Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 and 15 November 2021

Topic: Defence

1. Indian Navy got its fourth submarine INS Vela under Project 75.

• Under Project75, the Indian Navy got its fourth submarine ‘INS Vela’. Project - 75 includes the construction of six submarines of Scorpene design.
• These submarines will be constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France.
• ‘INS Vela’ submarine would soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy and it will strengthen the Indian Navy's capability.
• INS Karanj, INS Kalvari, and INS Khanderi are inducted into the Indian Navy under Project-75. Currently, the Indian Navy has 12 submarines.
• The fifth submarine ‘Vagir’ was launched on November 12, 2020 and it will go for the maiden surface sortie in December.

Topic: Appointments

2. Satya Narayan Pradhan appointed as Director-General of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

• Satya Narayan Pradhan has been appointed as Director-General of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on a deputation basis till August 31, 2024, or until further orders.
• Satya Narayan Pradhan is a Jharkhand cadre 1988-batch IPS officer. He was currently serving as Director-General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
• He was given additional charge of NCB Director-General after Rakesh Asthana was appointed as Delhi Police Commissioner.
• Recently, Atul Karwal was appointed as Director-General of NDRF.

Topic: Miscellaneous

3. Daniel Bruhl named as Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN World Food Programme.

• Actor and director Daniel Brühl has been named as Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN World Food Programme.
• He joined the UN World Food Programme to end Hunger from the world. Daniel Brühl will help in raising awareness for the millions of people going to bed hungry every night.
• He will also use this platform to inform his supporters about the main factors of hunger.
• According to an estimate, a 2°C rise in average global temperature from pre-industrial levels will push an additional 189 million people into hunger.
• SDG 2: It aims to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition, and double agricultural productivity in the next 15 years.

Topic: Books and Authors

4. Defence Secretary released a book titled ‘FORCE IN STATECRAFT’.

• Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar released a book titled ‘FORCE IN STATECRAFT’.
• It is an edited volume by Commandant of National Defence College (NDC) Air Marshal Diptendu Choudhury and Air Vice Marshal (Dr) Arjun Subramaniam.
• The contributors of the book are stalwarts of the Armed Forces, who have vast operational experience.
• In his address, the Defence Secretary termed the launch of the book as a leadership act of NDC. The book has been endorsed by eminent personalities.

Topic: Important Days

5. World Diabetes Day: 14 November

• World Diabetes Day is celebrated every year on 14 November. Its main goal is to aware people about Diabetes.
• World Diabetes Day is celebrated by the International Diabetes Federation across the world. It provides an opportunity to raise awareness about diabetes as a global public health issue.
• It is also observed to mark the birth anniversary of Sir Frederick Banting. He discovered insulin hormone along with Charles Herbert Best in 1922
• World Diabetes Day was first celebrated in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization to raise awareness about diabetes.
• World Diabetes Day was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2006. The theme of this year’s World Diabetes Day is ‘Access to Diabetes Care – If Not Now, When?’.
• According to an estimate, around 463 million people worldwide are suffering from diabetes.

Topic: Appointment

6. PC Mody appointed as new secretary general of Rajya Sabha.

• Former CBDT chairman PC Mody has been appointed as the new secretary-general of Rajya Sabha.
• He has taken place of PPK Ramacharyulu. Ramacharyulu has now been appointed as an advisor in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
• Ramacharyulu was appointed as the secretary-general of the Rajya Sabha on 1 September. He is the first-ever Rajya Sabha employee who has been promoted as secretary-general.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

7. PM Modi inaugurated redeveloped Rani Kamlapati Railway Station in Bhopal, M.P.

• PM Modi has inaugurated redeveloped Rani Kamlapati Railway Station in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• Redeveloped Rani Kamlapati Railway station is the first world class railway station in Madhya Pradesh.
• It is named after brave and fearless Queen Kamalapati of the Gond kingdom. It is developed as a hub for integrated multi-modal transport.
• During the inauguration event, PM Modi also flagged off two new MEMU trains between Ujjain-Indore and Indore-Ujjain.
• PM Modi also virtually inaugurated Birsa Munda Museum (Birsa Munda Smriti Udayan Sah Swantantra Senani Sangrahalaya) in Ranchi in Jharkhand.
• He also addressed Jan Jatiya Diwas Mahasammelan in Madhya Pradesh.

