Thursday, 9 April 2015

V Ramakrishnan: first Indian to head the 'Royal Society'

V Ramakrishnan: first Indian to head the 'Royal Society'



Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan has become the first person of Indian origin to head the 'Royal Society' - an iconic society of science in Britain.
He will take over from geneticist Sir Paul Nurse - another Nobel laureate - on December 1, 2015.
The prestigious gathering (Royal Society) - a communion of the world's most distinguished scientists - has been there since the time of legendary Issac Newton, year 1660 to be precise !
The Man
  • He is an American scientist of Indian descent and was born in Tamil Nadu in 1952.
  • He had shared the 2009 chemistry Nobel Prize for discovering the precise structure of ribosomes - the molecular machines that manufacture proteins inside all living cells - with Thomas Steitz, of Yale University, and Ada Yonath, of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Jerusalem.
  • He is currently deputy director of the British Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology at Cambridge University.
Honours:
  • Nobel Prize (Chemistry): 2009
  • Padma Vibhushan (India's second highest civilian honour): 2010
  • Knighthood (title of "Sir"): 2011
Royal Society
  • Its president is a key advocate for science in the UK and the world.
  • Notable Presidents: Isaac Newton, Christopher Wren, Samuel Pepys, Joseph Banks, Humphry Davy, and Ernest Rutherford.

CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/8/2015


 UP DATED CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/8/2015

1. Dr M Annadurai Takes Over as Director of ISRO Satellite Centre, Bangalore
Dr M Annadurai, Outstanding Scientist and Programme Director, Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) and Small Satellite Systems (SSS) of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Bangalore, took over the office of Director, ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC )on April 01, 2015
Some Facts about Dr M Annadurai :-
Born on July 2, 1958, Dr Annadurai graduated in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, obtained his Post Graduate degree in Applied Electronics from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore and Doctoral degree from Anna University, Coimbatore.
He joined ISRO in 1982, and began his career at ISAC as the team leader to design and develop Software Satellite Simulator.
During the period 1992 -2005, Dr Annadurai was the lead member of ISRO’s satellite mission team and managed eight INSAT Missions as the Mission Director and brought about the efficient ground automation for satellite operations.
As Project Director, Dr Annadurai made the most crucial contribution to the realisation of India’s first Lunar Mission, Chandrayaan-1, which won many appreciations and awards including the prestigious Space Pioneer Award, 2009.
In 2011, Dr Annadurai became the Programme Director of Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS) and Small Satellite Systems (SSS) and realised five satellite projects.
He is also the Chairman of Indian Remote Sensing Society (ISRS), Bangalore Chapter. Dr Annadurai has 75 papers to his credit and is the supervisory guide for four PhD works. He has authored three books.

2. Dena Bank signs MoU with LIC to provide insurance cover to its savings account holdersDena Bank signs Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LIC under Prime Minister's Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJBY) scheme to provide insurance cover to all Adhar-linked Saving account holders of the bank in the age group of 18 to 50 years.
Under the scheme, a risk of Rs 2 lakh will be covered in case of death of the insured person and a premium sum of Rs 330/- per annum will be auto-debited from the account holder’s account.
People who join the scheme before completing 50 years can continue to have the risk of life cover up to the age of 55 years subject to payment of premium. The scheme will come in effect from June 1, 2015

3.World Health Day celebrated on 7,April
April 7 was observes as World Health Day all over the world and the theme for the World Health Day 2015 was "From farm to plate, make food safe."
According to the WHO :-
Over 200 diseases are caused by unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, chemical substances.
It is estimated that two million deaths occur every year from contaminated food or drinking water.
Five keys to safer food:-
 Keep clean
Separate raw and cooked food
 Cook food thoroughly
Keep food at safe temperatures
Use safe water and raw materials

4. Indian-origin schoolboy Pratap Singh honoured with "Institute of Physics Prize"An Indian-origin 15 year-old schoolboy Pratap Singh is the new jewel in the crown as he bagged the Institute of Phyiscs Prize (IOP) which includes 500 Pounds
He was awarded because his experiments verifed the model predicted by Einstein's 1905 theory of special relativity.
The award was conferred at the Bing Bang Fair organised at the National Exhibition Centre in West Midlands's Birmingham city from 11 to 14 March

5. India to host 5th Meeting of SAARC Health Ministers
India is hosting the 5th meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers at New Delhi on 8 April, 2015. Shri J. P. Nadda, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, will chair the meeting of the SAARC Health Ministers.
Agenda of the meeting:-
Since SAARC countries comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, account for nearly a quarter of the world population and face similar health challenges and issues, this meeting will provide an oppertunity to share strategies,focus collective effort and implement best identified practices
prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases immunization for vaccine preventable diseases, HIV/AIDS, mental health, improving access to medicines and anti-microbial resistance etc.

6. PM Modi launches MUDRA Bank , to fund small businessesPrime Minister Narendra Modi launched MUDRA Bank or Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Bank under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana which will provide credit of up to Rs 10 lakh to small entrepreneurs and act as a regulator for 'Micro-Finance Institutions' (MFIs).
Big industrial houses provide jobs to only 1.25 crore people, while small entrepreneurs employ 12 crore people but these small entrepreneurs remain unfunded
MUDRA Bank will fund these small entrepreneurs and help them to grow MUDRA Bank will benifit some 58 million small businesses in the country

CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/9/2015



CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/9/2015

1. India ranks 101 among 132 nations on social progress Index

Social progress index is index that grades countries for how well they do on meeting their citizens’ basic human needs, their well-being and opportunity.
It is indicators of well-being such as health, water and sanitation, personal safety, access to opportunity, tolerance, inclusion, personal freedom and choice.
Rank of India in Social progress index
India ranks 101 among 132 nations
U.S at the 16 the place and china at 92 rank
The top Five countries are Norway,sweden,Switzerland,Iceland,New Zeland
India ranks 128th on tolerance and inclusion
India ranks 120th in "Health and Wellness

2. Nasim Zaidi set to become next Chief Election Commissioner
Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi will become the next Chief Election Commissioner later this month as current Chief Election Commissioner H.S. Brahma retires on April 19 of this Month
A 1976-batch IAS officer, Mr. Zaidi has worked in the Civil Aviation Ministry for a long time
Mr. Zaidi will have a tenure up to July 2017, when he attains the age of 65.
After Mr. Zaidi’s appointment, the government will set in motion the process to appoint two Election Commissioners

3. Jnanapith winner Jayakanthan passes away

Legendary Tamil writer  and Jnanapith award winner Jayakanthan who was famous for his bold and progressive works, died following prolonged illness Jayakanthan was a prolific writer of novels and short stories,and essayist.
Facts to know about Jayakanthan:-
Jayakanthan was born in 1934 in a family of agriculturists in Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu)
He left school after completing grade 3 education he was then considered a problematic child  
Jayakanthan ran away from home to Madras and became a member of the Communist party at a very young age
He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1972 and the Jnanpith Award in 2002.
Popular Works of Jayakanthan :-
He has authored over 35 novels ,innumerable short stories and two autobiographies Oru Ilakkiyavathiyin Arasiyal Anubavangal and Oru Arasiyalvathiyin Ilakkiya Anubavangal
He was Known for his work 'Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal'
His novels Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal, Oru Nadigai Nadagam Paarkiral, Yaarukkaga Azhudhaan and Cinemavukku Pona Chithalu were adapted as films.
Jayakanthan himself experimented with film-making and directed Yarukkaka Azhudhaan, Unnai Pol Oruvan and Paathai Theiryuthu Paar.


4. Snapdeal Acquires FreeCharge Online Recharge Service

India’s largest online marketplace has acquired FreeCharge, India’s fastest growing mobile transactions platform. Snapdeal that has a user base of over 40 million can now offer a wide range of products and services, including financial services, mobile recharge and utility payments
Snspdeal had acquired Rupee Power few days ago
About freecharge:-
It is a online recharge website headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra launched on 15 august 2010 FreeCharge is India’s leading mobile commerce platform where users can pay their mobile, DTH and utility payments across most major operators

5. The Union Cabinet approved the Real Estate Bill to protect the interests of consumer
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval to amendments to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013 pending in the Rajya Sabha, and approved amendments proposed in the Bill.
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill is a initiative to protect the interest of consumers, to curb malpractices in real estate transactions and to ensure timely execution of projects
Key features of the bill:-
The bill ensures uniform regulatory enviornment to protect consumer interest
It emphasis on speedy trial of disputes and promote orderly growth of real estate
The bill contains the provision of registration of real estate projects and registration of real estate agents with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority Establishment of Real Estate Regulatory Authority 
To promote fast track dispute resolution it has the provisions for establishment of a Real Estate Appellate Tribunal; offences and penalties etc

6. Sumit Mazumdar elected as the President of CII for the year 2015-16

Sumit Mazumdar,who is the Chairman and Managing Director, TIL Limited, has been elected as the President of CII(Confederation of Indian Industry)he succeeds Mr Ajay Shriram as the new President.
Ms Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited (AHEL) has been elected as Vice-President of CII
About Sumit Mazumdar:-
He is a graduate of St Xavier's College, Calcutta
He has obtained a Master's in Business Administration from Sam Houston State University, Texas, USA.
He has undertaken Advanced Management Program at Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA.
He is Chairman and Managing Director, TIL Limited


Mazumder is also the Executive Chairman of TIPL (Tractors India Pvt. Ltd.)