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CURRENT AFFAIRS OF DECEMBER 2017

Awards

The veteran playback singer who has been awarded the Harivarasanam Award 2017 by the Kerala Govt
– KS Chitra

The Bengali poet who has been chosen from the 31st Moortidevi Award by Bhartiya Jnanpith for his
work Du Dondo Phowara Matro – Joy Goswami

The Bollywood actress who has been chosen for the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice
2017 – Priyanka Chopra

The eminent Hindi writer who has been chosen to be conferred the 2017 Vyas Samman for her novel
Dukkham Sukkham by KK Birla Foundation – Mamta Kalia

The famous food scientist and pioneer of Green Revolution in India who has been awarded the
Yerarignar Award by 4 institutions – Prof. MS Swaminathan

Sports

The Real Madrid footballer who has been awarded the Globe Soccer Award for the Best Player of the
Year 2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo

The 4 time Olympic champion who has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2017 – Mo Farah

The Swiss tennis star who has been chosen as the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year 2017 –
Roger Federer

The Indian cricketer who has become the only batsman in the world to score 3 double-centuries in ODIs
(while playing against Sri Lanka in Mohali) – Rohit Sharma

The Real Madrid player who has been awarded the FIFA Ballon d'Or for the fifth time – Cristiano
Ronaldo

Persons

The former football player who has been elected the next President of Liberia succeeding Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf – George Weah

The Bollywood actress who has been named PETA Person of the Year for her efforts to protect animals
including her cruelty free NUSH clothing line. – Anushka Sharma

The South African human rights activist who has been chosen to be the next Secretary General of
Amnesty International succeeding the present Secretary General Salil Shetty – Kumi Naidoo
The President of International Hockey Federation who has chosen as the new chief of Indian Olympic
Association – Narinder Batra

The contestant from Lucknow who has bagged the Peter England Mr. India title at an event in Mumbai –
Jitesh Singh Deo

The new Chairman and MD of Infosys who has been chosen to take over the company from January
2018 – Salil S Parekh

The former Chief Justice of India (29th) who passed away on 01 December 2017 – Justice AS Anand

Places

The venue of Indian History Congress being held from 28 to 30 December 2017 –Univesity, Kolkata
Jadavpur

The Indian city which has become the first in the country to have its own logo (designed by Rushi Patel
and M Venkateswar Rao) – Bengaluru

The city of United Kingdom which has been officially declared as the host city of Commonwealth Games
2022 – Birmingham

The place in Gujarat where the Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of India's First National Rail
and Transportation University – Vadodara

The venue of the 3rd World Telugu Conference being held from 15 December 2017 – Hyderabad

The country which has announced lifting of its ban on movie theatres imposed more than 35 years ago –
Saudi Arabia

The country which has been banned from participating in the Winter Olympics 2018 in Pyeongchang,
South Korea by the International Olympic Committee – Russia

The venue of 6th International Tourism Mart organised by the Ministry of Tourism, GoI, in association
with the North Eastern States from 5-7 December, 2017. – Guwahati

The Indian State which has become the first in the country to pass a bill awarding death to those found
guilty of raping girls aged 12 and below – Madhya Pradesh

The district of Uttar Pradesh which has been included in the National Capital Region becoming the 8th
district from the State to be included in NCR – Shamli

Defence

The 11th edition of bilateral naval exercise conducted by India and Oman near Muscat is named –
Naseem Al Bahr (Sea Breeze)
The major exercise conducted by the Southern Command of Indian Army in the deserts of Rajasthan
from 16 to 22 Dec to evaluate the capability of the armed forces to strike deep into enemy territory is
named – Hamesha Vijayee

The joint military exercise by the armies of India and Maldives being conducted at Belagavi in Karnataka
is named – Exercise Ekuverin

The first of Scorpene class diesel-electric submarine manufactured by Mazagon Dock Ltd (Designed by
French company DCNS) which was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Mumbai – INS Kalvari

The largest joint air exercise launched by South Korea and United States of America from 04 December
is named – Vigilant Ace

The 3rd joint military exercise of India and United Kingdom held in the Mahajan firing range in Rajasthan
was named – Ajeya Warrior-2017

Miscellaneous

The word chosen by Oxford Dictionary as the Word of the Year 2017 – Youthquake

The word chosen by Merriam-Websters Dictionary as the Word of the Year 2017 – Feminism

The mountain which has been confirmed to be the highest mountain in the British Antarctic territory
(higher than Mt Jackson which was till now considered to be the highest) – Mt Hope

The largest congregation of pilgrims in the world which has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible
Cultural Heritage – Kumbh Mela

The cyclone which originated in Gulf of Thailand and caused massive destruction in Sri Lanka, Tamil
Nadu, Kerala, Lakshadeep before dissipating south-west of Gujarat was named – Ockhi

