Result of Kerala Circle PA/SA (Postal Assistants / Sorting Assistants - 2014) Out

Friends.. Kerala Postal Circle has today (20 October 2014) published the final results of recruitment of Postal Assistants / Sorting Assistants - 2014. List of 413 selected candidates has been published. The following details are available in the result: Roll Number, Name, Category, Date of Birth, Allotment Number and Total Mark. You can check the result from the following links. Congratulations to all the selected candidates!!!

Check result from official website: Click Here

Alternate link for result: Click Here

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New India Assurance 1536 Assistant Recruitment 2014

The New India Assurance Company Limited has issued a notification for the recruitment of 1536 Assistant vacancies in Class III cadre from open market at various states/ Union Territories. Eligible candidates may apply online from 18-10-2014 to 10-11-2014. The details are as follows:

Important Dates:

Starting Date to Apply Online: 18-10-2014

Last Date to Apply Online 10-11-2014

Payment of Fee from: 18-10-2014 to 10-11-2014

Online Examination (Some/All/Additional dates as the need arises): 17-01-2015, 18-01-2015, 24-01-2015 (Tentative Dates)

Download of Call Letters for Examination: 10 Days prior to the date of examination (Tentative)

Total No.of Posts: 1536

Name of the Post: Assistant Class-III

Name of the Category:

1. SC: 175 Posts

2. ST: 74 Posts

3. OBC: 457 Posts

4. General: 830 Posts

Educational Qualification: Graduate from a recognized University OR Pass in HSC/Equivalent (XII pass) examination with 60% marks (50% for Ex-servicemen, SC/ST and Persons with Disabilities); and the candidate should have passed in English as one of the subjects at SSC/ HSC/ Intermediate/ Graduation level; and Knowledge of Regional Language i.e. Language of the State of Recruitment is essential.

Age Limit: Candidates age limit should be 18 – 30 years as on 30-06-2014 i.e born not earlier than 01-07-2014 & not later than 30-06-1996 (both days inclusive).

Selection Process: Shortlisted candidates will be called for interview, computer proficiency test, online examination. The online exam will consists of Test of Reasoning, Test of English Language, Test of General Awareness, Test of Numerical Ability and Computer Knowledge each carrying 50 marks for a total of 250 Marks and 120 Minutes.

Application Fee: Candidates should pay Rs.50/- for SC/ ST/ PWD/ Ex-SER/ Female candidates, Rs.500/- for Other category candidates through online by using debit cards (Rupay/ Visa/ Master), Credit cards , Internet Banking , IMPS, Cash Cards/ Mobile Wallets – Vodafone MPesa, Airtel Money, Oxicash, Mobikwik, Paycash etc.

How to Apply: Eligible candidates may apply online through the website www.newindia.co.in from 18-10-2014 to 10-11-2014.

View Official Notification: Click Here

Apply Online: Click Here

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Employment News: 18 October 2014 to 24 October 2014

1. Indian Army

Vacancies in Permanent Commission

No. of Vacancies – 90

Last Date - 30/11/2014

2. The New India Assurance Company Ltd.

Name of Posts – Assistants

No. of Vacancies – 1536

Last Date – 10/11/2014

3. Indian Overseas Bank

Name of Posts- Managers (Security, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.)

No. of Vacancies – 26

Last Date - 30/10/2014

4. Public Service Commission, Uttar Pradesh

Post in Fire Service Dept., Forest Dept., Evaluation Division, Fisheries Dept., etc.

No. of Vacancies – 198

Last Date - 30/10/2014

5. Staff Selection Commission, Northern Western Region

Name of Posts – Sr. Assistant, Sr. Technical Assistant, Investigator, etc.

No. of Vacancies – 47

Last Date – 15/11/2014

6. National Institute of Technology, Rourkela

Name of Posts- Professor and Assistant Professor

No. of Vacancies – 95

Last Date - 31/10/2014

7. Northern Railway

Vacancies against Sports Quota

No. of Vacancies – 21

Last Date – 31/10/2014

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17 October 2014 Current Affairs Updates

1) Supreme Court granted bail to Jayalalithaa in DA case: The Supreme Court has granted interim bail to AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, who was sentenced to four years in jail in a high-profile corruption case that has lasted nearly two decades. Alongwith Jayalalithaa, her aide Sasikala and two others have also been granted bail. Jayalalithaa was granted bail of grounds of ill health.

2) India test-fired nuclear-capable Nirbhay cruise missile: India's indigenously developed nuclear capable sub-sonic cruise missile 'Nirbhay', which can strike targets more than 700 kms away, was test-fired from a test range at Chandipur. "The missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher positioned at launch pad 3 of the Integrated Test Range at about 10.03 hours," said an official soon after the flight took off from the launch ground. It is the second test of the sub-sonic long range cruise missile 'Nirbhay' from the ITR.

3) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty observed: The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognised by the United Nations. Theme for 2014 is: Leave no one behind: think, decide and act together against extreme poverty. The annual day, in observance since 1993, is celebrated to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries.

4) West Indies cricket team pulled out of India tour: The West Indies tour to India has come to an abrupt end, with the BCCI saying it had been called off by the WICB and announcing a replacement tour. The WICB initially released a statement saying it had not called off the tour, but following a meeting after the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, it clarified that it was "left no option" by the West Indies players. The developments followed a protracted payment structure dispute between the players, the WICB and West Indies Players' Association. At the end of the game, the official broadcaster Star Sports displayed India as the winners of the ODI series by a 2-1 margin, though no trophy was given to MS Dhoni at the presentation ceremony.

5) Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela elected as non-permanent members of UNSC: Venezuela, Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand and Spain on 16 October 2014 were elected as non-permanent members of United Nations Security Council (UNSC). They were elected after member states voted in support of these five nations after three rounds of voting. All these five new members received over two-thirds of the votes cast in a secret ballot. The new members of the Security Council will begin their two-year appointment on 1 January 2015 and will serve on the Council until 31 December 2016.

6) India-born scientist Sanjaya Rajaram awarded World Food Prize:  India-born Mexican scientist Sanjaya Rajaram has been presented with the prestigious World Food Prize 2014 for his agricultural research that led to a remarkable increase in world wheat production building on the successes of the Green Revolution.

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16th October 2014 Current Affairs Updates

1) Arvind Subramanian appointed Chief Economic Adviser: Former IMF economist Arvind Subramanian was appointed Chief Economic Advisor in the Finance Ministry. An alumnus of IIM-Ahmedabad, Subramanian joins the Finance Ministry at a time when the government has started work for the 2015-16 budget which will be the first proper budget of the Modi government. The post of CEA has been lying vacant since Raghuram Rajan left the Finance Ministry to join the Reserve Bank as Governor in September last year. The Finance Ministry has prepared an interim budget and full fledged budget for 2014-15 without a formal CEA in office. A graduate from St Stephens College, Subramanian has been advising the Indian government in different capacities and has been a member of the Finance Minister's Expert Group on the G-20.

2) ISRO successfully launched navigation satellite IRNSS 1C: Scripting yet another milestone in outer space, Isro successfully launched IRNSS 1C, the third member of the seven satellite constellation of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), in the wee hours of Thursday. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) - C26, carrying IRNSS 1C, lifted off from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 1.32am. The satellite detached from the launch vehicle about 20 minutes after the launch at an altitude of 499.63km soaring with a velocity of 9604.87 metre per second. This was the 27th consecutive successful flight of PSLV.

3) Rajiv Mehrishi replaced Arvind Mayaram as Finance Secretary: The Narendra Modi government has transferred the top civil servant at the finance ministry, Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram, replacing him with Rajiv Mehrishi, the chief secretary of Rajasthan, a state that has pushed dramatic free market reforms in recent months.

4) Kotak Mahindra Bank launched Facebook-based funds transfer platform KayPay: Mumbai headquartered Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched KayPay, a bank agnostic payment product for Facebook users to send money to each other. Users won't have to depend on net banking or have to know the details of the payee, the company said. According to the bank, users can transfer funds by choosing recipients from their Facebook friends list. KayPay is built on top of the mobile based Immediate Payment System launched by the National Payment Corporation of India. Users have to register their bank accounts once to start using the service. KayPay uses Facebook user id & password and a One Time Password (OTP) to authenticate a transaction. Both sender and the receiver receive notification on SMS and Facebook.

5) Modi launched Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate scheme: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate scheme, under which he dedicated a Shram Suvidha portal, Labour Inspection scheme and Portability through Universal Account Number for Employees Provident Fund to the nation.

6) World Food Day celebrated: World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The World Food Day theme for 2014 is Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the earth”.

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Daily Current Affairs Updates: 15 October 2014

1) Australia’s Richard Flanagan wins Man Booker prize with war story: The first Man Booker prize to allow American nominees was on Tuesday night won by an Australian, with Richard Flanagan triumphing for a “magnificent novel of love and war” that tells the harrowing stories of prisoners and captors on the Burma railway. Flanagan won for The Narrow Road to the Deep North as he became the third Australian to win the prize, following on from Thomas Keneally and Peter Carey.

2) Global Handwashing Day observed: Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is a campaign to motivate and mobilize millions around the world to wash their hands with soap. It takes place on October 15 of each year. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention.

3) Tobacco packets to devote 85 percent space to warnings: India Wednesday made it mandatory for tobacco companies to devote 85 percent space on packets of cigarettes and other tobacco products to warnings against the ill effects of tobacco consumption. "We have issued a notification to ensure that in the next few months cigarette manufacturers have 85 percent space on packets covered with either pictorial warnings or messages warning against the perils of tobacco use," union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan announced at a function on the occasion of Global Hand-washing Day. 

4) Maharashtra registers 64% turnout, Haryana creates history with 76% polling: Amid tight security arrangements, voters queued up to exercise their franchise as polling began for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra and 90 seats in Haryana on Wednesday. The assembly polls in both states are one of the biggest electoral tests for Narendra Modi, who spearheaded a high decibel BJP campaign to wrest power from the opposition. Over 76% eligible voters in Haryana and 64% in Maharashtra exercised their franchise .Both numbers are an increase from 2009 and the figure is all time highest for Haryana.

5) Raghuram Rajan given Best Central Bank Governor award: Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan has been conferred with the Best Central Bank Governor award for 2014 by Euromoney magazine. Euromoney said Raghuram Rajan’s tough monetary medicine combatted the storm ravaging the deficit-ridden economy in the recent emerging market crisis. Mr. Rajan received Euromoney’s Central Bank Governor of the Year Award 2014 in Washington on October 10, the RBI said in a release on Wednesday.

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Daily Current Affairs: 14 October 2014

1) PM Narendra Modi announced Rs 1,000 crores for Andhra Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited cyclone-battered Visakhapatnam on 14 Oct 2014, has announced a Rs. 1,000-crore package to help Andhra Pradesh get back on its feet.

2) World Standards Day observed: World Standards Day is celebrated internationally each year on 14 October.The aim of World Standards Day is to raise awareness among regulators, industry and consumers as to the importance of standardization to the global economy. 14 October was specifically chosen to mark the date, in 1946, when delegates from 25 countries first gathered in London and decided to create an international organization focused on facilitating standardization.

3) Indian cop wins UN's international female peacekeeper award: An Indian police inspector has been named recipient of a prestigious international female peacekeeper award by the UN's police division for her "exceptional achievements" in her duty with the UN mission in Afghanistan, including her efforts towards helping victims of sexual and gender-based violence. Inspector Shakti Devi of the Jammu & Kashmir Police, currently deployed in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ( UNAMA), has been awarded the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award 2014. 

4) IRCTC launched ticket booking app for Android:  IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) has released IRCTC Connect, the official railway ticket booking app for Android. The launch of the Android app comes more than an year after IRCTC released the first railway ticket booking apps for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8. It had also launched a BlackBerry 10 app in August 2014. The IRCTC Connect app offers users a one-step login feature, the ability to search and book train tickets, view and cancel tickets and upcoming journey alerts.

