Kingstown; Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar.

3. MoC Ravi Shankar Prasad launches Maritime Communication Services in India

• Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched the Maritime Communication Services at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The Maritime Connectivity will enable high-end support to those in the sea by providing access to Voice, Data and Video services while travelling on sailing vessels, cruise liners, ships in India, using satellite technology.
• Nelco, India's leading VSAT solutions provider is the first Indian company that will now provide quality broadband services to the maritime sector.

State News

4. I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar flagged off Jaldoot vehicle in Pune

• Union Minister for Environment and Forest and Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar flagged off a Jaldoot vehicle a travelling exhibition in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The van carrying the 'SAVE WATER' message will travel to different parts of the state.
• To tackle the water crisis looming the country, the Government of India launched the ‘Jalshakti Abhiyan’, a water conservation campaign focusing on 1592 stressed blocks in 256 districts across the country.

Appointment

5. Justice P Lakshmana Reddy appointed as first Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh

• Former judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court P. Lakshmana Reddy, who has been appointed as State’s Lokayukta.
• He is known for his campaign against corruption. His oath to the office was administered by Governor Biswabhusan Hairchandan at a function held in Vijayawada.
• Justice P Lakshmana Reddy would serve in the office of Lokayukta for 5 years. He is the first Lokayukta to be assuming charge since the state bifurcated in 2014.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• CM of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jaganmohan Reddy; Capital of Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati.

6. UN appoints Indian Army veteran Abhijit Guha as head of Hodeidah mission

• United Nations Secretary-General appointed Lieutenant General (Retired) Abhijit Guha as the head of the UN mission in Hodeidah, Yemen.
• He will succeed Denmark Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, who served in these posts. Guha brings to this position 39 years of national and international military experience.
• He served from 2009-2013 as the Deputy Military Adviser and the Military Adviser within the Office of Military Affairs of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, while also establishing the Office of Peacekeeping and Strategic Partnerships in 2013.
• The UN Mission in support of the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Guha will also assume the chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), tasked with redeploying forces of the Yemeni warring parties in accordance with their agreement.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

• On 24 October 1945, The United Nations officially comes into existence
• Antonio Guterres is the Secretary-General of the United Nations
• United Nations is headquartered in New York.

Defence

7. First-ever 'arrested landing' of Naval Tejas successfully executed

• DRDO and the Aeronautical Development Agency successfully executed the first-ever arrested landing of Light Combat Aircraft(LCA) Tejas (Navy) at the shore-based test facility in Goa.
• This is a step towards the aircraft getting operational on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
• This arrested landing heralds the arrival of true indigenous capability and displays the professional prowess of our scientific community Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) embedded with design plus build the capability of HAL(ARDC), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy; Established: 1958; Headquarters: New Delhi.

8. White Water Rafting Expedition 'Rudrashila' Flagged off at Jaisalmer

• The White water Rafting Expedition christened 'RUDRASHILA' being undertaken by Kalidhar Battalion under the aegis of Battle Axe Division was Flagged Off at Jaisalmer Military station.
• The expedition christened 'Rudrashila' has been organised to commemorate the 75th Raising day of the Kalidhar Battalion.
• 'Rudrashila' takes its name from the famed Rudraprayag tributary of the Ganges River in the Mountains of Uttarakhand.
• 'Kalidhar Battalion' was raised on 01 November 1943 and has participated in all major operations of the Indian Army including two overseas assignments in Korea in 1953 and UN peacekeeping mission in Congo in 2005-06.

Ranks and Reports

9. Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ in the Guardian Best 100 list

• Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur has become the only Indian film to feature in “The Guardian” list of 100 Best Films of the 21st century. The film has bagged the 59th position.
• The two film Gangs Of Wasseypur series was released in 2012 and narrated the saga of a coal mafia family in the town of Wasseypur in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand.
• Both films were loved by the masses for their drama and rawness and acclaimed by the classes for cinematic aesthetics.

Sports

10. Pankaj Advani wins IBSF World Billiards Championship

• Pankaj Advani defeated Nay Thway Oo to win the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship held in Mandalay, Myanmar.
• This was his 4th straight victory in the final of the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship. With this win, he has increased his tally of world titles to 22.

11. Sourabh Verma clinches Vietnam Open Super 100 title

• Sourabh Verma has won the Vietnam Open Super 100 title held at the Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• He defeated China’s Sun Fei Xiang in the thrilling Men's Singles summit clash of Vietnam Open Super 100 title. He won the match with a score of 21-12, 17-2, 21-14.

12. Lakshya Sen wins Belgian International Badminton title

• Indian Badminton star, Lakshya Sen has won the Belgian International badminton title. He defeated Victor Svendsen of Denmark in the summit clash with a score of 21-14, 21-15. The tournament was held in Leuven, Belgium. Lakshya Sen belongs to Almora, Uttarakhand.

13. India's Kaushal Dharmamer wins Myanmar International Series

• Indian shuttler Kaushal Dharmamer has won the Myanmar International Series.
• He defeated Indonesia’s Karono Karono by 18-21, 21-14, 21-11 in the finals.
• He has made a comeback after been troubled by injuries for almost two years.

14. Spain beats Argentina to win Basketball World Cup

• Spain defeated Argentina by 95-75 to win the Basketball World Cup held in Beijing, China.
• This was its second title win after 13 years. The next world cup will held in 2023 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
• Spain had won the title last time in 2006 with a 70-47 win over Greece. Argentina had not triumphed since it hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1950. With 32 teams, this was the biggest Basketball World Cup ever.

Important Days

15. International Day of Democracy: 15 September

• The United Nations observes 15 September every year as International Day of Democracy.
• It is an opportunity to urge all governments to respect their citizens' right to active, substantive and meaningful participation in democracy and to recall that democracy is about people.
• Democracy is built on inclusion, equal treatment and participation and it is a fundamental building block for peace, sustainable development and human rights.
• Theme of International Day of Democracy 2019: Participation.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

16. International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer: 16 September

• The United Nations observes 16 September every year as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
• The ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun and thus help in preserving life on the planet.
• Theme of the day for 2019: 32 Years and Healing.
• The theme for this year celebrates over three decades of remarkable international cooperation to protect the ozone layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol.
• The Montreal Protocol has led to the phase-out of 99 per cent of ozone-depleting chemicals in refrigerators, air-conditioners and many other products.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

Obituaries

17. Film editor Sanjib Kumar Datta passes away

• Film editor Sanjib Kumar Datta, who has movies like Iqbal, Ek Hasina Thi and Mardaani to his credit, passed away.
• He was an alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and worked as an assistant to late editor Renu Saluja. His first big project was the 1998 film Bada Din.

18. Renowned writer of Kerala SivaramanCheriyanad passes away

• The renowned writer of Kerala Sivaraman Cheriyanad passed away. He received the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award in 1988 and the A.P. Kalakkad Award in 2009. He bagged Kerala Sahithya Akademi scholarship in 1990-91 for his study on the works of writer Parappuram. He was a recipient of the National Teachers Award in 1989.

Miscellaneous

19. UNESCO to publish anthology of Guru Nanak Dev's writing in world languages

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has decided to translate and publish an anthology of the writings of Guru Nanak Dev in world languages to mark his 550th birth anniversary.
• The Government of India is also holding a series of events and has initiated projects to mark 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
• These include the construction of Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district in Punjab to the international border, the development of the historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage town on the smart city principle, the up-gradation of Sultanpur Lodhi railway station and release of commemorative coins and postage stamps.