18 August 2015 Current Affair Updates | Daily GK Download

1. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a new campaign 'Start-up India, Stand-up India' to promote bank financing for start-ups and offer incentives to boost entrepreneurship and job creation. The campaign was launched during the celebrations of 69th Independence Day at Red Fort, Delhi. The initiative is aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth of India.

2. Government appointed new heads in five Public Sector Banks. Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Canara Bank have become the first public sector banks which will be headed by private sector professionals. P.S. Jayakumar (53), who currently heads realty firm VBHC Value Homes, has been appointed as the managing director & chief executive officer of Bank of Baroda. MD and CEO of private sector lender Laxmi Vilas Bank Rakesh Sharma (57) will head Canara Bank. M.O. Rego (Deputy Managing Director, IDBI Bank), Kishore Kharat Piraji (Executive Director, Union Bank of India), and Usha Ananthasubramanian (CMD, Bhartiya Mahila Bank) are the new MD and CEOs of Bank of India, IDBI Bank and Punjab National Bank, respectively.

3. India’s ace shuttler Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win silver at the World Badminton Championship. She lost the women's singles summit clash to Spain's Carolina Marin 16-21, 19-21 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Olympic bronze medallist Saina had reached the finals of the event by defeating Indonesia's Lindaweni Fanetri. This was India's fifth medal at the World Badminton Championship.

4. Top seed Chinese player Chen Long retained men's title at the World Badminton Championship in Jakarta by defeating Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei. Long stormed to a 21-14, 21-17 victory in just over an hour by defeating world's no. two player Wei. This is Chong Wei's fourth consecutive world championships silver medal.

5. Noted Urdu litterateur Shamim Hanfi has been selected for the first Jnangarima Manad Alankaran award, instituted by the Bharatiya Jnanpith in the year 2015. The award marks the seven decades of Jnanpith. Hanfi was selected for the award in a meeting of jury members chaired by Hindi author Vishwanath Tripathi. The Jnangarima Manad Alankaran award comprises a monthly honorarium for one year.

6. Reserve Bank of India notified the Union Budget 2015-16 Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) and asked all banks to provide interest concession of 2 percent on short term crop loans of up to 3 lakh rupees. The central bank in its notification said that interest subvention of 2 percent per annum will be made available to public and private sector banks.

7. Prof. Mustansir Barma won the prestigious Gujar Mal Modi Award for Innovative Science and Technology for the year 2015. He was awarded for his commendable contribution in the field of Science and Technology. He received the award from Vice President of India Hamid Ansari at a ceremony in New Delhi. Barma, a distinguished Professor and former Director of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, has made immense contribution in the field of Statistical Physics in India.

8. Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane created a world record as he became the first player to take eight catches in a Test match. Rahane achieved the feat during the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle when he caught catch of Rangana Herath. Prior to this Yajurvindra Singh (India), Greg Chappell (Australia), Hashan Tilakaratne (Sri Lanka), Stephen Fleming (New Zealand) and Mathew Hayden (Australia) made a record of 7 catches in a match.

9. UAE government announced its historical decision to allot land for building first temple in Abu Dhabi during PM Narendra Modi's two day (16th and 17th August) visit. Prime Minister Modi visited the famous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. There are two temples in Dubai. One of Lord Shiva and the other one of Lord Krishna, but there is not a single temple in UAE's capital Abu Dhabi.

10. Amitabh Bachchan starrer Hindi film "Piku" won the Best Film Award at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM -2015). The award ceremony was held on the occasion of India's 69th Independence Day. Piku won the award of Best Film and Shoojit Sircar won award of Best Director at IFFM.