Current Affairs Today September 17 2017

We are here for you to provide the important current affairs of September 17 2017 which have unique updates of all daily events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, India Today, Indian Express, Business Standard, all Government official websites. Our complete current affairs helps you to get more marks in Banking, insurance, UPSC, SSC, CLAT, Railway and all other competitive Exams.

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Indian Affairs

Japan PM Shinzo Abe visit to India 2017
On September 13,2017, Prime minister of japan Shinzo Abe came to India on a two day visit to attend the 12^th Indo-Japan annual submit meeting held at Ahmedabad. Various agreements and MoU’s were signed that would strengthen India-japan bilateral ties
Immediately after the welcome ceremony, Abe, his wife, and PM Modi set-off on an 8-km roadshow in an open-roof jeep for the famous  Sabarmati Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi spent a considerable time of his life.
I) PM Modi and Japanese PM Abe lay foundation stone for India’s first High Speed Rail project
On September 14,2017 Prime Minister Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe jointly laid the foundation stone for India’s first high speed bullet train  project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

II) 12^TH Indo-Japan submit.
During this 12^th Indo -japan submit 15 key agreements and MoU’s were signed between India and Japan. Two countries vowed to increase mutual cooperation in the areas of manufacturing, civil aviation, science & technology, connectivity and skill development.

III) India, Japan sign $76 mn loan deal
On 15^th September India  signed a loan deal worth $76 million with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for a project to upgrade the environment management plan at Alang-Sosiya ship recycling yards in Gujarat.

IV) India-Japan open sky agreement.
On September 14,2017 India and Japan signed Open sky agreement that will allow their airlines to operate unlimited number of flights between the two countries without any restrictions.

V) India, Japan ink MoU set up India-Japan Act East Forum.
On September 14,2017 ,India and Japan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up India Japan Act East Forum. It is one of the 15 agreements signed during Shinzo Abe’s visit to India ….…..Click here to view more details

PM Modi dedicates Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam to the Nation
On his 67th birthday on September 17,2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Sardar Sarovar dam built on the Narmada river to the nation at Kevadia in the Narmada district, Gujarat. The project was accomplished by Gujarat government’s Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNL).
Significance of the project :-
i. This project is called as “Gujarat s lifeline”.
ii. This project is a boon to the country’s worst dry areas like Saurashtra, Kutch and North Gujarat and even few districts of Rajasthan.
iii. Four Indian states, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan will receive water and electricity supplied from the dam. About 57% of electricity produced from dam goes to Maharashtra, while Madhya Pradesh gets 27% and Gujarat gets 16%.
iv. The height of the dam was recently raised to 138.68 metres, which will allow maximum ‘usable storage’ of 4.73 million acre feet of water and will greatly benefit the participating States…..…..Click here to view more details

Government signs $76 Million loan deal with JICA to Upgrade Alang-Sosiya Shipyards
On 15th September 2017, The Government of India signed a loan deal for $76 million with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for a project regarding upgradation of environment management plan at Alang-Sosiya ship recycling yards, in Gujarat.
Deal with JICA:
i. The total cost of the project would be $ 111 million. Out of which $76 million would be provided as loan from JICA. $25 million of taxes and fees would be borne by Government of Gujarat. $10 million would be shared by Ministry of Shipping & Government of Gujarat.
ii. Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) would implement the project.
iii. The project would be completed by 2022.
iv. This project would enable the Alang-Sosia ship-recycling yards to level with international safety & environmental regulations. This would increase its business. India’s share in the global ship-recycling industry would increase in-turn.
v. This project would improve safety of the marine and coastal environment. By using advanced decontamination technology fire accidents in oil and chemical tankers would be prevented. This would provide a safe work environment for the workers.
vi. This project would create direct employment for 50,000 to 92,000 people and in-direct employment for 1.5 lakh to 3 lakh people.
About JICA:
i. Full form – Japan International Cooperation Agency
ii. Headquarters – Tokyo, Japan
iii. President – Mr.Shinichi Kitaoka

