DAILY GK -- BANKERS ADDA -- 1ST TO 10TH OCTOBER 2016

1st October, 2016

International day of Older Persons: 1st October

i. Every year 1st October is observed as International day of Older Persons.

ii. The significance of Day is to raise awareness about issues affecting the elderly and to appreciate the contributions that older people make to society. 

iii. This year, the theme is  "Take a Stand Against Ageism.".

Arundhati Bhattacharya Gets Year-Long Extension As SBI Chief

i. Arundhati Bhattacharya will remain the chairperson of the State Bank of India (SBI) for another year.

ii. She will oversee the merger of 6 smaller commercial banks into the country's largest lender.

SAARC summit "postponed indefinitely"

i. Pakistan has officially postponed the 8-nation SAARC summit 2016, after 5 countries – India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka dropped out of it.

ii. The SAARC Summit was scheduled on November 9 and 10 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Somesh Sharma is INS President

i. Somesh Sharma of Rashtradoot Saptahik has been elected President of The Indian Newspaper Society for the year 2016-17.

ii. He succeeds PV Chandran of Grihalakshmi (Mathrubhumi Group).

IOB gets new executive director

i. The Centre has appointed R Subramania Kumar as Executive Director (ED) of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB).

ii. Prior to this appointment, Kumar was Executive Director of Indian Bank.

Aditya Birla Retail appoints Mohit Kampani as CEO

i. Mohit Kampani, the former managing director of Spencer’s Retail, will be joining Aditya Birla Retail as chief executive officer.

ii. Aditya Birla Retail Limited is the retail arm of Aditya Birla Group company.

EU ministers approve ratification of Paris climate Agreement

i. The European Union (EU) ministers have approved the ratification of Paris Agreement (on Climate Change).

iii. This decision brings the Paris Agreement closer to entering into force.

ii. Once approved by the European Parliament, the EU deposit its ratification instrument before national ratification processes which are completed in each member state.

Government decides to raise EPFO investment in ETF

i. The Government has decided to raise the Employees Provident Fund ( EPF) investment in Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) from present 5% to 10%.

ii. Shri Bandaru Dattatreya, the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment announced that the decision has been taken considering the good returns in ETF.

Tirupati Airport awarded as 'Best Tourist Friendly Airport'

i. Airport Authority of India's Tirupati Airport has been awarded as "Best Tourist Friendly Airport" under the category for "State Annual Excellence Awards (2015-16)" by Andhra Pradesh Tourism.

HCL and IBM enter 15-year partnership

i. HCL and IBM have entered into a 15-year partnership for automation, development and operations.

ii. This partnership will enable the both companies to focus their technical teams on native cloud and cognitive solutions, as well as industry-specific opportunities.

Spiritual leader Indirabetiji passes away

i. Vaishnavacharya Goswami Indirabetiji, a proponent of Sanatan Dharma known for her devotion to social causes, passed away. She was 78.

ii. She founded Shrimad Vallabh Acharya Research Academy to spread her guru Vallabhacharyaji’s philosophy and theology and authored several books on religion and philosophy.

2nd October, 2016

Nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi & former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary

I. The nation pays homage to Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi on his 147th birth anniversary on 02nd October, 2016.

II. The nation also remembers the former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary. Born in 02nd October 1904, he joined the Indian independence movement in the 1920s and held several important portfolios in the Jawaharlal Nehru's government including Railways and as Home Minister.

Arunachal CM flags off all-women Mt Gorichen expedition

I. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu lagged off an all-women Mt Gorichen expedition in Itanagar.

II. This will be the first all women team attempting to summit the second highest peak of the state, which is considered as a technical peak and only seasoned climbers can make it to the top (6,488 m).

Gangtok conferred Cleanest Tourist Destination honour

I. At a time when the Swachh Bharat Mission is in full swing, the Union Ministry of Tourism has conferred the Cleanest Tourist Destination on the Sikkim capital (Gangtok).

II. Chandigarh and Mysore were felicitated for 'Clean Cities in million plus population category' and Gangtok for 'Cleanest Tourism Destination'.

Rajeev Sharma takes over as Power Finance CMD

I. Rajeev Sharma has taken over as the Chairman and Managing Director of state-run Power Finance Corporation (PFC) with effect from October 1st, 2016.

