Daily GK Update – Current Affairs – 26th and 27th January 2016

1. 67th India’s Republic Day celebrated

i. Republic Day 2016 was celebrated on 26 January 2016 across the nation. This was the 67th Republic Day of India. President of France Francois Hollande was the Chief Guest at 67th Republic Day parade.

ii. First Republic Day was celebrated on 26 January 1950 when India became a Republic with Constitution of India coming into force on this day replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India.

iii. For the first time since 1950, a foreign army contingent marched down the Rajpath during the Republic Day parade. The 76-member French Army contingent was the participant of the parade. The parade witnessed participation of some of India’s most highly trained dogs from the army’s Veterinary Corps, after 26 years. 

iv. The celebration was curtailed by 25 minute. The duration was brought down to 90 minutes from 115 minutes, but the format will remain the same. For the first time, an all-women stunt contingent named ‘Women Daredevils CRPF’ comprising of 120 soldiers will performed stunts on bikes. Apart from this women officers were also 2nd in command to the contingents of Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy.

v. For the first time, the tableau of ex-servicemen of Army veterans was also showcased in the parade. The VVIP enclosure had a motorised glass roof so as to protect them from rain and cold weather, as in 2015 Chief guest Barack Obama and Michelle Obama held umbrellas to protect themselves from the drizzle at the Republic Day parade event.

2. India-France signed 14 Agreements including 36 Rafale Aircraft deal

i. India and France inked 14 Agreements/MoUs in Delhi. The agreements including MoU on purchase of 36 Rafale Aircrafts were signed during the State Visit of President Francois Hollande of France to India.

ii. Hollande was the Chief Guest at the 67th India’s Republic Day (26 January 2016) celebrations. He was the fifth French leader to be a chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations, maximum number from any country so far.

iii. These 14 agreements were inked a day after the two nations exchanged 16 agreements at the India-France Business Summit in Chandigarh on 24 January 2016.

3. Manipal Hospitals becomes Karnataka’s first centre for MRCP (UK) PACES examination

i. Manipal Hospitals Bangalore becomes the first centre in Karnataka for conducting the MRCP practical assessment of examination skills (PACES) mock exam in collaboration with UK-based Royal College of Physicians Federation. This is the final qualifying exam for getting MRCP UK degree thus providing an opportunity for students to directly practice in the UK, the company said in a statement.

ii. The exam will be conducted from January 27-30 and provides a platform for students of Bangalore to participate in the overseas exam and also a convenient option for students of neighbouring states. The successful candidates would receive MRCP(UK) Specialist Physician certification and would be eligible to practice medicine in major countries worldwide, the statement added.

iii. Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Hospitals Bangalore said that with this initiative, people will save on travel and stay cost and the hassles of travelling abroad. Manipal becomes the fourth centre in India apart from centres in Chennai, Cochin, and Kolkata.

4. International Solar Alliance headquartered in India with United Nations as Strategic Partner

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the President of France François Hollande, on 25 January 2016 laid the foundation stone of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) headquarters in National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gwalpahari, Gurgaon. They also inaugurated the interim Secretariat of the ISA at the same place.

ii. India dedicated 5 acre land at NISE to ISA for hosting its Secretariat and also contributed 175 crore rupees for ISA corpus fund for an initial period of five years. Thereafter it is expected to generate its own resources and become self-financing.

iii. It was jointly launched in Paris by India and France on 30 November 2015 during the United Nations climate change conference (COP21). It is the India’s first international and inter-governmental organization of 121 Countries to have headquarters in India with United Nations as Strategic Partner.

iv. It creates a collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies to enhance energy security and sustainable development. It improves access to energy and opportunities for better livelihoods in rural and remote areas and to increase the standard of living.

v. It will work with partner countries to formulate projects and programmes to accelerate development and deployment of existing clean solar energy technologies, the potential for which largely remaining untapped. It develops innovative financial mechanisms to reduce cost of capital and builds a common knowledge e-Portal.

vi. It will encourage multilateral bodies like IRENA, REEEP, IEA, REN21, UN bodies, bilateral organizations, corporates, industry, and other stakeholders to contribute towards the goal of increasing utilization of solar energy in the member countries.

5. Marvin Minsky, the pioneer of Artificial Intelligence, died

i. Marvin Minsky, the pioneer of artificial intelligence, died at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital due to cerebral hemorrhage. The mathematician and the computer scientist died at the age of 88.

ii. Minsky, a professor emeritus at the MIT Media Lab, helped in work that helped inspired the creation of the personal computer and the Internet.

iii. In 1959, he co-founded the MIT Artificial Intelligence Project (AIT) with John McCarthy, who is credited with coining the term “artificial intelligence.” Now AIT is known as Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Minsky, a native New Yorker entered Harvard University after returning from service in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

iv. He was an American cognitive scientist in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) created robotic hands that can manipulate objects, developed new programming frameworks and wrote several texts on AI and philosophy.

v. Minsky won the AM Turing Award – the highest honor in computer science – in 1969

6. Rekha honoured with 3rd National Yash Chopra Memorial Award

i. Veteran Bollywood actress Rekha on 25 January 2016 was honoured with the third Yash Chopra Memorial Award in Mumbai.

