Daily GK Update 30th June 2017

1. PM Modi inaugurates filling of Aji Dam at Rajkot by Narmada water

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated various irrigation and water-related initiatives at Aji Dam in Rajkot, Gujarat including the filling of Aji dam with Narmada waters under Sauni Yojana.

ii. PM recognized the role of younger generation in finding solutions to the everyday problems. PM on the occasion launched Smart Rajkot Hackathon where urban local body will engage with young students to find innovative solutions to improve the efficiency of various government departments.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Capital of Gujarat is Gandhinagar.
• Mr. O.P. Kohli is the governor of Gujarat.

2. UNSC approves resolution reducing joint UN-AU peacekeeping force in Sudan’s Darfur

i. The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution sharply reducing the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region.
ii. The British-drafted resolution will reduce the number of peacekeepers by 44 per cent and international police by about 27 per cent in the Darfur mission.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Darfur is a region in western Sudan.
• The Security Council held its first session on 17 January 1946 in London.

3. British PM Theresa May wins confidence vote in parliament

i. British Prime Minister Theresa May narrowly won the confidence vote in the parliament, winning her first major test as the Prime Minister of a minority government in the United Kingdom (UK).

ii. With this, May was finally confirmed as the British Prime Minister three weeks after the election, after winning the vote on her legislative program known as the Queen's Speech.

Static Takeaways from Above News-

• Robert Walpole (1721–42) was the first PM of Britain.

4. Rajiv Kumar appointed as Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh

i. Rajiv Kumar was appointed as the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. His appointment was approved by the Uttar Pradesh Government. Prior to this appointment, Kumar was a Secretary in the Union Shipping Ministry.

ii. Mr. Kumar has replaced Rahul Prasad Bhatnagar.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Mr. Ram Naik is the Governor of UP.
• Dudhwa National Park is in UP famous for Tigers.

5. Uttarakhand gets award of excellence at international meet

i. Uttarakhand was conferred with the award of excellence at the 2nd Global Skill Development Summit held in Paris recently for innovations and extensive use of IT for skilling the state's youth.

ii. Project Director of Uttarakhand Skill Development Committee Pankaj Kumar Pandey received the honor on behalf of the state on the concluding day of the event.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Krishna Kant Paul is the present Governor of Uttarakhand.
• Trivendra Singh Rawat is the newly elected CM of Uttarakhand.

6. Vijay Keshav Gokhale appointed economic relations secretary in MEA

i. Senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale was appointed as the economic relations secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment.

ii. Mr. Gokhale, a 1981-batch officer of Indian Foreign Service (IFS), is at present India's envoy to China. He was the High Commissioner of India to Malaysia from 2010 to 2013.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Smt. Sushma Swaraj is the Union External Affairs Minister.

7. Dr. Jitendra Singh launches new training programme ‘COMMIT’ for State Government officials 

i. The Minister of State for Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh launched a new training program 'Comprehensive Online Modified Modules on Induction Training' (COMMIT) for State Government officials. 

ii. The objective of this training program is to improve the public service delivery mechanism and provide citizen-centric administration through capacity building of officials who interact with the citizens on day-to-day basis.
iii. COMMIT will be launched in 6 States of Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal initially on the pilot basis during the current financial year 2017-18 and within next year it is expected to cover all India level.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Comprehensive Online Modified Modules on Induction Training is the full form of  COMMIT.

8. India becomes 1st country to give to UN Tax Fund with $100000 contribution

i. India has contributed $100,000 to a UN fund to help developing countries actively participate in the discussion of tax issues, becoming the first country to make the contribution. The UN Tax Trust Fund aims to support the work of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters.

ii. The UN Tax Committee, a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ESOSOC), has provided guidance on current issues such as double taxation treaties, transfer pricing (profit shifting) taxation of the extractive industries and taxation of services.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• UN Headquarters in New York City, USA.
• The Secretary General of UN is Mr. Antonio Guterres.

