Daily updates 13 April 2021

13 April 2021
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13th April 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Here is the Daily GK Update of 13th April 2021 covering the following news headlines: BAFTA Awards 2021, Sputnik V, Lilavati Awards 2020, Axis Bank, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 13th April 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

International News

1. Sanskrit learning app ‘Little Guru’ unveiled in Bangladesh

• A Sanskrit learning app ‘Little Guru’ has launched in Bangladesh by the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) of the High Commission of India.
• The Sanskrit learning app is part of the campaign being run by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to promote the Sanskrit language among students, religious scholars, Indologists and historians across the world.
• The Sanskrit learning app ‘Little Guru’ is based on an interactive platform that will make Sanskrit learning easy, entertaining and fun.
• This app will help people who are already learning Sanskrit or those who are desirous to learn Sanskrit to do so in an easy manner based on games, competition, rewards, peer to peer interactions, etc.
• This App combines education with entertainment, said a press release issued by the High Commission of India.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka.
• President of Bangladesh: Abdul Hamid.

State News

2. Ghaziabad issues India’s first municipal green bonds

• Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam (GNN) has announced successfully raising and listing India’s first Green Municipal bond issue. GNN raised ₹150 crores at a cost of 8.1 per cent.
• Money will be used to clean up dirty water by setting up a tertiary water treatment plant and supply piped water through water meters to places like Sahibabad.
• Ghaziabad is debt-free and has maintained a revenue surplus position in the last few years, according to India Ratings.

Appointments News

3. Poonam Gupta to head NCAER as its first woman DG

• Poonam Gupta will be the new director-general of the policy think tank National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).
• Gupta will succeed the current head of the think tank, Shekhar Shah, to become the first woman to hold the post. Currently, Gupta is the lead economist at the World Bank in Washington DC.
• Prior to joining the World Bank in 2013, she was the Reserve Bank of India Chair Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) and a professor of macroeconomics at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• NCAER Headquarters: New Delhi.
• NCAER Founded: 1956.

4. Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra named as next Chief Election Commissioner

• The incumbent Election Commissioner (EC) Sushil Chandra has been named to become the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. He will assume charge with effect from April 13, 2021. He will replace incumbent CEC, Sunil Arora, who will retire on April 12, 2021.
• The Election Commission of India consists of three members, namely Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners. The two ECs are Rajiv Kumar and Sushil Chandra.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Election Commission Formed: 25 January 1950;
• Election Commission Headquarters: New Delhi;
• First executive of Election Commission: Sukumar Sen.

Agreements News

5. Bharti AXA Life and Fincare SFB join hands for bancassurance partnership

• Bharti Axa Life and Fincare Small Finance Bank have joined hands for a bancassurance partnership under which the bank will sell insurance policies to its customers. This alliance will make life insurance solutions reachable to over 26.5 lakhs customers of Fincare Small Finance Bank and provide financial security to them.
• Under the partnership, Bharti AXA Life Insurance will offer its comprehensive suite of life insurance products, including protection, savings and investment plans, to the customers of Fincare Small Finance Bank across its 747 branches and digital network presence across the country.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• MD and CEO of Bharti AXA Life Insurance: Parag Raja;
• MD & CEO Fincare Small Finance Bank: Rajeev Yadav.

Banking News

6. Axis Bank becomes co-promoter of Max Life Insurance

• Axis Bank Ltd informed it has become co-promoters of Max Life Insurance Company Limited, after completion of the acquisition of 12.99% stake collectively by the Axis Entities in the company. Axis Bank and its two subsidiaries Axis Capital Limited and Axis Securities Limited will collectively own a 12.99% stake in Max Life after the consummation of the deal.
• The Axis Entities have a right to acquire an additional stake of up to 7% in Max Life, in one or more tranches, subject to regulatory approvals. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) gave its formal approval in February of 2021.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Max Life Insurance CEO: Prashant Tripathy;
• Max Life Insurance Founded: 2001;
• Max Life Insurance Headquarters: New Delhi;
• Axis Bank CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry;
• Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;
• Axis Bank Founded: 1993.

Economy News

7. Nomura slashes India’s GDP forecast to 12.6% in FY22

• The Japanese brokerage company Nomura has revised the GDP forecast of India in the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) to 12.6 per cent from the previous estimate of 13.5 per cent, amid rising coronavirus cases and higher inflation.
• Nomura has pegged the calendar year GDP growth at 11.5 per cent, a decline from 12.4 per cent estimated earlier.

