GK Snapshots on 20 May 2021
 

Prof Shankar Balasubramanian & Prof David Klenerman won 2020 Millennium Technology Prize by TAF

Cambridge University chemists – Professor Shankar Balasubramanian and Professor David Klenerman won the 2020 Millennium Technology Prize for the development of revolutionary DNA sequencing techniques – Next Generation DNA Sequencing (NGS). The award is presented by the Technology Academy Finland (TAF).

• Shankar Balasubramanian and David Klenerman jointly invented the Solexa-Illumina Next Generation DNA Sequencing (NGS), which enables fast, accurate, low cost and large scale genome sequencing.

• Sauli Niinisto, President of the Republic of Finland and the Patron of the prize presented the award over a virtual ceremony.

Elon Musk Loses 2nd-Richest Ranking to Bernard Arnault; Jeff Bezos Tops: Bloomberg Billionaires Index On May 20, 2021, Tesla and SpaceX’s Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk lost his world’s 2nd-richest person position in Bloomberg Billionaires Index due to a sharp drop in Tesla’s share by 2.2 percent. Musk was overtaken by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s Chairman Bernard Arnault.

• Bernard Arnault’s net worth climbed by almost $47 billion to $161.2 billion due to a rise in the sale of his firm’s luxury goods in China and other parts of Asia.

Top 3 Richest Person:

1. Jeff Bezos (United States)

2. Bernard Arnault (France)

3. Elon Musk (United States)

Tashi Yangjom-1st Indian Woman Climber To Scale Mt Everest in 2021

Mountaineer, Tashi Yangjom from Arunachal Pradesh becomes the 1st Indian Woman Climber to Scale the World’s highest Mountain, Mt Everest (Elevation of 8,849 Metres) in 2021. She was trained at the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) in Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh.

Indian-origin Immunologist Sankar Ghosh Elected to National Academy of Sciences

Indian-origin immunologist Sankar Ghosh has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences(NAS) in recognition of his “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research”. He is one of the 120 newly elected members announced by the NAS. NAS is a private, non-profit institution established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln.

• Sankar Ghosh is a Silverstein and Hutt Family Professor of Microbiology and the chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University.

Govt to Raise Rs 4,000 crore via Sale of 58 million shares in Axis Bank

The government(govt) sold 58 million shares in Axis Bank, which is held through the Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI) to raise around Rs 4,000 crore.

• The shares are sold through the offer for sale (OFS) route. The OFS was made open for non-retail investors on May 19, 2021, and for retail investors on May 20, 2021

• 35 million shares/ 1.21 percent stake in Axis Bank was sold by govt as a base offer and the remaining 22 million shares/0.74 percent stake was sold under a green-shoe option. The floor price for the stake sale has been fixed at Rs 680 apiece.

Adani Green to Acquire SB Energy India for EV of $3.5 billion

On May 19, 2021, Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) agreed to acquire the 100 percent stake of SB Energy Holdings Limited at an enterprise valuation(EV) of ~ $3.5 billion, the largest acquisition in the renewable energy sector in India.

Karnataka ranks 1st in establishing HWCs under Ayushman Bharat Scheme

Karnataka has been ranked as the Number One state in establishing a Health & Wellness Centre (HWC) under the Ayushman Bharat project for the year 2020-21, it was stated by Karnataka’s Health & Family Welfare Department.

• HWCs are established to provide comprehensive primary healthcare in rural areas.

4th India-Swiss Financial Dialogue Held Virtually in New Delhi

The 4th India-Swiss Financial Dialogue was held Virtually from New Delhi,India. Indian delegation was led by the Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth, while his counterpart was Ms. Daniela Stoffel, State Secretary for International Finance, Switzerland.

 

India, China, South Africa register better performance in Import & Exports during Q1 2021: UNCTAD

According to the Global Trade Update (May 2021) released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – India, China, and South Africa performed ‘relatively better’ than other major economies in imports & exports during the 1st Quarter of 2021.

i.Compared to 2020 averages, India’s imports increased by 45%, and Exports increased to 26% in Q1 of 2021. Service Imports increased by 14%, Service Exports increased by 2%.

ii.At the Global level, Trade in goods and services increased by 10% year-over-year, an increase of about 3% compared to Q1 2019.

iii.The overall forecast for 2021 indicates an 16% growth in Global Trade – 19% for Goods and 8% for services.

iv.In Q2 of 2021, the value of Global Trade in goods and services is expected to reach USD 6.6 Trillion.

China launches ‘Haiyang-2D’ Ocean Observation Satellite into Orbit

China launched ‘Haiyang-2D (HY-2D)’ Ocean Observation Satellite into the Orbit. It was launched by a Long March-4B rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, Gobi Desert, China.

• HY-2D will form a constellation with the already launched HY-2B & HY-2C satellites, which will support China’s early warning and prediction of marine disasters.

• The satellite has been developed by the China Academy of Space Technology.

• It was the 370th launch by the Long March rocket series.

Indian rowers Arjun Lal and Arvind Singh qualifies for Tokyo Olympics 2020

Indian rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 in men’s lightweight double sculls event after finishing second in the final race of the Asia/Oceania Continental Qualifying Regatta in Tokyo, Japan and will be the only Indian rowers in Tokyo Olympics.

Veteran BJP Leader & Former Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta Passed Away

Chaman Lal Gupta, a veteran Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader and former Union Minister passed away at his residence in Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir(J&K). He was born on 13th April 1934 in Kaleeth, Jammu, J&K

Renowned Tamil Writer, Folklorist, Sahitya Akademi Awardee Ki. Rajanarayanan Passed Away

On May 17, 2021,Eminent Tamil writer, novelist, and Sahitya Akademi awardee Rayangala Shri Krishna Raja Narayana Perumal Ramanujam Naicker foundly known as Ki Rajanarayanan passed away at the age of 97 due to age related health-issues in Puducherry. He was born on 16 September 1923 in Kovilpatti,TamilNadu.

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