DAILY GK UPDATE 23RD JULY

1.    Remembering Chandra Shekhar Azad on his 106th birth anniversary 

i. Today is 106th birth anniversary of anniversary of fearless revolutionary and freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad.

ii. He was born on July 23, 1906 to Sitaram Tewari and Jagrani Devi in Jhabua District, Madhya Pradesh.

iii. Chandrasekhar received his early education in a village school. After completing his elementary schooling, he went to Varanasi for further studies in Sanskrit Vidyalaya.

iv. At a young age of 15 in 1921, Chandra Shekhar joined Mahatma Gandhi in his Non-Cooperation movement. But he was detained and presented before the magistrate.

v. When he was produced before the magistrate, he gave his name as 'Azad', his father's name as 'Swatantra' and his residence as 'prison'.

vi. Chandra Shekhar was involved in the Kakori Conspiracy (1925), in an attempt to blow up the Viceroy's train and at last the shooting of JP Saunders at Lahore in 1928 to avenge the killing of Lala Lajpat Rai.

vii. On February 27, 1931, Azad was encircled by police party in Alfred Park, Allahabad, where he went to meet an old friend. He was not the one to surrender, he fought bravely, and when a single bullet remained,the born-free Azad shot himself.

viii. The British police was so terrified that after his death they watched his body for half an hour in a bid to confirm that he is dead.

2.    PC: Poverty ratio in India declines to 21.9 % in 2011-12

i. Poverty ratio in the country has declined to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05. 

ii. The decline is on account of increase in per capita consumption, Planning Commission said. 

iii. In a press statement, the Commission said the percentage of persons below poverty line in 2011-12 has been estimated at 25.7 per cent in rural areas, 13.7 per cent in urban areas and 21.9 per cent for the country as a whole.

iv. According to the Commission, using Tendulkar methodology, the national poverty line in 2011-12 for rural areas is estimated at 816 rupees per capita per month in villages and 1,000 rupees per capita per month in cities. 

v. This would mean that the persons whose consumption of goods and services exceed 33 rupees 33 paise in cities and 27 rupees 20 paise per capita per day in villages are not poor.

vi. The Commission said the decline in poverty is mainly on account of rising real per capita consumption figures which is based on 68th round of National Sample Survey on Household Consumer Expenditure in India in 2011-12.

3.    India, China hold 3rd meet on border affairs

i. India and China are holding the third meeting on border affairs in New Delhi today.

ii. The meeting focuses on maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border and ensuring better coordination and communication.

iii. The two-day meeting of working mechanism for consultation and coordination on India-China border affairs is led by Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Gautam Bambawale and seniors officials of Defence and Home Ministries from Indian side. 

iv. A composite delegation of officials is representing the Chinese side in the meeting. 

v. The meeting is part of a series of regular interactions between the two countries.

4.    Kumar Mangalam Birla resigns from RBI board

i. Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has resigned from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) board to avoid any conflict of interest as one of his group firm is in the race for a new banking licence, a company spokesperson said Tuesday

ii. Birla was a member of the RBI's central board, the apex policy making body of the country's central bank.

iii. Birla's name does not figure in the updated list of directors of the RBI board as posted on the central bank's website.

iv. The prominent private sector representatives on the board include Azim Premji, Y. C. Deveshwar and G. M. Rao. None of their group firms are seeking a banking licence.

NOTE: Twenty-six companies are in the fray for new banking linceces in the private sector, including some top corporate houses like Tata Sons, L&T, Reliance Group, Bajaj, Shriram and Religare, besides Birla.

5.    Shane Warne, the Spin Legend Retired from All Forms of Cricket

i. Shane Warne, the spin legend retired from all forms of cricket officially. He announced retiring from Twenty20 League, thereby ending the overall competitive cricket career.

ii. In the year 2007, the 43-year old Shane Warne quit the Test cricket with 708 wickets.

iii. He had remained active in the domestic Twenty20 leagues. He was also the captain of Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2008.

iv. After four seasons of IPL, Shane Warne signed up for the Melbourne Stars as a marquee player in the inaugural 2011-12 British Basketball League season. 

