GENERAL AWARENESS BRIEFLY -- IBPS CLERKS/SBI CLERKS
Personalities
Elected/Appointed
Zayn
Khan
Zayn Khan was unanimously elected as the new president of the
Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) on September 22, 2015.
Alexis
Tsipras
Alexis Tsipras was on September 21, 2015 sworn in as Greece’s
Prime Minister for the second time this year. Tsipras took his oath of office
from President Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Supreme Court judge Vassiliki Thanou was
sworn in as caretaker PM on August 28, becoming Greece’s first female PM.
John
Chambers
John T. Chambers, Executive Chairman of Cisco, was on September
21, 2015 as the next Chairman of US – India Business Council’s Board of
Directors in place of Ajay Banga, President as CEO of MasterCard. The
transition will come at the end of the four-year term of Banga, who has been
the Council’s longest-serving Chairman.
Sherif
Ismail
Former Egyptian oil minister Sherif Ismail took oath on
September 19, 2015 as the new prime minister, just a week after the previous
cabinet resigned following a corruption scandal. On September 12, Sisi accepted
the resignation of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, after
agriculture minister Salah Helal was arrested for corruption.
E.
Sreedharan
‘Metro Man’ E. Sreedharan was on September 18, 2015 invited by
the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to serve the United Nations’ High
Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport (HLAG-ST). Sreedharan, the
Principal Advisor to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, was invited for the service
for a period of three years.
P
V Chandran
P V Chandran of the Mathrubhumi group was elected President of
the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) for 2015-16 on September 18, 2015. He
succeeded Kiran B Vadodaria.
Malcolm
Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull, an urbane former investment banker who
supports marriage equality and action on climate change, was sworn in as
Australia’s 29th Prime Minister on September 15, 2015. He is
Australia’s fourth prime minister since 2013.
Prabhat
Singh
Prabhat Kumar Singh on September 14, 2015 took over as the new
Managing Director and CEO of Petronet LNG Ltd, India’s biggest liquefied
natural gas importer.
Seema
Malhotra
Indian-origin British MP Seema Malhotra was on September 14,
2015 appointed the shadow chief secretary for Treasury by the newly elected
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Lisa
Nandy
Indian-origin British MP Lisa Nandy was on September 14, 2015
appointed the shadow secretary for energy and climate change. Nandy is MP from
Wigan in Greater Manchester.
Hormusji
N Cama
Hormusji N Cama, Director of Bombay Samachar was on September
14, 2015 unanimously elected Chairman of the Press Trust of India. Cama, whose
daily is the oldest continuously-published newspaper in India from 1855,
succeeded Mahendra Mohan Gupta.
Riya Mathew, Director of Malayala Manorama, was unanimously
elected Vice Chairman of PTI.
Ashok
Sridharan
Ashok Sridharan, a mayoral candidate of Chancellor Angela
Merkel-led Christian Democratic Union (CDU), on September 13, 2015
comprehensively won the election in Bonn, becoming the first person of
Indian-origin to occupy the mayor’s office in a major Germany city.
Rakesh
Sharma
Rakesh Sharma on September 11, 2015 assumed charge as the MD and
CEO of Canara Bank. Before joining Canara Bank, Sharma was MD and CEO of
Lakshmi Vilas Bank.
Binita
Thakur
IPS officer Binita Thakur was on September 11, 2015 appointed as
Director of NATGRID, a robust intelligence gathering mechanism set up to track
any terror suspect and incident.
Benoy
Roychowdhury
HT Media Executive Director Benoy Roychowdhury was on September
10, 2015 elected the Chairman of Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
Anjuly
Chib Duggal
Newly appointed Financial Services Secretary Anjuly Chib Duggal
was on September 10, 2015 nominated to the central board of the Reserve Bank.
Duggal had replaced Hasmukh Adhia as Finance Secretary on August 31.
Keith
Rowley
Trindad and Tobago’s Prime Minister-elect Keith Rowley was sworn
into office in Port of Spain on September 9, 2015. His People’s National
Movement, won 23 of 41 seats in general elections on September 7, ousting Prime
Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar after five years in power.
Justice
Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
Senior-most judge of the Bombay High Court Justice Vijaya
Kamlesh Tahilramani was on September 9, 2015 appointed the Chief Justice of the
court, following retirement of the incumbent Justice Mohit Shantilal Shah.
V.