Awards News

8. 74th Edition of BAFTA Awards 2021 announced

The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) for the year 2021, has been announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. BAFTA 2021 is the 74th edition of the annual award to honour the best national and foreign films of 2020 and early 2021.

To read the complete article: Click Here

9. Lilavati Awards 2020 announced

• The Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank recently presented the AICTE Lilavati Awards, 2020 in New Delhi. The awards were presented based on the theme “Women Empowerment”.
• The winners were selected by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) in six sub-themes.

To read the complete article: Click Here

Science and Technology News

10. Russian Vaccine Sputnik V gets emergency use authorisation in India

• The Central drug regulator, DCGA has approved emergency use authorisation of the Russian Vaccine, Sputnik V. It has now become the third vaccine to get emergency use authorisation from the drug regulator after Covishield and Covaxin.
• The Vaccine was developed by Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology last year in Russia.
• The clinical trials of SPUTNIK V in India is being done by Dr Reddy's Lab. The Hyderabad based, multinational Indian pharma company, Dr Reddy's Lab has also inked an agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund, RDIF for the supply of the Russian vaccine in India.
• The Subject Expert Committee of the Indian drug regulator had yesterday recommended SPUTNIK V for emergency use authorisation.
• The vaccine has displayed robust results in its clinical trials in the country.
• RDIF has claimed effectiveness of 91.6 per cent for the Sputnik V vaccine. Dr Reddy's had applied for emergency use of Sputnik-V in February this year.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Russia President: Vladimir Putin.
• Russia Capital: Moscow.
• Russia Currency: Russian Ruble.

Important Days News

11. 102 years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919. This year we commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the terror that shook the entire country to a standstill.
• The Jallianwalabagh garden has been converted into a memorial. And thousands of people on this day come to pay their respects to the martyred men, women, who were killed on that fateful day for the nation.
• Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered troops of the British Indian Army to fire their rifles into a crowd of unarmed Indian civilians in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab. General Dyer, the British India army officer, felt the people gathering for such a cause was anti-national.
• He ordered the 50 of his troops consisting of Sikh, Gurkha, Baluchi, and Rajput to open fire on the unarmed men and women. The resulting figures would make you go numb as 379 men and women were killed for no fault of theirs and 1100 injured.

Obituaries News

12. Legendary shooting coach Sanjay Chakravarty Passes away

• Legendary shooting coach Sanjay Chakravarty passed away due to Covid-19. The Dronacharya awardee had trained some of the finest Indian shooters including Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Anjali Bhagwat and Suma Shirur, Deepali Deshpande, Anuja Jung and Ayonika Paul.

Daily updates 14 April 2021

14 April 2021
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14th April 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Here is the Daily GK Update of 14th April 2021 covering the following news headlines: ICC Players of the Month award, IAF Commanders' Conference 2021, National Anti-Doping Agency, Ambedkar Jayanti, World Chagas Disease Day.

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 14th April 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

State News

1. Maharashtra gets India's first floating LNG storage and regasification unit

• India’s first Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) has arrived at H-Energy’s Jaigarh Terminal in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, on the west coast of India.
• FSRU based LNG Terminals aim at providing the ability to enhance the pace of natural gas import capability in an environment-friendly and efficient manner". The port is the first deepwater, 24x7 operational private port in Maharashtra.
• Höegh Giant will deliver regasified LNG to the 56-km long Jaigarh-Dabhol natural gas pipeline, connecting the LNG terminal to the national gas grid. The facility will also deliver LNG through truck loading facilities for onshore distribution, the facility is also capable to reload LNG onto small-scale LNG vessels for bunkering services.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
• Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai.
• Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray.

Appointments News

2. Siddharth Longjam appointed new NADA DG

• IAS officer, Siddharth Singh Longjam will take over as the National Anti-Doping Agency's Director-General. Longjam is currently serving as joint secretary in the sports ministry and is also the CEO of the currently suspended National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL).
• He will replace Navin Agarwal who listed the creation of Athletes Biological Passport (ABP) for around 60 elite Indian sportspersons as one of the highlights of his tenure.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• NADA Headquarters location: New Delhi;
• NADA Founded: 24 November 2005.

