GK

CURRENT
AFFAIRS
COMPENDIUM
 GK Current Affairs Compendium
2023-24

Dear Future Business Leaders,

We are delighted to present to you this GK Current Affairs Compendium 2023-24. In continuation of
Part-I as earlier provided Static GK Compendium 2023-24, this is the Part-II, which covers important
current affairs of national, international Business and Economy, Science and Technology, awards, sports,
etc. The purpose of this compendium is to provide relevant Current Affairs data which is very much useful
for your forthcoming XAT, TISSNET, CMAT, MICAT etc., examinations.

This Current Affairs compendium covers the following IMPORTANT areas.

1. GK Current Affairs & Business Facts

2. International and National Organizations their heads and headquarters
3. Countries and their heads of Governments

We sincerely hope and believe that this compendium will add value to learning and serve the intended
purpose.

All the best!!

Team CL

GK Current Affairs Compendium Page: ii

2023-24
 1. GK Current Affairs & Business Facts
We are delighted to present to you this GK Current Affairs Compendium 2023-24. In continuation of Part-I as
earlier provided Static GK Compendium 2023-24, this is the Part-II, which covers important current affairs of national,
international Business and Economy, Science and Technology, awards, sports, etc. The purpose of this compendium
is to provide relevant Current Affairs data which is very much useful for your forthcoming XAT, TISSNET, CMAT,
MICAT etc., examinations.

A. National
Arun Goel appointed Election Commissioner Day after voluntary retirement from IAS
• President Droupadi Murmu appointed retired IAS officer Arun Goel as an Election Commissioner,
a day after the former Punjab cadre officer took voluntary retirement from the service. The post of one
Election Commissioner in the three-member commission has been vacant since May 15, when then-Election
Commissioner Rajiv Kumar took charge as Chief Election Commissioner upon the retirement of Sushil
Chandra from the post.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body. It was established by the Constitution
of India to conduct and regulate elections in the country. Article 324 of the Constitution provides that the
power of superintendence, direction, and control of elections to parliament, state legislatures, the office
of the president of India, and the office of vice-president of India shall be vested in the election
commission. Thus, the Election Commission is an all-India body in the sense that it is common to both the
Central government and the state governments. The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya
Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, State Legislative Councils and the offices of the President and Vice President
of the country. The Election Commission operates under the authority of Constitution per Article 324,
and subsequently enacted Representation of the People Act. Rajiv Kumar is the current as and the 25th Chief
Election Commissioner of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils India’s first Passenger Drone “Varuna”
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled Varuna, India’s first passenger drone. PM Modi is seen
watching the demonstration of the drone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the current government
has ensured last-mile delivery of services with the help of technology, including drones.
• The makers of this indigenous pilot-less ‘Varuna’ drone startup Sagar Defence Engineering
demonstrated this in his presence. This ‘Varuna’ drone has been designed and developed by a startup and has
the capacity to carry one person inside. Varuna, India’s first drone that can carry a human payload, has
a range of 25 km.
India ranks high in climate protection, bags 8th position in Climate Change Performance Index
• India climbed two spots to bag eighth position out of 63 in the Climate Change Performance Index
(CCPI) 2023. The jump can be attributed to India’s low emissions and the increasing use of renewable energy.
The report was published by three environmental non-governmental organisations that track climate
performance of the European Union and 59 countries, which together account for over 92 per cent of the
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the world.
• The rankings by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and the Climate Action Network are based
on how well the countries are doing to halve their emissions by 2030 – an essential aspect to keep the
1.5-degree Celsius goal within reach and prevent dangerous climate change.
• The latest report of CCPI, released at COP27 in November, shows Denmark, Sweden, Chile and Morocco
as the only four small countries that were ranked above India as 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th respectively. The
first, second and third ranks were not awarded to any country. In effect therefore, India’s rank is the
best among all large economies.
PM Modi dedicates 600 MW Kameng hydro power project in Arunachal Pradesh to nation
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the 600 MW Kameng hydropower project in Arunachal
Pradesh’s West Kameng district to the nation. “Commissioning of the sixth hydropower plant in the North
East i.e. 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station in Arunachal Pradesh will be a major step towards fulfilling
Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of the Government of India pledged under Paris Agreement 2015.
The project has two dams and a powerhouse having 4 units of 150 MW to generate 3,353 million units of
electricity.

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New Delhi: 3 day-long celebrations of 400th birth anniversary of great Ahom general Lachit
Barphukan begins
• The 3 day-long celebrations of the 400th birth anniversary of great Ahom general Lachit Barphukan
begins in New Delhi. A documentary and a coffee table book on the life and glory of Lachit Barphukan are to be
inaugurated in New Delhi during the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the concluding event at
Vigyan Bhawan. Assam government is celebrating the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan
through week-long activities.
• The yearlong celebration of 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Barphukan was inaugurated by former
President Ram Nath Kovind in February this year in Guwahati. Lachit Barphukan was the famous
Ahom General who defeated the Mughals and halted the expanding ambitions of Aurangzeb.
India’s first-ever ‘Night Sky Sanctuary’ to get ready by year-end in Ladakh
• The work on India’s first-ever Night Sky Sanctuary, being set up by CSIR under Union Ministry
of Science & Technology, in Ladakh’s Hanle is going on in full swing and shall be complete in over a
month’s time. “The Night Sky Sanctuary will attract tourists from across the world over to picturesque Ladakh
and also boost astro-tourism in the region”. In a unique and first-of-its-kind initiative, the Department of
Science & Technology (DST), Govt of India, has undertaken to set up India’s first-ever “Night Sky
Sanctuary” in Ladakh. The proposed Dark Sky Reserve will be located at Hanle in Ladakh as a
part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. It will boost Astro tourism in India and will be one of the world’s
highest-located sites for optical, infra-red, and gamma-ray telescopes.
Mahatma Gandhi’s bust inaugurated at U.N. headquarters during India’s presidency of
Security Council
• A bust of Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated as a gift from India to the United Nations during India’s
presidency (December Month 2022) of the Security Council, the first sculpture of the Mahatma to be
installed at the world body’s headquarters.
• The bust, made by renowned Indian sculptor Padma Shree awardee Ram Sutar, who has also designed
the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat, will be inaugurated on December 14 during External Affairs Minister
S. Jaishankar’s visit to the U.N. for India’s presidency of the Council. The only other gift from India
on display at the U.N. Headquarters is an 11th century black-stone statue of ‘Surya’, the Sun God,
donated on July 26, 1982. The statue, dating from the late Pala period and which is currently displayed in
the Conference Building, was presented as a gift by then Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi to the UN.
External Affairs Ministry says India assumed chairmanship of Wassenaar arrangement on
1 Jan 2023
• India assumed chairmanship of the plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement for a year on January
1, 2023, just five years after joining the 42-member voluntary export control regime that monitors
transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods.
• India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement in December 2017 as its 42nd participating state. The body is
a multilateral export control regime that works to promote transparency and greater responsibility
in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies through regular exchanges of
information among its members.
The Wassenaar Arrangement is a voluntary export control regime. The Arrangement, formally established
in July 1996, has 42 members who exchange information on transfers of conventional weapons and dual-
use goods and technologies. Dual-use refers to the ability of a good or technology to be used for multiple
purposes - usually peaceful and military. Wassenaar Arrangement’s Secretariat is in Vienna, Austria. It
has 42 member states comprising mostly NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and EU states.
Participating States are required to report their arms transfers and transfers/denials of certain dual-use goods and
technologies to destinations outside the Arrangement on a six-monthly basis.
World’s first intra-nasal vaccine for COVID gets CDSCO approval for restricted use in
emergency situations
• The world’s first intra-nasal vaccine for COVID developed by India has got approval from the
Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation for restricted use in emergency situations in the age
group of 18 and above. The product development and clinical trials were funded by the Department of
Biotechnology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) under the Mission
COVID Suraksha Program. India’s efforts through Mission COVID Suraksha has not only strengthened

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 Atmanirbhar Bharat but also bolstered India’s status as a worldwide vaccine development and manufacturing
center.
• A press release from the vaccine maker said that iNCOVACC, a recombinant replication deficient
adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilised SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, is the world’s
first intranasal vaccine to receive both primary series and heterologous booster approval. The nasal
delivery system has been designed and developed to be cost-effective in low- and middle-income countries,
Bharat Biotech said.
• iNCOVACC has been specifically formulated to allow intranasal delivery through nasal drops. The
nasal delivery system has been designed and developed to be cost-effective in low- and middle-income
countries. iNCOVACC was developed in partnership with Washington University, St. Louis, which
had earlier designed and developed the recombinant adenoviral vector construct and evaluated it in preclinical
studies for efficacy.
Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. Coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-
CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease has since
spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic. Symptoms of COVID-19 are variable, but often
include fever, cough, headache, fatigue, breathing difficulties, and loss of smell and taste. Symptoms
may begin one to fourteen days after exposure to the virus. At least a third of people who are infected do not develop
noticeable symptoms.
India assumes the Presidency of the UNSC for December month 2022
• India has assumed the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of December. It is
the second time in its two-year tenure as an elected member of the UN Security Council that India has
assumed the Presidency of the Council. India had earlier assumed the Presidency of the UNSC in
August 2021.
• Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj said, during India’s
December Presidency of the UN Security Council, two high-level signature events will take place on
14th and 15th December on ‘Reformed Multilateralism and Counter-Terrorism and it will be chaired
by External Affairs Minister. She said, a bust of Mahatma Gandhi will be inaugurated at the United
Nations during India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council and it will be unveiled by External Affairs
Minister Dr S Jaishankar and UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres.
Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary near Mumbai exempted from ESZ mandate by SC
• On December 1, the Supreme Court exempted Maharashtra’s Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS)
from its June order mandating the creation of a 1 km eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) around all protected
areas in India. It also stated that practical difficulties and ground realities will have to be taken into
account before having a uniform order for creating ESZs as mandated. The bench, comprising Justices
BR Gavai and Vikram Nath, is hearing applications filed in the TN Godavarman Thirumalpad case that has
sought exemption from the order. The bench observed that there are instances of notified forests within
city areas, where urban activities might have taken place for the past several years. TWS is located in the
suburbs of Mumbai.
The National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) stipulated that state governments should declare land falling within 10 km of the
boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as eco-fragile zones or Eco-Sensitive Zones
(ESZs) under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. While the 10-km rule is implemented as a general
principle, the extent of its application can vary. Areas beyond 10 km can also be notified by the Union government
as ESZs, if they hold larger ecologically important “sensitive corridors”. The basic aim is to regulate certain
activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimise the negative impacts of
such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Mopa International Airport in Goa named after former
CM Manohar Parrikar
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated Goa’s second international airport at Mopa.
It has the potential of serving as a key logistics hub, directly connecting many domestic and international
destinations.

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• Developed at a cost of around Rs.2,870 crores, the airport has been built on the theme of sustainable
infrastructure and has a solar power plant, green buildings, LED lights on the runway, rainwater harvesting,
state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant with recycling facilities, among other such facilities. The airport was
tendered in 2014, was awarded in 2016 and the foundation stone was laid on November 13, 2016, by Prime
Minister Modi.
Bhupendra Patel sworn-in as Gujarat CM for 2nd consecutive term
• Bhupendra Patel took oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a second straight term in Gandhinagar.
He was administered oath as the 18th Chief Minister of Gujarat by Governor Acharya Devvrat. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, several Union Ministers including Amit Shah, Smriti Irani, and Mansukh Mandaviya, and
Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States including Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and Madhya Pradesh
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended the ceremony. Recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party had
recorded a historic lead and seventh consecutive victory in the recently concluded elections of the
Gujarat Assembly, by winning 156 of the total 182 seats. Main opposition party Congress could win only
17 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) opened account in the state legislative Assembly by winning five
seats.
India’s cooperative sector and the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill,
2022
• The Bill to amend the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002, was introduced in the
Lok Sabha. India’s cooperative movement originated in the agriculture and related sectors as a means for
farmers to pool their resources to prevent exploitation by money lenders. The bill is introduced with an
objective to enhance transparency and accountability and improve the ease of doing business by
reducing the period of registration.
• According to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), cooperatives are people-centred enterprises jointly
owned and democratically controlled by and for their members to realise their common economic, social and
cultural needs and aspirations. Article 43B of the Constitution inserted by the 97th Amendment says
that “states shall endeavour to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic
control and professional management of cooperative societies”.
A co-operative society is a voluntary association of individuals having common needs who join hands for
the achievement of common economic interest. Its aim is to serve the interest of the poorer sections of society
through the principle of self-help and mutual help. 97th Constitutional Amendment Act 2011 established the
right to form cooperative societies as a fundamental right (Article 19). It included a new Directive
Principle of State Policy on the Promotion of Cooperative Societies (Article 43-B). It added a new Part
IX-B to the Constitution titled “The Co-operative Societies” (Articles 243-ZH to 243-ZT). It authorizes
the Parliament to establish relevant laws in the case of multi-state cooperative societies (MSCS) and
state legislatures in the case of other cooperative societies. The Union Ministry of Cooperation is a
ministry under the Government of India which was formed in July 2021. Before the creation of this ministry,
the objectives of this ministry were looked after by the Ministry of Agriculture. Amit Shah is the first and
current Minister of Co-operation of India since 2021.
Kerala seed farm declared as first carbon neutral farm in the country
• Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared a seed farm, located in Aluva, as the first carbon
neutral farm in the country. A significant reduction in carbon emission has helped the seed farm, under
the Agricultural Department, achieve carbon neutral status. The total amount of carbon emission from
the farm, located at Thuruthu in Aluva, in the last one year was 43 tons but its overall procurement was 213
ton. Compared to the emission rate, as many as 170 tons of more carbon have been procured at the farm, which
helped it to be declared as the first carbon neutral seed farm in the country.
Carbon neutrality means every ton of anthropogenic CO2 emitted is compensated with an equivalent
amount of CO2 removed, according to World Resources Institute. In order to limit global warming to 1.5
degrees Celsius, carbon neutrality by mid-21st century is essential. This target is also laid down in the Paris
agreement signed by 195 countries, including the EU. Carbon sink is any system that absorbs more carbon
than it emits. Net Zero is a state in which a country’s total emissions are offset by absorptions of carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere, like that done by trees and forests, and physical removal of carbon dioxide through
futuristic technologies. Recently, India announced that it will reach carbon neutrality by 2070 as part of a
five-point action plan that included reducing emissions to 50% by 2030.

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U.N. recognises Ganga project among 10 initiatives restoring natural world
• The United Nations (UN) has recognized Namami Gange initiative to rejuvenate India’s sacred
River Ganga as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships to revive the natural world. The Award
was received by Shri G. Asok Kumar, Director General, Namami Gange at a function in the 15th Conference
of Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) in Montreal, Canada on 14th December
2022, the World Restoration Day. Namami Gange was selected from over 150 such initiatives from 70
countries across the globe. They were selected under the banner of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem
Restoration, a global movement coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It is designed to prevent and reverse the
degradation of natural spaces across the planet.
Free Trade Agreement between India and Australia came into force
• The free trade agreement between India and Australia came into force from December 29, 2022, a move
which will help in almost doubling the bilateral commerce to USD 45-50 billion in around five years.
The Free Trade Agreement between India and Australia will come into force. Commerce and Industry
Minister Piyush Goyal said, deliberations are underway with European Union, Canada, and United Kingdom
with regard to free trade agreement. He said, the world is seeing India as a trusted partner.
• Ind-Aus ECTA is the first Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that India has signed with a major developed
country in over a decade. Under the agreement, Indian graduates from STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics) will be granted extended post-study work visas. Australia will also set
up a programme to grant visas to young Indians looking to pursue working holidays in Australia. Annual Visa
quota of 1800 is to be instituted for India Yoga teachers and Chefs. It is also estimated that 10 lakh
jobs will be created as a result of ECTA. Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India and
India is Australia’s 9th largest trading partner. India-Australia bilateral trade for both merchandise and
services is valued at USD 27.5 billion in 2021.
Bihar’s Gaya and Nalanda selected for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0
• Gaya and Nalanda in Bihar have been selected for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0. The
Tourism Ministry has now revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 with the
objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations, following a tourist and destination-
centric approach.
Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched in 2014-15 for integrated development of theme-based tourist
circuits — Buddhist Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Northeast
Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual
Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Wildlife Circuit and Tribal Circuit. It is 100% centrally funded and efforts
are made to achieve convergence with other schemes of Central and State Governments and also to leverage
the voluntary funding available for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Central Public Sector
Undertakings and Corporate Sector.
Indian Navy gets fifth Scorpene Class submarine INS Vagir
• The fifth Scorpène submarine, Vagir of Project - 75 Kalvari Class submarines has been delivered
to the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai. Project-75 includes the
indigenous construction of six submarines of Scorpene design. These submarines are being constructed
at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with Naval Group,
France.
The Project 75 (India)-class submarines, or P-75I, for short, are a planned class of diesel-electric
submarines, which are to be built for the Indian Navy. The P-75I class is a follow-on of the P-75 class
submarines of the Indian Navy. Project 75 (P-75) is one of two lines of submarines, the other being P75I, as part
of a plan approved in 1999 for indigenous submarine construction with technology taken from overseas firms.
The contract for six submarines under P75 was given to Mazgaon dock in 2005 and delivery was to
start from 2012, but the project has faced delays. Under P75, INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj and
INS Vela have been commissioned. Sea trials are on for Vagir. Vagsheer is the sixth; its production was
delayed due to the pandemic.
First Vande Bharat in East India from New Jalpaiguri to Howrah
• The first Vande Bharat Express is going to arrive in eastern India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi might
signal a go-ahead to it. The train will operate between New Jalpaiguri and Howrah (HWH) (NJP).

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 Eastern Railway will provide the Vande Bharat Express’s rake as it travels from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri. It
will be kept in the Howrah Division’s auto shed.
The Vande Bharat Express, previously known as Train 18, is a semi-high-speed, electric multiple unit
train operated by Indian Railways. It was designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory,
Chennai. The first train was manufactured in 18 months at the cost of Rs.97 crore. The service was named
‘Vande Bharat Express’ on 27 January 2019. The train was launched on 15 February 2019.
Assam’s ‘Gamosa’, Ladakh’s Apricot Get Geographical Indication Tag
• The government has granted Geographical Indications (GI) tag to various products, including Gamosa of
Assam, Tandur Redgram of Telangana, and an apricot variety of Ladakh. The commerce and industry
ministry said that the total number of GI has reached to 432. “Famous Gamosa of Assam, Tandur
Redgram of Telangana, RaktseyKarpo Apricot of Ladakh, Alibag White Onion of Maharashtra have
got their GI tags”. The top five states holding maximum number of GIs are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar
Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, it added.
5 agricultural products of Kerala have been granted Geographical Indication
• Five agricultural products of Kerala have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status. Attappady
Attukombu Avara (beans), Attappady Thuvara (red gram), Onattukara Ellu (sesame), Kanthalloor-Vattavada
Veluthulli (garlic), and Kodungalloor Pottuvellari (snap melon) are the latest Geographical Indications that have
been registered. This achievement is the result of the team work of Kerala Agricultural University,
Department of Agriculture, and farmer groups of the respective areas.
Cough syrup deaths: India seeks details from Uzbekistan on investigations
• India is in touch with the Uzbak authorities and has sought details of their investigation into the
death of 18 children after allegedly consuming cough syrup made by an Indian firm. The comments
came even as a probe has already been launched by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation in
connection with the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan allegedly linked to the cough syrup, while
the manufacturing of Marion Biotech’s Dok-1 Max has also been suspended.
PM Narendra Modi virtually addressed 108th Indian Science Congress
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the inaugural session of the 108th Indian Science
Congress (ISC). The four-day Indian National Congress is being hosted by the Nagpur University at its
Amravati Road Campus. The focal theme of this year’s ISC is “Science and Technology for Sustainable
Development with Women Empowerment,” and is expected to highlight the measures for increasing the
representation of women in science and technology.
Union Cabinet approves naming of airport at Goa’s Mopa after Manohar Parrikar
• The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for naming of Greenfield International
Airport at Goa’s Mopa as Manohar International Airport, after former defence minister and Goa
chief minister Manohar Parrikar. The airport at Mopa, Goa was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi in December, 2022. The airport has been named after late Manohar Parrikar in recognition of his
contribution in building up modern Goa.
World’s first palm-leaf manuscript museum comes up in Thiruvananthapuram
• A treasure house of both obscure and celebrated tales of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom that became
Asia’s first to defeat any European power on Indian soil, the recently opened Palm leaf Manuscript
Museum in the Kerala capital has further brightened the state’s cultural and academic space.
• Billed as the world’s first palm leaf manuscript museum, the facility is essentially a repository of
curious nuggets of administrative, socio-cultural and economic facets of Travancore spanning a
period of 650 years till the end of the19th century, besides documents relating to territories of Kochi in the
state’s middle and Malabar further north.
PM Narendra Modi flagged off world’s longest river cruise ‘Ganga Vilas’
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is virtually flagged off the world’s longest river cruise ‘Ganga Vilas’ -
from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh. Covering a distance of nearly 4,000 km in 50 days, the cruise
will stop at several world heritage sites and pass through several national parks and sanctuaries.
Ladakh got its first ever Geographical Indication (GI) Tag to its Raktsey Karpo Apricot
• Ladakh got its first ever Geographical Indication (GI) Tag to its Raktsey Karpo Apricot. The coveted
GI tag certification for twenty years. Raktsey Karpo Apricot is one of the nine items recently registered

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 in the GI tag lists. Although, Ladakh grows more than thirty types of Apricots, but Raktsey Karpo variety
is unique to the region. This Ladakh exclusive variety is matchless in sweetness and colorful with
white Kernel.
Indian Army deploys its largest women contingent of peacekeepers at a UN mission
• India deployed a platoon of Women Peacekeepers in Sudan`s Abyei region as part of the Indian
Battalion in the United Nations Interim Security Force (UNISFA). This was India’s largest single unit
of women Peacekeepers in a UN Mission since it deployed the first-ever all-women contingent in Liberia
in 2007. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed happiness on January 6 at the Indian Army deploying its
largest contingent of women peacekeepers at a UN mission. The participation by our Nari Shakti (women power)
is even more gladdening,” the prime minister said in a tweet. The team will provide relief and assistance
to women and children in one of the highly operational and challenging terrain conditions under
the UN flag.
Governor gave nod to 30% horizontal reservation in government jobs for native women in
Uttarakhand
• Governor of Uttarakhand Lt. Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh gave nod to the bill that gives 30% reservation
to the native women of the State. With the Governor’s nod to Uttarakhand Public Services (Horizontal
Reservation for Women) Bill, 2022, the women candidates with “Uttarakhand State domicile” got the
legal right of 30% reservation in public services and posts.
Indian origin Prez of Guyana, Surinam to be guests at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January to mark the contribution of the
Overseas Indian community to the development of India. The Prime Minister inaugurated the 17th
three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in Indore, Madhya Pradesh and a digital exhibition
on the contribution of the diaspora in the freedom struggle. He also released a commemorative stamp,
‘Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen’ on the occasion.
• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention will focus on Latin America as part of the government’s
efforts to rope in the diaspora for the country’s development, with two Indian-origin leaders from the
region participating in the event as special guests.
• Guyana President Irfaan Ali and Surinam President Chandrikapersad Santokhi were the chief
guest and special guest of honour respectively at India’s flagship diaspora conclave, which was formally
inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 9. This year’s edition held in Indore during
January 8-10, also attended by ministers from Mauritius, Malaysia and Panama, and large delegations from
Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the US.
• PBD 2023: The theme is “Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal”. On this day,
the Government also confers Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award. 27 Indians living overseas have been
chosen by the Indian government for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA), for outstanding
achievements both in India and abroad. It is the highest honour conferred on a Non-Resident Indian
(NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO); or an organisation or institution established and run by NRI
OR PIO, who have made significant contributions to a better understanding of India abroad, support India’s
causes and concerns in a tangible way.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-Resident Indian Day) is a celebratory day observed (starting in 2003)
on 9 January by the Republic of India to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community
towards the development of India. The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South
Africa to Mumbai on 9 January 1915, led India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
Established in 2000, it is sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India and
the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian
Industries and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. This day came into effect in 2003, but
in 2015 it was revised and was decided to be celebrated every two years.
Kerala becomes country’s first fully digital banking state
• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared Kerala as the first state in the country to go fully digital in
its banking service and said this recognition would boost the state economy. This achievement was possible
due to social interventions through local self-government institutions along with infrastructure development
and technological advances in the banking sector. “I would like to congratulate everyone who worked behind
this and declare Kerala as the first fully digital banking state in the country,” Vijayan said.

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• Last year in July, Kerala had also become the first and only state in the country to have its own
internet service. The Chief Minister also said the ambitious Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON)
project of the state government, which was almost 90 per cent completed, will reduce the digital
divide. “
Digital India is a flagship programme of the Government of India with a vision to transform India into
a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Digital India Programme was launched in
2015. The programme has been enabled for several important Government schemes, such as BharatNet, Make in
India, Startup India and Standup India, industrial corridors, etc. Vision Areas are: Digital infrastructure as
Utility to Every Citizen, Governance and services on demand and Digital empowerment of citizens.
The Digital India Week 2022 organised from July 4 to July 9, 2022 under the Digital India Programme,
to strengthen the Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living. The theme for the week was ‘Catalyzing New
India’s Techade’.

Supreme Court agrees to hear plea of Google against NCLAT order

• The Supreme Court agreed to hear Google’s plea in connection with a Rs.1337-crore penalty imposed
on it by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for alleged anti-competitive practices in relation
to Android mobile devices.
• Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said the case would be listed after senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, for Google,
urged for an early hearing during oral mentioning hour. The NCLAT had refused an interim stay on an
order of the competition regulator imposing a Rs 1,337 crore penalty on Google and had asked it to
deposit 10 per cent of the amount.
Competition Commission of India (CCI) is a statutory body of the Government of India responsible for
enforcing the Competition Act, 2002, it was duly constituted in March 2009. The Commission consists
of one Chairperson and six Members who shall be appointed by the Central Government. The commission
is a quasi-judicial body which gives opinions to statutory authorities and also deals with other cases.
The Chairperson and other Members shall be whole-time Members. Competition Act prohibits anti-
competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises and regulates combinations, which causes an
appreciable adverse effect on competition within India. In accordance with the provisions of the Amendment
Act, the Competition Commission of India and the Competition Appellate Tribunal have been
established. The government replaced the Competition Appellate Tribunal (COMPAT) with the National
Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in 2017.

Jitendra Singh launches Geospatial Hackathon to promote Innovation and Start-Ups in

• Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh launched Geospatial Hackathon to
promote Innovation and Start-Ups in India’s Geospatial ecosystem. Dr. Singh said that the aim of the
hackathon is to promote partnerships not only among the public and private geospatial sectors but
also to strengthen country’s geospatial Start-Up ecosystem.
India has become the 3rd largest start-up ecosystem in the world after the US and China. 44 Indian start-
ups have achieved unicorn status in 2021 taking the overall tally of unicorns to 83, most of which are in the
services sector. India has seen such rapid growth in unicorns due to several strategic as well as conditional reasons.
A unicorn is any privately owned firm with a market capitalization of more than USD 1 billion. There
are several categories like fintech, Edtechs, B2B (Business-to-Business) companies, etc.

Free foodgrain scheme named ‘PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana’

• The Centre has named its new free foodgrain scheme under the National Food Security Act, 2013, as
‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)’, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food
and Public Distribution said.
• The new integrated food security scheme for providing free food grains to Antodaya Anna Yojna
(AAY) & Primary Household (PHH) beneficiaries, is rolled out from 1st January 2023. The integrated
scheme is expected to strengthen the provisions of NFSA, 2013 in terms of accessibility, affordability
and availability of foodgrains for the poor. Keeping in view welfare of the beneficiaries and in order to
maintain uniformity across the States, free foodgrains will be provided under PMGKAY for the year
2023 to all PHH and AAY beneficiaries, as per entitlement under NFSA.

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 National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 was enacted in July 2013. It gives legal entitlement to 67% of
the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas) to receive highly subsidized foodgrains.
Under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), foodgrains were sold at highly subsidized prices of
Rs. 1/-, Rs. 2/- and Rs. 3/- per kg for nutri-cereals, wheat and rice respectively. The Department of Food
and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is the
nodal ministry for implementing this Act. Under sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Act, the term “eligible
households” comprises two categories 1. Priority household category is entitled to 5 kg per person per
month. 2. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families are entitled to 35 kg per family per month.
Kollam is India’s first Constitution literate district
• Kerala’s Kollam district has been declared the first constitution-literate district of India. The chief
minister declared Kollam to be India’s first constitution-literate district, saying that constitutional
ideals must be integrated into our daily lives and government in order to attain comprehensive
constitutional literacy. The district’s success is the result of a seven-month campaign launched by the
Kollam district panchayat, District Planning Committee, and the Kerala Institute of Local Administration
(KILA) to educate citizens about the country’s laws and their rights. The campaign aimed to provide
constitutional literacy to 23 lakh citizens belonging to 7 lakh families in the district.
In A First, India & Egypt held Exercise ‘Cyclone-1’ Comprising Special Forces
• Indian and Egyptian Special Forces are participated in the first-ever bilateral military exercises
involving the SF elements of both nations. The exercise called ‘Cyclone-1’ is held in Rajasthan’s Udaipur,
Jodhpur and Jaipur. Notably, the first-ever Joint Tactical Air Exercise between the Indian Air Force
(IAF) and the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) called Exercise Dessert Warrior was held in October 2021.
• ‘Cyclone – I’ is the first exercise of its kind bringing the special forces of both the nations on a common
platform. The 14 days long exercise which is being carried out in the deserts of Rajasthan engages both the
contingents to advance special forces skills such as Sniping, Combat Free Fall, Reconnaissance, Surveillance and
Target Designation, sharing of information on weapons, equipment, innovations, tactics, techniques and procedures.
Egypt is a country located in North Africa. Mostafa Madbouly is the current Prime Minister of Egypt.
Cairo is the capital city of Egypt. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is the current President of Egypt since 2014. Egyptian
pound is the currency of Egypt. Egypt is home to famous monuments such as the Giza Pyramid Complex
and the Great Sphinx. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Pyramids of Giza are built on the banks
of the Nile River. The Great Pyramid of Giza was built in 2560 BC. India and Egypt, two of the world’s
oldest civilizations, have enjoyed a history of close contact from ancient times.
India’s longest sea bridge in Mumbai
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that 90% civil work of the Mumbai Trans-Harbour
Link, the country’s longest sea bridge, had been completed, and it would be open for traffic. The
bridge would be the first to have an Open Road Tolling (ORT) system and of the 22-km bridge, 16.5
km-long stretch is above the sea. The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, also known as the Sewri–Nhava Sheva
Trans Harbour Link will connect Mumbai with Navi Mumbai, its satellite city.
NCERT notifies India’s first national assessment regulator
• PARAKH has been launched as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)-
2020 that envisaged a standard-setting body to advise school boards regarding new assessment patterns
and latest research, and promote collaborations between them.
• “The Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development
(PARAKH) as a centre, hereby, established within the education survey division of the NCERT, with
immediate effect”.
The National Education Policy of India 2020 (NEP 2020), which was approved by the Union Cabinet of
India on 29 July 2020, outlines the vision of new education system of India. The new policy replaces the previous
National Policy on Education, 1986. The policy is a comprehensive framework for elementary education to higher
education as well as vocational training in both rural and urban India. The policy aims to transform India’s
education system by 2040. Education in India is a Concurrent List subject. In January 2015, a committee
under former Cabinet Secretary T. S. R. Subramanian started the consultation process for the New
Education Policy. Based on the committee report, in June 2017, the draft NEP was submitted in 2019 by
a panel led by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan.

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J&K becomes first Indian UT to completely shift to e-governance mode
• Leading the digital transformation in governance, Jammu and Kashmir has become the first union
territory (UT) in India to have entirely shifted to digital mode of administration. All governmental and
administrative services in Jammu & Kashmir are currently only offered digitally. The declaration was
made during the meeting of the Committee of Secretaries. Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta instructed the
commissioner of IT during the meeting to make sure that all government services would only be accessible online.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to be Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations
• President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, will pay a state visit to India from the 24th to the 26th of this
month. President El-Sisi will be the Chief Guest at India’s 74th Republic Day. He will be accompanied
by a high-level delegation, including five Ministers and senior officials. This is for the first time that the
President of Egypt has been invited as Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations. A military
contingent from the Egyptian Army will also participate in the Republic Day parade. India and Egypt are
celebrating 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year.
Indian, French navies held bilateral exercise ‘Varuna’ 2023 in Goa
• The 21st Edition of the Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France – Exercise Varuna
commenced on the Western Seaboard, Goa on 16 January 2023. While the bilateral exercise between the
two navies were initiated in 1993, it was christened as ‘VARUNA’ in 2001 and has become a hallmark of
India – France strategic bilateral relationship.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended ceremony to name 21 Andaman and Nicobar
islands after Param Vir Chakra awardees
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi named the 21 largest unnamed islands of the Andaman & Nicobar
Islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees via video conferencing on the birth anniversary of Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23. January 23 is observed as ‘Parakram Diwas’.
• Mr. Modi participated in the ceremony through video conference and unveiled a model of the national
memorial dedicated to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose that’s to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose Dweep. Ross Island was renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep by PM Modi during his
visit to the Island in 2018. Neil Island and Havelock Island were also renamed Shaheed Dweep and
Swaraj Dweep respectively.
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India’s highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished
acts of valour during wartime. Post-independence, first three gallantry awards namely Param Vir
Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra were instituted by the Government of India on 26th January,
1950 which were deemed to have effect from the 15th August, 1947. Thereafter, other three gallantry awards
i.e. Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra were instituted, which were also deemed to have
effect from the 15th August, 1947. Order of precedence of gallantry awards is the Param Vir Chakra > the
Ashoka Chakra > the Maha Vir Chakra > the Kirti Chakra > the Vir Chakra > the Shaurya Chakra. The
gallantry awards are announced twice in a year — first on the occasion of the Republic Day and then on
the occasion of the Independence Day. Param Vir Chakra translates as the “Wheel of the Ultimate Brave”, and
the award is granted for “most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy”. As of January 2018, the medal
has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani
conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and one has been from the Indian
Air Force. Major Somnath Sharma, was the first recipient. A number of state governments of India as well
as ministries of the central government provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC (or their family
members in case of the recipient’s death).
74th Republic Day celebrated
• India celebrated its 74th Republic Day. The main function was held at Kartavya Path in New Delhi
from where President Droupadi Murmu led the nation in celebrating the Republic Day. Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was the Chief Guest at the parade.
• The grand parade of Republic Day 2023 at Kartavya Path was special for India as the participants
gave a push to the theme of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by showcasing indigenously developed weapon systems.
Indian Navy tableau showcased the country’s maritime strength during the Republic Day parade
at Kartvya Path on 26th January. This year tableau showcased Nari Shakti, self reliance and Make
in India initiative under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan. The theme of the Indian Navy is
Combat Ready, Credible, Cohensive and Future Proof for this Republic Day parade. Leading the marching
contingent of Indian Navy is a lifetime opportunity and it was her childhood dream.

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• For the first time, the 21 Gun Salute was given to President Droupadi Murmu during the parade with
105 mm Indian Field Guns on Kartavya Path replacing the British-made 25-pounder guns. The Main
Battle Tank ARJUN of the 75 Armoured Regiment was led by Captain Amanjeet Singh. The motto of
MBT Arjun is`Sahasam Vijayate’. The State of the art MBT ARJUN is third generation main battle tank
developed indigenously by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950
replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India and thus, turning the nation
into a newly formed republic. The Constitution was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on 26
November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, completing
the country’s transition towards becoming an independent republic. 26 January was chosen as the date for
Republic day because it was on this day in 1929 when the Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna
Swaraj) was proclaimed by the Indian National Congress as opposed to the Dominion status offered by
the British Regime.
Indian Navy undertaking mega exercise in Indian Ocean Region
• The Indian Navy is carrying out a mega war game involving almost all its operational assets such
as warships, submarines and aircraft in the Indian Ocean Region to check the force’s combat readiness amid
China’s growing military forays into the region.
• The biennial Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX) is aimed at “validating and
refining” the Navy’s concept of “operations” as well as to test overall combat capabilities. The TROPEX
is being conducted over duration of three months from January to March and assets of the Indian Army, the
Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard are being deployed for the mega drills.
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world’s five oceanic divisions, covering 70,560,000 km2 or
~19.8% of the water on Earth’s surface. The Indian Ocean covers one-fifth of the Earth’s waters and is
considered to be the youngest of the three oceans, Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Moreover, it is the only
ocean that is enclosed by major landmasses. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to
the east. To the south it is bounded by the Southern Ocean or Antarctica, depending on the definition in use. Along
its core, the Indian Ocean has some large marginal or regional seas such as the Arabian Sea, Laccadive Sea, Bay
of Bengal, and Andaman Sea. The Indian Ocean has been known by its present name since at least 1515
named after India, which projects into it. It was earlier known as the Eastern Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is
the largest and deepest of Earth’s five oceanic divisions.
Longest river cruise Ganga Vilas presently in West Bengal: to move towards Matiari in Nadia
• Ganga Vilas, the longest river cruise, is in West Bengal presently. It will move towards Matiari in Nadia.
Indian River cruise Ganga Vilas in its maiden journey is touring West Bengal now. Titled as Ganga Vilas
Epic, folk artists from various parts of Murshidabad participated in this extraordinary event, where they
presented Raibenshe, a kind of Martial Art to enthrall the tourists.
All government vehicles older than 15 years to be scrapped from April, 2023: Centre
• According to a recent notification by the road transport and highways ministry, from April 1, 2023, all vehicles
owned by central and state governments, including buses owned by transport corporations and
public sector undertakings, that are older than 15 years will be de-registered and scrapped.
• From April 2023, all government vehicles that have completed 15 years will automatically lose their
right to ply on roads as their certificate of registration will expire, according to a new rule of the central
government.
• In an effort to weed out old, polluting and potentially less-safe vehicles from Indian roads, Nitin
Gadkari-led Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has already rolled out the vehicle scrapping
policy. The draft notification of the policy was issued in November.
• Announced in the Union Budget 2021-22, the policy provides for fitness tests after 20 years for personal
vehicles and 15 years for commercial vehicles. Under the new policy which is effective from April 1,
2022, the Centre has said states and Union Territories will provide up to 25 per cent tax rebate on
road tax for vehicles that are purchased after scrapping old vehicles.
• Last year, Mr Gadkari had said he looked to develop at least one automobile scrapping facility within
150 kilometres from each city centre while asserting that the country has the potential to become a
vehicle scrapping hub of the entire South Asian region. Vehicle manufacturers will also give a discount of
5% to people who will produce the ‘Scrapping Certificate’ and registration fees will be waived off on
the purchase of a new vehicle.

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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy in 2021 and said it
would help phase out unfit and polluting vehicles and also promote a circular economy. Mr Gadkari
said India’s target of achieving net zero by 2070 is very much achievable, and if the country follows the
strategic and systematic approach towards transportation.
MoU signed with South Africa to introduce 12 African Cheetahs into India annually; first
batch to be flown in next month
• India and South Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding to introduce 12 African Cheetahs
annually over the next eight to ten year. In terms of the agreement, an initial batch of 12 cheetahs will
be flown from South Africa to India next month. The cats will join eight Cheetah brought in India from
Namibia last year.
• The initiative to reintroduce cheetah to a former range state is being carried out following the local extinction of
this iconic species due to over hunting and loss of habitat in the last century. The terms of the MoU will be
reviewed every five years to ensure it remains relevant.
• Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav termed this initiative as an encouraging development for Project
Cheetah and a matter of pride for nature lovers. Restoring cheetahs is a priority for the government led
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with far-reaching conservation consequences.
The cheetah is scientifically known as Acinonyx jubatus. The large cat is native to Africa and central
Iran. It is the fastest land animal, running at the speed of 80 to 128 km/h. They can be found in variety of
habitats like savannahs of Serengeti, arid mountain ranges of Sahara and hilly desert terrain of Iran.
In the IUCN Red list, Cheetah is listed in Vulnerable category.
Economic Survey 2022-23 tabled in the Parliament
• The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey for the Financial
Year 2022-23, after the President’s address. The Economic Survey 2022-23 highlighted that India’s economic
recovery from the pandemic is complete and the economy is expected to grow in the range of 6% to
6.8% in the coming financial year 2023-24.
• State of the Economy 2022-23: The Indian economy is staging a broad based recovery across sectors after
recovering from pandemic-induced contraction, Russian-Ukraine conflict and inflation. India’s GDP
growth is expected to remain robust and in the range of 6-6.8 % in Financial Year 2023-24, but detailed
some downside risks, such as low demand for exports, sustained monetary tightening, etc.
The Economic Survey of India is an annual document released by the Ministry of Finance. It is usually
presented in Parliament a day before the Union Budget. It is prepared by the Economics Division of the
Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the guidance of the Chief Economic Advisor. It reviews
the developments in the Indian economy over the previous 12 months and presents the economic outlook
for the current fiscal year. It also presents the current state of the Indian economy, including data on gross domestic
product (GDP), inflation, employment, and trade. The first Economic Survey in India was presented in the
year 1950-51. Up to 1964, it was presented along with the Union Budget. From 1964 onwards, it has been
delinked from the Budget. J J Anjaria was India’s first Chief Economic Advisor (CEA). He was appointed
in 1956. Venkatramanan Anantha Nageswaran is the current Chief Economic Advisor.
Amrit Udyan is new name for Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan
• The Mughal Gardens in New Delhi’s Rashtrapati Bhavan were designed in 1917 and have been
renamed by the government as “Amrit Udyan”. These gardens, spread over 15 acres, are also known as
the “soul of the presidential palace”. The new name has been given by President Draupadi Murmu as part
of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” festivities, to mark 75 years of India’s independence.
The Mughal Gardens were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the British architect who planned most of
New Delhi. India’s British rulers decided to shift the capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911— a move announced
during the coronation of King George at the Delhi Durbar on December 12, 1911. Sir Lutyens was selected
to advise on Delhi’s planning in 1912. His team selected Raisina Hill on the southern side for the presidential
palace, then called the Viceroy’s House, since the northern site was close to the Yamuna River and hence vulnerable
to floods. The presidential palace took more than 17 years to build, at an estimated cost of Rs. 14 million. Lord
Irwin, Viceroy and Governor-General of India, became its first occupant on April 6, 1929. The name of
the Viceroy’s House was changed to Government House when India became independent on August
15, 1947. It was changed to Rashtrapati Bhavan during the term of President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

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India, Uzbekistan 4th Joint Military Exercise ‘DUSTLIK’ commences in Uttarakhand
• The 4th edition of joint military exercise ‘DUSTLIK’ between the Indian Army and Uzbekistan Army
commenced in Pithoragarh Uttarakhand. Defence Ministry said, 45 Soldiers each from Uzbekistan and
Indian Army are participating in this exercise.
Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country located in Central Asia. It is surrounded by five landlocked
countries: Kazakhstan to the north; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast; Tajikistan to the southeast; Afghanistan to the
south; and Turkmenistan to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Tashkent. The sum is the official
currency of Uzbekistan. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been serving as President of Uzbekistan.
Rail minister announces India’s first hydrogen train
• Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that India will have its first hydrogen train
designed and manufactured locally by December 2023 on the Kalka-Shimla historic circuit. Although
hydrogen-powered train technology is still in its infancy with only a few countries using it on a limited basis,
India’s early adoption is regarded as a significant step toward green initiatives. The upcoming hydrogen-
powered trains will be known as Vande Metro.
Indian Railways (IR) is the fourth-largest railway network in the world by size. There are a total of
18 Railway zones. South Coast Railway Zone is the newest and 18th railway zone, headquartered at
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Ashwini Vaishnaw is currently serving as the Minister of Railways
and Commerce in the Government of India. In June 2019, he became a member of the Parliament of
India representing Odisha State in the Rajya Sabha. The practice of a separate Railway Budget was
started by the British in 1924 under the recommendation of a 10-member Acworth Committee headed
by British economist William Mitchell Acworth in 1920-21. On 21 September 2016, Government of India
approved the merger of the Railway Budget with the Union budget of India, and thus came to end — a
92-year-old practice of separate rail and general budgets.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented Union Budget
• The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the
Union Budget 2023-24 in Parliament. The highlights of the Budget are as follows:
• Expenditure: The government proposes to spend Rs 45,03,097 crore in 2023-24, which is an increase of
7.5% over the revised estimate of 2022-23. In 2022-23, total expenditure is estimated to be 6.1% higher than the
budget estimate.
• Receipts: The receipts (other than borrowings) in 2023-24 are expected to be to Rs 27,16,281 crore,
an increase of 11.7% over revised estimate of 2022-23. In 2022-23, total receipts (other than borrowings)
are estimated to be 6.5% higher than the budget estimates.
• GDP: The government has estimated a nominal GDP growth rate of 10.5% in 2023-24 (i.e., real growth
plus inflation). The finance minister presented a phenomenal budget, which sets the Indian economy
on the right track for continued growth. Her speech succinctly projects this year’s economic growth
at 7%. I believe the economy is on the right track despite challenges, both global and domestic. The Indian
economy has increased in size from the 10th to the fifth largest during the past nine years.
• Deficits: Revenue deficit in 2023-24 is targeted at 2.9% of GDP, which is lower than the revised estimate of
4.1% in 2022-23. Fiscal deficit in 2023-24 is targeted at 5.9% of GDP, lower than the revised estimate of
6.4% of GDP in 2022- 23. While the revised estimate as a percentage of GDP was the same as the budget estimate,
in nominal terms, fiscal deficit was higher by Rs 94,123 crore (increase of 5.7%) in 2022-23. Interest expenditure
at Rs 10,79,971 crore is estimated to be 41% of revenue receipts. The Fiscal deficit target of 6.4% for FY2022-
23 has been retained in the Revised Estimate for FY2022-23. The target for FY2023-24 has been reduced
to 5.9% (INR 17.86 lakh crore). The medium-term target is to reduce Fiscal Deficit to 4.5% by FY2025-26.
The Union Budget of India also referred to as the Annual Financial Statement in the Article 112 of the
Constitution of India, is the annual budget of the Republic of India. The Government presents it on the first
day of February so that it could be materialised before the beginning of new financial year in April.
Until 2016 it was presented on the last working day of February by the Finance Minister in Parliament. The
budget, which is presented by means of the Finance bill and the Appropriation bill has to be passed by
Lok Sabha before it can come into effect on 1 April, the start of India’s financial year. As of January 2021,
Morarji Desai has presented 10 budgets which is the highest count followed by P Chidambaram’s 9 and
Pranab Mukherjee’s 8. Yashwant Sinha, Yashwantrao Chavan and C.D. Deshmukh have presented 7
budgets each while Manmohan Singh and T.T. Krishnamachari have presented 6 budgets.