Important Days of December

World AIDS Day: 01 December 2017

Designated by: World Health Organisation
Theme: Right to Health
Slogan: Everybody Counts
First Observed in: 1988
International Day of Persons with Disabilities: 03 December 2017
Designated by : United Nations General Assembly
Theme: Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all
First Observed in: 1992
International Volunteer Day: 05 December 2017
Designated by : United Nations General Assembly
Theme: Volunteers Act First. Here. Everywhere
First Observed in: 1986
World Soil Day: 05 December 2017
First launched by : International Union of Soil Sciences (2002)
Endorsed by : Food and Agricultural Organisation (Jun 2013)
Accepted by : United Nations General Assembly (Dec 2013)
Theme: Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground
International Civil Aviation Day: 07 December 2017
Established by : International Civil Aviation Organisation (1994)
Adopted by : United Nations General Assembly (1996)
Theme (2015-18): Working Together to Ensure No Country is Left Behind
International Anti Corruption Day: 09 December 2017
Designated by : United Nations General Assembly
Theme: United against corruption for development, peace and security
First Observed in: 2003
United Nations Human Rights Day: 10 December 2017
Designated by : United Nations General Assembly
Theme: Stand up 4 human rights
First Observed in: 1948
International Mountains Day: 11 December 2017
Designated by : United Nations General Assembly
Theme: Mountain under Pressure: climate, hunger, migration
First Observed in: 2003
International Human Solidarity Day: 20 December 2017
Designated by : United Nations General Assembly
First Observed in: 2006

Passing away of Shashi Kapoor

Born: 18 March 1938

Death: 04 December 2017.

Awards: Padma Bhushan (2011); Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2014)

National Film Award: Best Actor for New Delhi Times; Best Feature Film as Producer for Junoon

NEW CHIEF MINISTERS

Himachal Pradesh – Jai Ram Thakur

Gujarat - Vijay Rupani

Launch of DARPAN Project

DARPAN – Digital Advancement of Rural Post Office for A New India

Objective - To improve the quality of service, add value to services and achieve financial inclusion of un-
banked rural population.
Outlay - Rs. 1400 Crore

Sahitya Akademi Awards 2017

Language Title and Genre Author

Assamese Moriahola (Novel) Jayantha Mahatab Bora
Bengali Sei Nikhonj Manusta (Novel) Afsar Ahmed
Bodo Thwisam (Novel) Rita Boro
Dogri Banna (Short stories) Shiv Mehta
English The Black Hill (Novel) Mamang Dai
Gujarati Gujarati Vyakaranna Baso Varsh (Criticism) Urmi Ghanshyam Desai
Hindi Vishw Mithak Sarit Sagar (Literary Criticism) Ramesh Kuntal Megh
Kannada Kathana Bharathi (Literary Criticism) T.P. Ashoka
Kashmiri Yeli Parda Woth (Short Stories) Autar Krishen Rahbar
Konkani Khand Ani Her Katha (Short Stories) Gajanan Jog
Maithili Jahalak Diary (Poetry) Udaya Narayana Singh ‘Nachiketa’
Malayalam Daivathinte Pusthakam (Novel) K.P. Ramanunni
Manipuri Chahee Taret Khuntakpa (Play) Rajen Toijamba
Marathi Bolave Te Amhi (Poetry) Shrikant Deshmukh
Nepali Kriti Vimarsha (Literary Criticism) Bina Hangkhim
Odia Etavatira Shilpi (Short Stories) Gayatri Saraf
Punjabi Slow Down (Novel) Nachhattar
Rajasthani Bina Hasal Pai (Criticism) Neeraj Daiya
Sanskrit Gangaputravadanam (Poetry) Niranjan Mishra
Santali Tahenan Tangi re (Poetry) Bhujanga Tudu
Sindhi Aachhende Laja Maraan (Essays) Jagdish Lachhani
Tamil Kaandhal Naatkal (Poetry) (Late) Inqulab
Telugu Gaali Rangu (Poetry) Devipriya
Urdu Dakhma (Short Stories) Baig Ehsas

National Nutrition Mission

The Union Cabinet approved setting up of National Nutrition Mission with a three year budget of
Rs.9046.17 crore commencing from 2017-18.

Major impact: The programme through the targets will strive to reduce the level of stunting, under-
nutrition, anemia and low birth weight babies. It will create synergy, ensure better monitoring, issue
alerts for timely action, and encourage States/UTs to perform, guide and supervise the line Ministries
and States/UTs to achieve the targeted goals.

Benefits Coverage: More than 10 crore people will be benefitted by this programme. All the States and
districts will be covered in a phased manner i.e. 315 districts in 2017-18, 235 districts in 2018-19 and
remaining districts in 2019-20.
7th edition of International Storytellers Festival - Kathakar

Venue: Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi.

Organised by: Ghummakkad Narain - the Travelling Literature Festival which was started under the aegis
of UNESCO in 2010.

Inaugurated by: Shri Kiren Rijiju, Hon’ble Minister of State for Home Affairs

Book launched: Curious Tales from the Himalayas co-authored by Shaguna Gahilote and Prarthana
Gahilote.

Time Person of the Year 2017

The Silence Breakers.

The people who spoke out against sexual abuse and harassment, including the figureheads of the
#MeToo movement.

Abbreviations in News

PENCIL: Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour

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