Top Current Affairs 9th August 2021 at Freshers Wisdom

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Noted Kerala sculptor P.S. Banarji passes away

• Cartoonist, sculptor, and folk singer P.S. Banarji passed away in August 2021.
• A recipient of the Lalithakala Akademi Fellowship, Banarji was noted for his Ayyankali and Buddha sculptures at Venganur and Koduman.
• Known for his rendition of a string of folk songs, including the popular ‘Tharaka Pennale’, he was working as a graphic designer in an IT firm in Thiruvananthapuram.

Rabindranath Tagore’s 80th death anniversary

• The 80th death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore was observed in West Bengal on 8 August 2021.
• Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali polymath – poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter. 
• He founded the Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan in 1921.
• He became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.

International Cat Day: 8 August

• International Cat Day is observed every year on 8 August.
• The day was started by the International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2002.
• The theme of the day for 2021 was “Be Cat Curious- Training for Cats and their Humans”.
• The official “custodian” of the International Cat Day is the organisation, International Cat Care.

BOI AXA appoints Anthony Heredia as CEO

• Anthony Heredia has been announced as the Chief Executive Officer of BOI AXA Investment Managers Private Limited with effect from August 5, 2021.
• His last assignment was with Baroda Asset Management.
• His previous work experiences include tenures with Morgan Stanley Investment Management as Managing Director; HSBC Asset Management India as Senior Vice President, etc.

International Army Games to be held in Russia

• A 101 member contingent of the Indian Army will proceed to Russia to participate in International Army Games – 2021 from 22 August to 4 Sept 2021.
• The contingent will participate in Army Scout Masters Competition (ASMC), Elbrus ring, polar star, sniper frontier, and safe route games.
• The contingent will also contribute two observers (one each) for the Open Water and Falcon Hunting games.

CPI-M to hoist the flag in its headquarters

• For the first time in its history, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), in West Bengal, will hoist the national flag in its headquarters Alimuddin and all other party offices across the state on the 75th year of India’s independence.
• The central committee has given permission to the state, after a written proposal by the Left leader and former MLA Sujan Chakraborty.

Nagasaki Day: 9 August

• Japan’s Nagasaki marked the 76th anniversary of the US atomic bombing on 9 August 2021.
• On August 9, 1945, the United States dropped the second nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, three days after Hiroshima was destroyed by the first one – a uranium bomb- ‘Little Boy’.
• The bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki was code-named the ‘Fat Man’.
• It killed over 80,000 people.

Nifty 50 Index to fall to 15,500 by June 2022

• The NSE Nifty 50 Index will fall to 15,500 by the end of June 2022, according to the UBS Group AG.
• Of the Nifty companies that have reported so far, profits for about 58% have missed analyst estimates.
• Meanwhile, the surge in share prices has the Nifty trading at 21.3 times estimated 12-month earnings, much higher than its five-year average of 18 times.

Cyclothon event ‘Pedal for Dal’ flagged off

• J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha flagged off a cyclothon event ‘Pedal for Dal’ from the shores of Dal Lake on 7 August 2021.
• The event was a part of the celebrations of ‘Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav’.
• It witnessed the participation of more than 200 boys and girls from different age groups along with professional cyclists.​

Punjab announces reward for Neeraj Chopra

• Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has announced a special cash reward of Rs 2 crore for Neeraj Chopra for winning gold at the Tokyo Games.
• BCCI also announced a cash reward for medal winners at Tokyo Olympics.
• Neeraj will be given Rs 1 cr.
• Rs 50 lakh each will be given to silver-medalist – Mirabai Channu and Ravi Kumar Dahiya.
• Rs 25 lakh each to be given to bronze medalist.

Gujarat CM launches eNagar mobile app

• Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched eNagar mobile application and portal.
• The eNagar covers 10 modules with 52 services including property tax, professional tax, water and drainage, complaints and grievance redressal, building permission, fire and emergency services.
• Gujarat Urban Development Mission has been appointed as a nodal agency for the eNagar project.

SAI felicitates Tokyo Olympics medal winners

• The Sports Authority of India (SAI) felicitated India’s Tokyo 2020 medal winners on 9 August 2021.
• PM Narendra Modi also took part in the felicitation, via a video conference.
• The felicitation ceremony took place at the iconic Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, New Delhi.
• India ended at the 48th spot and returned with their best-ever Olympic showing, winning as many as 7 medals.

32nd Summer Games conclude

• The 32nd Summer Games closing ceremony was held at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on 8 August 2021.
• The Tokyo Olympic Games was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• India’s campaign in the Tokyo edition was the most successful one yet that brought the country a first-ever gold medal in track and field as Neeraj Chopra secured a gold medal in the Javelin throw.

Int’l Day of the World’s Indigenous People

• The United Nations’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is observed on August 9 each year.
• It aims to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population.
• The theme of the day for 2021 is “Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract.”
• On December 23, 1994, the UN decided to observe this day on 9 August every year.