ii. Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao presented the award to the actress in recognition of her talent and contribution to the film industry.

iii. The actress was born on 10 October 1954 as Bhanu Rekha Ganesan in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She started her career in 1966 as a child actress in the Telugu film Rangula Ratnam. Her film debut as a lead happened with Sawan Bhadon in 1970.

iv. She has won three Filmfare Awards, two for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress, for her roles in Khubsoorat, Khoon Bhari Maang and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, respectively. Her portrayal of a classical courtesan in Umrao Jaan won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. In 2010, she was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India.

v. The National Yash Chopra Memorial Award was instituted by the TSR Foundation of T Subbarami Reddy in the memory of the producer-director Yash Chopra, who died in 2012.

7. Kerala dentist Sajeev Koshy honoured with Order of Australia

i. A Kerala dentist Sajeev Koshy settled in Melbourne on 26 January 2016 was honoured with the highest civilian honour, the Order of Australia. Koshy was given the award for his service to dentistry in Victoria, Australia. He was honoured on the Australia Day Awards 2016, by the Governor General of Australia.

ii. Koshy has served as the president of the Kerala Dental Council and president of the Indian Dental Association.

iii. He is currently the head of the endodontics at the Royal Melbourne Dental Hospital, which is the teaching hospital for the University of Melbourne.

iv. The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.

v. It is awarded to recognise Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or meritorious service.

vi. Before the establishment of the order, Australian citizens would receive British honours.

8. Hollywood actor Abe Vigoda passed away

i. Actor Abe Vigoda, known for his work in The Godfather and on the television series Barney Miller, passed away on 26 January 2016 in New Jersey following natural causes. He was 94. He was best known for his roles as mobster Tessio in the movie The Godfather.

ii. Born in New York, Vigoda made appearances in very early television episodes of Suspense and Studio One in Hollywood in 1949. He made his debut in the cinema through Marcel Carne’s 1965 effort Three Rooms in Manhattan, but he got his fame when he was cast in The Godfather in 1972.

iii. On the big screen, he appeared in the 1973 mob drama The Don Is Dead and 1974 crime drama Newman’s Law and he reprised his role as Tessio in a flashback in The Godfather: Part II.

iv. In 1974, he was cast as the aged, malady-laden and slow-moving cop Phil Fish in TV series Barney Miller. His character was so popular that the network launched a spinoff, simply titled Fish in 1977. He also appeared as a guest on series including Hawaii Five-O, Kojak, The Bionic Woman, The Rockford Files and Eight Is Enough.

v. He also remained a popular character actor in films including Cannonball Run II, Look Who’s Talking, Joe Versus the Volcano and North.

9. President Rule imposed in Arunachal Pradesh

i. President Pranab Mukherjee on 26 January 2016 approved the Union Cabinet’s recommendation for the imposition of President’s rule on Arunachal Pradesh. 

ii. He gave the assent after hosting the traditional ‘At Home’ or reception at Rastrapati Bhavan for French President Francois Hollande as part of the Republic Day celebrations.

iii. The Union Cabinet approved the imposition of President Rule on the state after expiration of six month deadline under which the Assembly was supposed to meet. The six month deadline for the meet expired on 21 January 2016.

iv. Other reasons for the decision on imposition of the President Rule included multiple reports by the Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa that there was no law and order in the state and even the Raj Bhawan was not safe as it was seized by Congress MLAs.

v. Besides, the Ministry of Home Affairs also appointed two retired civil servants, GS Patnaik and YS Dadwal as advisers to the Governor.

10. FIH Hockey Stars Awards 2015 announced

i. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on 26 January 2016 announced the winners of its Hockey Stars awards for 2015. The Netherlands’ Robert Van der Horst and Lidewij Welten won the men’s and women’s FIH Player of the Year awards, respectively, for their performances in 2015.

ii. The FIH Player of the Year Awards are awarded annually by the International Hockey Federation to the male and female field hockey players adjudged to be the best in the world.

iii. The awards were established in 1998 and have been awarded annually ever since.

iv. In 2001, the FIH Young Player of the Year award was created, to be awarded to the best young field hockey player of the year.

11. West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul retired from international cricket

i. The West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul on 22 January 2016 announced his retirement from international cricket almost 22 years after making his debut.

ii. Chanderpaul had not played for West Indies since May 2015. The West Indies selectors dropped him after a weak performance during the three-Test series at home against England.

iii. Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the first Indo-Caribbean to play 100 Tests for the West Indies. He captained West Indies cricket team in 14 Tests and 16 One Day Internationals.

iv. His debut match for West Indies was against England in March 1994, in his native Guyana, where he made a half-century on debut. A left-handed batsman, he is well known for his unorthodox batting stance, which has been described as crab-like. He has scored 20000 runs in international cricket.

v. In 2008, he was named as one of the five Cricketers of the Year by the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, and as the Player of the Year by the International Cricket Council.

vi. His highest score in Tests was 203 not out and he finished with an average of 51.37, and he also posted a top score of 150 in ODIs, finishing with an average of 41.60.