DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: April 16, 2024

Indonesia's Christie and China's Wang Zhi Yi Triumph at Badminton Asia Championships 2024

Tags: Sports

Jonatan Christie, representing Indonesia, secured the gold medal in the men's singles category by defeating Li Shi Feng from China.

An Overview of the News

• This victory marks Christie's consecutive second men's singles title.

• Previously, in March 2024, he claimed his first All England Open Badminton Championships title by defeating Anthony Ginting, another Indonesian shuttler.

Women's Singles Champion: Wang Zhi Yi (China)

• Wang Zhi Yi, ranked 9th globally, clinched the women's singles title at the championship by defeating her compatriot and Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei.

• This win is her second title of the year and her first triumph over Yu Fei.

• Earlier in January 2024, she won the Indonesia Masters Super 500 title.

China's Success at the Championship

• China emerged as the most successful nation at the Badminton Asia Championships 2024, securing three gold and two silver medals.

About Badminton Asia Championship :

• Organized by Badminton Asia to recognize top Asian badminton players.

• Governed by Badminton Asia, which operates under the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

• Originally named the "Bank of Ningbo Badminton Asia Championships," organized by the Chinese Badminton Association with Badminton Asia's authorization.

• Started in 1962, held annually since 1991.

• The 41st edition was hosted at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Ningbo, China, from April 9 to April 14, 2024.

Sam Pitroda Launches 'The Idea of Democracy' Book

Tags: Books and Authors

Sam Pitroda, also known as Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda, a Padma Bhushan awardee, is an Indian engineer and entrepreneur who recently launched a new book titled "The Idea of Democracy."

An Overview of the News

• The virtual launch of the book was conducted by Sam Pitroda, addressing concerns about the state of democracy, particularly in countries like India and the United States of America (USA).

• Published by Penguin Business, an imprint of Penguin Random House India, the book delves into potential challenges faced by democratic systems.

• Sam Pitroda, originally from Odisha, has held notable positions such as the founding Chairman of India's Telecom Commission and the inaugural Chairman of the Worldtel Initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (1995).

• In 1984, Pitroda established the Center for the Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an autonomous telecom R&D organization.

• He has also served as an Advisor to the Prime Minister (PM) on various Technology Missions related to Water, Literacy, Immunization, Oil Seeds, Telecom, and Dairy.

• Recognized for his contributions to Science and Engineering, Sam Pitroda was honored with the Padma Bhushan award in 2009.

Successful MPATGM Warhead Flight Trials Conducted by Indian Army and DRDO

Tags: Science and Technology

The Indian Army and DRDO recently conducted successful warhead flight trials of the Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Weapon System on April 13, 2024, at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.

An Overview of the News

• Components of the MPATGM Weapon system include the MPATGM itself, Launcher, Target Acquisition System (TAS), and Fire Control Unit (FCU).

• MPATGM was developed domestically by DRDO in collaboration with VEM Technologies Private Limited, based in Hyderabad, Telangana.

• The trials aimed at meeting the operational requirements specified in the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (Infantry, Indian Army), covering the complete operational envelope.

• Successful penetration trials of the Tandem Warhead System of MPATGM were also conducted during these trials.

Key Features of MPATGM:

• The missile is approximately 1.3 meters long with a diameter of around 0.12 meters.

• It has a strike range of 2.5 kilometers and weighs about 14.5 kilograms.

• Equipped with a modern Infrared Imaging Seeker and advanced avionics.

Manufacturing Location:

• Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in Bhanoor, Telangana, is designated for its manufacturing.

About DRDO

• It serves as the Research and Development (R&D) arm of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

• Chairman  -  Dr. Samir Venkatpati Kamat

• HQ - New Delhi, Delhi

• Founded - 1958

Kristalina Georgieva: Reappointment as Managing Director of the IMF

Tags: Person in news

Kristalina Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist, has been reappointed as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a second five-year term beginning on October 1, 2024.

An Overview of the News

• She has been serving as the 12th Managing Director of the IMF since 2019, with her current tenure set to conclude on September 30, 2024.

Career Highlights:

Early Academic and Professional Experience:

• Worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) from 1977 to 1993.

• Joined the World Bank (WB) in 1993 as an environmental economist.

Leadership Roles at the European Commission:

• Served as the Vice-President of the European Commission from November 2014 to December 2016.

• Held positions including Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, and Vice-President for Budget and Human Resources.

Tenure at the World Bank:

• Served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the World Bank from January 2017 to September 2019.

• Additionally, acted as the interim President of the World Bank from February 2019 to April 2019.

Aishwarya Mishra's 2023 Asian Championships Bronze Upgraded to Silver

Tags: Sports

Aishwarya Mishra, an Indian athlete, is poised to see her bronze medal in the women's 400m sprint event at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships upgraded to silver.

An Overview of the News

• The upgrade follows the disqualification of the original silver medalist, Farida Soliyeva from Uzbekistan, due to a failed doping test.

• Soliyeva tested positive for meldonium, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2016.

• The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), responsible for combating doping in athletics, has imposed a 3-year ban on Soliyeva starting from September 13, 2023.

• Furthermore, all of Soliyeva's results from July 13, 2023, onward have been nullified.

• As a result of this disqualification, Haruna Kuboyama from Japan will now hold the bronze medal.

Naval Investiture: Honors for Bravery and Excellence at INS Hansa Ceremony

Tags: Defence Awards

Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), presided over the ceremony at INS Hansa, Goa.

An Overview of the News 

• Awards presented on behalf of President Droupadi Murmu of India.

Awards and Recognitions

• 35 naval personnel honored for acts of bravery, leadership, professional excellence, and distinguished service.

• Notable recipients:

  • Commander Manish Singh Karki

  • Commander Kaustab Banerjee

  • Lieutenant Commander Panneerselvam Vishnu Prasanna

  • Lieutenant Commander Bhaskar, awarded Nao Sena Medals for Gallantry.

Special Recognitions

• CNS Trophy for Best Green Practices 2023: Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, Maharashtra, and INS Valsura.

• Unit Citations awarded to various Naval units, including INS Teg, INS Kolkata, INS Karmuk, INS Sumedha, INS Sumitra, INS Sharda, submarine INS Sindhukesari, flight squadron INAS 550, and shore establishments Chilka, Circars, Eksila, Dronacharya, and Naval Ship Repair Yard (Karwar).

Individual Achievements

• Lt VK Jain Memorial Gold Medal 2024 presented to Shubham Hira for pioneering research in weapon improvement and electrical engineering.

• Capt Ravi Dhir Memorial Gold Medal 2024 awarded to Tabsheer Ahmed Wani for contributions to flight safety.