Daily Current Affairs Updates: 15 August 2015

Friends..Here are the Important Current Affairs Updates for 15 August 2015. Also Check Current Affairs Quiz 2015 to sharpen your preparation.

1) Nation celebrated its 69th Independence Day:

--> India has celebrated its 69th Independence Day on 15 August 2015.

--> Independence Day has great significance because it reminds the people of the unity and diversity of India.

--> It is the day when India became free from the British Rule after 200 years of slavery.

--> PM Narendra Modi addressed the nation from Delhi's iconic Red Fort. 

2) Saina Nehwal entered Final of World Badminton Championship at Jakarta:

--> Saina Nehwal has became the first Indian to reach the finals of the World Badminton Championships at Jakarta with 21-17 21-17 win over Indonesia's Lindaweni Fanetri in the semifinals of the women's singles on 15 August 2015.

--> World No. 2 Saina will now take on defending champion and World No. 1 Carolina Marin of Spain in the summit clash on 16 August 2015.

3) Sri Lanka beat India by 63 runs in first test:

--> In an extraordinary twist to the game, India on 15 August 2015 capitulated to an embarrassing 63-run defeat in the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka, who scripted one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent Test history.

--> Set a tricky victory target of 176, the listless Indians surrendered tamely to be skittled out for their lowest score of 112 in just 49.5 over to give the islanders a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

--> Left arm spinner Rangana Herath scalped 7/48 and Tharindu Kaushal took 3/47 as the lankans bamboozled the Indians to bundle them out in just 41.5 overs.

4) PM meets Iran foreign minister Javad Zarif:

--> In a first ministerial trip to India, after Iran struck a nuclear deal, its Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif is now in New Delhi and he called on PM Narendra Modi on 14 August 2015.

5) Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new campaign ‘Start-up India; Stand up India’:

--> On the eve of celebration of 69th Independence Day at Red Fort Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new campaign ‘Start-up India; Stand up India’ an initiative to promote bank finance for Start-ups (an entrepreneurial venture).

--> The campaign was announced with an aim to boost entrepreneurship among the youth and to create employment in India.

--> As per the initiative PM urged 1.25 lakh bank branches to provide finance to at least one Dalit or Adivasi and at least one woman entrepreneur.

6) Anoop, Naval and three others recommended for Dronacharya Award:

--> Wrestling coach Anoop Singh and Paralympics coach Naval singh were among the five names recommended for this year's Dronacharya Award by a selection panel on 14 AUgust 2015.

--> Anoop and Naval were recommended on the basis of current performance (2011-2014), while Nihar Amin (swimming), S R Singh (boxing), Harbans Singh (athletics) were considered in the 'Lifetime Achievement Category' in which achievements over a period of 20 years is taken into account.

7) Axis Bank launched the First Multi-Currency Contactless Card service in India:

--> India’s third largest private sector lender, Axis Bank has launched the first Contactless Debit, Credit and Multi-Currency Forex Card in association with VISA payWave in the country.

--> Axis Bank will offer a contactless debit/credit cards to its 1.7 million premium customers which also enables withdrawal of 15 currencies via Multi-Currency Forex facility.

8) PAHAL scheme entered into Guinness Book of world records:

--> Union Government’s ambitious Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh (PAHAL) scheme has been acknowledged as the world’s largest cash transfer program (households) by the Guinness Book of World Records.

9) Founder of Hero Cycle Om Prakash Munjal passed away:

--> The founder of Hero Cycle and a leading industrialist Om Prakash Munjal breathed his last in the DMC Hero Heart Centre, Ludhiana on 13 August.

--> The complete manufacturing of bicycle was started in 1956 under brand name Hero.

--> This unit became the first bicycle manufacturing unit in India which produced 639 bicycles in that first year.

10) Veerappa Moily conferred with Saraswati Sammaan 2014:

--> President Pranab Mukherjee has conferred prestigious literary award Saraswati Sammaan for the year 2014 to Dr. Marpadi Veerappa Moily in New Delhi.

--> He was bestowed with this award for his Kannada poem ‘Ramayana Mahanveshanam’ which was first published in 2007.
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