DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: June 11, 2024

Puja Tomar Becomes First Indian to Win in UFC

Tags: Sports

Puja Tomar became the first Indian to win a bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), defeating Brazil’s Rayanne Amanda dos Santos via split decision at UFC Louisville on 8 june.

An Overview of the News

• Tomar beat dos Santos with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28.

• The bout lasted all three rounds, totaling 15 minutes of intense, fast-paced action.

• The judges awarded Tomar a split decision victory with scorecards reading 30-27, 27-30, and 29-28.

Puja Tomar:

• Puja Tomar was born on 25 November 1995 in Budhana village, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

• She is a five-time national wushu champion.

• Tomar has a background in karate and taekwondo, winning multiple medals in both disciplines.

• She is an Indian professional mixed martial artist competing in the Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

• Tomar became the third person from India and the first woman to get a UFC contract.

• Tomar has competed in Matrix Fight Night, winning the straw-weight title twice.

• Known as "Cyclone," the 30-year-old signed a contract with the UFC in October last year.

Other Indian Representatives:

• The other Indians who have represented the country in the UFC are Anshul Jubli and Bharat Kandare.

• Canada-based Arjan Singh Bhullar has also represented India on the world stage in the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC):

• It is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Ownership: Operated by TKO Group Holdings, a subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings.

• Size: Largest MMA promotion globally as of 2023.

• Events: Hosts worldwide events with 11 weight divisions (eight men’s, three women’s) following the Unified Rules of MMA.

• History: Over 600 events held by 2022.

• Leadership: Dana White has been president since 2001 and CEO since 2023, under whom UFC became a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise.

• Founders: Established by Art Davie and Rorion Gracie; first event in 1993 at McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado.

India ranked 129th in Global Gender Gap Index

Tags: Reports INDEX

India has slipped two places to the 129th position in the Global Gender Gap Index.

An Overview of the News

• Among South Asian countries, India ranks fifth, behind Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, with Pakistan ranked last.

• India demonstrates notable gender parity in secondary education enrollment and political empowerment.

• India secures the 10th position for the number of years with female/male heads of state in the last 50 years.

• However, India's overall gender gap closure has slightly declined to 64.1% in 2024 from 64.2% last year.

Top 10: The Global Gender Gap Index 2024 rankings

1. Iceland

2. Finland

3. Norway

4. New Zealand

5. Sweden

6. Nicaragua

7. Germany

8. Namibia

9. Ireland

10. Spain

Bottom 5: The Global Gender Gap Index 2024 rankings

1. Sudan 146 Rank

2. Pakistan 145 Rank

3. Chad 144 Rank

4. Iran (Islamic Republic of) 143 Rank

5. Guinea 142 Rank

About Global Gender Gap Report

• The Global Gender Gap Report, initiated by the World Economic Forum in 2006, evaluates gender equality worldwide.

• It measures how resources and opportunities are distributed among men and women within countries.

• The report aims to raise awareness and foster dialogue among policymakers by highlighting role model countries in equitable resource allocation.

• According to the 2023 report, it will take 131 years to close the global gender gap.

Mumbai Cricket Association President Amol Kale's Passing

Tags: Person in news

Amol Kale, President of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), has passed away due to a cardiac arrest in New York.

An Overview of the News

• Kale had recently traveled to the United States and attended the India vs Pakistan match at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium alongside MCA secretary Ajinkya Naik and apex council member Suraj Samat.

Election and Tenure:

• In 2022, Kale was elected as the MCA president, winning against World Cup champion Sandeep Patil.

• During his tenure, the domestic cricket circuit saw significant success, and Mumbai secured the Ranji Trophy under his leadership.

About MCA

• It serves as the governing body for cricket in Mumbai and surrounding areas such as Thane, Palghar district and Navi Mumbai.

• Located at the Cricket Centre in Churchgate, Mumbai, the MCA administers cricket activities in the region.

• It oversees the operations of the Mumbai cricket team.

• The MCA is responsible for organizing and sanctioning cricket tournaments within the Mumbai district.

  • Founded:- 1930

  • Headquarters:- Cricket centre, Wankhede Stadium, Churchgate, Mumbai

  • Men's coach:- Omkar Salvi

Gulveer Singh Breaks National Record, Wins Silver in 5000m at Portland Track Festival

Tags: Sports

In athletics, India's Gulveer Singh won the silver medal in the men's 5000m race at the Portland Track Festival High-Performance Meet in Portland, USA on June 10.

An Overview of the News

• Gulveer Singh is an Asian Games bronze medallist.

• He became the fastest Indian in the men’s 5000-metre race.

• Gulveer set a new national record with a timing of 13 minutes 18.92 seconds.

• This timing surpassed the previous record of 13 minutes 19.30 seconds, set by Avinash Sable last year.

Winners:

• Gold medal: Dylan Jacobs (USA)

• Silver medal: Gulveer Singh (India)

• Bronze medal: Eric Van Der Els (USA)

Records:

• Gulveer Singh now holds the national records in both the 10,000-metre and 5,000-metre races

Important Points

• Parvej Khan clinched the championship title in the men's 1500m event with a time of 3:42.73 at the prestigious SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships 2024 held in Louisiana.

• Sable recorded a time of 8:21.85 on June 9th, securing second place in his debut 3000m steeplechase race of the 2024 athletics season.

• Sanjivani Jadhav of India emerged victorious in the women's 10,000m event.

• Parul Chaudhary claimed third place in the women's 3000m steeplechase race.

India's Sumit Nagal Wins Heilbronn Neckercup Challenger

Tags: Sports

Sumit Nagal won the Heilbronn Neckarcup Challenger on June 9 in Germany.

An Overview of the News

• Nagal defeated Switzerland's Alexander Ritschard with scores of 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 in the men's singles final.

• This victory marks Nagal's 6th ATP Challenger title.

• The win virtually qualifies him for the upcoming Paris Olympics.

• Nagal achieved a career-high World Ranking of 77 in the Live ATP rankings following this victory.

Heilbronn Neckarcup Challenger Doubles Titles 2024

• Champions:

  • Romain Arneodo (Monaco)

  • Geoffrey Blancaneaux (France)

• Runners-up:

  • Jakob Schnaitter (Germany)

  • Mark Wallner (Germany)

About The Heilbronner Neckarcup 

• It is a tennis tournament.

• It is held in Heilbronn, Germany.

• The tournament has been held since 2014.

• The event is part of the ATP Challenger Tour.

• It is played on outdoor clay courts.

Filip Krajinović Filip Krajinovic holds the singles record, winning two Heilbronn Neckarcup Challenger titles.