II. Sharma succeeds M K Goel who retired on September 30, 2016 on attaining the age of superannuation.

International day for non violence: 2nd October

I. The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.

II. According to General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271 of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness".

Centre constitutes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India

I. The Centre has constituted a four-member Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) under the Chairmanship of M.S. Sahoo. The oath of office was administered by Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.

II. The members of the IBBI are Ajay Tyagi, Additional Secretary, Finance Ministry; Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs; G.S. Yadav, Joint Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs; and Unnikrishnan, Legal Advisor, Reserve Bank of India.

Kieren Dsouza becomes the first Indian to complete World's toughest race, Spartathlon

I. Bengaluru's Kieren Dsouza has become the first Indian to complete the Spartathlon, widely described as the "world's toughest race".

II. The 23-year old completed the 246.6 km distance in the 2016 edition, in 33 hours, one minute and 38 seconds. The Spartathlon is an annual run between Athens and Sparta in Greece, with a reported success rate of 50%.

Gujarat world heritage site: Rani ki Vav bags ‘Cleanest Iconic Place’ award

I. Gujarat’s 900-year-old World Heritage Site Rani ki Vav beat 10 other iconic heritage structures across the country to bag an award for the “Cleanest Iconic Place” at the Indian Sanitation Conference (INDOSAN) 2016 at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.

II. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has maintained the monument and its surroundings very well, offering clean drinking water and proper sanitation, among other things, to tourists.

3rd October, 2016

Japan's Ohsumi wins Nobel Prize in medicine

i. Japan's Yoshinori Ohsumi, a cell biologist specialising in autophagy, has received the 2016 Noble Prize in Medicine.

ii. He has received the award "for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy".

Mohammad Bin Zayed chief guest for Indian Republic Day

i. The Indian government has invited the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to be the next Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day parade of 2017.

ii. This is the first time that a leader of the United Arab Emirates will be honoured with the invitation of being the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day parade.

India ratifies historic Paris climate deal at UN

i. On 2 oct 2016 (The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi), India formally joined the Paris Climate Change Agreement by submitting its instrument of ratification in New York (UN Headquarter).ii.  India became the 62nd country to ratify the agreement.

iii. COP22 will take place at Marrakech in Morocco , 2016.

India's Gaganjeet Bhullar wins Korea Open

i. Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar won his 6th Asian Tour title, winning the Korea Open 2016 in Incheon,South Korea.

ii. The 28-year-old, whose last Asian title came in 2013, was awarded a cash prize of $196,000 for the win.

Delhi Police launches mobile app for senior citizens

i. The Delhi Police has launched a mobile application for senior citizens to enable them to reach out to the police quickly in emergency situations.

ii. The application 'Delhi Police Senior Citizen' was launched by Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma.

R Ravindra concurrently accredited Ambassador to Guinea

i. Shri R Ravindra, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Guinea.

ii. The Republic of Guinea is a country on the West coast of Africa.

'Murga' wins first prize at Swachh Bharat Short Film Festival

i. Young filmmaker Katyayan Shivpuri, from Maharashtra, has won the first prize at the Swachh Bharat Short Film Festival (SBSFF) for his work "Murga".

ii. The short film was directed by young filmmaker Katyayan Shivpuri from Maharashtra.

Daniel Ricciardo wins 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix

i. Australian racing driver, Daniel Ricciardo has won the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix held at the Sepang International Circuit in Selangor, Malaysia.

ii. Max Verstappen finished second while Nico Rosberg ended at the third position.

Indian-origin teen wins Google Science Fair prize

i. A 16-year-old Indian-origin South African teen has won a $50,000 scholarship, the grand prize at the annual Google Science Fair for her work using orange peel to develop a cheaper “super-absorbent material” that helps soil retain water.

4th October, 2016

RBI announces 4th Bi-monthly Policy Statement

i. RBI's 24th Governor Urjit Patel, who has been recently appointed, has announced his first and country's 4th Bi-monthly Policy Statement for the  year 2016-17.

ii. The RBI has reduced the policy Repo Rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 6.5% to 6.25% with immediate effect.

Three researchers share 2016 Nobel prize in physics

i. The Nobel Prize in Physics for 2016 has been awarded to scientists - David J Thouless, who receives half the prize, and Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz, who share the other half.

ii. The three physicists discovered a mathematical framework in the field of topography, to explain unexpected properties of solid materials.

