GK and Current Affairs Updates

Durban in South Africa will host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first African city to be awarded the four-yearly multi-sports event.The 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth Games Federation made the decision unanimously on after receiving Durban's final candidate city briefing at the general assembly in Auckland. Durban was the only candidate left when Edmonton, Canada withdrew its bid in February, citing costs.The general assembly also voted to increase the number of compulsory sports at the games from 10 to 16.Scotland's Louise Martin was elected the first female president of the federation, deposing incumbent Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia who held the role for four years.Durban's final pitch to Federation members included contributions from South Africa's minister for sport Fikile Mbalula and Durban mayor James Nxumalo. The announcement was broadcast live in South Africa.

About Commonwealth Games--The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exception of 1942 and 1946, which were cancelled due to World War II, has taken place every four years since then.The games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which also controls the sporting programme and selects the host cities. A host city is selected for each edition. 18 cities in seven countries have hosted the event. Apart from many Olympic sports, the games also include some sports that are played predominantly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls and netball.Although there are 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, 71 teams participate in the Commonwealth Games, as a number of dependent territories compete under their own flag. The four Home Nations of the United Kingdom—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—also send separate teams. Only six countries have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales. Australia has been the highest achieving team for twelve games, England  for seven, and Canada for one.

After refusing extension to Arup Roy Choudhury as Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC, the government  gave additional charge of this post to the state-run power major's Director (Technical) A K Jha for three months from September 1. The official  said that the government decided to make this arrangement because a search committee headed by Power Secretary P K Pujari is in the process of shortlisting the suitable candidates for the post.58-year-old Choudhury was appointed as head of India's largest power producer by the UPA government in September 2010 for five years term, which was extendable till he attains 60 years of age, i.e. The age of retirement.

About NTPC

NTPC Limited (also known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited) is an Indian Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, engaged in the business of generation of electricity and allied activities. It is a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956 and a "Government Company" within the meaning of the act. The headquarters of the company is situated at New Delhi. NTPC's core business is generation and sale of electricity to state-owned power distribution companies and State Electricity Boards in India. The company also undertakes consultancy and turnkey project contracts that involve engineering, project management, construction management and operation and management of power plants. The company has also ventured into oil and gas exploration and coal mining activities. It is the largest power company in India with an electric power generating capacity of 43,803 MW . Although the company has approx. 18% of the total national capacity it contributes to over 27% of total power generation due to its focus on operating its power plants at higher efficiency levels (approx. 83% against the national PLF rate of 78%)

President Barack Obama announced that Mount McKinley was being renamed Denali, using his executive power to restore an Alaska Native name with deep cultural significance to the tallest mountain in North America.Mr Obama  will spend three days promoting aggressive action to combat climate change, and is part of a series of steps he will make there meant to address the concerns of Alaska Native tribes.Denali’s name has long been seen as one such slight, regarded as an example of cultural imperialism in which a Native American name with historical roots was replaced by an American one having little to do with the place.The central Alaska mountain has officially been called Mount McKinley for almost a century. In announcing that Sally Jewell, the secretary of the interior, had used her power to rename it, Mr. Obama was paying tribute to the state’s Native population, which has referred to the site for generations as Denali, meaning “the high one” or “the great one.”The peak, at more than 20,000 feet, plays a central role in the creation story of the Koyukon Athabascans, a group that has lived in Alaska for thousands of years.

Finance Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi  was appointed as the Home Secretary. LC Goyal, who was appointed as the Home Secretary in February this year after the sacking of Anil Goswami, took voluntary retirement.“The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of Shri Rajiv Mehrishi, IAS (RJ:1978) Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance as Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs for a period of two years with effect from 31.08.2015. He succeeds Shri LC Goyal.

The American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) has honoured India-born entrepreneur and philanthropist, Frank Islam with the "Pride of India" award. India's Consul General in New York Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay  conferred the award upon Islam who had donated $222,000 in May this year to the Aligarh Muslim University in India, He currently heads the FI Invest Group - a firm that he established after he sold his information technology firm called the QSS Group in 2007. He has written two books on the American condition, titled "Working the Pivot Points: To Make America Work Again" (2013) and "Renewing the American Dream: A Citizen's Guide for Restoring Our Competitive Advantage" (2010). Past winners of "Pride of India" award include noted lyricist and song writer Javed Akhtar and Rehman Khan, former union minister of minority affairs in India

Distinguished scientist S.A.V. Satya Murty will take over as the next director of fast breeder research unit Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Murty, now director, electronics and instrumentation and radiological safety group will take over as IGCAR's director. The incumbent P.R. Vasudeva Rao retires on August 31.Murty was a 1977-batch gold medallist in his B.Tech at the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada.He joined one year orientation course in Nuclear Science and Engineering at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and was awarded Homi Bhabha prize for topping his batch.

About IGCARThe Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) is one of India's premier nuclear research centres. The centre is engaged in a broad-based multidisciplinary programme of scientific research and advanced engineering directed towards the development of Fast Breeder Reactor technology. The Reactor Research Centre set up at Kalpakkam, India, 80 km south of Chennai in 1971 under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was renamed Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in 1985

Shri Arun Jaitley, Union Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting has said that globalisation is a reality and higher growth is best response to poverty. The minister was speaking after the release of a book “Globalisation, Democratization and Distributive Justice” authored by Prof (Dr.) Mool Chand Sharma, Professor of Law at Delhi University and presently the Member of Law Commission of India here in New Delhi today. 

The Minister said history many times changes its course because of unusual forces. Developments beginning from 1990s do testify this course change taking place all over including India. He said, these forces which author says could be loosely described as forces of globalisation and which are re-shaping the world of today include: the shifting of economic centres of gravity from Europe and America to Asia; accelerated impact of technological revolution; dynamics of changing demographics and the breathtaking interconnectivity between trade movement of capital, people and information. According to author, these forces have accelerated and fed each other bringing profound changes in every walk of life of nations, societies and individuals be it economic, political, social or cultural. Societies unable to adapt to these dramatic changes are likely to collapse. No doubt these vast changes have brought alongwith them number of paradoxes and conundrums such as rising prosperity on one side but widening poverty on the other; need for development especially of infrastructure on one side and the cost in terms of loss of livelihood, habitat and traditions of tribals and forest occupies and small farmers on the other. It is highlighted that dealing with these paradoxes and fast occurring changes do demand introduction of reforms in economy, politics and the way a society manages its institutions. 

The Sixth Joint Military Training Exercise between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces (EXERCISE EKUVRIN – VI), will be conducted at Pangode Military Station, Trivandrum, Kerala from 31 Aug to 13 Sep 2015. A total of 45 soldiers each from the Maldivian National Defence Force and the Indian Army will take part in this exercise. 

The bilateral annual exercise, which commenced in 2009 in Belgaum, India, is alternately held in India and Maldives with the aim of enhancing military cooperation and interoperability between the two countries and increased understanding between both armies. The Exercise will commence with an opening ceremony on 31 Aug 2015 at Pangode Military Station. The concluding phase of the exercise will incorporate a tactical exercise which will be witnessed by senior military officers from both the countries, who will review the standards achieved by both the contingents. 

The popular Aurangzeb Road, named after the Mughal ruler Abul Muzaffar Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb in Central Delhi that links a few of the most important sites in the area has been renamed. The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has decided to rename the Aurangzeb Road as Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road. The NDMC took this move after getting clearance from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The area located around Aurangzeb Road is considered as one of the most expensive properties on the Indian subcontinent. The road links the Shahjahan Road and Safdarjung road. A few of the most expensive hotels in India are located on this road.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi  paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on his 110th birth anniversary and extended best wishes to all sports enthusiasts across the country on the occasion of the National Sports Day. National Sports Day in India is celebrated on the August 29. This day marks the birthday of Dhyan Chand,the hockey player who won gold medals for India in year 1928,1932 and 1936. This day is celebrated by organizing friendly matches between different Indian hockey teams at the Dhyan Chand National stadium in New Delhi which was constructed in the respect and honor of Dhyan Chand.