Daily GK Updates: 28th August 2016

ISRO tests Scramjet Rocket engine

i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today successfully test-fired its Scramjet Rocket Engine.

ii.  which will use oxygen from the atmosphere thereby reducing launch cost, from the spaceport of Sriharikota.



Mountain Echoes Literary Festival, 2016 

i. The 7th edition of the Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2016 Kicked off in the capital city of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan Thimbu on 26 August 2016.

ii. The festival was inaugurated by Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, (Royal Patron) which aims to provide a platform for the greatest literary minds to engage in a cultural dialogue.

Sania wins Connecticut Open doubles title
i. Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and her Romanian partner Monica Niculescu defeated Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine and Chuang Chia Jung of Taiwan in the final.
ii. The Indo-Romanian pair won 7-5, 6-4.
iii. This is a major confidence booster for Sania ahead of the US Open Grand Slam tournament.

India captain MS Dhoni sets world record in USA
i. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has set a world record, he captained India in a record 325th game (most by a player in history), across all three formats, to break Australian skipper Ricky Ponting's mark.
ii. Dhoni was leading India in 71st T20I. 
iii. He has already captained the side in 60 Tests and 194 ODIs.

Lalita Babar, chessplayer Shardul Gagare to get SJAM awards

i. Maharashtra’s sixth Chess GM Shardul Gagare, and steeplechase specialist Lalita Babar, who finished a creditable 10th in the Rio Olympics, have been chosen for the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai’s (SJAM) Golden Jubilee Annual Awards 2016.

ii. Ahmedanagar-based Gagare will receive the Sportsman of the year award and the Satara-based Lalita, the Sportswoman of the year award, said a media release from SJAM.

PM Modi announces Task Force to prepare India for next three Olympics

i. After India’s dismal show in the concluded Rio Olympics 2016 Prime Minister Narendra Modi said about constituting a task force, which will make various suggestions to the roadmap for the next three quadrennial Games 2020 (Tokyo), 2024 and 2028.

ii. The PM announced that the task will be announced over the next few days at a meeting of the Council of Ministers held in New Delhi.

Sharmila Tagore appointed as a new member of the BCCC

i. Film actress Sharmila Tagore, theatre activist Arundhati Nag and film studies academician Ira Bhaskar have been appointed new members of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC). 

ii. The Board of Directors of Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) headed by Star India chairman Uday Shankar has approved these appointments for a term of three years in the eminent persons.

Himachal Health Minister launches ambulance mobile app

i. Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur has launched a mobile application called '108 HP' to facilitate efficient access to ambulances for medical emergencies.

ii. On this occasion, he also flagged off five new ambulances under 108- National Ambulance Service from the historic Ridge Maidan. Quoting sources, our correspondent reports that now the number of ambulances under the service has increased to 199.

Punit Misra named CEO of Zee Entertainment domestic broadcast biz 

i. Zee Entertainment Enterprises has appointed Punit Misra as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for its domestic broadcast business.

ii. Earlier Misra was Executive Director-Sales and Customer Development at Hindustan Unilever and joined HUL as a management trainee in 1996.

India's first textile university to come up at Surat

i. Gujarat government is planning to set up India's first textile university at Surat.

ii. The main aim of the university is to provide all kind of support including technology, research and development (R&D), skilled manpower etc. The university will build on over 250 acre land in Surat and it is expected to get operational in the next one and a half years.