Topic: Personality in News

8. Historian Babasaheb Purandare passes away at the age of 99.

• Renowned historian Babasaheb Purandare (Balwant Moreshwar Purandare) passed away at the age of 99 in Pune hospital.
• He was a well-known orator, ballad singer, theatre artist, and historian.
• He inspired the modern-day youth to follow the footsteps of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• He is well known as Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2019.
• He was awarded Maharashtra Bhushan for his works devoted to propagate the history of Maharashtra, especially of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• Babasaheb carried Shivcharitra to the new generation through stories, novels, lectures, and epics.
• A book titled Thinagya is collection of his stories on Shivaji’s life. Raja Shiva Chhatrapati, Kesari, Agra, Rajgad, Shelarkhind are his popular books.
• He is famous for Jaanta Raja, a play based on the life of Shivaji Maharaj.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Indian Polity

9. President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated ordinance to extend tenure of CBI and ED Directors.

• President Ram Nath Kovind has promulgated an ordinance to extend the tenure of the Directors of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) up to five years.
• The Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act and The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) Act have been amended to extend the tenure.
• At present, the tenure for the chiefs of both central agencies is two years. The directors of CBI and ED cannot be removed before the end of their tenure.
• The ordinance has come days before the extended tenure of ED Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra is scheduled to end.
• In a recent judgement, Supreme Court had held Mishra’s tenure of three years to be legal but had asked the government not to extend it any further.
• Recently, Subodh Kumar Jaiswal has been appointed as CBI Director for two-year term till May 2023.

Topic: Sports

10. Australia lifted the ICC T-20 World Cup trophy by beating New Zealand in the Final.

• Australia has defeated New Zealand in the final by 8 wickets to win T20 World Cup title at the Dubai International Stadium. It is the maiden T20 World Cup title for Australia.
• Initially, Australian captain Aaron Finch won the toss and chose to bowl first.
• For New Zealand, Kane Williamson scored a brilliant 85 in 48 balls, managed to reach a total of 172 for 4 in 20 overs limited match.
• Australia was chasing a target of 173 runs and won the match with 7 balls to spare.
• David Warner and Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer from the Australian side, who scored 53 and 77, respectively, while Trent Boult took 2 wickets in 4 overs.
• Mitchell Marsh has received Player of the Match and David Warner has won Player of the series.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

11. Jharkhand Foundation Day: 15 November

• The state of Jharkhand celebrates its foundation day on November 15 every year.
• Jharkhand is a beautiful state, often known as 'The Land of Forests' or 'Bushland,' is located in northeastern India.
• The state is bordered by Bihar in the north, Uttar Pradesh in the northwest, Chhattisgarh in the west, Odisha in the south, and West Bengal in the east.
• Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000 to form the 28th state of India after the Bihar Reorganization Act, 2000, was passed by the Parliament.
• Jharkhand has 24 districts, and the total area of Jharkhand is approximately 79,716 km, making it the 15th largest state by area.
• This state lies on the Chota Nagpur Plateau.

Topic: Books and Authors

12. M Mukundan won the JCB Prize for Literature for his book "Delhi: A Soliloquy".

• M Mukundan, a Malayalam author, has won the JCB literature Prize 2021 for his book Delhi: A Soliloquy.
• Fathima EV has translated the book into English, and the book has been published by Westland.
• Nandakumar K. Mukundan has also received the prize trophy, which is a sculpture by Delhi artist duo Thukral & Tagra, titled ‘Mirror Melting’. He has also received prize money of Rs. 25 lakh.
• "Delhi: A Soliloquy" is the third Malayalam translation book to receive the JCB Book Prize.
• First, Benyamin had received the prize in 2018 for his book Jasmine Days (Juggernaut), and S Hareesh had won the prize in 2020 for his book Moustache (Harper Perennial).
• Sara Rai (Chair), Annapurna Garimella, Shahnaz Habib, Prem Panicker, and Amit Varma were on the jury for this prize.

Topic: Defence

13. Russia has begun delivering India with S-400 air defence missile systems.

• Russia has begun supplying India with the S-400 Triumf air defence missile system, which will significantly improve India's ability to knock out adversary fighter aircraft and cruise missiles at long range.
• Near the western front, the first unit of S-400 Triumf air defence systems will be deployed.
• Dmitry Shugaev, Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, made the announcement during the Dubai Air Show.
• The Russian government's major defense export control organization is the Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC).
• According to industry insiders, the first sections of the squadron have begun arriving in India, and they will be deployed in a place where they can take on threats from both Pakistan and Chinese airspace.
• India has purchased the S-400 air defense system for approximately Rs 35,000 crore, and five squadrons would be provided to India to combat air threats up to 400 kilometres away.
• The S-400 missile defense system is armed with four different missiles that can engage hostile aircraft, ballistic missiles, and AWACS planes at 400 km, 250 km, the medium-range 120 km, and the short-range 40 km.