6.    India and Nigeria signed agreement for Solar Power Plants

i. India and Nigeria on 22 July 2013 signed an agreement in Abuja to locate sites for solar power plants in Niger state.

ii. The agreement will provide additional energy for Nigeria's national grid. It would be the first of a series of power plant deals.

iii.  The agreement was signed between the secretary to the Government of India, Sutanu Behuria and Nigeria's permanent secretary in the Ministry of Power Godknows Igali.

iv. With this agreement in place, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BSE) will begin preliminary studies for setting up independent solar-powered plants in selected locations in Niger.’

v. India expressed interest in the provision of funds in various forms for the development of Nigeria's power sector.

7.    Arvind Sharma Re-Elected as the President of Advertising Agencies Association 

i. Arvind Sharma, the Chairman and CEO of Leo Burnett, India subcontinent was re-elected as the President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI)

ii. M. G. Parameswaran, CEO, Mumbai, Draftfcb+Ulka Advertising, in the meanwhile, was re-elected as the Vice-President of the association.

iii. AAAI is the official as well as national organisation of all the advertising agencies of India. 

iv. It provides training to the advertising professionals as well as recognises its creative work through the coveted Triple-A Awards. It also honours the advertising men through AAAI-Premnarayen Award.

8.    Padma Vibhushan Awardee, C.P. Srivastava died 

i. C.P. Srivastava, who was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan in 2009 and the Padma Bhushan in 1972, died on 22 July 2013 in Genoa, Italy. He is survived by his wife Nirmala Devi and two daughters.

ii. C.P. Srivastava, was conferred the title Sir, and was made an Honorary Knight Commander of the most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George by the Queen of the United Kingdom. 

iii. C. P. Srivastava was the inspired major hauler in the development of the concept of World Maritime University and in the enormous job of planning, negotiating, fundraising, organizing and implementation that was required to take a vision and turn it into a reality. 

9.    India at 2nd spot in ICC test cricket team ranking

i. India are placed second in the latest ICC test cricket team ranking after South Africa. Proteans have 135 points followed by India with 116 points and England by 112 points.

ii. Riding high on its back to back test victories against Australia in the Ashes Series, England is closing the gap with India fast.

iii. Three Indians, opener Cheteshwar Pujara along with the off spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha figure among the top ten.

iv. The latest ICC rankings were released in Dubai yesterday.

10.  Djokovic, Serena retain top spots in rankings

i. Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams remained atop the latest tennis rankings issued on Monday by the ATP and the WTA.

ii. Djokovic topped the unchanged rankings with 12,310 points, followed by Wimbledon winner Andy Murray at 9,360. Williams, on the other hand, has collected 11,705 points, leading Maria Sharapova (9,235 points) and Victoria Azarenka (8,825).

iii. Spain's David Ferrer is third (7,120) in the men’s top 10, ahead of compatriot Rafael Nadal (6,860) and former number one Roger Federer (5,875).

iv. After jumping eight spots thanks to her Wimbledon victory, Marion Bartoli dropped one spot to eighth in the WTA rankings with 4,365 points, behind Petra Kvitova with 4,435 points.

11.  Manjula Vijayakumar, the South Indian Actress died 

i. 59 Years old Manjula Vijayakumar the south India yesteryear actor, died in Chennai on 23 July 2013 followed a brief illness. 

ii. She was suffering from jaundice and also hurt her stomach after falling down from the cot. Manjula Vijayakumar made her first screen appearance as a child actor in Shanthi Nilayam. 

iii. Manjula went on to play the lead role with MGR in his blockbuster Rickshawkaran in the early 1970s.

iv. She also starred in another popular MGR film Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban.