Important Current Affairs 5th September 2021

NATIONAL

Maharashtra Government to set up 'Rajiv Gandhi Science City'

• The Maharashtra Government has decided to set up a world-class science city at Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune to develop a scientific outlook among the students and prepare them to become students in future. To be named as ‘Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Science Innovation City’, a science Centre will be developed on one acre area in an eight-acre complex in the PCMC area.

• The Centre has granted an assistance of Rs 191 crore to build the Science city in the PCMC area.

SPORTS

India win record 19 medals in Tokyo Paralympics 2020

• India finished their campaign at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 with an all-time high of 19 medals which includes five gold, eight silver, and six bronze. This is the best medal tally for India a single edition of the Paralympic Games. India is placed at 24th position in the overall medal tally out of a total of 162 nations.

• Javelin thrower Tek Chand was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympics.

• Shooter Avani Lekhara was India’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony.

Max Verstappen wins Dutch Grand Prix F1

• Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) has won the formula one Dutch Grand Prix 2021. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) came second while Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-Finland) came third.

• The Red Bull driver’s leading seventh win of the season and 17th of his career moved him three points ahead of the defending champion, who finished second but softened the blow with a bonus point for fastest lap.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Vartika Shukla assumes charge as CMD of Engineers India

• Vartika Shukla took charge as the first woman Chairperson and Managing Director of public sector enterprise Engineers India Ltd. She spearheaded the company’s innovative energy programmes, including biofuels, coal gasification, waste to fuel and hydrogen energy, among others.

• A graduate in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Shukla joined EIL in 1988 and has extensive consulting experience comprising design, engineering, and implementation of complexes in refining, gas processing, petrochemicals and fertilisers.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

India to host International Climate Summit 2021 today

• India is all set to host a key conference as part of the International Climate Summit (ICS) 2020-21 to build a dialogue for India’s transition to clean energy. Policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, experts, and scientists from across the globe are going to be a part of the climate summit.

• Director of CSIR, National Chemical Laboratory, Dr Ashish Lele has underlined the importance of the conference for the future mitigation strategies of climate change. The need to adopt these strategies and the problems arose due to dependence on conventional fuels.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Teachers’ Day: 05 September

• The 5th of September is celebrated as teacher’s day all over India. This day is celebrated as the teacher’s day to mark the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who was the former president of our country. He was a philosopher, a scholar, and the Bharat Ratna Awardee.  He was the second President of India (1962 to 1967) and the first Vice President of India (1952–1962). The Ministry of Education presents the National Teachers Awards on this occasion every year. In 2021, the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind will confer National Awards on 44 teachers from across the country.

• In 1962, Dr. Radhakrishan became the second President of Independent India. The main significance to celebrate this day is that Dr Radhakrishan’s students approached him to allow them to celebrate his birthday as a special day. He was surprised and happy by the respect which is given to him by the students even after he was not their teacher.

International Day of Charity: 05 September

• The International Day of Charity is observed annually on September 05. It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. September 5 was chosen in order to commemorate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa, who had always been engaged in charitable work. Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for “work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.”

• The prime purpose of the International Day of Charity is to raise awareness and provide a common platform for charity related activities all over the world for individuals, charitable, philanthropic and volunteer organizations for their own purposes on the local, national, regional and international level.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book Know Your Rights and Claim Them: A Guide for Youth by Angelina Jolie

• Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has recently announced her upcoming book, titled “Know Your Rights and Claim Them: A Guide for Youth”. The book has been written jointly by Angelina Jolie, Amnesty International and human rights lawyer Geraldine Van Bueren QC.

• This book will be helpful to young people and children from around the world in making them aware of their rights and how to claim these rights decided years ago based on what would make them healthy, balanced, safe and stable adults.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

HDFC Life to acquire Exide Life Insurance for ₹6,687 crore

• HDFC Life has announced to acquire a 100 per cent stake in Exide Life Insurance Company in a stock and cash deal, for Rs 6,887 crore. Subsequently, Exide Life will be merged with HDFC Life, subject to regulatory approvals. Exide Life is a wholly-owned subsidiary of battery maker Exide Industries. This acquisition will mark one of the first and the largest acquisitions in the life insurance space.

• From the total deal value of Rs 6,887 crore, HDFC Life will pay Rs 725 crore in cash, while the balance amount will be in form of shares.

• HDFC Life will issue 87.02 million equity shares of the face value of Rs 10 at a price of Rs 685 per share to Exide Industries Limited.

• Post the acquisition, Exide Industries will hold a 4.1 per cent stake in merged HDFC Life and mortgage lender HDFC Ltd will hold 47.9 per cent. Currently, HDFC Ltd. holds a 49.9 per cent stake in HDFC Life.