Daily GK Update: 21st October 2023

 Science & Technology

1. ISRO to test the country’s first human spaceflight mission Gaganyaan

• The Indian Space Agency has made the stage ready to test the crucial crew escape system of its rocket Gaganyaan.
• The demonstration of the TV-D1 mission has been rescheduled to 8.45  am presently.
• Objective: To test the safe landing at the Bay of Bengal and due to the presence of low pressure, the mission will be undertaken accordingly. 
• Gaganyaan will be launched from the first launch pad of the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre.

 Important Dates

2. Mizoram celeberated Anthurium Festival begins with fervor & enthusiasm

• In Mizoram, a two-day-long Anthurium Festival began with all festivities and enthusiasm at Reiek in Mamit District
• The festival is being organized by the Department of Tourism of Mizoram
• It is an occasion of joy and a platform to showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Mizo people.
• The Anthurium flower is one of the most expensive flowers cultivated in India & widely used in ceremonies ranging from birthdays, weddings as well as funeral services

 International Affairs

3. World's First Gender Balance Framework held in Dubai

• The world's inaugural framework for gender balance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) took center stage at the 'Gender Balance and 4IR' workshop in Dubai.
• The framework, designed to empower women and drive gender equality within the ever-evolving landscape of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
• It is a collaborative partnership between the UAE Gender Balance Council and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum

 International Affairs

4. Japan Becomes First Nation To Launch An Electromagnetic Railgun

• The Japanese Ministry of Defense has successfully executed the world's first electromagnetic railgun fire test from a ship.
• It is conducted in coordination with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and represents a significant step forward in Japan's pursuit of sophisticated defense capabilities.
• “ATLA has accomplished ship-board firing test of railgun first time in the world with the cooperation of the JMSDF,” Acquisition.

 National Affairs

5. IRCTC Partners With Zomato For Delivery Of Pre-Booked Meals

• Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has partnered with food delivery app Zomato for the delivery of pre-ordered meals. 
• In the first phase, Zomato will supply and deliver preordered meals through IRCTC’s online catering portal at five railway stations – New Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, and Varanasi.
• Zomato-IRCTC tie-up will give more options to train passengers to choose from a wide variety of food options through its e-catering segment.

 Banking & Finance

6. RBI Approves Kotak Mahindra Bank To Acquire MFI Sonata Finance

• Private-sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank received Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) approval to acquire 100 percent stake in micro-lender Sonata Finance.
• Sonata will become a business correspondent subsidiary of the bank.
• “Upon completion of the transaction, Sonata will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the bank.
• The bank had entered into share-purchase agreements with the shareholders of Sonata Finance, which is a NBFC-MFI, to acquire a 100 per cent stake.

 National Affairs

7. HP Appoints Ipsita Dasgupta as Senior Vice President & MD for India

• HP  appointed Ipsita Dasgupta as the Senior Vice President & Managing Director of its India market.
• She will be responsible for leading all aspects of HP’s strategy and P&L (profit and loss) in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. 
• She will report to David McQuarrie, HP Chief Commercial Officer.
• She joins HP from Apple where she most recently served as Senior Director of Marketing for Apple Services based at Apple headquarters.

 Sports

8. Hyderabad To Host Second Edition Of E-Prix In 2024

• Hyderabad is set to host the Formula E race for a second edition in February 2024, and the street track around the banks of the Hussain Sagar Lake will undergo modifications for the same.
• Formula E and the Telangana government had inked a four-year deal to conduct races in the city streets with a vision to promote electric racing.
• The city which hosted India’s first Formula E did not feature initially in the provisional calendar for the 2023–24 season.

 Important Dates

9. Police Commemoration Day is observed on 21 October 2023

• October 21st is celebrated every year as the Police Commemoration Day. 
• The day marks the sacrifice of 10 CRPF men who lost their lives to a Chinese attack in 1959. 
• The objective was to keep a lookout on the India-China border that lies to the east of Ladakh.
• On October 20th, 1959, as the CRPF patrolled the India-Tibet border, three separate units of the 3rd Battalion were sent to independent patrols near the Hot Springs area in Ladakh