Summits and Conferences News

3. Rajnath Singh inaugurates IAF Commanders' Conference 2021

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the First bi-annual Indian Air Force, IAF Commanders' Conference 2021 at Air Headquarters Vayu Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The conference is attended by the Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief of all Commands of IAF, all Principal Staff Officers and all Director Generals posted at Air Headquarters.
• The conference of apex level leadership is aimed at addressing the issues of IAF's operational capabilities in the times to come.
• A series of discussions would be conducted over a period of three days to address strategies and policies related to capabilities that would give IAF a significant edge over its adversaries.
• Various welfare and Human Resource measures to improve HR and administrative efficiency will also be discussed. The Conference provides a forum to the senior leadership of the IAF to discuss critical issues pertaining to Operations, Maintenance and Administration.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Air Chief Marshal: Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.

4. PM Modi Inaugurates 6th Raisina Dialogue

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 2021 “Raisina Dialogue”, through video-conferencing.
• The Raisina Dialogue 2021 is the sixth edition of the annual dialogue, organised from April 13 to 16, 2021, in full digital form for the first time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, organised annually since 2016.
• The theme for the 2021 conference is “#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control”.
• The four-day dialogue is jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the think-tank Observer Research Foundation.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Minister of External Affairs: S. Jaishankar.

Awards News

5. Kane Williamson awarded Sir Richard Hadlee medal

• New Zealand star cricketer Kane Williamson was recently awarded the Sir Richard Hadlee medal. It was his 4th Sir Richard Hadlee award in 6 years.
• On the other hand, the Women’s team all-rounder Amelia Kerr was also honoured along with the upcoming star Devon Conway at the New Zealand Cricket Awards for the 2020-21 season. Meanwhile, Devon Conway was awarded the Men’s Player of the year award in both ODIs and T20s.
• Whereas the 21-year old Fin Allen was honoured with the Super Smash player of the year award for his staggering strike rate of 193.

6. Seville to be host city for Laureus World Sports Awards 2021

• The Spanish city of Seville will host the 22nd Laureus World Sports Awards in a virtual ceremony owing to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
• The awards show, featuring presentations and related news stories will be available to the world's media and broadcast extensively on Laureus social media platforms.
• The winners of Laureus World Sports Awards are selected by a jury comprising 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy. The last was in Barcelona in 2007, which is a long time.
• Among the many big names who have had a year to remember and who will be in contention for the awards are Rafael Nadal, Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James, Robert Lewandowski (Sportsman), Naomi Osaka, Federica Brignone (Sportswoman).

Sports News

7. Bhuvneshwar Kumar wins ICC Players of the Month award

• India seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has won the ICC Player of the Month award for his superlative show in the recent limited over series against England in March. Bhuvneshwar became the third successive Indian recipient of the award since its inception early this year.
• South African Lizelle Lee, who played four ODIs against India where she scored a century and two half-centuries to move to the top of Women's ODI batting rankings, was named the ICC Women's Player of the Month for March.

Important Days

8. World Chagas Disease Day: 14 April

• The World Chagas Disease Day is observed on 14 April to raise public awareness and visibility among people about Chagas Disease (also called American trypanosomiasis or silent or silenced disease) and the resources needed for the prevention, control or elimination of the disease.
• The WHO approved the designation of Chagas Disease Day on May 24, 2019, at the 72nd World Health Assembly. It is one of 11 official global public health campaigns marked by WHO.
• The first World Chagas Disease Day was observed on 14 April 2020. The day has been named after Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas, the Brazilian doctor who diagnosed the first case on 14 April 1909.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Director general of WHO: Tedros Adhanom.
• WHO founded: 7 April 1948.

9. Ambedkar Jayanti: 14 April

• Ambedkar Jayanti ( also known as Bhim Jayanti) is an annual festival observed on 14 April to commemorate the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar who was born on 14 April 1891.
• The Day has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India since 2015. In 2021, we are marking the 130th birth anniversary of Babasaheb. Dr Ambedkar is known as the Father (chief architect) of the Indian Constitution.
• He was the first Law and Justice Minister of the country after the independence. Dr Bhim has been bestowed with the country’s highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna in 1990 posthumously.

