Todays GK Update ================ 1. CK Prasad is set to be appointed as the next Chairperson of the Press Council of India i. Former Supreme Court judge CK Prasad is set to be appointed as the next Chairperson of the Press Council of India. ii. Information and Broadcasting Ministry sources said Prasad was selected by a committee headed by Vice-President Hamid Ansari yesterday and a communication has been received in this regard. iii. Prasad will succeed Justice Markenday Katju as the Chairman of the PCI. 2. Kotak Mahindra gets RBI approval to enter general insurance business i. After Kotak Mahindra Bank acquired ING Vysya Bank in an all-share deal last week, it announced it entry into General insurance business. ii. On Tuesday, the fourth largest private bank (post merger with ING Vysya) received approval from RBI to form a 100% subsidiary to enter general insurance industry, which is currently growing at a Rs. 77,000 crore premium per annum, said Gaurang Shah, President - Asset Management, Insurance and International Business at Kotak Bank. iii. The bank had earlier received an in-principle approval from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) for incorporation of the General Insurance firm. The company would now be required to apply and complete the registration process with IRDA to act as a General Insurance Company. iv. The bank already has a tie up with Tata AIG General Insurance Company to sell and distribute its products. v. Kotak also has a Life insurance unit called Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance Ltd, a joint venture between Kotak Mahindra Bank and South Africa-based Old Mutual Public Ltd. 3. Modi arrives in Nepal for SAARC Summit i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kathmandu with an aim to inject new momentum to regional bloc SAARC during its two-day summit beginning tomorrow as he said development of close relations with neighbours was a key priority for his government. ii. During the courses of the next three days, Mr Modi is scheduled to meet Nepal PM Sushil Koirala and other Nepali leaders on Tuesday itself. iii. India and Nepal are to sign some agreements, including on energy and transport, in the presence of the two prime ministers. iv. Meanwhile, SAARC foreign minister level meeting started on Tuesday. The meeting would consider the report submitted by SAARC Standing Committee, a body of foreign secretaries. 4. Chuck Hagel quits as US defense secretary i. US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel resigned amid reports of differences with President Barack Obama who apparently wants to install a new leadership at the Pentagon as he enters the last two years of his presidency facing new global challenges like the rise of IS. ii. Obama himself made the surprise announcement at a White House media availability convened at a very short notice. Hagel had tendered his resignation a few hours ago. iii. He has been asked to stay till a replacement is announced by Obama and is confirmed by the Senate. Over nearly two years, Chuck has been an exemplary defence secretary, providing a steady hand as we modernised our strategy and budget to meet long-term threats while still responding to immediate challenges like IS and Ebola, iv. Robert Gates and Leon Panetta were the earlier two defense secretaries. Obama said, Hagel has played a key role in the accomplishmentsof his administration in the defence sector. 5. Kathak legend Sitara Devi passes away i. Kathak queen Sitara Devi died at a hospital in Mumbai today. She was 94. ii. Born in 1920 in Kolkata, Sitara Devi drew from the themes, poetry and choreography collected by her father in her choreographies.She also got inspired from the environment around her — whether it is a town or a village. iii. She was born as Dhannolakshmi to a family of Brahmin ’kathakar’ Sukhdev Maharaj and chose school and dance over an early wedding, as was the norm of the 1920s. iv. Her father, a Vaishnavite Brahmin scholar and Kathak exponent, sent her to a local school where she impressed her teachers and the local media with her performance in a dance drama, “Savitri Satyavan“ v. Sitara Devi married director K Asif of Mughal-e-Azam fame and then Pratap Barot. She was a vital force who stood for zest and vigour in Indian dance. vi. She was honoured with the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 for her contribution to the classical dance genre for over six decades.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 07:00:02 +0000
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