Today Current Affairs for Competitive Exams - Current Affairs 2021 Online

Kerala farmer bags Biodiversity Award 2021  Tech Mahindra Ltd has won a five-year technology and digital transformation contract  Shaji. N.M., fondly called as ‘Tuber Man’ of from the UK-based food-to-go retailer, Pret A has been awarded the Manger. Biodiversity Award 2021 in the individual  Under this, it will enhance technology support category of ‘Conservation of domesticated to Pret’s shops and operations. species’.  Information Services Group (ISG), a leading  He conserves a wide array of around 200 global technology research and advisory firm, tuber crops including greater yam, lesser led the partner selection process for Pret A yam, elephant foot yam, sweet potato, Manger. cassava, and Chinese potato in his farm.  He had also received the Plant Genome HDFC Bank deploys Mobile ATM in Bengaluru Savior Reward 2015.  The country's largest private sector lender MoU and Agreements HDFC Bank has deployed mobile ATMs in Bengaluru amid the surge in covid infections  Genomics company Genotypic Technology in the city. Pvt. Ltd is partnering with Premier Medical  According to the bank, Bengaluru is the 25th Corp. (PMC), USA, for the distribution of rapid city where it has deployed Mobile Automated antigen and antibody kits. PMC is a Teller Machine (ATM). manufacturer of rapid tests of various  Customers can conduct over 15 types of diseases such as malaria. transactions using the Mobile ATM, which will  Zydus and TLC have signed an agreement to be operational at each location for a specific market Liposomal Amphotericin B, a critical period. drug to treat Black fungus or mucormycosis in India. Sports Dilip Shanghvi resigns as MD of SPARC  At the Asian Boxing Championships, Indian boxer Shiva Thapa secured his fifth  Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company successive medal by advancing to the (SPARC) has informed that Dilip Shanghvi semifinals after out-punching Kuwait’s Nader has resigned as Managing Director of the Odah 5-0 in the men’s 64kg, on 25 May 2021. company.  Two-time Olympian Sushil Kumar, who was  Shanghvi will, however, continue to be arrested by the Police in connection with associated with the company's board in his the death of wrestler Sagar Dhankar, has capacity as a non-executive director and been suspended by the Indian Railways until chairman. further orders.  The board has appointed Anil Raghavan as CEO of the company with immediate effect for Hansi Flick appointed the German team's coach a term of five years till May 24, 2026.  The German Football Federation has Tech Mahindra bags five-year digital contract announced that former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick will take charge as German

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national team coach once Joachim Loew quits  The location of the landfall was north of after Euro 2020. Dhamra in Odisha's Bhadrak district and 50  The agreement will be valid until after Euro km south of Balasore, close to Bahanaga 2024, which is set to take place in Germany. block, on the coast.  Flick had reportedly also been an option for  Odisha has shifted 5.8 lakh, people, to safer Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and places. Spanish club Barcelona. COAI proposes a mechanism Panjab Singh passes away  Mobile phone subscribers may soon be  Colonel Panjab Singh, known as the 'Hero of allowed to switch from a postpaid connection Poonch' during the 1971 Bangladesh to prepaid and vice versa by using an OTP- Liberation War, passed away in May 2021. based authentication and without a need to  The retired officer, who was awarded the Vir change SIM card. Chakra, the third highest war-time gallantry  Industry body Cellular Operators’ Association award, died of post-Covid complications. of India (COAI) has proposed the mechanism  Born on 15 February 1942, the colonel was to the Dept of Telecom (DoT) and the commissioned into the 6th Battalion, The Sikh department has asked telecom operators to Regiment on 16 December 1967. carry out proof of concept on the same. Anvee: President of Oxford student union NASA to send its first mobile robot on the moon  Anvee Bhutani has been elected President of  As part of the Artemis program, NASA is the Oxford University Student Union (OUSU) planning to send its first mobile robot to the in a by-election. Moon in 2023 in search of ice and other  She is Co-Chair of the Campaign for Racial resources on and below the lunar surface. Awareness and Equality and President of the  Data from the Volatiles Investigating Polar Oxford India Society. Exploration Rover, or VIPER, would help the  The by-election took place after the previous agency map resources at the lunar South winner, the first Indian female OUSU Pole. president-elect Rashmi Samant, from  Once on the Moon, the rover will explore lunar Karnataka, was forced to quit. craters using a specialized set of wheels. Madhya Pradesh government launches a scheme FlexiLoans.com partners with Vivriti Capital  The Madhya Pradesh government has  FlexiLoans has partnered with Vivriti Capital announced the launch of 'Ankur', a scheme to disburse working capital loans of more than under which citizens will be awarded for Rs 300 cr to micro, small, and medium planting trees during the monsoon. enterprises (MSMEs).  People who take the initiative to plant saplings  Businesses will be able to apply for these will be given the Pranvayu Award for their loans online and receive in-principal approval participation. within 24- 48 hours digitally without any  People who wish to participate in the tree manual intervention. plantation drive can register themselves on  The partnership has targeted reaching out to the Vayudoot app. over 10,000 MSMEs in the next 12-18 months. Cyclone Yaas makes landfall Freecharge launches ‘Pay Later’  Cyclone Yaas pounded the beach towns in north Odisha and neighboring West Bengal as  Freecharge has launched a ‘Pay Later’ facility it hit the coast on 25 May 2021 with a wind for its customers. speed of 130-140 kmph.

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 The expenses get aggregated for a month committee on investment funds under the and customers can pay at the end of the chairmanship of Kotak Mahindra Asset month, in a seamless manner. Management Co Ltd MD Nilesh Shah.  It can be used both on Freecharge’s platform  The Committee comprises leaders from the as well as on a network of over 10,000 online fund management sector. and offline merchants.  The committee will recommend the authority  On successful onboarding on Pay Later, on the roadmap for the funds industry in the customers receive a monthly credit limit of up International Financial Services Centres to ₹5,000. (IFSCs). IIT Guwahati researchers design smart windows Hockey stadium renamed after Balbir Singh Sr  A team of researchers at IIT Guwahati has  The Mohali International Hockey Stadium in developed a nanocoating. Punjab was dedicated to legendary center-  They have designed a smart window material forward Balbir Singh Senior on his 1st death that can effectively control the amount of heat anniversary. and light passing through these windows in  Legendary Hockey player had passed away response to an applied voltage. on 25 May'20.  Their work was recently published in the  He was part of the Indian teams that won gold journal Solar Energy Materials and Solar at the 1948 London Olympics, Helsinki 1952 Cells. & Melbourne 1956.  His record for most individual goals scored in Verstappen wins in Monaco an Olympic men’s hockey final remains  Max Verstappen has won Monaco Grand Prix. unbeaten.  Carlos Sainz for Ferrari took second with Climate change erasing animal cave painting Lando Norris of McLaren completing the podium.  Rock art in Indonesia that includes the picture  Red Bull’s Verstappen displaced Lewis of a wild pig drawn 45,500 years ago on the Hamilton at the top of the 2021 standings island of Sulawesi is getting destroyed due to after the Mercedes world champion finished in climate change, as per a new study. seventh.  The painting is considered the world’s oldest  Hamilton finished in seventh. animal cave painting.  As per the study, extreme weather patterns NDDB ties up with Sustain Plus clubbed with constantly increasing  The National Dairy Development Board temperatures have caused salts to (NDDB) has partnered with Sustain Plus accumulate in caves that host the art. Energy Foundation to promote a biogas- Cabinet approves MoUs signed by ICoAI, ICSI based manure management model.  An MoU in this regard has been signed to  The Union Cabinet of India on 25 May 2021 form the strategic partnership. approved the MoUs entered into by the  The collaboration will help NDDB to test and Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICoAl) replicate the experience of the biogas manure and the Institute of Company Secretaries of management model in other parts of the India (ICSI) with Foreign country through the network of dairy Countries/Organisations. cooperatives.  The MoUs would help Indian Institutes in the advancement of the goals on equity, public IFSCA constitutes an expert committee accountability, and innovation among the  The International Financial Services Centres beneficiaries countries. Authority (IFSCA) has constituted an expert PBKS's Covid relief program 'Project Saah' 3 | P a g e

