Daily GK Potion – 15th January 2015

Dear readers,
Presenting you the daily gk updates of 15th January, 2015.

  1. Open water swimmer Bhakti Sharma sets world record in Antarctic Ocean
    bhakti_sharma

    • India’s open water swimmer Bhakti Sharma has set a world record by swimming 1.4 miles in 52 minutes in one degree temperature at Antarctic Ocean.
    • She has bettered the earlier record of British open water swimmer Lewis Pugh and American swimmer Lynne Cox.
    • Bhakti is now the youngest in the world and the first Asian girl to have achieved this feat.
    • Bhakti is recipient of Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2010.
    • She has now conquered all the five oceans of the world.
  2. Sanskrit scholar Prabhu Nath Dwivedi wins Sahitya Akademi Award
    • Prabhu Nath Dwivedi has been named as the winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award for Sanskrit, 2014.
    • Dwivedi won the award for his collection of 16 short stories called ‘Kanakalochanaha’.
    • He is an author of four books and was earlier a professor at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi.
    • Sahitya Akademi Award is honoured to the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the major Indian languages recognised by the Akademy. The first Awards were given in 1955.
  3. RBI slashes repo rate by 25 bps to 7.75 per cent with immediate effect
    RBI

    • RBI governor Dr. Raghuram Rajan in its First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2014-15 has cut its key lending rate from 8% to 7.75%.
    • “It has been decided to reduce the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 8.0 per cent to 7.75 per cent with immediate effect,” Reserve Bank said in a statement.
    • The RBI has decided to keep the cash reserve ratio (CRR) unchanged at 4%.
    • the reverse repo rate has been adjusted to 6.75 per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and Bank Rate to 8.75 per cent.
  4. RBI Eases Forex Hedging Norms for Exporters, Importers
    • The Reserve Bank of India has relaxed the norms for forex hedging for exporters and importers by allowing them to book forward foreign exchange contracts in excess of 50 per cent of the eligible limit.
  5. ACC approves appointment of Anupam Shrivastava as BSNL CMD
    • Appointment of Anupam Shrivastava for the post of BSNL CMD has been approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
    • At present, he is serving as Director – Consumer Mobility at the PSU.
  6. Directorate General of Foreign Trade slaps Rs 100 crore fine on Riddhi Siddhi Bullion
    • The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has imposed a penalty of Rs 100 crore on Riddhi Siddhi Bullion and also cancelled its nominated agency certificate (NAC) for violation of RBI norms.
    • NAC is the mandatory document needed for direct import of precious metals.
  7. Amitabh Bachchan named Social Media Person of the Year
    amitabh

    • Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has been honoured with the Social Media Person of the Year award by Internet and Mobile Association of India.
    • The 72-year-old actor, who is an active social media user and online blogger, took the opportunity to thank his online fans, whom he affectionately calls ‘extended family’ for their support.
  8. Former Australia pacer Brett Lee retires from all formats
    • Australian pace bowler Brett Lee has announced he is to retire from all forms of cricket after a 20-year career.
    • The 38-year-old called time on his international commitments in July 2012, but continued to play Twenty20 in both the Australian Big Bash League and the Indian Premier League.
  9. Ex-CBI chief AP Singh resigns as UPSC member
    • Former CBI director AP Singh has quit as member of the Union Public Service Commission two years ahead of the end of his term.
    • Singh has been under the scanner for his association with Delhi-based meat exporter Moin Qureshi who has been under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department.