May 31st 2015 - current affairs

Pinaka Mark-II rockets successfully tested at Pokhran

Advanced version of indigenous Pinaka mark-II rockets were successfully tested on 30 May 2015 in Pokhran field firing ranges in Rajasthan.

They were test-fired using a multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL). In the test six rounds were successfully tested which had hit the target situated 53 kms from the firing point.

The MBRL version of Pinaka has high operational mobility, flexibility and accuracy which is capable of acting as a force multiplier and has been developed to supplement artillery guns.

Facts about Pinaka II rockets

•         The Pinaka II rocket is also known as the Weapon Area System (WAS).
•          Jointly and indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation           (DRDO) and the Indian Army.
•          It has battery of six launchers which can fire rockets with a range of 40-65 kms.
•          WAS can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds with 1.2 tonne of high explosives. 
•        Can neutralise a target area of 3.9 square km and supplement existing artillery system at a range beyond 30 km. 
• Can be fitted with wide range of warheads including blast-cum-pre-fragmented high explosives to anti-tank mines.          It should be noted that Pinaka had undergone several tough tests since 1995 and already has been introduced into the Indian army.

Kolkata’s Mohun Bagan FC wins I-League title

•  Kolkata’s Mohun Bagan Football Club (FC) has won the I-League title by defeating Bengaluru Football Club. 
•   Mohun Bagan won the title after a 1-1 draw score against Bengaluru FC in their final game of the 2014-15 season played at the Kanteerva Stadium, Bengaluru.
  
  
• Dilwar Singh of Haryana wins Pedal for Kashmir cycling race
•  Dilawar Singh of Haryana has won ‘Pedal for Kashmir’ cycling competition, held along the banks of picturesque Dal Lake in Srinagar 
•   Mohammad Akbar Khan - who came runner
•  While in the under-19 category of the competition for Boys, Mohit Kumar won the first prize. Wahid Ahmad Ganie was placed second, while Amir Sadiq Gojriin finished third.
  
  
•  In the girls under-19 category, Komal Deshmuk from Maharashtra, beat local girl Bushra Ali to the first position. State Minister for Public Works Altaf Bukhari gave away the prizes to the winners.

Deepika Kumari wins bronze at Antalya Archery World Cup

• Ace Indian archer Deepika Kumari has clinched the bronze medal in the women’s individual Women’s Recurve event at Antalya Archery World Cup held in Turkey.
• In the Antalya 2015 recurve women’s event Misun Choi and Bo Bae Ki from South Korea won gold and silver medal respectively.

• Gurpreet Singh secures quota place in shooting for 2016 Rio Olympics

• Gatimaan Express is the first semi high-speed train service that will be launched between Delhi and Agra.
  
  • The train will run at a maximum speed of 160 kmph and is expected to cover the 200-km distance between both destinations in about 105 minutes

• President Pranab Mukherjee has given his assent to re-promulgation of land ordinance for third time as per provisions of Article 123 of Indian Constitution 

• Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa was sworn-in as the 19th Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.
• President Pranab Mukherjee had appointed him as Governor on May 12, 2015 after then Governor Lt General (Retired) Nirbhay Sharma was transferred to Mizoram.

• Researchers from China have successfully developed the first automated teller machine (ATM) with facial recognition technology.

• Hemant Sonawala, one of the pioneer founders of India’s information technology (IT) industry passed away on 30 May 2015 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was 78.

• Meena Hemchandra was appointed as the Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  •  With this appointment she will be in charge of RBI’s department of banking supervision, non-banking supervision and department of co-operative banking supervision.

• She also had served as Principal of Reserve Bank’s College of Agriculture Banking located in Pune. She is a chartered financial analyst from Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) and also holds a post graduate degree in Economics.