17 October 2017 Current Affairs
Indian-American Attorney awarded 3rd American Bazaar Philanthropy award
Noted Indian-American attorney Ajay Raju has been honoured with the third American Bazaar Philanthropy award in recognition of his philanthropic activities in the United States. Raju was honoured for his commitment to revive Philadelphia through the Germination Project. The Germination project is a signature initiative of the Pamela and Ajay Raju Foundation that recruits talented teenagers and prepares them to be tomorrow’s leaders.
17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) is observed globally on 17 October. The theme of this year’s IDEP is ‘Answering the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive societies’. This year’s celebration also marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration of the day by the UN General Assembly, which had adopted the resolution on 22 December 1992.
Ayurveda 2nd Day is celebrated on 17 October
This year’s 2nd Ayurveda Day is celebrated on 17 October in New Delhi by the Ministry of AYUSH. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the Chief Guest and will also inaugurate the country’s first All India Institute of Ayurveda, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi. The All India Institute of Ayurveda, set up on a total area of 10.015 acres on a budget of Rs 157 crore, is the first medical institute under the AYUSH ministry to hold the coveted National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation.
Indian-origin teenager Akshay Ruparelia is UK’s Youngest Millionaire
Indian-origin teenager Akshay Ruparelia has became one of UK’s youngest millionaires at the age of 19. Ruparelia made a fortune by selling houses through his online estate agency business during his school lunch breaks. Ruparelia’s school friends nicknamed him “Alan Sugar” after Baron Sugar, the business tycoon.
Eminent Poet Prabha Varma chosen for Padma Prabha Puraskaram
Eminent poet, lyricist and journalist Prabha Varma has been selected for the Padma Prabha Puraskaram for 2017. The announcement was made by the chairman-cum-managing director of ‘Mathrubhumi’ daily, M P Veerendra Kumar. A jury headed by ace novelist M Mukundan chose Varma for the prestigious award, considering his contribution to Malayalam literature. The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 75,000, a plaque and a citation, was instituted by the Padma Prabha Memorial Trust.
Mahindra launches ‘Prerna’ project for women farmers
Auto manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra celebrated ‘Mahila Kisan Diwas’ and launched a programme, ‘Prerna’ to empower women working in the agriculture sector. Prerna’ project is aimed at promoting the use of efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment by women who work long hours in the fields. It is first launched in Odisha, with an aim to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages.
Scientists develop futuristic military watch that can survive nuclear blast
Scientists have developed a new military watch for the Russian army kit, which is capable of resisting high impact and can even survive a nuclear explosion. The watch has been developed by research experts of the Central Scientific – Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering (TsNIITochMash) – a part of the Rostec State Corporation in Russia.
Kavita Devi, India’s first woman wrestler to sign for WWE
Kavita Devi, a former competitive powerlifter, has become the first ever Indian woman to be signed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Jinder Mahal, the current WWE champion, confirmed the news in a special visit to New Delhi. Hailing from Haryana, Kavita underwent training to be a professional wrestler under the guidance of The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) at his Punjab based wrestling promotion and training academy. She also won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games.
Punjab police launches foot patrolling in all districts
Punjab police has launched a foot patrolling an initiative whereby police personnel will patrol designated areas on foot to keep a watch on anti-social elements. The main Objective of foot patrolling is to reduce incidence of crime by increasing the presence of police in vulnerable locations. All foot patrol officers will be wearing jungle boots, specially designed arm-band and will carry weapons, baton, handcuffs, and wireless sets.
Hema Malini’s Biography ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’ launched
Actress Deepika Padukone launched Hema Malini’s biography ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’ on the occasion of Hema’s 69th birthday. The biography has been penned by journalist turned writer Ram Kamal Mukherjee and also contains a short foreword written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Poet Punyaslok Dasgupta passes away
Poet Punyaslok Dasgupta, died of kidney ailment at a hospital in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. He was 66 years old. Dasgupta did not follow any particular poetry style. Some of his important works are ‘Kuashar Bagan’ and ‘Chander Sangeet’. He was widely known for his hospitality. Poets and eminent persons used to often visit his house at Dhupguri area, in West Bengal.
Mohun Bagan lifts Governor’s Gold Cup
Football club Mohun Bagan has won the 37th All India Governor’s Gold Cup football tournament. Mohun Bagan defeated Partha Chakra by a narrow 1-0 margin to win the 37th All India Governor’s Gold Cup. With this victory, Mohun Bagan won the Governor’s Golden Cup for the 10th time. The final match was played at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, Sikkim.
Pakistan, 14 other nations elected to UN rights body
Fifteen countries, including Pakistan, have been elected to the UN Human Rights Council by the UN General Assembly. In a vote, Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine were elected. They will serve a three-year term from January 1, 2018.