1. International Democracy Day being observed today
The International Day of Democracy is being observed across the world on 15th September every year to raise awareness about the democratic system.
The theme of 2018 is ‘Democracy under Strain: Solutions for a Changing World’.
This year’s International Day of Democracy is an opportunity to look for ways to invigorate democracy and seek answers to the systemic challenges it faces.
Note: In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolved to observe 15th September as the International Day of Democracy with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principles of democracy.
2. 15th September: Engineer’s Day
Engineers’ Day is celebrated on 15th September every year in India commemorating the birthday of one of the greatest engineers in India, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya.
Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was an Indian engineer, scholar, statesman and the Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918.
He is a recipient of the Indian’s highest honour, the Bharat Ratna (1955).
Obituaries
3. Agri-Economist Vijay Shankar Vyas passes away
Renowned agricultural economist Professor Vijay Shankar Vyas (87-years) passed away after a brief illness.
He was the director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Jaipur.
Vyas was a senior adviser in the World Bank’s agriculture and rural development department.
He was also a member of the PM’s Economic Adviser Committee during the previous Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments.
Banking & Finance
4. Federal Bank inks MoU with Infopark Kakkanad
Federal Bank has executed MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Infopark Kakkanad for leasing space in their campus.
The Bank has already obtained in principle approval of the Reserve Bank of India for the creation of a subsidiary company.
The proposed company will integrate and handle all the back-end operations of the Bank.
This move towards having a distinct and exclusive outfit for back-end activities is a stride is in line with the practice of progressive financial institutions.
National Affairs
5. Samsung opens world's largest mobile experience centre in Bengaluru
Samsung has now opened its biggest experience centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Earlier, the world's largest mobile phone-manufacturing factory has been launched in Noida in July 2018,
Opera House (33,000 sq ft iconic building) has been given a facelift to showcase Samsung's mobile devices and other consumer electronic products.
A customer will be able to enjoy VR experiences such as the 4D sway chair or the Whiplash Pulsar 4D chair that makes 360 degrees three-dimensional movements.
6. India, Iran and Afghanistan hold a Tripartite meeting to consolidate cooperation
India, Iran and Afghanistan held their first tripartite meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The Indian delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale while the Iranian team was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Afghan deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai chaired the meeting.
The objective of the meeting is the implementation of the Chabahar port project and a host of other issues including ways to deepen counter-terror cooperation were discussed.
7. Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi's Mira Award to Sawai Singh Shekhawat
Poet and writer Sawai Singh Shekhawat will be honoured with Meera Puruskar by Rajasthan Sahitya Academy for his contribution to Hindi literature.
Shekhawat was selected for the Meera award to his poetic works, 'Nij Kavi Dhatu BAchai Maine.
8. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the mega countrywide Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign (fortnight campaign) through video conferencing and interact with a cross-section of people from 18 locations across the country.
The objective of the campaign is to mobilise people and reinforce the public movement for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a Clean India.
The campaign will accelerate the momentum of Swachh Bharat in the run-up to its 4th anniversary on 2nd of October.
Swachhata Gram Sabha's and Sharamdaan will be held in all two lakhs fifty thousand gram panchayats and each gram panchayat will organise at least one Swachhata Nukkad Natak.
The Swachhata Hi Sewa Campaign will Culminate with Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention to be Held in New Delhi from 29th September to 2nd of October.
Over 10 lakh registered doctors will hold the local swacchhta clinic and nine lakh Asha workers will hold cleanness drive at primary health centres.
