General Awareness for MBA: 25th to 31st March

General awareness for MBA aspirants is a very important aspect. As a potential candidate who aims to pursue MBA, it is crucial that your GA quotient must be high. This section is aimed at enhancing your knowledge about the important news and happenings that took place in the world in this week (25th to 31st March). It will help you in your preparation for the competitive exams in which you wish to excel.

Economy:

1. On 23 March 2016, the Union Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval for a MoU between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to mobilise long term investment into the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).

The MoU was signed on 11 February 2016 in order to maximize the economic impact primarily through infrastructure development in commercially viable projects in India.

2. On 28 March 2016, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a MoU to develop solar parks across India through the funding of 848 million US dollars.  

The agreement was signed by Jonathan Addleton, Mission Director, USAID/India and M. Teresa Kho, Country Director, India Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank.

3. Paytm, mobile payment and e-commerce platform has appointed Bhushan Patil (ex-head of Alibaba Group Holding's wholesale business,) as the company's new president. Patil's would be responsible for building the company's cross border commerce. 

Bhushan Patil

Image Source: business-standard.com

National

1. President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Padma awards which are one of the highest Civilian Awards in the country, to the eminent personalities belonging to various fields. Padma awards are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

Padma Awards

A list of 10 winners from each category has been presented for your information.

                                         Padma Vibhushan

                                        Padma Bhushan

                                       Padma Shri 

2. The government of India (GOI) would soon launch a ‘Stand-up India’ scheme to provide loans of up to Rs. 1 crore to help members of these communities become big entrepreneurs.

As per the ‘Stand Up India’ scheme, every bank branch will provide loans of up to Rs 1 crore to one SC/ST and one woman, to enable them to set up big industries and turn into big entrepreneurs

3. On 27 March 2016, President Rule was imposed in Uttarakhand following the approval of the recommendation of the Union Cabinet by the President Pranab Mukherjee. Constitutional breakdown was the primary cause of imposing the president rule in the state. President of India signed the proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution dismissing the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat and placed the Assembly under suspended animation.

4. On 24 March 2016, Surya Deva (Indian-origin law professor) has been appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as an Adviser on human rights and multinationals and businesses. His appointment was approved in Geneva by the UNHRC. Deva will be serving four-member Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

Surya Deva

Image Source: ndtv.com

International

1. On 28th March 2016, the U.S.A returned an ancient decapitated statue of Hindu god Rama which was stolen from Cambodia during the South East Asian country’s civil war in the 70s. The "Torso of Rama", which is a 10th century sandstone statue was acquired by the Denver Art Museum 30 years ago from the Doris Weiner Gallery in New York City. Officials from the museum and the Cambodian government marked the handover of the 62—inch—tall statue in a ceremony in Phnom Penh.

Torso of Rama Statue

Image Source: Yahoo News

 2. Mother Mary Angelica, a Roman Catholic nun had died. She was 92 years of age. She was popularly known as “Mother Angelica,” and she found the Eternal Word Television Network. She died Easter Sunday at the rural monastery where she lived about 45 miles north of Birmingham. Mother Mary

Angelica had experienced deteriorating health since she was suffered a severe cerebral haemorrhage on Christmas Eve 2001. She could never regain speaking ability completely.

Mother Mary Angelica

Image Source: usatoday.com

3. On 27 March 2016, the International Theatre Institute (ITI) Centres and the international theatre community across the world celebrated the World Theatre Day (WTD).The Russian Dramatist Anatoly Vasiliev was the World Theatre Day International Message Author 2016. Vasiliev is a noted Russian theatre director and one of the leading European contemporary stage directors. World Theatre Day was initiated in 1961 by the ITI.

Anatoly Vasiliev

Image Source: artacartoucherie.com

4. On 24 March 2016, World Tuberculosis Day (WTD) 2016 was observed worldwide with the theme “Unite to End TB”. The theme was selected against the backdrop of the adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. This day day aims to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease

Sports

1. On 28 March 2016 Sergey Karjakin (Russian grandmaster) won the FIDE World Chess Candidates Tournament which was held in Moscow. In the final Round 14, the Russian grandmaster defeated American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.

Karjakin will now play with the incumbent world champion against Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, in a match for the world chess crown in the United States in November 2016.

       Fabiano Caruana                                  Sergey Karjakin

2. On 23 March 2016, 9th International Abilympics started at Bordeaux in France. Abilympics is coined from Olympics of abilities of persons with disabilities. This event is held after the duration of every 4 years. The event aims to promote social awareness in the field of skills development and employment at both national and international level to foster friendship among the competing nations.

3. Former National 6Reds runner-up Rahul Sachdev has won his maiden title by winning the 1st All India Open Invitational Snooker Championship. In the final, Rahul defeated current national 6Reds no.4 Pushpender Singh of Railways 5-3. Winning the All India level Invitation tournament is a major breakthrough for him and certainly will boost his confidence in the years to come.

Rahul Sachdeva

Image Source: statetimes.in