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U.P. Govt. Signs MoU For India’s First Quantum Computing Data Center ‘IQDC’
• U.P. Govt. signs an MoU with Innogress for setting up India’s first Quantum Computing Data Center,
‘IQDC’ (Indraprastha Quantum Data Center), at Greater Noida, U.P. proposed in JV with GAN Tech. UK.
Recently U.P. attracted many Data Center projects, particularly in Noida/Greater Noida area, but this is the
first time a new data center is proposed on innovative Quantum Computing Technology.
Quantum computing is a rapidly-emerging technology that harnesses the laws of quantum mechanics
to solve problems too complex for classical computers. Quantum mechanics is a subfield of physics that
describes the behavior of particles — atoms, electrons, photons, and almost everything in the molecular
and submolecular realm. It is an exciting new technology that will shape our world tomorrow by providing us
with an edge and a myriad of possibilities. It is a fundamentally different way of processing information
compared to today’s classical computing systems. While today’s classical computers store information
as binary 0 and 1 states, quantum computers draw on the fundamental laws of nature to carry out
calculations using quantum bits. Unlike a bit that has to be a 0 or a 1, a qubit can be in a combination
of states, which allows for exponentially larger calculations and gives them the potential to solve complex problems
which even the most powerful classical supercomputers are not capable of.
Justice Nazeer among new Governors of Andhra Pradesh appointed by President Murmu;
Maharashtra Governor Koshyari’s resignation accepted
• President Droupadi Murmu appointed 13 new Governors while accepting the resignations of
Bhagat Singh Koshyari as Governor of Maharashtra and of Radha Krishnan Mathur as Lt. Governor
of Ladakh. “Lt. General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik, YSM (Retired) as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh;
Lakshman Prasad Acharya as Governor of Sikkim; C.P. Radhakrishnan as Governor of Jharkhand; Shiv
Pratap Shukla as Governor of Himachal Pradesh; and S. Abdul Nazeer as Governor of Andhra Pradesha; Gulab
Chand Kataria as Governor of Assam.” Justice Nazeer (retd), who was part of the five-judge bench
that delivered the November 2019 Ayodhya verdict, has been appointed as the new Governor of
Andhra Pradesh, while the incumbent, Biswa Bhushan Harichandan, has been moved to the Chhattisgarh
Raj Bhavan.
• Justice (Retd) Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh appointed as Governor of
Chhattisgarh; Anusuiya Uikye, Governor of Chhattisgarh appointed as Governor of Manipur; La. Ganesan,
Governor of Manipur appointed as Governor of Nagaland; Phagu Chauhan, Governor of Bihar appointed as
Governor of Meghalaya; Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Himachal Pradesh appointed as Governor
of Bihar; Ramesh Bais, Governor of Jharkhand appointed as Governor of Maharashtra; Brig (Dr) B.D. Mishra
(Retd), Governor of Arunachal Pradesh appointed as Lt. Governor of Ladakh.
The Governor is the Chief Executive Head of a State. Same as the President of India, the Governor
is a nominal (titular or constitutional) head and he/she acts as an agent of the central government.
Hence, the office of governor has a dual role. Articles 153 to 167 in Part VI of the Constitution states about
the State Executive, that comprises the Governor, the Chief Minister, the Council of Ministers as well
as the Advocate General of the State. Generally, there is a governor for each state, however, the 7th
Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated the appointment of the same person as a governor for
two or more states. The Governor is neither directly elected by the people nor indirectly elected by a
specially constituted electoral college. Rather he/she is appointed by the President by warrant under
his hand and seal. The Governor makes an oath or affirmation, that is administered by the Chief Justice of the
concerned State’s High Court and in his/her absence, the senior-most judge of that court available. He/she should
have attained the age of 35 years.He/she must be a citizen of India.
Operation Dost: India to send one more C-17 planeloads of relief material, equipment &
personnel to Earthquake hit Turkiye
• India to send one more C-17 planeloads of relief material, equipment & personnel to the earthquake-
hit Turkiye under Operation Dost. Earlier, four such planes with relief materials have already landed
in that country. Another C-130 aircraft carrying relief materials landed in Syria for carrying out rescue and
relief operations. This was the biggest natural disaster to hit Turkiye since 1939 and the government of India
received an email from the Turkish side for assistance in this regard.
• Operation Dost is an ongoing search and rescue operation initiated by India to aid Syria and
Turkey, after the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake devastated both countries on 6 February 2023. The
Indian Army prepared its rescue teams with relief materials within 12 hours after disaster struck (much before
the Turkish Army was mobilised). On 6th of February, a massive earthquake struck southern Turkiye and

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 Syria affecting millions of people in the region. Immediately on receiving news of this tragedy, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi directed that all possible assistance be extended to the affected people.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is an Indian specialized force constituted “for the purpose
of special response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster” under the Disaster Management
Act, 2005. The “Apex Body for Disaster Management” in India is the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA). The Chairman of the NDMA is the Prime Minister. The responsibility of managing
disasters in India is that of the State Government. The ‘Nodal Ministry’ in the central government for
management of natural disasters is the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). When ‘calamities of severe nature’
occur, the Central Government is responsible for providing aid and assistance to the affected state, including
deploying, at the State’s request, of Armed Forces, Central Paramilitary Forces, National Disaster Response Force
(NDRF), and such communication, air and other assets, as are available and needed.
Joint military exercise between India and Japan begins at Camp Imazu in Japan
• The 4th edition of joint military exercise, “EX DHARMA GUARDIAN”, between India and Japan begins
at Camp Imazu in Shiga province of Japan. The annual training event with Japan is crucial and significant
in terms of security challenges faced by both nations in the backdrop of the current global situation. The scope
of this exercise covers platoon-level joint training on operations in jungle and semi-urban or urban terrain.
• This joint exercise will enable the two armies to share best practices in tactics, techniques and
procedures of conducting tactical operations under a UN Mandate, It will also help develop inter-
operability, bonhomie, camaraderie and friendship between the two armies. The training will focus primarily
on a high degree of physical fitness and sharing of drills at the tactical level.
‘Vibrant Villages’ along India-China border approved
• The Union Cabinet approved the centrally-sponsored ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ for financial
years 2022-23 to 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs. 4,800 crore. The target is to develop the villages along the
China border. There will not be an overlap with the Border Area Development Programme. Of the Rs.
4,800 crore, a sum of Rs. 2,500 crore would be used for roads, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• This scheme was launched by the union government to stop emigration from villages along India’s
border with China, in states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh, by improving
the quality of life in these places with infrastructure development, adding to improved security of the border.
Vibrant Villages Programme is a Centrally sponsored scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 (to
2025-26) for development of villages on the northern border, thus improving the quality of life of people
living in identified border villages. It will cover the border areas of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Ladakh. It will cover 2,963 villages with 663 of them to be covered in
the first phase. Vibrant Village Action Plans will be created by the district adminstration with the help
of Gram Panchayats. There will not be overlap with Border Area Development Programme.
Chennai emerges as India’s first gender inclusive city
• Chennai has emerged as India’s first gender-inclusive city thanks to the efforts of the Greater
Chennai Corporation (GCC) in combination with the Gender and Policy Lab. The initiative aims to
make the city a safer place for women and promote gender mainstreaming.
Chennai formerly known as Madras is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. It is
the state’s primate city both in area and population and is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal.
According to the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most populous city in India and forms the
fourth-most populous urban agglomeration. The Greater Chennai Corporation is the civic body responsible for
the city; it is the oldest city corporation of India, established in 1688—the second oldest in the world after
London. In October 2017, Chennai was added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) list for its
rich musical tradition.
Retired Brigadier B.D. Mishra takes oath as new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh
• Brigadier B.D. Mishra (Retd) was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of the Union Territory of
Ladakh at a time when the region is witnessing a major upheaval over demands for Statehood and for
a special status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides autonomy and protection
for tribal populations. N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and
Ladakh, administered the oath to Brig. Mishra on the occasion. All administrative secretaries and other
dignitaries attended the ceremony held at Raj Niwas, Ladakh.

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 Ladakh is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger
Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. The
largest town in Ladakh is Leh, followed by Kargil, each of which headquarters a district. The Leh district
contains the Indus, Shyok and Nubra river valleys. The Kargil district contains the Suru, Dras and Zanskar
river valleys. Ladakh was established as a union territory of India on 31 October, 2019, following the
passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. Prior to that, it was part of the Jammu and
Kashmir state. Ladakh is both the largest and the second least populous union territory of India. Radha
Krishna Mathur served as the 1st Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh from 2019 to 2023. He retired as the Chief
Information Commissioner of India (CIC) in November 2018. B. D. Mishra is a former brigadier of the Indian
Army. He is the present Lieutenant governor of Ladakh. The eastern end, consisting of the uninhabited
Aksai Chin plains, is claimed by the Indian Government as part of Ladakh, and has been under Chinese
control since 1962.
India’s First High Speed Multimodal Ahmedabad-Dholera Corridor
• After the inauguration of phase one of the much-awaited Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, all eyes are on the 109
km long Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway. India’s first high speed multimodal corridor integrating
road and rail network is expected to be complete by January 2024. The 109 km long Greenfield
corridor is being developed at a total cost of Rs. 4,200 crore. Dholera, which was a sleepy town in Gujarat
till not long ago, is now being developed as India’s first Greenfield smart city. It has been planned in
a manner that the new smart city will be connected through all modes of transport - roads, metro, port and
airport. Dholera, now part of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), has already caught the
attention of investors.
Malabar drill to be held off Australia for the first time
• The top-notch Malabar naval exercise, which is the most visible manifestation of the expanding
military interoperability among the `Quad’ countries in the crucial Indo-Pacific region, was conducted
off Australia for the first time this August.
• India dispatched frontline warships as well as P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft for the
forthcoming 27th edition of the Malabar exercise, which began as a bilateral endeavour between India
and US in the 1990s and then formally included Japan as a regular participant in 2015 and finally
Australia in 2020 to complete the `Quad’.
Malabar Exercise is a multilateral war-gaming naval exercise that was started in 1992. It began as a
bilateral exercise between the navies of India and the United States. Two more editions of the exercise
were carried out in 1995 and 1996, after which there was a break until 2002 in the aftermath of India’s
nuclear tests. From 2002 onward, the exercise has been conducted every year. Japan and Australia first
participated in 2007, and since 2014, India, the US and Japan have participated in the exercise every
year. In 2020 Australia joined the Malabar Exercise on India’s request in order to contain China in the
Indo-Pacific region. For the first time in over a decade, Malabar 2020 saw the participation of all four
Quad members. It is aimed to support free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and remain committed to a
rules based international order.
Term of 22nd Law Commission extended till August, 2024
• The Union Cabinet extended by one-and-a-half year the term of the 22nd Law Commission which is
mandated to identify laws which are “no longer relevant” and recommend for their repeal. The term
of the panel has been extended up to August 31, 2024. The Commission’s three year term ended on Feb. 20.
• The 22nd law panel was constituted for a period of three years and its chairperson, Justice Rituraj Awasthi
(retd), assumed office on November 9, 2022. Article 44 under the Directive Principles says, “The State
shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.”
The Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India.
The commission’s function is to research and advise the government on legal reform, and is composed of
legal experts, and headed by a retired judge. The commission is established for a fixed tenure and works as
an advisory body to the Ministry of Law and Justice. The first Law Commission was established during
colonial rule in India by the East India Company under the Charter Act of 1833 and was presided by
Lord Macaulay. The first Law Commission of independent India was established in 1955 for a three-year
term with its chairman being the then Attorney-General of India, M. C. Setalvad.

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Appointment of an Election Commissioner with tenure less than six years is a clear
breach of law: Supreme Court
• The Supreme Court held that the appointment of an Election Commissioner for tenure less than six
years is in “clear breach” of law. The court’s observation came while discussing the designation of Arun
Goel as an Election Commissioner. Mr. Goel, whose appointment took place in a matter of just 24 hours on
November 18, has a term of a little over five years.
• Section 4(1) of the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of
Business) Act, 1991 requires that Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners should
separately have a period of six years in office.
Chief Election Commissioner of India can be removed from his office by the President on the basis
of a resolution passed to that effect by both the houses of parliament with a two-thirds majority in
both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on the grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. Other
Election Commissioners can be removed by the President of India on the recommendation of the Chief
Election Commissioner. A Chief Election Commissioner has never been removed in India. They can
resign anytime or can also be removed before the expiry of their term. The CEC can be removed from
office only through a process of removal similar to that of a Supreme Court judge by Parliament. They
have a tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
India’s first agri chatbot Ama KrushAI launched in Odisha
• Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal launched India’s first AI chatbot for the agriculture sector - Ama
KrushAI at the valedictory session of ‘Krushi Odisha 2023’. Ama KrushAI chatbot will help farmers with
the best agronomic practices, government schemes and loan products from more than 40 commercial and
cooperative banks.
The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India. The ancient
kingdom of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in 261 BCE resulting in the
Kalinga War, coincides with the borders of modern-day Odisha. Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE sun
temple at Konark about 35 kilometres northeast from Puri on the coastline of Odisha, India. The temple is
attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty about 1250 CE. Naveen Patnaik is the
current and 14th Chief Minister of Odisha.
Kerala Becomes India’s First State to Fully Automate Manhole Cleaning with Robot Scavengers
• Kerala becomes the first state to make extensive use of robotics for manhole cleaning. The Kerala
state government launched the robotic scavenger Bandicoot to clean up sewage in the temple town
of Guruvayur, becoming the first state in the country to use robotics to clean all commissioned
manholes. Bandicoot is developed by Technopark-based start-up, Genrobotics.
Kerala is a state on the southwestern, Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956
following the States Reorganisation Act by combining Malayalam-speaking regions. Kerala has the highest
literacy rate 93.91% in the 2011 census; the highest life expectancy, 77 years; and the highest sex ratio,
1,084 women per 1,000 men. Arif Mohammad Khan is the current Governor of Kerala. Kerala is known
as “God’s own country” and is one of the popular tourist destinations in India. Pinarayi Vijayan is the
current Chief Minister of Kerala, in office since 25 May 2016. As per the census 2011, Haryana has the lowest
child sex ratio i.e.834 per thousand males. Kerala is the largest producer of the rubber in the India.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni chief guest at 8th Raisina Dialogue
• In the first Prime Ministerial visit from Italy to India in five years, Giorgia Meloni visited India from
March 2 to 3 and was also the chief guest and keynote speaker at the 8th Raisina Dialogue. Italy Prime
Minister Giorgia Meloni opened the 2023 edition of Raisina Dialogue in presence of PM Narendra
Modi. Her India visit comes as two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations.
• Inaugurating the 2023 edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, Meloni focused on the importance of identity and the shared peninsular cultural heritage
between India and Italy, citing the example of the Pompeii Lakshmi, an ancient Indian statue found
in the historic Italian city in the 1930s.
Italy is a country that consists of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and several islands surrounding it.
Italy is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, in Southern Europe. A unitary parliamentary republic
with Rome as its capital. Euro is the currency of it. Sergio Mattarella is the current President of Italy.
Giorgia Meloni has been serving as the Prime Minister of Italy since 22 October 2022, the first woman to
hold this position.

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Raisina Dialogue 2023
• Recently, the eighth edition of the Raisina Dialogue was held in New Delhi. This year saw the
participation of intelligence and security chiefs from over 26 countries. India’s Minister of State for External
Affairs highlighted the importance of multilateralism in the context of changing geopolitics at the
Raisina Dialogue. India would work towards reforming multilateralism.
• Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-strategy. The theme of the 2023 Edition
is “Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest.” The Chief of Navy Staff of India
said working in smaller groups and regional frameworks is helpful in building trust, interoperability and overall
outcome. He also highlighted the vision of SAGAR or security and growth for all in the region.
The Raisina Dialogue is India’s premier foreign policy conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics
committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. The first session was
held in 2016. It is organized on the lines of the Shangri La Dialogue (which takes place annually in
Singapore) & the Munich Security Conference (the 59th edition of which took place in February 2023). It is co-
hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). The
name of the dialogue is derived from Raisina Hills, the place where India’s seat of power resides. It is an
area in Delhi where the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and other important government
offices are situated.

India hosts first meeting of governing board of BIMSTEC Energy Centre

• The central government hosted the first meeting of the governing board of BIMSTEC Energy Centre
(BEC) in Bengaluru. The meeting witnessed active participation from member countries Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• As host, India made a presentation on establishing BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC) in the premises of
the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), Bengaluru. The meeting considered and finalized the note
on ‘Host Country Agreement between the Government of Republic of India and the BIMSTEC Secretariat’.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an
international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, housing 1.73 billion people
and having a combined gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion (2021). The BIMSTEC member states –
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand– are among the countries dependent
on the Bay of Bengal. Fourteen priority sectors of cooperation have been identified and several BIMSTEC
centres have been established to focus on those sectors. A BIMSTEC free trade agreement is under negotiation
(c. 2018), also referred to as the mini SAARC. Leadership is rotated in alphabetical order of country names. The
permanent secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Telangana, UNICEF to set up India’s first Y-Hub for youth and adolescent in Hyderabad
• Continuing efforts to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Telangana, the State government signed a
Statement of Intent with UNICEF India to soon set up an exclusive innovation hub in Hyderabad to
foster innovation and entrepreneurial skills in the youth and the adolescent.
• Named Y-Hub, this will be India’s first youth and adolescent focused innovation centre to promote
problem-solving, creativity and design thinking, 21st century skills, innovation and entrepreneurship
among young people in the State. Y-Hub, which will provide access to resources and services including
mentorship, skilling programmes, workshops, bootcamps, co-creating spaces and funding opportunities for
young innovators, is also part of the YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India) initiative of UNICEF.
UNICEF, originally called the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund in full, now
officially United Nations Children’s Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing
humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. The agency is among the most widespread and
recognizable social welfare organizations in the world, with a presence in 192 countries and territories. UNICEF’s
activities include providing immunizations and disease prevention, administering treatment for children and mothers
with HIV, enhancing childhood and maternal nutrition, improving sanitation, promoting education, and providing
emergency relief in response to disasters. UNICEF is the successor of the United Nations International
Children’s Emergency Fund, created on 11 December 1946, in New York, by the U.N. Relief Rehabilitation
Administration to provide immediate relief to children and mothers affected by World War II. Catherine Mary
Russell is an American who is currently serving as Executive Director of UNICEF.

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SC forms five-member expert committee to look into Hindenburg report on Adani Group,
to be overseen by retired SC judge
• The Supreme Court formed a five-member expert committee headed by former apex court judge, Justice
Abhay Manohar Sapre, to investigate the causal factors and existence, if any, of regulatory failure
which led to investors losing crores due to the volatility in the securities market following Hindenburg
Research’s report accusing the Adani Group of manipulation of share prices and account fraud.
• The committee includes former chairman of the State Bank of India O.P. Bhatt, retired Bombay High
Court judge Justice J.P. Devadhar, former chief of the New Development Bank of BRIC countries
K.V. Kamath, co-founder of Infosys Nandan Nilekani and securities expert and lawyer Somasekhar
Sundaresan.
India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise DUSTLIK concludes in Pithoragarh
• India-Uzbekistan 15-day joint military exercise DUSTLIK concluded in Uttarkhand’s Pithoragarh
after exhibiting their combat power and dominance while understanding nuances of fighting multi-domain
operations in the sub-conventional scenarios. This was the fourth edition of the biennial exercise DUSTLIK,
meaning friendship in Uzbek.
• DUSTLIK is a biennial training exercise held between the armies of India and Uzbekistan. It aims at
enhancing military capability to undertake multi-domain operations in a Sub Conventional scenario
under United Nations Mandate. The first edition of the joint military exercise took place in Tashkent in 2019.
Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country located in Central Asia. It is surrounded by five landlocked
countries: Kazakhstan to the north; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast; Tajikistan to the southeast; Afghanistan to the
south; and Turkmenistan to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Tashkent. The sum is the official
currency of Uzbekistan. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been serving as President of Uzbekistan.
Supreme Court rules selection of Chief Election Commissioner and Election
Commissioners to be done by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of
Opposition and CJI
• A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court (SC) unanimously ruled that the appointment of the Chief
Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners shall be made by the President on the advice
of a Committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition of the Lok Sabha and
Chief Justice of India (CJI). In case no leader of Opposition is available, the leader of the largest
opposition Party in the Lok Sabha in terms of numerical strength will be a part of such committee.
• SC stated that a reading of the debates of the Constituent Assembly (CA) on the appointment of
ECI makes clear that all the members were of the clear view that elections must be conducted by
an independent Commission. The deliberate addition of the words “subject to the provisions of any law
made in that behalf by Parliament” further indicates that CA envisaged parliament making norms to govern
appointment to ECI. While ordinarily, the court cannot encroach on a purely legislative power, but in
the context of the Constitution and inertia of the Legislature and the vacuum created by it make it
necessary for the court to intervene.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body. It was established by the Constitution
of India to conduct and regulate elections in the country. Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian
Constitution deals with elections and establishes a commission for these matters. Article 324 of the
Constitution provides that the power of superintendence, direction, and control of elections to Parliament,
state legislatures, the office of the President of India, and the office of Vice-President of India shall be vested
in the election commission. The commission was established in 1950 and originally only had one Chief
Election Commissioner. Two additional Commissioners were appointed to the commission for the first
time on 16 October 1989, but they had a very short tenure, ending on 1 January 1990. “The Election
Commissioner Amendment Act, 1989” was adopted on 1 January 1990 which turned the commission
into a multi-member body: a 3-member Commission has been in operation since then and the decisions
by the commission are made by a majority vote. According to Article 324, the Election Commission shall
consist of the CEC and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from
time-to-time fix. Sukumar Sen was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India, serving from 21 March
1950 to 19 December 1958. V. S. Ramadevi was the first lady to become the 13th Governor of Karnataka
and 9th Chief Election Commissioner of India from 26 November 1990 to 11 December 1990. She was the first
woman to become Chief Election Commissioner of India.

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Manik Saha sworn in as Tripura Chief Minister
• Manik Saha was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tripura again on March 8, after the BJP returned
to power in the recently-concluded Assembly election. In the swearing-in ceremony that took place in the
presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP national president J.P.
Nadda, eight others were inducted in the Tripura Cabinet, including one from the BJP ally, the Indigenous
People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). In the recently held elections, the BJP won 32 seats of the 60-member
Assembly while its ally- Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) - won one seat.
Tripura is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country. Agartala is the capital and
the largest city of the Indian state of Tripura. Satyadev Narayan Arya is the current Governor of Tripura.
India is bracing for its first digital Census in 2024
• Covid-19 and its variants did what even World War II and India’s wars with China and Pakistan
could not: Disrupt a Census cycle that has continued unbroken since 1881. The Census scheduled for
2021 will now be completed only in 2024, three years behind schedule.
• Called a treasure trove of information, the Census encapsulates everything—from the country’s literacy
levels, education, housing, household amenities, migration, urbanisation, fertility, mortality,
language, religion and disability to other socio-cultural and demographic data such as age, gender
and marital status. It is the largest repository of the nation’s people as well as the source of primary data
at the village, town, and ward levels.
The decennial Census of India has been conducted 15 times, as of 2011. While it has been undertaken
every 10 years, beginning in 1872 under British Viceroy Lord Mayo, the first complete census was taken
in 1881. Post 1949, it has been conducted by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. All the censuses since 1951 were conducted
under the 1948 Census of India Act. The last census was held in 2011, whilst the next was to be held in
2021. But it has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ashwini Vaishnaw releases special ‘Go Green, Go Organic’ cover for world’s first organic
state Sikkim
• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and four Sikkim ministers released a unique cover of the Department
of Posts, ‘Go Green, Go Organic’ for Sikkim. The special cover is a testament to the state’s achievements
in organic farming and progress and a reminder of the importance of sustainable development for
the entire country.
• The special cover is a testament to the state’s achievements in organic farming and progress and a
reminder of the importance of sustainable development for the entire country, the Vaishnaw stated.
The union minister thanked Department of Posts for this release and congratulated Sikkim State for its
achievements of becoming the first state of the world to get recognized as an Organic state by the
World Book of Records (London).
According to FSSAI, ‘organic farming’ is a system of farm design and management to create an ecosystem
of agriculture production without the use of synthetic external inputs such as chemical fertilisers,
pesticides and synthetic hormones or genetically modified organisms. Organic farm produce means the
produce obtained from organic agriculture, while organic food means food products that have been produced in
accordance with specified standards for organic production. Sikkim is recognised as the “world’s first organic
state” by the World Book of Records London. Sikkim is India’s first fully organic state in 2016. World
Book of Records London is an organisation that catalogues and verifies extraordinary records across the world.
India-France joint military exercise FRINJEX-23 begins in Thiruvananthapuram
• The first ever joint military exercise between the Indian and French Army, FRINJEX-23, begins at
Pangode Military Station, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. This exercise is focused on Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief. The Joint exercise will further strengthened defence cooperation with France
which is a key aspect of the overall Indo-France strategic partnership.
• This for the first time French and Indian Army are engaging in this format with each contingent
comprising a Company Group. The exercise is aimed at enhancing inter-operability, coordination and
cooperation between both forces at tactical level. The exercise is unique in its concept and participation
with the largest ever contingent being fielded by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Indian Army
troops and the French 6th Light Armored Brigade. The theme for the exercise is based on “Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations in a Contested Environment”.

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2023-24
Neiphiu Rio, Conrad Sangma takes oath as Nagaland, Meghalaya CMs
• Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party’s Neiphiu Rio and National People’s Party chief Conrad
Sangma took oath as the Chief Minister of Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively. The 72-year-old
Rio, who heads NDPP, a regional ally of BJP was administered the oath as CM for the fifth time
while Conrad became Meghalaya CM for the second consecutive term. Taditui Rangkau Zeliang and
Yanthungo Patton take oath as Deputy Chief Ministers of Nagaland in Kohima.
Meghalaya meaning “abode of clouds”; is a state in northeast India. Meghalaya was formed on 21
January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills
and (b) the Garo Hills. Shillong is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya. Shillong remained the capital
of undivided Assam until the creation of the new state of Meghalaya on 21 January 1972, when Shillong
became the capital of Meghalaya, and Assam moved its capital to Dispur in Guwahati.
Navy’s major operational level exercise TROPEX concludes
• The Indian Navy’s major Operational level exercise TROPEX for the year 2023, conducted across
the expanse of the Indian Ocean, over a duration of four months from November 2022 to March 2023,
culminated in the Arabian Sea. The overall exercise construct included coastal defence exercise
Sea Vigil and the amphibious exercise AMPHEX, the Navy said, which also saw significant participation
from the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Coast Guard.
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the
Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As
a blue-water navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and
routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. Admiral Radhakrishnan
Hari Kumar is the current Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). General Anil Chauhan is a four-star general of
the Indian Army, who is the current and 2nd Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces.
India’s first cheetah couple released into the wild of Kuno National Park
• Two Namibian cheetahs, Oban and Aasha, were successfully released in the wild of Kuno National
Park, Sheopur district in Madhya Pradesh. Initial plan was to release the two male cheetah brothers –
Elton and Freddie, also known as The Rockstars.
• The special Task Force constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
for monitoring Cheetah introduction in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, and other suitable
designated areas had then decided to release ‘Oban and Aasha’ in the first phase, since they were mating.
Their movements would be monitored 24 hours a day by the local State Forest Department staff, assisted by the
cheetah research team.
• On September 17 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released wild Cheetahs, which had become
extinct from India, in Kuno National Park. Cheetahs which have been brought from Namibia are
being introduced in India under Project Cheetah, which is world’s first inter-continental large wild
carnivore translocation project.
• Out of the eight Cheetahs there are five female and three male. Mr. Modi released Cheetahs at two
release points in Kuno National Park. The release of wild Cheetahs by the Prime Minister is part of his
efforts to revitalise and diversify India’s wildlife and its habitat. The cheetah was declared extinct
from India in 1952.
• Asha is the first cheetah from Namibia who was released into a Boma enclosure by PM Modi last
year. The 12 cheetahs who were translocated from South Africa on February 18 will be shifted from
quarantine BOMA to predator free enclosure after March 18, said the MP forest official.
The cheetah is scientifically known as Acinonyx jubatus. The large cat is native to Africa and central
Iran. It is the fastest land animal, running at the speed of 80 to 128 km/h. They can be found in variety of
habitats like savannahs of Serengeti, arid mountain ranges of Sahara and hilly desert terrain of Iran.
In the IUCN Red list, Cheetah is listed in Vulnerable category.
First international conference on Shared Buddhist Heritage to begin in New Delhi
• The first international conference on Shared Buddhist Heritage commenced in New Delhi. It is
being organised with a focus on India’s civilisational connect with the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) nations 2023. The session was graced by Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and
DoNER Shri G.K Reddy; Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Smt Meenakashi Lekhi;
Minister of State for Culture and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal; DG, International Buddhist
Confederation, Shri Abhijit Halder and delegates from China, Pakistan, Russia, Bahrain, Myanmar, UAE.

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• The two-day conference aims at re-establishing trans-cultural links and seeking out commonalities,
between Buddhist art of Central Asia, art styles, archaeological sites and antiquity in various museum
collections of the SCO countries. India hosted the SCO Tourism Ministers’ meeting on March 17-18 in
Varanasi, designated as the first cultural capital of the SCO.
Buddhism started in India over 2,600 years ago as a way life that had a potential of transforming a
person. It is one of the important religions of South and South-Eastern Asian countries. The religion is
based upon the teachings, life experiences of its founder Siddhartha Gautam, born in circa 563 BCE.
He was born into royal family of Sakya clan who ruled from Kapilvastu, in Lumbini which is situated
near the Indo-Nepal Border. At the age of 29, Gautama left home and rejected his life of riches and
embraced a lifestyle of asceticism, or extreme self-discipline. After 49 consecutive days of meditation, Gautama
attained Bodhi (enlightenment) under a pipal tree at Bodhgaya, a village in Bihar. Buddha gave his
first sermon in the village of Sarnath, near the city of Benares in Uttar Pradesh. This event is known as
Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana (turning of the wheel of law). He died at the age of 80 in 483 BCE at a
place called Kushinagara a town in Uttar Pradesh. The event is known as Mahaparinibban. The main
teachings of Buddhism are encapsulated in the basic concept of four noble truths or ariya-sachchani
and eightfold path or astangika marg. Four noble truths: 1. Suffering (dukkha) is the essence of the world.
2. Every suffering has a cause – Samudya. 3. Suffering could be extinguished – Nirodha. 4. It can be
achieved by following the Atthanga Magga (Eight Fold Path). The essence of Buddhism is the attainment of
enlightenment. It points to a way of life that avoids self-indulgence and self-denial. There is no supreme god or
deity in Buddhism.

India’s First-ever Methanol Fuelled Buses launched by Transport Minister

• Nitin Gadkari showcased 100% methanol-powered buses that will be run by Bangalore Metropolitan
Transport Corporation (BMTC). The buses will be operated with methanol blended fuel as part of Mission
Clean Energy. The preliminary tests will be run on a pilot basis.
• The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari recently announced several
pilot trials of MD15 buses on the premises of Vidhana Soudha. Moreover, they are to be tested with 15%
methanol-blended fuel provided by Indian Oil. On this occasion, a truck that runs on 100% methanol (M
100) was also introduced by the government.
Methanol is a low carbon, hydrogen carrier fuel produced from high ash coal, agricultural residue,
CO2 from thermal power plants and natural gas. It is the best pathway for meeting India’s commitment
to COP 21. NITI Aayog’s ‘Methanol Economy’ programme is aimed at reducing India’s oil import
bill, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and converting coal reserves and municipal solid waste into
methanol. Blending of 15% methanol in gasoline can result in at least 15% reduction in the import
of gasoline/crude oil. In addition, this would bring down GHG emissions by 20% in terms of particulate
matter, NOx, and SOx, thereby improving the urban air quality. Methanol Economy will also create close to 5
million jobs through methanol production/application and distribution services. Additionally, Rs 6000 crore can be
saved annually by blending 20% DME (Di-methyl Ether, a derivative of methanol) in LPG. This will help
the consumer in saving between Rs 50-100 per cylinder.

Army installs tallest Iconic National Flag in hilly Doda district, J&K
• In Jammu and Kashmir, Army installed the tallest ‘Iconic National Flag’ in the hilly Doda district.
The tricolour which has been installed on a 100 feet-high pole, the highest Tricolour in the Doda district.
The Flag is a tribute to the countless soldiers of the Chenab Region who have made the ultimate
sacrifice while safeguarding the unity and integrity of the nation.
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The
President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four-star general. Two officers have been conferred with the rank of
field marshal, a five-star rank, which is a ceremonial position of great honour. Sam Manekshaw was the
first field marshal of India, and was conferred the rank on 1 January 1973. The second was Kodandera
M. Cariappa, who was conferred the rank on 15 January 1986. The Indian Army was formed in 1895
alongside the long established presidency armies of the East India Company, which too were absorbed
into it in 1903. General Manoj Pande is an Indian Army General serving as the 29th and the current
Chief of the Army Staff. He is the first officer from the Corps of Engineers to become the Army Chief.

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Sikkim hosted B20 meeting under India’s G20 presidency in Gangtok
• Sikkim hosted a B20 or Business20 meeting under India’s G20 presidency in Gangtok. Chief Minister
PS Tamang said the G20 events scheduled in Gangtok offer a golden opportunity for Sikkim to showcase its
economic potential in green investments, organic farming, tourism, pharmaceuticals, renewable
energy and hospitality sectors.
Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north
and northeast, Bhutan in the east, Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also close
to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders Bangladesh. Sikkim’s capital and largest city is Gangtok. Almost
35% of the state is covered by the Khangchendzonga National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 1975, after the Indian Army took over the city of Gangtok, a referendum was held that led to the
deposition of the monarchy and Sikkim joining India as its 22nd state. Prem Singh Tamang is the current
Chief Minister of Sikkim. Pawan Kumar Chamling was the former Chief Minister of Sikkim. Chamling’s
24.4 year stint (December 1994 to May 2019) is the longest ever by a chief minister of any Indian state,
surpassing Jyoti Basu’s 23 years in West Bengal. Ganga Prasad Chaurasia is currently governor of the state
of Sikkim. In 2015, Sikkim became the India’s first “organic state”.
Jammu & Kashmir gets first FDI project post-Article 370 abrogation
• The makers of Burj Khalifa marked their formal entry into Jammu and Kashmir, performing the
groundbreaking ceremony for the first foreign direct investment in the Union territory — a shopping
mall and a multipurpose tower in the outskirts of Srinagar.
• This is the first FDI project in Jammu and Kashmir after Article 370 was repealed by the Centre
in 2019. “EMAAR is a global brand from the UAE. They are making a huge investment here which is going to
create more than 10,000 jobs for locals.
Jammu and Kashmir is a region administered by India as a union territory and consists of the southern
portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan
since 1947 and between India and China since 1962. The region of Jammu and Kashmir is separated by
the Line of Control from the Pakistani-administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan
in the west and north, respectively. A resolution to repeal Article 370 was passed by both the houses of
the Parliament of India in August 2019. All provisions of the Indian Constitution are now equally
applicable to it. Provisions for the formation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir were contained within
the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which was passed by both houses of the Parliament
of India in August 2019. The act re-constituted the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union
territories, ‘Jammu and Kashmir’ and ‘Ladakh’, with effect from 31 October 2019. The union territory
of Jammu and Kashmir is administered under the provisions of Article 239 of the Constitution of India.
The Article 239A, originally formulated for the union territory of Puduchery, will also be applicable to
Jammu and Kashmir. Manoj Sinha is the current Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Girish
Chandra Murmu was the first Lieutenant Governor.
Two Indian places are among TIME’s ‘World’s greatest destinations 2023’
• The TIME magazine has released its annual list of the ‘World’s Greatest Places’ for the year 2023 and
two Indian destinations have made it to the list. ”The travel industry is back in full swing in 2023, but not
without notable shifts in how and where we wander. Steeper costs and increased interest in sustainability and
authenticity are reshaping the landscape,” the magazine said.
• The list which has 50 spots includes two Indian places - Mayurbhanj and Ladakh, that have been
selected for their rare tigers and ancient temples, and adventures and eats, respectively. Time
Magazine has created profile pages for Ladakh and Mayubhanj where it has highlighted the reasons why these
places are part of its prestigious list. In TIME magazine’s ‘50 extraordinary destinations to explore’ list,
two Indian places namely Ladakh and Odisha’s Mayurbhanj were included.
First India-Bangladesh friendship pipeline inaugurated
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the
first India-Bangladesh energy pipeline on via video-conferencing. It has been built at an estimated cost of
Rs. 377 crore, of which, Rs. 285 crore was incurred on laying the portion on the Bangladesh side. The pipeline
can transport one million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) of high-speed diesel. It will supply high-
speed diesel initially to seven districts in northern Bangladesh.

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 Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It shares land borders with India and Myanmar (Burma). Nepal,
Bhutan and China are located near Bangladesh but do not share a border with it. Dhaka is its capital
and largest city, followed by Chittagong, which has the country’s largest port. Bangladeshi taka is
the currency of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman often shortened as Sheikh
Mujib or Mujib, was a Bangladeshi politician, statesman and Founding Father of Bangladesh who
served as the first President and later as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 17 April 1971 until
his assassination on 15 August 1975. Mohammad Abdul Hamid is the 16th and current President of
Bangladesh, in office since April 2013. The incumbent President Abdul Hamid’s tenure is coming to an end on
April 23, 2023. Mohammad Shahabuddin will be the next President of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina is the
current Prime Minister of the Bangladesh. India shares its longest international border with Bangladesh
(4,096-kilometer) (2,545-mile).
PM Narendra Modi unveils India’s 6G vision document that eyes service rollout by 2030
• On March 23, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Bharat 6G Vision Document, which
outlines India’s plan to launch 6G communication services by 2030. The document was developed by
the Technology Innovation Group on 6G, a group of experts from various ministries, research institutions,
standardization bodies, telecom service providers, and industry.
• The 6G test bed was also launched, providing a platform for industry, academic institutions, and
others to test and validate emerging technologies. The government said that the Bharat 6G vision
document and 6G test bed would create an enabling environment for innovation, capacity building, and faster
technology adoption in the country.
• India’s 6G project will be implemented in two phases, and the government has also appointed an apex
council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardisation, identification of the spectrum for
6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and figure out finances for research and development,
among other things.
The vision document highlights that 6G will provide ultra-low latency with speeds up to 1 terabit per
second, which is 1,000 times faster than the top speed of 5G. While 5G technology promises a speed of 40-
1,100 Mbps with the potential to hit maximum speeds of 10,000 Mbps, 6G will offer faster and more efficient
communication services. The TIG-6G group’s members will develop a roadmap and action plans for 6G
in India, providing a clear direction for the development and adoption of 6G technologies in the country. India’s
plan to launch 6G communication services by 2030 demonstrates its commitment to adopting new
technologies and remaining at the forefront of the telecommunication industry.
India-Africa military exercise begins in Pune
• India and 23 African nations began a nine-day mega military exercise in Pune with a greater aim to
expand their overall military cooperation. A number of new generation equipment manufactured in India is
being used at the exercise to give a feel of their efficacy to the troops of the participating nations. The
joint exercise has been hosted by the Indian Army in keeping with India’s outreach to Africa.
• The African countries which are participated in the Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX)
include Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi,
Morocco, Niger and Nigeria. Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Seychelles, Senegal, Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also attending the exercise.
The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent
of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for
the establishment of the African Union. The bloc was founded on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
and launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa. The intention of the AU was to replace the Organisation
of African Unity (OAU), established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa by 32 signatory governments; the OAU was
disbanded on 9 July 2002. Moussa Faki Mahamat has been the elected Chairperson of the African Union
Commission. Azali Assoumani is serving as Chairperson of the African Union since February 2023.
Asia’s largest and India’s first optical survey telescope inaugurated in Uttarakhand
• The world’s largest liquid mirror telescope was launched in Uttarakhand. It will allow scientists to
explore the deep sky and classify objects ranging from asteroids to supernovae. It would help India
become a more prominent player in the field of astronomy and sky-watching.
• The liquid mirror telescope, known as the ILMT, is the first of its kind to be designed and built
for astronomical observations. It is also the first telescope in India to be equipped with an artificial
intelligence system that can classify objects in the sky.

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• The Devasthal observatory is equipped with the largest aperture telescope available in India that
will use Big Data and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) algorithms to classify objects
in the sky. The telescope has three components: A bowl containing a reflecting liquid mercury metal, an air
bearing (or motor) on which the liquid mirror sits, and a drive system.
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) is a research institute in Nainital,
Kumaon, India which specializes in astronomy, solar physics, astrophysics and atmospheric science. It is an
autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The institute is
situated at Manora Peak (elevation 1,951 m), about 9 kilometres from Nainital, headquarters of Kumaon
division. The astronomical observatory is open to the public on afternoons, and on occasional moonlit nights with
prior permission.
Rajasthan Becomes First Indian State to Have Right to Health
• Rajasthan has the first state in India to make health a right of the people there. The Assembly passed
the Rajasthan Right to Health Bill, 2022, which gives every resident the right to free emergency treatment at
public or designated private hospitals.
• According to the bill’s provisions, every resident will have the right to emergency treatment and care
“without prepayment” at any “public health institution, health care establishment and designated health
care centres”. The government will reimburse the health care provider if a patient does not pay the charges
after emergency care, stabilisation and referral.
Rajasthan is a state in northern India. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population.
It is on India’s northwestern side, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert (also known as
the Great Indian Desert) and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh to
the west, along the Sutlej-Indus River valley. Kalraj Mishra is serving as the Governor of Rajasthan.
India’s first quantum computing-based telecom network link now operational
• Telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that India’s first quantum computing-based telecom network
link is now operational in the national capital, New Delhi. The quantum communication link is now
operational between Sanchar Bhawan and National Informatics Centre office located in CGO
Complex in the national capital.
• “The first quantum secure communication link between Sanchar Bhawan and NIC, CGO complex is now
operational,” Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced prize money of Rs 10 lakh for ethical
hackers who can break the encryption of the system and also launched a hackathon challenge for
anyone who can break the system developed by C-DoT, with a reward of Rs 10 lakh per break.
Quantum computing is a rapidly-emerging technology that harnesses the laws of quantum mechanics
to solve problems too complex for classical computers. Quantum mechanics is a subfield of physics that
describes the behavior of particles — atoms, electrons, photons, and almost everything in the molecular
and submolecular realm. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), also called Quantum Cryptography, is a
mechanism to develop secure communication. It provides a way of distributing and sharing secret keys that
are necessary for cryptographic protocols. Cryptography is the study of secure communications techniques
that allow only the sender and intended recipient of a message to view its contents. Quantum communication
relies on quantum mechanics properties, making it hard to intercept or hack the communication. This
technology has the potential to revolutionize the telecom industry by enabling faster, more efficient, and secure
communication. It is an exciting new technology that will shape our world tomorrow by providing us with an edge
and a myriad of possibilities. It is a fundamentally different way of processing information compared to today’s
classical computing systems. While today’s classical computers store information as binary 0 and 1 states,
quantum computers draw on the fundamental laws of nature to carry out calculations using quantum
bits. Unlike a bit that has to be a 0 or a 1, a qubit can be in a combination of states, which allows for
exponentially larger calculations and gives them the potential to solve complex problems which even the most
powerful classical supercomputers are not capable of.
Kangra Tea from Himachal Pradesh gets European Geographical Indication tag
• The EU Agriculture tweeted that Kangra Tea from Himachal Pradesh has been granted the European
Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This is an important certification that recognizes the tea as originating
from a specific region. A GI, a kind of IPR, is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product
(handicraft and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name
conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.

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 A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific
geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). India, as a member of the World Trade
Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,
1999 has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003. GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1)
of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement
as: “Indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or a locality in that
territory, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic
origin.” The GI tag ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those
residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name. Darjeeling tea
became the first GI tagged product in India, in 2004–2005. The registration of a geographical indication
is valid for a period of 10 years. It can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each.
Afforestation project Green Wall launched to revive the Aravallis
• The Haryana government launched an extensive afforestation and plantation project called the
“Green Wall” in 75 villages to revive the Aravallis that is under threat from rampant mining, dumping of
waste and encroachments. The project, conceptualised on the lines of the African Green Wall programme,
was inaugurated by Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupender Yadav in
village Tikli, located 13 km from Gurugram. The African Great Green Wall was an initiative launched in Sahel,
the region bordering Africa’s Sahara Desert, to increase the amount of arable land. Yadav said about 35,000
hectares in Haryana, including 18,000 hectares in Gurugram, will be part of the project to revive the Aravallis
that stand as the only barrier stopping the expansion of desert land towards north-west India.
The Aravalli Green Wall Project is part of the Union Environment Ministry’s vision to create green
corridors across the country to combat land degradation and desertification. The project covers the
states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi – where the Aravalli hills landscape span over 6 million
hectares of land. The project will involve planting native species of trees and shrubs on scrubland, wasteland, and
degraded forest land, along with rejuvenating and restoring surface water bodies such as ponds, lakes, and streams.
The project will also focus on agroforestry and pasture development to enhance the livelihoods of local communities.
The Africa Great Green Wall covers the Sahel region from Senegal in the West to Djibouti in the East
of Africa. The 11 countries selected as intervention zones for the Great Green Wall are Burkina Faso,
Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan. The total area
of the Great Green Wall initiative extends to 156 Mha, with the largest intervention zones in Niger, Mali, Ethiopia
and Eritrea. Since its launch in 2007, major progress has been made in restoring the fertility of Sahelian
lands.
India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge on Anji River in J-K near completion
• The first cable-stayed railway bridge of India is expected to be ready by May this year on the Anji
River in Jammu and Kashmir. Once ready, trains will run at a speed of 100 kmph (Km per hour) on the
bridge being constructed around 80 km away from Jammu. Anji Bridge between Katra and Reasi stations
falls in the Reasi district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The upcoming structure is part
of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Link (USBRL) project.
• Currently, trains operate between Udhampur to Katra section. The construction on the 111-km Katra to
Banihal line is currently underway and 52 km of this section, including the bridges on the Anji and
Chenab rivers, are being built by the Konkan Railway. Banihal and Baramulla are also connected by
trains. Once completed, the USBRL project will connect the Kashmir Valley to the Indian rail network.
The Anji Khad Bridge is an under-construction cable-stayed bridge connecting Katra and Reasi Section
of Jammu–Baramulla line. After an earlier arch bridge design proposal, similar to the Chenab Bridge arch
design, was rejected and a new cable-stayed design was approved, it became India’s first cable-stayed
railway bridge. It is built by Hindustan Construction Company.
Banarasi Langda mango, Banarasi paan are latest entrants to GI tag club
• As many as 33 products were granted GI certification on March 31 by the GI Registry, Chennai. Among
them, 10 belonged to Uttar Pradesh, including two from Varanasi. Besides, Banarasi paan and langda
mango two more products from the region, Ramnagar Bhanta (brinjal) and Chandausi’s adamchini chawal
(rice) were given the GI tags. As per the GI Registry list, the newly added items from Varanasi include
Aligarh Tala, Bakharia Brassware, Banda Shazar Patthar Craft, Nagina Wood Craft, Pratapgarh
Aonla, and Hathras Hing.

