Daily Current Affairs- 22nd April 2024

Today's Current Affairs 22nd April 2024

NATIONAL

The Indian Navy conducted the 'Poorvi Leher' mega exercise to test maritime preparedness

• The Indian Navy recently executed the 'Poorvi Leher' mega drill along the East Coast to evaluate operational protocols and readiness against maritime security threats in the area. This comprehensive exercise involved the active participation of naval vessels, submarines, aerial assets, and specialized naval units.

Shompen tribes in Andaman & Nicobar Islands vote for the first time

• Shompen tribe members in Andaman and Nicobar Islands cast their votes for the first time for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the union territory. They voted at polling station 411, known as 'Shompen Hut', and took selfies at a designated cut-out saying "I vote for sure", created by the Election Commission of India.

AWARDS

Pavuluri Subba Rao awarded Aryabhatta Award for astronautics contributions

• Pavuluri Subba Rao, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Ananth Technologies, receives the Aryabhatta Award from the Aeronautical Society of India for his significant contributions to promoting astronautics in India.

IMPORTANT DAYS

22 April- World Earth Day

• World Earth Day, celebrated on April 22 annually, marks the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. It emphasizes the vital need to preserve Earth, our sole habitat supporting life, fostering awareness about its importance.

APPOINTMENTS

Citroen India appoints MS Dhoni as brand ambassador

• French automaker Citroen has appointed cricketing legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador to bolster its presence and awareness in the Indian market. This strategic move by the Stellantis Group aims to establish a strong foothold and enhance its brand identity in the competitive Indian passenger vehicle market.

OpenAI Appoints Pragya Misra as Its First Employee in India

• OpenAI has welcomed Pragya Misra as its inaugural team member in India, naming her the head of government relations. This comes during the nation's ongoing elections, crucial for shaping AI regulations in the world's most populous country. Misra's role centers on leading OpenAI's public policy affairs and partnerships, with a focus on government relations and regulatory frameworks.

About OpenAI:

Founded: December 11, 2015

Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States

CEO: Sam Altman

Chairman: Bret Taylor

SPORTS

Max Verstappen wins first Chinese Grand Prix

• Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing showcased sheer dominance at the eagerly anticipated Chinese Grand Prix, securing a decisive victory and extending his lead in the 2024 World Championship. His win in this Formula One race, the first in China in five years, was characterized by leading from start to finish, leaving no room for doubt about his performance.

Gukesh Etches Name in Chess History as Youngest Challenger

• Indian chess prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh, at only 17 years old, achieved a historic milestone by winning the FIDE Candidates tournament. This victory makes him the youngest-ever challenger in the history of the World Chess Championship and the first teenager to claim this prestigious tournament title.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI approves Cred for payment aggregator operations

• Bengaluru's fintech unicorn Cred has secured provisional approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for its Payment Aggregation (PA) business. Upon securing final approval, Cred will be able to diversify its services, extending beyond credit card bill payments to encompass merchant payments, placing it alongside companies such as Razorpay.

About Cred:

Founded: 2018

Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

CEO: Kunal Shah

About RBI:

Established: 1 April 1935

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Governor: Shaktikanta Das 

Ashok Leyland and South Indian Bank collaborate for dealer financing solutions

• South Indian Bank has entered into an agreement with Ashok Leyland Limited to finance their dealers through the Bank’s dealer finance program.
• Under this collaboration, the Bank will offer exceptional finance options to Ashok Leyland Limited's dealers.
• This partnership is geared towards assisting Ashok Leyland Limited's dealer partners in optimizing vehicle inventory funding.

About Ashok Leyland:

Founded: 7 September 1948

Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Owned by: Hinduja Group 

About South Indian Bank:

Founded: 1929

Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala, India

MD & CEO: P. R. Seshadri

Tagline: Experience Next Generation Banking