10. International Turban Day: April 13

• The International Turban Day is celebrated every year on April 13 since 2004 to bring awareness of the strict requirement on Sikhs to put the turban as a mandatory part of their religion.
• The 2021 Turban Day marks the 552nd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and the festival of Baisakhi. The turban, also known as “dastar” or “pagri” or “pag” refer to the garment worn by both men and some women to cover their heads.

Obituaries News

11. Hockey Player Balbir Singh Junior passed away

• Balbir Singh Junior, who was a member of the silver medal-winning 1958 Asian Games Indian hockey team passed away.
• In 1962, he joined the Army as an emergency commissioned officer. He played for the Services hockey team in the national tournaments at Delhi. Singh retired as a Major in 1984 and later settled in Chandigarh.

12. Eminent Historian Yogesh Praveen passes away

• Eminent Historian and an expert on Awadh especially Lucknow Yogesh Praveen. Through his books and articles, he enabled the public to know about the rich heritage and culture of Avadh. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2019.
• The titles of his books like 'Dastan-e-Avadh', 'Tajdare-Avadh', 'Bahar-e-Avadh', 'Gulistan-e-Avadh', 'Doobta Avadh', 'Dastan-e-Luknow' and 'Aapka Lucknow' tell a long-lasting affair he had with the city.

Miscellaneous News

13. 'Lost golden city of Luxor' discovered by archaeologists in Egypt

• 'Lost golden city of Luxor' discovered by archaeologists in Egypt. The 3,400-year-old royal city was built by Amenhotep III, abandoned by his heretic son, Akhenaten, and contains stunningly preserved remains.
• Egyptologist Betsy Bryan has called the discovery ‘the second most important one since the tomb of Tutankhamun’.
• Akhenaten, who left the ‘golden city’ for a new capital at Amarna, encouraged a startlingly different style of Egyptian art. Here he is shown with his wife, Nefertiti, and three daughters.

Daily updates 6 April 2021

06 April 2021
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06th April 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Here is the Daily GK Update of 06th April 2021 covering the following news headlines: Miami Open, BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit, Sankalp se Siddhi, National Maritime Day, AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships.

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 06th April 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Business News

1. World Bank, AIIB approve loan for USD 300 million projects to Punjab

• The World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) have approved the loan for USD 300 million (about Rs 2,190 crore) canal-based drinking water projects in Punjab. The project is aimed at ensuring quality drinking water and minimise water losses for Amritsar and Ludhiana.
• The entire project will be co-financed by IBRD (World Bank) – USD 105 million, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – USD 105 million and the Punjab government – USD 90 million.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: Jin Liqun.
• Headquarters of AIIB: Beijing, China.
• AIIB established: 16 January 2016.
• Punjab CM: Captain Amarinder Singh.
• Punjab Governor: V.P.Singh Badnore.

2. World Bank approves USD 32 million projects to Mizoram

• The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a USD 32 million projects to improve management capacity and quality of health services in Mizoram.
• The project titled “Mizoram Health Systems Strengthening Project” will strengthen the governance and the management structure of the Mizoram Health department and its subsidiaries.
• This project will support the state government's efforts to deliver quality healthcare for the poor and vulnerable and those located in remote areas.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• World Bank Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States.
• World Bank Formation: July 1944.
• World Bank President: David Malpass.
• Chief Minister of Mizoram: Pu Zoramthanga; Governor: P.S. Sreedharan Pillai.

Appointments News

3. RBI deputy governor BP Kanungo retires

• BP Kanungo has stepped down from the post of the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India after his term ended on 2 April, cutting short all expectations of an extension of his tenure.
• He was appointed deputy governor in 2017 for three years. His term was extended by one more year in 2020. The other deputy governors of the RBI are Rajeshwar Rao, M.K. Jain and Michael Patra.

4. Shabir Khandwawala appointed new BCCI ACU chief

• Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala, who has served as the Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) before, is the new BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit chief.
• The 70-year-old, a 1973 batch IPS officer, takes over from Ajit Singh whose tenure ended on March 31.
• After retiring as Gujarat DGP in late 2010, Khandwawala worked with the Essar Group as an advisor and was also part of the central government's Lokpal Search Committee.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Secretary of BCCI: Jay Shah.
• President of BCCI: Sourav Ganguly.
• Headquarters of BCCI: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Founded: December 1928.