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• Earlier, two varieties of betel leaf were given the tag from the GI Registry. The first is the Maghai paan from
Bihar, a distinctive variety grown in four districts of the state, which fetches a high price. The second is
the Mahoba Desawari paan, which grows in the Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh and Chhatarpur
in Madhya Pradesh.
Kerala tops GI tag list in FY 2022-23
• ​​Besides the 6 products from Kerala, Mithila Makhana (aquatic fox nut) from Bihar was selected for
GI recognition followed by Alibag white onion from Maharashtra. Tandur Redgram from Telangana
the local variety of pea, Ladakh Raktsey Karpo Apricot from Ladakh and Gamosa handicrafts from
Assam were also chosen for the honours. Kerala has topped the list of states in the country with most
number of products securing the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in financial year 2022-23, a data shared by
the GI Registry.
Bihar’s aromatic ‘Marcha Rice’ gets GI tag
• Bihar’s famous ‘Marcha Rice’ which is known for its aroma and palatability was awarded the
Geographical Indication tag, according to the GI registry. Marcha is a short indigenous cultivar of rice found
in West Champaran district of Bihar.
• By its size and shape, its grain appears like black pepper so it is known as ‘Mircha’ (pepper in Hindi)
or ‘Marcha Rice’. The Journal of GI Registry said it has accepted the application seeking the GI tag for the
rice. The major growing areas of Marcha rice include Mainatand, Gaunaha, Narkatiyaganj, Ramnagar and
Chanpatiya blocks of West Champaran district.
10th Edition of Indian - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime exercise SLINEX-2023 held in
Colombo
• The 10th Edition of the annual Indian - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime exercise SLINEX-2023 is held in
Colombo. The exercise is conducted in two phases of three days each, the Harbour Phase followed by
Sea Phase. The Indian Navy was represented by INS Kiltan and INS Savitri while Sri Lanka Navy will
have SLNS Vijayabahu and SLNS Samudura.
• SLINEX-2023 will aim to enhance inter-operability, improve mutual understanding and exchange
best practices and procedures in multi-faceted Maritime operations between both Navies.
• The annual maritime exercise exemplifies the deep engagement between India and Sri Lanka which has
strengthened cooperation in the maritime domain. Interaction between the navies of the two countries has also
grown significantly in recent years, in consonance with India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and the
Hon’ble PM’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region’ (SAGAR)’.
In 2015, India unveiled it’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean i.e. Security and Growth for All in the
Region (SAGAR). It is an increasing recognition of the increasing importance of maritime security, maritime
commons and cooperation. Through SAGAR, India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation
with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their maritime security capabilities. For this, India would
cooperate on the exchange of information, coastal surveillance, building of infrastructure and strengthening their
capabilities. Further, India seeks to safeguard its national interests and ensure Indian Ocean region to
become inclusive, collaborative and respect international law.
In a first, Telangana introduces ‘cool roof policy’ for all types of buildings
• Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K T Rama Rao launched the Telangana Cool
Roof Policy 2023-28 to make the state more thermally comfortable and heat-resilient by reducing
the impact of the urban heat island effect and heat stress, and also to bring down energy consumption.
• A cool roof, which uses special paints or tile cover, is designed to reflect more sunlight than a
conventional roof, thus reducing heat retention and cooling indoor spaces. “Telangana Cool Roof Policy 2023-
28 suggests the adoption of a cool roof as a measure for implementation to build resilience against extreme heat.
Telangana is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high
Deccan Plateau. On 2 June 2014, the area was separated from the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh
as the newly formed state with Hyderabad as its capital. It is a land locked state in India. Kalvakuntla
Chandrashekhar Rao has served as the first Chief Minister of Telangana since 2014 to 6 December 2023.
Revanth Reddy is the current Chief Minister of Telangana Tamilisai Soundararajan is an Indian medical
doctor serving as current Governor of Telangana.

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India’s first air force heritage centre is set for inauguration in Chandigarh
• An Indian Air Force heritage centre, the first of its kind in the country, has come up in Chandigarh’s
sector 18 and is awaiting inauguration. The centre demonstrates five vintage aircraft and provides visitors
with cockpit exposure and an experience on flight simulators. Also at the centre is the Indian Air Force
tableau that was displayed at Kartavya Marg on Republic Day.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure
Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established
on 8 October 1932 as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire which honoured India’s aviation service
during World War II with the prefix Royal. After India gained independence from United Kingdom in 1947,
the name Royal Indian Air Force was kept and served in the name of the Dominion of India. With the
transition to a republic in 1950, the prefix Royal was removed. Since 1950, the IAF has been involved in four
wars with neighbouring Pakistan. Other major operations undertaken by the IAF include Operation
Vijay, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Cactus and Operation Poomalai. The President of India holds
the rank of Supreme Commander of the IAF. Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari is currently serving
as the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).The IJR is an initiative of Tata Trusts in collaboration with Centre
for Social Justice, Common Cause and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative among others. It was
first published in 2019. It assesses the performance of states in terms of justice delivery, by considering
several parameters such as police, judiciary, prisons, and legal aid to assess the overall performance of each state.
World’s first conservation, breeding centre for Asian king vultures ready in UP’s
Maharajganj
• Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre (JCBC) in UP’s Maharajganj district, the world’s first
conservation and breeding centre built and designed exclusively for the conservation of Asian
king vulture, is ready and may be inaugurated anytime soon by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Asian king
vulture is critically endangered and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act. Spread over 1.5
hectares in the Gorakhpur forest division, it is a state-of-the-art centre, worth around Rs 15 crore, with
multiple aviaries (cage for birds) for vultures, like breeding and holding aviaries, nursery aviaries for juveniles,
hospital and recovery aviaries for those needing medical help. A food processing centre, where food for
vultures will be prepared and checked before being fed to the population and an incubation centre to
rear eggs artificially to ensure 100% results are other features.
Cabinet approves LIGO-India, gravitational-wave detector to be built in Maharashtra
• The Union Cabinet approved a project to build an advanced gravitational-wave detector in
Maharashtra at an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore. The facility’s construction is expected to be completed by
2030.
• According to Union minister Jitendra Singh; it will come up in Hingoli district, where land has been acquired
to the tune of 174 acres. The observatory will be the third of its kind, made to the exact specifications of the
twin Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatories (LIGO), in Louisiana and Washington in
the U.S. LIGO-India will work in tandem with them.
LIGO-India is a planned advanced gravitational-wave detector to be located in India, whose
concept proposal is now under active consideration by the science funding agencies in India and
US. INDIGO or IndIGO (Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations) is a consortium of
Indian gravitational-wave physicists. This is an initiative to set up advanced experimental facilities
for a multi-institutional observatory project in gravitational-wave astronomy located near Aundha
Nagnath, Hingoli District, Maharashtra, India. Predicted date of commission is in 2030.
Election Commission order: AAP gets national party tag; NCP, TMC, CPI loses status
• The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) recognized as a National Party as it fulfilled the condition of Para
6B(iii) i.e. recognition as a state party in four states, based on electoral performance i.e –Delhi, Goa,
Punjab and, most recently, in Gujarat. The Election Commission (EC) recognised it as a national party.
• The Trinamool Congress (TMC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Communist Party of India
(CPI), however, lost their national party status. The EC’s decision was based on a review of the parties’
poll performances — the 2014 and 2019 LokSabha polls and 21 state assembly polls since 2014. Besides
other benefits, the status of a national party ensures that the party’s symbol is reserved for its candidates
across the country, and it gets land for an office in the national capital. Acting under the Election Symbols
(Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, which stipulates the criteria for recognition as a national

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 or state party, the EC’s order said AAP had fulfilled the requirement of being a recognised state
party in four or more states.
• The country now has six national parties — BJP, Congress, BahujanSamaj Party (BSP), CPI(M),
National People’s Party (NPP) and AAP. Acting under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment)
Order, 1968, which stipulates the criteria for recognition as a national or state party, the EC’s order said AAP
had fulfilled the requirement of being a recognised state party in four or more states.
• Meanwhile, the EC also granted state party status to the Lok Janshakti Party in Nagaland, Voice of the
People Party in Meghalaya, and Tipra Motha in Tripura, based on their recent poll performances.
Six others lost state party status — Peoples Democratic Alliance in Manipur, Pattali Makkal Katchi in
Puducherry, Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh, Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Andhra Pradesh, Revolutionary
Socialist Party in West Bengal and Mizoram People’s Conference in Mizoram. According to Paragraph 6C of the
order, amended with effect from January 1, 2014, a party will continue to be a national or state party if
it fulfills the criteria laid down in Paragraphs 6A and 6B in the “next election”, after the one in which
it “got recognition”.
The ECI has laid down some criteria for a party to be recognised as a National party, it’s not a permanent
tag and a party may gain or lose national party status from time to time, depending on the fulfilment of
the conditions. As per the ECI’s Political Parties and Election Symbols, 2019 handbook, a political party
would be considered a national party if it meets any one of the following conditions: It is a ‘recognised’
state party in four or more states, or If its candidates polled at least 6% of total valid votes in any four
or more states in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections and have a minimum of four MPs in the last
Lok Sabha polls, or If it has won at least 2% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from not less than three
states. To be recognized as a state party, a party needs to meet any one of the following conditions: At least
6% vote-share in the last Assembly election and have at least 2 MLAs, or Have a 6% vote share in the
last Lok Sabha elections from that state and at least one MP from that state; or At least 3% of the total
number of seats or three seats, whichever is more, in the last Assembly elections; or At least one MP for
every 25 members or any fraction allotted to the state in the Lok Sabha; or Have at least 8% of the total
valid votes in the last Assembly election or Lok Sabha election from the state.

The Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man’s Party) is a political party in India. It was founded in November
2012 by Arvind Kejriwal and his then-companions, following the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement.
AAP is currently the governing party in the Indian states of Delhi and Punjab. On 10 April 2023, AAP
was officially granted the status of national party by ECI. The party’s election symbol is a broom.
Tamil Nadu’s Cumbum grapes get Geographical Indication tag
• Cumbum grapes just received the Geographical Indication (GI) label. This is the famous Cumbum
Panneer Thratchai from Tamil Nadu, commonly known as Cumbum grapes. The Cumbum valley, located in
Tamil Nadu’s Western Ghats, is regarded as the “Grapes City of South India” and grows the PanneerThratchai.
• This variety, sometimes known as Muscat Hamburg, accounts for over 85% of the grape-growing
areas in Tamil Nadu. Theni district is one of PanneerThratchai’s highest grape-producing locations. However,
the ‘Panneer’ type is most closely linked with Cumbum Valley, where the agricultural area spans over 2,000
acres across ten villages. The Cumbum region’s agroclimate and soil conditions are ideal for the cultivation of
the Muscat varietal.
Chhattisgarh’s Nagri Dubraj rice variety gets GI tag
• The Geographical Indication Registry granted Chhattisgarh’s aromatic rice, Nagri Dubraj, a geographical
indication (GI) tag facilitating the brand to get a unique identity and a wide market. Morena and Rewa
Mango (both Madhya Pradesh) and Nagri Dubraj have been given GI tags.
• It will give a new identity to the products in the national and international market. A GI tag is given to an
entrepreneur or a group of businessmen of a particular area, state, or country. The GI tags are issued as per
the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, of 1999.
Chhattisgarh was formed on 1 November 2000 by partitioning 10 Chhattisgarhi and 6 Gondi speaking
southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is a land locked state of India. The capital city is Raipur.
Biswabhusan Harichandan is present Governor of Chhattisgarh.

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Jharkhand government launches job portal to ensure 75% local quota in private sector
• To ensure 75% employment to local candidates in the state’s private sector, the Jharkhand government
launched ‘Jharniyojan’ portal where all private establishments have to register themselves. It
will act as a platform for the employers to share businesses and manpower-related information and for the
candidates looking for jobs. The employers who make use of the portal will have to adhere to the ‘Jharkhand
State Employment of Local Candidates in Private Sector Act, 2021’. It applies to all establishments which
are in the private sector and where 10 or more people are employed.
Jharkhand (meaning ‘the land of forests’) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with
the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Chhattisgarh to the west, Odisha to the south
and West Bengal to the east. The city of Ranchi is its capital and Dumka its sub-capital. Hemant Soren is
the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand. C. P. Radhakrishnan is serving as the current Governor of
Jharkhand. The state was formed on 15 November 2000, from the territory that had previously been part
of Bihar.
President Murmu takes sortie on Su-30 aircraft
• President Droupadi Murmu took a sortie on a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air
Force Station in Assam. Group Captain Naveen Kumar Tiwari flew her in a Sukhoi-30 MKI that took off from
the Indian Air Force base. The President, currently on a visit to Assam, is the Supreme Commander
of the three services. The Sukhoi-30 MKI is a twin-seater multirole fighter jet developed by Russia’s
Sukhoi and built under licence by India’s aerospace giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Droupadi Murmu is serving as the 15th and current President of India since 25 July 2022. She is a
member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She is the first person belonging to the indigenous,
scheduled tribe community (Santal) to be elected as the President of India. Prior to her presidency
she served as the ninth Governor of Jharkhand between 2015 and 2021, and held various portfolios in the
cabinet of Government of Odisha between 2000 to 2004. Before entering politics, she worked as a clerk in the State
Irrigation and Power Department from 1979 to 1983, and then as a teacher in Rairangpur until 1997. She is
the youngest and first individual born after India’s independence in 1947 to have been elected president.
Murmu is only the second woman after Pratibha Patil to serve as the President of India. Prathibha
Devisingh Patil served as the 12th President of India spanning from 2007 to 2012. She is the first woman
to become the President of India. Pranab Mukherjee served as the 13th President of India from 2012
until 2017. Ram Nath Kovind served as the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022. He is the second
Dalit to serve as President of India after the first Dalit President K. R Narayanan (1997 to 2002).
Asia’s Longest Tunnel on Ladakh Route
• Union Minister for Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari reviewed the ongoing work for the
strategically important Zojila tunnel in Kashmir’s Sonmarg that will provide all-weather
connectivity to Ladakh. Construction of the Rs. 4,900 crore 13-kilometre-long Zijila tunnel, Asia’s
longest, is expected to be completed by 2026.
• The closure of the Srinagar-Ladakh highway during winter badly impacts the lives of both the civilian
population and the army in the Union Territory. Once completed, the Zojila tunnel will be a game-changer
for the region that has been witnessing a protracted standoff between the army and the Chinese military
since June 2020. The average travel time to cross the Zojila Pass is around three hours, however, after the
completion of this tunnel it will be reduced to just 20 minutes.
Zoji la Pass is a high mountain pass located in the Kargil district of Ladakh. The pass links Leh and
Srinagar and provides an important link between Union Territories of Ladakh and Kashmir. Zoji la is
known as the “Mountain Pass of Blizzards”. Zojila pass remains closed during winters due to heavy snowfall,
cutting off Ladakh region from Kashmir. In 2018, the Zojila tunnel project was launched. The tunnel is
Asia’s longest and strategic bi-directional tunnel, which will provide all-weather connectivity between
Srinagar, Kargil and Leh.
Kolkata metro trials India’s first under-water coaches
• India’s first ever underwater metro completed the trial run with passengers. Kolkata’s East-West
Metro successfully completed the journey from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade and vice versa. India
witnessed the much-awaited joy ride under the holy Ganga River of east west metro corridor, which is
the green line of the Kolkata metro.

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Exercise Cope India 23 starts between Indian Air Force and US Air Force
• Exercise Cope India 23 has started between the Indian Air Force and the United States Air Force.
This 11 days exercise is being held at Panagarh, Kalaikunda and Agra air force stations. The exercise aims
at enhancing mutual understanding between the two Air Forces and sharing their best practices.
Ladakh’s wood carving gets GI Tag
• The recent granting of a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Ladakh’s wood carving has brought a
significant boost to the region’s cultural traditions and local economy. The GI tag has been given by
the GI Registry in Chennai, which is responsible for registering products under the GI Act, 1999.
Jagan Mohan Reddy wealthiest CM, Mamata Banerjee least well-off: ADR report
• Twenty-nine of the 30 incumbent Chief Ministers are crorepatis with Andhra Pradesh’s Jagan
Mohan Reddy having the highest assets totalling Rs. 510 crore, according to poll affidavits analysed by
the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has the lowest total assets of about Rs. 15 lakh, the
ADR said. There are 28 state Chief Ministers and two union territories — Delhi and Puducherry — also have
chief ministers. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir does not have a chief minister currently. Out of
the 30 CMs analysed, 29 (97 per cent) are crorepatis with the average assets being Rs. 33.96 crore for every CM.
According to the ADR report, out of the 30 CMs, 13 (43 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases
including those related to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and criminal intimidation.
• The top three chief ministers in terms of assets are Andhra Pradesh’s Jagan Mohan Reddy (over Rs.
510 crore), Arunanchal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu (over Rs. 163 crore) and Odisha’s Naveen Pattnaik
(over Rs. 63 crore), according to the ADR. The three CMs with the lowest declared assets are – West
Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee (over Rs.15 lakh), Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan (over Rs. 1 crore) and Haryana’s
Manohar Lal (over Rs.1 crore), the ADR said.
In India, a Chief Minister is the elected head of government of each state out of the 28 states and sometimes
a union territory (UT). Currently, only the UTs of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir (currently vacant) and
Puducherry have serving Chief Ministers. According to the Constitution of India, the Governor is a state’s
head, but de facto executive authority rests with the Chief Minister. Following elections to the State
legislative assembly or Vidhan Sabha in a state, the state’s governor usually invites the party (or coalition)
with a majority of seats to form the government. The governor appoints and swears in the Chief Minister,
whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. Based on the Westminster system,
given that they retain the confidence of the assembly, the Chief Minister’s term can last for the length
of the assembly’s life, a maximum of five years. There are no limits to the number of terms that the
chief minister can serve. A Chief Minister heads a state government’s council of ministers and can be deputised
in that role by a deputy chief minister. Pawan Kumar Chamling was the longest served Chief Minister
of Sikkim and India, surpassing Jyoti Basu. Pema Khandu is the youngest Chief Minister of India.
Indian government launches Ambedkar circuit tourist train
• The Bharat Gaurav Tourist train tour on Ambedkar Circuit was flagged off by Shri G. Kishan
Reddy, Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER, & Dr. Virendra Kumar, Minister of Social Justice and
Empowerment today from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. The government of India on April 14
launched the first Ambedkar circuit tourist train which will cover prominent places associated with
the life of DR. B.R. Ambedkar as well as important Buddhist heritage sites.
• The ‘Bharat Gaurav Tourist train’ is being operated under the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative which is
aimed at promoting domestic tourism, and is a joint collaboration between the Ministries of Tourism and
Railways. The 8-day tour includes visits to places linked to Dr. Ambedkar like New Delhi, Mhow, Nagpur,
Sanchi, Sarnath, Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social
reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the
Constituent Assembly debates, served as Law and Justice minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal
Nehru, and inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement after renouncing Hinduism. Ambedkar was born on
14 April 1891 in the town and military cantonment of Mhow (now officially known as Dr Ambedkar Nagar)
(now in Madhya Pradesh). In 1990, the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, was posthumously
conferred on Ambedkar. The salutation Jai Bhim (lit. “Hail Bhim”) used by followers honours him. He is also
referred to by the nickname Babasaheb (BAH-bә SAH-hayb), meaning “Respected Father”. In 1956, he
completed his final work, The Buddha and His Dhamma, which was published posthumously.

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Dr. Jitendra Singh launches ‘YUVA PORTAL’ to identify potential young Start-Ups
• Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched - YUVA PORTAL in New Delhi, which
will help in connecting and identifying potential young Start-Ups. Dr Singh also launched the One
Week -One Lab programme. He underlined that unless the stakeholders’ participation is broad-based,
particularly in the Industry, the StartUps may not remain sustainable for want of proper industry mapping
and the right aptitude.
Ganga mission clears projects worth Rs. 638 crore
• The Jal Shakti Ministry’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) cleared eight projects worth
Rs. 638 crore. The projects include the rejuvenation of river Hindon, a tributary of the Yamuna, stretches of
which rank as among the most polluted in the country. This clean-up comprises four projects, worth Rs.
407.39 crore, approved for pollution abatement in Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh. Once commissioned,
the projects will stem the flow of polluted water into the Krishni River, which, as of now, discharges pollution
from Shamli district into the Hindon.
• The four projects in Shamli district are: (i) the construction of a 5 million litres per day (MLD)
sewage treatment plant (STP), 5 KLD (kilo litres a day) septage co-treatment facility, interception &
diversion (I&D) and other works in Babri and Bantikhera villages; ii) 5 MLD STP, 5 KLD septage co-treatment
facility, I&D and other works in Banat town; iii) 40 MLD STP, 20 KLD septage co-treatment facility, I&D and
other works in Shamli town and iv) 10 MLD STP, 10 KLD septage co-treatment facility, I&D and other works
in Thanabhawan town.
Ministry of Jal Shakti (‘water power/strength/capabilities’) is a ministry under Government of India which
was formed in May 2019 under the second Modi ministry. This was formed by merging of two ministries;
Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking
Water and Sanitation. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is an Indian politician from Rajasthan who is currently
serving as Union Cabinet Minister in Ministry of Jal Shakti. He is a member of parliament from the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) representing Jodhpur in the Lok Sabha.

Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’

by the Union Government of India in June 2014 with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 crore. The program
had aims of controlling pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga. It aimed
at engaging with the UK community which will connect various interest groups including Scientists, Technology
companies, Investors and community members. NMCG (National Mission For Clean Ganga) has decided to
declare Chacha Chaudhary the popular comic book character, as the mascot of the Namami Gange
Programme a statement issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
India releases first edition of Dogri version of Indian Constitution
• Union Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju released the first edition
of the Dogri version of the Constitution of India at University of Jammu. The translation of the
Constitution into different languages is not a new concept. The Constitution was originally written in
English and Hindi and has since been translated into several other languages. The translation of the
Constitution into Dogri was a long-standing demand of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and its release has
been welcomed by the people of the state.
PM Gati Shakti Master Plan Gets Award for Excellence in Public Administration
• At the 16th Civil Services Day Celebration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded the Excellence in
Public Administration-2022 award to the PM Gati Shakti national master plan in the ‘Innovation
(Central)’ category. PM Gati Shakti national master plan initiative, launched in October 2021 for
integrated and planned development of critical infrastructure projects to reduce logistics costs,
received an award for excellence in public administration-2022 from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi conferred these awards for excellence in public administration for effective implementation
of identified priority programmes and innovation to implementing units, and central and state
organisations.
• So far about 76 key infrastructure projects worth about Rs. 5.14 lakh crore of different ministries
have been evaluated under the initiative in the last one year. These projects pertain to different ministries
including roads and highways; oil and natural gas; housing and urban affairs; and new and renewable
energy.

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 Recently, the government of India has launched the ambitious Gati Shakti scheme or National Master
Plan for multi-modal connectivity plan, with the aim of coordinated planning and execution of infrastructure
projects to bring down logistics costs. To ensure integrated planning and implementation of infrastructure projects
in the next four years, with focus on expediting works on the ground, saving costs and creating jobs. The Gati
Shakti scheme will subsume the Rs 110 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline that was launched
in 2019.
Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao unveils India’s tallest Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad
• Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao unveiled the 125-ft tall statue of B R Ambedkar,
on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the architect of the Indian Constitution. This statue of
Ambedkar in Hyderabad is considered the tallest in India. The statue was built using 360 tonnes of stainless
steel and 114 tonnes of bronze, at a cost of Rs 146.50 crore. It is located on the banks of Hyderabad’s famed
Hussain Sagar Lake, near to the State Secretariat.
PM Modi laid foundation stone of India’s first Digital Science Park in Kerala
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone for the country’s first Digital Science
Park, a Rs-1,500-crore project, in Thiruvananthapuram. The third-generation Science Park (they are
located in bustling city centres) will come up close to the Digital University of Kerala at Technopark Phase
IV - Technocity. The Digital Science Park project had been conceived as a multidisciplinary cluster-based
interactive-innovation zone focused on digital technologies and is expected to be completed in two years.
Tamil Nadu’s Manamadurai pottery gets GI tag
• Manamadurai in Sivagangai district is known for pottery making. The Manamadurai pottery
recently earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The Vaigai River enriches the clay used for the
Manamadurai pottery. Pot making requires expertise as the bottom has to be perfectly round. The circumference
of the pot and the neck should be proportionate so that the pot sits flat on the ground.
Track 1.5 Dialogue: Delhi to host talks on Myanmar
• An India-hosted round of alternative negotiations with Myanmar has produced informal agreements
to reduce violence on “all sides,” curb transnational crime and expedite humanitarian aid to the
conflict-wracked country, according to a source directly involved, cranking up pressure on the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations to adjust its own diplomacy.
• India organized a “Track 1.5 meeting” on Myanmar last week of Aril 2023 in New Delhi as a follow-
up to a similar meeting held in Bangkok in March 2023. In addition to Indian officials, think tank experts and
midlevel representatives of Myanmar’s military regime, five other ASEAN countries took part: Cambodia,
Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, with Indonesia present as the organization’s rotating chair.
Myanmar is formerly known as Burma, is a country in Southeast Asia. It is the largest country in Mainland
Southeast Asia. Myanmar is bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest, China to its northeast, Laos and
Thailand to its east and southeast, and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to its south and southwest. The
country’s capital city is Naypyidaw, and its largest city is Yangon (Rangoon). The kyat is the currency
of Myanmar (Burma). Following the 2020 Myanmar general election, in which Aung San Suu Kyi’s
party won a clear majority in both houses, the Burmese military (Tatmadaw) again seized power in
a coup d’état. Min Aung Hlaing is army general who has ruled Myanmar as the chairman of the State
Administration Council since seizing power in the February 2021 coup d’état. He took the nominally civilian
role of prime minister of Myanmar in August 2021 upon the formation of the Provisional Government. Myint
Swe is currently serving as Acting President of Myanmar as well as First Vice President. The Tatmadaw is
the official name of the armed forces of Myanmar (formerly Burma).
Himachal Pradesh creates India’s first DNA database for unidentified bodies
• Himachal Pradesh has become the first Indian state to develop a DNA database for unidentified
bodies. The process of creating this database had started in April 2022. So far, the database holds records
of 150 DNA samples of unidentified bodies.
Uttarakhand’s Mana is now ‘first Indian village’, BRO puts up signboard
• Uttarakhand’s Mana village, which was earlier known as the last Indian village, will now be known
as the ‘first Indian village’. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) placed a signboard at the threshold of
the border village proclaiming Mana’s revamped status. The Vibrant Villages Programme will assist in
enhancing the standard of living for those residing in designated border communities. It aims to

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 develop 2967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts bordering on the north, including Arunachal Pradesh,
Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, and the UT of Ladakh.
Madhya Pradesh’s Sanchi set to become first solar city of India
• Sanchi, a world heritage site located in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh near Bhopal is all set
to become the first solar city of India. Sanchi, a world heritage site of Buddhist Stupas, would be known
as the country’s first solar city.
• Reviewing the ongoing work, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said: “The use
of solar energy is being continuously promoted in the state. Many solar power projects are operational
across the state.” Chouhan said: “The completion of various works to transform Sanchi into a solar city
was almost complete and by next month Sanchi, would be known as the country’s first solar city.”
Sanchi is a Buddhist complex, famous for its Great Stupa, on a hilltop at Sanchi Town in Raisen District
of the State of Madhya Pradesh, India. The Great Stupa at Sanchi is one of the oldest stone structures
in India, and an important monument of Indian Architecture. It was originally commissioned by the Mauryan
emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE. Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure
built over the relics of the Buddha.
India launches Operation Kaveri to evacuate stranded citizens from war-hit Sudan
• India has started ‘Operation Kaveri’ to evacuate its nationals from conflict-torn Sudan, Minister
of External Affairs S. Jaishankar announced. According to available information around 3,000 Indians are
stuck in various parts of Sudan, including capital Khartoum and in distant provinces like Darfur.
• India has positioned two transport aircraft of the IAF in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah and a
naval ship at a key port in Sudan as part of its contingency plans to evacuate the stranded Indians. Sudan has
been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group for the last 11 days that
has reportedly left around 400 people dead.
Sudan is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the countries of Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and the Red Sea. Its capital is Khartoum. The Sudanese pound is the
basic unit of the Republic of the Sudan. Osman Hussein is a Sudan politician who has served as acting Prime
Minister of Sudan since 19 January 2022, following the resignation of Abdalla Hamdok on 2 January.
The 7th edition of joint military exercise “AJEYA WARRIOR-23”
• The 7th edition of joint military exercise “AJEYA WARRIOR-23” between India and the United
Kingdom is being conducted at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom. Exercise AJEYA WARRIOR is a
biennial training event with the United Kingdom which is conducted alternatively in the United Kingdom and
India, the last edition was held at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand in October 2021. “Exercise AJEYA WARRIOR”
is yet another significant milestone in defence cooperation between the Indian Army and British
Army which will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.
Amit Shah launched world’s first liquid nano DAP
• India’s Home Minister Amit Shah launched the “world’s first liquid nano DAP (Di-Ammonia
Phosphate) fertiliser”. Liquid DAP, manufactured by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd
(IFFCO), is being touted as a revolutionary product as it will help farmers reduce production costs
and help them wean off chemical fertilisers. IFFCO owns a patent on its nano urea and nano DAP, and
the cooperative will get royalties for the product for the next 20 years.
• One 500 ml bottle of liquid DAP contains 8% of Nitrogen and 16% of Phosphorus. It can easily replace
a 50 kg bag of traditional DAP. Now, the noteworthy point is that while one 50 kg DAP bag costs
farmers INR 1,350, the 500 ml liquid DAP bottle will only cost them INR 600. On the other hand, this
will also help ease the burden on the exchequer as the fertiliser subsidies will not be provided for liquid DAP.
Conventional urea is heavily subsidised. The government is expected to spend INR 2.25 lakh crore in FY
2024 on fertiliser subsidies.
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited, also known as IFFCO, is a multi-state cooperative
society. IFFCO is wholly owned by Cooperative Societies of India. The society is engaged in the business
of manufacturing and marketing of fertilizers. IFFCO is headquartered in New Delhi, India. Started in
1967 with 57 member cooperatives, it is today the biggest co-op in the world by turnover on GDP per capita with
around 35,000 member cooperatives reaching over 50 million Indian farmers. With around 19% market share in
urea and around 31% market share in complex fertilizers, IFFCO is India’s largest fertilizer manufacturer.

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SC modifies order on eco-sensitive zone around national parks, sanctuaries
• The Supreme Court modified its 2022 order mandating a minimum 1-km eco-sensitive zone around
national parks or wildlife sanctuaries, saying it would have prevented the government from building
roads and other important infrastructure in those areas. With the June 3, 2022 order sparking concerns
about human habitations falling within the proposed ESZs, the Centre had approached the court seeking
modification of some of the directions.
• In June 2022, the Supreme Court directed all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries falling under
protected forests to earmark a minimum distance of one kilometre as ESZ. As per this judgement,
prohibited activities, including mining and establishment of any new permanent structure, was not permitted
in this area. Noting that the purpose of declaring ESZs is not to hamper the day to day activities of the locals/
to prevent the government from building strategic infrastructure in those areas, the apex court modified its
previous judgement.
• Henceforth, the 2022 order will not be applicable to ESZs in respect to which draft and final
notifications have been issued by the MoEFCC, and where proposals for such notifications have been received
by the ministry. It will also not be applicable where the national parks and sanctuaries are located
on inter-state borders or share common boundaries. But, the SC underlined that no mining would
be allowed, either within national parks and sanctuaries or in a 1-km radius.
Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) also known as Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs), these are areas in India
notified and regulated by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change around
Protected Areas, National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries. The purpose of declaring ESZs is: To create some
kind of shock absorbers to the protected areas by regulating and managing the activities around such
areas. To act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection. The
Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986 does not mention the word “Eco-Sensitive Zones”. However,
the following two clauses have been effectively used by the government to declare ESZs or EFAs - According
to the EPA, the Central Government has the authority to restrict areas in which any industries (or
class of industries), operations or processes shall not be carried out or to be carried out with certain
safeguards. Furthermore, the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, declare that the Central Government
can prohibit or restrict the location of industries on the basis of considerations like the biological
diversity of an area, etc.
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh ink MoU ending decades-long border dispute in presence of
Amit Shah
• Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments signed a deal in the presence of Home Minister Amit
Shah in New Delhi ending decades-long border disputes along their boundaries. The memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) was signed by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Arunachal counterpart
Prema Khandu.
• The Assam cabinet on April 19 approved the recommendations given by 12 Regional Committees
formed by the state government to resolve the decades-long border dispute issue with Arunachal
Pradesh. The decision was taken during the state cabinet meeting held in Guwahati under the Chairmanship
of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.
• Earlier in March 2022, Assam and Meghalaya governments had signed a historic agreement here
in the national capital to resolve their 50-year-old pending border dispute. The agreement was signed
between Assam and Meghalaya two months after a draft resolution was submitted by the Chief Ministers of the
two states to Amit Shah on January 31 for examination and consideration by the MHA. The governments of
Assam and Meghalaya had come up with a draft resolution to resolve their border disputes in six of
the 12 “areas of difference” along the boundary.
Assam is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak
River valleys. Assam is known for Assam tea and Assam silk. The state was the first site for oil drilling in Asia.
Largest tea producing state in India is Assam.

Arunachal Pradesh (“land of dawn-lit mountains”) is a state in Northeast India. It borders the states
of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar in
the east, and a disputed border with China in the north at the McMahon Line. Itanagar is the state
capital of Arunachal Pradesh. Lieutenant General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik is the present governor.

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India jumps 6 places on World Bank’s Logistic Performance Index
• India has climbed six places on the World Bank’s Logistic Performance Index (LPI) 2023, now ranking
38th in the 139 countries index, as a result of significant investments in both soft and hard infrastructure as
well as technology. India was ranked 44th on the index in 2018 and has now climbed to 38th in the 2023 listing.
India’s performance has drastically improved from 2014, when it was ranked 54th on the LPI.
• Citing the reasons for the new update, the government gave the credit to its PM GatiShakti National
Master Plan launched in October 2021. It added that PM GatiShakti addresses the emerging needs
of transforming the logistics landscape due to factors like rapid urbanization, changing energy choices,
e-commerce, need to develop resilient supply chains etc. Apart from this, the Ministry said that the National
Logistics Policy (NLP) – which acts as a guiding document for States or UTs seeking to formulate
logistics policy – helped improve India’s ranking. The NLP lays emphasis on the shift towards more
energy-efficient modes of transportation and greener fuels to reduce the carbon footprint.
Logistic Performance Index (LPI) is an interactive benchmarking tool developed by the World Bank
Group. It helps countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their performance of trade
logistics and what they can do to improve their performance. It measures the ease of establishing reliable supply
chain connections and the structural factors that make it possible. The LPI considers 6 parameters
to evaluate logistics performance, namely: 1. Customs performance, 2. Infrastructure quality, 3. Ease of
arranging shipments, 4. Logistics services quality, 5. Consignment tracking and tracing, 6. Timeliness of shipments.
Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, India’s first female Rafale pilot, participates in
‘Exercise Orion’ in France
• The Indian Air Force’s first woman pilot to fly the Rafale fighter jet is part of the IAF contingent
taking part in the multinational exercise ‘Orion’ in France. Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh is in France
to participate in the exercise, where India has sent the Rafale jets for the first time outside the country, IAF officers
said. The IAF had sent a woman fighter pilot for the first time to an international exercise in January
this year when Squadron Leader Avni Chaturvedi went to Japan for the exercise ‘Dharma Guardian’.
• The IAF contingent consists of four Rafale planes, two C-17 planes, two ll-78 planes, and 165 air warriors.
India has sent its Rafale aircrafts outside the country for the first time. In 2017, Shivangi Singh
was commissioned into IAF and was part of the IAF’s second batch of women fighter pilots. Earlier,
she used to fly MiG-21 Bison. She is now part of the famed IAF’s Golden Arrows squadron, which is located at
Ambala, Punjab. She is originally from Varanasi.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar co-chaired the 4th India-CARICOM ministerial
meeting
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar co-chaired the 4th India-CARICOM ministerial meeting with
his Jamaican counterpart Kaminaj Smith in Guyana’s capital and discussed a range of issues, including trade,
climate change and counterterrorism. Jaishankar began his nine-day trip to Guyana, Panama, Colombia
and the Dominican Republic by meeting his counterpart from Surinam Albert Ramdin here. Mr.
Jaishankar also met Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr Carla Natalie
Barnett and exchanged views on intensifying India-CARICOM ties in traditional as well as new areas of cooperation.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM or CC) is an intergovernmental organisation that is a political and
economic union of 15 member states (14 nation-states and one dependency) throughout the Americas
and Atlantic Ocean. They have primary objectives to promote economic integration and cooperation
among its members, ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and coordinate foreign
policy. The organisation was established in 1973, with its four founding members signing the Treaty of
Chaguaramas. Its primary activities involve: Coordinating economic policies and development planning. Devising
and instituting special projects for the less-developed countries within its jurisdiction. Operating as a regional single
market for many of its members (Caricom Single Market). Handling regional trade disputes. The secretariat
headquarters is in Georgetown, Guyana. CARICOM is an official United Nations Observer beneficiary.
India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge on Anji River in J-K near completion
• The first cable-stayed railway bridge of India is expected to be ready by May this year on the Anji
River in Jammu and Kashmir. Once ready, trains will run at a speed of 100 kmph (Km per hour) on the
bridge being constructed around 80 km away from Jammu. Anji Bridge between Katra and Reasi stations
falls in the Reasi district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The upcoming structure is part
of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla-Rail Link (USBRL) project.

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• Currently, trains operate between Udhampur to Katra section. The construction on the 111-km Katra to
Banihal line is currently underway and 52 km of this section, including the bridges on the Anji and
Chenab rivers, are being built by the Konkan Railway. Banihal and Baramulla are also connected by
trains. Once completed, the USBRL project will connect the Kashmir Valley to the Indian rail network.
The Anji Khad Bridge is an under-construction cable-stayed bridge connecting Katra and Reasi Section
of Jammu–Baramulla line. After an earlier arch bridge design proposal, similar to the Chenab Bridge arch
design, was rejected and a new cable-stayed design was approved, it became India’s first cable-stayed
railway bridge. It is built by Hindustan Construction Company.
Tamil Nadu’s Authoor betel leaf gets Geographical Indication tag
• The famous betel leaf of Authoor in the district, known for its additional alkali taste and digestive
properties due to soil conditions, water quality and humidity in the region has bagged Geographic
Indication (GI) tag. As the GI tag is given to products which are either produced or cultivated in a particular
area, this recognition gives an identity and credibility to these products in new markets, especially in foreign
markets. The application for GI for Authoor betel leaf was made in 2020. Even though the Authoor betel leaf
has got consumers across Tamil Nadu and other States, the area of cultivation in Authoor region has come down
from 900 acres to 350 acres in the last 15 years.
Karnataka ranked the most ‘innovative’ State by the National Manufacturing Innovation
Survey
• A survey on the degree of innovation among manufacturing firms found that Karnataka, overall,
is the most “innovative” State, followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu (DNH&DD),
Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu had the highest share of innovative
firms at 46.18%, 39.10% and 31.90%, respectively, with Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand reporting the
lowest share of such firms at 12.78%, 13.47% and 13.71%, respectively.
• The National Manufacturing Innovation Survey (NMIS) 2021-22, released earlier this month, also
found that innovation in manufacturing is the lowest in the Northeastern states (excluding Assam),
followed by Bihar. The survey offered an empirical understanding of current innovation activities of the
manufacturing economy in India as well as ways to navigate organisational rigidity to facilitate market demand
for innovations.
Tamil Nadu grapes get Geographical Indication tag
• The Cumbum grapes recently earned the Geographical Indication tag or GI tag. The Cumbum
valley located at the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu is known as the ‘Grapes city of South India’ and
cultivates the Panneer Thratchai. This variety which is also known as Muscat Hamburg constitutes almost 85%
of the grape-growing areas in Tamil Nadu. The Panneer grapes were first introduced in Tamil Nadu in
1832. They are rich in vitamins, tartaric acid and antioxidants and reduces the risk of some chronic diseases.
They are also known for a superior taste, apart from the purplish-brown color.
Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian subcontinent and is bordered by the union
territory of Puducherry and the South Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Its capital
and largest city is Chennai. Its official language is Tamil, which is one of the longest-surviving classical
languages in the world. Ravindra Narayana Ravi is the current Governor of Tamil Nadu. M.K. Stalin
is the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Kanyakumari (also known as Cape Comorin) is a town
in Kanyakumari District in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Cape Comorin is the southern tip of Indian
subcontinent. The southernmost town in mainland India, it is sometimes referred to as ‘The Land’s End’.
India’s first AI varsity to start on Aug 1 in Karjat
• Maharashtra-based Universal AI University, which will kick-start its first academic year on August
1, is set to become India’s first university to impart degree and postgraduate specialised courses
in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Maharashtra government’s Higher and Technical Education Department
had approved this first–of–its’s–kind AI University and issued the commencement letter on January 25. The
university has set up a green campus in Karjat near Mumbai. Universal AI University has special undergraduate
and postgraduate programmes in AI and future technologies. It also has designed other new-age courses such
as liberal arts and humanities, global affairs and diplomacy, law, environment and sustainability and sports
Sciences.

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 Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—
demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by humans or by other animals. John
McCarthy was one of the founders of the discipline of artificial intelligence. Alan Turing was an English
mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist. He is
widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. Deep Blue
versus Garry Kasparov was a pair of six-game chess matches between the world chess champion Garry
Kasparov and an IBM supercomputer called Deep Blue. On May 11, 1997, an IBM computer called IBM
‘Deep Blue’ beat the world chess champion after a six-game match: two wins for IBM, one for the champion
and three draws. The match lasted several days and received massive media coverage around the world. It was the
classic plot line of man vs. machine. The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds and The Laws of
Physics is a 1989 book by the mathematical physicist Sir Roger Penrose. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2020.
The Supreme Court of India launched its first Artificial Intelligence portal SUPACE (Supreme Court
Portal for Assistance in Courts Efficiency) in April 2021. The idea is to leverage machine learning to deal
with huge chunks of case data. LaMDA, which stands for Language Model for Dialogue Applications, is a
family of conversational neural language models developed by Google. In June 2022, LaMDA gained widespread
attention when Google engineer Blake Lemoine made claims that the chatbot had become sentient.

Vizag Tech Park: Adani Group to set up India’s first Integrated Data Centre – Andhra CM
Jagan Lays Foundation Stone
• The Adani Group started work on building India’s first integrated data centre and technology
business park at Vizag in Andhra Pradesh. The park will host a 200+ MW of data centre capacity, powered
with up to 100 per cent renewable energy, and also houses a skill development centre. It will be the first of the
3 technology zones planned in Vizag and one of the largest hyper-scale parks in India, said billionaire
Gautam Adani-led company.
Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood appointed as new CBI director
• IPS officer Praveen Sood appointed the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for
a period of two years by the high-powered selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. Sood, a 1986-batch IPS officer, was appointed Karnataka DGP in January 2020, superseding 1985-batch
IPS officer Ashit Mohan Prasad.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating police agency in India. It provides
assistance to the Central Vigilance Commission and Lokpal. It functions under the superintendence of the
Deptt. of Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, Pension & Public Grievances, Government of India - which falls
under the prime minister’s office. However for investigations of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, its
superintendence vests with the Central Vigilance Commission. It is also the nodal police agency in India which
coordinates investigation on behalf of Interpol Member countries. During the period of World War II,
a Special Police Establishment (SPE) was constituted in 1941 in the Department of War of the British
India to enquire into allegations of bribery and corruption in the war related procurements. Later on it
was formalized as an agency of the Government of India to investigate into allegations of corruption
in various wings of the Government of India by enacting the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946.
The CBI is not a statutory body but derives its power to investigate from the Delhi Special Police
Establishment Act, 1946. The establishment of the CBI was recommended by the Santhanam Committee
on Prevention of Corruption (1962–1964). In 1963, the CBI was established by the Government of India
with a view to investigate serious crimes related to defence of India, corruption in high places, serious
fraud, cheating and embezzlement and social crime, particularly of hoarding, black-marketing and profiteering in
essential commodities, having all-India and inter-state ramifications.

G7 meet: Modi visited Hiroshima first by Indian PM after Pokhran n-tests

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Hiroshima for the G7 leaders’ summit — the first visit to the
Japanese city by an Indian Prime Minister since India conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1974.
The last Indian PM to visit Hiroshima, which suffered the atomic bomb attack in 1945, was Jawaharlal
Nehru in 1957. Modi, who reaches Hiroshima on May 19, attended the G7 summit on May 20-21.
• Modi’s presence at Hiroshima is significant since India is one of the few countries which has not signed
the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He joined the G7 leaders when they visit the Peace Memorial
Park, dedicated to the victims and survivors of the attack.

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• As Tokyo is likely to arrange a meeting of the G7 leaders and other invitees with families of the
atomic bomb victims, Delhi is preparing to underline that it views the NPT as discriminatory; its
nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, its commitment to unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests and
no first-use policy when it comes to nuclear weapons. India will also project its track record as a responsible
nuclear power – even recently, it has expressed concern at the nuclear war rhetoric by Russian leaders in the
context of the war in Ukraine.
• Mahatma Gandhi was one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century, who championed
the principles of non-violence, peace, justice and human dignity. His statue was unveiled at Hiroshima
Peace Memorial Park, as a tribute to his legacy and a reminder of his relevance in today’s world.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by the G7 leaders, as well as the Prime Minister of India, who
was invited as a guest to the summit along with other leaders from Australia, South Korea, and South Africa.
• The symbolic gesture was meant to highlight the shared commitment of the G7 and its partners to prevent
another nuclear catastrophe and to pursue nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. It was also meant to
acknowledge the suffering and resilience of the Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombings
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The statue was also seen as a recognition of India’s role and
contribution to global peace and security, as well as its partnership with Japan on various issues,
including climate change.
• The G7 emphasized the need for a global peak in emissions by 2025. While this is not mandated under
the Paris Agreement, achieving it is not implausible. Developed countries are witnessing a decline
in emissions, although not at the required pace while developing countries’ emissions are still
increasing. If all countries only fulfill their existing commitments, emissions in 2030 would be about
11% higher than 2010 levels.
• The G7 reiterates its commitment to achieve net-zero status by 2050 and urges other major economies
to do the same. The world as a whole must become net-zero by mid-century to meet the 1.5-degree Celsius
target. China aims for net-zero by 2060, while India has set 2070 as its target. Post-2050 targets of major
developing countries may change with evolving technologies and cleaner energy adoption.
The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental organization consisting of Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The heads of government of the member states, as
well as the representatives of the European Union, meet at the annual G7 Summit. The Group of Eight
(G8) was an inter-governmental political forum from 1997 until 2014. It had formed from incorporating
the country of Russia into the Group of Seven, or G7, and returned to its previous name after Russia
was disinvited in 2014. The forum originated with a 1975 summit hosted by France that brought together
representatives of six governments: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United
States, thus leading to the name Group of Six or G6. The summit came to be known as the Group of Seven,
in 1976 with the addition of Canada. Russia was added to the political forum from 1997, which the
following year became known as the G8. In March 2014, Russia was suspended indefinitely following the
annexation of Crimea, whereupon the political forum name reverted to G7.

