Daily GK Update - 2nd and 3rd May 2015

Paytm partners CCD, Domino's for offline payment

(i) Paytm's mobile wallet will soon be accepted at quick service restaurants (QSRs), including Domino's and Cafe Coffee Day, as the Alibaba-backed company forays into the offline retail space in the next two months.

(ii) At present, Paytm offers and recharge services for DTH and mobile phone services as well as mobile wallet services for online transactions on Uber, Bookmyshow, eBay and IRCTC.

(iii) A mobile wallet is a prepaid payment instrument, which allows customers to digitally store money in a secure virtual wallet and use it to pay bills and other services.

(iv) "We are now foraying into the offline space. We have partnered various QSRs covering 7,000-10,000 outlets in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad," Paytm Vice-President (Business) Amit Lakhotia told PTI.

Writer, director Philip S. Goodman dies at 89

(i) Philip S. Goodman, a film, television and stage writer and director, passed away at his residence here.

(ii) Mr. Goodman, who wrote episodes of the 1950s and 1960s TV shows such as “Profiles in Courage”, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, and “Johnny Staccato”, died on Saturday, reports variety.com.

(iii) Philip S. Goodman, a film, television and stage writer and director, passed away at his residence here.

(iv) Mr. Goodman, who wrote episodes of the 1950s and 1960s TV shows such as “Profiles in Courage”, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, and “Johnny Staccato”, died on Saturday, reports variety.com.

(v) He directed the 1963 feature “We Shall Return”, which centred on anti-Castro Cuban fighters in Miami and starred Cesar Romero.

(vi) At the Actors’ Studio, where he was a member of the Directors Group, Mr. Goodman directed workshops of his plays “Love Is a Candy Cane” and “This Notoriety Business”.

Arundhati Roy receives ‘Ambedkar Sudar’ award

(i) “The major challenge before us is to fight caste without inadvertently strengthening and deepening caste divisions that were designed to prevent political solidarity. 

(ii) This makes it a very complicated struggle — because you will see people striking radical postures, encouraging isolationism, and destroying the possibility of solidarity which defeats the very purpose of the struggle,” said Booker Prize-winning writer Arundhati Roy after receiving the ‘Ambedkar Sudar’ award from Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi at Periyar Thidal on Saturday evening.

(iii) The writer, who received the award from VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, further said that the fight against caste will not be successful unless one continuously and empirically uncovers the connections between Brahminism, capitalism and imperialism.

World’s largest solar photovoltaic plant of 750 MW in Rewa

(i) The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet in the last week of April 2015 gave its approval to build 750 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (SPV) plant at Gurh tehsil in Rewa district. 

(ii) The plant, to be developed in three phases of 250 MW, once completed will become the world’s largest solar power plant.

(iii) At present, the largest SPV plant is the Topaz Solar Farm (550 MW) in California’s San Luis Obispo county, US, which was commissioned in 2014

(iv) The plant will use photovoltaic (PV) technology to generate electricity from the sun and is estimated to be completed by March 2017 at an estimated cost of 4500 crore rupees.

(v) The solar project in Rewa would be one of the first of the 25 solar parks planned in the country. There is a proposal to set up another 750 MW plant in Rewa

Tennis player Rafael Nadal received Golden Medal for Merit

(i) Ace tennis player Rafael Nadal on 1 May 2015 received the Golden Medal for Merit in Work. 

(ii) Golden Medal is one of the top civilian honours of Spain which aims to highlight an exemplary performance in any job or profession.

(iii) Nadal received the honour from the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey at the PM’s official residence Moncloa Palace in Madrid

(iv) Rafael Nadal is 14-time Grand Slam singles champion out of which he has won the French Open for a record nine times. He is often called The King of Clay and is currently ranked World Number 5.

A Book titled China – Confucius in the Shadows released

(i) A Book titled China – Confucius in the Shadows was released by the Vice President M. Hamid Ansari on 1 May 2015. Confucius was considered as the most efficient author in Chinese history.

(ii) Book has been written by Poonam Surie. Poonam Surie is an Adjunct Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi.

(iii) The book highlights that in the evolving socio political milieu of China; interpreting Confucian philosophy as being non-confrontationist, benevolent and with values such as filial piety and harmony could help the current political regime deal with such problems as corruption and rising inequalities.