4–10 October: World Space Week

i. World Space Week is an annual event that is observed from 4-10 October every year in various parts of the world including Europe and Asia.

ii. World Space Week, 2016 is being observed with the theme, Remote Sensing: Enabling our Future.

SBI becomes first domestic bank to open branch in Yangon

i. The State Bank of India today announced its entry into Myanmar by opening a branch in the capital city of Yangon, becoming the first domestic lender to do so.

ii. The Yangon branch is the 54th foreign branch of the nation's largest lender.

France confers knighthood on elephant researcher

i. Film-maker and elephant researcher Prajna Chowta has been appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite (Knight in the National Order of Merit), one of the highest civilian recognitions of the French government.

ii. The appointment of Chowta by the President of the French Republic comes in recognition of a life devoted to caring for wild Asian elephants.

Reliance ties up with Dassault to execute Rafale offsets

i. Dassault Aviation of France has entered into a partnership with Reliance group to execute offsets for the recently concluded deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets.

ii. This is the largest offset contract to be executed by any defence company in India till date.

KJ Yesudas, the brand ambassador of Kerala's Haritha Keralam project

i. Playback singer K J Yesudas has been roped in by the Kerala' government as the brand ambassador of its ambitious ‘Haritha Keralam' project.

ii. ‘Haritha Keralam’ (Green Kerala) project, a massive initiative envisaged for a garbage-free and clean state.

Jharkhand becomes first state to launch Direct Benefit Transfer in Kerosene

i. Jharkhand has become the first state in the country to implement Direct Benefit Transfer in Kerosene.

ii. The scheme is being implemented in four identified districts of the State from October 1.

Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar resigns

i. Jawhar Sircar has resigned as the Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharati Corporation.

ii. His resignation came 4 months ahead of the end of his tenure which was about to end in February 2017.

5th October, 2016

World Teachers’ Day: 5 October

i. The World Teachers’ Day (WTD) 2016 is being observed across the world on 5th October.

ii. The theme for the World Teachers’ Day 2016 is Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status.

Important Union Cabinet approvals

i. Cabinet approves India-EU MoU on water cooperation

ii. Cabinet approves amendments to HIV/AIDS bill

iii. Cabinet approves setting up of country’s first Medipark

iv. Cabinet approves rural development MoU with African-Asian Rural Development Organisation

v. CCEA gives a nod to the acquisition of 11% stake in Russian oil company.

Tiny machines win chemistry Nobel prize

i. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2016 has been awarded to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L. Feringa for developing the molecular machine.

ii. The three scientists will equally share the prize of 8 million Swedish kronor, or about $930,000.

India, Singapore sign three agreements

i. India and Singapore have signed 3 agreements, including two in the area of skill development, following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore Premier Lee Hsien Loong.

ii. A third MoU was signed in the field of industrial property cooperation.

IMF revises India's economic growth upwards to 7.6% for FY17 and 18

i. The International Monetary Fund has raised projections for India's economic growth by 0.2 percentage points to 7.6% for 2016-17 and 2017-18.

ii. The International Monetary Fund is an international organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Sushil Chandra appointed CBDT Chairman

i. The Government has appointed Indian Revenue Service officer Sushil Chandra as the next chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes.ii. He will take over from the current CBDT Chairperson Rani Singh Nair, who will retire on October 31. Chandra is currently posted as Member, CBDT.

Powerful typhoon Chaba to hit Japan

i. Powerful typhoon Chaba barrelled toward Japan after it hit a South Korean resort island causing flight cancellations and flooding streets.

Mohan Reddy appointed Hon. Consul of Germany

i. Germany has appointed former Nasscom Chairman B V R Mohan Reddy as an Honourary Consul of that country in Hyderabad.

ii. Mohan Reddy will be the Consul for Germany in Telangana and Hyderabad.

6th October, 2016

ISRO successfully launches GSAT-18 from Kourou in French Guiana

i. India's latest communication satellite GSAT-18 has been successfully launched by a heavy duty rocket of Arianespace from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana.

ii. GSAT-18, built by the ISRO, aims at providing telecommunications services for the country by strengthening ISRO's current fleet of 14 operational telecommunication satellites.

