• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has earned 279 million dollars in foreign exchange by launching satellites for global clients.
• ISRO in association with its commercial arms has successfully launched 345 foreign satellites from 34 countries on-board Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
• The PSLV mission (latest) was on June 30 when ISRO has launched three Singaporean satellites into orbit.

• International Tiger Day is observed every year on July 29 to raise awareness about the importance of the conservation of tigers.
• As per World Wildlife Fund, approximately 95% of the population of tigers has declined in the last 150 years.
• Theme 2022: “India launches Project Tiger to revive the tiger population”
• 2,967 tigers have been recorded in India, as per the fourth round of the national assessment of tiger numbers done in 2018.

• United Kingdom PM, Boris Johnson has presented Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award to Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his efforts at the time of crises.
• He accepted the award by video link during a ceremony held at London office of Johnson.
• Churchill leadership award: It was first presented in 2006.
• Past recipients: Prince Charles, former British PM Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given the membership status to three countries, Cambodia and Uzbekistan (Asia), and Cote D'Ivoire (Africa), during the ICC Annual Conference in Birmingham.
• With this addition, the total number of ICC members take to 108 countries which includes 96 Associates.
• The total count of Asian countries reached to 25 while Cote D'Ivoire is the 21st country from Africa.

• PM Modi has inaugurated the FIDE 44th Chess Olympiad in Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• The ceremony was attended by Tamil Nadu CM, MK Stalin, five-time chess champion Viswanathan Anand and several others.
• The competition is being hosted in India for the first time and in Asia after 30 years.
• A total of 343 teams from 187 countries are participating in the event.
• Chess Olympiad mascot: ‘Thambi’ (Chess Knight)
• Anthem: Vanakkam Chennai

• Singapore (27.01%) and USA (17.94%) have emerged as top sourcing countries in FDI equity flows into India in FY2021-22.
• Mauritius (15.98%) has been ranked third followed by Netherland (7.86%) and Switzerland (7.31%).
• Top 5 sectors: Computer Software & Hardware (24.60%), Services Sector, Automobile Industry, Trading and Construction (Infrastructure) Activities.
• Top 5 States: Karnataka (37.55%), Maharashtra (26.26%), Delhi (13.93%), Tamil Nadu, and Haryana

• The Union Minister for Agriculture, Narendra Singh Tomar has launched the 11th Agricultural Census (2021-22) with an aim to provide information on a variety of agricultural parameters at a relatively minute level.
• Agriculture Census is conducted every 5 years, but it was delayed due to corona pandemic.
• He has released the Handbook on Operational Guidelines for Census for the use of States/UTs, and launched the Data Collection Portal/App.

• iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) has signed its 100th contract with Pacify Medical Technologies Pvt Ltd in New Delhi.
• It was launched in 2018 by the PM Narendra Modi, and promoted as the flagship for technological innovation of the Ministry of Defence.
• Purpose of iDEX: To encourage start-ups and provide them a platform for co-creation and co-development in defence and aerospace technology.
• It is funded and managed by the “Defence Innovation Organization.

• The Cochin Shipyard has handed over the first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant to the Navy.
• It was designed by the Navy’s in-house Directorate of Naval Design.
• It was named after INS Vikrant which played a vital role in the 1971 war (Decommissioned in 1997).

Features:

• The aircarft carrier is 262-meter-long and has a full displacement of close to 45,000 tonnes.
• It is powered by four Gas Turbines totalling 88 MW power.
• It has a maximum speed of 28 Knots.

• Writer of 'Namghoria', Atulananda Goswami (Sahitya Akademi winner), known for his novels and short stories has been passed away at 87.
• He had also received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2006 for his short story collection 'Seneh Jarir Ganthi'.
• Awards: Ambikagiri Roy Choudhury Sahitya Award, the Kumar Kishor Memorial Award, the Katha Award and the Sneha Bharati Sahitya Samman, among other honours.
• He also translated many English, Bengali and Odia texts into Assamese.

Download Daily GK PDF of 29 July 2022