5) Khaled Bahah new PM of Yemen: In Yemen, President Mansour Hadi has named country’s envoy to UN, Khaled Bahah as the next Prime Minister. He was among the three names proposed by the Houthi rebels to end the political standoff in the country.

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New India Assurance Recruitment of 509 Administrative Officer Posts 2014

The New India Assurance Company Ltd invites applications for recruitment of the 509 Administrative Officer (Scale-I) Vacancies. Eligible candidates can apply Online from 11-10-2014 to 03-11-2014. Details are as follows:

Important Dates:

Starting Date for Submission of Online Applications: 11-10-2014.

Last Date for Submission of Online Application: 03-11-2014.

Last Date for Reprint of Application: 18-11-2014.

Dates of Payment of Fee: 11-10-2014 to 03-11-2014.

Tentative Date of Online Exam: 10-01-2015/ 11-01-2015.

Total No. of Posts: 509

Name of the Posts: Administrative Officer (Scale-I)

Name of the Discipline:

1. Finance: 65 Posts

2. Engineering: 25 Posts

3. Legal: 40 Posts

4. Automobile Engineering: 30 Posts

5. Generalist: 349 Posts

Emoluments & Benefits: Basic pay of Rs.17,240/- in the scale of Rs.17,240-840(14)-29,000-910(4)-32640 and other admissible allowance as applicable. Total emoluments will be approximately Rs.36,000/- p.m. in Metropolitan Centers.

Age Limit: Candidate age should be minimum 21 years and maximum 30 years as on 01-10-2014, i.e candidate must have been born not earlier than 02-10-1984 and not later than 01-10-1993. Age relaxation is applicable for SC/ ST/ OBC/ PWD candidates.

Educational Qualification: Candidate should possess certificate in proof of passing the qualifying examination as on 01.10.2014. For Generalist Stream, a candidate must possess the minimum qualification of a Degree in any discipline from a recognized University OR any equivalent qualification recognized as such by Central Government. For Specialist Stream a candidate must possess the minimum qualification of Degree in the relevant discipline from a recognized University OR any equivalent qualification recognized as such by Central Government.

Selection Process: Candidates are selected based on Online Examination & Interview. For Generalist the exam consists of Test of Reasoning, Test of English Language, Test of General Awareness and Test of Quantitative aptitude each carrying 50 marks each for a total of 200 marks and 120 mins.

Application Fee: Candidates have to pay Rs.50/- for SC/ ST/ PWD/ Female candidates, Rs.600/- for remaining by using Debit Cards/ Credit Cards, Internet Banking, IMPS, Cash Cards/ Mobile Wallets from 11-10-2014 to 03-11-2014.

How to Apply: Eligible candidates can apply online through the website www.newindia.co.in from 11-10-2014 to 03-11-2014.

View official notification: Click Here

Apply Online: Click Here

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Daily Current Affairs: 13 October 2014

1) 2014 Nobel Prize for Economics announced: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for 2014 to Jean Tirole “for his analysis of market power and regulation”. The prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace have been awarded since the inception of Nobel Prize in 1901, however the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was created in 1968. The economics prize is officially called the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Read details>> http://goo.gl/rhIy3J

2) International Day for Disaster Reduction observed: World observed 'International Day for Disaster Reduction 2014' on October 13.  The day is celebrated to raise awareness of how people are taking action to reduce their risk to disasters. The theme for this year is 'Resilience is for Life'. The focus this year is on older people and the role they can play in resilience-building through their experience and knowledge.

3) Shashi Tharoor dropped as Congress spokesperson: The Congress on Monday dropped its former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor from the party’s panel of spokespersons in view of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee’s demand for disciplinary action against him for accepting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to a select panel of prominent personalities to advocate the Swachh Bharat Mission. The decision to drop Mr. Tharoor from the panel of spokespersons was taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi as per the recommendations of the party’s Disciplinary Action Committee.