Supreme Court upholds laws allowing Jallikattu, Kambala

• The Supreme Court upheld amendments made by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra to the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, to allow the traditional bull-taming sports of Jallikattu
and Kambala, and bullock-cart racing. A five-judge Constitution bench presided by Justice K M Joseph
held that the state amendments did not violate the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling
banning Jallikattu.
Jallikattu is a traditional sport that is popular in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The sport involves
releasing a wild bull into a crowd of people, and the participants attempt to grab the bull’s hump and ride it for
as long as possible, or attempt to bring it under control. It is celebrated in the month of January, during the
Tamil harvest festival, Pongal. Kambala is an annual buffalo race held in the southwestern Indian
state of Karnataka. Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal
districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and Kasaragod of Kerala, a region collectively
known as Tulu Nadu.

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INS ‘Vaghsheer’: India’s sixth Scorpene Class Submarine begins its first sea trials
• In a significant milestone, final Submarine of Kalvari Class Made in India has started its maiden sea
trials. Indian Navy’s 6th Kalvari Class Submarine INS ‘Vaghsheer’ was launched. Last submarine
under ‘Project 75’ was launched from Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd.
Lethal submarine will be commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2024 after the completion of sea trials.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders has already delivered 3 Submarines under Project–75 in just 24 months.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated India’s new parliament building
• On 28 May 2023, amid protests and boycotts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated
India’s new parliament building. The ceremonies began in the morning, with Mr. Modi unveiling a plaque
dedicating the building to the nation and addressing a gathering of lawmakers. As part of the inauguration,
a historically significant gold sceptre called the sengol was installed in the new parliament
building. The opposition parties largely abstained from the event, expressing their preference for
the president to open the building instead of Mr. Modi.
• Modi led a procession carrying the “Sengol”while traditional “nadaswaram” tunes played and
Vedic mantras were chanted. The procession made its way to the new Parliament building, where Modi
placed the “Sengol” in a dedicated enclosure on the right side of the Speaker’s chair in the Lok Sabha chamber.
Sengol is made of silver and gold, the five-feet long sceptre was handed over by Lord Mountbatten
to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on August 14, 1947, as a symbol of the transfer of power, according to the
government. The Sengol, a symbol of governance in Tamil kingdoms of yore, was then kept for display in The
Allahabad Museum.
The new building is located in the Central Vista area of New Delhi and is designed to accommodate
the growing size and needs of the Indian Parliament. The new Parliament building has been designed to
accommodate future requirements, with seating for 888 members in the Lok Sabha and 384 members
in the Rajya Sabha. The room designated for it will have seats for 1,272 people when a joint assembly of
the two chambers is called at the new Parliament House. Right now, there are just 430 seats available in
the Centre Hall where the two Houses convene jointly. The new building will also house six committee rooms
equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual systems. This is a significant improvement compared to the present
structure, which has only three such rooms. Unlike the circular shape of the old Parliament building, the
new building takes on a triangular shape to optimize space utilization, covering an area of approximately
65,000 square meters. The four-storey building has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 970
crore. The building has been designed by Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management, and
constructed by Tata Projects Limited.

Central Vista Redevelopment Project refers to the ongoing redevelopment to revamp the Central
Vista, India’s central administrative area located near Raisina Hill, New Delhi. The area was originally
designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker during British colonial rule and was retained by
Government of India after independence. Scheduled between 2020 and 2026, the project as of 2020 aims to
revamp a 3 km (1.9 mi) long Kartvyapath between Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate, convert North
and South Blocks to publicly accessible museums by creating a new common Central Secretariat to
house all ministries, a new Parliament building near the present one with increased seating capacity for future
expansion, new residence and office for the Vice-President and the Prime Minister near the North Block and South
Block and convert some of the older structures into museums. Shapoorji Pallonji was awarded the tender for
the redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue in January 2021.
‘Sengol’, a historic sceptre installed in new Parliament building
• Union home minsiter Amit Shah said a golden sceptre called ‘Sengol’ would be installed at a prominent
spot in the new Parliament building, which is inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The
sceptre, or the ‘Sengol’, is a significant item; it was presented to Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime
Minister, as a symbol of the transfer of power from the British. The word ‘Sengol’ is believed to have
been derived from the Tamil word ‘semmai’, which refers to excellence.
• Shah emphasised the role played by the ‘Sengol’ sceptre in the transfer of power and said that on being
told of its importance (and after due verification), Modi ensured it would hold pride of place in the new
Parliament building. The importance of the ‘Sengol’ sceptre emerged when Lord Mountbatten, the
then Viceroy of British India, asked Nehru about a symbolic transfer of power.

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 The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral
legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
and the Lok Sabha (House of the People). The President in their role as head of the legislature has full
powers to summon and prorogue either house of Parliament or to dissolve the Lok Sabha. The president
can exercise these powers only upon the advice of the Prime Minister and their Union Council of Ministers. Those
elected or nominated (by the president) to either house of Parliament are referred to as members of Parliament
(MPs). The members of parliament of the Lok Sabha are directly elected by the Indian public voting in single-
member districts and the members of parliament of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the members of all state
legislative assemblies by proportional representation. The Parliament has a sanctioned strength of 543 in
the Lok Sabha. Between 1952 and 2020, two additional members of the Anglo-Indian community were
also nominated by the President of India on the advice of the Indian government, which was abolished
in January 2020 by the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 and 245 in the Rajya Sabha including
12 nominees from the expertise of different fields of literature, art, science, and social service. The
Parliament meets at Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi.
Centre launched new Rs 75 coin to mark new Parliament inauguration
• To mark the inauguration of the new Parliament building, the Union Finance Ministry launched a
Rs.75 coin. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on May 28. The coin will
have a circular shape with a diameter of 44 millimetres.
• The composition of the coin will be of a quaternary alloy — 50 percent silver, 40 percent copper, 5 percent
nickel, 5 percent zinc. “The face of the coin shall bear the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar in the
center, with the legend “ (Satyameva Jayate) inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the
word (Bharat) in Devnagri script and on the right periphery the word “INDIA” in English,”.
Satyameva Jayate (Sanskrit: ‘Truth alone triumphs’) is a part of a mantra from the Hindu scripture
Mundaka Upanishad. Following the independence of India, it was adopted as the national motto of India
on 26 January 1950, the day India became a republic. It is inscribed in the Devanagari script at the base
of the Lion Capital of Ashoka and forms an integral, part of the Indian national emblem. The emblem and the
words “Satyameva Jayate” are inscribed on one side of all Indian currency and national documents.
Srinagar hosted G20 Tourism Working Group meeting
• The third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting was held from 22nd to 24th May 2023 in Srinagar,
Jammu and Kashmir. With Srinagar hosted the third G20 Tourism working group — the first such
international event being hosted by Jammu and Kashmir since it became a Union Territory in 2019
— some member-states are yet to provide confirmation on attending the three-day meeting. More than 100
delegates, including at least 70 representing G20 member-states, are expected to participate.
• Under India’s G20 Tourism Track, the Tourism Working Group is working on five inter-connected priority
areas, which are Green Tourism; Digitalization; Skills ; MSMEs ; Destination These priorities are key
building blocks for accelerating the transition of the tourism sector and achieve the targets for 2030 SDGs.
Reliance Industries head Mukesh Ambani on advisory committee of COP28
• Reliance Industries Ltd head Mukesh Ambani has been named as a member of the international
advisory committee that will provide guidance and counsel to the presidency of the 28th session of
the Conference of the Parties (COP28).
• Ambani, who is steering Reliance’s pivot toward renewable energy and diversifying away from its
traditional crude oil refining and petrochemicals, is among 31 international experts named on the
panel. “The COP28 UAE Advisory Committee brings together the climate expertise of thought leaders from
countries across 6 continents.
• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat in January
announced that Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, minister of industry and advanced technology and UAE
special envoy for Climate Change, will serve as COP28 president-designate. COP28 presidency has now
named 31 eminent people to the advisory board.
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more
commonly referred to as COP28, will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference, held from
November 30th until December 12th, 2023 at the Expo City, Dubai. The conference has been held annually since
the first UN climate agreement in 1992. It is used by governments to agree on policies to limit global
temperature rises and adapt to impacts associated with climate change.

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Bhopal becomes first Indian city to review progress in SDGs
• Bhopal has become the first city in India to initiate city-level Voluntary Local Reviews (VLR) to
track the local government’s capacity and commitments towards achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) mandated by the United Nations. At the local level, the step would prove pivotal towards the
city’s commitment to environmental conservation through sustainable development by adopting the localisation
of SDGs. Globally, it would ensure Bhopal’s contribution towards a cleaner, greener and healthier
planet.
The Brundtland Commission, formerly the World Commission on Environment and Development, was
a sub-organization of the United Nations (UN) that aimed to unite countries in pursuit of sustainable
development. It was founded in 1983 when Javier Perez de Cuellar, the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, appointed Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway, as chairperson of the
commission. The Brundtland Commission officially dissolved in 1987 after releasing Our Common
Future, also known as the Brundtland Report. The document popularized the term “sustainable
development” and won the Grawemeyer Award in 1991. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or
Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a
better and more sustainable future for all”. The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General
Assembly (UN-GA) and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030. They are included in a UN-GA
Resolution called the 2030 Agenda or what is colloquially known as Agenda 2030. The SDGs were
developed in the Post-2015 Development Agenda as the future global development framework to succeed
the Millennium Development Goals which ended in 2015. The 17 SDGs are: (1) No Poverty, (2) Zero
Hunger, (3) Good Health and Well-being, (4) Quality Education, (5) Gender Equality, (6) Clean Water
and Sanitation, (7) Affordable and Clean Energy, (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (9) Industry,
Innovation and Infrastructure, (10) Reduced Inequality, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12)
Responsible Consumption and Production, (13) Climate Action, (14) Life Below Water, (15) Life On
Land, (16) Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, (17) Partnerships for the Goals.

President Murmu’s first state visit from June 4 to Suriname, Serbia

• President Droupadi Murmu visited to Suriname and Serbia from June 4 to 9. These were her first
State visits after assuming office in July 2022. The President will be visiting Paramaribo, Suriname,
from June 4-June 6 at the invitation of Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of
Suriname. On the second leg of her visit, President Murmu visited to the Republic of Serbia on from
June 7-June 9 at the invitation of Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia.
Droupadi Murmu is serving as the 15th and current President of India since 25 July 2022. She is a
member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She is the first person belonging to the indigenous,
scheduled tribe community (Santal) to be elected as the President of India. Prior to her presidency
she served as the ninth Governor of Jharkhand between 2015 and 2021, and held various portfolios in the
cabinet of Government of Odisha between 2000 to 2004. Before entering politics, she worked as a clerk in the State
Irrigation and Power Department from 1979 to 1983, and then as a teacher in Rairangpur until 1997. She is
the youngest and first individual born after India’s independence in 1947 to have been elected president.
Murmu is only the second woman after Pratibha Patil (2007 to 2012) to serve as the President of India.

Suriname is a country in northern South America. It is the smallest sovereign state in South America.
Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname. The Surinamese dollar has been the currency of
Suriname since 2004. Chandrikapersad Santokhi is the current President of Suriname, since 2020.

First unit of maiden nuclear power plant in Haryana to become operational by June 2028
• The first unit of the maiden nuclear power plant in Haryana – coming up in Gorakhpur village of
Fatehabad district – is likely to commence operations in June 2028. Kaushal directed the power utility
officers to expedite the relocation of high-tension power lines and provide a 33 KV power connection for the
plant site from an alternative source in order to ensure uninterrupted supply to the project. Former Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation stone for the 2,800-megawatt nuclear power
plant in Fatehabad nine years ago.

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 Nuclear energy is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India, contributing about 2% of the country’s
total electricity generation. India currently has over 22 nuclear reactors in 7 power plants across the
country, which together produce 6,780 MW of nuclear power. Of these reactors, 18 are Pressurised Heavy
Water Reactors (PHWRs) and 4 are Light Water Reactors (LWRs). In January 2021, the Kakrapar Atomic
Power Project (KAPP-3), India’s first 700 MWe unit and the biggest indigenously developed variant of
the PHWR, was connected to the grid. The government is promoting the expansion of nuclear installations
to other parts of the country. For example, an upcoming nuclear power plant in Gorakhpur town in Haryana
will become operational in the near future. India is also working on an entirely indigenous thorium-based
nuclear plant, “Bhavni,” which will be the first of its kind using Uranium-233. The experimental thorium
plant “Kamini” already exists in Kalpakkam.
India extends $1 billion credit line to Sri Lanka by another year
• India extended its $1 billion credit line to Sri Lanka by another year to help the island nation hit
hard by an unprecedented economic crisis procure much-needed food, medicine and other essential items.
An agreement was signed between the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Sri Lankan government
for $1 billion credit facility in March last year. India extended the credit line to Sri Lanka at the height of
the country’s economic crisis.
Kari Ishad mango of Ankola in Uttar Karnataka gets GI tag
• The Kari Ishad mango prominently grown in Ankola taluk of Uttara Kannada has bagged the
Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Geographical Indications Registry under the Union
Government. The GI certificate issued to Matha Totagars Farmer Producer Company Limited, Ankola is valid
till March 1, 2032 from March 31, 2023. According to the Geographical Indications Journal of the government,
the Kari Ishad is accepted as one of the finest quality mangoes due to its unique aroma, luscious
taste, high amount of pulp, shape, and size. In addition to Ankola, the mango is grown in Karwar and
to a certain extent in Kumta of Uttara Kannada. The trees are prominently spread over Belse, Shetgeri,
Belambara, Mogata, Vandige villages of Ankola.
First IIT in Tanzania to open in October 2023
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will open its first-ever overseas campus in Tanzania’s Zanzibar
in October 2023 with a batch of 50 undergraduate students and 20 master’s students. The new IIT campus
will be set up in Zanzibar under the name IIT Madras at Zanzibar. Zanzibar will be one of three
campuses outside of India, with the others located in Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur. For the first
year, the institution will offer data science and artificial intelligence courses, however, the fee structure remains
undecided at this point.
Tanzania is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. The shilingi is the currency of
Tanzania. Samia Suluhu Hassan is serving as the current president of Tanzania.
PM Narendra Modi flags off Assam’s first Vande Bharat Express
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the first Vande Bharat Express in the Northeast
from Assam’s Guwahati to West Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri. Along with the semi-high speed train, PM Modi
also dedicated New Bongaigaon--Dudhnoi--Mendipather and Guwahati--Chaparmukh electrified sections to
the nation. He also inaugurated the new DEMU/MEMU (workshop for trains) shed at Lumding. Assam’s first
and Bengal’s third semi-high speed train would connect Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri and would cover the
distance of 411 km in five hours and thirty minutes.
The Vande Bharat Express, previously known as Train 18, is a semi-high-speed, electric multiple unit
train operated by Indian Railways. It was designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory,
Chennai. The first train was manufactured in 18 months at the cost of Rs. 97 crore. The service was named
‘Vande Bharat Express’ on 27 January 2019. The train was launched on 15 February 2019. The first Vande
Bharat Express train, between New Delhi and Varanasi, was flagged off on February 15, 2019. Sudhanshu
Mani is the architect and designer of the India’s first modern semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express.
Siddaramaiah announces five schemes to implement poll promises
• The Karnataka Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has approved five welfare schemes
promised. All the schemes will be implemented in this financial year. Mr. Siddaramaiah elaborated on the
five poll gurantees. Gruha Jyothi, a scheme to provide 200 units free electricity per month to every
household, will be implemented from July 1. However, the arrears have to be paid by the customers.

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• As per the post-Cabinet meeting announcement by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, while Shakti will be
launched on June 11, the Anna Bhagya scheme of 10 kgs free foodgrain per head for BPL and
Antyodaya card holders families and the Gruha Jyothi scheme of 200 units of free power will be
launched on July 1. While the window of registration for Rs. 2,000 monthly incentive under Gruha Lakshmi
will be launched on June 15, the government will start transferring the money from August 15 on the occasion
of Independence Day. Though broader contours of Yuva Nidhi, the unemployment benefits were
announced, no time frame has been fixed for application. “All the five guarantees will be implemented
this financial year. We will reach our guarantees to persons of all castes, communities and linguistic groups in
Karnataka,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president
D.K. Shivakumar along with a host of Cabinet colleagues.
Karnataka is a state in the south western region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage
of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as the State of Mysore, it was renamed Karnataka in
1973. The capital and largest city is Bengaluru. Siddaramaiah is serving as the current Chief Minister of
Karnataka. Thaawarchand Gehlot is currently serving as the Governor of Karnataka. Coffee production in
India is dominated in the hill tracts of South Indian states, with Karnataka accounting for 71%, followed
by Kerala with 21% and Tamil Nadu (5% of overall production with 8,200 tonnes).
India set to remain as the UAE’s largest export destination by 2030
• India is set to remain the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) largest export destination by 2030, according
to a new report by Standard Chartered. The report, titled “Future of Trade: New opportunities in high-growth
corridors”, forecasts that the UAE’s exports will reach around USD 543 billion by 2030, showcasing a
robust annual growth rate of 5.5 percent. The report also highlights that trade corridors anchored in Asia,
Africa, and the Middle East are expected to outpace the global trade growth rate by almost four percentage
points, propelling the combined trade volume in these regions to an astounding USD14.4 trillion, accounting for
44 percent of global trade by 2030.
India’s first offshore wind energy to come up off Tamil Nadu coast
• India will add 58 GW of wind energy capacity over the next seven years at an investment of over 4 lakh
crore. This would take the cumulative installed capacity of onshore wind energy to 100 GW as part of
the Centre’s plan to create 500 GW of non-fossil fuel based installed capacity by 2030.
• Currently, 42.8 GW of onshore wind energy has been installed. On the other hand, the Union ministry of new
& renewable energy will float a tender for seabed licensing to setup 4 GW of India’s first offshore
wind energy off Tamil Nadu coast before the end of CY2023.
Rafale jets carry out long-range mission in Indian Ocean Region
• Four Rafale fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force carried out a “strategic” mission over the Indian
Ocean region for over six hours, in a significant demonstration of their long-range combat capabilities.
The jets took off from the Hasimara Air Force station in the eastern sector, carried out the mission involving
various manoeuvres and simulated operations and returned to the base after meeting the desired results, they
said. The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out the mission at a time China has been ramping up its
presence in the Indian Ocean region, which is largely considered as the backyard of the Indian
Navy.
The Dassault Rafale (“gust of wind” or “burst of fire” in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine,
canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a
wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground
support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. The Rafale is referred to as an “omnirole”
aircraft by Dassault. On PM’s visit to France in 2015, India’s intention to buy 36 Rafale aircraft in “fly-
away” condition was announced. Defence Minister announced the previous 126 fighter jet deal to be dead.
Subsequently, the deal for the acquisition of 36 aircraft was signed by the Defence Ministers of India
and France in 2016. This was done through a government-to-government deal.
Jaipur institute identified as the first centre for earthquake safety of dams
• Malviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) in Jaipur has been identified as the National Centre
for Earthquake Safety of Dams, the first centre of its kind in the country. The centre will develop
indigenous capabilities in making the country self-reliant in handling technology issues related to
structural and earthquake safety of dams.

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Three-member panel to probe Manipur violence
• India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a three-member judicial inquiry panel to probe ethnic
violence in Manipur, led by former Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, to investigate
the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities. The
panel has been asked to submit its report as soon as possible but not later than six months.
• Manipur has been roiled by ethnic violence since May 3, with the bulk of the clashes between the Meitei
community, which constitutes the majority of the state’s population and lives largely in Imphal, and
the Kukis, who comprise 16% of the state and live largely in the hill districts. At least 98 people have died
and nearly 40,000 were displaced.
• The clashes erupted during a protest against a court-ordered tweak to the state’s reservation
matrix, granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to the Meitei community. Violence quickly engulfed the
state, displacing tens of thousands of people who fled burning homes and neighbourhoods into jungles, often
across state borders.
Manipur is a state in northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian
states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions
of Myanmar, Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the south. Nongthombam Biren Singh is currently
serving as the 12th Chief Minister of Manipur since 2017 representing Heingang Assembly constituency in the
Manipur Legislative Assembly. Anusuiya Uikey is currently serving as the governor of Manipur. Manipur
is home to many sports and the origin of Manipuri dance, and is credited with introducing polo to Europeans.
The sangai (Meitei) is an endemic and endangered subspecies of Eld’s deer found only in Manipur,
India. It is also the state animal of Manipur.
Centre agrees to sanction Rs. 12,911 crore for Polavaram Project
• The Central government has agreed to sanction Rs. 12,911 crore to Andhra Pradesh for completing
the first phase of Polavaram Project. The sanctioned amount of Rs. 12,911 crore also includes Rs. 2,000
crore to cover the extra expenditure caused by the allegedly faulty construction of the diaphragm wall built
during the TDP government.
The Polavaram Project is an under construction multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari
River in the Eluru District and East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh. The project has been accorded
National project status by the Central Government of India. Its reservoir back water spreads up to the
Dummugudem Anicut and approx 115 km on Sabari River side. Thus back water spreads into parts of
Chhattisgarh and Odisha States. It gives major boost to tourism sector in Godavari Districts as the reservoir
covers the famous Papikonda National Park, Polavaram hydroelectric project (HEP) and National Waterway 4 are
under construction on left side of the river. It is located 40 km to the upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage
in Rajamahendravaram City and 25 km from Rajahmundry Airport.
INS Vikramaditya, Vikrant lead Navy’s mega operation in Arabian Sea
• The Indian Navy carried out a massive operation in the Arabian Sea involving more than 35 aircraft
as part of a Carrier Battle Group (CBG). This was one of the biggest operation and most significant
demonstrations of the Navy’s operational capabilities to date, and comes at a time when there are increasing
Chinese forays into the Indian Ocean.
• A CBG is a naval fleet comprising an aircraft carrier and multiple escort vessels. This was a twin CBG
operation, with both of India’s aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, involved, along
with a diverse fleet of escort ships, submarines, and aircraft.
INS Vikramaditya (‘Brave as the Sun’) is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier and the flagship of the
Indian Navy. She entered into service in 2013. Originally built as Baku and commissioned in 1987, the
carrier served with the Soviet Navy and later with the Russian Navy (as Admiral Gorshkov) before
being decommissioned in 1996. The carrier was invested by India on 20 January 2004 after years of
negotiations at a final arms sales price of $2.35 billion. The transformed ship completed her sea trials in
July 2013 and first STOBAR aviation trials in September 2013. She was commissioned on 16 November
2013 at a ceremony held at Severodvinsk, Russia. On 14 June 2014, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra
Modi, formally inducted INS Vikramaditya into the Indian Navy and dedicated her to the nation. INS
Vikrant is an aircraft carrier in service with Indian Navy. The carrier is the first to be built in India and
was constructed by the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kerala. The namesake Vikrant is a tribute to
India’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (1961). Vikrant means “courageous” in Sanskrit. The motto of the
ship, “t;se la ;qf/kLi`/k%”, means “I defeat those who fight against me”.

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12th edition of joint military exercise “Ex Ekuverin” between the Indian Army & the
Maldives National Defence Force
• The 12th edition of joint military exercise “Ex Ekuverin” between the Indian Army & the Maldives
National Defence Force has commenced at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand from 11 to 24 June 2023. Ekuverin
meaning ‘Friends’ is a bilateral annual exercise conducted alternatively in India and Maldives.
Cyclone Biparjoy
• On 13th June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the highly intense cyclonic
storm ‘Cyclone Biparjoy’ has weakened and transformed into a very severe cyclonic storm. The
IMD stated that Cyclone Biparjoy is currently moving in a northward direction at a speed of five kilometers
per hour and is centered around 290 km southwest of Porbandar in Gujarat. The forecast suggests that
Cyclone Biparjoy is likely to cross over the Saurashtra and Kutch regions of Gujarat, along with the
adjacent coastal areas of Pakistan. Cyclone Biparjoy is predicted to as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ with a
maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph. The name “Biparjoy” was bestowed
upon a tropical cyclone by Bangladesh, and it signifies ‘calamity’ or ‘disaster’.
Mumbai Ahmedabad Bullet train project: Largest TBM to dig India’s first undersea rail
tunnel next year
• One of the largest Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) will be deployed by next year for digging India’s
first undersea rail tunnel as a part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. Earlier, the
country’s largest TBM of 12.2 meters diameter was used for the Mumbai Coastal Road project, but the TBM
being to be used for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project will be even larger with a diameter of 13.1 meters.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed corridor will have a high-speed train, with financial assistance from
the Japanese Government. “National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited”, a Special Purpose Vehicle
(SPV) has been formed for the implementation of this project. The Shinkansen high-speed technology
will be used in this train. Shinkansen means “new trunk lines” in literal terms, which refers to the
high-speed rail network in Japan. The train attains a high speed without having to compromise on comfort
and safety, through the use of this technology. The Shinkansen high-speed trains of Japan are colloquially
called as bullet trains for their appearance and speed. The 2009–2010 Rail Budget of India introduced the
Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor and 5 other high-speed rail corridors for a feasibility study.
Andhra Pradesh: GI tag for ‘Atreyapuram Pootharekulu’
• The ‘Atreyapuram Pootharekulu’, a sweet made of rice and jaggery, has received the Geographical
Indication (GI) tag. The entry into the Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) mandates that the production
of the sweet be confined only to the Atreyapuram village on the banks of the Godavari in Konaseema
district of Andhra Pradesh. Coarse rice is made into a batter. A cloth is then dipped in the batter and put on
a hot inverted pot to make edible thin films called ‘poothareku’, which is then stuffed with jaggery powder and
cashew and rolled to make a sweet.
India to gift indigenously-built in-service Missile Corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Minister of National Defence of Vietnam
General Phan Van Giang in New Delhi. Mr Singh and his Vietnamese counterpart exchanged views on regional
and global issues of mutual interest. Defence Ministry said, progress on various bilateral defence cooperation
initiatives was reviewed during the meeting, with both sides expressing satisfaction at the ongoing engagements.
India’s first hydrogen train to run from Jind
• In a first in India, hydrogen-powered trains are expected to start from Haryana’s Jind district by
the end of this year and first hydrogen plant of the country is being set up in the district. India’s first
hydrogen plant is being set up near the railway junction in Jind district. The plant development has
entered the final phase and hydrogen will be produced from water. The first prototype of the hydrogen train
is expected to commence in the fiscal of 2023-2024 between Jind-Sonipat sections of Northern Railway.
Germany has launched the world’s first fleet of hydrogen-powered passenger trains in the state of Lower
Saxony. Hydrogen trains, which rely on fuel cells to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, offer a
clean and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional diesel trains. This groundbreaking initiative
marks a promising stride in India’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and combat pollution. Unlike their
counterparts, hydrogen trains do not emit harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide,
or particulate matter. By eliminating these hazardous emissions, hydrogen trains play a crucial role in
curbing air pollution, mitigating climate change, and enhancing the overall quality of the environment.

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Face authentification now in PM-Kisan mobile app, a first for Govt schemes
• In a first for any central welfare scheme, the government rolled out a face authentification feature in
the PM-Kisan app, which will enable beneficiary farmers to complete their e-KYC process by just
scanning their face on mobile phones instead of using one-time password or fingerprints.
• “PM-Kisan scheme has become the first scheme of the government to do e-KYC through facial
authentication mobile app. This app is very much useful for the farmers who are aged and also their mobile
number is not linked with their Aadhaar.”
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKISAN: Prime Minister’s Farmer’s Tribute Fund) is an
initiative by the government of India that give farmers up to Rs.6,000 per year as minimum income support.
Under the scheme, the Centre transfers an amount of Rs. 6,000 per year, in three equal instalments, directly
into the bank accounts of all landholding farmers irrespective of the size of their land holdings. It was
launched in February 2019. It is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the Government of
India. It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The scheme was first
conceived and implemented by government of Telangana as the Rythu Bandhu scheme, where a certain amount is
given directly to eligible farmers.
Construction on the ‘world’s largest Ramayan temple’ begins in Bihar
• Construction work began for the “world’s largest Ramayan temple” in Bihar’s East Champaran
district. The construction of the three-storeyed Viraat Ramayan temple will be completed by the end of
2025 at an estimated cost of Rs. 500 crore. The temple will be taller than the 12th century Angkor Wat
temple complex at Cambodia.
The Ram Mandir is a Hindu temple that is being built in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, at the site of
Ram Janmabhoomi, according to the Ramayana the birthplace of Rama, a principal deity of Hinduism.
The temple construction is being supervised by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra. The Bhumi
pujan ritual was performed on 5 August 2020 by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Mandir’s
construction started. The temple premises will include temples dedicated to deities Surya, Ganesha, Shiva, Durga,
Annapurna (goddess) and Hanuman. Rama, an incarnation of god Vishnu, is a widely worshiped Hindu
deity. According to the ancient Indian epic, Ramayana, Rama was born in Ayodhya. In the 16th century, the
Mughals constructed a mosque, the Babri Masjid which is believed to be the site of the Ram Janmabhoomi,
said to be birthplace of Rama. A violent dispute arose in the 1850s. It was only after the 2019 Supreme Court
verdict on Ayodhya dispute that it was decided the disputed land being handed over to a trust formed by
the Indian government for the construction of a Ram temple. The trust was eventually formed under the
name Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra. Five acres of land was allocated for the mosque 22 km
away in the city in Dhannipur village. The Nagara style of temple architecture is found in northern India.
The grand temple at Rama Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya will follow the Nagara style of temple architecture.
IIT Bombay breaks into top 150 in QS world ranking, eight years after IISc first made it
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai has achieved its highest rank ever, breaking into
the world’s top 150 universities in the latest edition of the QS World University Ranking released.
This marks the first time in eight years that an Indian higher education institution has made it to
the top 150 list, with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore previously achieving this feat in 2016
with a ranking of 147.
• IIT Bombay has made a remarkable leap, climbing 23 positions to secure the 149th rank globally in
this year’s edition of the rankings. However, the list has also seen significant fluctuations, with IISc falling
70 positions from 155th rank to 225.
• Overall, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US topped the World University
Ranking for the twelfth consecutive time this year, followed closely by UK’s Cambridge University and
Oxford University. Notably, National University of Singapore (NUS) moved up three positions from Rank 11
last year to become the first Asian university to break into the top 10 club.
QS World University Rankings is a portfolio of comparative university rankings compiled by global
higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). Its first and earliest edition was published in
collaboration with Times Higher Education (THE) magazine as Times Higher Education–QS World University
Rankings, inaugurated in 2004 to provide an independent source of comparative data about university
performance. In 2009, the two organizations parted ways to produce independent university rankings,
the QS World University Rankings and THE World University Rankings.

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Seven products from Uttar Pradesh get Geographical Indication tag
• The Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai has given tags to seven different products from
Uttar Pradesh. ‘Amroha Dholak’, ‘Mahoba Gaura Patthar Hastashlip’, ‘Mainpuri Tarkashi’, ‘Sambhal Horn
Craft’, ‘Baghpat Home Furnishings’, ‘Barabanki Handloom Product’ and ‘Kalpi Handmade Paper’ are the
products that been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Both China, India ramp up infrastructure on north bank of Pangong Tso

• Three years after the violent clash between Indian and Chinese forces in Galwan followed by tanks
facing each other around the Pangong Tso — a lake spanning eastern Ladakh and western Tibet — there
is hectic activity in the area from both sides. While China is rushing to complete a bridge across the Pangong
Tso, connecting the north and south banks, India is also building a black-topped road on its side on the north
bank. These are among a number of infrastructure developments initiated on both sides since the standoff,
permanently altering the status quo on the ground in eastern Ladakh, even as the two sides await
the 19th round of Corps Commander level talks to find a resolution to their dispute in the region.
Pangong Tso literally translates into a “conclave lake”. Pangong means conclave in Ladakhi and Tso Means
Lake in Tibetan language. It is formed from Tethys geosyncline. Pangong Lake is a long boomerang-shaped
endorheic (landlocked) water body. It is located at an elevation of roughly more than 4,200 meters (13,800 ft)
above sea level. It is a transborder lake spanning across eastern Ladakh and western Tibet, with a length of more
than 135 km. Around 40% of the lake lies within the Indian territory, 50% in Tibet (China), and the rest
10% is reportedly disputed between the two and is a de facto buffer zone. Practically China controls
2/3rd of the total length while the rest is controlled by India.

Cabinet clears Data Protection Bill

• The Union Cabinet cleared the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill. The clearance paves
the way for the Bill to be introduced in Parliament in the upcoming Monsoon Session. Along with the data
protection law, the Union government may also table the Indian Telecommunications Bill, a draft of
which was circulated in a public consultation last year.
• The Bill has a clause for offering voluntary undertaking in case an entity wants to admit that a breach
has occurred and pay penalty as mitigation measure to avoid court litigation. “Penalty of up to
Rs.250 crore could be levied for each instance of breach with an upward revision of Rs.500 crore”.
Fines for individual offences would begin from Rs.10,000.
In August 2017, a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court in Justice K. S. Puttaswamy (Retd) Vs Union
of India unanimously held that Indians have a constitutionally protected fundamental right to privacy
that is an intrinsic part of life and liberty under Article 21. Government appointed a committee of
experts for Data protection under the chairmanship of Justice B N Srikrishna in August 2017 that
submitted its report in July 2018 along with a draft Data Protection Bill. The Report has a wide range
of recommendations to strengthen privacy law in India including restrictions on processing and
collection of data, Data Protection Authority, right to be forgotten, data localisation etc.

At SCO meet, India refuses to back China’s BRI project

• In the New Delhi declaration issued at the end of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
leaders’ summit, India refused to sign on the paragraph supporting the Belt and Roads Initiative
(BRI), which is China’s President Xi Jinping’s pet project. A similar formulation was used in the Samarkand
declaration in 2022, when India refused to sign off on the paragraph.
• The BRI paragraph in the New Delhi declaration of 2023 reads, “Reaffirming their support for China’s
“Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) initiative, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic
Republic of Pakistan, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan note
the ongoing work to jointly implement this project, including efforts to link the construction of the
Eurasian Economic Union and BRI.” India has always opposed the BRI, as it says the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor violates India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

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 The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) known within China as the One Belt One Road is a global infrastructure
development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in more than 150 countries
and international organizations. It is considered a centerpiece of the Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s foreign
policy. The BRI forms a central component of Xi’s “Major Country Diplomacy” strategy, which calls for
China to assume a greater leadership role for global affairs in accordance with its rising power and status. It has
been compared to the American Marshall Plan. The Silk Road derives its name from the highly lucrative
trade of silk textiles that were produced almost exclusively in China. The Silk Road Economic Belt
is the ‘Belt’ part of the One Belt One Road initiative (also known as the BRI). It is part of an ambitious
plan by the Chinese government to promote infrastructural development and connectivity and stimulate economic
integration across the Eurasian region.
Indian Navy marching contingent arrives in France to participate in Bastille Day Parade
• The Indian Navy marching contingent arrived in France to participate in the Bastille Day Parade
on the 14th of July 2023. Indian Navy represented by INS Chennai, an indigenously built frontline
destroyer. Indian Navy is amongst the largest Navies in the world with a potent mix of ships, submarines,
and aircraft. A flying contingent of four Rafale fighters, two C-17 Globemasters, and 72 IAF personnel also
departed for France to participate in the Parade.
Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France,
which is celebrated on 14 July each year. The French National Day is the anniversary of the Storming of
the Bastille on 14 July 1789, a major event of the French Revolution, as well as the celebrated the unity
of the French people on 14 July 1790. Celebrations are held throughout France. One that has been reported as
“the oldest and largest military parade in Europe” is held on 14 July in Paris in front of the President
of the Republic, along with other French officials and foreign guests.
India’s AI supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’ makes it to the list of world’s ‘100 most powerful’
• India’s AI Supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’ has been ranked at No. 75 in the world at the International
Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) in Germany. The AI supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’ is installed at
C-DAC, Pune. The supercomputer has been named in the 61st edition of Top 500 Global Supercomputing List
released recently. Airawat PSAI, stands as India’s largest and fastest AI supercomputing system, with
a remarkable speed of 13,170 teraflops (Rpeak).
The Top500 lists the 500 fastest computer systems being used today. In 1993 the collection was started
and has been updated every 6 months since then. The report lists the sites that have the 500 most powerful
computer systems installed across the world. The best Linpack benchmark performance achieved is used as a
performance measure in ranking the computers. The Linpack Benchmark is a measure of a computer’s floating-
point rate of execution. It is determined by running a computer program that solves a dense system of linear
equations. Over the years the characteristics of the benchmark has changed a bit. As of June 2023 the AIRAWAT
supercomputer is the fastest supercomputer in India, having been ranked 75th fastest in the world in
the TOP500 supercomputer list. AIRAWAT has been installed at C-DAC in Pune.
20 % ethanol blended petrol, E20, to be available across country by 2025
• Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri has said that 20 percent ethanol
blended petrol, E20, will be available across India by 2025. The first E20 special fuel outlet was
opened in February this year, following which the number has already crossed 600 and such stations will be
available across the country by 2025.
• The minister informed that ethanol blending in petrol has gone up from 38 crore litres in 2013-14 to
433 crore litres in 2021-22. Mr. Puri further informed that the number of fuel stations selling biofuels has
increased from close to thirty thousand in 2016-17 to more than 67,640. The country now stands as the
world’s third largest energy consumer, third-largest oil consumer and third-largest LPG consumer.
The country stands at the fourth largest LNG importer, fourth largest refiner, and the fourth largest
automobile market in the world.
Ethanol is one of the principal biofuels, which is naturally produced by the fermentation of sugars by
yeasts or via petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration. Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) is
aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on crude oil imports, cutting carbon emissions and boosting farmers’
incomes. Blending Target: The Government of India has advanced the target for 20% ethanol blending in
petrol (also called E20) to 2025 from 2030. By blending ethanol into gasoline, it can reduce the amount of petrol
required to run a car, thereby reducing dependence on imported, expensive, and polluting petroleum. Today, India
imports 85% of its oil requirements.

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India-US conduct ‘Operation Broader Sword’ to prevent illegal drugs shipment
• In a joint multi-agency operation carried out by the law enforcement agencies of the US and India,
more than 500 shipments of “illicit and unapproved prescription” drugs were stopped from reaching
US consumers. Operation “Broader Sword”, targeted shipments of illicit, potentially dangerous,
unapproved prescription drugs, combination medical devices, and synthetic drug precursors shipped
through International Mail Facilities (IMF).
Odisha gets 1st AI-generated news anchor ‘Lisa’
• An Odisha-based private news channel Odisha TV launched an AI-generated news anchor named
‘Lisa’. An artificial woman clad in Odisha’s handloom saree will present news both in Odia and English for OTV
Network’s television and digital platforms.
• OTV is gifting Odia television journalism its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) news anchor, Lisa.
Though Lisa can speak in many languages, for the time being, she will only present news in Odia and
English for the network’s television and digital platforms. In April, Kuwait media outlet, Kuwait news
had debuted their first artificial intelligence (AI) generated news presenter ‘Fedha’.
• “Fedha” appeared on the Twitter account of the Kuwait News website as an image of a woman, her
light-coloured hair uncovered, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt. Kuwaiti News is affiliated with the
Kuwait Times, founded in 1961 as the Gulf region’s first English-language daily.
PM Narendra Modi visited U.A.E. on his return journey from France
• After concluding his visit to France, the Prime Minister Modi departed for UAE and reached there on 15th
of July. This was his fifth visit to the UAE since he assumed office in 2014.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Abu Dhabi during which he holds wide-ranging talks with Sheikh
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi, to take
forward bilateral ties in key areas of energy, food security, and defence. It was also be an opportunity to
discuss cooperation on global issues, particularly in the context of the UAE’s Presidency of COP-28 and India’s
G-20 Presidency in which the UAE is a “special invitee”.
• India-UAE CEPA was signed on 18 February 2022 in New Delhi during the India-UAE Virtual Summit.
In March 2022, India announced the unveiling of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE. It covers almost all the tariff lines dealt in by India (11,908 tariff
lines) and the UAE (7581 tariff lines) respectively. Since the signing of CEPA, UAE has emerged as the
fourth largest investor in India during 2022-23. It was seventh largest investor in 2021-22. In the last
fiscal, FDI from the UAE to India jumped over three-fold to $3.35 billion from $1.03 billion in 2021-22.
India-Mongolia joint military exercise “Nomadic Elephant – 2023” to commence in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• Indian Army contingent comprising of 43 personnel left for Mongolia. The contingent will participate
in the 15th edition of bilateral joint military exercise “NOMADIC ELEPHANT-23”. The exercise is
scheduled to be conducted at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 17 to 31 July 2023.
• Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT is an annual training event with Mongolia which is conducted
alternatively in Mongolia and India, the last edition was held at Special Forces Training School, Bakloh
in October 2019. Soldiers of the Mongolian Armed Forces Unit 084 from and Indian Army soldiers from the
Jammu and Kashmir light infantry Regiment will be participating in the exercise.
Mongolia is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia. Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city
of Mongolia. Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh is currently serving as the President of Mongolia. Luvsannamsrain
Oyun-Erdene is currently serving as Prime Minister of Mongolia since October, 2017. The togrog or tugrik
is the official currency of Mongolia.
3rd Sherpas G20 meeting held in Hampi, Karnataka
• The third Sherpas meeting under India’s G20 Presidency was held in Hampi in Karnataka. Chaired
by India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, the three days meeting on the banks of river Tungabhadra
near UNESCO World Heritage site Hampi has deliberated and engaged in co-authoring the Leaders
Declaration to be adopted by the G20 leaders in New Delhi Summit.
• Issues being considered are Green development, climate finance, lifestyle for environment,
accelerated, inclusive and resilient growth, accelerating progress on sustainable development goals,
technological transformation and digital public infrastructure, multilateral institutions for the 21st century
and women-led development.

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• They will witness the city plan, waterways, temples and other infrastructure built during the Vijayanagar
Empire that flourished between 1336 to 1646 AD. They will also experience the local craft and handicrafts
and cultural performances from Karnataka. The summit is themed “Vasudhaiva Kutumbhakam” which
translates to “One Earth, One Family, One Future”
In 1336, Vijayanagar kingdom was established by Harihara and Bukka, who were two brothers and
served in the army of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq. They broke away from the Delhi Sultanate and established
an independent state in Karnataka and established the capital city Vijayanagar on the banks of river
Tungabhadra in 1336. Harihara and Bukka were helped and inspired by contemporary scholar and a saint
Vidyaranya for the establishment of their kingdom. Hampi, alternatively known as Hampe or the Group
of Monuments at Hampi, holds historical significance as it served as the capital of the Vijayanagara
Empire during the 14th century. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is situated in Hampi (City), located in
the Vijayanagara district of east-central Karnataka, India. Encompassing a vast area of 4,187.24 hectares
in the Tungabhadra basin within Bellary District, Central Karnataka. Hampi boasts a breathtaking setting
featuring the Tungabhadra River, rugged hill ranges, and expansive plains adorned with numerous physical
remnants.

India, UAE ink pact to set up IIT campus in Abu Dhabi

• The memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up the campus of IIT-Delhi was signed
between India’s education ministry, Abu Dhabi’s department of education and knowledge and IIT-D
in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al
Nahyan. A similar MoU was signed between India’s education ministry and authorities in Tanzania for setting
up a campus of IIT-Madras in the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar. This campus will start offering two
courses in October.
Geographical Indication certificate issued for Authoor betel leaves
• Tamil Nadu’s Authoor Betel Leaves received GI Tag. The Geographical Indications Registry has issued
the Geographical Indication (GI) tag certificate of Tamil Nadu’s Authoor Vetrilai (Authoor Betel
Leaves) to Thoothukudi district administration.
• The tag was facilitated by the Tamil Nadu State Agriculture Marketing Board and NABAD Madurai Agribusiness
Incubation Forum, and registered in the name of Authoor Vattara Vetrilai Vivasayigal Sangam. The
betel leaves, locally known as Vettrilai, are nurtured by Thamirabrani river water. The leaves also
find a mention in the 13th-Century book ‘The Travels of MARCO POLO (The Venetian)’. Moreover, Several
ancient stone inscriptions reveal the archaic richness and significance of the Authoor vettrilai in Tamil culture.
Tamil Nadu tops NITI Aayog export preparedness index 2022, Gujarat skids to 4th slot
• Tamil Nadu has been ranked the No. 1 State in Export Preparedness Index (EPI) for 2022. It is
followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka. Gujarat has been pushed to the fourth slot this time. Tamil
Nadu has been in the top 5 list among Large/Coastal States’ categories in the past two years. The objective of
EPI, released by Niti Aayog in New Delhi, is to evaluate the export performance and pending potential
of the Indian States and Union Territories.
NITI Aayog report claims decrease in multidimensional poverty
• India has registered a significant decline of 9.89 percentage points in the number of multidimensionally
poor, from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021, according to the ‘National Multidimensional Poverty
Index: A Progress Review 2023’. Bihar saw the fastest reduction in MPI value in absolute terms.
• The report was released by the Niti Aayog in New Delhi. It claims that about 13.5 crore people came out
of multidimensional poverty during the period, assessed by identifying “acute deprivations in health,
education and standard of living” using United Nations-approved parameters.
• The report said rural areas witnessed the fastest decline in poverty from 32.59% to 19.28%, primarily
due to decrease in the number of multidimensionally poor in States such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan. Delhi, Kerala, Goa and Tamil Nadu have the least number of
people facing multidimensional poverty along with the Union Territories. Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Uttar
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh top the chart where the percentage of total population who are multidimensionality
poor is high.

