Daily GK Update : 2nd February 2017

National Affairs

1. 19th Bharat Rang Mahotsav begins in New Delhi

•  The 21-day 19th edition Bharat Rang Mahotsav has begun in New Delhi with the special focus on the different genres of Indian theater.
• NSD brings together all the theater people of India and abroad through Bharat Rang Mahotsav.
• The festival will include 10 traditional folk theater performances.
• The festival will feature Living Legend Series, Master Classes, Youth Forum and Director's Meet as an integral part of this theater fiesta.
• This year's theater carnival will include three tributary plays, six diploma productions and also five plays by living theater luminaries from across the country.

Note:

• Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) established in 1999.
• It is the annual theater festival of India's premier theater training institute of Govt. of India National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi.

2. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurates Polavaram Project Works

•  The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu has launched the construction works of crest gates of the Polavaram project.
• He performed puja at the diaphragm wall site to mark the launch of works.
• The project will be taken up with the special technology from Germany, for the construction of 48 crest gates.
• Polavaram Project is a multi-purpose irrigation project which has been accorded national project status by the central government.

3. Registration for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra begins

•  The registration for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra has started and the last date is 15^th
• According to External Affairs Ministry this year, Yatra will take place between 12th June to 8th of September through two routes.
• The route through Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) is estimated to cost about one lakh 60 thousand rupees per person and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim) is motorable, suitable for senior citizens unable to undertake arduous trekking estimated to cost about two lakhs rupee person.
• Applicants for this Yatra must be at least 18 years and not more than 70 years.

4. Mt Everest to be remeasured by Survey of India

• The Survey of India is planning to remeasure the height the world’s tallest peak Mount Everest.
• The Survey of India would be sending an expedition to Nepal in two months to conduct the exercise.
• The Mount Everest currently stands at a height of 8,848 metres (29,028 feet) above the sea level.
• The project is being undertaken to determine whether the peak as per the doubts of some sections of the scientific community has indeed shrunk following the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal two years ago.

Note:

• The Survey of India is India's central engineering agency in charge of mapping and surveying set up in 1767 to help consolidate the territories of the British East India Company.
• It is one of the oldest Engineering Departments of the Government of India.

Obituaries

5. Eminent theater personality Asim Basu passes away

•  Eminent theater personality Asim Basu (82-year) has passed away after a prolonged illness.
• He was closely associated with the art and culture scene of Odisha for over five decades and directed over 200 plays.
• He had performed in films like Jaga Balia, Dadagiri and many others
• Basu has received the state Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998.

International Affairs

6. British PM Theresa May receives UK Parliament's approval to begin Brexit process

• The British PM Theresa May has received Parliament's first stage approval to begin the process of Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) after winning a crucial vote in the House of Commons.
• Earlier, British MPs voted in favor of the European Union (Notification of withdrawal) Bill.
• 498 MPs voted in favor of Brexit Bill, while 114 voted against it.

National & International Appointment

7. Rupak Kumar Dutta appointed as DGP of Karnataka

• Rupak Kumar Dutta has been appointed as the new Police Chief of Karnataka.
• He succeeded Om Prakash, who retiring from service on superannuation.
• Dutta will hold the post for a period of 9 months (October 2017).
• He was on a central posting as Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

 8. Rex Tillerson sworn-in as US secretary of state

•  The former chairman and chief executive of Exxon Mobil Rex Tillerson (64-year) has been sworn in as Secretary of State of US President Donald Trump.
• Tillerson was cleared for full Senate approval in a 56-43 vote.
• The vote came after Senate Republicans changed the rules in order to approve Mr Trump's nominees for health and treasury, despite a Democratic boycott.

9. Nik Khanna appointed India MD of BAE Systems

•  Nik Khanna has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of BAE Systems’ India.
• He is taking charge of the BAE Systems after the company was awarded a contract from the US Department of Defense to provide 145 M777 ultra-lightweight howitzers to the Indian Army.
• Earlier, he worked as Country President at Raytheon.

Note:

• BAE Systems is a British multinational defense, security, and aerospace company and its headquarters are located in London in the United Kingdom. 

Sports

10. Medals for Tokyo 2020 Games to be made from recycled mobile phones

•  Olympic and Paralympic medals for the Tokyo 2020 Games will be made from recycled mobile phones.
• Members of Japan's Olympic organizing committee gave the idea to the government officials and companies.
• The Japanese public will be asked to donate old phones and small appliances to gather two tonnes of gold, silver, and bronze for the 5,000 medals.
• Earlier, Olympic host cities have traditionally obtained the metal from mining firms.

11. India beat England by 75 runs to win T20 series 2-1

•  In the third T-20 Cricket match, India beat England by 75 runs and clinched the series, 2-1.
• The visiting side chasing a big total of 203 were cleaned up for just 127 runs in 16.3 overs.
• Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took 6 wickets for 25 runs and became the first Indian in T-20 to take 5 wickets or more.
• Chahal was adjudged man of the match as well as the man of the series.

Thought of the Day

“In dreams, we enter into the world that's entirely our own.”

“अपने सपनों में हम एक ऐसे संसार में प्रवेश करते हैं जो पूर्णतया हमारा होता है।”

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