4) ‘Queen of Jaffna’ to link Sri Lanka's north again: The “Queen of Jaffna,” a once-popular train linking the ethnic Tamil’s northern heartland to the rest of Sri Lanka before a bloody civil war cut the link 24 years ago, chugs back into service this coming week, reinforcing the government’s authority in a region once controlled by Tamil rebels. President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated service along the 400-kilometer (250-mile) route between Jaffna and Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital.

5) India 55th on global hunger index:  India has made some progress in reducing poverty level, but still ranks behind neighbouring Nepal and Sri Lanka on the Global Hunger Index and its hunger status remains classified as "serious". India was at 63rd position in the global hunger index (GHI) last year. The 55th position in 2014 is better than Pakistan (ranked 57) and Bangladesh (57), but trails behind Nepal (44) and Sri Lanka (39). Burundi, Eritrea Top Global Hunger Index.

6) Mary Kom named Most Valuable Player of India's Asian Games campaign: Olympic bronze medallist M C Mary Kom was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of India's Incheon Asian Games campaign at a felicitation of the medal winners by contingent sponsors Samsung India on Monday. Mary Kom, who became the first Indian woman boxer to win a gold medal in Asian Games when she clinched the yellow metal in the Incheon Games in flyweight (-51kg) class, was named the MVP after a poll. All the 11 individual/team gold winners, including the men's hockey team, were in the contest.

7) Gujarat increased women's reservation to 33% in government jobs: Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel decided to increase the quantum of reservations for women in state government jobs by 3%. Therefore, the quota now stands at 33%. The decision follows the CM's announcement of 33% reservation for women in the police force.

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Australia’s Richard Flanagan wins Man Booker prize 2014

* Australian author Richard Flanagan took away the literary world's most coveted prize for his book 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' on 15 October 2014.

* Flanagan's book is the story of his father as a prisoner during war in a Japanese prison and was called a literary masterpiece by the jury.

* Flanagan - the Tasmanian-born author is the third Australian to win the coveted prize which, for the first time in its 46-year history, is now expanded to include entries from writers of all nationalities, writing originally in English and published in the UK.

* 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' is the sixth novel from Flanagan which centres upon the experiences of surgeon Dorrigo Evans in a Japanese POW camp on the now infamous Thailand-Burma railway.

* In addition to his £50,000 prize and trophy, Flanagan also receives a designer bound edition of his book, and a further £2,500 for being shortlisted.

* On winning the Man Booker prize, an author can expect international recognition, not to mention a dramatic increase in book sales.

* Kolkata boy Neel Mukherjee was among the six short listed authors for his book 'The Lives of Others'. The other contestants for the award were US authors Joshua Ferris, Karen Joy Fowler, and British authors Howard Jacobson and Ali Smith.

* This is also the first time in the British prestigious literary award's 46-year history that it was opened to writers of any nationality, writing in English and having their work published in Britain. It had hitherto been confined to writers from Commonwealth countries, Ireland, and Zimbabwe.

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General Awareness Questions asked in IBPS PO Exam: 18 October 2014 (Morning Shift)

Friends.. Here are some GA questions asked in todays' morning shift IBPS PO Online Exam. Thanks to Pankaj Arora and Himanshi for sharing the questions with us. Will be useful for those having exams in coming days.

1) Full form of  MTSS?- Money Transfer Service Scheme

2)  Mogadishu is the capital of?- Somalia

3) SBI life insurance is partnership between SBI and?– BNP Paribas Cardif

4) Vishal Sikka is CMD of which company? - Infosys

5) Currency of Spain?- Euro

6) Nuku’alofa is the capital of?-Tonga

7) Largest hydroelectric power plant in India?- Koyna

8) For what does L stands for in SLR?- Liquidity

9) On which date did Mangalyan reached Mars? - 24 September 2014

10) Who is the author of the book 'The Mother I Never Knew'?- Sudha Murty

11) FII stands for?-  Foreign Institutional Investor

12) Merchant payments in India is controlled by?- SEBI

13) RBI issued the permission to Muthoot Ginance to set up? - white label ATM

14) Kisan Vikas Patra was closed by govt. earlier due to which reason?- to avoid Money laundering activities