9. Govt. unveils new hydrocarbon policy

i. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced a new oil and gas block licensing policy that is expected to open up 2.8 million square kilometers of sedimentary basins to exploration and production activities.
ii. The Minister was at the inauguration of the government’s Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) and the National Data Repository. The OALP, a part of the government’s Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), gives exploration companies the option to select the exploration blocks on their own, without having to wait for the formal bid round from the Government.

10. Adi Godrej, Andrew Liveris bag USIBC Global Leadership Awards

i. Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej and Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveries have been awarded the Global Leadership Awards of the US-India Business Council for their role in integrating India in the global supply chain.

ii. Liveris and Godrej were presented with the prestigious annual award at the USIBC's annual gala. Both were honored for creating inclusive business environments, integrating India in the global supply chain and advancing core values such as manufacturing, innovation and scale in tough market conditions.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The President of USIBC is Mr. Mukesh Adhi.

11. Hyderabad-based TS Vineeth Bhatt conferred with the 'best astrologer of world' award

i. City-based astrologer and numerologist T S Vineeth Bhatt has been conferred with the 'Best astrologer of the world' award at the 'Russian-Indian economic dialogue' round-table meet held in Moscow. 

ii. The event was organized by Peacemakers International, a charity that works for the advancement of conflict resolution through mediation services and training.

Daily GK Update 29th June 2017

1. India’s communication satellite GSAT-17 successfully launched

i. India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-17 has been successfully launched from Kourou in French Guiana. GSAT-17 with a lift-off mass of about 3,477 kg carries payloads in Normal C-band, Extended C-band and S-band to provide various communication services.

ii. The Satellite also carries equipment for meteorological data relay and satellite-based search and rescue services being provided by earlier INSAT satellites.
iii. This was third satellite launch by ISRO this month, the other two being first developmental flight of GSLV MkIII and PSLV C-38 missions launched from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Dr. K Sivan is the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
• French Guiana is an overseas region of France on the northeast coast of South America.
• Its Capital is Cayenne.

2. India Signs Loan Agreement with the World Bank for USD 35 Million

i. An agreement for IBRD Credit of USD 35 Million from World Bank for “Assam State Public Financial Institutional Reforms Project” was signed in New Delhi.

ii. The program size is USD 44 million, of which USD 35 million will be financed by the Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded out of State Budget. The program duration is 5 years.
iii. The objective of the project is to improve predictability and transparency in budget execution and efficiency in tax administration in Assam.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The President of the World Bank is Mr. Jim Yong Kim. 
• It was founded in 1944. 
• It Headquarters in Washington DC, USA. 
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is the full form of IBRD.

3. Sharjah named 'World Book Capital 2019' by UNESCO

i. Sharjah, a city in the United Arab Emirates was named 'World Book Capital for the year' 2019 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova.

ii. The city was selected because of the very innovative, comprehensive and inclusive nature of the application, with a community-focused activity program containing creative proposals to engage the very large migrant population.
iii. The program runs with a slogan ‘Read - you are in Sharjah’. It focuses on six themes: inclusivity, reading, heritage, outreach, publishing, and children. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• As the nineteenth cities to bear the title since 2001, Sharjah follows Athens (2018) and Conakry (2017).
• The Full form of UNESCO is United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
• UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France

4. 6th Joint Trade Committee Meeting between India and Myanmar held in New Delhi

i. The 6th India - Myanmar Joint Trade Committee (JTC) Meeting co-chaired by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce & Industry from India and Dr. Than Myint, Union Commerce Minister from Myanmar was held in New Delhi.

ii. The Joint Trade Committee plays a key role in facilitating issues related to the enhancement of the bilateral economic partnership between the two countries.

Important Takeaways From Above News-

• Naypyidaw is the Capital of Myanmar.
• The Name of Burma was changed to Myanmar in 1989.