Thiruppugazh
IAS officer V Thiruppugazh was on September 9, 2015 appointed
Adviser in National Disaster management Authority (NDMA) in New Delhi.
Thiruppugazh was appointed for a five years term.
Ramesh
Chand
Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand was on September 8, 2015
appointed one of the full-time members in the NITI Aayog. Other full time
members of NITI Aayog are economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO Chief V K
Sraswat.
Jagdeep
Grewal
Jagdeep Grewal, 57-year-old Indian-American, was on September 3,
2015 sworn in as the Postmaster in Sacramento in the US state of California,
becoming the first woman to occupy the post in 166 years.
Louise
Martin
British sports administrator Lousie Martin was elected the
Commonwealth Games Federation’s first female President on September 2, 2015.
She beat the incumbent Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia.
Smita
Purushottam
Smita Purushottam, presently Ambassador of India to the
Switzerland, was on September 2, 2015 concurrently accredited as the next
Ambassador of India to the Holy See (Vatican City).
India’s Ambassador in Berne, Switzerland, has traditionally been
accredited to the Holy See which maintains a Nunciature (Embassy) in New Delhi,
presently headed by a Nuncio (Ambassador).
Alejandro
Maldonado Aguirre
Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre was on September 1, 2015 sworn in as
the new President of Guatemala. He will complete the remaining term of Otto
Perez Molina till January 14, 2016.
S
A V Satya Murty
Noted scientist S A V Satya Murty on September 1, 2015 took
charges as Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR),
Kalpakkam. Her replaced P.R. Vasudeva Rao who retired on August 31.
Abhilash
Bhardwaj
Abhilash Bhardwaj on September 1, 2015 took charges as the new Chairman
of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). He has taken over the reins of the
new office from Satinder Singh Bajaj, who was heading the Board since 2010.
D
K Likhi
D K Likhi was on September 1, 2015 appointed Chairman and
Managing Director of Hyderabad-based Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited. Mishra Dhatu
Nigam is a ‘Mini Ratna’ PSU under the Defence Ministry.
Atul
Sobti
Atul Sobti was on September 1, 2015 appointed the next Chairman
and Managing Director of state-run power equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals
Ltd (BHEL). Atul will take charge on or after January 1, 2016.
Rajiv
Mehrishi
Senior IAS officer Rajiv Mehrishi was on August 31, 2015
appointed the Union Home Secretary. Mehrishi, Economic Affairs Secretary, on
his last day in officer replaced L C Goyal for a period of two years.
Ratan
P Watal
Ratan P Watal was on August 31, 2015 appointed the new Finance
Secretary. Watal, 59, is a 1978-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer.
Shaktikanta
Das
Revenue Secretary Shaktikanta Das was on August 31, 2015
appointed the Economic Affairs Secretary. Das, a 1980 batch Tamil Nadu cadre
IAS officer, replaced Rajiv Mehrishi.
Hasmukh
Adhia
Financial Services Secretary Hasmukh Adhia was on August
31, 2015 appointed the new Revenue
Secretary, replacing Shaktikanta Das.
LC
Goyal
Union Home Secretary L C Goyal was on August 31, 2015 appointed
the CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). Goyal had taken over as
Home Secretary on February 5.
P
K Singh
Durgapur Steel Plant’s CEO P K Singh was on August 31, 2015
appointed the Chairman of Steel Authority Of India Ltd (SAIL). He replaced
steel secretary Rakesh Singh who held the additional charge.
Raghav
Chandra
Raghav Chandra has taken over as the Chairman of the National
Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on August 31, 2015. NHAI is entrusted with
the task of implementing National Highways Development Project (NDHP).
Jim
O’Brien
Jim O’Brien, a seasoned diplomat, was on August 29, 2015
appointed the First Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs by US
President Barack Obama. He will analyse and find effective remedies to hostage
issues.
Trilochan
Mohapatra
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, which
played a major role in the country’s Green Revolution, has appointed Trilochan
Mohapatra its new Director on August 28, 2015. Mohaaptra was heading
Odisha-based Central Rice Research Institute.
Sushma
Sahu and Rekha Sharma
Sushma Sahu and Rekha Sharma were on August 27, 2015 appointed
to the National Commission for Women (NCW). Sushma Sahu is a former chief of
BJP’s Bihar Mahila Morcha and Rekha Sharma is a former media in-charge of the
party in Haryana.