J&K Bank appoints Parvez Ahmed as Chairman & CEO

i. Jammu and Kashmir Bank today appointed Parvez Ahmed as Chairman and CEO of the bank.

ii. He has been appointed Chairman for a period of three years, Jammu and Kashmir Bank

iii. He replaces Mustaq Ahmad, who completed his term on October 5.

New Solar Powered Guard Van of Goods Train flagged off

i. Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu flags off the newly manufactured Guard Van of Goods (Freight) Train, in New Delhi.

ii. The newly manufactured Guard Van of Goods Train has been equipped for the first time with Solar powered Light, Fan, Mobile Charging Point along with the facility of Zero discharge Bio Toilet.

Finance Ministry to set up public debt management cell

i. Union Finance Ministry has constituted a Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC). The cell was created to streamline government borrowings and better cash management with the overall objective of deepening bond markets.

ii. The Joint Secretary (Budget), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance would be the overall in-charge of the ODMC.

First BRICS U – 17 Football Tournament kicked off in Goa

i. The first BRICS Under-17 football tournament kicked off in Goa.

ii. The initiative of the Government of India aims at taking the ongoing interaction and cohesion amongst the BRICS nations.

Former Portugal PM, Antonio Guterres set to become next UNSC

i. Former Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Guterres is poised to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations after the Security Council declared him to be the unanimous choice in the sixth straw poll.

Election Commission of India collaborates with Facebook to register young voters

i. Social networking site Facebook is collaborating with the Election Commission of India in five states ,which are going to polls next year, to run a voter registration drive aimed at encouraging youth to participate in the democratic exercise.

IAF inducts renowned space scientist UR Rao in Hall of Fame

i. The International Astronautical Federation's renowned space scientist U.R. Rao has been inducted into its Hall of Fame for his contribution to development of India's space technology.

ii. Rao, 84, is the Chairman of the space agency's Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Arundhati Roy’s next novel to be out in 2017

i. Nearly, 20 years after her Booker prize-winning novel 'The God of Small Things' was published.

ii. Arundhati Roy has announced the release of her next novel titled "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness" in June 2017.

7th October, 2016

Nobel Peace Prize for Colombia's Juan Manuel Santos

i. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the 52-year conflict with left-wing rebels.

ii. The Nobel committee in Norway praised him for his peace agreement with FARC rebels, signed last month after four years of negotiations.

Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling honoured for development leadership

i. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has been honoured with prestigious "Sustainable Development Leadership Award" by President Pranab Mukherjee.

ii. Chamling has been recognised for his efforts to convert Sikkim into the first and only organic state in the country.

3 agreements between India & Switzerland on Mutual Visa Exemption Return

i. Agreements are:

1. Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement for Holders of Diplomatic Passports.

2. Technical Arrangements on Identification and Return of Illegal Migrants and Arrangement for Dependent Person of Diplomatic, Consular, Technical andIndia & Switzerland.

3. Administrative Staff of Diplomatic and Consular Mission to Perform Gainful Employment.

Government integrates 250 mandis in 10 states with e-agriculture market in 1st phase

i. The government has integrated 250 mandis in 10 states with the electronic national agriculture market (e-NAM) in the first phase.

ii. In April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the e-NAM on a pilot basis with 22 mandis in eight states.

Jitu Rai bags silver medal at ISSF World Cup Final in Italy

i. Indian shooter Jitu Rai on 6 October 2016 clinched a silver medal in the 50-meter pistol event of the ISSF World Cup Final at Bologna, Italy.

Arjun Vajpai scales Mt. Cho Oyu

i. Arjun Vajpai, a 23-year-old professional mountaineer from Noida, became the youngest in the world to scale the Mount Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain peak in the world at 8,188 metres above sea level.

ii. This was Vajpai’s second attempt to climb Cho Oyu after he was paralysed midway in 2012.

New frog species discovered in Australia

i. A new frog species, which closely resembles the Graceful tree frog (Litoria Gracilenta), was discovered in Australia’s largest virgin forest in Queensland.

ii. The newly discovered species closely resembles the Graceful tree frog (Litoria Gracilenta).