5. India’s first blood bank for Cattle to come up in Odisha

i. Odisha is all set to become the first state in the country to have a blood bank for the cattle. Acc. to the Vice-chancellor of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) Surendra Nath Pasupalak, it is the first of its kind blood bank established on the premises of OUAT at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.25 crore.

ii. After approval from the National Agriculture Development Programme (NADP), the OUAT is now awaiting approval from the state government. The project will have a 60:40 sharing between the Centre and the state government.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Naveen Patnaik is the CM of Odisha
• Senayangba Chubatoshi Jamir is the governor of Odisha.

6. Election Commission joins hands with Facebook to Launch First Time Nationwide “Voter Registration   Reminder”

i. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has joined hands with Facebook to launch nationwide voter registration reminder aimed at reminding eligible Indian voters to register themselves on the electoral rolls.

ii. As a part of the initiative, Facebook will activate a unique ‘Register Now’ button reminding all the eligible Indian users to enroll themselves as voters. The reminder will be made available for four days beginning July 1.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Dr. Nasim Zaidi is the Chief Election Commissioner of ECI.

7. Union Government appoints Rajesh Shah as NIFT Chairperson

i. The Union Government (Ministry of Textiles) has appointed Shri Rajesh V. Shah as Chairperson on the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).

ii. He has replaced Shri Chetan Chauhan as per the provisions of the National Institute of Fashion Technology Act, 2006.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• NIFT was Set up in 1986 and it comes under the Union Ministry of Textiles.

8. Kaushik Basu takes over as president of International Economic Association

i. Former chief economic advisor Kaushik Basu has taken over as president of the International Economic Association (IEA). Basu's three-year term started from June 23.

ii. Mr. Basu has also served as senior vice-president and chief economist at the World Bank from 2012 to 2016. He is currently the C. Marks Professor of International Studies at Cornell. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The IEA is a leading organization for professional economists and it seeks to shape global economic policy and research.
• The IEA was founded in 1950.
• IEA headquarters in Barcelona, Spain.

9. BCCI forms Committee to oversee Lodha Panel Reforms

i. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the formation of a special seven-member committee to identify the ‘few critical points’ for the general body of the cricket board to consider before they are submitted to the Supreme Court.

ii. This committee will be responsible for identifying those points that are difficult to be implemented, in regards to the Justice RM Lodha Committee reforms. The seven-member committee has Rajeev Shukla, Sourav Ganguly, Naba Bhattacharjee, TC Mathew, Jay Shah, Amitabh Choudhary and Anirudh Chaudhary.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Lodha Panel was set up by the Indian Supreme Court in January 2015.

10. National Statistics Day: 29th June

i. The National Statistics Day, celebrated every year on June 29 to mark the birth anniversary of renowned statistician Prof. P.C. Mahalanobis.

ii. He was the first Indian statistician to receive world recognition. In 1933, he had founded the first Indian statistical journal Sankhya.

11. Vidya Balan named ambassador of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

i. Actress Vidya Balan has named an ambassador of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).

ii. It will be held in August 10-22, 2017, which showcase over 60 films. In 2017, IFFM has diversity as its central theme.

Daily GK Update 28th June 2017

1. All You Need to Know About PM Modi's Three-Nation Visit

i. PM Modi in Portugal-

The Journey of PM started on 24th June. In the first leg of his tour, he reached Portuguese capital, Lisbon. Over there, India and Portugal have signed eleven MOUs for cooperation in areas including double taxation avoidance, science and technology, trade and investment, nanotechnology, space research, administrative reforms and culture.

So the visit of Portugal was more oriented and focused towards development in the areas of Space, Science and Technology. 

About Portugal-

• Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.
• The Prime Minister of Portugal is Antonio Costa.
• The currency of Portugal is Euro.

ii. PM Modi in The USA-

In the second leg of his three-nation tour PM arrived in US capital Washington D.C. India and the United States agreed to enhance cooperation in fighting the menace of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation. According to the PM, the two countries will enhance intelligence exchange in respect of terrorist organizations.