Awards/Prizes
24th
Vyaas Samman 2014
The prestigious 24th Vyaas Samman for 2014 was
conferred on eminent Hindi writer Dr Kamal Kishore Goenka for his work
‘Premchand ki Kahaniyon ka Kaal kramanusaar Adhyayan’ on September 22, 2015.
Global
Leadership Award 2015
PepsiCo Chairman Indra Nooyi and Hindustan Times Group
chairperson Shobhana Bharatia were on September 21, 2015 presented with the
2015 Global Leadership Award of the US India Business Council (USIBC).
Jnangarima
Manad Alankaran 2015
Eminent Urdu litterateur Shamim Hanfi was conferred the
Jnangarima Manad Alankaran by Bharatiya Jnanpith on September 20, 2015. The Urdu
scholar is best known for his books “Jadidiya ki Falsafiyani Asas,” “Ghazal ka
Naya Manzarnama” and “Infiradi Shaoor aur litemai Zindagi.”
V
Krishnamurthy Award 2014
Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta was presented the annual ‘V
Krishnamurthy award for excellence’ by Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah on
September 18, 2015.
Asia
Game Changer awards 2015
ICICI bank CEO Chanda Kochhar was on September 18, 2015 chosen
for the Asian Game Changer award, given by Asia Society to honour “true leaders
making a positive contribution to the future of Asia.”
UNHCR
Nansen Refugee Award 2015
Afghan refugee teacher Aqeela Asifi, who has dedicated her life
to bringing education to refugee girls in Pakistan, won the 2015 UNHCR Nansen
Refugee Award on September 15, 2015.
UN
Climate Change Awards 2015
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on September 14,
2015 announced as one of the winners of the United Nations Champions of the
Earth award in recognition of her country’s initiatives to address climate
change.
Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, was given the UN Champions of the
Earth Award. The other winners are the National Geographic Society, Brazilian
cosmetics firm Natural and South Africa’s Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit.
Bharat
Bharti Award 2014
Eminent writer Kashi Nath Singh was on September 14, 2015
awarded the Bharat Bharti award, the highest literary award given by the Uttar
Pradesh government. The ‘Lohia Sahitya Samman’ was given to Mridula Garg from
Delhi.
Gandhi
Peace Prize 2014
President Pranab Mukherjee on September 9, 2015 presented the
Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2014 to Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO). The award was received by ISRO Chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar.
Swati
Puraskar
Renowned Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan was on September 9,
2015 conferred with Kerala Government’s prestigious music award, ‘Swathi
Sangeetha Puraskaram’ in Thiruvananthapuram for his outstanding contribution to
Indian music.
2015
International Literacy Prizes
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova on September 8, 2015
awarded the 2015 UNESCO International Literacy Prizes to five original and
transformative literacy programmes from Chile, Madagascar, Mozambique, Slovakia
and Sri Lanka.
The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize was given to Mozambique
and Sri Lanka while the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy was given to
Madagascar, Chile and Slovakia.
Saakshar
Bharat Awards 2015
President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Saakshar Bharat Awards
2015 on September 8, 2015. The winners are:
Best Performing State – Tamil Nadu; Best Performing District –
1. Bastar, Chhattisgarh, 2. Dharampuri, Tamil Nadu 3. Haveri, Karnataka; Best
Performing Gram Panchayat – 1. Palamalai, Salem District, Tamil Nadu 2. Giroud,
Raipur District, Chhattisgarh 3. Poosarlapadu, Srikakulam District, Andhra
Pradesh 4. Ankireddygudem, Nalgonda District, Telangana 5. Khanggabok Part –
II, Mayai Leikai, Thoubal District, Manipur; Best Performing Resource Support
Organisation – 1. State Resource Centre (SRC), West Bengal 2. Jan Shikshan
Sansthan, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
S
Radhakrishnan award 2015
Noted Santoor exponent Bhajan Sopori was on September 4, 2015
conferred the ‘Dr S Radhakrishnan Memorial National Teacher and Media Award’ in
New Delhi for his contribution in the field of music and culture.
Bihari
Puraskar 2014
Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh on September 1, 2015 felicitated
noted writer and journalist Om Thanvi with ‘Bihari Puraskar-2014’ for his book
‘Muanjodaro’, a travelogue which traces remains of the Indus Valley
Civilization.
Bharati
Jyoti Award
Dr Arati Barua, an Associated Professor in Philosophy in
Deshbandhu College of Delhi University was conferred with the prestigious
Bharat Jyoti Award by the Indian International Friendship Society (IIFS) on
August 29, 2015.
National
Sports and Adventure Awards 2014-15
President Pranab Mukherjee conferred National Sports and
Adventure Awards on August 29, 2015. Rest of the winners are:
Tenzing
Norgay National Adventure Award 2014
Arunima Sinha: Land Adventure, Jot Singh: Land Adventure, Wg. Cdr.
Paramvir Singh: Water Adventure, Lt. Col. (Retd.) Satyendra Verma: Air
Adventure, Col. (Retd.) Satish Chander Sharma: Life Time Achievement
Maulana
Abul Kalma Azaad (MAKA) Trophy 2014-15
Punjab University, Patiala was conferred with Maulana Abul Kalam
Azad Trophy for the year 2014-15.
1st
Sunhak Peace Prize 2015
Noted Indian agriculture scientist Dr Modadugu Vijay Gupta, who
has done pioneering work in aquaculture in India and several other countries,
was on August 28, 2015 awarded the first Sunhak Peace Prize, billed as an
alternative to the Nobel Peace Prize. He shared the $1 million prize with
President of Kiribati Anote Tong in Seoul.
News Makers
Renu
Khator
Renu Khator, the Indian-American University of Houston president
and Chancellor, was honoured with the ‘Excellence in Leadership Award’ by the
United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on September 15, 2015.
Randhir
Singh
Veteran sports administrator Randhir Singh on September 15, 2015
stood down as Seceretary General of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) after
occupying the post for 24 years since 1991. He was made an Honorary Life Vice
President of OCA.
Theodosil
Spassov
Bulgarian musician Theodosii Spassov was on September 15, 2015
named an Artist for Peace by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Minoru
Yoneyama
Sports equipment manufacturer Yonex founder Minoru Yoneyama was
conferred the Badminton world Federation’s highest honour, the President’s
Medal, September 12, 2015.
Anupam
Kher
Bollywood actor Actor Anupam Kher on September 15, 2015 received
the “Certificate of Recognition” from the California legislature for his
dedication to helping Kashmiri Hindu community. He was also presented with the
“Honoured Guest” award by the US state of Texas and awarded with the
‘Certificate of Excellence’ by Nevada where September 10 was announced as
‘Anupam Kher Day’.
Tony
Abbott
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on September 14, 2015
resigned from the post after he was ousted as leader of the centre-right
Liberal Party by Malcolm Turnbull.
G
Satheesh Reddy
G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister,
was on September 12, 2015 conferred with the 2015 Silver Medal of the Royal
Aeronautical Society (RAeS), London. Reddy is the first Defence scientist
working in India to be honoured with the prestigious “Silver Medal” of the
Society. Reddy also received the M. Visvesvaraya award of the Institution of
Engineers (India), Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad on September 15.
Jhumpa
Lahiri
President Barack Obama on September 10, 2015 presented the 2014
National Medals of Arts and Humanities to Pulitzer Prize winning
Indian-American author Jhumpa Lahiri and 20 other distinguished persons.
Indra
Nooyi
PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi was on September 10, 2015 included in
Fortune’s list of 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, which has been topped by
General Motors CEO Mary Barra. Nooyi, the sole Indian-origin executive in the
list, is ranked 2nd.
Baciro
Dja
Guinea-Bissaus new PM Baciro Dja announced his resignation on
September 9, 2015, just two days after his government was sworn in, as the west
African nation’s Supreme Court declared his appointment unconstitutional.
Queen
Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II on September 9, 2015 officially became the
longest-reigning British monarch after passing the record set by her
great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. The Queen has served 63 years and 216
days on the British throne. Her reign has included 12 prime ministers, two more
than served under Victoria.
Anirudh
Kathirvel
Anirudh Kathirvel, a nine-year-old Indian-origin boy, was on
September 8, 2015 crowned champion of the first ‘The Great Australian Spelling
Bee’ contest.
Ananya
Sritam
Bhubaneshwar’s Ananya Sritam Nanda, 14, on September 6, 2015 won
the “Indian Idol Junior” title. The finalists also included V. Nityashree, 15
and Naheed Afreen, 13.
Andreas Mogensen
Andrea Mogensen on September 4, 2015 became the first Danish
astronaut to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a
three-man team.
Preethika
Kumar
Preethika Kumar, an Indian-American professor at a leading
university in the US was on September 3, 2015 selected for the prestigious
Outstanding Teacher Award for demonstrating special dedication and creativity
in her teaching.
R.
Sampanthan
The chief of Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party R. Sampanthan was on
September 3, 2015 elected unopposed the leader of opposition in the parliament.
A. Amirthalingam of the Tamil United Liberation Front was the first and last
Tamil leader to hold this post from 1977 to 1983.
Sumitra
Mahajan
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on September 2, 2015 chaired a
session of the 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in the
UN General Assembly in New York. Mahajan chaired the session as acting
President.
Otto
Perez Molina
The embattled President of Guatemala Otto Perez Molina on
September 1, 2015 resigned and voluntarily handed himself over to judicial
authorities.
Obituary
Yogi
Berra
Baseball legend Yogi Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher renowned as
much for his unique way of turning a phrase as for his record 10 World Series
championships with the New York Yankees, died on September 22, 2015. He was 90.
Md.
Nizam
Noted Odia lyricist Nizam passed away on September 21, 2015 at
the age of 62. Nizam started his career in Odia Film industry in 1977 and
established himself as a great lyricist.
Jagmohan
Dalmiya
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan
Dalmiya, hailed as the architect of India’s rise as the game’s financial
superpower, passed away on September 20, 2015. He was 75.
Radhika
Thilak
Malayalam playback singer Radhika Thilak passed away on
September 20, 2015 in Kochi. She was 45.
Jacki
Collins
British-born author of Hollywood Wives’ and ‘The Stud’ Jackie
Collins died on September 19, 2015 at the age of 77. Collins’ 32 books on
glamour, sex an affairs in Hollywood were international bestsellers.
Bal
Pandit
The pioneer of cricket commentary in Marathi who made the game
more popular in Maharashtrian households, Bal Pandit passed away on September
17, 2015 after a prolonged illness. He was 88.
Kunwar
Viyogi
Eminent Dogri poet and the father of Dogri sonnet, writer and
journalist Randhir Singh passed away on September 16, 2015 in Jaipur at the age
of 75.
Brian
Close
Former Yorkshire cricketer and the youngest batsman to have
played a Test for England, Brian Close passed away on September 14, 2015 at the
age of 84.
Kalamandalam
Satyabhama
Well-known Mohiniyattam dancer and Padma Shri-awardee
choreographer Kalamandalam Satyabhama died on Sept 13, 2015. She was 77.
Frank
D. Gilory
Frank D. Gilory, whose play about a veteran’s fraught return
home, “The Subject Was Roses,” won him a Pulitzer Prize, died on September 12,
2015. He was 89.
Aadesh
Shrivastava
Music director Aadesh Shrivastava passed away in Mumbai at the
age of 49 on September 5, 2015. Shrivastava composed music for movies like
‘Chalte Chalte,’ ‘Baabul,’ ‘Baghban,’ ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,’ ‘Rajneeti’ and
others.
Wilfred
De Souza
Former Goa Chief Minister Wilfred De Souza, who held the post
three times, passed away in Panaji on September 4, 2015. He was 88.
Chandra
Bahadur Dangi
The world’s shortest man, Chandra Bahadur Dangi of Nepal, died
in American Samoa in the Pacific on September 4, 2015 at the age of 75.
Standing all of 21.5 inches (54.6 cms) tall, Dangi held the current Guinness
World Record for the shortest man on earth till his demise.
MM
Kalburgi
Renowned Kannada scholar MM Kalburgi was shot dead by unknown
persons in Dharwad (Karnataka) on August 30, 2015. The Kannada scholar was
conferred with the National Sahitya Akademi Award in 2006.
Recent Books
· Two
Years, Eight Months And Twenty Eight Days by Salman Rushdie
· The
Big Indian Wedding by Sakshi Salve
· The
Country of First Boys and Other Essays by Amartya Sen
· Baat
Niklegi Toh Phir by Sathya Saran
· Combating
Hunger and Achieving Food Security by MS Swaminathan
· The
House of Hidden Mothers by Meera Syal
· The
Crown Prince, The Gladiator And the Hope-Battle For Change by Ashutosh
· The
Blue Between Sky and Water by Susan Abulhawa
· Midnight’s
Furies: The deadly legacy of India’s partition by Nisid Hazari
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