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Jagdeep Dhankhar reconstitutes Rajya Sabha panel of vice-chairpersons; half of them
women
• Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar reconstituted the panel of vice-chairpersons of
Parliament’s Upper House with half of them being women. “The House members are informed that the
panel of vice-chairpersons has been reconstituted with effect from July 17, 2023”. Among the Rajya
Sabha members who are the new vice-chairpersons are P. T. Usha, S. Phangnon Konyak, Fauzia Khan,
Sulata Deo, V. Vijaysai Reddy, Ghanshyam Tiwari, L. Hanumanthaiah and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray.
Jagdeep Dhankhar is the current Vice President of the Republic of India since 2022. He previously
served as the Governor of West Bengal from 2019 to 2022. He also served as a Union Minister of State for
Parliamentary Affairs in the Chandra Shekhar ministry from 1990 to 1991. He was a member of Lok Sabha from
1989 to 1991 and later a Member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1993 to 1998. He has also been affiliated
with multiple political parties in India, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress
and Janata Dal.
Global Maritime India Summit, 2023
• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal launched
the curtain raiser of Global Maritime India Summit (GIMS), 2023 in Mumbai. The event is aimed
at unlocking potential for new investment opportunities along with collaborations for knowledge and
technology to enhance cooperation in trade and promote Ease of Doing Business (EODB).
Kerala gets India’s 1st Construction Innovation Hub
• Kerala got the country’s first Construction Innovation Hub (CIH) which seeks to promote affordable
and sustainable building facilities to foster collaboration, innovation and knowledge-sharing among
stakeholders. Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will be responsible for the CIH’s overall programme
management, including the identification and recruitment of nascent companies as well as providing them
with housing-related technical mentorship and connections, besides programme design and facilitation. Set up
in association with Habitat for Humanity India (HFHI), an American non-profit organisation that builds
homes and provides housing-related services to low-income families, CIH will be based in Kochi, where
KSUM’s headquarters lie.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Gujarat’s first Greenfield Airport at Hirasar
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Gujarat’s first Greenfield Airport at Hirasar near
Rajkot. in the state. Built over 1500 acres area at a cost of 1,405 crore, the airport has been renamed as
Rajkot international airport. The Greenfield airport at Hirasar is 30 kilometers away from Rajkot
City, the commercial capital of the Saurashtra region.
108-feet tall lord Ram statue to come up in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for a 108-feet tall statue of Lord
Ram, which once built is expected to be the country’s tallest, in Kurnool town of Andhra Pradesh. “It is
to be built by Shri Raghavendra Swami Mutt at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh”.
• The temple’s foundation was laid in an elaborate ceremony presided over by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020. “On the ground floor, 160 pillars have been built. Six are made of white
Makrana marble from Nagaur district, and the remaining are of pink sandstone from Bansi Paharpur – both in
Rajasthan,” adding 132 pillars will be built on the first floor and 74 on the second floor.
Andhra Pradesh is the first state in India to have Five Deputy Chief Ministers one each from Scheduled
Caste, Scheduled Tribe, backward, minority and Kapu communities. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is the
current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh is the first state in India to have three
capital cities; there are Visakhapatnam (Executive capital), Amaravati (Legislative capital) and
Kurnool (Judiciary). Andhra Pradesh High Court imposed a stay on implementation of 3 capitals. In
November 2021, Andhra Pradesh government has withdrawn the three capitals bill in the assembly. In
March 2022, Andhra Pradesh High Court in a landmark judgment declared that Amaravati is the only
capital for the state. Andhra Pradesh is the first state to be formed on a linguistic basis in India on 1
October 1953. On 2 June 2014, Telangana was separated from the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh
as the newly formed state with Hyderabad as its capital.
Panel asks labour ministry to implement welfare schemes for gig workers
• Taking note of absence of any specific welfare scheme by the government for gig and platform workers
and unorganised sector workers despite its earlier recommendation, a parliamentary panel has

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 asked the Ministry of Labour and Employment to formulate and implement welfare schemes for
such workers at the earliest. “The reply of the Ministry is silent on the specific measures contemplated for
framing a Scheme exclusively for Gig and Platform Workers as well as workers of the unorganised
sector in connection with which, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by EPFO
with National Law School of India University(NLSIU), Bangalore.
A Gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations
contract with independent workers for short-term engagements. Gig Worker: According to the Code on
Social Security, 2020, A gig worker is a person who performs work or participates in work arrangements
and earns from such activities, outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship. According to
a 2019 report by the India Staffing Federation, India is the fifth largest in flexi-staffing globally, after the
US, China, Brazil and Japan. Gig workers can be broadly classified into platform and non-platform-
based workers. Platform workers: These workers are those whose work is based on online software apps or digital
platforms such as food aggregator platforms Zomato, Swiggy, Ola, and others. Non-platform workers: These
workers are generally casual wage and own-account workers in conventional sectors engaged part-time or full-time.

India, Argentina agrees for bilateral exchange of young researchers and Startups in
Biotechnology and Agriculture field
• India and Argentina have agreed to a bilateral exchange of young researchers and Startups,
particularly in the field of Biotechnology and Agriculture. The two countries also decided to hold
comprehensive talks between delegations comprising academia, Research, and Development Institutes, and
Industry in the field of Science and Technology and Biotechnology.
• The Indian delegation evinced interest in collaborating in Geospatial technology, Quantum Computation, and
Bio-Enzymes. It was pointed out that India has the world’s third largest Startup ecosystem and there
is huge potential for joint studies and collaboration at various levels such as institutional, universities, and
multilateral fora. India is the 4th largest trading partner of Argentina, with bilateral trade touching a
historic peak of 6.4 billion US dollar in the year 2022, recording a growth rate of 12 percent over 2021.
Argentina is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina is the second-largest country
in South America after Brazil. Buenos is the capital and primate city of Argentina. Sovereignty over
the Falkland Islands is disputed by Argentina and the United Kingdom. The peso is the currency of
Argentina. Alberto Fernandez has been serving as President of Argentina since 2019. Diego Maradona
and Lionel Messi from Argentina are among the best players in the football game’s history.

India’s first fisheries Atal incubation centre to come up at Kufos

• The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) has secured a grant of Rs.10 crore
from NITI Aayog to establish India’s first Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) in fisheries at the University.
The grant will foster a culture of innovation and technological advancement, said university authorities.
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog in 2016 to promote
innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country. AlM’s objectives are to create
and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country at school, university,
research institutions, MSME and industry levels. With a vision to ‘Cultivate one Million children in India
as Neoteric Innovators’, Atal Innovation Mission is establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs)
in schools across India. The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young
minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing
etc. The vision is to have every school have access to at least one or more Atal Tinkering Labs in each
district of the country.

Lok Sabha passes Jan Vishwas Bill to promote ease of business

• Lok Sabha passed The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 that seeks to promote ease
of business by decriminalising minor offences by amending 183 provisions in 42 acts. The Bill was
discussed and passed in Lok Sabha through a voice vote as Opposition members protested and raised slogans
on the Manipur issue.
• They have been demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement in Parliament on the violence
in the northeastern state. Moving the bill for passing, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush
Goyal said it will promote the ease of doing business by decriminalising a number of provisions.

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Indian Naval Ship ‘Khanjar,’ an indigenous Khukri class Missile Corvette to visit
Trincomalee
• Indian Naval Ship ‘Khanjar,’ an indigenous Khukri class Missile Corvette will visit Trincomalee.
During the ship’s three-day visit, the Commanding Officer, will meet with the Commander of the Eastern
Naval Area to enhance professional ties. The ship will conduct interactions on special operations such as Visit-
Board-Search and Seizure(VBSS), Gunnery, and Missile Operations. Promoting goodwill, the crew will engage
in social activities such as Yoga sessions, beach cleaning, and a visit to a special school in Trincomalee. This
visit signifies India’s commitment to strengthening maritime security cooperation in the region,
building on the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and SAGAR doctrine.
The Security and Growth For All in the Region (SAGAR) Initiative is a maritime initiative that prioritises
the Indian Ocean region to ensure India’s peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.
In 2015, India unveiled it’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean i.e. Security and Growth for All in the Region
(SAGAR). It is an increasing recognition of the increasing importance of maritime security, maritime commons
and cooperation. Recently, India was admitted to Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) as an observer
member. This development is one of the steps in India’s strategic vision (SAGAR) for the Indian Ocean.
Gujarat: MV Ripley Pride becomes first ship leased from GIFT City
• MV Ripley Pride, a bulk carrier, has become the first ship to be leased from Gujarat International
Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). Ripley Shipping India IFSC Private Limited (RSIIPL), which received a
certificate of registration from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in March 2023
to operate from the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City, recently imported and leased
the first ship from its IFSC unit.
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) is an under-construction central business district
in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India. It is India’s first operational greenfield smart city and international
financial services center, which the Government of Gujarat promoted as a greenfield project, The city is
located on the banks of the Sabarmati River and is around 12 km (7.5 mi) from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
International Airport. The city is designed so residents can walk to work, and includes commercial, financial and
residential complexes.
India launches ‘Neerakshi’ - Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for mine detection
• The AUV named ‘Neerakshi’ is a collaboration of Kolkata-based warshipmaker Garden Reach
Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd and MSME entity AEPL. An autonomous underwater
vehicle (AUV) designed to detect mines and a first of its kind in the country was launched.
• Named “Neerakshi” meaning “Eyes in the Water” is first of its kind in the country and is expected to
undergo user trials by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and Army before a commercial launch. It is a collaboration
of Kolkata-based warship maker Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd and MSME
entity Aerospace Engineering Private Ltd (AEPL).
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, abbreviated as GRSE, is one of India’s leading shipyards,
located in Kolkata. It builds and repairs commercial and naval vessels. GRSE also builds export ships. Founded
in 1884 as a small privately-owned company on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, it was renamed
as Garden Reach Workshop in 1916. The company was nationalised by the Government of India in 1960. It
was awarded the Miniratna status, with accompanying financial and operational autonomy in September 2006.
It is first Indian shipyard to build 100 warships
GI tags for Goan mangoes and bebinca, crafts from Rajasthan and U.P.
• Seven products from across India, including four from Rajasthan, were given the Geographical
Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai. The GI tags were secured
by ‘Jalesar Dhatu Shilp’ (a metal craft), ‘Goa Mankurad Mango’, ‘Goan Bebinca’, ‘Udaipur Koftgari
Metal Craft’, ‘Bikaner Kashidakari Craft’, ‘Jodhpur Bandhej Craft’, and ‘Bikaner Usta Kala Craft’.
PCI chief Justice Desai to head 10-member panel to recommend chief, members of Lokpal
• The Centre has appointed Press Council of India (PCI) chairperson Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai
as chairperson of a 10-member search committee to recommend the chief and members of anti-
corruption ombudsman Lokpal. Former head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) Samant Kumar Goel
and Information Commissioner Heera Lal Samariya are among the members of the committee.

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• The Lokpal is working without its regular chief after Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose completed
his term on May 27 last year. At present, there are five members in the Lokpal. Two posts of judicial
members and one post of non-judicial member are lying vacant.
The term Lokpal was coined in 1963 by Laxmi Mall Singhvi, a member of parliament during a parliamentary
debate about grievance mechanisms. The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) headed by Morarji
Desai submitted an interim report on “Problems of Redressal of Citizen’s Grievances” in 1966. In this
report, ARC recommended the creation of two special authorities designated as ‘Lokpal’ and ‘Lokayukta’ for redress
of citizens’ grievances. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, commonly known as The Lokpal Act, is an
anti-corruption Act of Indian Parliament in India which “seeks to provide for the establishment of
the institution of Lokpal to inquire into allegations of corruption against certain important public
functionaries including the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, Group A officials of the
Central Government and for matters connecting them”. Retired Supreme Court judge Pinaki Chandra Ghose
was appointed as the first Lokpal of India by a committee consisting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Eminent Jurist Mukul Rohatgi
on 17 March 2019.
NSA Ajit Doval visits Jeddah to attend Saudi Arabia-hosted Ukraine peace talks
• National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has arrived in Jeddah to participate in a summit of national
security advisers and other officials being hosted by Saudi Arabia to discuss the ongoing Russia-
Ukraine war. The meeting is being organised in the coastal city of Jeddah to discuss Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plan for peace amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. The Ministry of External
Affairs confirmed India’s participation in the summit. For the Jeddah summit, the 30 invitees include Chile,
Egypt, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia.
Ajit Doval is the National Security Advisor (NSA) of India to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was
Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief and Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from Kerala cadre. He previously
served as the director of the IB in 2004–05, after working for a decade as the head of its operation wing. He
worked as an undercover spy of IB for one year in Pakistan then 6 years as an officer in Indian high
commission in Islamabad. He spent most part of his career as a spy of IB. His successful operation as a spy and
intelligence head includes Operation Black Thunder 1988, Rescue of 46 Indian national in Iraq, 2015’s
Operation versus Nagaland militants with India army, 2016 surgical strike on Pakistan, Operation to
sabotage terror organisation PFI and many more.
India’s first ‘MeitY’ chair on AI to be set up at IIT Jodhpur
• In a significant announcement, IIT pledged to allocate Rs 5 crore for the establishment of India’s maiden
‘MeitY Chair’ on Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Jodhpur. This initiative marks a pivotal moment in advancing AI research and innovation in the country. The
institute has received approval for a substantial amount of Rs 155 crore to establish a cutting-edge programme
focused on perception and cognitive engineering.
• IIT Jodhpur recognised the important contributions made by staff members who have provided years
of dedicated service towards the institute’s goals. This award is intended to honour staff members who have
made exemplary and noteworthy contributions in their respective departments.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines,
particularly computer systems. These processes include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception,
and decision-making. Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a subset of AI that enables computers to
understand, process, and generate human language. The term “Father of Artificial Intelligence” is often
attributed to John McCarthy. He was an American computer scientist and cognitive scientist who is widely
recognized for coining the term “artificial intelligence” and playing a key role in the early development of
the field.
Agra’s century-old footwear industry gets geographical indication tag
• The footwear industry of Agra was granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, making it the 53rd
product of Uttar Pradesh to enter the elite club. With the cooperation of NABARD UP and the state
government, 2 handicrafts of the state, Agra leather footwear (GI registration number-721), and Jalesar
metal craft (GI registration number-722) got GI tag status. Agra Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters
Chamber (AFMEC) President Puran Dawar said that the AFMEC team had been working closely on every
aspect of its legal process for the last 3 years.

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North India’s first River Rejuvenation Project Devika
• North India’s first River Rejuvenation Project, named ‘Devika’ was inaugurated by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. This project modeled after the ‘Namami Ganga’initiative, is aimed at restoring the
health of the Devika River (in Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir).
Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as a Flagship Programme
by the Union Government of India in June 2014 with a budget outlay of Rs.22,500 crore from 2023-26
to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of
National River Ganga. It aimed at engaging with the community which will connect various interest groups
including Scientists, Technology companies, Investors and community members. NMCG (National Mission For
Clean Ganga) has decided to declare Chacha Chaudhary the popular comic book character, as the
mascot of the Namami Gange Programme a statement issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Under the Namami
Gange Programme, all the drains falling into the river Saryu in the religious and historical city of Ayodhya are
being tapped and contaminated water is being transported to the sewerage treatment plant.
CBI Academy joins Interpol Global Academy Network
• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Academy joined the Interpol Global Academy Network
becoming its 10th member which will pave the way for development and delivery of joint training
programmes and research projects. The CBI Academy, based in Ghaziabad, is a premier training
institution in the fields of crime investigation, prosecution and vigilance functioning. “The three-year-
old Interpol Global Academy Network aims to support Interpol in leading a global approach to law enforcement
training. The CBI Academy has become the 10th member of INTERPOL Global Academy Network.
Nine Rajya Sabha members retire, 4 re-elected
• Nine Rajya Sabha members retired out of whom four have been re-elected to the House. Minister of
External Affairs S Jaishankar from the BJP and three members from the Trinamool Congress — Sukhendu
Sekhar Ray, Derek O’ Brien and Dola Sen — have been re-elected to the Rajya Sabha.
• Five members who retired are Jugalsinh Lokhandwala and Dineshchandra Jemalbhai Anavadiya
of BJP, Sushmita Dev and Shanta Chhetri of TMC and Pradip Bhattacharya of Congress. “The five
retiring members have made rich and significant contributions to the proceedings of the House during the
course of their tenure.
The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States (informally known as the House of Elders), is the
upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. As of March 2022 it has a maximum membership of 245,
of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using single transferable
votes through Open Ballot while the President can appoint 12 members for their contributions to art,
literature, science, and social services. The potential seating capacity of the Rajya Sabha is 250 (238
elected, 12 appointed), according to article 80 of the Indian Constitution. Members sit for staggered
terms lasting six years, with about a third of the 233 designates up for election every two years, in even-
numbered years. The Rajya Sabha meets in continuous sessions, and unlike the Lok Sabha, being the lower
house of the Parliament, the Rajya Sabha is not subjected to dissolution. However, the Rajya Sabha, like
the Lok Sabha can be prorogued by the President.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill scraps ‘unnatural sex’ offence, in a move away from colonial
laws
• In the recently proposed set of fresh criminal legislation, the Indian government has scrapped the colonial-
era offence of ‘unnatural sex,’ which is punishable with a ten-year jail term in the Indian Penal Code.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, omits provisions from Section 377, which includes the phrase,
“whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal
commits unnatural offence.” In a 2018 judgement, a five-judge Supreme Court bench decriminalised
consensual sexual relations in private among adult members of the LGBTQ community by reading
down Section 377.
Rajouri’s chikri wood craft, Anantnag’s Mushqbudji rice receive GI tag
• Chikri wood craft from Rajouri district and Mushqbudji rice of Anantnag district in Jammu and
Kashmir have received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag while five more products of the state
are in the final stages of getting GI tag. “The process for GI tagging of nine products was started by
NABARD in consultation with the department of handicrafts & handloom and department of agriculture in
December 2020, during the difficult times of Covid.”

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• “Chikri is a pale, honey colored, fine grained softwood found in hill ranges of Rajouri district
of Jammu province. The Chikri woodcraft of Rajouri is characterized by intricate carving and detailing.
Mushqbudji rice is a premium variety of short, bold, aromatic rice grown in higher reaches of the Kashmir
valley especially in Anantnag district.
Matti banana variety, native to Kanniyakumari district was recently granted the
Geographical Indication (GI) tags
• The Matti banana variety native to Kanniyakumari district has been granted a Geographical
Indication (GI) tag. These bananas thrive uniquely in the district’s climate and soil, resulting in a larger-
than-human finger-sized fruit with a sweet aroma and honey-like taste. Semmati (red) is a fusion of Matti
and Red banana, with a mix of red and yellow pulp containing ascorbic acid beneficial to the growth
of children. “It is also called Sanna Kathalai and the sugar level is very low and suitable even for
diabetics.
• The GI tag was secured through the endeavours of the Kanniyakumari Banana and Horticulture
Farmers Producer Company Limited. The process was facilitated by the Tamil Nadu State Agriculture
Marketing Board and NABARD Madurai Agribusiness Incubation. Commonly known as ‘Baby Banana’
owing its nipple-like appearance, it flourishes mainly in Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks. Unlike typical
banana bunches that grow straight, the Matti’s fingers exhibit a distinct wind-blown appearance.
India building world’s highest road, tunnel, fighter jet base in Eastern Ladakh
• India is building the world’s highest tunnel, motorable road and fighter aircraft base in Eastern
Ladakh as part of the government’s push towards strengthening infrastructure for both military and
civilian use. Umling La is the highest motorable road in the world. On August 15, BRO started a road
connecting Likru, Mig-La and Phukche at a height of 19400 feet.
Kerala Assembly unanimously passes resolution to change official name of State to ‘Keralam’
• The Kerala State Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the Central
government to officially change the name of the State from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam.’ The Assembly has
sought an amendment in the Constitution, which too refers to the State as ‘Kerala,’ in this regard.
• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented the contents of the resolution in the House under Rule
118 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. While
‘Keralam’ is the accepted and common usage in Malayalam, the State is generally referred to as
‘Kerala’ in official records, especially those in English. The First Schedule of the Constitution also
specifies the name of the State as ‘Kerala.’ ‘‘The name of our State in Malayalam is ‘Keralam.’ States
were reorganised on linguistic basis on November 1, 1956.
• Article 3 deals with the formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of
existing States. The resolution has also urged the Central government to change the usage as ‘Keralam’
in all the languages included under the Eighth Schedule.
The Parliament has the power to change the name of a state. The Constitution of India gives the
parliament power to alter the name of a state under Article 3. Article 3 of the Constitution explicitly lays
down a procedure to alter the area, boundaries, or name of a state. The process of renaming of a state
can be initiated by either the Parliament or the state assembly. The state legislature sends a proposal in
the form of a resolution to the Central government. In Parliament, the bill cannot be presented without a
recommendation from the President. Procedure: States which are going to get affected by such changes,
the legislation of that state must be presented with the bill. The provision to send a bill to the state
legislature was not in the original Constitution. This process was added in the 5th Amendment Act, 1955.
The State Legislature may present its views on the bill within the prescribed time period. The views or
suggestions of the State Legislature are not enforceable against the President or The Parliament. If
Parliament wants, it can dismiss the opinion of the state legislature. After receiving the suggestions
of the State Legislative Assembly or after the expiration of the limited time period the bill goes back
to the Parliament. Then the bill gets further deliberated upon in the Parliament. The bill is sent to the
President for approval. After the said bill gets approved, it becomes a law and the name of the state
stands modified.
Government launched ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikar’ GST reward scheme from September 1
• The government of India launched the ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikar’ invoice incentive scheme, which
offers cash prize from Rs.10, 000 to Rs.1 crore, from September 1, starting with six States and Union

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 Territories. The scheme, which is aimed at motivating customers to ask for a bill every time they
make purchases launched in the States of Assam, Gujarat and Haryana; and the UTs of Puducherry,
Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said.
• The ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikar’ scheme, conceptualized by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and
Customs (CBIC), is designed to instill a sense of confidence and assurance among consumers while
making purchases. The scheme is geared towards creating awareness about the importance of receiving
genuine invoices for business-to-consumer transactions, fostering a more transparent economy.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a successor to VAT used in India on the supply of goods and
services. GST is a digitalized form of VAT where you can also track the goods & services. Both VAT and GST
have the same taxation slabs. It is a comprehensive, multistage, destination-based tax: comprehensive
because it has subsumed almost all the indirect taxes except a few state taxes. Multi-staged as it is, the
GST is imposed at every step in the production process, but is meant to be refunded to all parties in
the various stages of production other than the final consumer and as a destination-based tax, it is
collected from point of consumption and not point of origin like previous taxes. Goods and services are
divided into five different tax slabs for collection of tax: 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%. However, petroleum
products, alcoholic drinks, and electricity are not taxed under GST and instead are taxed separately
by the individual state governments, as per the previous tax system. The tax came into effect from 1
July 2017 through the implementation of the One Hundred and First Amendment of the Constitution of
India by the Indian government. The GST replaced existing multiple taxes levied by the central and state
governments.
India’s first AI school launched in Kerala
• India has got its first ever AI school and it is in Kerala. In a groundbreaking development, the Santhigiri
Vidyabhavan was launched in Kerala’s capital city, Thiruvananthapuram. It simply means that an
educational institution that utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced technological systems
to enhance the learning experience for students. It involves the integration of AI technologies, such as
machine learning, natural language processing, and data analysis, into various aspects of education, including
curriculum design, personalized learning, assessment, and student support. At first, the AI school will be
for students in grades 8 to 12.
Indore tops in Smart City contest, Surat & Agra rank 2nd and 3rd
• Indore has bagged the best “National Smart City Award” for exemplary performance among the 100
smart cities in the fourth edition since the Central government started the contest. Surat and Agra have
emerged as the second and third winners among cities. The results for the fourth edition of India Smart
Cities Award Contest (ISAC) for 2022 were announced.
• Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the results for 2021 could not be announced last year. President Draupadi Murmu
will felicitate the winners of ISAC 2022 awards at Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Among states, Madhya
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have emerged at the first and second best performers respectively while
Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have jointly bagged the third slot. Among the Union Territories, Chandigarh
has been ranked the number one in the Union territory category. It has also emerged a winner in the
best governance category for its e-governance services, according to the ministry. Among the 100 cities
being developed under the Modi government’s Smart Cities Mission.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari unveils world’s first BS-VI 100% ethanol-powered car
• In a major move towards reducing carbon dioxide emission and improving fuel efficiency in vehicles,
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari unveiled the prototype of the world’s
first Bharat Stage (BS)-VI-compliant electrified flex-fuel car, developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor.
The car, which runs on 100 per cent ethanol (E100), is based on the Toyota Innova HyCross. It can
cover 40 per cent of its distance on ethanol and the remaining 60 per cent on electric, with the petrol engine
shut off. The Minister said, the country needs to undertake more sustainable and stringent measures
to curb pollution.
• The country has to reduce its dependence on oil imports in order to become self-reliant. Country’s
agriculture sector will witness growth with the adoption of this move and it will generate lots of job opportunities.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, with the implementation of 20 percent ethanol
blending in petrol, the country will save 35 thousand crore rupees annually as import bill. India has achieved
10 percent of ethanol blending five months in advance of the initial target of 2022.

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 Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol or alcohol) is a biofuel with the chemical formula C2H5OH. It is naturally
made by the fermentation of sugar. In India, it is largely derived while extracting sugar from sugarcane.
However, other organic matter like food grains can also be used for its production. The government has
launched the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme to mix this biofuel with petrol to reduce the
consumption of fossil fuels. India has set a target of 20 per cent ethanol blending with petrol by 2025.
Ethanol supports complete combustion, according to a government report higher reductions in carbon monoxide
emissions were observed with E20 fuel–50% lower in two-wheelers and 30% lower in four-wheelers. Hydrocarbon
emissions scaled down by 20%, but nitrous oxide emissions did not show a substantial trend as it depended on the
vehicle/engine type and engine operating conditions.

Bhaderwah Rajma & Ramban Sulai Honey of Jammu and Kashmir get GI Tag
• In Jammu and Kashmir, two world-famous local specialty products namely Bhaderwah Rajma and Ramban
Sulai Honey have earned coveted Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. The process for GI Tagging of these
products was initiated by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Jammu.
• Now, only an authorized user has the exclusive rights to use the Geographical Indication in relation
to these products. This will prevent unauthorized use of these registered Geographical Indication goods by
third parties, and will boost exports and promote their brands at international level. GI tagging will also promote
economic prosperity of locals in the geographical territory and will act as a tool for social economic growth of the
producer.
Hyderabad gets India’s first solar roof cycling track
• Cycling in a big city can be a real challenge with the pollution, uncontrollable traffic and the risk of being
knocked down by passing cars. Now, Hyderabad is leading the way with a first-of-its-kind sustainable
solar roof cycling track near the Outer Ring Road
• Named Healthway, this 23-kilometre three-lane track has two stretches — 8.5 kilometres from Nanakramguda
to Telangana State Police Academy (TSPA) and 14.5 kilometres from Kollur to Narsingi— converging at
Narsingi Junction. Inspired by the South Korean bike highway with solar panels, the aim is to ensure
a better experience for cyclists.
Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the de jure capital of
Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern
part of South India. Hyderabad is situated on hilly terrain around artificial lakes, including the Hussain
Sagar lake, predating the city’s founding, in the north of the city centre. Relics of the Qutb Shahi and Nizam
rules remain visible today; the Charminar has come to symbolise the city. The formation of special economic
zones and HITEC City dedicated to information technology has encouraged leading multinationals to
set up operations in Hyderabad.

Salem Sago bags geographical indication tag

• The Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd, popularly
known as Sagoserve received geographical indication (GI) tag for Salem Sago. The collector said the
raw silk and malgova mango in the district had already bagged the GI tag. “Similarly, Tirupathi laddu and
Palani panchamirtham have also secured the GI tag. Now, Salem Sago has joined this league.
• Salem district in the state of Tamil Nadu has gained acclaim for its sago production, which is widely
recognized as Sabudana. Salem Sago, locally known as Javvarisi, is derived from the wet starch powder extracted
from tapioca roots. Indian tapioca roots are known to contain approximately 30-35% starch content.
Mahendragiri, India’s new warship, launched in Mumbai
• In what will provide a boost to the navy’s capabilities, Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of Vice President Jagdeep
Dhankhar, launched India’s latest warship, Mahendragiri, at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
Limited, Mumbai.
• Mahendragiri is the seventh and last stealth frigate of Project 17A – four warships are being built
at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and the rest at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE),
Kolkata, under the project. A warship’s launch marks a significant milestone in its construction and refers to the
vessel entering the water for the first time. Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu launched Vindhyagiri,
the sixth warship of Project 17A, at GRSE.

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Centre forms committee headed by Ex-President Ram Nath Kovind to explore possibility
of one nation, one election
• The government has constituted a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to
explore the possibility of one nation, one election. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said,
there is no need to get nervous as there will be discussions at different levels before it gets implemented.
The Minister highlighted that the elections for Lok Sabha and State assemblies were conducted
simultaneously till 1967. Several Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States – Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh,
Himanta Biswa Sarma of Assam, and Pramod Sawant of Goa — gave statements in support of the move.
Koraput Kalajeera Rice Gets GI Tag
• ‘Koraput Kalajeera Rice,’ an aromatic rice variety with nutritional value, has got Geographical
Indications (GI) status, bringing cheers to tribal farmers who have been growing it for ages. The Odisha
government supported Jaivik Sri Farmers Producer Company Limited at Pujariput had applied for the registry
of Koraput Kalajeera Rice.
• The farmers of Koraput district in Odisha, the centre of origin of cultivated rice, have domesticated
Kalajeera rice over generations. With the support of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD) and the Odisha government’s department of agriculture and farmers empowerment,
the farmers’ organisation received the GI tag for ‘Koraput Kalajeera Rice.’
PM Narendra Modi visited Indonesia to attend ASEAN-India Summit and East Asia
Summit
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Indonesia to attend the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and 18th
East Asia Summit. The two Summits hosted in Jakarta by Indonesia the current Chair of ASEAN. The
two summits were an opportunity for India to strengthen its relationships with ASEAN countries
and reaffirm its commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. The ASEAN-India Summit
was the first Summit since the elevation of India-ASEAN relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
last year.
• The PM of India presented a 12-point proposal for strengthening India – ASEAN cooperation
covering connectivity, digital transformation, trade and economic engagement, addressing contemporary
challenges, people-to-people contacts, and deepening strategic engagement. The East Asia Summit will
provide an opportunity for leaders of ASEAN countries and its eight dialogue partners, including
India, to exchange views on issues of regional and global significance. The PM of India emphasized
the significance of the EAS mechanism and reaffirmed India’s support for further strengthening it.
India’s strong support for ASEAN centrality and called for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
East Asia Summit (EAS) was established in 2005 as an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-
led initiative. The EAS is the only leader-led forum in the Indo-Pacific that brings together all key partners
to discuss political, security and economic issues of strategic importance. The EAS operates on the principles of
openness, inclusiveness, respect for international law, ASEAN centrality, and ASEAN’s role as the driving force.
The idea of an East Asia Grouping was first proposed by then Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad in 1991. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 December 2005. The EAS
comprises 18 members: the 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and eight dialogue partners (Australia, China, India, Japan,
New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States).
Odisha’s Kanteimundi brinjal gets GI tag
• The Kanteimundi brinjal which is widely cultivated in Nayagarh district of Odisha has received GI
(Geographical Indication) tag. This brinjal variety (the throned-calyx brinjal, scientific name – Solanum
Melongena) is largely seen in Kantilo area of the district.
• After getting GI tag, the demand for Kanteimundi brinjal has increased. This brinjal is said to be very tasty.
As per reports, the ‘Kanteimundi’ brinjal of Nayagarh has got GI tag. The Central Government has given
its nod for GI tag for this vegetable of Odisha. This variety of brinjal is cultivated in the Mahanadi River
basin in Nayagarh district.
World’s tallest Nataraja statue installed at G20 summit venue
• A 28-foot-tall Nataraja statue is being installed at the venue of the G20 Summit in Delhi. The statue
symbolises Lord Shiva as the ‘lord of dance’ and his cosmic power of creation and destruction. “The
world’s tallest Nataraja statue has been installed at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the G20

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 summit in Delhi. Weighing 19 tonnes, and made of eight metals: gold, silver, lead, copper, tin, mercury, iron
and zinc (Ashtadhatu), the statue was made in a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district. The sculpture
was made by the sons of famous sculptor Devasenapati Satapati of Swamimalai district in Tamil Nadu. The
sculpture follows the Chola period’s Nataraja models, specifically those from Chidambaram and
Konerirajapuram.
Indrajaal: India’s first AI-powered anti-drone system
• Grene Robotics, a well-known deep-tech business with headquarters in Hyderabad, has unveiled
“Indrajaal,” India’s first AI-powered anti-drone system, in a ground-breaking development. This cutting-
edge system is intended to protect crucial facilities, governmental infrastructure, and the commercial sector
from the growing threat posed by drones.
• Indrajaal’s design uses a LEGO-block like combination mechanism that offers 12 unique layers of
technology powered by artificial intelligence, said Kiran Raju, founder of Grene Robotics established 12
years ago. Named Indrajaal, this is said to be not just India’s but the world’s only wide area Counter-
Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS), that can provide a comprehensive and integrated security
mechanism against moving threats that cannot be tackled with static defence systems.
The Enchanting “Magic Rice” of Assam Gets GI Tag
• Chokuwa rice, fondly known as “Magic rice,” has recently been bestowed with the prestigious
Geographical Indication (GI) tag, a recognition of its exceptional attributes and heritage. This remarkable
rice variety is deeply intertwined with the culinary legacy of Assam and has a rich historical connection with
the powerful Ahom dynasty.
ASI launches revamped ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’ programme
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) launched a revamped version of the ‘Adopt a Heritage’
programme apart from an Indian Heritage app and an e-permission portal. Initially launched in 2017
under the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the ASI which invited corporate stakeholders to adopt
from over 3,000 protected monuments spread across the country, ‘Adopt a Heritage 2.0’, is the upgraded
version of ‘Adopt a Heritage’ programme.
PM Modi announces India’s decision to open Indian embassy in Timor Leste at ASEAN
Summit
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a decision to open an Indian embassy in Timor-Leste.
Modi announced the decision while co-chairing the annual ASEAN-India summit in this Indonesian capital.
• At the ASEAN-India summit, the Prime Minister announced the decision to establish an Indian
Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste. Timor Leste joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in
2022 as an Observer, before becoming its full member. ASEAN is considered one of the most influential
groupings in the region, and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and
Australia are its dialogue partners.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional grouping that aims to promote
economic and security cooperation among its ten members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The motto of ASEAN is “One
Vision, One Identity, One Community”. 8th August is observed as ASEAN Day. ASEAN Secretariat is located
in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the
ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
21st edition of Varuna (Varuna-23) bilateral exercise between Indian and French Navy
• Phase Il of the 21st edition of Varuna (Varuna-23) bilateral exercise between Indian and French
Navy was conducted in the Arabian Sea. The exercise witnessed participation of guided missile frigates,
tanker, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and integral helicopters from the two sides.
• The exercise was conducted over three days and witnessed joint operations, underway replenishment
and various tactical manoeuvres. Units of both navies endeavoured to enhance and hone their war fighting
skills, improve interoperability and demonstrate their ability to promote, peace, security and stability in the
region. The first phase of ‘Varuna-2023’ was conducted off India’s Western Seaboard from 16 to 20 Jan
23.

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• Indian & French Navy bilateral naval exercise was initiated in 1993. The exercise was later
christened as ‘Varuna’ in 2001 and has since become a hallmark of robust India-France strategic bilateral
relationship. Having grown in scope and complexity over the years, this exercise provides an opportunity to
learn from each other’s best practices and procedures.
PM Narendra Modi launches global biofuel alliance at G20 summit in New Delhi
• India launched the Global Biofuel Alliance at a G20 summit in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi launched the alliance on the sidelines of the G20 summit. US President Joe Biden, Argentina
President Alberto Fernández, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong, Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva among others were present on the occasion. In a social media
post, Prime Minister Modi said that the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance marks a watershed moment in
our quest towards sustainability and clean energy.
India, Brazil, and the US are the founding members of the Global Biofuel Alliance. The three founding
members of alliance, the US, India and Brazil contribute about 85% of the global production and the 81%
of the consumption of ethanol. A total of 19 countries and 12 international organizations have so far
agreed to join the alliance, including both G20 members and non-member countries. Apart from India, Brazil,
and the US, the other G20 member countries supporting the initiative are Argentina, Canada, Italy, and South
Africa. Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, and the UAE are the G20 invitee countries.
Consensus reached, New Delhi Declaration adopted at G20
• India’s G20 Presidency has been the most ambitious in the history of G-20. India’s G20 Sherpa
Amitabh Kant said on Saturday that the New Delhi Declaration - running into 38 paragraphs, was
adopted with “100 per cent consensus on all developmental and geo-political issues”. With 112 outcomes and
presidency documents, we have more than doubled the substantive work from previous presidencies. India’s
G20 Presidency has been the most ambitious in the history of G-20. 73 outcomes (lines of effort) and 39
annexed documents (presidency documents, not including Working Group outcome documents).
Project to link India, Middle East and Europe via rail, waterways unveiled
• PM Narendra Modi announced the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe mega economic corridor
on the sidelines of the G20 summit. The project aims to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
and includes India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, France, Italy, Germany and the US.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the plan to build a rail and shipping corridor linking
India with the Middle East and Europe. The project aims to foster economic growth and political cooperation.
It would help to boost trade, transport energy resources and improve digital connectivity.
• It is the Part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII). The rail and shipping
corridor is part of the PGII. PGII is a collaborative effort by G7 nations to fund infrastructure projects
in developing nations. This project is also called as a green and digital bridge across continents and civilizations.
In 2022, at the 48th G-7 Summit, the U.S. along with G7 allies unveiled the ambitious Partnership for Global
Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). The U.S. along with its allies had announced the launch of the Build
Back Better World (B3W) in 2021 with the aim of narrowing the 40 trillion dollar infrastructure gap in
the developing world. Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment is therefore a relaunch of the
B3W plan. Under the PGII, G7 will mobilize 600 billion dollars by 2027 to deliver “game-changing” and
“transparent” infrastructure projects to developing and middle-income countries.
Samudrayaan Mission: India’s First Manned Submersible to Take Dip in Bay of Bengal
• After leaving a mark in space with its successful lunar and solar missions, India is all set to take a dive
in the deep sea. India is working on its ambitious submersible Smaudrayaan. The ocean craft
Samudrayaan is being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
• The Samudrayaan mission’s ocean craft Matsya 6000 being developed by the NIOT Chennai will take
a dip in the Bay of Bengal next year. The number 6000 in the name of the ocean craft depicts the
ability of the submersible to go 6000 metres underwater.
• The self-propelled Samudrayaan will take 3 human beings on an ocean exploration mission 6000
metres under the ocean where the scientists will look for precious minerals and metals like nickel, cobalt
and manganese. The Matsya 6000 oceancraft will be equipped with various underwater instruments such
as Autonomous Coring System (ACS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Deep Sea Mining System
(DSM) for the exploration of the deep sea.

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• The project is part of the larger Deep Ocean Mission, which supports the centre’s Blue Economy
policy. This policy aims to utilise ocean resources sustainably for the country’s economic growth, improved
livelihoods, job creation, and maintain ocean ecosystem health.
The Deep Ocean Mission 2023 was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2018. Indian Institute of
Ocean Technology has developed the Samudrayaan 2023 Mission which is capable of going 6 Km deep in
the sea. Moreover, this mission has been allotted the wholesome budget of Rs. 8,000 Crore which will be spent
on the Deep Sea Exploration Mission 2023.

PM Narendra Modi launched Vishwakarma Scheme

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘PM Vishwakarma Scheme’ virtually on September 17 from
Delhi on ‘Vishwakarma Day’ that attended by 70 ministers from 70 different locations across the
country. PM Modi had mentioned the scheme during his Independence Day speech.
• The scheme was cleared by the Union cabinet. Under the scheme, Rs. 13,000 crore will be spent in the
coming five years on skill training and development of traditional artisans, craftsmen coming from communities
like weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers and barbers largely belonging to the OBC community.
The scheme aims to improve the quality, scale and reach of products and services of artisans and
craftspeople and to integrate them with the domestic and global value chain.
India hands over G20 presidency to Brazil for 2024
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the G20 presidency to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva on the two-day summit in New Delhi. Brazil officially will take over the mantle of the
presidency of the elite grouping on December 1 this year. PM Modi completed the transition by handing
over the gavel of the presidency to the Brazil President. Earlier Indonesian President Joko Widodo and
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva handed over saplings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of Session
3 of the G20 Summit.
• While Indonesia held the G20 presidency last year, Brazil will hold the presidency after India. India
took over the G20 presidency on December 1 last year at the G20 Summit at Bali in Indonesia and will
continue to hold it till the end of November. The New Delhi Declaration was adopted by G20 leaders, the
first day of the Summit.
• While handing over the presidency, PM Modi said, “I want to congratulate Brazil’ president and my friend
Lula da Silva, and hand over the presidency’s gavel to him. Furthermore, PM Modi proposed a G20
virtual summit in November end to review progress on matters decided in this summit. Lula listed out social
inclusion, fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development as G20 priorities
for the next session. He also said that Brazil wants a greater representation for emerging countries at
World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors
from 19 countries and the European Union (EU). Founded in 1999 with the aim to discuss policy pertaining
to the promotion of international financial stability, the G20 has expanded its agenda since 2008 and
heads of government or heads of state, as well as finance ministers, foreign ministers and think tanks, have
periodically conferred at summits ever since. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any
single nation. The G20 members are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany,
Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the
United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. The G20 has no permanent secretariat.
The first G20 Summit took place in 2008 in Washington DC, US.

BRO to construct world’s highest fighter airfield in Ladakh

• In a groundbreaking development, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has announced plans to
construct the world’s highest fighter airfield in the Nyoma region of Ladakh. The project is set to
commence with the laying of the foundation stone by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The construction
of the world’s highest fighter airfield in Nyoma, Ladakh, marks a significant milestone in India’s
infrastructure development, reflecting the nation’s determination to fortify its strategic presence along its
northern borders.

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 The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a road construction executive force in India that provides
support to and is now a part of the Indian Armed Forces. The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure
India’s borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the
country. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
BRO set a Guinness World Record in November 2021 for the “highest altitude road” at Umling La. BRO
has been instrumental in constructing some of the great Engineering Marvels like Atal Tunnel, Atal setu, Col
Chewang Rinchen Setu to name a few. In a bid to boost border connectivity, BRO has been entirely brought
under the Ministry of Defence in 2015.
PM Narendra Modi dedicated ‘YashoBhoomi’ at Dwarka on 17th September
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated ‘YashoBhoomi’ at Dwarka to the nation. He also inaugurated
the extension of the Delhi Airport Metro Express line from Dwarka Sector 21 to a new metro station
at Dwarka Sector 25. Mr. Modi’s vision of having a world-class infrastructure for hosting meetings, conferences,
and exhibitions will be strengthened with the operationalization of Phase 1 of the India International
Convention and Expo Centre called ‘Yashobhomi’. YashoBhoomi will find its place among the world’s
largest MICE facilities with a total project area of over 8.9 lakh square meters and a total built-up area of
more than 1.8 lakh square metres. MICE stand for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.
Tagore’s home Santiniketan added to UNESCO World Heritage List
• Santiniketan, the cultural and educational hub founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore,
has earned a coveted spot on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This recognition marks a significant
milestone for India and celebrates the enduring legacy of this unique institution located in Bengal’s Birbhum
district. The decision to include Santiniketan in the prestigious list was made during the 45th session
of the World Heritage Committee, held in Saudi Arabia, reaffirming its importance on the global stage.
• Santiniketan’s inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List is a testament to its cultural and
educational significance. This recognition reaffirms the importance of preserving and promoting the legacy
of Rabindranath Tagore and the institution he built. With this latest addition, India now ranks sixth on the
World Heritage List, further highlighting the nation’s commitment to safeguarding its cultural and
natural treasures. The inclusion of Santiniketan reinforces India’s status as a custodian of world heritage.
Santiniketan now stands as India’s 41st World Heritage site, solidifying its place in the nation’s
rich cultural heritage. Apart from Santiniketan, West Bengal also has another gem in UNESCO’s list of
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – the Durga Puja in Kolkata
Hoysala Temples in Karnataka now India’s 42nd UNESCO’s World Heritage site
• The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala – comprising of the Hoysala Temples of Belur, Halebid and
Somnathapura in Karnataka – were granted a place on the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list. The ‘Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala’ had
been on UNESCO’s Tentative List since April 15, 2014. This inclusion marks the 42nd UNESCO World
Heritage Site in India and comes just a day after Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan also received
this distinguished recognition.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and is a specialised
agency of the United Nations (UN). It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in
Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
Political and economic arrangements of governments are not enough to secure the lasting and sincere
support of the peoples. Peace must be founded upon dialogue and mutual understanding. Peace must be built
upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity. It is headquartered at the World Heritage Centre
in Paris, France. Audrey Azoulay is a French civil servant and politician who has been serving as the
Director-General of the UNESCO since 2017, becoming the second female leader of the organization.
Govt. introduces ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ in Lok Sabha
• The government introduced a constitutional amendment bill to reserve one-third of seats in Lok
Sabha and State Assemblies for women, reviving a bill pending for 27 years for want of consensus among
parties. Making it the first bill to be introduced in the new Parliament building, the government said it will
enable greater participation of women in policy-making at the state and national levels and help achieve the
goal of making India a developed country by 2047. The bill be named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

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 This legislation seeks to allocate 33 percent of the seats in the directly elected Lok Sabha and state
legislative assemblies for women.
Singapore - India annual Naval Maritime Bilateral Exercise between Indian Navy &
Republic of Singapore Navy starts
• The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Indian Navy (IN) conducted the Singapore-India
Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) from 21 to 28 September 2023. SIMBEX 2023 comprises a shore
phase (21 to 24 September) held at RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base, and a sea phase (25 to 28
September) in the southern reaches of the South China Sea within international waters.
Singapore is a sovereign city-state and island country in Southeast Asia. Singapore dollar is the official
currency of Singapore. Lee Hsien Loong is the current Prime Minister of Singapore. Halimah binti
Yacob served as the first female President in the country’s history. Tharman Shanmugaratnam has been
serving as the current President of Singapore since 2023.

108 ft tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya inaugurated in Omkareshwar, MP

• A 108-foot-tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya, a spokesperson of Advaita Vedanta philosophy
inaugurated in Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also laid the
foundation stone for the construction of Ekatm Dham dedicated to the life and philosophy of Adi
Shankaracharya.
Adi Shankara, also called Adi Shankaracharya was an 8th-century Indian Vedic scholar and teacher
(acharya). His works present a harmonizing reading of the sastras, with liberating knowledge of the self at
its core, synthesizing the Advaita Vedanta teachings of his time. Works known to be written by Shankara
himself are the Brahmasutrabhasya, his commentaries on ten principal Upanishads, his commentary
on the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upadesasahasri.