So the PM visit to the USA was more focused towards combating Terrorism.

About The USA-

• Washington D.C. is the Capital of USA.
• Mr. Donald Trump is the 45th President of the USA.
• The Currency of the USA is American Dollar.  

iii. PM Modi in The Netherlands-
In the final leg of his three-nation tour, PM Modi arrived in Amsterdam, the capital of Netherlands, after concluding his visit to the US. PM Modi described the Netherlands as India’s “natural partner” in its economic development. India and Netherlands also signed three MOUs on water management, cultural cooperation and on amending social security arrangement. Mr. Modi also interacted with the CEOs of Dutch companies inviting them to utilize the vast opportunities provided by his ‘Make in India’ initiative.

So the visit in the Netherland was broadly focused on the Environmental and Economic Development of the Nation.

About The Netherlands-

• The Capital of Netherland is Amsterdam.
• Mr. Mark Rutte is the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• The Currency of Netherland is Euro.

2. Romanian President appoints Mihai Tudose as Prime Minister

i. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis appointed Social Democrat Mihai Tudose as the Prime Minister and mandated him to form a new government. Mihai Tudose, the outgoing economy minister of Romania, has been appointed as prime minister, days after the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) removed its own government following an internal power row.

ii. The 50-year-old Tudose now has 10 days to gain the vote of confidence in his government and his program.

Important Takeaways From Above News-

• The Capital of Romania is Bucharest.
• Its Currency is Romanian leu.

3. Google fined record 2.42 billion euros by European Commission

i. Google has been fined 2.42 billion euros ($2.7 Billion) by the European Commission after it ruled the company had abused its power by promoting its own shopping comparison service at the top of search results.

ii. It is the biggest fine the EU has ever imposed on a single company in an antitrust case, exceeding a 1.06-billion-euro sanction handed down to U.S. chipmaker Intel in 2009.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google.
• Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Google.
• It is the USA based Company.

4. ‘War room’ set up to deal with GST crises

i. Equipped with multiple phone lines and computer systems and manned by tech-savvy youngsters, a “mini war room” has been set up in the finance ministry to deal with crises related to the implementation of GST.
ii. The unit will act as a quick resource centre for central and state government officials to address their queries on the historic tax reform scheduled to be implemented from July 1. The action room will function from 8 am to 10 pm.
iii. It will provide prompt response to queries raised by states and central government officials. The room will act as a single-window for anything and everything related to the GST.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The GST Council is headed by the Finance Minister of India Mr. Arun Jaitley.
• GST will roll out from July 1st.

5. UP govt signs pact with ADB for strengthening of roads

i. Uttar Pradesh Government has signed an agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a loan of 1950 crore rupees for strengthening of roads in different district. The agreement was signed at Lucknow in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and ADB President Takehiko Nakao.

ii. As per agreement, ADB will provide the loan amount for Uttar Pradesh Main District Roads Development Project of 2782 crore rupees cost. State government will spend 832 crore rupees form its own resources on the project.
iii. Project is scheduled to be completed by 2024 and ADB will provide the loan for the period of 25 years on the interest rate of 2 percent.

Static Takeaways from Above News-

• Takeshi Watanabe was ADB's first President. 
• Takehiko Nakao is the current President of ADB. 
• ADB is headquartered in Mandaluyong, Philippines. 
• The Asian Development Bank was conceived in the early 1960s.

6. Priyanka Chopra appointed as ambassador for Government’s Skill India campaign

i. Actress Priyanka Chopra has been appointed as the ambassador for government’s flagship Skill India campaign, with the National Skill Development Corporation.

ii. Priyanka will use her celebrity status to motivate youngsters to hone their abilities through a media campaign.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Skill India campaign was launched by Prime Minister Modi in July 2015.
• The government aims to train 40 crore people by 2022 through its skilling initiatives.
• The MD and CEO of National Skill Development Corporation is Manish Kumar.

