Daily GK Potion – 25th November 2014

  1. Sania Mirza UN Goodwill Ambassador
    • Sania Mirza was named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the South Asian region by UN Women.
  2. India, Nepal inks 9 agreements

    • Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed nine agreements with Nepal on this second visit on Himalayan nation. PM arrived in Nepal to attend 18th SAARC summit.
    • Nepal signed an agreement for an Indian company Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. to build a $1 billion hydroelectric plant to boost supplies in the energy-starved Himalayan nation and export power to India. The plant is expected to begin producing electricity in 2020.
    • India and Nepal the Motor Vehicle Agreement under which permit would be given to vehicles to ply on designated routes in each other’s country.
    • They also inked three twin-city pacts between Kathmandu-Varanasi, Janakpur-Ayodhya and Lumbini-Bodh Gaya.
    • Some other agreements include, MoU on training at Nepal Police Academy, MoU on Tourism, MoU Traditional Medicines and MoU on Youth Exchange.
    • A MoU was also signed on a project development agreement over the 900 megawatt hydro-electric project on the Arun river in Nepal.
  3. Former SC judge Prasad to succeed Katju as PCI chief
    • Former Supreme Court judge CK Prasad is set to be appointed as the head of the Press Council of India.
    • Prasad will succeed justice Markanday Katju as the chairman of the PCI.
  4. Kathak legend Sitara Devi died
    • Kathak queen Sitara Devi died at the age of 94.
    • Kathak, which literally means ‘katha’, is a narrative drama which evolved out of the Krishna temples of hinterland to scale the pinnacle of glory in the Muslim courts.
  5. First phase of polling began in J&K and Jharkhand.
  6. Kotak Mahindra Bank enters Insurance Industry
    • Private-sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank its entry into general insurance space.
    • The bank has received the RBI’s approval to form a general insurance subsidiary.
    • It already has an in-principle nod from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) to incorporate the same.
    • The bank has named Mahesh Balasubramanian as chief executive officer for its general insurance arm. He is currently the executive vice president and co-head, branch banking at the bank.