India’s First Lithium-Ion Battery Unit in Gujarat
To set up India’s first lithium-ion battery facility in Gujarat. Suzuki Motor has invested more than Rs 1,150 crore along with Japanese partners Toshiba and Denso.
Key Points:
i.Maruti Suzuki is a major boost to the government’s ambitious vehicle electrification and Make in India initiatives.
ii.It will hold half the stake and meanwhile, Toshiba will own 40% and Denso the remaining 10%.
iii.The proposed plant to be located in the supplier’s park at Suzuki’s Hansalpur plant in Gujarat is expected to be operational from 2020.
About Suzuki Motors:
Chairman: Osamu Suzuki
HQ: Hamamatsu Shizuoka Japan
Founded: 1909

International Affairs

India & US armies begin ‘Yudh Abhyas 2017’ military exercise in Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington
On 14th September 2017, The Indian and U.S. armies started the 13th edition of their ‘Yudh Abhyas’ series of joint military exercises.
Yudh Abhyas 2017:
i. The exercise began on 14th September 2017, at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington, United States.
ii. The exercise will be continued till 27th September 2017.
iii. The exercise will focus on the counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency actions and strategic consultations between senior armed forces officers on both sides.
iv. Yudh Abhyas 2016 was held in India, in the Chaubatia foothills in Uttarakhand.
v. Last year’s exercise involved simulation of troop drops into hostile territory. It used a lot of Indian Army helicopters.
vi. The first version of Yudh Abhyas was carried out in 2004.
About United States:
i. Capital – Washington DC
ii. Currency – United States dollar
iii. President – Mr.Donald Trump

Business

HDFC Bank retains its No. 1 position in BrandZ India Top 50 for the fourth time
HDFC Bank has retained its No.1 position in the BrandZ India Top 50 report of the year 2017.
Key Points:
i.According to the reports, the bank is stated to have doubled its brand value from $9.4 billion to $18 billion since 2014.
ii.The report stated that Airtel, State Bank of India, Asian Paints, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp and Axis Bank comprise the rest of the top 10 brands report.
iii.The 2017 Best Countries Report states that India stands out for its history, cultural influence, distinction and reputation for entrepreneurship.
iv.The valuation behind the BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands was conducted by Kantar Millward Brown which specialized in brand equity research and brand valuation.
v.Since 2007 the ranking has been combined analyzed financial data from Bloomberg and Kantar World panel with the opinions of over a 100,000 Indian consumers.
vi.The eligibility criteria for each brand in the categories met the following:
(a)They are consumer facing, the brand is owned by an enterprise listed on a stock exchange in India.
(b) Bank brands derived at least 25% of the revenue from retail businesses.
vii.Apart from India, BrandZ suite of country rankings and reports also include China, Indonesia, Latin America, Brazil and Saudi Arabia. It is growing to cover Spain, the UK, France, Germany, the US and Italy.
About HDFC
HQ: Mumbai Maharashtra
Founded: Aug 1994
MD: Aditya Puri

National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute Signs MoU with Bonn to promote coloured wheat
An autonomous body of Ministry of Science and Technology, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute has signed MoU with Ludhiana based Bonn Food Industries on 14^th of Sept. 2017.
Key Points:
i.The MoU has been signed to promote coloured wheat with antioxidant qualities beneficial for control of diabetes, cholesterol and obesity.
ii.The yield of coloured wheat compared to normal varieties would rise to 17 quintals per acre against normal 20 quintals per acre.
iii.In the normal winter season, the crop was sown in the farms of NABI, Mohali, while in the summer season crop was sown at Kelong, LahualSpiti and Himachal Pradesh.
iv.It will be making healthy products from the colored wheat and other things are on with other baking and milling companies.
v.It has been developed by routine way of plant breeding by crossing high yielding Indian cultivars PBW550, PBW621, HD2967 with colored wheat procured from Japan and America.
vi.This material has been registered with National Bureau of Plant genetic resources (NBPGR) and plant variety protection and farmers rights authority (PVPFRA).

