Today's Current Affairs 30th April 2023

NATIONAL

Anji Khad bridge, India’s first cable stayed rail bridge

The Anji-Khad rail bridge, India's first cable-stayed rail bridge, is ready. The first bridge of its kind is made of 96 cables in total. Anji-Khad rail bridge will connect Katra to Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir. The bridge has been made using cutting-edge technology and is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. The new bridge will help boost country's economic growth and tourism industry.

Indian Railways has achieved another milestone despite difficult geographic conditions in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). All 96 cables on the first cable-stayed bridge of India, the Anji Khad bridge, have been fully installed in a record time of 11 months.

It is constructed over the Anji river, a tributary of the Chenab river between Katra and Reasi. The total length of the structure is 473.25 meters and its height (from the river bed to the formation) is 196 meters.

Earlier, an arch bridge design was proposed for the Anji Khad bridge, similar to the Chenab Bridge arch design. However, it was rejected and a new cable-stayed design was approved. A panel led by an ex-railway board chairman has suggested that the site is not suitable for an arch bridge (concerns over the geological stability of the region).

Abhilash Tomy completes the Golden Globe Race, finishing second; makes maritime adventure history

India's Abhilash Tomy made history by securing the second spot in the Golden Globe (GGR) race on Saturday. Abhilash Tomy's boat Bayanat reached the French coast on Saturday at 10.30 am IST, after sailing for 236 days. The 44-year-old is the first Indian and Asian to finish the Golden Globe race.

South Africa's 40-year-old sailor Kirsten Neuschafer, who finished in first place on Thursday night, was given a grand reception by the organizers. Kirsten took a few hours to cover the last 2–3 nautical miles as the sea suddenly became windless.

About: The Race - The non-stop round-the-world race, which is the longest and slowest race in the world, began on September 4, 2022, with 16 participants. The event expects the participants to use technology that existed before 1968 and none of the modern cutting edge navigation equipment.

The race has only three participants remaining as the others retired midway due to technical failures or accidents. Each participant uses a simple yacht with hull lengths ranging between 32 and 36ft. Abhilash, who took part in the race the previous edition in 2018 as well, had to retire midway after getting injured in the rough seas in the Indian Ocean. He was stranded, injured, in the ocean for three days until an aircraft picked him up. The season had 18 participants but only five of them could finish the race.

CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurated new Dr. B R Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao formally inaugurated the new secretariat constructed at a cost of Rs 616 crore and equipped with state-of-art facilities. The CM will start working in his chamber in the new building complex at 1.20 pm the same day. All the departments will start functioning from the new premises State Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari recently instructed all the department officials to shift their offices from the current BRK Bhavan to the allotted floors in the new Secretariat. About three departments are being accommodated on each floor

At the recent BRS Formation Day meeting, the CM said that on the occasion of  the inauguration of the new secretariat, public representatives and officials should reach there by 12.45 pm on Sunday. Ministers should occupy their chambers between 1.58 pm and 2.04 pm, he added.

KCR, who will open the Telangana state Secretariat Complex named after Br Ambedkar, has laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new secretariat building here at the existing location near Hussain Sagar lake in June 2019.

The new Secretariat building is also close to two more historical structures – 125 feet statue of the architect of Indian Constitution author Dr. BR Ambedkar, which was unveiled on April 14, coinciding with Ambedkar Jayanti and Martyrs memorial to remember the sacrifices of Telangana martyrs which are coming up alongside of the famous Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad.

SPORTS

Satwik-Chirag Create History; Become First Indian Pair To Win Gold At Asia Championships In 58 Years

The pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty created history by winning India's first gold in men's doubles at the Badminton Asia Championships. at the Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Indoor Halli in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This is India's first-ever gold medal in doubles at the event. India's only gold at the tournament came back in 1965, when Dinesh Khanna won the top prize in men's singles.

Satwik-Chirag beat the Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi in an intense three-set clash. The Indian duo found themselves under massive pressure after losing the first set but responded in style and kept hold of their nerves to seal a 16-21 21-17 21-19.

Badminton Association of India (BAI) President Himanta Biswa announced a big prize of Rs. 20 Lakhs to the duo for their historic triumph

Carlos Alcaraz beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to retain title of Barcelona Open

The World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz retains Barcelona Open title without dropping a set, beats Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 6-4 in Sunday's final; as he claimed a third trophy of the 2023 season. Dusan Lajovic and Holger Rune also claim ATP Tour titles, at Srpska Open in Bosnia and Herzegovina and BMW Open in Munich respectively.

Alcaraz may end up as the favourite for the French Open, which runs from May 28 to June 11, with world No 1 Novak Djokovic and 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafa Nadal nursing elbow and hip injuries respectively. Nadal has not played since the Australian Open in January and does not know when he will return to action, while Djokovic - beaten by fellow Serb Dusan Lajovic in the quarter-finals of the Srpksa Open on Friday - has withdrawn from next week's Madrid Open.

SCIENCE & TEHNOLOGY

MIT Engineers has developed Synthetic nanoparticle and polymer injections could stop internal bleeding

A combination of synthetic nanoparticles and a polymer could offer a new way to stop internal bleeding, according to the creators of the system.

Developed by engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the two-component system can be injected into the body and help form blood clots at the sites of internal injury.

The materials, which mimic the way that the body naturally forms clots, could offer a way to keep people with severe internal injuries alive until they can reach a hospital

In a mouse model of internal injury, the team showed that the components performed significantly better than haemostatic nanoparticles that were previously developed.

 APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Govt appoints Debadatta Chand as Managing Director of Bank of Baroda

The government on April 29 announced the appointment of Debadatta Chand as Bank of Baroda’s (BOB) Managing Director (MD), said BOB. Currently, Debadatta Chand is serving as the bank’s Executive Director.

Chand succeeds Sanjiv Chadha, whose term was roughly extended for five months till June 30 by the government. The original term of Chadha ended on January 19 of this year.

Central Government has appointed Shri Debadatta Chand (DoB: 31.01.1971), Executive Director, Bank of Baroda, as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Baroda for a period of three years with effect from the date of assumption of office on or after 01.07.2023, or until further orders, whichever is earlier,

Govt appoints Rajneesh Karnatak as Bank of India MD and CEO

Rajneesh Karnatak has been chosen by the country's government as the managing director MD and CEO of the Bank of India (BOI). He will succeed Atanu Kumar Das, whose term as CEO ended recently.

 Karnatak is the Union Bank of India's Executive Director at present. According to the announcement, he would serve as MD & CEO of Bank of India for a term of three years beginning on the day of assumption of office or until further instructions.