Top 5 Current Affairs: 27 November 2017

Soumya Swaminathan to take charge as Deputy Director-General of WHO

Soumya Swaminathan, Chief of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will take charge as the Deputy Director-General for Programmes (DDP) of World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva in December 2017. The announcement was made on 26 November 2017.

Her appointment as the Deputy Director-General of WHO elevates India's stature globally as it is the second-highest position in the WHO.

Swaminathan, a pediatrician by training, is daughter of agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan, who is hailed as the father of the 'Green Revolution'.


ISRO to launch Aditya L-1 Mission to study the Sun in 2019

The India Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its first solar mission Aditya-L1 in 2019. It will be ISRO's and India's first dedicated mission to study the Sun.

The mission aims to put 1500-kg heavy class Aditya-L1 satellite into halo orbit around Lagrangian point L1, a point between Sun and Earth. This point is at a distance of about 1.5 million km from earth.

The mission will provide observations of Sun's Photosphere (soft and hard X-ray), Chromosphere (UV) and corona (Visible and NIR).  The particle payloads will study particle flux emanating from the Sun and reaching the L1 orbit and magnetometer payload will measure the variation in magnetic field strength at the halo orbit.   


SBI launches integrated digital platform YONO

State Bank of India (SBI) on 24 November 2017 launched country’s first integrated lifestyle and banking digital service application named YONO or ‘You Only Need One’.

YONO app will be the first digital banking platform that will allow customers to meet their lifestyle needs including booking and renting cabs, entertainment, dining experience, travel and stay, etc.

Ruskin Bond conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award

Renowned author and Padma Bhushan Awardee Ruskin Bond was on 25 November 2017 presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Chandigarh Literary Society during the 5th edition of Chandigarh Literature Festival.

He was conferred with the award comprising a citation and Rs 2 lakh for his outstanding contribution in the field of literature.


Defence of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Exercise 2017 held

The Defence of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Exercise 2017 (DANX-17) was conducted under the aegis of Andaman & Nicobar Command from 20 November 2017 to 24 November 2017.

For carrying out the exercise, the joint planning and integrated approach was adopted, aimed at synergistic application of forces.