Daily GK Update: 4th August 2023

 Sports

1. Gukesh D becomes India's number one chess player, overtakes Viswanathan

• India's Grandmaster Gukesh D has become as the country's top chess player, surpassing Viswanathan Anand in Aug 2023.
• He qualified for the third round of FIDE World Cup 2023, secured victory against Azerbaijani Misratdin Iskandarov.
• He holds a live rating of 2755.9 in Classic chess, slightly edging out Anand, whose live rating stands at 2754.0. 
• He now holds the 9th position in the live rankings, while the five-time World champion Anand has slipped to 10th place.

 National Affairs

2. Dharmendra Pradhan and S. Jaishankar launched Study in India Portal

• Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar jointly launched Study in India (SII) Portal in New Delhi to simplify international students academic journey in India
• Aim: To provide comprehensive information about Indian Higher Education Institutions and to provide an integrated one-stop solution for the student registration and visa application process.
• It will present information about the academic facilities, research support

 National Affairs

3. NHAI Launched ‘Rajmargyatra’ Unified Mobile App for National Highway Users

• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched the 'Rajmargyatra,' a citizen-centric unified mobile application.
• Aim: To create a seamless, user-friendly experience for highway users
• The user-centric app marks a substantial advancement in providing travelers with comprehensive information about Indian National Highways
• It provides real-time weather updates, timely broadcast notifications and details about nearby toll plazas, petrol stations and hospitals

 National Affairs

4. Sarbananda Sonowal launched Port Health Organisation under Sagar Setu

• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal launched Port Health Organisation (PHO) module under Sagar Setu - National Logistics Portal (Marine) in Aug 2023
• Aim: To streamline operations, promoting Ease of Doing Business (EODB) and ensuring the health and safety of citizens and port workers
• It would conduct disease surveillance, health inspections, and quarantine measures, leveraging technology to modernize and digitize processes

 Defense

5. Russia: exercise Ocean Shield 2023 has started in the Baltic Sea

• The Russian Defense Ministry announced the start of the Ocean Shield 2023 naval exercises in the Baltic Sea.
• The exercises are being conducted under the command of Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolay Evmenov
• Objective: To assess the Russian Navy's readiness to defend the country's interests in a critical area, as well as the coordination of the various military forces.
• The drills involve 30 combat ships 30 aircraft of naval aviation and Russia’s Aerospace Forces

 Agreement

6. Indian Railways and IIT-Madras jointly signed MoU for 5G testbed

• The Ministry of Railways and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) signed a MoU in Secunderabad in Aug 2023
• Objective: To establish the India 5G testbed at the Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications (IRISET)
• Aim: To enhance its operational efficiency, passenger experience and overall safety
• It would serve as a cutting-edge facility to conduct comprehensive trials of 5G-enabled applications tailored for Railway operations.

 Agreement

7. Gov. of AP signed MoUs with union education ministry

• Arunachal Pradesh government signed two MoUs with the union education ministry, under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan and the Pradhan Mantri e-Vidya in New Delhi in Aug 2023.
• The first MoU is for the implementation of the newly launched PM-USHA, signed on behalf of the state’s higher & technical education directorate
• The second one is the MoU for the launching of PM e-Vidya, signed on behalf of the State Council of Educational Research & Training.

 National & International Appointments

8. Microsoft appoints Puneet Chandok to lead India operations

• Puneet Chandok was appointed as the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft India and South Asia by the company in Aug 2023.
• He will be responsible for the seamless integration of Microsoft's operations across South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. 
• His focus will be on key industries, employing a customer-centric approach empowered by generative AI technology. 
• He was a Partner at McKinsey in India and Asia.

 National Affairs

9. Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba gets another one-year extension

• As per a Personnel Ministry order, the government granted Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba a one-year extension in service, extending beyond August 30, 2023. 
• This marks his third extension in the same position. 
• He is a 1982-batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand and former Union home secretary, in 2019 
• He received a one-year extension in 2021, and subsequently, another extension in August of the preceding year.

 Sports

10. India won gold in mixed team archery at World University Games 2023

• At the World University Games 2023 in China, Indian archery Aman Saini and Pragati, secured a gold medal in the mixed archery team
• They defeat Korea's Sua Cho and Seunghyun Park to claim the top spot on the podium.
• Presently, India holds the fourth position in the overall medal standings. 
• The bronze medal in the compound team event was secured by Ming-ching Lin and Z-wei Wu from Chinese Taipei.
• Indians won two more medals in archery in men’s and women’s team events

 Obituaries

11. Marathi poet Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor passes away at 80

• Marathi poet, lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor passed away in August 2023.
• He became a popular name in the field of poetry due to his poetry which had essence of nature. 
• He also penned several songs for classic Marathi movies like Jait Re Jait, Ek Hota Vidushak and Sarja. 
• In the field of literature, he was awarded with the fourth highest civilian award of the country ,Padm Shri. 
• He had also been a member of the state legislative council.

 Banking & Finance

12. India to grow at average 6.7% per year from FY24 to FY31

• India's gross domestic product is expected to grow at a rate of 6.7% per year from fiscal year 2024 to FY 2031in Aug 2023
•  Growth is projected to elevate India's GDP from $3.4 trillion in fiscal year 2023 to $6.7 trillion. 
• As per S&P Global, the rating agency, the per capita GDP is anticipated to increase to around $4,500. 
•  The main factor driving Indian growth isa capital accumulation.
• Investment as a proportion of GDP reached a 10-year high of 34% in fiscal 2023.

 Banking & Finance

13. SEBI cancels broking license of Metals and Minerals Trading Corp of India

• Capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India has canceled the registration of Metals and Minerals Trading Corp of India(MMTC) Ltd as a stock broker 
• Reason: Its involvement in illegal "paired contracts" in a case pertaining to now defunct National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) in Aug 2023
• While cancelling the licence, Sebi directed MMTC to allow its existing clients to withdraw or transfer their securities or funds held by it within 15 days.