Schemes News

5. TRIFED launches “Sankalp se Siddhi”- Village and Digital Connect Drive

• Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED) has launched Sankalp Se Siddhi - Village & Digital Connect Drive. It is a 100-day drive which was started on the 1st of April.
• The drive entails 150 teams visiting 10 villages each of which 10 in each region from TRIFED & State Implementation Agencies, visiting 10 villages each.
• The main aim of this drive is to activate the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras. Ministry of Tribal Affairs in a statement said that 100 villages in each region and 1500 villages in the country will be covered in the next 100 days.
• They will also identify tribal artisans and other groups and empanel them as suppliers so that they can have access to larger markets through the Tribes India network - both physical outlets and TribesIndia.com.
• It is expected that Sankalp Se Siddhi will aid in effecting a complete transformation of the tribal ecosystem across the country.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Minister of Tribal Affairs: Arjun Munda.

Awards News

6. Alfred Aho Wins the 2020 ACM Turing Award

• Lawrence Gussman Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, Alfred V. Aho has won the 2020 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) A.M. Turing Award, known informally as the "Nobel Prize of computing." Aho shares the award with his long-time collaborator Jeffrey David Ullman.
• The Turing Award carries a $1 million prize, with financial support provided by Google, Inc. It is named for Alan M. Turing, the British mathematician who articulated the mathematical foundation and limits of computing.

7. Suman Chakraborty to get 30th GD Birla Award for Scientific Research

• Professor Suman Chakraborty has been selected for the 30th GD Birla Award for Scientific Research for his outstanding contribution to engineering science and its applications in developing technologies for affordable healthcare. He is a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur’s department of mechanical engineering.
• Instituted in 1991, the award recognises eminent Indian scientists below the age of 50 for their original and outstanding contributions to any branch of science or technology. It carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh.
• The recipient is chosen by a selection board, whose present head is professor Chandrima Shaha, the president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).

Sports News

8. Tashkent to host 2023 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships

• President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Umar Kremlev during his visit to Uzbekistan officially announced that AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships will take place in Tashkent in 2023.
• The city of Tashkent is awarded the 2023 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships after the successful bid presentation by the Boxing Federation of Uzbekistan. The AIBA Board of Directors voted in favour of the major event candidate city.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Uzbekistan Capital: Tashkent.
• Uzbekistan President: Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
• Uzbekistan Currency: Uzbekistani soʻm.

9. Hurkacz beats Sinner to win Miami Open

• Hubert Hurkacz of Poland won the biggest title of his career by beating 19-year-old Jannik Sinner of Italy 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the Miami Open final. Hurkacz became his country's first Masters 1000 champion.
• The world number 37 is the lowest-ranked player to win a Masters event since Tomas Berdych in Paris in 2005.

Important News

10. International Day of Sport for Development and Peace: 6 April

• The United Nations celebrates the 6th of April every year as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. Sport has historically played an important role in all societies, be it in the form of competitive sport, physical activity or play. Sports also presents a natural partnership for the United Nations (UN) system.
• Sport can help promote fairness, team building, equality, inclusion and perseverance. Sport and physical activity can also help us get through times of crisis, like COVID-19, by reducing anxieties and improving physical and mental health.
• The professional sport also provides employment and income to many people around the world and an integral sector to the economic success of many communities and regions.

11. Nation celebrates 58th edition of National Maritime Day

• National Maritime Day in India is observed on 5 April every year. This year is the 58th edition of the National Maritime Day. The National Maritime Day is celebrated every year day to illustrate the awareness in supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy as the most well-organized, safe and sound, environmentally responsive approach of transporting goods from one corner to another corner of the world.
• The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on April 5, 1964. The saga of India shipping first started on April 5, 1919, when the SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd travelled from Mumbai to the United Kingdom (London). On this day an award called “Varuna” is conferred to those who made an outstanding contribution to the Indian maritime sector.

Obituaries News

12. Malayalam screenwriter P. Balachandran passes away

• Malayalam screenwriter, filmmaker, dramatist and actor, P. Balachandran has passed away. He is best known for the play Paavam Usman for which he won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Professional Nataka Award in the year 1989.
• Balachandran has scripted many films including Ulladakkam (1991), Pavithram (1994), Agnidevan (1995), Punaradhivasam (2000), and Kammatti Paadam (2016). His directorial debut is Ivan Megharoopan (2012). He has also acted in a few films, the most notable being Trivandrum Lodge (2012).