7. Scientists create the brightest light ever produced on Earth

i. Scientists have created the brightest light ever produced on the Earth, shining a billion times stronger than the surface of the sun. The researchers discovered that it could be used as a new type of X-ray, capable of taking higher resolution images than the traditional kind.

ii. These could be used in hospitals but also by engineers, scientists and for security purposes. Normally an electron scatters just one photon of light at a time but the light beam produced in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Extreme Light Laboratory saw nearly 1,000 photons scattered at a time.

8. MSME Ministry launched 'Digital MSME Scheme', exchanged MoUs with SAP India, Intel and HMT

i. MSME Minister Mr. Kalraj Mishra has launched the Digital MSME Scheme and also exchanged three MoUs with SAP India, Intel and HMT. The United Nations has recently declared 27th June as the UN Day for MSMEs.

ii. It has been celebrated for recognizing the importance of the crucial role that the sector plays both in terms of job creation and contribution towards economic growth. The MSME has a total budget of Rs. 85.705 Crore including Government of India’s contribution of Rs. 58.105 crore during 2017- 18 to 2019-20. 

iii. International Trade Centre (ITC) has celebrated the first International MSME Day on June 27, 2017. The theme of MSME is ‘Small business – big impact’.”

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The move is in accordance with the government's 'Digital India' initiative.

9. ISSF Junior World Championship: India finish second in Junior Shooting World Championship

i. The Indian shooting squad has finished a creditable second at the ISSF Junior World Championship with three gold, two silver and three bronze medals in Suhl, Germany. India picked up a gold and silver in the team and individual sections of the 25m pistol junior men’s event.

ii. Anish Bhanwala won three medals, one of each colour. On day one, Anish had claimed gold in the 25m standard pistol men’s event. He also won another gold teaming with Anhad Jawanda and Shivam Shukla for the 25m pistol event.
iii. China topped the tally in the rifle/pistol tournament with 19 medals, including eight golds.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Full form of ISSF is International Shooting Sport Federation.
• Olegario Vazquez Rana is the President of ISSF.
•  ISSF Junior World Championship 2017 was held in Germany.
• China topped with total 19 Medals and India was second with total 8 Medals.

10. Federer lifts ninth Halle Open title, defeated Alexander Zverev

i. Swiss legend Roger Federer has clinched his ninth Halle Open title after beating Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-3 in the final. The top seed Roger Federer showed no mercy with fourth seed Alexander Zverev after wrapping up his ninth title in his 11th Halle final.

ii. The final took place at the Gerry Weber Stadion in Halle, Germany. The match was the quickest final in the history of the Halle Open.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Roger Federer is from Switzerland.
• Alexander Zverev is from Germany.
• The Halle Open also called as the Gerry Weber Open, is a tennis tournament held in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Daily GK Update 27th June 2017

1. PM Modi leaves for Netherland in his last leg of his 3 nation visit

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for the Netherland in his last leg of the three-nation visit after completing his two-day US tour. The Prime Minister will reach Amsterdam where he will hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Mr. Mark Rutte.

ii. Both countries are celebrating 70 years of the establishment of Indo-Dutch diplomatic relations this year. Mr.
iii. Two Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs), one each on water management and cultural exchange, will also be exchanged in the presence of both Prime Ministers.

Important Takeaways from above News-

• The Capital of The Netherlands is Amsterdam. 
• The PM of Netherland is Mr. Mark Rutte. 

2. Dangal becomes 1st Indian movie to earn Rs2,000 cr worldwide: Forbes

i. The Aamir Khan starrer Dangal has become the first Indian movie to earn Rs2,000 crore worldwide. Recently, Dangal also created the record of being the fifth highest-grossing non-English film ever.

ii. Based on the life of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, the sports drama film is also the highest grossing Indian film in China. According to a report by Forbes, on its 53rd day of release in China, Dangal made Rs 2.5 crore ($390,000) at the China box office taking its worldwide total to Rs 2000 crore.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Nitesh Tiwari is the Director of Dangal.