Airtel launches ‘Office-in-a-Box’ connectivity solutions for Karnataka start-ups
Airtel has launched ‘Office-In-a-Box’ for start-ups which is registered under the Karnataka government’s Start-Up Cell initiative.
Key Points:
i.Airtel has been included in top priority as the preferred partner for the state government’s initiative.
ii.Airtel’s Office-In-a-Box offers a range of services to support the business requirements of start-ups.
iii.It is also available on a scale-as-you-grow model with easy payment options.
iv.The services include various facilities like voice and data solutions; audio and web collaboration; cloud services; payments bank services; go-to-market support across SMS, MMS, e-mail, voice, IVR and USSD; GPS and RFID-based tracking of assets.
About Airtel
Founder: Sunil Bharti Mittal
Founded: 7^th July 1995
HQ: New Delhi

Appointments & Resigns

Advertising Club appoints Vikram Sakhuja as President
On 14th September 2017, the Advertising Club elected Mr.Vikram Sakhuja, Group Chief Executive Officer – Media and OOH, Madison Communications as its President.
Vikram Sakhuja’s appointment:
i. Mr.Vikram Sakhuja would replace Mr.Raj Nayak, CEO, Colors, as the President of Adevertising Club.
ii. Mr.Raj Nayak was the President of Advertising Club for two Consecutive terms.
iii. Mr.Vikram Sakhuja said that his aim is to develop the existing leadership forums into large and global platforms.
iv. He also said that the Advertising Club would continue to serve as a networking platform and a great ideas exchange forum for advertising and media industry practitioners.
About Advertising Club:
i. Organization that has various Advertising, Marketing, Media, Research and Communication Leaders as members
ii. Location – Mumbai

Abanti Sankaranarayanan elected as chairperson of ASCI
On 14th September 2017, Ms.Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Chief Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer, Diageo India, has been elected as the chairperson of the board of The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
Appointment as Chairman of ASCI:
i. Ms.Abanti Sankaranarayanan was unanimously elected as the chairperson of the board of The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
ii. She was a member of the ASCI board of governors for 4 years.
iii. She is also the Chief Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer at Diageo India. She is also a member of its executive committee.
iv. Mr.D.Shivakumar, Chairman& CEO of PepsiCo India Holdings was elected as the Vice-Chairman. Mr.Shashidhar Sinha, CEO of Media Brands was re-appointed as the honorary treasurer.
About ASCI:
i. Full form – The Advertising Standards Council of India
ii. Headquarters – Mumabi
iii. Chairperson – Ms.Abanti Sankaranarayanan

Iceland PM resigns after coalition collapses
On 16^th September 2017, Iceland Prime Minister Mr.Bjarni Benediktsson resigned from his position, in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Prime Minsiter’s resignation:

1. The Prime Minister resigned from his position after one party from its alliance quit and the other asked for a new election.
2. The Prime Minister’s father had written a letter requesting pardon for a child molester Hjalti Sigurjon Hauksson, who was convicted in 2004 of raping his stepdaughter almost every day for 12 years.
3. When this came to revelation, the Bright Future party (one of the alliance parties) quit from the alliance and government positions.
4. The Reform Party (one of the alliance parties) has asked for a new election.
5. The alliance collapsed and the ruling government lost majority.
6. The Iceland Prime Minister was also earlier accused in the panama papers issue.

