Today's Current Affairs 19th March 2024
NATIONAL
Election Commission launches ‘Mission 414’ campaign in Himachal Pradesh to boost voter turnout
- The Election Commission has launched a special campaign in Himachal Pradesh to boost voter turnout in 414 polling stations with less than 60% voting during the last Lok Sabha polls.
About Election commission of India:
Founded: 25 January 1950
Headquarters: New Delhi
India-US Joint Military Exercise “EX TIGER TRIUMPH – 24”
- A joint military exercise called Tiger Triumph-24 between India and the United States started on March 18 and will continue until March 31. This exercise is taking place on the Eastern Seaboard (East Coast) of India.
- They had last met in November 2023 for the India-US Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue in New Delhi.
About US:
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Speaker: Mike Johnson (Republican Party)
Attorney general: Merrick Garland
SPORTS
Carlos Alcaraz Tops Daniil Medvedev to Repeat As Indian Wells Champion
- In the final of the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain defeated Daniil Medvedev of Russia in straight sets, with a score of 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.
- Alcaraz became the first player to win back-to-back Indian Wells titles since Novak Djokovic did it from 2014 to 2016.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Indian Army Inducts First Apache 451 Aviation Squadron
- The Indian Army has raised its first squadron, the 451 Aviation Squadron, to operate the newly acquired AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.
- The squadron was formally established on March 15 at Jodhpur.
Guyana Inks Deal to Purchase Indian-Made Dornier Aircraft
- The Indian defence industry is expanding its reach to the Caribbean region.
- The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) plans to purchase two aircraft from India with a loan of $23.27 million from the Export-Import Bank of India.
- Guyana will acquire two Dornier 228 aircraft made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India.
About Guyana:
Capital: Georgetown
President: Irfaan Ali
Prime minister: Mark Phillips
Indian Army’s New Tech Unit STEAG
- The Indian Army has set up a specialized technology unit called Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG) to research and evaluate next-generation communication technologies.
APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
Poonawalla Fincorp Appoints Arvind Kapil as MD & CEO
- Poonawalla Fincorp, a notable NBFC, has chosen Arvind Kapil, a seasoned retail banking expert from HDFC Bank, as its new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer.
- Kapil will commence his five-year term on June 24, 2024, succeeding Abhay Bhutada, who opted for early retirement.
IMPORTANT DAYS
French Language Day 2024: 20 March
- On March 20th, the United Nations celebrates French Language Day. This is one of the six official languages celebrated by the UN each year.
- French Language Day commemorates March 20, 1970.
- The UN introduced Language Days in 2010 to celebrate its 6 official languages
- The OIF’s theme is “The Francophonie of the Future”
International Day of Happiness 2024:
- The International Day of Happiness is celebrated every year on March 20th.
- On July 12, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution, this resolution declared March 20th as the International Day of Happiness.
BANKING AND ECONOMY
Tata Sons Announces Sale of 0.6% Stake in TCS for over ₹9,300 Crore
- Tata Sons, aiming to alleviate its debt, plans to sell 0.65% equity in Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for ₹9,362.3 crore. This move precedes a potential IPO, with related stocks rallying.
About TCS:
Founders: Faquir Chand Kohli, J. R. D. Tata
CEO: K. Krithivasan (1 Jun 2023–)
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founded: 1 April 1968
Axis Bank commits ₹100 crore to Enhance Cancer Care through National Cancer Grid
- In an effort to advance cancer care in India, Axis Bank has pledged a significant contribution of ₹100 crore to the National Cancer Grid (NCG), in collaboration with Tata Memorial Centre.
About Axis Bank:
CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry (1 Jan 2019)
Founded: 1993, Ahmedabad
Headquarters: Mumbai