- Novelist Siddhartha Gigoo wins Commonwealth Short Story Prize
- Srinagar-born novelist Siddhartha Gigoo has won the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Asia region for “Umbrella Man”.
- “Umbrella Man” is a tale of surreal meditation on mental health and the environment.
- Gigoo won 2500 pounds and will now compete with the other four regional winners for the 5000 pounds grand prize, to be announced in London on September 8.
- Gigoo’s prize winning story has been published in the book “A Fistful of Earth and Other Stories”
- Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari is New York’s first Indian-American woman judge
- Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari has been sworn-in as a criminal court judge in New York by Mayor Bill de Blasio, becoming the first India-born woman to be appointed a judge in New York City.
- Ms. Rajeswari, 43, who had migrated to the U.S. from Chennai as a teenager, previously worked with the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office for her entire career in several bureaus including Criminal Court, Narcotics, Supreme Court, and the Sex Crimes Special Victims Bureau.
- NGT bans burning of waste in Delhi NCR
- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday ordered a complete ban on burning of any kind of garbage, leaves, plastic waste and rubber in the open, in line with a series of orders to control air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).
- Burning of garbage and other material like plastic is responsible for nearly 30% of the air pollution in the capital and its suburbs.
- It also directed authorities to levy a fine of Rs 5,000 on anyone found burning such material in the open.
- Railways win 5th Senior Men’s National Hockey championship
- Railway Sports Promotion Board has won the 5th Senior Men’s National Hockey Championship 2015.
- In the final match, they defeated Uttar Pradesh Hockey by 5-3 goals which was played at Pune.
- Logo for International Day of Yoga launched
- The logo for International Day of Yoga was launched on Wednesday by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik.
- The United Nations General Assembly had on December 11 adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as the ‘International Day of Yoga’.
- The logo was selected by a committee of yoga experts constituted by Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) and has also been approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The logo reflects harmony and peace for the humanity which is the essence of Yoga.
- Government approves Rs. 1,000 minimum monthly pension through EPFO
- Government on Wednesday decided to continue its Rs 1,000 per minimum monthly pension scheme in perpetuity, a move which would benefit over 20 lakh pensioners under social security scheme run by EPFO.
- The scheme was initially effective only till last month.
- “Providing a minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month is an effort to provide meaningful subsistence to pensioners who have served in the organised sector. The present proposal is likely to benefit approximately 20 lakh pensioners under EPS, 1995,” said the release issued.
- World Women Chess: Harika wins silver, bronze for Humpy
- D Harika and Koneru Humpy came up with fine individual performances to win silver and a bronze.
- Indian finished fourth in the women’s world team chess championship.
- Delhi government gives nod to farmer scheme named after Gajender Singh
- The Delhi government today gave approval for the setting up of a farmer compensation scheme to be named after Gajender Singh, who allegedly committed suicide during an AAP rally on April 22.
- The government has also decided to give job to a member of Gajendra’s family and martyr status for him.
- Singh, a 41-year-old farmer from Rajasthan, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree during an AAP rally against the land ordinance.
Read next : Daily GK Potion – 1st and 2nd May 2015 ››
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