About Iceland:

1. Capital – Reykjavik
2. Currency – Icelandic krona
3. Official language – Icelandic
4. President – Mr.Gudni Th. Johannesson

Sekhar Basu Gets 1 Year Extension as Atomic Energy Secretary
On 16^th September 2017, scientist Dr.Sekhar Basu was given one-year extension as Atomic Energy Secretary, till 19^thSeptember 2018.
Sekhar Basu’s extension:

1. Dr.Sekhar Basu’s has been given extension for the second time.
2. He was appointed as the Atomic Energy Secretary in October 2015. His period was to end in September 2016.
3. In August 2016, he was given a one-year extension.
4. Dr.Basu is a renowned scientist. He has been honoured with Padma Shri award.
5. He was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and chief executive of the Nuclear Recycle Board (NRB).
6. Dr.Basu, played an important role in setting up reprocessing and waste management facilities at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam.

About Department of Atomic Energy:

1. Headquarters – Mumbai
2. Secretary – Dr.Sekhar Basu
3. Minister of State – Dr.Jitendra Singh

Awards & Recognition

Salman Khan honoured with Global Diversity Award in London
On 15th September 2017, Salman Khan was awarded Global Diversity Award at Britain’s House of Commons, in London.
Global Diversity Award:
i. The award was given to Salman Khan by Keith Vaz, the longest serving Indian-origin MP in British Parliament.
ii. The award was given for his contribution to the Indian film industry as an actor, producer, television personality, singer and philanthropist.
iii. Keith Vaz said that Salman Khan is a role model and a hero to millions of people worldwide.
iv. Other recipients who received this award previously are Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Shah Rukh Khan, Chinese actor Jackie Chan, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, American Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton.
About Salman Khan:
i. Nationality – Indian
ii. Occupation – Actor, Producer, Presenter

The Hindu wins the Best News Website award at WAN-IFRA awards
On 13th September 2017, The Hindu Group was awarded two gold and one silver at the South Asian Digital Media Awards at the WAN-IFRA (World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers) India 2017 conference, in Chennai.
Hindu wins awards at WAN-IFRA:
i. In the South Asian Digital Media Awards 2017 awards were given under 9 categories:
· best news website
· best digital advertising campaign
· best use of online video
· best data visualization
· best news mobile service
· best lifestyle, sports or entertainment mobile services
· best innovation new product
· best in social media engagement
· best innovation to engage youth audiences
ii. Best news website: www.thehindu.com won the Gold award.
iii. Following The Hindu, silver and bronze were won by www.thequint.com and www.ndtv.com respectively.
iv. Best innovation to engage youth audiences: Youngworldclub.com won the gold award (belongs to The Hindu group).
v. Best lifestyle, sports or entertainment mobile services: Sportstarlive.com won the silver award (belongs to The Hindu group).
vi. These awards were presented by WAN-IFRA and Google.
vii. It honours publishers who implement digital media and mobile strategies in their publishing.
About The Hindu:
i. Type – Daily newspaper
ii. Headquarters – Chennai
iii. Owners – The Hindu Group & Kasturi and Sons Limited

Sports

PV Sindhu beats Japan’s Okuhara to clinch Korea Open title
On 17th September 2017, Indian badminton player PV Sindhu won the women’s singles title at the Korean Open Super Series 2017 by defeating Japanese player Nozomi Okuhara, in Seoul, South Korea.
PV Sindhu’s victory:
i. PV Sindhu defeated Nozomi Okuhara by 22-20, 11-21, 20-18 in the women’s singles finals of Korean Open Super Series.
ii. She had earlier lost to Okuhara in the BWF World Championship finals at Glasgow in August 2017.
iii. Sindhu has become the first Indian to win the Korea Open Super Series title.
iv. This is her third International success after winning silver medal in the Summer Olympics 2016 and silver medal at 2017 BWF World Championships.
v. She is also the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal.
About PV Sindhu:
i. Nationality – Indian
ii. Sport – Badminton
iii. Honours – Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Padma Shri Award