Indian Navy’s indigenously built warship INS Sahyadri, mission deployed in Indo-Pacific,
participated in the maiden trilateral Maritime Partnership Exercise
• Indian Navy’s indigenously built warship INS Sahyadri, mission deployed in Indo-Pacific,
participated in the maiden trilateral Maritime Partnership Exercise with the ships and aircraft from
the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Indonesian Navy. The trilateral exercise provided an opportunity
for the three maritime nations to strengthen their partnership and improve their collective capability to support
a stable, peaceful and secure Indo-Pacific region.
• The exercise also provided the opportunity for the participating navies to benefit from each other’s
experience and expertise. Complex tactical and manoeuvring exercises, cross-deck visits and cross-deck
landings of integral helicopters were conducted for training of crew and enhancement of interoperability. INS
Sahyadri, the third ship of the indigenously designed and built Project-17 class multirole stealth
frigates was built at Mazagon Dock Ltd, Mumbai.
Goa’s Bebinca recently received the GI tag
• It is variedly called the Queen of Goan desserts, or the Emperor of Goan confection. It is a treasured
food souvenir. It is a dish that showcases Goa’s multi-cultural culinary history. And recently, bebinca got a
Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai. Bebinca
is a layered cake/pudding made with flour, coconut milk, and egg yolks. There is ghee for moistness,
palm jaggery for colour, and salt and nutmeg for flavouring. It is baked one layer at a time. It joins a list of other
GI tagged Goan food products like mancurad mango, cashew feni, Khola chilli, Harmal chilli, Moira banana,
and khaje.
India and UN launch joint capacity building initiative for Global South
• India and the United Nations launched a joint capacity-building initiative for the Global South. The
“India-UN Capacity Building Initiative” aims to share India’s development experiences, best practices
and expertise with partner countries in the Global South through capacity building and training programs.
• The initiative was announced at the India-UN for the Global South in New York. The India-UN initiative
also complements the India-UN partnership in the form of “India-UN Development Partnership Fund”
which has developed a portfolio of 75 development projects in 61 countries in the last 6 years.

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 The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain
international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international
cooperation, and serve as a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. It is the world’s largest international
organization. The UN is headquartered in New York City, United States. On 25 April 1945, 50 nations met
in San Francisco, California for a conference and started drafting the UN Charter, which was adopted
on 25 June 1945. The charter took effect on 24 October 1945, when the UN began operations. At its
founding, the UN had 51 member states; as of 2023, it has 193 – almost all of the world’s sovereign states.
The UN was established after World War II with the aim of preventing future world wars, and succeeded the League
of Nations, which was characterized as ineffective. The UN has six principal operational organizations: the
General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of
Justice, the UN Secretariat, and the Trusteeship Council, although the Trusteeship Council has been
inactive since 1994.
Indian Oil unveils India’s first green hydrogen-run bus that emits just water
• India’s top oil firm IOC unveiled the nation’s first green hydrogen-powered bus that emits just water
as it takes the lead in bringing out unrivaled tools to replace fossil fuels. Indian Oil Corporation
(IOC) will produce close to 75 kg of hydrogen by splitting water using electricity from renewable
sources. This hydrogen will be used to power two buses which will ply across the national capital region
for trial runs.
Hydrogen when produced by electrolysis using renewable energy is known as Green Hydrogen
which has no carbon footprint. During the budget speech in February 2021, Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman announced the launch of the Hydrogen Energy Mission to produce hydrogen from
renewable sources. Recently, India and the US have set up a task force under the aegis of the Strategic
Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) to mobilise finance and speed up green energy development. Green
hydrogen energy is vital for India to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) Targets and
ensure regional and national energy security, access and availability. Grey Hydrogen is hydrogen produced
using fossil fuels such as natural gas. Unfortunately this accounts from roughly 95% of the hydrogen
produced in the world today.
Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang inaugurated Chatten ll hydropower plant
• Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang inaugurated the Chatten ll hydropower plant developed by Sikkim
Power Development Corporation Limited at Chatten, Lachen in Mangan district. Chatten ll hydropower
project, with a capacity of 3 MW, is a run-of-the-river project, utilization water from the Chagyachu River.
Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north and
northeast, Bhutan in the east, Koshi Province of Nepal in the west, and West Bengal in the south. Sikkim is also
close to the Siliguri Corridor, which borders Bangladesh. Sikkim is the least populous and second smallest
among the Indian states. In 1975, after the Indian Army took over the city of Gangtok, a referendum was
held that led to the dissolution of the monarchy and Sikkim joining India as its 22nd state. Sikkim’s
capital and largest city is Gangtok. Kangchenjunga is the third-highest mountain in the world located in
Sikkim. In 2016, the adjoining Khangchendzonga National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Lakshman Prasad Acharya is the current Governor of Sikkim. Pawan Kumar Chamling holds the
record for longest serving CM in India.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh led Parliamentary delegation to BRICS forum
in Johannesburg
• Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh led a Parliamentary delegation to
participate in the 9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa. As the head of
the delegation, he made an opening statement and also chairs a session on ‘Climate Change and Legislative
Mobilisation in BRICS Countries. “They participated in a debate on the theme ‘Harnessing Multilateralism
and Parliamentary Diplomacy to Deepen BRICS and Africa Partnership for Accelerated
Implementation of the Africa Free-Trade Agreement’ and other sessions”.
Harivansh Narayan Singh is an Indian journalist and politician, who is the Deputy Chairperson of the
Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. He is a Member of Parliament from Janata Dal
(United) in the Rajya Sabha representing Bihar. He was re-elected as the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha
on 14 September 2020 after he returned to the Rajya Sabha for his second term from Bihar.

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Tripura becomes fourth state to introduce e-cabinet system
• Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha launched an e-cabinet system at Agartala to promote digital
infrastructure development and digitisation of government services and information. Tripura has
thus become the fourth state—and second in the Northeast—after Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and
Arunachal Pradesh, to have introduced an e-cabinet system.
• All future cabinet meetings in the state will be paperless, reducing the carbon footprint and
environmental degradation in the process, with ministers and bureaucrats using tablets. All ministers
attended the event at the new Secretariat complex, where the Chief Minister launched the app to be used for
the e-cabinet.
Tripura is a state in Northeast India. The third-smallest state in the country and the seventh-least populous
state with a population of 36.71 lakh. It is bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east and by Bangladesh to the
north, south and west. Agartala is the capital and the largest city in the state. Satyadev Narayan Arya is
the current Governor of Tripura.

Northeast India (officially the North Eastern Region (NER)) is the easternmost region of India
representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country. It comprises eight
states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura (commonly
known as the “Seven Sisters”), and the “brother” state Sikkim. The Siliguri Corridor connects the
region to the rest of mainland India. The states of North Eastern Region are officially recognised under
the North Eastern Council (NEC), constituted in 1971 as the acting agency for the development of the
north eastern states. Long after induction of NEC, Sikkim formed part of the North Eastern Region as the
eighth state in 2002. Guwahati city in Assam is called the Gateway to the North East and is the largest
metropolis in North East India. The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region is a Government
of India ministry, established in September 2001, which functions as the nodal Department of the Central
Government to deal with matters related to the socio-economic development of the eight States of Northeast India.
The current, Minister of Development of North Eastern Region is G. Kishan Reddy.
Bihar caste survey released: EBCs form 36% of population, OBCs at 27.13%
• The Bihar government’s caste survey report, showed that extremely backward classes (EBCs) account
for 36.01 percent of the 13.07 crore population of the state. OBC Yadavs are the single biggest caste with
14.26 per cent. According to the survey, conducted in two phases, the Hindu population in the state is 81.99
percent and Muslim population is 17.7 percent.
• There were 2,146 people who did not mention any religion in the survey. Among social groups, OBCs are
27.12 percent of the state population and EBCs are 36.01 percent. The Scheduled Caste population is
19.65 percent, while the general category is 15.52 percent, with Brahmins leading the tally with 3.67
percent, closely followed by Rajputs at 3.45 percent. Nitish Kumar’s core constituency, Kurmis, are 2.87 per
cent, Kushwahas 4.27 percent and Dhanuks 2.16 percent.
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the third largest state by population, the 12th largest by area, and the 14th
largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of
West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south. The Bihar plain is split by the river Ganges, which flows
from west to east. On 15 November 2000, southern Bihar was ceded to form the new state of Jharkhand. Nitish Kumar
is serving as current Chief Minister of Bihar since 22 February 2015, having previous held the office from 2005 to
2014 and for a short period in 2000. Rajendra Arlekar is the current Governor of Bihar. As per the 2011 census,
among states, Bihar has the lowest literacy rate of 47% and highest in Kerala (male: 96.1%, female 92.1%).
Three indigenous products from Arunachal Pradesh receive (GI) tag
• Three indigenous products from Arunachal Pradesh – Yak Churpi, Khamti rice and Tangsa textile –
have been granted the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the GI Registry. Indian Council
of Agricultural Research’s National Research Centre (NRC) on Yak Director Dr Mihir Sarkar said that “Churpi”
is prepared from the milk of Arunachali yak, which is a unique yak breed found in West Kameng and Tawang
districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Yak Churpi is a fermented milk product made from the milk of Arunachali yak, a unique breed found
in the region. The product is expected to provide benefits to tribal herders against cold and hypoxia. Khaw Tai,
a chewy sticky rice variety, hails from the Namsai region and is cultivated by traditional Khampti tribal
farmers. The Tangsa Textile products crafted by the Tangsa tribe of Changlang district are renowned
for their exotic designs and vibrant colors.

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Kerala: Cochin International Airport launches seven mega projects
• The Cochin International Airport (CIAL) in Kerala launched seven mega projects taking into
account growth potential in passenger traffic, tourism and agrarian economy. The new projects
include the construction of a new apron sprawling over 15 lakh square feet and a terminal expansion which will
add five lakh square feet to the existing international terminal. Cochin International Airport has set the
benchmark by marking itself as the first ever fully solar powered airport in the world.
Nation celebrates 154th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
• The nation paid homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi on his 154th birth anniversary.
A series of functions are being organized across the country and by Indian Missions abroad. A Sarva Dharma
Prarthana Sabha was organised at Bapu’s Samadhi at Rajghat in the national capital. President Droupadi
Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma
Gandhi at Rajghat. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Congress President
Mallikarjun Kharge were among those who offered floral tributes.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869-30 January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial
nationalist and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for
India’s independence from British rule. He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The
honorific Mahatma (‘great-souled, venerable’), first applied to him in South Africa in 1914, is now used
throughout the world. Bringing anti-colonial nationalism to the common Indians, Gandhi led them
in challenging the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km (250 mi) Dandi Salt March in 1930 and in
calling for the British to quit India in 1942.
Punjab Govt launches state-wide ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign with theme ‘Garbage Free India’
• In Punjab, the state government launched the state-wide ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign with the
theme ‘Garbage Free India’ from 15th September to 2nd October. The campaign was a joint initiative by the
Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Government of India, under the flagship
programs of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) respectively.
Punjab is a state in northern India. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to
the north and northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest; by the
Indian union territories of Chandigarh to the east and Jammu and Kashmir to the north. It shares an
international border by Punjab, a province of Pakistan to the west. The state capital is Chandigarh, a
union territory and also the capital of the neighbouring state of Haryana. The five tributary rivers of the
Indus River from which the region took its name are the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers
(in order from east to west). After the partition of India in 1947, only 3 of the 5 rivers, the Sutlej, Ravi and
Beas rivers flows in Indian Punjab, while other two rivers became part of Punjab, Pakistan. Banwarilal
Purohit is the current Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh. Bhagwant Singh Mann is
the current Chief Minister of Punjab.
India joins ‘elite club’ as Air Force receives first light combat aircraft in Bengaluru
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited handed over the first LCA Tejas twin seater aircraft to the Indian
Air Force. The Bengaluru-headquartered company said the twin-seater variant has all the capabilities to
support the training requirements of the IAF and augments itself to the role of fighter as well in case of necessity.
The LCA Tejas twin seater is a light weight, all weather multi-role 4.5 generation aircraft.
• It is an amalgamation of contemporary concepts and technologies, such as relaxed static-stability,
quadraplex fly-by-wire flight control, carefree maneuvering, advanced glass cockpit, integrated
digital avionics systems and advanced composite materials for the airframe, HAL said. HAL has an order of
18 twin seaters from IAF and is planning to deliver eight of them during 2023-24. The remaining 10
would be delivered progressively by 2026-27.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence company,
headquartered in Bangalore. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace
and defence manufacturers in the world. HAL is managed by a board of directors appointed by the President of
India through the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. HAL is currently involved in designing and
manufacturing of fighter jets, helicopters, jet engine and marine gas turbine engine, avionics, software
development, spares supply, overhauling and upgrading of Indian military aircraft. The HAL HF-24 Marut
fighter-bomber was the first indigenous fighter aircraft made in India.

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Indian Army tests new generation weapons, tech to be battle-ready in ‘Trishakti Prahar’
exercise
• The Indian Army is actively preparing for an extensive combat exercise aimed at testing cutting-edge
weapon systems and technologies. This exercise, codenamed ‘Trishakti Prahar,’ serves as a platform to
validate new concepts in long-range firepower, battle-readiness, and force-preservation. It also draws vital
lessons from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Taking place on the western front in Rajasthan, the
‘Trishakti Prahar’ exercise is organized by the 21 Corps, one of the four major “strike formations” within
the 12-lakh strong Indian Army.
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The
President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four-star general. Two officers have been conferred with the rank of
field marshal, a five-star rank, which is a ceremonial position of great honour. Sam Manekshaw was the
first field marshal of India, and was conferred the rank on 1 January 1973. The second was Kodandera
M. Cariappa, who was conferred the rank on 15 January 1986. The Indian Army was formed in 1895
alongside the long established presidency armies of the East India Company, which too were absorbed
into it in 1903. General Manoj Pande is an Indian Army General serving as the 29th and the current
Chief of the Army Staff. He is the first officer from the Corps of Engineers to become the Army Chief.
General Anil Chauhan is a four-star general of the Indian Army, who is the current and 2nd Chief of Defence
Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces, since 30 September 2022. He succeeded General Bipin Rawat,
the inaugural holder of the post, who had died nine months earlier in a helicopter crash in December
2021.

Udangudi Panangarupatti gets GI tag

• Udangudi ‘Panangkarupatti’ (palm jaggery/ gur) has been given a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
The application for this was filed by Tirunelveli District Palmyrah Products Cooperative Federation Limited
and Patent Information Centre, Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology.
• The palm jaggery preparation procedure in this area is traditional till date without inclusion of any
additional modern strategies. Triple super phosphate and phosphoric acid are used in many other areas, but no
such chemical additives are used in Udangudi Panangkarupatti. The karupatti prepared from the palm sap
from the region around Udangudi in Tiruchendur taluk in Thoothukudi district has some uniqueness.
This is due to presence of red sand dune soil found in the region.
Jammu and Kashmir’s famed Pashmina gets geographical recognition with GI tag
• Basohli Pashmina, a more than 100-year-old traditional craft from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua
district, has got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Earlier this year, the famed Basohli painting and
Chikri wood from Rajouri district of Jammu division received the GI tag.
• Basohli Pashmina, a hand-spun product known for extreme softness, fineness and light-weight, has
insulating properties and extended life, the spokesman said, adding all these qualities make the Basohli
Pashmina unique. Pashmina products include shawls for both men and women, mufflers, blankets and basket.
Kendrapara’s famous Rasabali gets GI tag
• Kendrapara’s famous sweet Rasabali received the geographical indication (GI) tag bringing cheer
to the people of the coastal district. Kendrapara Rasabali Makers’ Association and the Rural Infrastructure
Development and Employment applied for GI tag for the sweet in 2021. The mouth-watering delicacy originates
from the 262-year-old Baladevjew temple at Ichhapur on the outskirts of Kendrapara town. It consists of
deep-fried flattened reddish-brown patties of cheese that are soaked in thickened and sweetened
milk. Rasabali is one of the main Bhogs in the shrine which was constructed during the Maratha rule in Odisha
in 1761. The GI tag for the
Shaliza Dhami: A woman officer will command Indian Air Force Day parade for the first
time
• On the occasion of Indian Air Force Day, Group Captain Shaliza Dhami, a woman officer commanded
the parade for the first time. The parade, commemorating the service’s 91st anniversary, takes place at
the air force station in Bamrauli in Prayagraj.

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 Indian Air Force Day is celebrated on October 8 every year. Every year on October 8, we observe Indian
Air Force (IAF) Day. The purpose of the day is to honor the 1932 founding of the Indian Air Force. The
Indian Air Force is commemorating its 91st anniversary this year.
Udaipur: From the city of lakes to India’s first wetland city
• The Rajasthan government is vying to make Udaipur the country’s first wetland city. The environment
and forest dept has chosen the city as per the Ramsar Convention of International Importance.
Spanning over 37 sq km, Udaipur fulfills all the necessary criteria for its designation as a wetland city.
A Ramsar site is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, which is also
known as the ‘Convention on Wetlands’ — an intergovernmental environmental treaty established by United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1971, and named after the city of Ramsar
in Iran, where the convention was signed that year. Ramsar Sites in India are wetlands or similar sites of
international significance to conserve and ensure sustainable use of its resources. India is one of the
Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on 1st Feb 1982.
During 1982 to 2013, a total of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites, however, during 2014 to 2022, the
country has added 49 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites. There are a total of 75 Ramsar sites in India
as of October 2023.

Rajasthan is a state in northern India. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by
population. It is on India’s northwestern side, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert
(also known as the Great Indian Desert) and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the
northwest and Sindh to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus River valley. Kalraj Mishra is serving as the Governor
of Rajasthan.
Mohammed Faizal to continue as Lakshadweep MP as Supreme Court stays Kerala HC
order refusing to suspend conviction
• The Supreme Court stayed the Kerala High Court order which refused to suspend the conviction
of Mohammed Faizal, the disqualified Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Lakshadweep MP, in an
attempt to murder case.
• Issuing notice on Faizal’s appeal challenging the October 3 high court order, the bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy
and Sanjay Karol also directed that the Supreme Court’s August 22 order by which the matter was remanded
back to the high court while allowing him to continue as a Lok Sabha MP will become operational.
India launches ‘Operation Ajay’ to evacuate Indian national from Israel-Hamas conflict
zone
• India has launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return from Israel of its citizens who wish to
return. On 7 October, the 2023 Israel–Hamas war began. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said,
special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place. He said, Government is fully committed to
the safety and well-being of Indian nationals abroad. Indian Embassy in Israel said, it has emailed the first
lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight. It said, messages to other registered people will follow for
subsequent flights.
Israel is a country in the Middle East, Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is considered
holy to the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Both Israel and the
Palestinian Authority claim Jerusalem as their capital, however, neither claim is widely recognized
internationally. Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel. Israeli new shekel is the
currency of Israel. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, by Syria to the northeast, by Jordan to the
east, by the Red Sea to the south, by Egypt to the southwest, by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and
by the Palestinian territories – the West Bank along the east and the Gaza Strip along the southwest.
Isaac Herzog is serving as the current President of Israel since 7 July 2021. Benjamin Netanyahu is the
current Prime Minister of Israel.
Telangana becomes first state in India to provide potable water connection to every home
• Telangana is the first state in independent India to have launched a project called ‘Mission
Bhagiratha’ to provide a potable water connection to every home. Under Mission Bhagiratha, it
was conceived to provide 100 litres per capita per day (LPCD) treated and piped water to every
household in rural areas, 135 LPCD in municipalities and 150 LPCD in municipal corporations.

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Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan flags-in first ever ship into Vizhinjam port
• Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan flagged-in the first ever ship at the Rs. 7,700 crore deep-
water international Vizhinjam port. Vijayan waved a green flag signalling the tugboats to push the huge
Chinese ship — Zhen Hua 15 — from the wharf to the docking yard. The tugboats pushing the vessel, which
carries huge ship-to-shore and yard cranes, also gave it a water salute.
Tallest statue of Ambedkar outside India unveiled in US
• The tallest statue of Dr B R Ambedkar, the principal architect of India’s Constitution, outside India
was formally inaugurated in a Maryland suburb of the US capital. Amidst chants of “Jai Bhim”, more
than 500 Indian-Americans from various parts of the United States and some from India and other countries
attended the unveiling ceremony of the 19-feet tall “Statue of Equality”.
Nitin Gadkari unveils prototype of world’s first BS VI Stage-2 electrified flex fuel vehicle
• Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled a prototype of the country’s first
electrified or hybrid flex fuel vehicle compliant with the second stage of BS-VI emission standards.
The prototype was a variant of the Innova HyCross developed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor. Gadkari had
in October 2022 launched Toyota’s first-of-its-kind pilot project on flexi-fuel strong hybrid electric
vehicles (FFV-SHEV) in the country, which would run on 100 per cent petrol, and 20-100 per cent
blended ethanol and electric power.
Bharat stage (BS) emission standards are laid down by the government to regulate the output of air
pollutants from the internal combustion engine and spark-ignition engine equipment, including motor vehicles.
The central government has mandated that vehicle makers must manufacture, sell and register only
BS-VI (BS6) vehicles from April 1, 2020. The first emission norms were introduced in India in 1991 for
petrol and in 1992 for diesel vehicles. Following these, the catalytic converter became mandatory for petrol
vehicles and unleaded petrol was introduced in the market. On 29 April 1999, the Supreme Court of India
ruled that all vehicles in the country had to meet Euro I or India 2000 norms by June 1, 1999, and Euro
II would be mandatory in the National Capital Region (NCR) from April 2000. In 2002, the government
accepted the report submitted by the Mashelkar committee, which proposed a road map for the rollout
of Euro-based emission norms in India. In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court banned the sale and
registration of motor vehicles conforming to Bharat Stage IV emission standard in the entire country
from 1 April 2020. Sulphur content in fuel is a major cause for concern. Sulphur dioxide released by
fuel burning is a major pollutant that affects health as well. BS-VI fuel’s sulphur content is much lower
than BS-IV fuel. It is reduced to 10 mg/kg max in BS-VI from 50 mg/kg under BS-IV. However, Vehicles that are
compliant with BS-VI will also be more expensive. In 2016, the government announced that the country
would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020.

Jaishankar unveils Rabindranath Tagore’s bust in Vietnam

• India and Vietnam share profound historical connections dating back almost 2,000 years which are
rooted in Buddhism, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said as he inaugurated a bust of Nobel
Laureate writer-poet Rabindranath Tagore in Bac Ninh city. “It’s indeed heartening to know that
Tagore’s Gitanjali was translated into Vietnamese and published in 2001.
• Historical records indicate that Tagore paid a three-day visit to Ho Chi Minh City in 1929, leaving a
lasting intellectual and socio-cultural impact on Vietnam”. Gitanjali, a collection of poetry, is Tagore’s most
famous work and was published in India in 1910. Tagore won the Nobel Prize for Literature for its
English translation, Song Offerings, making him the first non-European to receive this honour in
1913.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari addresses 5th edition of India STEM Summit 2023 in Delhi
• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that need-based research is crucial
for India to fulfill the aspirations of society. Addressing the 5th edition of India STEM Summit 2023
in New Delhi, the Minister said that knowledge and innovation are the two important pillars for the
growth of any nation. STEM Summit pertains to integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(STEM) in the education sector that results in developing curiosity, inquisitiveness, critical-thinking, problem-
solving capacities, imagination, questioning and exploration skills among learners.

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 Nitin Jairam Gadkari is the in the Government of India. He is also the longest serving Minister for Road
Transport & Highways currently running his tenure for over 8 years. Gadkari earlier served as the President
of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2009 to 2013. Gadkari contested 2014 & 2019 Loksabha elections
successfully from current Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nagpur constituency, Maharashtra
and won it.
SC refers pleas against electoral bond scheme to 5-judge Constitution bench
• The Supreme Court has referred the petitions challenging the validity of electoral bond scheme for
political funding of parties to a five-judge Constitution bench. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud
said, the matter will be heard on 30th October.
Electoral Bonds are issued in multiples of Rs. 1,000, Rs. 10,000, Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 crore
without any maximum limit. State Bank of India is authorised to issue and encash these bonds, which
are valid for fifteen days from the date of issuance. These bonds are only redeemable in the designated
account of a registered political party. The bonds are available for purchase by any citizen of India for
a period of ten days each in the months of January, April, July and October as may be specified by the
Central Government. A person being an individual can buy bonds, either singly or jointly with other
individuals. The donor’s name is not mentioned on the bond. Donors who contribute less than Rs. 20,000 to
political parties through purchase of electoral bonds need not provide their identity details such as
PAN, etc. Electoral bonds can be used to finance registered political parties that received at least 1% of
the votes cast in the most recent Lok Sabha or legislative assembly elections. The central idea behind the
electoral bonds scheme was to bring about transparency in electoral funding in India. The government had
described the scheme as an “electoral reform” in a country moving towards a “cashless-digital economy”.
India-Bangladesh joint army exercise concludes at Meghalaya’s Umroi
• The closing ceremony of the joint military exercise between Indian and Bangladesh Army, ‘Exercise
SAMPRITI-XI’ was held at Joint Training Node, Umroi, Meghalaya. The aim of the exercise was to
achieve inter-operability and to acquaint each other with employment of joint task force in sub
conventional operations under Chapter-VII of UN Mandate (UNPKO).
Same-sex marriage | Supreme Court’s majority view holds that it cannot legalise queer
unions
• A majority view on a five-judge Constitution Bench which decided the same-sex marriage case held
that non-heterosexual couples cannot claim an unqualified right to marry. The minority views of
Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul held that constitutional authorities should
carve out a regulatory framework to recognise the civil union of adults in a same-sex relationship. A five-judge
Constitution Bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India ruled in a 3:2 verdict against giving
constitutional validity to same-sex marriages.
• The minority views of the two judges held that the right to enter into a union cannot be restricted
on the basis of sexual orientation. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is violative of
Article 15 of the Constitution, the Chief Justice said.
India-UK 2 plus 2 Foreign and Defence Dialogue held in New Delhi
• India-UK 2 plus 2 Foreign and Defence Dialogue was held in New Delhi. The two sides discussed
possibilities to boost collaboration, particularly in areas of trade and investment, defence, critical and emerging
technologies, civil aviation, health, energy, culture and strengthening people connections.
2+2 Ministerial is the highest-level institutional mechanism between the two countries. It is a format of
dialogue where the defence/foreign ministers or secretaries meet with their counterparts from another
country. India has 2+2 dialogues with four key strategic partners: the US, Australia, Japan, and Russia.
Besides Russia, the other three countries are also India’s partners in the Quad.
SC rejects woman’s plea for termination of 26-week pregnancy
• The Chief Justice headed the Supreme Court Bench dismissed a woman’s petition seeking permission
to terminate her 26-week-long pregnancy. Chief Justice D.Y Chandrachud said, allowing termination
of pregnancy will be a violation of Sections 3 and 5 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act as
there is no immediate danger to the mother, and this is not a case of foetal abnormality. The top court
bench also included Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. Under the MTP Act, the upper limit for the
termination of pregnancy is 24 weeks.

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 Abortion in India has been legal under various circumstances with the introduction of the Medical
Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Regulations, 2003 were
issued under the Act to enable women to access safe and legal abortion services. In 2021, MTP Amendment Act
2021 was passed with certain amendments to the MTP Act 1971, such as women being allowed to seek
safe abortion services on grounds of contraceptive failure, an increase in gestation limit to 24 weeks
for special categories of women, and opinion of one abortion service provider required up to 20 weeks
of gestation. Abortion can now be performed until 24 weeks of pregnancy as the MTP Amendment Act
2021 has come into force by notification in Gazette from 24 September 2021.

Tamil Nadu bags United Nations award for excellence in investment promotion
• Guidance, the nodal agency for investment promotion under the Department of Industries, Investment
Promotion and Commerce, government of Tamil Nadu, has received the prestigious United Nations
Promotion Award 2023, for excellence in scaling up energy transition investments at the 8th World
Investment Forum, held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, recently.
Arunachal Pradesh approves constitution of Special Tiger Protection Force for three
Tiger Reserves
• The Arunachal Pradesh State Cabinet approved the constitution of Special Tiger Protection Force
(STPF) in the State for three Tiger Reserves of the State namely- Namdapha, Pakke and Kamlang.
This decision will result in the creation of 336 regular posts in the state.
Arunachal Pradesh (“land of dawn-lit mountains”) is a state in Northeast India. It borders the states of
Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar
in the east, and a disputed border with China in the north at the McMahon Line. Itanagar is the state
capital of Arunachal Pradesh. Lieutenant General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik is the present governor.

Government of India approves 13 giga watt renewable energy projects in Ladakh

• Government of India has approved the project on Green Energy Corridor Phase- 2- Inter-State
Transmission System for 13 Giga Watt Renewable Energy Project in Ladakh. Information and
Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said that the project is targeted to be set up by 2029-30 with
total estimated cost of over 20 thousand 773 crore rupees out of which 40 per cent grant, of around 8
thousnad 309 crore rupees will be made available by the Centre.
• Mr Thakur said that the five Giga Watt transmission line for evacuating this power will pass through
Himachal Pradesh and Punjab up to Kaithal in Haryana, where it will be integrated with the National
Grid and will also be connected to Leh-Alusteng-Srinagar line to provide power to Jammu and Kashmir. Mr
Thakur said, the project will contribute to achieving the target of 500 Giga Watt of installed electricity
capacity from non-fossil fuels by year 2030.
PM Modi launched 511 Pramod Mahajan Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras in
Maharashtra
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched 511 Pramod Mahajan Grameen Kaushalya Vikas
Kendras in Maharashtra via video conferencing. These Kendras are being established across 34 rural districts
of Maharashtra.
• The Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras will conduct skill development training programs across
various sectors to provide employment opportunities to rural youth. Each Kendra will train about 100
youngsters in at least two vocational courses.
Rajnath Singh launched ‘Project UDBHAV’
• Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched ‘Project UDBHAV’, during the inauguration of
the Indian Military Heritage Festival, in presence of General Manoj Pande. ‘Udbhav’, which translates
to ‘origin’ or ‘genesis’, acknowledges the vintage scriptures and writings of our Nation, that span
centuries in the past and contain profound knowledge that can benefit modern military strategies.
• The objective of the Project is to synthesize ancient wisdom with contemporary military practices,
forging a unique and holistic approach to address modern security challenges. It is a visionary
initiative by the Indian Army that seeks to integrate age-old wisdom with contemporary military pedagogy.

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 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions
of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian armed forces. The President
of India is the ceremonial commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country. The Indian Armed
Forces (including Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy) and Indian Coast Guard under the
Ministry of Defences are primarily responsible for ensuring the territorial integrity of the nation. A military
department was created by the supreme government of the British East India Company at Kolkata in
the year 1776. Rajnath Singh is currently serving as the Defence Minister of India. He has been Member
of parliament, Lok Sabha two times from Lucknow (Lok Sabha constituency) and once from Ghaziabad
(Lok Sabha constituency).
Uttar Pradesh’s first ‘Mother’s Milk Bank’ opens in Agra
• Aiming to ensure that every newborn receives breast milk, which is pivotal for immunity, Uttar Pradesh’s
first ‘Mother’s Milk Bank’ was opened in Agra. This facility will collect, screen, pasteurise and distribute
human milk to needy mothers who are unable to lactate, which will help their children grow healthy and
protect them from infection.
India is ranked 1st in milk production contributing 23 per cent of global milk production. Operation
Flood, launched on 13 January 1970, was the world’s largest dairy development program and a landmark
project of India’s National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).It transformed India from a milk-deficient
nation into the world’s largest milk producer, surpassing the United States of America in 1998. Verghese
Kurien known as the “Father of the White Revolution” in India, was a social entrepreneur whose “billion-
litre idea”, Operation Flood, made dairy farming India’s largest self-sustaining industry and the largest
rural employment sector providing a third of all rural income. It made India the world’s largest milk
producer, doubled the milk available for each person, and increased milk output four-fold in 30 years.
Curtain Raiser of Vimarsh 2023
• The Curtain Raiser of Vimarsh – 2023, a National Hackathon on 5G technology use for police was
conducted in New Delhi. A teaser and the website https://vimarsh.tcoe.in of the Hackathon Vimarsh 2023
was also launched by the Director General, Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D).
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister Shri Amit
Shah, building a Cyber Safe India is one of the top priorities of the Ministry of Home Affairs. BPR&D
has been nominated Ministry of Home Affairs’ Centre of Excellence for the purpose of 5G applications
use cases within MHA.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is a ministry of the Government of India. It is mainly responsible for the
maintenance of internal security and domestic policy. Amit Shah is an Indian politician who is currently
serving as the 31st Minister of Home Affairs since 2019 and the 1st Minister of Co-operation of India since
2021. He became the youngest full-time Home Minister in the country at the age of 54. He served as
the 10th President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2014 to 2020. He has also served as chairman of the
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) since 2014. He was elected to the lower house of Parliament, Lok Sabha, in the
2019 Indian general elections from Gandhinagar. Earlier, he had been elected as a member of the upper house of
Parliament, Rajya Sabha, from Gujarat from 2017 to 2019. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel served as the country’s
first Home Minister during the country’s political unification and the 1947 Indo-Pakistani War.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launches India’s first home-produced Reference Fuel
• In a major milestone for the nation, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched
India’s first home-produced Reference Fuel in New Delhi. Reference Fuel is used for developing engines
and assessing its performance. Earlier, India used to exclusively import it from other nations. The Minister
said that its introduction is an important step towards atmanirbharta in the fuel and energy sector.
He added that this puts India into an exclusive club of reference fuel producers and is in line with
international benchmarks.
• He exclaimed that this achievement not only reduces India’s dependence on imports but also catapults
India’s energy industry to select global players armed with exclusive competencies. The Minister said
this is part of PM Modi’s vision of transforming India into an ‘energy-independent’ nation by 2047.
Hardeep Singh Puri is an Indian politician and former Indian diplomat who is currently serving as the
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in the Government of
India. He is a 1974 batch Indian Foreign Service officer who served as the Permanent Representative of
India to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. Puri joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2014, and
became a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in November, 2020.

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Jharkhand to develop a Tribal Development Digital Atlas to map socio-economic
condition of tribals
• To map the socio-economic conditions of all tribal communities residing in the state, Jharkhand government
will soon develop a Tribal Development Digital Atlas and will interweave Particularly Vulnerable
Tribal Community (PVTGs) into the socio-economic fabric of the country. In the first phase, a baseline
survey of all habitations with Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Community (PVTGs) will be conducted.
Jharkhand (meaning ‘the land of forests’) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the
states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Chhattisgarh to the west, Odisha to the south and
West Bengal to the east. The city of Ranchi is its capital and Dumka its sub-capital. Hemant Soren is
the current Chief Minister of Jharkhand. C. P. Radhakrishnan is serving as the current Governor of
Jharkhand. The state was formed on 15 November 2000, from the territory that had previously been part
of Bihar.

First Indo-Israeli Culture Center to come up on historic Jewish crematorium land in

Vadodara
• When the Jews or Jewish people had no nation of their own, they were welcomed in erstwhile
Baroda state by Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad. These individuals, who were technology leaders, made significant
contributions to the development of Baroda State by harnessing their talents.
• Approximately 150 years ago, Jews actively participated in the city’s development and administration
alongside Sayajirao Gaikwad. However, following World War II, the Jewish community gained their own
homeland, Israel, and gradually returned to their country. The city is set to have its first Indo-Israeli Culture
Center on the land originally designated by Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad for a Jewish crematorium. This
cultural center aspires to redefine the relationship between India and Israel while honoring the invaluable
contributions of the Jewish community to Vadodara’s development.
Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group who originate from the ancient Hebrews (i.e. Israelites), and
whose traditional religion is Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly interrelated,
as Judaism is an ethnic religion, although not all ethnic Jews practice it. Despite this, most religious Jews regard
individuals who have formally converted to Judaism as part of the community.

Gwalior, Kozhikode join UNESCO Creative Cities Network, Kerala’s Kozhikode named
India’s first ‘City of Literature’ by UNESCO
• Kerala’s Kozhikode city was officially designated as a UNESCO City of Literature. This recognition
makes Kozhikode the first city in India to receive this title. UNESCO formally conveyed the honour to the
Kozhikode Corporation as the city joined the ranks of 55 newly selected creative cities. Kozhikode has a
history of hosting various literary gatherings, including the Kerala Literature Festival. On World
Cities Day, 55 cities joined the Unesco Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
• In India, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh was placed in the Creative Cities Network in the field of
music. The newly designated Creative Cities were invited to participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference
in Portugal under the theme of bringing youth to the table for the next decade.
Centre launches hackathon to detect ‘dark patterns’ on e-commerce platforms
• The Centre launched ‘Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023’ to design an innovative app or software-
based solution that can detect dark patterns on e-commerce platforms. The hackathon has been
organised by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) in collaboration with IIT-(BHU) and was
launched by Nidhi Khare, Special Secretary, DoCA.
Electronic commerce or e-commerce is a business model that lets firms and individuals buy and sell
things over the Internet. Propelled by rising smartphone penetration, the launch of 4G networks and increasing
consumer wealth, the Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow to US$ 200 billion by 2026 from US$ 38.5
billion in 2017. In order to increase the participation of foreign players in the e-commerce field, the
Government has increased the limit of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the e-commerce marketplace
model for up to 100% (in B2B models). In the Union Budget of 2018-19, the government has allocated Rs.
8,000 crore (US$ 1.24 billion) to BharatNet Project, to provide broadband services to 150,000-gram
panchayats.

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Raghubar Das swears as 26th Governor of Odisha at Raj Bhawan, Bhubaneswar
• Mr Raghubar Das was sworn in as the 26th Governor of Odisha at Raj Bhawan at Bhubaneswar. Chief
Justice of Orissa High Court Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi administered the oath of office to him. He succeeded Prof
Ganeshi Lal. Mr Das was the first non-tribal Chief Minister of Jharkhand from 2014 to 2019. The
68-year-old leader was elected to the Bihar and Jharkhand assemblies five times and represented Jamshedpur
East from 1995 to 2019.
6th session of International Solar Alliance Assembly held in New Delhi
• The sixth session of the International Solar Alliance, ISA Assembly held in New Delhi. At the inaugural
session, four Demonstration Projects were inaugurated in Malawi, Fiji, Seychelles and Kiribati.
These projects showcase the feasibility and effectiveness of solar solutions and promote their widespread
implementation across diverse regions and sectors.
The International Solar Alliance is a common platform for cooperation among sun-rich countries lying
fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Countries that do not fall within the
Tropics can join the alliance and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the exception of voting
rights. This initiative was first proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech in November 2015 at
Wembley Stadium (London HA9 0WS, United Kingdom), in which he referred to sunshine countries as Suryaputra
(“Sons of the Sun”). The initiative was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris at the end of
2015 by the then, President of France and the Prime Minister of India. In January 2016, Narendra Modi,
and the then, French President François Hollande jointly laid the foundation stone of the International
Solar Alliance headquarters and inaugurated the interim Secretariat at the National Institute of Solar
Energy (NISE) in Gwalpahari, Gurugram, India. Ajay Mathuri is the current Director General of ISA.
PM Narendra Modi dedicates 77-km Western Dedicated Freight Corridor section to the
nation
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 77-km New Bhandu-New Sanand section of the
Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) in India. This new railway section is set to improve the
transportation of goods from ports and manufacturing hubs in the region.
Tehri Acro Festival: India’s first international aerial acrobatic show in Uttarakhand
• Uttarakhand, which is one of the most preferred destinations for tourism in India, is leaving no stone unturned
to increase tourist footfall in the state. In a significant move, the state is now gearing up to host the Tehri Acro
Festival 2023. Scheduled to take place in November, the Acro Festival is going to be the country’s first
international aerial acrobatic show.
Uttarakhand is often referred to as the Devbhumi, due to many Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres
found throughout the state. On 9 November 2000, Uttarakhand became the 27th state of the Republic of
India, being created from the Himalayan and adjoining northwestern districts of Uttar Pradesh. Pushkar
Singh Dhami is the current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh is serving
as the current Governor of Uttarakhand. The winter capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, the largest city
of the state, which is a rail head. Gairsain, a town in Chamoli district is the summer capital of Uttarakhand.
The High Court of the state is located in Nainital.
PM Narendra Modi launches development projects worth Rs. 5,900 cr in Gujarat
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, the Government is working relentlessly in each sector to make India a
developed nation during Amrit Kal by 2047. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating and laying
the foundation stone for various developmental projects worth over 5,900 crore rupees at Dabhoda in
Mehsana district.
Gujarat is a state on the western coast of India with a longest coastline of India 1,600 km (990 mi). Its
capital city is Gandhinagar, while its largest city is Ahmedabad. Gujarat International Finance Tec-City
is a business district promoted by the Government of Gujarat through a joint venture company. GIFT City
is India’s first operational smart city in the Ahmedabad and international financial services centre.
Acharya Devvrat is Governor of Gujarat and Bhupendra Patel is the current Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Gujarat has become the first state to implement newly-introduced 10 per cent reservations in government
jobs and higher education for the economically weaker sections in the general category and followed by
Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

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Akhaura-Agartala international rail link
• The first trial run of a goods train was conducted between Northeast India and Bangladesh. A goods
train started from the Gangasagar railway station on the Bangladesh side and reached Nischintapur
in Tripura. This development came a decade after the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to start the first Indo-Bangla international railway service between Akhaura (Bangladesh)
and Agartala (India). This is the first goods train running on meter gauge entering Nischintapur
from Bangladesh.
The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck, is a stretch of land around the city of Siliguri
in West Bengal, India. 20–22 kilometres (12–14 mi) at the narrowest section, this geo-political and geo-
economical corridor connects the eight states of northeast India to the rest of the Indian Republic. The
countries of Nepal and Bangladesh lie on each side of the corridor and the Kingdom of Bhutan lies at the northern
end of the corridor. The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern side of the corridor, until its merging with
India in 1975. The city of Siliguri, in the state of West Bengal, is the major city in this area and the central
transfer point in eastern South Asia that connects Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, Darjeeling, and
Northeast India to one another.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated memorial garden at culmination of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit

Mahotsav’
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Ámrit Vatika’, a special memorial garden at Kartavya Path
in the national capital, marking the culmination of celebrations commemorating 75 years of India’s
Independence. The closing ceremony of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the programme celebrating 75 years
of India’s Independence, will also see Mr. Modi address citizens from across the country, who have assembled
at the national capital carrying soil in urns from their villages and cities. The soil from this pitcher will go into
the creation of the ‘Amrit Vatika’ being built next to India Gate in an earmarked area of 12,000 square metres.
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is a series of events organised by the Government of India to commemorate
the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.
The Mahotsav is being celebrated as a Jan-Utsav in the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari. This Mahotsav is dedicated
to the people of India who have not only been instrumental in bringing India thus far in its evolutionary journey but
also hold within them the power and potential to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of activating India
2.0, fuelled by the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The official journey of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced
on 12th March 2021 which started a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of independence and
ended post a year on 15th August 2023.

PM Narendra Modi flags off Gujarat’s first heritage train

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off Gujarat’s first heritage train, which will connect
Kevadia or Ekta Nagar to Ahmedabad. The three-coach train’s locomotive has been designed to look like
a steam engine but eventually runs on an electric one. Gujarat’s Kevadia is home to the Statue of Unity,
Sardar Vallabhai Patel’s memorial. The first heritage train will run from here to Ahmedabad, bringing
tourists to the Statue of Unity, the memorial to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres (597 feet), located near Kevadia
in the state of Gujarat, India. It depicts Indian statesman and independence activist Vallabhbhai Patel
(1875–1950), who was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India and an
adherent of Mahatma Gandhi. Patel is highly respected for playing a significant role in the political integration of
India. The statue is located in Gujarat on the Narmada River in the Kevadiya colony, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam
100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of the city of Vadodara. Patel’s commitment to national integration in the newly
independent country earned him the sobriquet “Iron Man of India”. He is also remembered as the “patron
saint of India’s civil servants” for playing a pioneering role in establishing the modern All India Services system.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched domestic sailing of first International

Cruise Liner ‘COSTA SERENA’ in India at Mumbai
• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal launched the domestic
sailing of the first International Cruise Liner ‘COSTA SERENA’ in India at Mumbai. At the recently
concluded Global Maritime India Summit 2023 organised by the Ministry, discussions revolved around
reaching the target of 50 million cruise passengers in India by 2047.

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• Costa Cruises is expected to carry approximately 45,000 passengers in its next 2 months voyages. Such cruise
initiatives are part of ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, launched on Prime Minister’s appeal to the middle class
to prefer domestic tourism over international.
Dekho Apna Desh: The Ministry of Tourism launched the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative in January 2020
with the objective of creating awareness among the citizens about the rich heritage and culture of the country and
encouraging citizens to travel within the country. Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat: It was launched in 2015
to promote engagement amongst the people of different States/UTs so as to enhance mutual understanding and
bonding between people of diverse cultures, thereby securing stronger unity and integrity of India.
CBSE to open new administrative Office in UAE, announces Union Minister of Education
at Dubai
• In a significant development for the Indian expatriate community in the United Arab Emirates, Union Minister
Dharmendra Pradhan held a meeting with the Principals of Central Board of Secondary Education
(CBSE) affiliated schools in Dubai. One of the significant announcements made during the meeting was
the acceptance of a long-standing demand by CBSE schools is to open a regional administrative office in
UAE, recognizing the country’s central role in overseeing CBSE-affiliated schools in the GCC region.
The Ministry of Education (MoE), previously the Ministry of Human Resource Development (1985-2020),
is responsible for the implementation and formulation of the National Policy on Education approved by
Union cabinet of India and to ensure that it is implemented in letter and spirit. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad is the
First Minister of Education in the Indian. He is commonly remembered as Maulana Azad; the word Maulana
is an honorific meaning ‘Our Master’ and he had adopted Azad (Free) as his pen name. The current Union
Minister for Education is Dharmendra Pradhan since 7 July 2021. Shri Pradhan represents Madhya
Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha as Member of Parliament.
NITI Aayog to organise workshop on Transformative Technology - Promoting
Development, Growth and Innovation through DPIs on Nov 5
• NITI Aayog is organising a workshop on the Transformative Technology - Promoting Development,
Growth and Innovation through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs) in New Delhi. This will be the fourth
in the series of G20 Feeder Thematic Workshops being organised on 10 themes discussed in the G20 New Delhi
Leaders’ Declaration. This workshop is jointly organised with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
This workshop endeavours to bring together diverse views from experts, entrepreneurs, innovators, academia,
representatives of think-tanks, and government in the DPI space to identify the way forward and the resources
required to achieve the objectives and outcomes mentioned in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution
of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015. It was established to replace the Planning Commission which
followed a top-down model. The Planning Commission was an institution in the Government of India,
which formulated India’s Five-Year Plans, among other functions. After India achieved independence, a
formal model of planning was adopted, and accordingly the Planning Commission, reporting directly
to the Prime Minister of India, was established on 15 March 1950, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as
the Chairman. Authority for creation of the Planning Commission was not derived from the Constitution
of India or statute; it is an arm of the Central Government of India. The first Five-Year Plan was launched
in 1951, focusing mainly on development of the agricultural sector. NITI Aayog is the premier policy
‘Think Tank’ of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. The current Chairman
of NITI Aayog is Shri Narendra Modi, current Vice Chairman is Suman Bery and the current Chief
Executive Officer is Sh. BVR Subrahmanyam.
Seven years after it was first announced, India to open new consulate in Seattle
• Seven years after the government of India had first announced plans to open its sixth consulate
in the U.S. city of Seattle, home to many big technology companies, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
has appointed its first Consul-General in Seattle. The envoy, Joint Secretary Prakash Gupta, is
MEA’s point-person for all multilateral coordination on United Nations issues. He had earlier served
in India’s permanent mission at the UN.
OTSI develops unified portal for agricultural statistics for Ministry of Agriculture
• Object Technology Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. (OTSI), an IT services company, said it had developed
UPAg (Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics) for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare, to provide credible data on the agriculture sector to foster informed policy and decision-making.