 IPL franchise Punjab Kings have extended  India is estimated to register a record 305.44 their hand to help India fight the battle against million tonnes of foodgrain production in COVID-19 through the COVID relief program 2020-21. called 'Project Saah'.  It would be higher by 7.94 million tonnes than  PBKS has joined forces with Round Table the previous production of foodgrain of 297.50 India (RTI) to provide oxygen concentrators to mn tonnes achieved during the year 2019-20. needy COVID-19 patients.  The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers  Punjab Kings will finance the oxygen Welfare has released the Third Advance concentrators and RTI will handle the Estimates of Principal Crops for 2020-21. distribution part of the assistance. Rs 1,605 crores released to Northeast Pharmeasy acquires Medlife  With the focus on faster development of the  Mumbai-based e-pharmacy startup northeast, the Centre has released Rs 1,605 PharmEasy has acquired peer Medlife. Crore to the 8 states of the region.  This is the largest consolidation deal in India’s  The fund has been released for the fast-growing online pharmacy sector. implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission to  This will make PharmEasy the largest provide tap water supply to rural homes in the healthcare delivery platform across the financial year 2021-22. country by a distance.  This is the first tranche of the four to be  Medlife will discontinue operations from May released in this financial year (2021-22). 25, 2021, and its existing retail partners will BSI, COA sign MoU be onboarded onto PharmEasy's platform.  Bamboo Society of India (BSI) and the Subodh Kumar Jaiswal: New CBI Director Council of Architecture (COA) have signed an  The center on 25 May 2021 appointed IPS MoU to mainstream bamboo in the building officer Subodh Kumar Jaiswal as the Central sector. Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) new Director.  The MoU aims at introducing bamboo, an  The appointing committee was chaired by PM agro product, as a mainstream material for Modi also had CJI NV Ramana and Congress building and related sectors for all kinds of Lok Sabha floor leader Adhir Ranjan buildings, infrastructure, etc. Chowdhury.  BSI will participate and manage the COA  The 1985 batch officer from Maharashtra Centre for Bamboo Technology and Design cadre is currently posted as Director-General Development. of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Mahindra Rural Housing Fin. ties up with IPPB Gharial hatchlings are seen in natural habitats  Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Ltd  At least 28 gharial hatchlings have been (MRHFL) and India Post Payments Bank sighted with their mother in the Satkosia (IPPB) have announced a strategic gorge of the Mahanadi river in Odisha, the partnership for cash management solutions. southernmost limit of the gharials’ home  As part of the tie-up, IPPB will be offering range in India. cash management and collection services to  After almost 15 years, gharials were seen MRHFL through its access points and postal breeding in natural conditions away from the service providers. artificial breeding centers.  MRHFL customers will be able to repay their  The gharials are considered to be among the loan installments at over 1.36 lakh post most critically endangered crocodiles. offices. 305.44 mn ton foodgrain production in 2020-21 Justice Prashant: Acting CJ of Chhattisgarh HC

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 Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, the senior- MP to get 10 Cheetahs from Africa in November most judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court, has been appointed as its acting Chief Justice  The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh (CJ). is expected to receive 10 cheetahs in November 2021 from South Africa.  He will assume charge from June 1, 2021, following the retirement of Justice Parappillil  This was informed on May 23, 2021, by the Ramakrishnan Nair Ramachandra Menon, Madya Pradesh Forest Minister Vijay Shah. Chief Justice, Chhattisgarh High Court, on 31  India’s last spotted cheetah died in May'21. Chhattisgarh in 1947 and it was declared  The high courts of Allahabad and Calcutta are extinct in 1952. also being run by acting CJs.  The 10 cheetahs to be brought to the country will be 5 males and 5 females. 143 Khelo India Centres to be opened Jagjit Pavadia elected President of INCB  The Sports Ministry has dedicated a total of 143 Khelo India Centres across seven states  Jagjit Pavadia, a retired officer of the Indian with a total budget estimate of Rs 14.30 crore. Revenue Service (Customs), has been  These centers will be entrusted with one elected as the President of the Vienna-based sports discipline each. International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).  The states include Maharashtra, Mizoram,  She is also a former Narcotics Commissioner Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal of India. Pradesh, and Manipur.  It is for the first time that an Indian is heading  The Sports Ministry, in June 2020, had INCB and the second woman in INCB history planned to open up as many as 1,000 new to head it. KICs. Book by Avtar Singh Bhasin New Consulate General of India in the Maldives  Author Avtar Singh Bhasin has come up with  The Union Cabinet has approved the opening a new book titled “Nehru, Tibet and ”. of a new Consulate General of India in Addu  The book analyses the events from 1949 to City, the Maldives in 2021. the Indo-China war in 1962 and its aftermath.  Maldives occupies an important place in the  Avtar Singh is also the author of several other ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and the ‘SAGAR’ books including 'India in : Between (Security and Growth for All in the Region) Lions and the Tigers', 'India and Pakistan: vision of the government of India. Neighbours at Odds', etc.  The Opening of a Consulate General in Addu Shivshankar Menon's new book City will help augment India’s diplomatic presence in the Maldives.  Shivshankar Menon has come up with his new book 'India and Asian Geopolitics: The Rajesh elected Kerala Assembly Speaker Past, Present'.  CPM’s MB Rajesh was elected the Speaker of  The first part of the book, roughly covering the the 15th Kerala Assembly on 25 May 2021 period from decolonization to globalization, is with support from 96 legislators in the 140- more historical in its treatment and follows a member Assembly. chronological framework.  This is Rajesh’s debut term in the Assembly,  The second part looks at contemporary Asia having been elected from Thrithala and inevitably highlights China and its constituency in the district. interface with others, in particular India.  He defeated incumbent MLA VT Balram of the Scientists grow a human heart in the lab Congress by a thin margin of over 3,000 votes.

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 Scientists have successfully grown a bundle including a hollow chamber enclosed by a of human stem cells into a tiny artificial "heart" wall of cardiac-like tissue. the size of a sesame seed.  The human heart is the very first organ to  The pulsating mass is the first self-organizing form in an embryo, and it is particularly miniature organ to resemble the human heart, complex.

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