15) NIM full form?- Net Interest Margin

16) Basic saving bank deposit account maximum credit amount in a year?- 1 Lakhs

17) PPF limit recently changed from 1 lakh to? 1.5 lakh

18) Which Indian movie was selected as India's entry for Oscar Award 2015?  - Liar's Dice

19) According to census 2011 every .......... person in the world population is Indian?- 6th

20) Holidays for banks are declared by respective state govts under which act?- Negotiable instruments Act

21) NRLP stands for?- National Rural Livelihood Project

22) Which organisation was formed before UNO?- WLO

23) RRB's shares held by Union govt and state govt in?- Sponsor banks

24) Under Jan Dhan Yojana, account holders will be eligible to avail ............ on proper handling of bank accounts for 3 months?- Over draft facility

25) Participatory notes are issued by FIIs to whom?- Share Markets

26) RBI recently fixed the max age for MD & CEO in private sector banks at?- 70

27) Housing loan limit in non metro city?-Rs 40 lakh

28) One question related to Archimedes' principle.

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Daily Current Affairs Updates: 12 October 2014

1) Indian Super League begins: The new order in Indian football announced its arrival with a bang on Sunday! With its exciting freshness, well-packaged avatar and a never-seen-before razzmatazz, the mass entertainment of Bollywood and football, riding on Indian cricket's shoulder, descended on the illuminated Salt Lake Stadium to set the ball rolling for Indian Super League. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee started the proceedings. And it was left for Nita Ambani, chairperson of the ISL, to strike the right chord when she officially opened it before the world. Atletico de Kolkata won the opening match against Mumbai City FC.

2) Bryans achieve ‘Masters Slam’: American twins Bob and Mike Bryan added another accolade to their lengthy resume after taking the Shanghai Masters men’s doubles title on Sunday to become the first pair to win all nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. The 35-year-old siblings defeated French Open champions Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 7-6(3) to take an unprecedented 101st career title in their 152nd final.

3) Cyclone Hudhud hits parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha: Cyclone Hudhud, which made a landfall in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, lost its intensity by evening as it moved further 60km northwest of Visakhapatnam, India Meteorological Department said. The cyclone hit the port city of Visakhapatnam on Sunday bringing with it torrential rains in three coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and leaving five persons dead in the state and neighbouring Odisha besides snapping power and communication lines.

4) Indian shuttler Ajay Jayaram clinched Dutch Open, bags maiden Grand Prix: Indian shuttler Ajay Jayaram on Sunday notched up the biggest triumph of his career by clinching USD 50,000 Yonex Dutch Open Grand Prix badminton tournament. The 27-year-old Bangalore-based player defeated Indonesia's Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 10-11, 11-6, 11-7, 1-11, 11-9 in the men's singles final which lasted 46 minutes to bag his maiden Grand Prix title at the Topsportcentrum Almere.

5) Kevin-Pietersen launched his autobiography named 'KP': Maverick England discard, Kevin Pietersen, who has had a turbulent time with the England team management,admits that meeting Rahul Dravid in India was a blessing, and has praised the former Indian legend in shaping up his batting technique. Pietersen, who recently launched his book 'KP', says an e-mail by Dravid on tackling his weakness against spin bowling, helped him immensly and brought to light his batting flaws. "Rahul was a great and heroic Indian batsman in his day. He is also a genius at dealing with spin bowlers. Our conversations and emails were a private master class from a genuine guru.Rahul improved my cricket and helped me develop the way I think about the game. His generosity will stay with me always," said Pietersen about Dravid.

6) India to host Asia Cup archery: India has been allotted the inaugural leg of the Asia Cup world-ranking archery tournament early next year. The Asia Cup, which will replace the Asian GP, will be held on the format of the annual World Cups and fetch valuable ranking points for the archers. According to a top Archery Association India (AAI) official, the first leg will be conducted in Delhi in the second week of January. The second and third legs have been allotted to Bangkok (March) and Tehran (June).

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