Current Affairs for University Assistant This document covers some of the important 2019 current affairs topics for the upcoming University Assistant examination, 2019, conducted by the Kerala Public Service Commission on 15 June 2019. This will also be useful for aspirants appearing for other competitive exams. Bharath Academy Pallikal Building, Eechamuku, Kakkanad 9037284440 [email protected] www.bharathacademy.org Current Affairs for University Assistant 2019 Index Sl no Topic Page No 1 Mission Shakthi 1 2 Saraswati Samman 2018 2 3 Jnanapith 2 4 Lokpal 3 5 Surgical Strike 2.0 3 6 49th State Awards 4 7 70th Republic Day 5 8 Padma Awards 2019 6 9 Bharat Ratna 12 10 Statue of Unity 13 11 Swarajya Trophy 14 12 91st Academy Awards 14 13 ICC Awards 15 14 ICC Women’s Award 16 15 Central Budget 2019 16 16 Kerala Budget 2019 17 17 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards 2017 19 18 Kendra Sahitya Akademi Awards 2018 20 19 Constitution Amendments - 102 & 103 21 20 Kerala Floods 2018 23 21 Nipah Virus 23 22 Gaganyaan 24 23 International Yoga Day 2018 25 24 Parker Solar Probe 26 25 Cyclone Gaja 26 26 Various Summits 26 1 1. Mission Shakthi Mission Shakti is a joint programme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Mission Shakti was carried out from DRDO’s testing range A P J Abdul Kalam Island launch complex in Odisha’s Balasore. As part of the mission, on 27 March 2019, an anti-satellite (A-SAT) weapon was launched and targeted an Indian satellite which had been decommissioned. Significance India is the fourth country to acquire such a specialised and modern capability. The former three are the US, Russia and China. The entire effort is indigenous A-SAT weapon is likely to be the most potent military tool for the armed forces over the next few decades, notwithstanding a revolutionary technological breakthrough. Mission Shakti will not have any effect on India’s status in the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) or other such treaties. The acquisition of this A-SAT technology is also expected to have spinoffs that India can exploit for domestic and international commercial use. Mission Shakti’s success will help in strengthening India’s defence capabilities. The test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris. Whatever debris that is generated will decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks Intend of Mission Shakti is to defend India’s space assets and to start an arm race in space. It does not violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty of which India is a signatory. What is the international law on weapons in outer space? The principal international Treaty on space is the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. India is a signatory to this treaty, and ratified it in 1982. The Outer Space Treaty prohibits only weapons of mass destruction in outer space, not ordinary weapons 2. Saraswati Samman 2018 2 Saraswati Samman Awards was instituted by the K K Birla Foundation in the year 1991. It is awarded annually for an outstanding literary work in any official language and published during the preceding 10 years. It carries a cash purse of 15 lakh, a citation and a plaque. Telugu poet K Siva Reddy has been selected for the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2018. He has been awarded for his collection of poetry Pakkaki Ottigilite. Pakkaki Ottigilite was published in 2016. It is an anthology of 104 poems in blank verse. K. Siva Reddy was born in 1943 in Andra Pradesh’s Guntur. He is considered as the most renowned poet in Telugu. He has also published critical essays on poetry. Other popular literary awards constituted by Birla Foundation are Vyas Samman (Hindi) Bihari Puraskar (for Hindi & Rajasthani writers of Rajasthan). 3. Jnanpith 2018 The Renowned English Fiction writer Amitav Gosh is honoured with the 54th Jnanpith Award The announcement was made on 14 December 2018. The decision was taken during a meeting of Jnanpith Selection Board chaired by eminent novelist, scholar and Jnanpith laureate Pratibha Ray. Amitav Gosh was born in 1956 in Calcutta. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2007 and was elected as Fellow of Royal Society of Literature in 2009. In 2015, he was also named as Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellow. Some of his works are : - The Circle of Reason, The Shadow Lines, In An Antique Land, Dancing in Cambodia, The Calcutta Chromosome, The Glass Palace, The Hungry Tide, and The Ibis Trilogy, consisting of Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke and Flood of Fire. His most recent book, The Great Derangement; Climate Change and the Unthinkable, a work of non-fiction, appeared in 2016. About Jnanpith The award was instituted in 1961. The Bharatiya Jnanpith recognises litterateurs who write in any one of the 22 languages written Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution. The winner receives a cash prize, a citation and a bronze replica of goddess Sarswati. It is not conferred posthumously Prior to 1982, the award was only conferred for a single work by a writer, however, after 1982 the award recognised writers’ lifetime contribution to Indian literature. Famous Malayalam Writer G.S. Kurup was the first winner. He was awarded for his collection of poems “Odakuzhal”. He received the award in 1965. Bengali writer, Ashapoorna Devi was the first woman novelist to win the award in 1976 for her 1965 novel Pratham Pratisruti. 3 The 2017 Jnanpith award was awarded to Krishna Sobti, renowned Hindi litterateur. 4. Lokpal India Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose is the country’s first Lokpal, or the anti-corruption ombudsman. His appointment has been cleared by President Ram Nath Kovind. Justice Ghose’s name was finalised and recommended by the Selection Committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A person “Who is or has been a Chief Justice of India, is or has been a Judge of the Supreme Court, or an eminent person of impeccable integrity and outstanding ability having special knowledge and expertise of not less than 25 years in the matters relating to anti-corruption policy, public administration, vigilance, finance including insurance and banking, law and management”. What is Lokpal? A Lokpal is an anti-corruption authority or ombudsman who represents the public interest. The concept of an ombudsman is borrowed from Sweden. Many repeated demands for such an ombudsman, many attempts were made at legislation, with Lokpal Bills introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008, but none of these was passed. It was four decades after the introduction of the first Bill that the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act were enacted in December 2013. This was the fallout of a public movement for a Jan Lokpal Bill, initiated by activist Anna Hazare and others such as Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal. The term “Lokpal” was coined by Dr. L.M.Singhvi in 1963. Lokayukts are present in many states while many of the states still do not have the Lokayukts. The powers given to them relating to corruption, etc have not been up to the mark. 5. Surgical Strike 2.0 In retaliation to the deadly Pulwama terror attack, the Indian Air Force fighter jets crossed the line of control in the early hours of February 26, 2019 and attacked Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The Indian Air Force used Mirage-2000 jets to drop 1000 kg of laser-guided bombs causing an estimated casualty of 200-300. In the intelligence led operation, India struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e- Mohammed in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. The attacked facility at Balakot was headed by Maulana Yousuf Azhar (also known as Ustad Ghouri), the brother-in-law of Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed. In total, it has been reported that more than two camps of the Jaish E Mohammed were destroyed and after the arrival of the Pakistan air force, the Indian jets 4 returned. However, the Indian foreign secretary has confirmed the attack on only one JeM camp. This is the first time that the Indian Air Force has crossed into Pakistan since 1971 What is surgical strike? It is a militant attack intended to only damage the intended legitimate military target and no or minimal collateral damage to surrounding structures, general public infrastructure, vehicles, buildings and utilities. 6. 49th State Movie Awards 2018 The 49th Kerala State Film Awards, presented by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy were announced by the Minister for Cultural Affairs, A. K. Balan in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 February 2019. All award recipients receive a cash prize, certificate and statuette. Name of award Title of film Awardee(s) Best Actor Captain Jayasurya Njan Marykutty Best Actor Sudani from Nigeria Soubin Shahir Best Actress Chola Nimisha Sajayan Oru Kuprasidha Payyan Best Art Director Kammara Sambhavam Vineesh Banglan Best Character Actor Chola Joju George Joseph Best Character Actress Sudani from Nigeria Savithri Sreedharan Best Character Actress Sudani from Nigeria Sarasa Balusserry Best Child Artist Appuvinte Sathyanweshanam Rithun (Male category) Best Child Artist Panth Abani Adhi (Female category) Best Children's Film Angu Doore Oru Deshathu Producer: Baby Mathew Best Children's Film Angu Doore Oru Deshathu Director: Joshy Mathew Best Choreography Aravindante Athidhikal C. Prasanna Sujit Best Cinematography Carbon K. U. Mohanan Best Costume Designer Kammara Sambhavam Sameera Saneesh Best Debut Director Sudani from Nigeria Zakariya Mohammed Best Director Oru Njayarazhcha Shyamaprasad Best Dubbing Artist Odiyan (Character: Ravunni) Shammi Thilakan (Male category) Best Dubbing Artist Lilli (Character: Lilli) Sneha M. (Female category) Best Editor Oru Njayarazhcha Aravind Manmadhan Best Female Singer Aami ("Neermathala Shreya Ghoshal Poovinullil") Best Film Kanthan - The Lover of Colour Director: Shareef C.