3. US designates Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist

i. The USA designated Pakistan-based Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a specially designated global terrorist.
ii. The move by the US state department came before the first meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump at the White House.

4. World Bank clears $250-million loan to train India's job seekers

i. The World Bank has cleared a USD 250-million loan for making Indian youth more employable through reskilling, in a move that is seen to aid the Skill India Mission.

ii. The multi-lateral lender is keen to support the Indian government in its efforts to better equip the young workforce with employable skills. Under the program, adults in 15-59 years of age, underemployed or unemployed, will get the skill training.

Static Takeaways from Above News-

• The Washington-headquartered World Bank.
• It was Founded in 1944.
• Jim Yong Kim is the President of The World Bank.

5. SpiceJet is world’s top airline stock in 2017 with 124% gain

i. Two and a half years after SpiceJet Ltd was forced to ground its entire fleet on its inability to pay a mere $2.2 million in fuel bills, the budget airline has become the world’s best-performing airline stock—with $26 billion in plane orders to boot.

ii. The company’s co-founder and chairman, Ajay Singh, has played the white knight, injecting capital, cutting loss-making routes and aggressively adding capacity in one of the world’s fastest growing markets. SpiceJet shares are the best performers on a Bloomberg Intelligence index of airline stocks this year.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• CEO of SpiceJet is Mr. Ajay Singh.
• It Headquarters in Gurugram.

6. Govt clears proposal for setting up new airport in Greater Noida

i. The Government has cleared the proposal for setting up a new airport in Jewar in Greater Noida. Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju stated that in-principle approval for a greenfield airport at Jewar has been granted to cater to the growing flying requirements of National Capital Region.

ii. Acc. to the Aviation Minister, the Noida International Airport will cater to 30 to 50 million passengers per year over the next 10 to 15 years.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Union Minister of Civil Aviation is Mr. Pusapati Ashok Gajapati Raju.

7. J-K Governor N N Vohra appointed as president of IIC

i. Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra has been appointed the president of the India International Centre (IIC) - one of the premier cultural institutions in the country.

ii. The appointment was made after eminent jurist Soli Sorabjee quit the presidential post.

Important Takeaways From Above News-

• IIC was founded in 1958 and its head office is in New Delhi.
• In 1959, it was registered under the Societies Registration Act (XXI) of 1860.

8. K. Kasturirangan to head panel on National Education Policy

i. Ex-ISRO Chief and Padma Vibhushan awardee Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan has been appointed the Chairman of the committee to prepare the final draft of the National Education Policy.

ii. The Chairperson apart, the committee has eight members. The National Policy on Education was framed in 1986 and modified in 1992.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Prakash Javadekar is the Union HRD Minister.

9. Srinivas Gokulnath becomes 1st Indian to finish solo Race Across America

i. Srinivas Gokulnath from Maharashtra created history by becoming the first Indian to complete the 4,941-km Race Across America (RAAM) in the solo category. Considered to be the toughest cycle race in the world, he cycled for 11 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes.
ii. In a feat that marks the Indian arrival on the endurance cycling scene globally, another Maharashtrian, Dr. Amit Samarth followed Gokulnath at the finish line at Annapolis on American east coast.
iii. Among the nine men who finished, Gokulnath stood 7th while Samarth was right on his heels at number 8. The race was won by Christoph Strasser.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Srinivas Gokulnath is Nashik’s army doctor.
• Srinivas Gokulnath holds a national record of cycling 4,000km from Leh to Kanyakumari in 16 days in 2014.

10. Lupin founder & Chairman Dr. Desh Bandhu Gupta passes away

i. Desh Bandhu Gupta, Founder and Chairman of Pharma major Lupin, passed away recently in Mumbai. He was 79.

ii. Under the leadership of Dr. Gupta, the company grew from being a domestic Indian pharmaceutical company to a global pharmaceutical major. It is now the 4th largest generics pharmaceutical player by market capitalization in the world.