Golfer Forrest wins maiden European Tour title

• Scotland’s golfer Grant Forrest won his first European Tour title at the Scottish Championship on 8 August 2021.
• England’s James Morrison finished second, followed by Spain’s Santiago Tarrio in third.
• The 2021 European Tour is the 50th season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972 and the 13th edition of the Race to Dubai.​

Bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar 2021’ held

• Indian Navy undertook bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar 2021’ with UAE Navy off the coast of Abu Dhabi on 7 Aug 2021.
• INS Kochi, with two integral Sea King MK 42B helicopters, deployed in the Persian Gulf, participated in the exercise.
• UAE participated with UAES Al – Dhafra, a Baynunah class-guided missile corvette, and one AS – 565B Panther helicopter.​

U’khand CM names Vandana as brand ambassador

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has named Indian women’s hockey team player Vandana Kataria as the state’s Department of Women Empowerment and Child Development brand ambassador.
• Earlier, Pushkar Singh Dhami had announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh to Vandana Katariya.
• Vandana Katariya made history as she became the first Indian woman to score a hat-trick at Tokyo Olympics. ​

Handicraft project ‘Ujjwal Abahan’ launched

• Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli has launched the 3rd ONGC handicraft project ‘Ujjwal Abahan’.
• It would support and train over a hundred artisans of Assam in Hathkharga handicraft.
• This project is in line with the government’s observance of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”, under which ONGC has earlier launched two projects supporting the indigenous handicrafts of the country.​

IIT develops a low-cost water purification unit

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur has developed a low-cost water purification and treatment unit.
• The water purification unit uses membrane-assisted sorption-based Ultrafiltration (UF) technology to make sure the water is purified and retreated for efficient usage.
• The developed unit is portable and has initially been installed in five schools of rural areas of Rajasthan.

Mercedes-Benz inks pact with DSEU

• The Mercedes-Benz India has signed a memorandum of understanding with Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) for the mechatronics program.
• It would offer a highly specialized course under the Auto Mechatronics Research Centre (AMRC), DSEU.
• It would also extend apprenticeship and placement support to students of the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University.​

India exports 8 LMT coal to its neighbours

• India exported 8 lakh tonnes of coal to its neighbouring nations, including Nepal, in the fiscal year ended March 2021, according to the Coal Ministry’s Provisional Coal Statistics 2020-21.
• Of the said quantity, the maximum 77.20 percent was exported to Nepal, followed by 13.04 percent to Bangladesh.
• In the year 2020-21, the import of coal decreased by 13.50 percent over the previous year.​

SEBI amends rules to empower independent Dir.

• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has amended the rules to empower independent directors.
• It has overhauled rules about the appointment, removal, and remuneration of independent directors to ensure their independence and effectiveness.
• To give effect to the new rules, Sebi has amended LODR (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations.​

Punjab to cover farming families under HIC

• The Punjab government has decided to bring nearly 8.5 lakh farming families under the ambit of the health insurance cover (HIC) for the year 2021-22.
• All the farmers having ‘J’ forms and ‘sugarcane weighment slips’ would be eligible for this health scheme.
• To facilitate the farmers to apply for this scheme, the Punjab Mandi Board has launched a dedicated portal for the first time.​

PM Modi to launch Ujjwala Yojana 2.0

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch ‘Ujjwala 2.0’ (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana-PMUY) by handing over LPG connections at Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh on 10 Aug’21.
• Along with a deposit-free LPG connection, Ujjwala 2.0 would provide the first refill and hotplate free of cost to the beneficiaries.
• Ujjwala 2.0 would help achieve the Prime Minister’s vision of universal access to LPG.​

Anupam Shyam passes away

• Veteran actor Anupam Shyam passed away in August 2021.
• He was best known for his work on the TV show “Mann Kee Awaaz: Pratigya” and appearances in films like “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Bandit Queen”.
• In his nearly three-decade-long career, Shyam featured in films like “Satya”, “Dil Se”, “Lagaan”, “Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi”, etc.

Equitas launches fintech accelerator programme

• Equitas Small Finance Bank has launched Equitech.
• It is a fintech accelerator aimed at the startup ecosystem that will help fintechs curate their products and define a market strategy.
• The program was launched on 7 August 2021 and the application process for enrolment has commenced.
• Equitech will focus on banking technology such as payments, lending, CASA, transaction banking, etc.

Tata to market Odisha’s Koraput Coffee

• The Odisha government has roped in Tata Coffee to promote the indigenously grown coffee beans, the bulk of it coming from tribal-dominated Koraput.
• Tata Coffee will procure the produce from Koraput and market it by maintaining its uniqueness without tampering with its quality or flavor.
• The state government has granted 46,000 acres of forest land for coffee plantations.

James becomes the third-highest wicket-taker

• James Anderson surpassed Anil Kumble (619) to become the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket on Day 3 of the first England v India Test in Nottingham, in August 2021.
• With 620 wickets, he is only behind Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warner (708) on the list of highest wicket-takers in the longest format of the game.
• He had already become the most prolific fast bowler in Tests.

ITBP inducts two women officers in combat

• In a first, the India-China LAC guarding the Indo-Tibetan Border Police force (ITBP), on 9 Aug’21, commissioned its first two women officers in combat after they completed their training in Mussoorie.
• The two women officers Prakriti and Diksha will be posted as company commanders in ITBP battalions.
• A first-ever ‘History of ITBP’ book containing many unknown facts of ITBP was also released.

UP government renames Kakori Kand

• Uttar Pradesh government has renamed the ‘Kakori Kand’ to ‘Kakori Train action’.
• It has been renamed since the word ‘Kand’ denotes a sense of insult to this incident under India’s Independence struggle.
• The UP govt celebrated the anniversary of the ‘Kakori Train action’ on 9 August 2021 under the program ‘Chauri Chaura Mahotsav’ which is going to complete 100 years in 2022.

First Deputy NSA level meeting held

• The first Deputy NSA level meeting took place in Colombo in Aug’21.
• The meeting was held under the Colombo Security Conclave and was attended by India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
• Countries including Bangladesh, Seychelles, and Mauritius also participated as observers.
• After the NSA Trilateral Meeting on Maritime Security in Nov’21, this grouping was renamed as `Colombo Security Conclave’.