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 Agriculture in India is counted as the primary sector. The contribution of agriculture to GDP rose to
19.9% in 2020-21, up from 17.8% in 2019-20. The last time the agriculture sector accounted for 20% of GDP was
in 2003-04. Based on the data on the total workforce compared to manufacturing (from 1993 to 2021), the
agricultural workforce share fell from 64.6% in 1993-94 to 42.5% in 2018-19. Narendra Singh Tomar is
the incumbent Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. In 2019, he was elected to the Lok Sabha
from Morena, Madhya Pradesh.
Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry launched 3-day Women for Water, Water for Women
Campaign
• The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry launched a three-day Women for Water, Water for Women
Campaign to celebrate Jal Diwali. The Ministry said that women Self Help Groups (SHG) will visit more than 500
fifty water treatment plants as part of the campaign. It added the aim is to provide a platform for the inclusion
of women in water governance, and instill a sense of ownership and belonging towards water infrastructure.
• The Ministry is expecting more than 15 thousand SHG women to participate nationwide in the first phase.
The campaign is part of the Ministry’s flagship scheme, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation in partnership with the National Urban Livelihood Mission.
Hardeep Singh Puri is currently serving as the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister
of Housing and Urban Affairs in the Government of India. He presently also holds the record as the longest
serving Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs in history. He is a 1974 batch Indian Foreign Service officer
who served as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. Puri joined
the Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2014, and became a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from
Uttar Pradesh in November, 2020.
Fifth India-US 2 plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue held in New Delhi
• The fifth India-US 2 plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue was held in New Delhi. Raksha Mantri Rajnath
Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar welcomed US Secretary of State Antony
Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin III for the Dialogue. The 2 plus 2 enabled a high-
level review of progress being made in cross-cutting aspects of defence and security cooperation, technology
value chain collaborations and people-to-people ties. Ministers will take the opportunity to take forward the
futuristic roadmap for India-US partnership as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
US President Joe Biden, in their discussions in June and September this year. Both sides will also take stock
of contemporary regional issues and exchange views about shared priorities for augmenting cooperation in
multilateral platforms, and through frameworks such as Quad.
India’s 2+2 Partners: 2+2 Ministerial is the highest-level institutional mechanism between the two
countries. It is a format of dialogue where the defence/foreign ministers or secretaries meet with their
counterparts from another country. The US is India’s oldest and most important 2+2 talks partner.
Additionally, India has held 2+2 meetings with ministers from Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom
and Russia.
Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais launches Maharashtra Chapter of Global Trade and
Technology Council of India in Mumbai
• Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais launched the Maharashtra Chapter of the Global Trade and
Technology Council of India at Raj Bhavan Mumbai. The Governor unveiled the posters of the Maharashtra
Chapter of the Council and the World Business Conclave being organised by the Council. The Council aims to
promote trade and investment in the state by collaborating with embassies of various countries in India.
Maharashtra is India’s second-most populous state and third-largest state by area. Nagpur is
Maharashtra’s second capital and hosts the winter session of the state legislature. Pune is its cultural
capital. Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray was former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Uddhav
Thackeray was the first of his family to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. His father Bal Thackeray
founded the Shiv Sena over five decades ago. Eknath Sambhaji Shinde is serving as the Current Chief
Minister of Maharashtra.
4th edition of Bilateral Exercise between Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy, BONGOSAGAR-23
• The 4th edition of Bilateral Exercise between Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy, BONGOSAGAR-23,
and the 5th edition of Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) by the two navies was conducted in the Northern
Bay of Bengal from 07 - 09 Nov 2023. Ships and aircraft from both navies undertook joint patrolling along

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 the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), and subsequently conducted maritime exercises to enhance
interoperability.
• Indian Navy Ships Kuthar, Kiltan and Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) Dornier participated in
the exercise along with Bangladesh Navy Ships Abu Bakr, Abu Ubaidah and MPA. The ships undertook
communication drills, surface gun-shoots, tactical manoeuvres and other exercises that culminated with a
steam past. CORPAT-23 also included the maiden Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) drills
conducted between the two navies wherein a Search and Rescue scenario at sea was exercised.
Government of India begins process of constituting Sixteenth Finance Commission
• The government has started the process of constitution of the Sixteenth Finance Commission,
appointing the officer on special duty for the advance cell. The Finance Commission, which mainly decides
the tax sharing formula between Centre and states, is scheduled to be formed before the end of this year.
Terms of Reference and members are also expected to be announced soon after state elections. States have
already given their suggestions for terms of reference.
• The government announced the appointment of Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey, a 1998-batch IAS officer of
the Karnataka cadre serving as Joint Secretary, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, as Officer on
Special Duty for Advance Cell of 16th Finance Commission in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary.
Earlier in 2009-10, as Deputy Secretary, he had also been part of the Thirteenth Finance Commission.
• The Sixteenth Finance Commission will cover the five-year period beginning 2026-27, the report for
which is expected to be taken up by the government at the time of presentation of Budget 2026-27.
• The 15th Finance Commission, chaired by NK Singh, had submitted two reports. The first report,
consisting of recommendations for the financial year 2020-21, was tabled in Parliament in February
2020. The final report with recommendations for the 2021-26 period was tabled in Parliament on
February 1, 2021. The share of states in the central taxes for the 2021-26 period was recommended
to be 41 per cent same as that for 2020-21. This was less than the 42 per cent share recommended by
the 14th Finance Commission for 2015-20 period, with the 1 per cent adjusted to factor in the new
union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Finance Commissions are commissions periodically constituted by the President of India under
Article 280 of the Indian Constitution to define the financial relations between the central government
of India and the individual state governments. The First Commission was established in 1951 under The
Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951. Fifteen Finance Commissions have been
constituted since the promulgation of Indian Constitution in 1950. Individual commissions operate under the terms
of reference which are different for every commission, and they define the terms of qualification, appointment and
disqualification, the term, eligibility and powers of the Finance Commission. As per the constitution, the commission
is appointed every five years and consists of a chairman and four other members. The Finance Commission was
established in 1951 by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the then-incumbent law minister, to address these imbalances.
The First FC was constituted in 1951 with Shri Kshitish Chandra Neogy as the Chairman; it submitted
its reports in 1953. The most recent Finance Commission was 15th FC and constituted in 2017 and is
chaired by N. K.Singh.
Portal launched for data on Indian cities
• The Centre launched a web portal, which is envisaged to be a permanent platform for any kind of data
related to all Indian cities. The ‘AAINA Dashboard for Cities’, an initiative of the Union Housing and
Urban Affairs Ministry, aims to create a robust database of the key performance metrics of Urban
Local Bodies (ULB), which could be accessed by all stakeholders, and subsequently would open for public view
once it gets populated.
Our Constitution provides a clear mandate for Democratic Decentralisation not only through the
Directive Principles of State Policy but more specifically through the 73rd and 74th Amendments of
the Constitution which seek to create an institutional framework for ushering in grassroot democracy
through the medium of genuinely self-governing local bodies in both urban and rural areas of the
country. In India, local governments in cities are established in accordance with the 74th Amendment
Act, which creates the ground for democratic decentralisation in urban areas. The Amendment gives state
legislatures the authority to enact levies that support local government budgets. This institutional framework
comprises Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) that administer cities or towns with a specified population. The Ministry
of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) supports States / Union Territories for formulation of master
plans by issuing advisories and design standards, providing schematic interventions and financial assistance, etc.

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‘3,000-year-old Iron Age’ geoglyph circle discovered in Telangana
• A geoglyph in the form of a circle, said to be 3,000 years old, has been unearthed on the outskirts of
Mudichu Thalapalli in the Medchal-Malkajgiri district of Telangana. Etched on a low-lying granitoid
hillock, the geoglyph spans 7.5 metres in diameter and has a perfect circular shape.
Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha along with CM of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde unveils statue of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj north Kashmir
• In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha along with
Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, and Maharashtra’s Cultural Affairs Minister, Sudhir
Mungantiwar unveiled the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Kupwara in north Kashmir. The
statue of Great Shivaji would be a source of inspiration for people and the bravehearts of the army. He called
for celebrating the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj festival in Kupwara on the 7th of November every year.
Shivaji I was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own
independent kingdom from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha
Empire. In 1674, he was formally crowned the Chhatrapati of his realm at Raigad Fort. Over the course of
his life, Shivaji engaged in both alliances and hostilities with the Mughal Empire, the Sultanate of Golkonda, the
Sultanate of Bijapur and the European colonial powers.
Smart Cities ranking: Surat tops, UTs, N-E cities in bottom 10
• As the Smart Cities Mission approaches the June 2024 deadline, cities in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan account for the top 10 in terms of completion of
projects and financial progress, while UTs and cities in Northeastern states are in the lowest 10 of the 100.
• Ministry data showed Surat (Gujarat) topped in terms of completion of projects, fund usage and other
criteria, followed by Agra (UP), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Varanasi (UP) and Bhopal (MP) in the top five.
• Launched in 2015, the Smart Cities Mission selected 100 cities through a competition in phases from
January 2016 to June 2018. The selected cities were expected to finish all their proposed projects in five years
from their selection. In May this year, the deadline for all cities was extended to June 2024.
Smart Cities Mission is an initiative by the Indian Government to improve people’s living quality in cities
and towns by using best practices, information and digital technology, and more public-private partnerships.
The Smart Cities Mission is an initiative of the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. It was launched on
June 25, 2015. With an increase on urban population and rapid expansion of areas, government is looking
at smarter ways to manage complexities, increase efficiencies and improve quality of life. This has created a need
for cities that monitor and integrate infrastructure to better optimise resources and maximise services
to citizens.
Rajnath Singh attended 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Jakarta
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid an official visit to Jakarta on November 16 and 17 to attend
the 10th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-
Plus) and addressed the forum on regional and international security issues. Indonesia hosted the meeting
as the chair of ADMM-Plus. The meeting comes at a time of escalated fighting in Myanmar between the
Army and insurgent groups, with Myanmar refugees coming into Mizoram in India.
• The ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN. The ADMM-
Plus is a platform for the ASEAN member-states — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam — and its eight dialogue partners — India,
U.S., China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand — to strengthen security and
defence cooperation.
Bihar Assembly passes Bills to increase quota from 50% to 65%
• The Bihar Assembly unanimously passed a Bill to increase reservation for Backward Classes,
Extremely Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes from the existing 50% to 65%.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured House members that his government would implement the provisions of
the Bill as soon as possible.
• Together with the 10% Economically Backward Class (EWS) quota, the Bill will push reservation in
Bihar to 75%, well past the 50% ceiling set by the Supreme Court. According to the legislation, named
the Bihar Reservation Amendment Bill, quota for Extremely Backward Class (EBC) will be raised from
the existing 18% to 25%; for Backward Class (BC) from 12% to 18%; for Scheduled Caste (SC) from

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 16% to 20%; and for Scheduled Tribe (ST), the quota will be doubled, from 1% to 2%. The existing 3%
reservation for BC women has been scrapped.
As per existing instructions, reservation is provided to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs)
and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) at the rate of 15%, 7.5% and 27%, respectively, in case of direct
recruitment on all India basis by open competition. In direct recruitment on all India basis, other than by open
competition, the percentage fixed is 16.66% for SCs, 7.5% for STs and 25.84% for OBCs. The Constitution
(103rd Amendment) Act 2019 enables the State (i.e., both the Central and State Governments) to provide
10% reservation to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of the society. Whether or not to provide
reservation to the EWS or appointment in States is to be decided by the State Government. Since the
1992 order, several states have passed laws breaching the 50% ceiling, including Haryana, Telangana,
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Laws
made by many of these states have either stayed or are facing legal challenges.
South India’s first biobank launched in Hyderabad
• South India’s first private Bio Bank, a facility dedicated to the preservation and analysis of human tissue
samples for diverse research purposes, was inaugurated at AIG Hospital, Gachibowli. A biobank, which
will house tissue samples of a lakh healthy people to enable researchers study the onset and
progression of diseases, was launched by international biologist Dr Leroy Hood at AIG Hospital,
Gachibowli, Hyderabad. Dr Hood has worked extensively on disease prediction and reversal. The first in
south India and only the third such facility in the country, would serve as a repository for future collaborative
research to map onset and progress, prevention and reversal of diseases.
India, U.S., 12 other IPEF members ink supply chain resilience agreement
• India, the U.S. and 12 other members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity
(IPEF) grouping have signed a supply chain resilience agreement that would provide benefits such
as potential shifting of production centres in critical sectors and mitigating risks of economic
disruptions from supply chain shocks.
• The agreement was signed in San Francisco, where Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal attended
the Ministerial meeting of the IPEF. The agreement would help member countries, including India, to
reduce its dependence on China. The COVID outbreak had severely disrupted the global supply chain,
as most countries were dependent on China for various products, including pharma raw materials.
• Members of the bloc concluded the negotiations on this agreement, one of the four pillars of the IPEF, on May
27, this year in Detroit. The other benefits of the pact include supply chain diversification, mobilisation
of investments, deeper integration of India in global value chains, support to MSMEs and creation of a seamless
regional trade ecosystem, which would facilitate the flow of Indian products. IPEF was launched jointly by
the U.S. and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23 last year in Tokyo.
• The framework is structured around four pillars relating to trade, supply chains, clean economy
and fair economy (issues such as tax and anti-corruption). India has joined all the pillars except the
trade one. The members are expected to announce the conclusion of talks for clean economy and fair economy
pillars. Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New
Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the U.S. and Vietnam are members of the bloc. It would
come into force after the implementation of the agreement by any of the five member countries.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated second Voice of Global South Summit
• The recently concluded Second Voice of Global South Summit marked a significant virtual gathering
hosted by India on November 17. This summit, a follow-up to the January event, showcased India’s
commitment to fostering collaboration among countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania
— collectively known as the Global South. The inaugural summit, themed “Energy Security and
development: Roadmap to Prosperity,” united 125 nations to discuss shared perspectives in preparation for
the G20 Leaders Summit in September 2023.
Narendra Damodardas Modi is serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi
was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from Varanasi. He
is the first prime minister to have been born after India’s independence in 1947 and the second prime
minister not belonging to the Indian National Congress to have won two consecutive majorities in the
Lok Sabha, or lower house of Indian of parliament. He is also the longest serving prime minister from a non-
Congress party.

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The ninth edition of Joint Military exercise “Exercise MITRA SHAKTI-2023” commenced
in Aundh (Pune)
• The ninth edition of Joint Military exercise “Exercise MITRA SHAKTI-2023” commenced in Aundh
(Pune). The Indian contingent, of 120 personnel, is being represented mainly by troops from the
MARATHA LIGHT INFANTRY Regiment. The Sri Lankan side is being represented by personnel
from 53 Infantry Division.
Haryana becomes first big state to ensure ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ under ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’
• Haryana has become the first big state in the country to ensure ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ (Tap water to
every household) under ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’. The construction of new water treatment plants is aligned
with the demand, and through the ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ scheme, nearly 30 lakh houses in about 6,803 villages
across the state are being provided water through taps. Goa became the first ‘Har Ghar Jal State’ in India
with 100% tap water connections in October 2020.
Jal Jeevan Mission launched in 2019, it envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to
every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024. JJM looks to
create a jan andolan for water, thereby making it everyone’s priority. It comes under Jal Shakti Ministry. The
fund sharing pattern between the Centre and states is 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States,
50:50 for other states, and 100% for Union Territories. In the Budget 2021-22, Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban)
has been announced under the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry to provide universal coverage of
water supply to all households through functional taps in all statutory towns in accordance with Sustainable
Development Goal- 6.
Ladakh secures 4th GI tag for Sea Buckthorn
• The Geographical Indication Registry has officially granted the GI tag to ‘Ladakh Sea Buckthorn’. It is
the fourth GI tag after Apricot (Raktsey Karpo), Pashmina, and Ladakhi Wood Carving in Ladakh.
Sea buckthorn is a plant that grows in Europe and Asia. In India, it’s found in the Himalayan region, especially
in dry places like the cold deserts of Ladakh and Spiti. This plant produces small orange or yellow berries
that are sour but full of vitamins, especially vitamin C. In Ladakh, after GI Tag for Apricot (Raktsey
Karpo), Pashmina, and Ladakhi Wood Carving, the Geographical Indication Registry, operating under the
Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, has officially granted the GI tag to the Department
of Industries & Commerce, Ladakh and approved it as the Registered Proprietor for ‘Ladakh Sea
Buckthorn’ in Class 31.
Dharmendra Pradhan launches PM SHRI scheme in Odisha schools run by Centre
• In a significant move, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the Pradhan
Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in Odisha. The initiative aims to enhance the
development of thousands of schools across the country. Out of the 97 Central Schools and Jawahar
Navodaya Vidyalayas, the scheme will be initially rolled out in 63 institutions managed by the Centre within the
state. According to Pradhan, the PM SHRI scheme will bring an investment of over Rs. 120 crore into the state.
For the fiscal year 2023-24, the Centre has allocated Rs. 50.8 crore for schools under its administration in Odisha.
Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored scheme announced
in 2022. Its objective is to development of more than 14500 schools across the country by strengthening
selected existing schools being managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies. The duration
of the scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27, after which it shall be the responsibility of the States/UTs to
continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools. The selected schools will act as exemplar
schools showcasing all components of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) and offering mentorship
to other schools in their vicinity. The PM SHRI Schools will be developed as Green Schools, incorporating
environment-friendly aspects.
EAM Dr S Jaishankar represented India at BRICS virtual summit hosted by South Africa
• External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar represented India at the BRICS virtual summit hosted
by South Africa, where the leaders of Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, will discuss the situation of
West Asia, including the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
• The “Extraordinary Joint Meeting on the Middle East Situation in Gaza” hosted by South African
President Cyril Ramaphosa to draw up a common response and adopt a joint statement on the more than
six-week long conflict. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who’s been calling for an immediate
ceasefire, also joined the meeting.

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 BRICS is the acronym coined to associate five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India,
China, and South Africa. Since 2009, the governments of the BRICS states have met annually at formal
summits. Originally the first four were grouped as “BRIC” (or “the BRICs”) before the induction of
South Africa in 2010. The term “BRIC” is believed to be coined in 2001 by then-chairman of Goldman
Sachs Asset Management, Jim O’Neill, in his publication Building Better Global Economic BRICs. But, it was
actually coined by Roopa Purushothaman who was a Research Assistant in the original report. The
BRIC grouping’s 1st formal summit, also held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, commenced on 16 June 2009.
Atal Innovation Mission under NITI Aayog launches Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion
• The Atal Innovation Mission under NITI Aayog launched a new accelerator program called
Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) in New Delhi. The program will support startups and
small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) working on circular economy technologies and solutions in India and
Australia. There is no charge for startups to participate in the program, which will be delivered virtually.
Participating startups may also be eligible for non-equity grants up to 40 Lakh Rupees.
• The India-Australia RISE Accelerator is delivered in partnership between the Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency, and Atal
Innovation Mission (AIM), the Government of India’s flagship initiative.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal inaugurates Shri Vishwakarma Skill University in Palwal district
• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated the newly constructed campus of Shri
Vishwakarma Skill University in Dudhaula village of Palwal district. On this occasion, the Chief
Minister emphasized the significant impact of India’s youth globally through skill development, with
Haryana playing a pivotal and unmatched role in this field. The country’s first skill university has been
established in Palwal district, bringing pride to the region.
Haryana is a state in India located in the northern-part of the country. It was carved out of the former
state of East Punjab on 1 November 1966 on a linguistic basis. The state capital is Chandigarh and the
most populous city is Faridabad, which is a part of the National Capital Region. The city of Gurgaon is among
India’s largest financial and technology hubs. Bandaru Dattatreya is serving as the current Governor of
Haryana since 2021. Manohar Lal Khattar is serving as the current Chief Minister of Haryana. According
to the 2011 Census, the lowest sex ratio in India is in Haryana, where sex ratio is only 879 whereas the
highest sex ratio is in Kerala (1084).
Mamata Banerjee announces Sourav Ganguly as ‘Brand Ambassador of Bengal’
• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, at the Bengal Global Business Summit 2023 in Kolkata
declared former cricketer and ex-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India Sourav
Ganguly, as the “Brand Ambassador of Bengal.” The Bengal Global Business Summit, an annual event, has
attracted participation from several hundred companies across 17 countries, including the UK, US, Australia,
Korea, Japan, Germany, and France.
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India along the Bay of Bengal. Part of the Bengal region
of the Indian subcontinent, it borders Bangladesh in the east, and Nepal and Bhutan in the north. The
state capital is Kolkata. Under the East India Company rule and later under the British Raj, Calcutta
served as the capital of British-held territories in India until 1911, when its perceived geographical
disadvantages, combined with growing nationalism in Bengal, led to a shift of the capital to New Delhi.
Mamata Banerjee is serving as the current Chief Minister of West Bengal since 2011, the first woman to
hold the office. Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose is serving as the current Governor of West Bengal.
Telangana unveils world’s first 3D-printed temple
• Telangana has unveiled the world’s first 3D-printed temple, a groundbreaking structure situated
in Burugupally, Siddipet district. The innovative construction, achieved through a three-month 3D printing
process, marks a significant technological milestone. Notably, the temple encompasses three sanctums,
each dedicated to a different deity.
Telangana is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high
Deccan Plateau. On 2 June 2014, the area was separated from the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh
as the newly formed state with Hyderabad as its capital. It is a land locked state in India. Kalvakuntla
Chandrashekhar Rao has served as the first Chief Minister of Telangana since 2014. Revanth Reddy is
the current Chief Minister of Telangana. Tamilisai Soundararajan is an Indian medical doctor serving as
current Governor of Telangana.

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Kangra Tea from Himachal Pradesh gets European Geographical Indication tag
• The EU Agriculture tweeted that Kangra Tea from Himachal Pradesh has been granted the European
Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This is an important certification that recognizes the tea as originating
from a specific region. A GI, a kind of IPR, is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product
(handicraft and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name
conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.
Himachal Pradesh (“Province of the Snow-laden Mountains”) is a state in the northern part of India.
Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the eleven mountain states and is characterized by an
extreme landscape featuring several peaks and extensive river systems. The state also shares an
international border to the east with the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. Himachal Pradesh is
also known as ‘Dev Bhoomi’ or ‘Land of God’ and ‘Veer Bhoomi’ which means ‘Land of Braves’. Shimla
is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India.
Dharamshala is the winter capital city. Rajendra Arlekar is the current Governor of it.
J&K: Saffron of Kishtwar district receives GI tag from Geographical Indications Registry
• In Jammu and Kashmir, the Saffron of the mountainous Kishtwar district, which is cultivated
and harvested in the higher reaches, has been given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the
Geographical Indications Registry. The spice is grown in some parts of the Kishtwar region of Jammu, along
with parts of Kashmir.
• The legendary most expensive harvest of saffron, popularly known as Kumkum, is also a key cash
crop in Jammu’s isolated mountainous district of Kishtwar. Saffron cultivation is a cultural heritage
that represents freshness and purity. Kishtwar’s saffron production area is called locally as Mandal.
14th Edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercise “VAJRA PRAHAR 2023” commenced
• 14th Edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercise “VAJRA PRAHAR 2023” commenced 21-day
joint exercise at the Joint Training Node, Umroi, Meghalaya from 21st November to 11th December 2023
The US contingent is represented by personnel from the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) of US Special Forces.
• The Indian Army contingent is led by Special Forces personnel from the Eastern Command. Exercise
VAJRA PRAHAR is a joint exercise conducted between Indian Army and US Army Special Forces. It aims at
sharing best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics. The
first edition was conducted in the year 2010 in India and the 13th edition of the Indo-US Joint Special
Forces exercise was conducted at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS), Bakloh (Himachal Pradesh).
Exercise Vajra Prahar is an annual exercise alternately hosted by the Special Forces of India and
the United States. These Special Forces units are dedicated to covert operations, counterterrorism, and
other specialized military tasks. Other Joint Exercises between India and the USA are: Yudh Abhyas: Annual
army exercise focusing on enhancing military cooperation and understanding. Malabar Exercise: Naval exercise,
also including Japan and Australia, focusing on complex maritime operations. Cope India: Air force exercise
aimed at improving interoperability and mutual understanding between air forces. Tiger Triumph: Tri-service
amphibious exercise focusing on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Red Flag: Advanced aerial combat
training exercise involving the U.S. Air Force and international participants, including India. Spartan Shield:
Army exercise aimed at building operational capacity in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism.
In a first, Survey of India joins hands with private mapping firm for ‘Digital Twins’
• In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Survey of India (SoI), historically the custodian of India’s maps
has signed an agreement with a Mumbai-based private company, Genesys International, to prepare
three-dimensional maps of several cities and towns. Called ‘Digital Twins,’ these maps are three-
dimensional representations of cities and when coupled with high-resolution images, can be used in a
variety of planning applications. Genesys is a mapping company that uses aerial as well as ground-mapping
methods to create digital maps.
The Survey of India is India’s central engineering agency in charge of mapping and surveying. Set up
in 1767 to help consolidate the territories of the British East India Company, it is one of the oldest Engineering
Departments of the Government of India. Its members are from Survey of India Service cadre of Civil Services of
India. The Survey of India, headquartered at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The history of the Survey of India dates
back to the 18th century. “First modern scientific survey of India” was undertaken by W. Mather in 1793–96
on instructions of Superintendent of Salem and Baramahal, Col. Alexander Read.

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CAG of India elected as Vice-Chair of UN Panel of External Auditors
• Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Girish Chandra Murmu, was elected as the Vice-Chair of
the UN Panel of Auditors for the forthcoming year. This recognition underscores India’s commitment to the
highest standards of external audit and its active participation in shaping the global audit landscape.
• On the sidelines of the panel meeting, the CAG of India also held a bilateral meeting with Pierre
Moscovici, First President of Cour des Comptes (Supreme Audit Institution of France), to discuss the
strengthening of bilateral relations between the two SAIs.
The Constitution of India (Article 148) provides for an independent office of the Comptroller and
Auditor General of India (CAG). He is the head of the Indian audit & account department and chief
Guardian of Public purse. It is the institution through which the accountability of the government and other
public authorities (all those who spend public funds) to Parliament and State Legislatures and through them
to the people is ensured. CAG is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal and
provided with tenure of 6 years or 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. CAG can be removed by the
President only in accordance with the procedure mentioned in the Constitution that is the manner same
as removal of a Supreme Court Judge. He is ineligible to hold any office, either under the Government
of India or of any state, once he retires/resigns as a CAG.
Virtual G20 Summit held under the chairmanship of PM Narendra Modi
• The Virtual G20 Summit is held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. G20
Sherpa Amitabh Kant said this was the second time that the Prime Minister was hosting the
Leaders of the G20 in a span of two and a half months. Mr. Kant said that during the closing session of the
New Delhi G20 Summit on 10th September, the Prime Minister announced that India would be hosting a virtual
G20 Leaders’ Summit prior to the conclusion of India’s G20 Presidency. He said the Virtual Summit will take
forward key, select outcomes and action points from the New Delhi Summit as well as review developments
since then.
• Justin Trudeau is also participated in the summit. This despite the ongoing tension between two countries
since the Canadian Prime Minister accused India of having a “possible link” in the murder of pro-Khalistan
separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Vladimir Putin took part in the extraordinary virtual G20 summit.
The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors
from 19 countries and the European Union (EU). Founded in 1999 with the aim to discuss policy pertaining
to the promotion of international financial stability, the G20 has expanded its agenda since 2008 and
heads of government or heads of state, as well as finance ministers, foreign ministers and think tanks, have
periodically conferred at summits ever since. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any
single nation. The G20 members are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany,
Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the
United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. The G20 has no permanent secretariat.
The first G20 Summit took place in 2008 in Washington DC, US. African Union has given permanent
membership at India’s G20 summit.
IAF flies PM Narendra Modi on a Tejas aircraft over Bengaluru
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a sortie aboard the indigenous twin-seater trainer
variant of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas during his visit to HAL in Bengaluru. Although the
Tejas is generally designed as a single-seater fighter aircraft, the Prime Minister chose to embark on a sortie
in the twin-seat trainer variant, used by both the Air Force and the Navy. PM Modi became the first Prime
Minister to fly in fighter aircraft as he went on sortie which lasted for 30 minutes.
• The Tejas designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and HAL has
been part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet for over seven years. Currently the IAF operates two squadrons
of the aircraft which are No 45 Squadron, the ‘Flying Daggers’ and No 18 Squadron, the ‘Flying Bullets’.
• Christened Tejas in 2003, the aircraft is a multi-role platform which has been designed to undertake
the Air Defence, Maritime Reconnaissance and Strike roles. IAF has already placed an order for 83 LCA
Mk-1A which will have updated avionics, as well as an Active Electronically Steered Radar, updated Electronic
Warfare suite and a Beyond Visual Range missile capability.
• Manufactured by HAL, this Tejas variant was handed over to the Indian Air Force on October 4,
enhancing the country’s indigenous capabilities. The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, a 4.5-generation multi-
role fighter aircraft, is manufactured to provide offensive air support and offer close combat assistance for

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 ground operations. HAL delivered the first Tejas twin-seater on October 4, with plans to procure
more, totaling 220 in the Indian Air Force’s inventory. The LCA Tejas is a 4.5-generation, multi-role
aircraft, featuring advanced technologies. The trainer variant completed its inaugural flight six months ago,
showcasing its capabilities.
President Droupadi Murmu unveils statue of Father of Constitution, Dr. Bhim Rao
Ambedkar in Supreme Court
• Constitution Day is being celebrated across the country to mark the adoption of the Indian
Constitution. On the 26th of November in 1949, the Constituent Assembly of the country formally adopted
the Constitution which came into force on the 26th of January 1950. In 2015, the Government decided
to celebrate this day to promote constitutional values among citizens.
• On this occasion, President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the father of the Constitution, Dr Bhim Rao
Ambedkar’s statue in Supreme Court. Chief justice of India DY Chandrachud and other judges of Supreme
Court were also present. To commemorate the 73rd Samvidhan Diwas (Constitution Day), the Ministry
of Parliamentary Affairs has urged all citizens to participate in the Constitution Quiz and Online
Reading of the Preamble. The Ministry has made two web portals operational to ensure Maximum Jan
Bhagidari. Online readings of the Preamble to the Constitution in 22 Official Languages and English
are available on readpreamble.nic.in and people can participate in Online Quiz on Bharat: Loktantra Ki
Janani through constitutionquiz.nic.in.
Constitution Day observed across India
• Constitution Day also known as “National Law Day” is celebrated in India on 26 November every
year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India. On 26 November 1949, the Constituent
Assembly of India adopted to the Constitution of India, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950.
• The Government of India declared 26 November as Constitution Day on 19 November 2015 by a
gazette notification. The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi made the declaration on 11 October
2015 while laying the foundation stone of the B. R. Ambedkar’s Statue of Equality memorial in
Mumbai. The year of 2021 was the 131st birth anniversary of Ambedkar, who had chaired the drafting
committee of the Constituent Assembly and played a pivotal role in the drafting of the constitution.
Indian Navy DRDO undertook trials of first indigenously developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile
• Indian Navy in association with Defence Research and Development Organisation successfully
undertook Guided Flight Trials of the first indigenously developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile from
Seaking 42B helicopter. This is a step towards achieving self-reliance in niche missile technology, including
seeker and guidance technologies.
• The report added that the missile may have a range of 500 kilometres which is greater than the range
of 350-400 kilometres offered by the supersonic Indo-Russian cruise missile BrahMos.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Republic of India, charged
with the military’s research and development, headquartered in New Delhi, India. It was formed in
1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical
Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation. Dr. Samir V Kamat is the current
Chairman of DRDO.
Madhya Pradesh: India’s largest Tiger reserve to be set up in Damoh
• The central government has issued a notification approving the proposal to merge the Noradehi Sanctuary
with the Rani Durgavati Sanctuary of Damoh district, Madhya Pradesh creating a vast tiger reserve
spanning 2,300 square kilometres.
• The reserve will be centred around the Jabera area of Damoh district and is expected to boost tourism
and development in the region. In a significant development, Damoh district in Madhya Pradesh is set to
become home to the country’s largest tiger reserve.
Madhya Pradesh (meaning Central Province) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the
largest city is Indore. Madhya Pradesh is the second largest Indian state by area and the fifth largest
state by population. It borders the states of Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the southeast,
Maharashtra to the south, Gujarat to the west, and Rajasthan to the northwest. Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the
current Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, having been elected to the same position 3 times in the past,
and a Member of Legislative Assembly in Madhya Pradesh from Budhni.

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 B. International
Tokayev wins Kazakhstan presidential election with 81.3% of vote
• Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev secured a second term, winning 81.31% of the vote.
Kazakhastan’s Central Election Commission said the 69-year-old Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who came to power
in 2019, received 81.31 per cent of the vote. None of the five other candidates scored double digits in the vote,
while 5.8 per cent of voters cast their ballot against all candidates.
Kazakhstan is a country in Central Asia, it has borders with Russia in the north, China in the east,
and Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan in the south. The capital is Nur-Sultan, formerly
known as Astana. Kazakhstan is the world’s largest landlocked country and the ninth-largest in the
world. Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev has been serving as the President of Kazakhstan since 20 March
2019. The tenge is the currency of Kazakhstan.

Australian parliament approves free trade agreement with India

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has thanked Australian PM, Anthony Albanese as Australian
parliament approves free trade agreement with India. The entry into force of IndAus ECTA will be
greatly welcomed by our business communities, and will further strengthen the India-Australia Comprehensive
Strategic Partnership.” Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India and India is Australia’s 9th
largest trading partner. The free trade agreement between India and Australia will come into force
from December 29, 2022, a move which will help in almost doubling the bilateral commerce to $45-50
billion in around five years. It is the first Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that India has signed with a
major developed country in over a decade.
Australia is the largest country in Oceania and the world’s sixth-largest country by total area. Australia’s
capital is Canberra, and its largest city is Sydney. Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George) is King
of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. He acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022
upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon. The Australian dollar is the currency of Australia. Anthony Albanese is the
current Prime Minister of Australia.

Garuda Shakti: Indian, Indonesian troops engage in joint training exercise in Karawang
• The Special Forces of India and Indonesia commenced the joint military exercise Garuda Shakti.
The exercise is currently underway in Indonesia at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang. The eighth edition
of Exercise Garuda Shakti focuses on enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the
Special Forces of both armies. The goal of the joint exercise is to advance the special forces’ skills. It
also aims to share information on new weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as
lessons learned from previous operations.
Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists
of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. Indonesia is
the world’s largest island country and the 14th-largest country by area. With about 270 million people,
Indonesia is the world’s fourth-most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority
country. Java, the world’s most populous island, is home to more than half of the country’s population.
The rupiah (Rp) is the official currency of Indonesia.

Anwar Ibrahim sworn in as Malaysia’s new Prime-Minister

• Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as the country’s new Prime Minister.
Neither Mr Anwar nor ex-premier Muhyiddin Yassin had won the simple majority needed to form a government.
• After speaking to several lawmaker, the constitutional monarch, King Abdullah gave consent to appoint the
75-year-old leader Anwar Ibrahim as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia. Mr Anwar was deputy prime
minister in the 1990s and the official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018.
Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. Abdullah is the 16th and the current
Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia and the Sultan of Kelantan. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital
of Malaysia as well as its largest city. The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia.

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Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi invited as chief guest for Republic Day 2023
• India has invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the chief guest for the Republic Day
in 2023, reflecting New Delhi’s continuing focus on the Arab world as it prepares for a year of high-profile
diplomatic engagements. An invitation as chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 is a signal
honour reserved for the country’s close allies and partners. There were no chief guests at the celebrations
in 2021 and 2022, largely because of disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Egypt is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via
a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. Mostafa Kamal Madbouly is the current Prime Minister of
Egypt. Cairo is the capital city of Egypt. Egyptian pound is the currency of Egypt.
Peru’s president has named 5th PM in 16 months
• Betssy Chavez, a lawyer who also did a stint as labor minister, was sworn in as the fifth Prime
Minister since the beleaguered Castillo took office 16 months ago. Castillo, in power since July 2021, has
already faced two impeachment attempts in parliament and is under investigation in six corruption cases,
including accusations against his family and political entourage.
Peru is a country in western South America. Its capital and largest city is Lima. The sol is the currency
of Peru. Pedro Castillo is the current President of Peru.
Indian Navy and Oman Navy participate in 13th edition of bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’
• Indian Navy and Royal Navy of Oman participated in the 13th Edition of bilateral exercise ‘Naseem
Al Bahr’ or Sea Breeze. The highlight of the exercise was participation of India’s guided missile stealth
frigate, INS Trikand, offshore patrol vessel, INS Sumitra, and Maritime Patrol Aircraft Dornier.
Oman is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the
Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Muscat is the nation’s capital and largest city. The
Omani rial is the currency of Oman. Haitham bin Tariq Al Said is the current Sultan of Oman. Theyazin bin
Haitham Al Said is Crown Prince of Oman as the son of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
Chinese Scientists create world’s first cloned wild Arctic wolf ‘Maya’
• A wild Arctic wolf was successfully cloned for the first time in the world by a Beijing-based gene
firm. The cloning of the Arctic wolf, also known as the white wolf or polar wolf, which is native to the
High Arctic tundra of Canada’s Queen Elizabeth Islands, is considered a milestone achievement in conserving
rare and endangered species through cloning technology.
• According to the company, the wolf named “Maya” is in good health. The donor cell of the wolf came from
the skin sample of a wild female Arctic wolf and its oocyte was taken from a female dog. According to the Global
Times report, Maya’s surrogate mother was a beagle, a dog breed. The dog was selected as the surrogate
as it shares genetic ancestry with ancient wolves and hence, ensures success in cloning.
Blank sheets become latest symbol of dissent at China’s protests
• Chinese protesters have turned to blank sheets of paper to express their anger over COVID-19
restrictions in a rare, widespread outpouring of public dissent that has gone beyond social media to some
of China’s streets and top universities.
• Images and videos circulated online showed students at universities in cities including Nanjing
and Beijing holding up blank sheets of paper in silent protest, a tactic used in part to evade censorship or
arrest. China is adhering to its tough zero-COVID policy even while much of the world tries to coexist with the
coronavirus.
• In Hong Kong in 2020, activists also raised blank sheets of white paper in protest to avoid slogans
banned under the city’s new national security law, which was imposed after massive and sometimes
violent protests the previous year. Demonstrators in Moscow have also used them this year to protest Russia’s
war with Ukraine.
Hawaii volcano Muana Lao, the world’s largest, erupts for the first time in 40 years
• Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world located in USA, has erupted for the first
time in nearly 40 years. The Hawaiian Islands are home to six active volcanoes. Mauna Loa, the largest on
Earth, has erupted 33 times since 1843.

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 Magma is the term used to denote the molten rocks and related materials seen inside earth. A weaker
zone of the mantle called asthenosphere, usually is the source of magma. Once this magma came out to
the earth surface through the vent of a volcano, it is called as the Lava. Therefore, Lava is nothing but
the magma on earth surface. The process by which solid, liquid and gaseous material escape from the
earth’s interior to the surface of the earth is called as Volcanism. Volcanic activity is an example of
endogenic process. Barren Island is India’s only active volcano. It has become active again. After lying
dormant for 150 years, Barren Island volcano had erupted in 1991 and since then it is showing sporadic
activity. The volcanic island is part of Andaman Islands. Its northern part is barren and is uninhabited. It is also
devoid of vegetation.
Bake-warm, crusty French baguettes get UNESCO world heritage status
• The French baguette, one of the country’s most abiding images, was given world heritage status by
UNESCO. The baguette, a fluffy, elongated loaf of bread with a crunchy crust, is a symbol of France around
the world and has been a central part of the French diet for at least 100 years. Although baguette
consumption has declined over the last decades, France still makes around 16 million of the loaves per day -
that’s nearly 6 billion baguettes a year.
Peru’s Congress has removed President Pedro Castillo from office
• Peru’s Congress removed President Pedro Castillo from office voting to replace him with the vice
president, shortly after Castillo decreed the dissolution of the legislature ahead of a scheduled vote to oust
him. The national ombudsman’s office, Constitutional Tribunal and Supreme Court called Castillo’s move to
dissolve the Congress a coup, although at least one expert disagreed. The congressional vote called for Vice
President Dina Boluarte to assume the presidency. Boluarte, a 60-year-old lawyer, would be the first
woman to reach the presidency in Peru’s more than 200 years as an independent republic.
Peru is a country in western South America. Its capital and largest city is Lima. The sol is the currency
of Peru. Anibal Torres Vasquez is the current Prime Minister of Peru.
Dina Boluarte, Peru’s first female President, pledges to heal nation’s wounds
• Dina Boluarte became Peru’s first female President amid a political maelstrom when her predecessor
and former boss Pedro Castillo was ousted in an impeachment trial and detained by police after he tried to
illegally shut down Congress.
New York and Singapore are the most expensive cities to live in: Survey
• According to this year’s Worldwide Cost of Living Index, released by the Economist Intelligence
Unit (EIU), the average cost of living is up 8.1 per cent in 2022, owing to the Russian war in Ukraine and the
lingering effects of the pandemic.
• This year New York and Singapore climbed up to the number 1 position of the world’s most expensive
cities to live in. Every year, a different organisation, the global mobility corporation ECA International,
releases its own list of the most expensive cities in the globe.
Indonesia’s Parliament passes law criminalising adultery
• Indonesia’s Parliament passed a long-awaited and controversial revision of its penal code that
criminalizes extramarital sex for citizens and visiting foreigners alike. After ratification, the new criminal
code must be signed by the President, according to Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights Edward Hiariej.
The criminal code will not apply immediately.
New Zealand passed world’s first law to ban smoking for next generation
• Future generations of New Zealanders will be banned from purchasing tobacco as part of a package of
new anti-smoking laws that passed parliament and are among the most strict in the world. The suite of new
laws include bans on selling tobacco to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009, punishable by fines up to NZ$150,000
($95,910). The ban will remain in place for a person’s whole life. The legislation will also reduce the amount of
nicotine allowed in smoked tobacco products and cut the number of retailers able to sell tobacco by 90%.
European Union agrees to give Bosnia candidate status
• EU countries agreed to grant Bosnia “candidate status” to join the union, putting the volatile Balkan
nation at the start of a long road to membership. Russia’s war on Ukraine has breathed fresh life into
the European Union’s willingness to consider letting in more of its eastern neighbours after years
at a standstill. The EU is concerned that other powers, such as Russia or China, might spread their

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 influence into the Balkans if countries hopeful of joining the bloc are thwarted. European affairs
ministers meeting in Brussels gave the green light to Bosnia becoming a candidate after the bloc’s executive arm
in October recommended that they launch the membership process. The move comes despite long-standing
concerns over the political situation in Bosnia, a country of three million people burdened with
ethnic divisions since its devastating war three decades ago.
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily
in Europe. A monetary union was established in 1999, coming into full force in 2002, and is composed
of 19 member states which use the euro currency. The union and EU citizenship were established
when the Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993. The EU traces its origins to the European Coal and
Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), established, respectively, by the
1951 Treaty of Paris and 1957 Treaty of Rome. The original member states of what came to be known as the
European Communities were the Inner Six: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and
West Germany. The United Kingdom became the first member state to leave the EU on 31 January 2020.
Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen is a German politician and physician who has been President of the
European Commission since 1 December 2019. Charles Michel is a Belgian politician serving as President
of the European Council.
ECOSOC votes to oust Iran from Commission on status of Women
• The UN Economic and Social Council have voted to immediately oust Iran from the U.N.’s premiere
global body fighting for gender equality because of its systematic violation of the rights of women and
girls. The United States has hailed it as a “historic” decision. The US-sponsored resolution was sparked by
Iran’s ongoing brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters.
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six principal organs of the
United Nations based in New York, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields of the
organization, specifically in regards to the fifteen specialised agencies, the eight functional commissions, and
the five regional commissions under its jurisdiction. Additionally, the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), which
reviews the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is convened under the
auspices of the Council every July.
Indian-Origin Leo Varadkar Re-Elected As Ireland Prime Minister under Rotation Deal
• Ireland’s Leo Varadkar took over as premier for the second time in a handover of power in line with a
coalition deal struck in 2020. Varadkar replaced Micheal Martin as Taoiseach (premier) in a rotation
between his Fine Gael and Martin’s Fianna Fail parties that is unprecedented in Irish history. The centre-right
parties, the two main political partners in a three-party governing coalition, were forged from opposing sides in
the Irish Civil War in the early 20th century.
Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North
Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George’s Channel. Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the
third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth. The capital and largest city is Dublin. Leo
Varadkar has been serving as Taoiseach. Ireland currency is euro.
Pacifist Japan unveils biggest military build-up since World War Two
• Japan unveiled its biggest military build-up since World War Two with a $320 billion plan that will
buy missiles capable of striking China and ready it for sustained conflict, as regional tensions and Russia’s
Ukraine invasion stoke war fears.
• The sweeping, five-year plan, once unthinkable in pacifist Japan, will make the country the world’s
third-biggest military spender after the United States and China, based on current budgets. A separate
national security strategy document that pointed to China, Russia and North Korea, promised close cooperation
with the United States and other like-minded nations to deter threats to the established international order.
Ramaphosa survives ‘Farmgate’ scandal to stay at helm of South Africa’s ruling ANC
• South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected leader of the governing African National
Congress (ANC) overcoming the “Farmgate” scandal and paving the way for him to contest the presidency
again at 2024 elections.
• Ramaphosa’s political future had been hanging in the balance earlier this month after a report by a panel
of experts found preliminary evidence he may have violated the constitution over a stash of foreign
currency hidden at his private game farm.