Freedom fighter Ramesh Kulkarni passed away

i. Freedom fighter and Congress leader Ramesh Kulkarni passed away on 6 October 2016 in Thane following a brief illness.

ii. Kulkarni was 87 years old and is survived by a son and two daughters.

Manipur theatre legend Kanhailal passed away

i. Manipur-based theatre legend Heisnam Kanhailal passed away on 6 October 2016 following a brief illness in Imphal. He was 75.

ii. Kanhailal had contributed to the field of experimental theatre for more than 40 years.

 8th October, 2016

Indian Air Force Day: 8 October

i. The Air Force Day 2016 is  observed annually on 8 October across India. This year is the 84th celebration of the Day which began in 1932.

ii. On this day, the most renowned aerobatics display teams, Red Arrows of the Royal Air Force, enthral audience at Indian Air Force Day celebrations in New Delhi.

Maharashtra becomes 17th state to join UDAY Scheme

i. Maharashtra became the 17th state to Central Government’s Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojna (UDAY) scheme.

ii. It will help Maharashtra to reap benefits worth Rs 9,725 crore by way of cheaper funds, transmission losses, energy efficiency and coal reforms during the period of the turnaround.

Women can also be prosecuted under domestic violence law: SC

i. Not only men but women can also be prosecuted under the Protection of Women against Domestic Violence (DV) Act.

ii. The Supreme Court has struck down the words “adult male” from the pertinent provision in the DV Act to lay down that a woman can also file a complaint against another woman, accusing her of domestic violence.

Forex reserves touch record high of $372 billion

i. India's foreign exchange reserves scaled a new high of USD 371.99 billion. The reserves had risen by USD 1.166 billion to USD 370.766 billion.

ii. Previously, they had touched a high of USD 371.279.

Pound crashes 6% in 2 minutes

i. The pound saw a sudden collapse in intra-day trade on 08 October 2016, plunging over 6% to $1.1841 in two minutes, to hit a fresh 31-year-low.

ii. This reportedly followed a 'flash crash' driven by a technical glitch that created a lot of computer-driven orders.

Rs.114 cr approved for HRIDAY projects

i. The Union Ministry of Urban Development has approved projects worth Rs.114 crore under HRIDAY scheme for improving infrastructure facilities around core heritage sites in five cities.

ii. These five cities are: Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Amritsar (Punjab), Dwaraka (Gujarat), Puri (Odisha) and Warangal (Telangana).

India to host conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

i. India will host the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) next month.

ii. The three-day conference, to be held from November 3, is being organised in collaboration with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

Doordarshan, IGNOU sign agreement for telecast of Gyan Darshan channels

i. Doordarshan and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) have entered into an agreement for transmission of four Gyan Darshan educational channels.

ii. Gyan Darshan ran successfully till June 2, 2014, but was shut down by ISRO to facilitate its migration from INSAT 3C to GSAT-10.

9th October, 2016

India’s first international arbitration centre inaugrated by Devendra Fadnavis

i. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated India’s first centre for international arbitration in Mumbai.

ii. The MCIA will be governed by a 17-member governing council.

iii. The Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA) will initially be located at Express Towers.

Harika Dronavalli Beats Hou Yifan At International Chess Meet

i. India's Harika Dronavalli defeated World No. 1 Hou Yifan of China to be at joint fourth position in the Isle of Man international Chess tournament.

ii. This tournament was took place from October 1st to 9th, 2016.

iii. Harika is now with five points after seven rounds, just one and a half points behind the championship leader Eljanov Pavel of Ukraine.

Bathukamma Event Enters Guinness Book of World Records

i.The Telangana government on Saturday organised the traditional state festival of 'Bathukamma' on at the Lal Bahadur stadium in Hyderabad.

ii. The event, attended by about ten thousand women, found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

iii. The Telangana government has declared 'Bathukamma' as a state festival.

Luo Zhaohui, China’s new ambassador to India

i. China's President Xi Jinping appointed Luo Zhaohui, a senior diplomat with previous assignments in Pakistan and Canada, as China’s new ambassador to India.

ii. He will take over from former Chinese ambassador to India Le Yucheng who left New Delhi in April.

Union Power Minister assures electricity for all by May 2017

i. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal assured that India would have 100 per cent electrification for all by May 1, 2017.

ii. He also launched the Urban Jyoti Abhiyaan Mobile (Urja) app, developed by the state-run Power Finance Corporation, to enhance consumer connect with the urban power distribution sector.

