Daily CurrentTitle Affairs Capsule th Title 20 September 2019

Ramesh Pokhriyal launches waste management summit for women entrepreneurs

Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' launched 'WAWE Summit 2019': Waste Management Summit for Women Entrepreneurs.

• The Minister informed that the WAWE Summit will be held in November-December 2019. • It will be jointly organized by All Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Institute of Waste Management (IIWM) in Jaipur. • He further said that this conclave will be part of a series of activities to encourage entrepreneurship amongst young graduates.

India Post expands speed post service to six new foreign countries

India Post expanded speed post service to six new foreign destinations in Asia, Europe and South America.

• The Department of Posts has announced commencing of International Speed Post (EMS) Service to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and North Macedonia. • EMS or Express Mail Service is a premium service that enables its users to send documents and merchandise faster and with the added facility of being able to track the movement of the item on the internet. • India Post currently provides speed post service to 100 countries, as per the information available on its website.

International Ramayana Festival concludes in

The 5th edition of the International Ramayana Festival concluded in the national capital Delhi with performances from Bangladesh and Fiji.

• The three-day-long festival, which commenced on September 17 was held at Kamani Auditorium. • In the event, around nine countries including Bangladesh and Fiji participated and rendered their versions of Ramayan. • On September 17, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka participated in the event while on September 18, Cambodia, Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago showcased their version of Ramayana to the audience. • Last year in January, India hosted the Ramayana Festival in coordination with ASEAN countries.

Telangana to observe 2020 as the "Year of AI"

The Telangana government has decided to declare 2020 as Artificial Intelligence year by organising various activities related to the emerging technology.

• The state government has signed up with NITI Aayog, which has come out with the 'National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence' to run pilot projects in Telangana. • IT industry body NASSCOM is setting up a Centre of Excellence in Data Sciences and AI here, which is expected to start its activities in 2020. • The IIT, Kharagpur, which is coming up with its regional centre here, would take up the first programme in AI.

Skill India, IBM join hands for nationwide Train-the-Trainer programme in AI

The Directorate General of Training (DGT), under the skill development and entrepreneurship ministry, has signed an agreement with IT major IBM to carry out a nationwide Train-the-Trainer programme in basic artificial intelligence.

• As part of the programme, ITI trainers will be trained on basic artificial intelligence (AI) skills towards using technology in their day-to-day training activities. • IBM aims at training 10,000 faculty members from ITIs across the country and the programme will be executed over a period of one year with 14 trainers across 7 locations with over 200 workshops.

Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria to be next IAF chief

Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria, who is currently serving as the Vice Chief of Air Staff, will take over as the new Chief of Air Staff, succeeding Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa.

• Dhanoa took over as the Chief of the Air Staff on January 1, 2017, as the 25th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. • Bhadauria has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Vayu Sena Medal (VM), and has also been the Air Defense Commander (ADC). • Days before his retirement from the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on September 2 undertook his last combat sortie on a MiG-21 aircraft with Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman at the Pathankot airbase in Punjab.

IIFA Awards 2019

The 20th Edition of NEXA International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA Awards) for 2019 was held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium, , Maharashtra.

Complete list of winners of IIFA Awards 2019:

• Best Actor (Male): Ranveer Singh for Padmaavat • Best Actor (Female): Alia Bhatt for • Best Film: Raazi • Best Director: Sriram Raghavan for Andhadhun • Best Story Award: AndhaDhun. • Best Supporting Actor (Female): Aditi Rao Hydari for Padmaavat • Best Supporting Actor (Male): Vicky Kaushal for Sanju • Best Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya for Dhadak • Best Playback Singer (Male): for from Raazi • Best Debut Award (Female): Sara Ali Khan for Kedarnath • Best Debut Award (Male): Ishaan Khatter for Dhadak • 20 Years Best Actor (Female): Deepika Padukone

• Best Playback Singer (Female): and Vibha Saraf for Dilbaro from Raazi • Outstanding performance by a director in last 20 years: Rajkumar Hirani for Sanju • 20 Years Best Actor (Male): Ranbir Kapoor. • Best Music: Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety • Best music in the last 20 years: Pritam • Best film of the past 20 years: Kaho Na Pyaar Hai • Lifetime Achievement Award: Legendary actor and comedian Jagdeep Jaffery

Super 30 founder Anand Kumar honoured with Education Excellence Award in the US

Super 30 founder and noted mathematician Anand Kumar has been felicitated in the US with a prestigious teaching award for his contributions towards imparting education to the country's needy students.

• The Education Excellence Award 2019 was presented to Kumar by the Foundation For Excellence (FFE) at a function on the occasion of the organisation's 25th anniversary gala in San Jose, California. • Anand has been running a highly innovative Super 30 programme for the last 18 years to mentor 30 students free off cost through year-long residential coaching for India's premier IIT-JEE.

FIFA rankings: India drops one spot to 104th position

The Indian football team has dropped one spot to 104 in the latest FIFA rankings.

• The side last played in the 2022 World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup second round joint preliminary qualifiers. • India is playing alongside Oman, Qatar, Bangladesh and Afghanistan in Group E of the qualifying tournament. • Belgium has maintained its top spot in the rankings, while France has surpassed Brazil to reach the second spot.

Bajrang Punia, Ravi Kumar book 2020 Tokyo Olympics berth

Two more Indian wrestlers book 2020 Tokyo Olympics ticket; Bajrang Punia seals Olympics berth in the 65- kilogram category while Ravi Kumar books Olympics quota in the 57-kilogram category.

• Bajrang Punia and Ravi Kumar reached their respective semi-finals at the World Wrestling Champions and also secured themselves quotas at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. • In quarter-finals, Punia defeated Jong Son of North Korea 8-1. • Meanwhile, Ravi Dahiya defeated former world champion Yuki Takahashi 6-1 in the quarter-finals of 57kg freestyle event.