Sri Lanka Cricket bans Chamara Silva for 2 years on fixing charges
Former Sri Lanka batsman Chamara Silva has banned for two-year from cricket-related activities and for breaching the spirit of the game during a Tier-B first class match.
Key Points:
i.Silva, who had led Panadura, has been banned for two years from playing, coaching and administrating. He played in 11 Tests and 75 ODIs between 1999 and 2011.
ii.Sri Lanka Cricket’s announcement came after a seven-month inquiry into events of the third day of the Panadura Cricket Club v Kalutara Physical Culture Club match played from January 23 to 25.
iii.Captain of Kalutara club, Manoj Deshapriya was also banned for 2 years for match fixing.
iv.The rest of the players from the two teams and their coaches have been banned for a year and both clubs will also have to pay a fine of rupees 500,000 each.
About Srilanka
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
President: Maithripala Sirisena
Currency: Srilankan Rupee

Virat Kohli remains on top, Bumrah climbs up to second in ICC T20 rankings
In the latest ICC T20 rankings of batsmen Indian captain Virat Kohli has remained on top spot with 826 points.
Key Points:
i.The list is released on 17^th of Sept. 2017.
ii.In the bowlers’ list, Imad Wasim of Pakistan leads the table with 742 points and India’s Ravichandran Ashwin is at the 10th placed with 626 points.
iii.The Indian skipper leads Australia’s Aaron Finch by 39 points, who is in second place.
iv.In the bowlers’ table Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah moved up to second place with 737 points as he overtook South Africa’s Imran Tahir.
v.Pakistan batsman Babar Azam achieved a career-best sixth position after climbing 21 spots and Evin Lewis of West Indies grabbed a career-best third position.
vi.In the team rankings, India remained on fifth as West Indies overtook England to be third on the list after England with 120 points.
vii.England have lost four points to slip from second to fourth with 119 points while New Zealand still leads the table with 125 points.

Pakistan beat World XI, clinch historic T20 series
Pakistan beat World XI to clinch the final Twenty20 match and the series at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on 15^thof Sept. 2017.
Key Points:
i.Pakistan claimed the series by 2-1.
ii.Pakistan’s victory, though, was set up by Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam.

Obituary

Marshal of the IAF and 1965 war hero Arjan Singh dies at 98
On 16th September 2017, Marshal Arjan Singh, who led the Indian Air Force during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, died.
Arshan Singh’s death:
i. Arjan Singh suffered a cardiac arrest and was admitted at the Army’s R&R hospital.
ii. 98 year old Arjan Singh died at 7:47pm on 16th September 2017.
iii. Arjan Singh was the IAF chief from 1964-1969.
iv. The former IAF chief had an important role in India’s victory in the 1965 war against Pakistan.
v. He was the first IAF Chief to be elevated to the rank of Air Chief Marshal on January 16, 1966.
vi. The Indian Government promoted him to the rank of “Marshal of the Indian Air Force” on January 28, 2002 in recognition of his life-long services.
vii. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his contribution to the 1965 war.
viii. He retired in July 1969.
ix. After retirement, he was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Switzerland in 1971. He also served as the Ambassador to the Vatican.
x. He also served as High Commissioner to Kenya in 1974.
xi. He was also a member of the National Commission for Minorities and was also the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
xii. A fighter aircraft base at Panagarh in West Bengal was named after him on his birthday on 2016.
xiii. In his career, Arjan Singh had flown more than 60 types of aircrafts.
About IAF:
i. Full form – Indian Air Force
ii. Headquarters – New Delhi
iii. Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) – Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa

BJP MP Mr.Mahant Chandnath dies of cancer at 61
On 17th September 2017, BJP MP, Mr.Mahant Chandnath, from Alwar, passed away at a hospital in Delhi.
MP Mahant Chandnath’s demise:
i. Mr.Mahanth Chandnath won the Alwar seat in Rajasthan in 2014 parliamentary elections by defeating Congress candidate and former Union Minister Mr.Jitendra Singh.
ii. He was suffering from cancer.
iii. In the beginning of 2017 Mr.Chandnath was sentenced to one year imprisonment after being found guilty in a land fraud case.
About Mahant Chandnath:
i. Born – Delhi
ii. Political Party – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
iii. Occupation – Religious missionary