World Post Day: 9th October

i. World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern.

ii.  The theme for this year 2016 is Innovation, Integration and Inclusion.

Sprinter Srabani Nanda wins Ekalabya Award

i.Sprinter Srabani Nanda has bagged the 24th Ekalabya Award for the year 2016 in recognition of her sporting excellence.

ii. Srabani won gold in 200m, silver in 100m and 4x100m relay in 12th South Asian Games held in Guwahati in February.

iii. She had also won bronze in 100m and 4x100m relay in Asian Grand Prix Athletics in Thailand in June 2015.

 PV Sindhu now brand ambassador of Vizag Steel

i. Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), the corporate entity of Vizag Steel, has roped in top ranked Indian Badminton Player PV Sindhu as its brand ambassador.

ii. Sindhu, currently amongst the top 10 ranked players in the world, is the first Indian female athlete to win the Olympic silver medal at the Rio Olympics and she is also the first athlete to win back-to-back medals at the World Badminton Championships.

10th October, 2016

World Mental Health Day: 10 October

i. World Mental Health Day is observed annually on 10 October.

ii. This year theme is ‘Psychological First Aid’.

iii. The day is annually observed with an aim to raise awareness about mental health issues around the world and mobilising efforts in support of mental health.

Nobel prize in Economics 2016 awarded to Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmstrom

i. Two U.S-based economists, Oliver Hart of Harvard University and Bengt Holmstrom of MIT have been awarded the 'Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel' for their contributions to contract theory.

ii. Last year Nobel prize in Economics was awarded to Angus Deaton "for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare".

MP to launch 'Lalima Abhiyan' to make state free from anaemia

i. With an aim to make Madhya Pradesh anaemia-free, the state government has decided to launch a scheme-'Lalima Abhiyan'- that will be effective from November 1.

ii. Under the campaign, free iron folic acid tablets will be provided in aagan wadis', academic institutions and hospitals.

Indian shooter Jitu Rai named 'Champion of Champions' by ISSF

i. The International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) has awarded ace shooter, Jitu Rai, the 'Champion of Champions' title for pistol shooting in 2016.

ii. Jitu on 09 October 2016 beat Serbia's Damir Mikec, 29.6 to 28.3 in the Champions Trophy 10m Air Pistol final.

'Aiyoh' now in the Oxford English Dictionary

i. The Oxford English Dictionary has included "Aiyoh" and "Aiyah" in its latest edition.

ii. The word has defined as, "In southern India and Sri Lanka, expressing distress, regret, or grief; 'Oh no!', 'Oh dear!'".

Renu Pall appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Austria

i. Former Indian Foreign Service officer Ms. Renu Pall has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Austria. ii. It was announced by Ministry of External

BHEL commissions another 660 Mw thermal unit in UP

i. State-run BHEL has commissioned 660 Mw coal-based supercritical thermal power unit in Uttar Pradesh.

ii. The unit has been commissioned at the 3x660 Mw Prayagraj super thermal power project, located in Bara tehsil in Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

iii. The project is owned by Prayagraj Power Generation Company Ltd (PPGCL), a subsidiary company of Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd.

Andy Murray defeats Grigor Dimitrov to win China Open

i. British tennis player Andy Murray beat Bulgaria's  Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets to win the China Open on 09 October 2016.

ii. Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska defeated British tennis player Johanna Konta 6-4, 6-2 to win the China Open Women's Singles at Beijing, China.

Indian shuttler Ruthvika Shivani clinches Russian Open Grand Prix title

i. India's 19-year-old shuttler Ruthvika Shivani Gadde won the women's singles title at the Russian Open in Vladivostok.

ii. Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy added to India's tally by winning the mixed doubles title at the event.

Nico Rosberg won the Japanese Grand Prix

i. Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP won the Japan Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit.

ii. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton finished the GP with Nico Rosberg second and third respectively.

Former boxing champion Aaron Pryor dies at 60

i. American boxer Aaron Pryor died on 09 October 2016 at the age of 60 after a long battle with heart disease.

ii. Pryor built a 39-1 record with 35 knockouts during his career. 

SOURCE;  thanks to www.bankersadda.com