Current Affairs – April -21 Coimbatore: Students attempt Guinness World Records by making Abdul Kalam’s face using disposable paper cups

NATIONAL

Coimbatore: Students attempt Guinness World Records by making Abdul Kalam’s face using disposable paper cups:

Students of class 6 and 11 used 2.35 lakh disposable cups to make an image of APJ Abdul Kalam wanting to set a Guinness record.

The students of Camford International School in Coimbatore entered for Guinness Book of World Records for the largest paper cup mosaic.

As many as 167 students using black, white and blue coloured disposable paper cups, made the face of former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam.

Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone of Sikkim highway projects:

    Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari laid foundation stone of four state highway projects. The highways would connect the state capital with Singtam, Ravangla, Pakyong and Rangpo. The projects will be developed by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Company Ltd at a cost of Rs 1247 crore.

11th Civil Services Day function begins today:

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the two-day 11th Civil Services Day programme in New Delhi. The Civil Services Day function is being organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will honour bureaucrats for Excellence in Public Administration on the occasion of Civil Services Day. Prime Minister Modi will confer the Prime Minister’s awards for Excellence in Public Administration to Districts and other Central and State organisations for effective implementation of Programmes and Innovation.

Finance Ministry approves 8.65% interest rate on EPF for 2016-17:

The Finance Ministry has approved 8.65 per cent interest rate on Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for 2016-17.

The ratification of the 8.65 per cent on EPF will enable the retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to credit this rate of return into the accounts of four crore subscribers.

INTERNATIONAL

Nepal President visits Lingaraj Temple:

   Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, who arrived on a two-day visit to Odisha, visited the Lingaraj Temple in the city.

Ms. Bhandari attended a women’s empowerment programme at Mission Shakti Bhavan here before she went to offer prayers to Lord Lingaraj at the 11th Century shrine.

Banking & Business

CII signs MoUs with 3 Singapore Universities:

   The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) signed agreements with three Singapore universities to provide training opportunities to students. The MoUs signatories are Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University.

The memorandum of understandings (MoUs) will allow the universities and International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, a business promotion agency, to tap into CII’s network of over 8,000 members to create overseas attachment opportunities for enrolled students.

Sunil Mittal meets UN secretary general to discuss sustainable development goals:

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the role of world business to promote Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During the meeting, Mittal mentioned about ICC’s commitment to use its newly granted status in the UN system to “deploy fully the resources, expertise and knowledge of world business” in the implementation of the UN SDGs.

Gold bond scheme to open on April 24:

  The first tranche of sovereign gold bonds for this fiscal will open for subscription on April 24 and close on April 28. The issue price of the gold bonds will be Rs.50 per gram less than the nominal value, said the Finance Ministry, the bonds will be issued on May 12.

The bonds will be sold through banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India (SHCIL), designated post offices and recognised stock exchanges, including the National Stock Exchange and the BSE.

Tata Power inks pact for electricity distribution in Ajmer:

Tata Power has signed an Distribution Franchise Agreement with Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd for electricity distribution in Ajmer for 20 years.

AWARDS

Nonagenarian gynaecologist Bhakti Yadav (91) was presented the Padma Shri award at her residence by the district administration. District Collector P. Narhari presented the citation and medal to Dr. Yadav fondly called as ‘Doctor Didi’.

Dr. Yadav, the first woman doctor from Indore, was conferred the award in recognition of her service to the poor. She has treated over one lakh poor women free of cost during her medical practice, spanning over six decades.

SPORTS

Aditi Ashok and Ali Sher win awards:

Teen sensation Aditi Ashok was named the Outstanding Achiever as a Player at the second Golf Industry Association awards. While veteran Ali Sher was lauded for an Outstanding Playing Career, S.S.P. Chawrasia was named Men’s Player of the Year (2016).

 Visually impaired Indian runner Sagar Baheti completes historic Boston Marathon:

    Bangalore-based Sagar Baheti has become the first visually impaired Indian runner to complete the historic Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest, most competitive and the hardest marathon to qualify for.

Supported by the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI), the 31-year-old Baheti travelled to the USA and became the first visually impaired Indian to participate in the famous marathon.

OBITUARY

Mason dead in Jamaica motorbike crash:

Former Olympic high jumper Germaine Mason, who won silver for Britain at the 2008 Beijing Games, died in a motorbike crash in Jamaica. The 34-year-old was born in Jamaica but changed his allegiance to Britain in 2006.