Daily GK Update: 13th November 2015

1. India's GSAT-15 communication satellite launched successfully

i. Indigenously made communications satellite GSAT-15 was launched successfully on 11 November 2015 by the European Ariane 5 VA-227 launch vehicle at 3:04 am.

ii. The launch took place from Kourou in French Guyana in South America. The Ariane-5 rocket was hired at a cost of approximately 581 crores rupees.

iii. The 3164 kilogram GSAT-15 carries communication transponders in Ku-band as well as a GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) payload operating in L1 and L5 bands. An Arabsat communications satellite also accompanied the GSAT-15 on the same launch.

iv. The GSAT-15 was launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) after its co-passenger Arabsat-6B (BADR-7) was injected into space.

v. The Indian Space Research Organisation’s Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka took over the command and control of GSAT-15 immediately after its separation from the launch vehicle.

vi. After the completion of orbit raising operations, the two solar arrays and both the antenna reflectors of GSAT-15 will be deployed. Afterwards, the satellite will be put in its final orbital configuration.

2. Abraham M Keita from Liberia won the 2015 International Children's Peace Prize

i. Liberian teenager Abraham M Keita was on 10 November 2015 awarded with the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize 2015. He was awarded for his extraordinary and peaceful fight for justice for child victims of physical or sexual violence, and for successfully campaigning for the Liberian parliament to adopt the Children’s Law.

ii. Seventeen-year-old Keita received the prize from Nobel Peace Laureate and his countrywoman Leymah Gbowee in The Hague. Gbowee in 2011 became the first Liberian to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in Liberia’s peace-building process.

iii. International Children’s Peace Prize is awarded annually to child from across the world for his or her dedication to children’s rights. The prize is an initiative of Marc Dullaert, Chairman and Founder of the Dutch KidsRights Foundation.

3. India inked MoUs with six countries in the International Civil Aviation Negotiations

i. The Government of India announced on 12 November 2015 that it signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with six countries. These countries are: Finland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and Oman and Ethiopia.

ii. In addition, Agreed Minutes were signed with Serbia, Greece, and European Commission. The Record of Discussions was signed with Brunei Darussalam and Qatar.

iii. The MoUs were signed during International Civil Aviation Negotiations (ICAN) 2015, which was held in Antalya, Turkey from 19 to 23 October 2015.

4. Indian-origin barrister Kalyani Kaul sworn-in as Circuit Judge in the UK

i. Indian-origin barrister in UK, Kalyani Kaul was sworn-in as a Circuit Judge in the UK on 9 November 2015. Now, she will be sitting at Snaresbrook Crown Court with immediate effect.

ii. 54-year-old Kalyani is known for her extensive and wide ranging experience in heavy-weight criminal defence work. She has spent 32 years defending serious and high profile cases.  

iii. She was called to the Bar in 1983 and later in 2009, she was appointed as a Recorder by Queen Elizabeth II. As a Recorder she prepared cases for trial and presided over hearings in county courts.

iv. Kalyani, who was the third highest-paid barrister in terms of legal air payments in 2005, studied law from the London School of Economics (LSE). 

v. From 2013 to 2014, she was the Senior Circuit representative on the Bar Council, a vice president (former chair) of the Association of Women Barristers, and one of the two Diversity Officers for the South Eastern Circuit.

5. Subir Gokarn appointed as IMF's Executive Director

i. Former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India Subir Vithal Gokarn on 12 November 2015 was appointed as an Executive Director on the board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

ii. Gokarn will replace Rakesh Mohan at the IMF. Mohan’s three year tenure ends in November 2015. Gokarn’s name was cleared by Appointments Committee of Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training.

iii. The former Deputy Governor of RBI will represent India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan on IMF's Executive Board. The Board is responsible for conducting the day-to-day business of the multilateral institution.

iv. IMF's Executive Board is composed of 24 Directors, who are elected by member countries or by groups of countries, and the Managing Director, who serves as its Chairman. The Board conducts its meeting several times in a week and carries out its work largely on the basis of papers prepared by IMF management and staff.

6. Defence Minister commissioned India’s Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel ‘Samarth’

i. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 10 November 2015 commissioned the India Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), ‘Samarth’ at Vasco in Goa. It is Coast Guard’s largest OPV.

ii. The Ship built by Goa Shipyard limited is the first in the series of six off Shore Patrol vessels. The 105m OPV is fitted with most advance technology, navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery. It has a maximum speed of 23 knots and has an endurance of 6000 nautical miles at economical speed.

iii. Samarth that will be based in Goa is also capable of carrying pollution response equipment to contain any oil spill at sea. The vessel will also carry one twin-engine helicopter and five high-speed boats. 

iv. The OPV will be extensively used for Exclusive Economic Zone and other duties as it is set to be exploited extensively on the Western Seaboard. 

v. The induction of a sophisticated and state of the art Offshore Patrol vessel will provide the desired fillip to the maritime protection of the coastal state of Goa in particular and the India coast in general.

7. Sameer Panda-led Indian team won NASA award for Burst Prevention & Puncture Curative technology

i. A team of Indian scientist led by Sameer Panda from Odisha on 6 November 2015 won the NASA award for an innovative technology named Burst Prevention & Puncture Curative (BPPC) technology. Udit Bondia, KN Panda and Smitiparna Satpathy are the other members of the team.

ii. They won the award in the Create the Future Design Contest- 2015 conducted by NASA Tech Brief in New York. Tech Brief is a contest jointly organized by NASA and Society of Automobile Engineers, International.

iii. They won the award for Mild Run Flat Tyre based on BPPC technology and developed by TycheeJuno, a firm working on Disruptive and Breakthrough Innovation in technology mostly related to automotive division.

iv. The tyre is a multi-chambered tubeless tire with sealant inside the chamber to take care of puncture in tread and sidewall.

v. The technology decreases the possibilities of bursts, takes care of punctures and dynamic wheel balancing. It helps to increase fuel efficiency and life and can also be manufactured with existing technology.

8. Annual Hundred Drums Wangala Festival begins in Meghalaya

i. Annual Hundred Drums Wangala Festival has begun on a cultural fervor at Asanang near Tura town in Meghalaya.

ii. The three day-long started with the arrival of ten Wangala Dance Troupes from various parts of Garo Hills. Significance of Wangala Festival Wangala Festival is an annual post-harvest festival of the Garos tribes of North east India.

iii. Generally celebrated in the second week of November every year.

iv. It is a thanks giving ceremony to Misi Saljong, which is also known as Pattigipa Ra-rongipa (The Great Giver) for blessing the people with rich harvest of the season.