Daily GK Update : 16th July 2016

National & International Affairs

1. Nalanda Mahavihara enters UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list

• The ruins of ancient Nalanda Mahavihara (old Nalanda University) of Bihar has been included in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.
• Now, Nalanda University ruins located at Nalanda district has become the second World Heritage Site in Bihar after Bodhgaya’s Mahabodhi temple.
• This status will help in conservation and protection of the site in better way and also increase funds from the UNESCO.
• The ruins comprise the archaeological remains of monastic and scholastic institutions dating from the 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD.

Note:-

• Nalanda Mahavihara was founded by Kumargupta I of the Gupta dynasty in 5th century CE.
• It was the earliest planned university of the Indian subcontinent.

2. Madhya Pradesh becomes first state to have Happiness Department

• Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to have ‘Happiness Department’ that will work as knowledge resource centre on the subject of happiness on the lines of Bhutan.
• The decision was taken by the state cabinet meeting presided by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
• The Happiness Department will will work under a working committee headed by a chairman and this committee will evaluate the state’s gross happiness.

Note:-

• Bhutan is the first country in the world to come up with the concept of Gross National Happiness .
• It has fixed standards of living, education, good governance, health and psychological happiness among the various parameters that make its citizens happy.

3. Country’s first industrial park for women entrepreneur to come up in Uttarakhand

• The country’s first  industrial park exclusively for women entrepreneurs has been launched by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat at the Federation House.
• The move is intended to attract more women entrepreneurs and help them to initiate start-ups in the state
• In the first phase, a 10-acre industrial park will be started in Sitarganj Phase-II of the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL).

4. BHEL commissions 250 M W power plant in Gujarat

• Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has commissioned another 250 MW unit based on eco-friendly Circulating Fluidised Bed Combustion (CFBC) technology, using low-quality coal as the primary fuel.
• The unit has been commissioned at Bhavnagar Energy Company 2×250 MW thermal power project, located at Padva village in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat.
• This is the third 250 MW unit based on CFBC technology, commissioned by BHEL.

5. Lifeline Express celebrates 25 years of service

•  Today, The world’s first hospital on a train The Lifeline Express (Magic Train) of India, celebrates 25 years of service to the poor and underprivileged masses of rural India.
• In 1991 there were 3 coaches in the train which provided medical facilities to poor and rural people where there were no hospitals available.
• The train covered 173 projects in 18 state and also covered 2 lakh kilometer distance.
• The train medically served more than 10,00,000 poor in rural India, restoring sight, movement, hearing and correction of cleft lips with dental and neurological treatment and more, completely free of cost.
• The Lifeline Express has the distinction of being the first ever hospital-on-rails in the world.

Sports

6. Davis Cup: India take 2-0 lead against South Korea

• Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan endured challenging conditions to wear down their spirited rivals as India took a comfortable 2-0 lead on the opening day of the Asia|Oceania group I Davis Cup tie against South Korea in Chandigarh.
• The 21-year-old Ramkumar, ranked 217, put the hosts ahead in his Davis Cup debut when Seong Chan Hong conceded the first singles due to cramps in his right thigh as the Indian was serving for the match.
• Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes will look to wrap up the tie when they face Hong Chung and Yunseong Chung tomorrow.

7. India jumps 11 places to 152nd in football rankings

• India made a big leap of 11 places to occupy 152nd spot in the latest world football rankings issued by FIFA.
• India is the fourth best positive mover among the Asian countries this month after Tajikistan (up 19 places to 145th), Yemen (up 16 places to 160th) and Turkmenistan (up 14 places to 120th).
• Overall, Argentina remain on top, despite losing to Chile in the Copa America Centenario summit clash.

8. WBO Asia Pacific Title Bout: Vijender Singh to take on Kerry Hope

• Today, Star Indian boxer Vijender Singh will take on Australian Kerry Hope  in his maiden title bout for the vacant World Boxing Organization’s Asia Pacific super middleweight belt.
• The bout is scheduled to begin at 7 PM in Delhi.
• Vijender has won all his previous six Professional Boxing bouts via knockouts.
• Hope is a former European champion and has won 23 bouts and lost 7.

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