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 South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA) is the southernmost country in Africa. South
Africa has three capital cities, with the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government based
in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town respectively. The South African rand is the official currency
of it.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and
philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country’s first black
head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. Among his awards were
the Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom,the Soviet Union’s Lenin Peace Prize and
the Libyan Al-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights. In 1990, India awarded him the Bharat
Ratna, and in 1992 Pakistan gave him their Nishan-e-Pakistan. In November 2009, the United Nations
General Assembly proclaimed Mandela’s birthday, 18 July, as “Mandela Day”, marking his contribution to
the anti-apartheid struggle.
Croatia set for new currency, borderless travel
• More than nine years after Croatia became the European Union’s newest member, the country is on a roll
to make the most of its status as the EU member in the Western Balkans.
• Croatia is adopting the EU’s common currency, the euro, and joining the Schengen Area, Europe’s
visa-free travel area, on January 1. The small nation of 4 million people predict the developments will
be remembered as one of the country’s biggest achievements since it gained independence during the
breakup of Yugoslavia 31 years ago.
Croatia is a country at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe. Its capital and largest city is
Zagreb. The kuna is the currency of Croatia. Zoran Milanovic is serving as President of Croatia since 19
February 2020. Andrej Plenkovic has been serving as the Prime Minister of Croatia.
Benjamin Netanyahu sworn in as Israel PM
• Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn into office taking the helm of the most right-wing and religiously
conservative government in Israel’s history and vowing to enact policies that could cause domestic and
regional turmoil and alienate the country’s closest allies. Netanyahu took the oath of office moments
after parliament passed a vote of confidence in his new government. His return marks his sixth term
in office, continuing his more than decade-long dominance over Israeli politics. Netanyahu, 73, already
Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister, has the support of 63 lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset
(Israeli parliament). In the house, 54 lawmakers voted against his government. Netanyahu announced
the appointment of 31 ministers and three deputy ministers.
Israel is a country in the Middle East, Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is considered
holy to the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Both Israel and
the Palestinian Authority claim Jerusalem as their capital, however, neither claim is widely recognized
internationally. Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel. Israeli new shekel is the currency
of Israel. Isaac Herzog is serving as the current president of Israel since 7 July 2021.
India hand over 125 Mahindra SUVs to Sri Lanka under existing line of credit
• India handed over 125 Mahindra SUVs to Sri Lanka under an existing line of credit. The fleet is part
of 500 state-of-the-art SUVs which were promised under a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this
year. The SUVs are being provided to enable the Sri Lanka Police to provide prompt and efficient services to the
public.
• As part of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka
over the last 12 months to help the country tide over its worst economic and humanitarian crisis,
since its independence from Great Britain in 1948.
Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the
Bay of Bengal. Sri Lanka is separated from the India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri
Jayewardenepura Kotte is the official, administrative capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is the commercial
capital and largest city of Sri Lanka. Ranil Wickremesinghe is the current President of Sri Lanka, in office
since January 2015. Sri Lankan rupee is the currency of Sri Lanka. Dinesh Gunawardena is the current
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

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‘Rambo’ Rabuka returns as Fiji Prime Minister
• Former military commander Sitiveni Rabuka was confirmed as Fiji’s Prime Minister, after accusing the
outgoing government of stoking “fear and chaos” to derail his return to power. Mr. Rabuka replaces the
imposing Frank Bainimarama, who toppled the government in a 2006 coup and became prime minister
a year later. The two-time coup leader and former Prime Minister nicknamed “Rambo” narrowly
triumphed over Bainimarama by 28 votes to 27 in a secret ballot held in Parliament.
Fiji is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. Suva (is the capital and
largest city of Fiji. The Fijian dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969. Wiliame Katonivere is the
President of Fiji since 2021.

Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ takes oath as Nepal’s new Prime Minister
• Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time,
a day after President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed him as the new premier. The former guerrilla
leader was appointed as the country’s new prime minister after he submitted a letter to the President showing
the support of 169 members in the 275-member House of Representatives.
Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia. Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains,
subalpine forested hills, and eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the
highest point on Earth. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural state, with
Nepali as the official language. Kathmandu is the nation’s capital and the largest city. The name “Nepal” is first
recorded in texts from the Vedic period of the Indian subcontinent, the era in ancient Nepal when
Hinduism was founded, the predominant religion of the country. The Constitution of Nepal, adopted in
2015, affirms Nepal as a secular federal parliamentary republic divided into seven provinces. Pushpa
Kamal Dahal “Prachanda is serving as the Prime Minister of Nepal. Bidya Devi Bhandari is serving as
the second president of Nepal, in office since 28 October 2015. She is the first woman to hold the office in
the country. Nepalese rupee is the official currency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

Govt. lines up millet-centric activities as International Year of Millets kicks in

• The government announced it has lined up a series of millet-centric promotional activities across the
country as the International Year of Millets (IYM) kicks in, while noting that millets are also integral part
of the G-20 meetings. The Centre ministries, State governments and Indian embassies have been allocated
a focused month in 2023 to carry out various activities for the promotion of IYM and increase
awareness about benefits of millets. The U.N.’s declaration as IYM 2023 has been instrumental for
India to be at the forefront in celebrating the millet year. In India, millets are primarily a kharif crop,
requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples. Millets are important by virtue
of its mammoth potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers’ income and ensure food and nutritional
security all over the world.
The Government of India has sponsored the proposal for the International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023,
which has been accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This has given the Indian Government
the opportunity to celebrate the IYM and position India as the global hub for millets. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has also shared his vision for the IYM to become a “People’s Movement”. Millets are
small-seeded grasses that are often referred to as “Nutri-cereals”. Some common types of millets include
sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi), little millet (kutki), foxtail millet (kakun),
proso millet (cheena), barnyard millet (sawa), and kodo millet (kodon). These grains are a staple cereal
crop for millions of smallholder dryland farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and offer a variety of benefits such
as nutrition, income, and livelihood for farmers. They can also be used for food, feed, fodder, biofuels, and brewing.

British Indian ex-minister Alok Sharma knighted in King’s New Year Honours List
• Alok Sharma, an Indian-origin former UK minister, has been knighted for his contribution to
combatting climate change through his leadership at the COP26 summit by King Charles III in his first
New Year Honours list. The “Overseas List” and leads a tally of over 30 Indian-origin campaigners,
economists, academics, medics and philanthropists to be honoured in the annual list issued in the name of the
British monarch for their “incredible public service” across the UK and abroad. The UN Climate Change
Conference in Glasgow (COP26) was held last year in Scotland from October 31 to November 13. Sharma
was the president of the conference, the first since the Paris Agreement of COP21.

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 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom
(UK) or Britain is a sovereign country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland.
It comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom includes the island
of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands within the
British Isles. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The
capital and largest city is London, a global city and financial centre with a metropolitan area population of over
14 million. Sterling is the official currency of the United Kingdom and its associated territories. Charles
III (Charles Philip Arthur George) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to
accede to the British throne upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022. Rishi Sunak
is the current Prime Minister.

Three Indian-Americans take oath as county judges in US

• Three Indian-American Democrats have taken oath as Fort Bend County Judges in the United
States. Juli A. Mathew, K.P. George, and Surendran K. Pattel were sworn in as Fort Bend County
judges, along with other newly elected.
U.N. Security Council welcomes new members including two first timers
• Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland got a formal welcome into the U.N. Security
Council taking the two-year seats they won unopposed in June. In a tradition that Kazakhstan started
in 2018, the five countries’ ambassadors installed their national flags alongside those of other members outside
the council chambers.
• The five latest UNSC members — Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland — are
replacing India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway, whose terms ended on December 31, 2022.
Japan offering families a million yen per child to leave Tokyo
• Japan’s government is offering one million yen per child to families asking them to move out of
greater Tokyo. The relocation fee incentive will be introduced in April this year, as part of a push from the
government to move people towards country’s declining small towns and villages. Owing to the Covid
pandemic, Tokyo’s population fell for the first time last year but Japan’s policymakers believe that much more
needs to be done in order to lower the population density in the city.
US: South Carolina’s Supreme Court overturns a law banning abortion after 6 weeks
• In United States, in the first reversal of its kind, South Carolina’s Supreme Court has overturned
a law banning abortion after six weeks, inflicting a major setback for abortion opponents in the
conservative, southern state. The state court ruled that, their state’s constitutional right to privacy
extends to a woman’s decision to have an abortion. The decision marked the first time a State top
court has struck down such a law since the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right
to an abortion in June last year.
• The US Supreme Court used similar reasoning in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that protected
the right of American women to have an abortion for nearly half a century. But in a historic turnabout,
the highest court ruled in June last year that the 1973 decision was wrong and returned to the
states the right to legislate as they saw fit. Since June, restrictive measures have been blocked on an
emergency basis in several states pending higher-level decisions.
Ranj Pillai, who has roots in Kerala, becomes premier of Canadian province
• Ranj Pillai is set to become the second Indo-Canadian to be the premier of a Canadian province or
territory after being unanimously chosen as leader of the Yukon Liberal Party. Pillai was confirmed as
the ruling party’s new leader between.
Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sworn in as President
• Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn in as President and in his first address expressed optimism
about plans to rebuild while pledging that members of outgoing Jair Bolsonaro’s administration
will be held to account.

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 Brazil is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. Brazil is the world’s fifth-largest
country by area and the sixth most populous. Brasília is the federal capital of Brazil and seat of government
of the Federal District. Brazilian real is the official currency of Brazil. Brazil is the only country that passes
through both the equator and Tropic of Capricorn.

Aruna Miller becomes Maryland’s first Indian-American Lieutenant Governor

• Aruna Miller has scripted history by becoming the first Indian-American politician to be sworn in
as the Lieutenant Governor in the state of Maryland, adjoining the US capital. Aruna, a former delegate
to the Maryland House, made history when the Democrat became the 10th Lieutenant Governor of the
state. The Lieutenant Governor is the state’s highest official following the Governor and assumes
the role when the Governor is out of state or incapacitated.
French PM proposes raising retirement age to 64 by 2030, unions call for strikes
• French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne unveiled a contentious pension overhaul aimed at raising
the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, which prompted vigorous calls for strikes and protests
from leftist opponents and labor unions. Ms. Borne said the minimum retirement age to be entitled to a full
pension will be gradually increased by three months every year, starting this year, in line with a longstanding
pledge by President Emmanuel Macron.
France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris. Emmanuel Macron is serving
as President of France and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra since 14 May 2017. Elisabeth Borne is serving
as Prime Minister of France. The euro is the official currency of France. The euro is the second largest
reserve currency as well as the second most traded currency in the world after the United States dollar.

India’s richest 1% own more than 40% of total wealth

• The richest 1% in India now own more than 40% of the country’s total wealth, while the bottom half
of the population together share just 3% of wealth. India supplement of its annual inequality report on
the first day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, rights group Oxfam International said
that taxing India’s ten-richest at 5% can fetch entire money to bring children back to school.
• “A one-off tax on unrealised gains from 2017–2021 on just one billionaire, Gautam Adani, could have
raised Rs 1.79 lakh crore, enough to employ more than five million Indian primary school teachers
for a year,” it added. The report titled ‘Survival of the Richest’ further said that if India’s billionaires
are taxed once at 2% on their entire wealth, it would support the requirement of Rs. 40,423 crore for
the nutrition of malnourished in the country for the next three years.
Oxfam International is a group of independent non-governmental organisations formed in 1995. The
name “Oxfam” comes from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain in 1942. The group
campaigned for food supplies to starving women and children in enemy-occupied Greece during the Second World
War. It aims to maximize efficiency and achieve greater impact to reduce global poverty and injustice.
The Oxfam International Secretariat is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Jacinda Ardern to step down as New Zealand prime minister

• Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is stepping down as New Zealand’s leader and will not contest this
year’s general elections. The shock announcement comes as polling indicates her Labour Party party
faces a difficult path to re-election on 14 October.
• Ms Ardern became the youngest female head of government in the world when she was elected prime
minister in 2017, aged 37. And a year later she became the second elected world leader to ever give
birth while in office, after Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto in 1990.
New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. New Zealand’s capital city is
Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland. Chris Hipkins is the current Prime Minister of New
Zealand and leader of the Labour Party. The New Zealand dollar is the official currency and legal tender of
New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn
Islands.

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Bilateral air exercise ‘Veer Guardian 2023’ concludes in Japan
• The inaugural edition of the bilateral air exercise ‘Veer Guardian 2023’ between the Indian Air
Force and Japan Air Self Defence Force concluded in Japan. The IAF said, Japan Air Self Defence Force
participated in the exercise with its F-2 and F-15 aircraft, while the IAF contingent participated with the Su-30
MKI aircraft.
Naruhito is the Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 1 May 2019, beginning the
Reiwa era, following the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito, on 30 April 2019. He is the 126th monarch
according to Japan’s traditional order of succession. Tokyo is the capital city of Japan and yen is the
official currency of Japan and it is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the
United States dollar and the euro. Fumio Kishida is the current Prime Minister of Japan since 4 October
2021. He has also served as President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 29 September 2021.
Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc announces his resignation following corruption scandals
• In Vietnam, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has announced his resignation amid the ongoing anti-
corruption drive. The anti-corruption drive has led to several ministers being fired in Vietnam. Earlier, two
deputy prime ministers who served under President Phuc had quit. Phuc, a former prime minister,
held the post of president since 2021.
Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Hanoi is the capital of
Vietnam. The dong has been the currency of Vietnam since May 3, 1978..
Burkino Faso’s junta govt orders French troops to depart country within a month
• Burkino Faso’s junta government ordered French troops to depart the country within a month. The
actual decision to end the deployment of French troops in the country was made.
• Hundreds demonstrated in the capital Ouagadougou chanting anti-France slogans and calling
upon the French army to leave the country. The decision comes five months after France pulled its last
remaining troops from the neighbouring West African nation of Mali after nine years of operation.
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the
northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and the Ivory Coast to the southwest. It has a
population of 20,321,378. Previously called Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984), it was renamed Burkina
Faso by President Thomas Sankara and its capital and largest city is Ouagadougou. West African CFA franc
is the currency of eight independent states in West Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory
Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Taiwan: Chen Chien-jen announced as new premier
• Chen Chien-jen has become Taiwan’s new premier, President Tsai Ing-wen announced. Chen is a
devout Catholic who served as vice president during Tsai’s first term in office, from 2016-2020. Taiwan’s
government rejects China’s claims and says only the island’s 23 million people can decide their future.
Taiwan officially the Republic of China (ROC) is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and
South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the
northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. The main island of Taiwan, also
known as Formosa. The capital, Taipei, forms along with New Taipei City. The New Taiwan dollar is
the official currency of Taiwan.
Equatorial Guinea appoints Manuela Roka Botey as first female PM
• Equatorial Guinea has appointed Manuela Roka Botey as Prime Minister. She became the first woman
in the country to hold the position. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled the
country since 1979. Ms Rotey was previously the education minister and joined the government in 2020. She
replaces former premier Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, who has been in the position since 2016.
Equatorial Guinea is a country on the west coast of Central Africa, Malabo is the capital of Equatorial
Guinea. The Central African CFA franc is the currency of six independent states in Central Africa:
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Barbados to host the world’s first UN Early Warnings for All Initiative
• Bridgetown, Barbados, hosts on 6 February the first regional launch of the United Nations’ Early
Warnings for All initiative (EW4ALL), which aims to ensure that every person on Earth is covered by an

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 early warning system by the year 2027. WMO is one of the leading partners in the initiative. Caribbean
leaders, including the Prime Minister of Barbados, Her Excellency, Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of
Saint Lucia, His Excellency, Philip J. Pierre, the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),
Dr. Carla Barnett, and the Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
(CDEMA), Elizabeth Riley, are launching the initiative.
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the
Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. Bridgetown is the capital and largest city
of Barbados. The Dollar has been the currency of Barbados since 1935. On 30 November 1966, Barbados
gained independence and became a Commonwealth realm with Elizabeth II as Queen of Barbados. On 30 November
2021, Barbados transitioned to a republic within the Commonwealth.
UNESCO names Strasbourg as World Book Capital for 2024
• UNESCO and the World Book Capital Advisory Committee were impressed by Strasbourg’s strong
focus on books to meet the challenges of social tensions and climate change, with programs like ‘Reading
for the Planet’. The city emphasizes books’ ability to encourage debate and discussion of environmental concerns
and scientific knowledge, focusing on young people as agents of change. Following the evaluation of the World
Book Capital Advisory Committee, the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has designated
Strasbourg (France) as World Book Capital for 2024.
Israel’s president became the first world leader to publicly use ChatGPT
• Isaac Herzog, the president of Israel, became the first world leader to publicly use ChatGPT after
delivering a speech partly composed by the AI. Herzog recorded a video message for the “special opening
remarks” at Cybertech Global Tel Aviv 2023, a cybersecurity conference. In front of an audience of 20,000, the
president then revealed that the opening section was written by ChatGPT, before concluding that AI is not
going to replace humans.
Israel is a country in the Middle East, Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is considered
holy to the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Both Israel and
the Palestinian Authority claim Jerusalem as their capital, however, neither claim is widely recognized
internationally. Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel. Israeli new shekel is the currency
of Israel. Isaac Herzog is serving as the current president of Israel since 7 July 2021. Benjamin Netanyahu is the
current Prime Minister of Israel.
Bangladesh: Mohammad Shahabuddin elected President of Bangladesh
• Mohammad Shahabuddin will be the next President of Bangladesh. The Election Commission
of Bangladesh issued a notification to this effect as only one candidate filed his nomination after the
time of nomination and withdrawal was over. A retired judge, Commissioner of Anti-Corruption
Commission and liberation war fighter Mohammad Shahabuddin was nominated for the post by the
ruling Awami League.
• No other party or individual filed nomination for the post. The incumbent President Abdul Hamid’s
tenure is coming to an end on April 23. He served as President for two consecutive terms of five years. The
constitution of Bangladesh does not allow any person to hold the post of President beyond two
terms. Mohammad Shahabuddin was born in Pabna in 1949.
• He took part in the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. Md. Shahabuddin was imprisoned for
several years after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family
members on 15 August 1975. He is a member of the Awami League Advisory Council.
Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It shares land borders with India and Myanmar (Burma). Nepal,
Bhutan and China are located near Bangladesh but do not share a border with it. Dhaka is its capital
and largest city, followed by Chittagong, which has the country’s largest port. Bangladeshi taka is
the currency of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman often shortened as Sheikh
Mujib or Mujib, was a Bangladeshi politician, statesman and Founding Father of Bangladesh who
served as the first President and later as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 17 April 1971 until
his assassination on 15 August 1975. Mohammad Abdul Hamid is the 16th and current President of
Bangladesh, in office since April 2013. Sheikh Hasina is the current Prime Minister of the Bangladesh. India
shares its longest international border with Bangladesh (4,096-kilometer) (2,545-mile).

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Ukraine’s Odesa, the ‘pearl of the Black Sea’, added to Unesco World Heritage list
• The United Nations’ cultural agency, Unesco, has added the historic centre of Ukraine’s city of
Odesa to its World Heritage List, describing it as “the duty of all humanity” to protect it. The status,
awarded by a Unesco panel meeting in Paris is designed to help protect the port city’s cultural heritage, which
has been under threat since Russia’s invasion.
• Odesa blossomed after Russian Empress Catherine the Great decreed in the late 18th century that
it would be the country’s modern maritime gateway. Its location on the shores of the Black Sea allowed it to
become one of the most important ports in the Russian empire but the extent of Russian cultural influence on
the city is a contentious topic.
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest country by area in Europe after Russia,
which it borders to the east and north-east. Ukraine also shares borders with Belarus to the north; Poland,
Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the south; and has a coastline along the
Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. With a population of 43 million, Ukraine is the eighth-most populous country
in Europe. The nation’s capital and largest city is Kyiv. The hryvnia, hryvna, or sometimes gryvnya, has been the
national currency of Ukraine since 2 September 1996. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician, former
actor and comedian, who is the sixth and current President of Ukraine.
Nicola Sturgeon resigns as Scotland’s first minister
• Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation after more than eight years
leading its devolved government, in a shock move jolting British politics on both sides of the border.
• The 52-year-old departs as Scotland’s leader and head of the SNP, the largest party in the devolved
parliament, after facing mounting pressure over her tactics for independence and over transgender rights
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon is the current First Minister of Scotland.
Burkina Faso announces French army operation officially over
• Burkina Faso announced that operations by the French army in the jihadist-hit West African
state were officially over, after bilateral relations soured in recent months. Burkinabe and French forces
in the country held a flag-lowering ceremony to mark the occasion at a camp on the outskirts of the capital
Ouagadougou.
• Last month France confirmed it would withdraw its contingent of hundreds of troops stationed in
Burkina Faso, after the junta ruling the Sahel country demanded the force pull out within four weeks. The
request came days after Burkina’s Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem de Tembela declared Russia
to be a “reasonable” choice of new partner in the anti-jihadist fight. “This does not mean the end of
diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France,” government spokesman Jean-Emmanuel Ouedraogo
told
Bhutanese Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck becomes country’s first digital citizen
• Bhutan’s Royal Highness The Gyalsey (Prince) Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, became the country’s
first digital citizen by onboarding with the Bhutan National Digital Identity (NDI) mobile wallet.
Bhutan NDI uses cutting-edge technology to provide citizens with secure and verifiable identity credentials,
ensuring the privacy and protection of their personal information. The system uses the “self-sovereign identity”
model based on Decentralised Identity (DID) technology, which gives people more control over their personal
information and who can access it.
Bhutan is a landlocked country in South Asia. Thimphu is its capital and largest city, while Phuntsholing
is its financial center. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the current reigning Druk Gyalpo or
“Dragon King” of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Lotay Tshering is the current Prime Minister of Bhutan in
office since 7 November 2018. He has also been the president of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa since 14 May 2018.
Bhutan is the first country in the world to come up with a happiness index and linked it to development,
which is otherwise based on GDP numbers. The ngultrum is the currency of the Kingdom of Bhutan.
Peru declares health emergency over dengue outbreak
• Peru declared a “health emergency” in 13 departments in the country’s north, centre and southeast
due to an outbreak of dengue. The emergency would remain in place for 90 days after the health ministry
recorded more than 11,500 cases and 16 deaths due to the disease so far in 2023.

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 Peru is a country in western South America. Its capital and largest city is Lima. The sol is the currency
of Peru. Anibal Torres Vasquez is the current Prime Minister of Peru.
UAE hosted first I2U2 vice-ministerial meeting
• The United Arab Emirates hosted the first vice-ministerial meeting of the I2U2 in Abu Dhabi. It
was attended by senior officials from the four countries – India, Israel, the United States and the UAE.
Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez led the U.S.
delegation at the meeting in Abu Dhabi.
• Mr. Fernandez represented the U.S. at the I2U2 Business Forum, hosted by the UAE; it is the first
vice-ministerial meeting since the grouping was jointly announced by President Joe Biden, Israeli
Prime Minister Lapid, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. A vice-ministerial level meeting of I2U2 countries including Israel, India, the United States,
and the United Arab Emirates discussed with private sector stakeholders investment opportunities to
address issues related to the management of the energy crisis and food insecurity. During the business
forum, the I2U2 leadership discussed opportunities to advance multi-regional cooperation and investment
opportunities to address some of the region’s most pressing issues, including management of the energy crisis
and food insecurity.
The I2U2 Group is a grouping of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. India,
Israel, the UAE, and the United States held their first joint meeting virtually in October 2021. At the time,
the grouping of the four countries was compared to the Quad. The group’s first joint statement, released on July
14, 2022, states that the countries aim to cooperate on “joint investments and new initiatives in water,
energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.” The inclusion of the UAE and Israel in a
cooperative agreement of this kind was made possible by the Abraham Accords brokered in August
2020, which normalized relations between the two countries.
FATF puts South Africa, Nigeria on ‘grey list’
• Global anti-money laundering watchdog FATF added South Africa and Nigeria to its “grey list” of
countries for failing to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, in a setback to Africa’s
two largest economies. The decision of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) indicates to global
banks, financial institutions and investors that these countries are not fully compliant with anti-money
laundering and terrorist financing standards. South Africa is the second G20 economy after Turkey
to have been added to the FATF grey-list. Iran, North Korea and Myanmar are blacklisted.
The Financial Action Task Force is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1989 in Paris on the
initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering. In 2001, its mandate was expanded
to include terrorism financing. The mandate of the organisation was expanded in 2001 to include
terrorist financing following the September 11 terror attacks. The FATF holds three Plenary meetings
in the course of each of its 12-month rotating presidencies. It currently has 39 members, including two regional
organisations — the European Commission and the Gulf Cooperation Council. India is a member of the
FATF consultations and its Asia Pacific Group.
Sri Lanka gives nod to $442-million wind project of Adani Group
• Crisis-hit Sri Lanka has approved a $442-million wind power project of Adani Green Energy. “Adani,
a leading Indian company” received the project approval “to start two wind power plants in Mannar and
Pooneryn areas of Northern Sri Lanka”.
Legal age rises to 18 in England and Wales to crack down on forced marriage
• A new law raising the legal age for marriage in England and Wales to 18 years has come into force
aimed at protecting vulnerable young people from being forced into weddings against their will.
Until now, those aged 16 or 17 could get married with parental consent as there was no law against
ceremonies for younger children not registered as vulnerable with their local councils.
Australia’s Deakin University to become the first foreign varsity to set up campus in India
• Australia’s Deakin University is set to become the first foreign university to enter India via an
independent campus in Gujarat’s GIFT City. An announcement is likely during Australian Prime Minister
Anthony Norman Albanese visit to Ahmedabad. Deakin is ranked 266th in the QS World University
Rankings and features among the top 50 young universities in the world.

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 Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) is central business district under-construction in
Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad in Gandhinagar district in Gujarat, India. It is India’s first operational
greenfield smart city and international financial services center, which the Government of Gujarat promoted
as a greenfield project. GIFT City, an emerging global financial and IT services hub and a first-of-its-kind
in India, is designed to be at or above par with globally benchmarked business districts. GIFT City
presents us with a one-time opportunity to create a corporate haven “like Delware island” that while being
under Indian control, can provide entrepreneurs and investors with the best of both worlds.
Green Fiscal Incentives Policy Framework
• The fifth chapter concludes with an overview of the governance structures to implement the policy. The Green
Fiscal Incentives Policy Framework seeks to steer Kenya’s economy onto a desired low-carbon
climate-resilient green development pathway through a variety of fiscal and economic mechanisms.
Kenya is a country in East Africa. Kenya’s capital and largest city is Nairobi. The shilling is the currency
of Kenya. William Ruto is serving as the current President of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Kenya is
a presidential representative democratic republic, in which elected officials represent the people and the president
is the head of state and government. The current constitution was adopted in 2010 and replaced the 1963
independence constitution.
Bola Tinubu declared winner in Nigeria’s presidential election
• Ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu the winner of Nigeria’s presidential election early on March 1,
with the two leading opposition candidates already demanding a revote in Africa’s most populous nation. Mr.
Tinubu received 37% of the vote, or nearly 8.8 million, while the main opposition candidate Mr. Abubakar won
29% with almost 7 million. Third-place finisher Mr. Obi took 25% with about 6.1 million.
Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa. Abuja is the capital and
eighth most populous city of Nigeria. The naira is the currency of Nigeria.
Vietnam parliament elects Vo Van Thuong as new President
• Vietnam’s National Assembly elected Vo Van Thuong as the country’s new President, in a reshuffle of
the country’s top leadership amid an anti-graft campaign. In an extraordinary session, lawmakers confirmed
Thuong after the ruling Communist Party nominated him as President.
Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Hanoi is the capital of
Vietnam. The dong has been the currency of Vietnam since May 3, 1978. Vo Van Thuong is serving as the
President of Vietnam since 2023, being the youngest person to serve in this position under the current
Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
PM Narendra Modi, Hasina to inaugurate First India-Bangladesh Cross-Border Oil Pipeline
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina will jointly inaugurate
the first cross-border oil pipeline between the two countries for diesel transportation on March 18.
• New Delhi would use the 130 km India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP), built from approximately
Rs. 3.46 billion, drawn from the Indian Line of Credit (LoC), to export diesel to Dhaka.
UN inks first ‘High Seas Treaty’ in a bid to protect ocean bodies of the world
• The United Nations inked the first ‘High Seas Treaty’ in a bid to protect the ocean bodies of the
world that lie outside the national boundaries and form almost two-thirds of the world’s oceans. The
treaty is an outcome of a decade of talks on this environmental concern. The agreement was reached after 38
hours of talks, at UN headquarters in New York.
• The previous negotiations failed to conclude due to disagreements on funding and fishing rights.
The last international agreement on ocean protection was signed 40 years ago in 1982 – the UN Convention
on the Law of the Sea. The UN High Seas Treaty now brings 30 percent of the world’s oceans into
the protected domain, puts more money into marine conservation and sets new rules for mining at sea.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention
or the Law of the Sea Treaty, is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all
marine and maritime activities. UNCLOS came into force in 1994 and it is headquartered at Montego
Bay, Jamaica. In 2023, agreement was reached on a High Seas Treaty to be added as an instrument of
the convention, to protect ocean life in international waters. This would provide measures including Marine
Protected Areas and environmental impact assessments.

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Qatar’s emir names new PM, reappoints energy and finance ministers in cabinet reshuffle
• Qatar’s ruling emir swore in a new prime minister, who retained his role as the Gulf Arab state’s foreign
minister, in a government reshuffle that reappointed the finance and energy ministers of the wealthy natural
gas producing country. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani named Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Abdulrahman al-Thani as prime minister to replace Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz al-
Thani, who had held the post since 2020.
Qatar is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the
Arabian Peninsula, and shares its sole land border with neighbouring Gulf Cooperation Council monarchy
Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The capital is Doha,
home to over 80% of the nation’s population. The Qatari riyal is the currency of the State of Qatar. Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the Emir of Qatar.
Iran Unveils World’s First ‘Air Defense Boat’ Capable of Firing Deadly Missiles from Its
Vertical Launch System – Analyst
• Iran’s second navy, under the IRGC, has developed the world’s first very small air-defense boat
amid rising concerns about Tehran’s burgeoning military power that is seen as a threat by countries
in the Persian Gulf and Israel. The development of a small defense boat is unique in its own right. This is the
first-of-its-kind vessel Iran has likely produced for domestic use by the Revolutionary Guard Corps
Navy.
• The vessel is reportedly named the ‘Zulfiqar-class,’ which is confusing as a host of other equipment in the
Iranian military go by that name. Sutton believes that this small air defense boat has short-range surface-to-air
missiles (likely the Nawab) as its primary armament.
Colombia opens military service to women for first time in 25 years
• Colombia has opened military service to women for the first time in 25 years. A cohort of 1,296 women
have been enlisted in Colombia’s Army. Colombia has long had compulsory military service for men ages 18
to 24. The army relies heavily on those young recruits to staff bases, protect infrastructure and carry out
administrative tasks, while its professional soldiers confront drug trafficking gangs and rebel groups. This year,
officials allowed females in the same age range to voluntarily join the military, in what the army says is part of
an effort to strengthen the role of women in its ranks.
Colombia is a country in South America with an insular region in North America. The Capital city
is Bogota. The Colombian peso is the currency of Colombia. Gustavo Petro has been the President of
Colombia since 7 August 2022.
Xi Jinping elected as Chinese President for third time
• Xi Jinping has been elected as President of China for the unprecedented third term. Nearly 3,000
members of China’s rubber-stamp parliament - National People’s Congress (NPC) voted unanimously for Xi
Jinping to be president.
• There was no other candidate in the election. In 2018, Xi Jinping himself had removed the two-term limit on the
presidency. He was also elected for a third term as chairman of China’s Central Military Commission. China’s
parliament also elected Zhao Leji as the new parliament chair and Han Zheng as the new vice president.
China is a country in East Asia and the world’s most populous country, with a population of around
1.404 billion. Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China. Xi Jinping is serving as president of the
People’s Republic of China. National People’s Congress is the national legislature of the People’s Republic of
China. With 2,980 members in 2018, it is the largest parliamentary body in the world. China’s currency
yuan joins the International Monetary Fund’s basket of reserve currencies. China claims sovereignty
over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries,
including Vietnam, Philippines and Brunei, have made counterclaims. Chinese claims in the South
China Sea are described in part by the nine-dash line. China and India are the two neighbouring
countries in Asia. India shares 3488 km of border with China that runs along the states of Jammu
and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. The Belt and Road
Initiative, known in Chinese and formerly in English as One Belt One Road or OBOR for short, is a global
infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 70
countries and international organizations.

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Indonesia unveils construction site of new capital city
• Located in eastern Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, Nusantara is set to replace Jakarta as
Indonesia’s political centre by summer 2024. It will sprawl across 256,000 hectares in East Kalimantan
province on the Indonesian part of Borneo, an island the country shares with Malaysia and Brunei.
• Orange-red ground has been broken in the jungle of East Borneo, where the Indonesian government has begun
construction of its new capital city. Indonesia began construction of the new capital in mid-2022, after
President Joko Widodo announced that Jakarta — the congested, polluted current capital that is
prone to earthquakes and rapidly sinking into the Java Sea — would be retired from capital status.
Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists
of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. Indonesia is
the world’s largest island country and the 14th-largest country by area. With about 270 million people,
Indonesia is the world’s fourth-most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority
country. Java, the world’s most populous island, is home to more than half of the country’s population.
The rupiah (Rp) is the official currency of Indonesia.

Nepal elects Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepali Congress as new President

• Ram Chandra Poudel of Nepali Congress was elected as the third President of Nepal. Poudel, a
common candidate of eight-party alliance that included Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Center), received
the vote of 214 lawmakers of parliament and 352 provincial assembly members. This is the third presidential
election in Nepal since the country became a republic in 2008.
Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia. Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains,
subalpine forested hills, and eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the
highest point on Earth. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural state, with
Nepali as the official language. Kathmandu is the nation’s capital and the largest city. The name “Nepal” is first
recorded in texts from the Vedic period of the Indian subcontinent, the era in ancient Nepal when
Hinduism was founded, the predominant religion of the country. The Constitution of Nepal, adopted in
2015, affirms Nepal as a secular federal parliamentary republic divided into seven provinces. Pushpa
Kamal Dahal is serving as the Prime Minister of Nepal since December 2022. Bidya Devi Bhandari
served as the second president of Nepal and she is the first woman to hold the office in the country.
Nepalese rupee is the official currency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Ram Chandra Paudel is
serving as the third President of Nepal since March 2023.

Afghanistan world’s most repressive country for women: U.N.

• Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country has become the most repressive in the world
for women and girls, deprived of many of their basic rights. The U.N. mission said that Afghanistan’s
new rulers have shown an almost “singular focus on imposing rules that leave most women and girls effectively
trapped in their homes.”
• Despite initial promises of a more moderate stance, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures since seizing
power as U.S. and NATO forces were in the final weeks of their pullout from Afghanistan after two decades
of war. Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade and women are barred from working,
studying, traveling without a male companion, and even going to parks or bath houses. Women must
also cover themselves from head to toe and are barred from working at national and international
non-governmental organizations, disrupting the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Afghanistan is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. It is bordered by
Pakistan and India to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to
the north, and China to the northeast. It is inhabited by 31.4 million people as of 2020, with 4.6 million
living in the capital and largest city, Kabul. Hibatullah Akhundzada is the third Supreme Commander of
the Taliban and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Abdul Ghani Baradar is the First Vice Emir of the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The afghani is the currency of it. The twenty-year-long war between the
government and the Taliban reached a climax with the 2021 Taliban offensive and the resulting fall of
Kabul which returned the Taliban to power.

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Navies of India, Australia, Japan, US, France and UK to participate in Exercise La
Perouse
• The two-day multi-lateral maritime exercise ‘La Perouse’, involving participation of personnel, ships
and integral helicopters of Royal Australian Navy, French Navy, Indian Navy, Japanese Maritime Self
Defence Force, Royal Navy and the United States Navy, kick-started in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The third edition of the multilateral exercise La Perouse was conducted in the Indian Ocean Region from
March 13-14. The biennial exercise La Perouse is conducted by the French Navy and aims to enhance
maritime domain awareness and optimise maritime coordination amongst the participating navies
in the Indo-Pacific region. It will be a challenge also to China’s aggression in the South China Sea
and the Indo-Pacific region.
Indian Navy, Royal Saudi Navy prepare for India-Saudi Arabia Naval Exercise ‘Al-Mohed-
Al Hindi-23’
• Indian Navy Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces met in Mumbai and gave final touches to preparations
for India-Saudi Arabia Naval Exercise ‘Al-Mohed-Al Hindi-23’ planned for May 2023 in Saudi Arabia’s
Jubail.
• The exercise will be the second such Naval Exercise. The first was in August 2021. Al-Mohed-Al
Hindi is a joint Naval Exercise between India and Saudi Arabia. The decision on the Bilateral exercise
was taken during the Riyadh Summit held in 2019. The exercise aims to carry out tactical manoeuvres,
search and rescue operations, and an electronic warfare drill to enhance interoperability.
Saudi Arabia is a country on the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by the Red Sea to
the west; Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; the Persian Gulf, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the
east; Oman to the southeast; and Yemen to the south. Bahrain is an island country off the east coast. Its capital
and largest city is Riyadh. The Saudi riyal is the currency of Saudi Arabia. Mohammed bin Salman is
the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is King of Saudi
Arabia, reigning since 2015. Petroleum was discovered in 1938 and followed up by several other finds
in the Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia has since become the world’s second-largest oil producer (behind
the US) and the world’s largest oil exporter, controlling the world’s second-largest oil reserves and
the fourth-largest gas reserves.
NewsGPT: World’s first AI-generated ‘bias free’ news channel launched
• In a groundbreaking move, the world’s first news channel generated entirely by artificial intelligence
has been launched. NewsGPT, as it’s called, aims to revolutionize the way news is delivered to the
public by providing unbiased, fact-based news without any hidden agendas or biases. As per NewsGPT
CEO Alan Levy, NewsGPT is a game changer.
• NewsGPT can only be accessed via the website: newsgpt.ai. It is not available as a mobile app
as of yet. Powered by machine learning algorithms and natural language processing technology,
NewsGPT scans relevant news sources from around the world in real-time to create news stories and reports
that are accurate, up-to-date, and unbiased.
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina offers India to use Chattogram, Sylhet ports
• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has offered India to utilise the country’s ports in
Chattogram and Sylhet, asserting that it would boost connectivity and enhance people-to-people contacts in
the region. The Chhattogram port is an important seaport in Bangladesh, which is strategically located due to
its proximity to India’s north-eastern States.
Kosovo and Serbia fail to sign agreement
• Kosovo and Serbia stopped short of signing a potentially landmark deal after holding a marathon
round of talks, even as the EU hailed progress toward reaching a long-sought agreement between the arch-foes.
The latest round of high-stakes negotiations followed months of EU-mediated shuttle diplomacy, nearly 25
years after the war between ethnic Albanian insurgents and Serb forces sparked a NATO bombing
campaign that ended the conflict and saw Serbian government personnel and security forces pull
out from the breakaway territory.
• Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic engaged in
negotiations during a summit in North Macedonia’s Ohrid, picking over an 11-point plan unveiled by the
EU last month during a Brussels summit. But in the end, they failed to iron out a final agreement that could be
signed by both.

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 The dispute over Kosovo is centuries-old. Serbia cherishes the region as the heart of its statehood and
religion. Numerous medieval Serb Orthodox Christian monasteries are in Kosovo. Serb nationalists view a
1389 battle against Ottoman Turks there as a symbol of its national struggle. Kosovo’s majority ethnic
Albanians, most of whom are Muslim, view Kosovo as their country and accuse Serbia of occupation
and repression. Ethnic Albanian rebels launched a rebellion in 1998 to rid the country of Serbian
rule. Belgrade’s brutal response prompted a NATO intervention in 1999, which forced Serbia to pull
out and cede control to international peacekeepers. Kosovo is a mainly ethnic Albanian territory that
declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The Serbian government has refused to recognize Kosovo’s
statehood and still considers it part of Serbia, even though it has no formal control there. Over 100 countries
have recognized Kosovo’s independence, including the United States and most Western countries. Russia,
China and five European Union nations have sided with Serbia. The deadlock has kept tensions simmering
and prevented the Balkan region’s full stabilization following the bloody breakup of former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
43,000 estimated dead in Somalia drought last year
• A new report says an estimated 43,000 people died amid the longest drought on record in Somalia
last year and half of them likely were children. It is the first official death toll announced in the drought
withering large parts of the Horn of Africa.
Somalia is a country in the Horn of Africa. Mogadishu is the capital and most populous city of Somalia.
The Somali shilling is the official currency of Somalia. The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the
Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa. It is composed of Ethiopia,
Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has served as the president of Somalia since
May 2022. Hamza Abdi Barre is currently serving as the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of
Somalia. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa’s mainland.
Honduras and China establish diplomatic ties in blow to Taiwan
• China and Honduras began formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan accusing Beijing of using
“coercion and intimidation” to lure away its few remaining allies. The switch, just days after Honduran
Foreign Minister Enrique Reina visited Beijing, leaves Taiwan with just 13 countries that recognise it over
China, having lost several Latin American allies in recent years. China considers self-ruled, democratic
Taiwan a part of its territory, to be retaken one day – by force, if necessary. Under its ‘One China’
policy, it does not allow countries to recognise both Beijing and Taipei.
• “The government of the Republic of Honduras recognises the existence of only one China in the world, and
that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government that represents
all of China,” the ministry said. “Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory.” Taiwan’s President
Tsai Ing-wen said the switch was “part of... China’s coercion and intimidation” of Taipei’s allies.
Honduras is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala,
to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of
Fonseca, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city
is Tegucigalpa. The lempira is the currency of Honduras. Xiomara Castro is the current and first female
President.
Greenland to stay in daylight saving time forever
• Residents of Greenland have switched to daylight saving time and moved their clocks one hour
forward this weekend for the very last time. Unlike most of Europe, Greenlanders will leave their clocks
untouched come autumn when daylight saving time ends. While Europe and the U.S. debates whether to stick
to the twice-yearly practice, Greenland — a vast Danish semi-independent territory in the Arctic — has resolved
to perennially remain only three hours behind Copenhagen and most other European countries instead of four.
• Greenland is part the Danish Realm and its southernmost tip is more than 3,200 kilometers (nearly 2,000
miles) west of Copenhagen. Its 56,000 people mainly Inuit, indigenous people who chiefly live on the west coast
in small towns and hamlets or remote coastal settlements.
Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the most populous and politically central
constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous
territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean. The krone is the
official currency of Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, introduced on 1 January 1875.
Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark.

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Saudi Arabia joins Shanghai Cooperation Organization as ties with Beijing grow
• Saudi Arabia’s cabinet approved a decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as Riyadh
builds a long-term partnership with China despite U.S. security concerns. Saudi Arabia has approved a
memorandum on granting the kingdom the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO).
• Dialogue Partners refer to individual sovereign states and not members, but with a special interest and/or
capacity to contribute, particularly in the areas of common interest. The number of dialogue partners in
SCO is 7 (including Saudi Arabia).
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), also known as the Shanghai Pact, is a transcontinental
political, economic, security, and military alliance. It is a permanent intergovernmental international
organization. The creation of SCO was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China). The Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed during the St. Petersburg SCO Heads of State meeting
in June 2002, and entered into force on 19 September 2003. In terms of geographic scope and population, it
is the world’s largest regional organization, covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia, 40% of the world
population, and more than 30% of global GDP. The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, a mutual
security agreement formed in 1996 between China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. Its
membership has since expanded to eight states, with India and Pakistan joining on 9 June 2017. Iran
started accession as a full member in September 2021 at the Dushanbe Summit in Tajikistan. Iran has been
accepted as the ninth full member of the organisation. Several countries are engaged as observers or partners.
The SCO is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making body, which
meets once a year. Military exercises are also regularly conducted among members to promote cooperation and
coordination against terrorism and other external threats, and to maintain regional peace and stability.
Russia stops sharing missile test info with U.S., launches drills of its nuclear missile forces
• Russia will no longer inform the U.S. about its missile tests, an announcement that came as the Russian
military deployed mobile launchers in Siberia in a show of the country’s massive nuclear capability amid the
fighting in Ukraine. Moscow has halted all information exchanges with Washington after previously
suspending its participation in the last remaining nuclear arms pact with the U.S.
• Along with the data about the current state of the countries’ nuclear forces routinely released every
six months in compliance with the New START treaty, the parties also have exchanged advance warnings
about test launches and deployments of their nuclear weapons. Such notices have been an essential element of
strategic stability for decades, allowing Russia and the United States to correctly interpret each other’s moves
and make sure that neither country mistakes a test launch for a missile attack.
Russia or the Russian Federation is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern
Asia. It is the largest country in the world; covering over 17,125,191 square kilometres (6,612,073 sq mi),
consisting of more than one-eighth of the Earth’s inhabited land area, extending to eleven time zones,
and has bordering sixteen sovereign nations, the most of any country in the world. Vladimir Putin is
serving as the current President of Russia since 2012, previously being in the office from 1999 until 2008. He
was also Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. Russian ruble or rouble is the
currency of the Russian Federation. Mikhail Mishustin is serving as Prime Minister of Russia since 16
January 2020.
UK joins trans-Pacific trade pact in biggest post-Brexit deal
• Britain had struck a deal to join an 11-country trans-Pacific trade pact which includes Japan and
Australia as it looks to deepen ties in the region and build its global trade links after leaving the European
Union. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain had agreed to join the Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in a moveto have the biggest trade deal since Brexit.
• The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), also known
as TPP11 or TPP-11,is a trade agreement among Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. It evolved from the Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP), which was never ratified due to the withdrawal of the United States. The eleven signatories
have combined economies representing 13.4 percent of global gross domestic product, at approximately
US$13.5 trillion, making the CPTPP one of the world’s largest free-trade areas by GDP, along with the United
States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, the European single market, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership. The TPP had been signed on 4 February 2016 but never entered into force, as the U.S.
withdrew from the agreement soon after the election of president Donald Trump.

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 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom
(UK) or Britain is a sovereign country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland.
It comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom includes the island
of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands within the
British Isles. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The
capital and largest city is London, a global city and financial centre with a metropolitan area population of over
14 million. Sterling is the official currency of the United Kingdom and its associated territories. Charles
III (Charles Philip Arthur George) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to
accede to the British throne upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022. Rishi Sunak
is the current Prime Minister.
Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan appointed as Vice-President of UAE
• With the approval of the UAE Federal Supreme Council, Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been
appointed as the UAE Vice-President, and the incumbent Vice president Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, will also continue in the same role.
• Sheikh Mansour has been a vital part of the UAE’s political landscape since 2004, when he was
appointed as Minister of Presidential Affairs. He has played a key role in overseeing the Presidential
Court and the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, as well as chairing several government institutions, including
the Ministerial Development Council and the Emirates Investment Authority.
• The new Vice-President is also the Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and a member
of the Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council. He has served on the boards of numerous investment
institutions, including the National Archives, Abu Dhabi Development Fund, Board of Abu Dhabi Food Control
Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
Abu Dhab is the capital and the second most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (the most
populous being Dubai), and also capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the UAE’s seven
emirates. United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federal sovereign absolute monarchy in Western Asia. Khalifa
Al Nahyan is the current President of the United Arab Emirates. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
is the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Ruler of the Emirate
of Dubai. United Arab Emirates dirham is the currency of the United Arab Emirates. It is bordered
by Saudi Arabia to the west and south and by Oman to the east and northeast. The land border with
Qatar in the Khawr al Udayd area is a source of ongoing dispute.
Donald Trump indicted over hush money by a Manhattan grand jury; 1st ex-President
charged with crime
• