Daily GK Update 6th - January - 2014

ISRO gears up to launch IRNSS 1D

(i) ISRO is gearing up for some satellite launches this year, with the IRNSS 1D being the first, which would put in place India’s own navigation system on par with the Global Positioning System of the U.S.

(ii) “The launch campaign for IRNSS 1D has come, which starts on January 16. Within two months, all components from other ISRO labs have to reach Sriharikota. The launch is likely after March 15,” a senior ISRO official told PTI.

(iii) IRNSS 1D is the fourth in the series of seven satellites, the national space agency is planning to launch to put in place the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). 

Martin Anderson, author of Reagan - A Life in Letters, dies

(i) Martin Anderson, a top domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan and author of several books about his life and legacy, has died. He was 78.

(ii) Anderson died in his sleep on January 3 at his home in Portola Valley, California, according to the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where he had been a senior fellow since 1971.

(iii) Anderson combined an academic and writing career with work in the political campaigns and presidential administrations of several Republican presidents, including Reagan, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush.

Ex-Punjab CM Beant Singh’s assassin arrested in Thailand

(i) Thai police have arrested a fugitive Sikh terrorist who was involved in the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and several others in 1995.

(ii) Thai National police spokesman Lt. Gen. Prawut Thawornsiri said 37-year-old Gurmeet Singh entered Thailand in October and was arrested in the eastern Province of Chon Buri on Monday.

(iii) A team of Chon Buri Provincial police and soldiers raided a house on Soi Mabyailia in tambon Nong Phreu in Bang Lamung district and arrested Gurmeet Singh, one of six militants convicted for the 1995 blast which also killed several others.

Delhi Police register murder case in Sunanda Pushkar's death

(i) Nearly a year after Sunanda Pushkar, wife of former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, was found dead at a hotel room in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, the police have registered a murder case in connection with the death.

(ii) The police also said that if needed, Mr. Tharoor could be called for questioning about the incident, which took place on January 17 last year.

(iii) Announcing this on Monday, Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said that conclusions made in a medical report submitted to them on December 29 confirmed that Pushkar was poisoned.

Vijender seeks Padma Bhushan

(i) Saina Nehwal getting the Sports Ministry’s recommendation for the Padma Bhushan after a furore over her nomination being rejected.

(ii) Indian boxer Vijender Singh also threw his hat in the ring for the civilian honour but insisted he won’t be “hurt” in case of a rejection.

(iii) Speaking to PTI, Vijender said he preferably wants two-time Olympic medal winning wrestler Sushil Kumar to get the honour, as originally recommended by the Sports Ministry.

Tripathi sworn in Meghalaya Governor

(i) West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi was sworn in as Meghalaya Governor at the Raj Bhavan in Shillong on Tuesday.

(ii) Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Tripathi at the century-old Raj Bhavan which was attended by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, his Cabinet colleagues and senior civil and police officials.

India Ranks 10 slots below in Innovation Index: CSIR 

(i) 'Global Innovation Index' rankings reveal that India is slipping. 

(ii) The country has fallen 10 ranks down from being No. 66 in 2013 to No. 76 now, revealed eminent Indian scientist and former CSIR director general Raghunath Anant Mashelkar. 

(iii) Dr Mashelkar disclosed this while delivering a lecture on 'Reinventing India As An Innovation Nation' on Monday at International Management Institute Kolkata. 

Apollo Hospitals acquires Nova Speciality Hospitals

(i) Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd on Tuesday said it has agreed to buy Nova Speciality Hospitals for about Rs.135-145 crore.

(ii) Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd (AHLL) is already present in the secondary-care segment through its day surgery and cradle formats.

(iii) Nova has 11 centres in eight cities, while AHLL has close to 100 operational centres in India and the Middle East.

World Cup 2015 squad announced: Yuvraj out, Jadeja in

(i) An injured Ravindra Jadeja and young left-arm spinner Axar Patel were on Tuesday named in India’s 15-member squad for the cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, beginning next month.

(ii) All-rounder Stuart Binny and batsman Ambati Rayudu were also included in the squad announced by BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel after a meeting of the selection committee in Mumbai.

Team for World Cup

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma, Stuart Binny and Umesh Yadav.

Team for ODI Tri-series

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Stuart Binny, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni and Mohit Sharma.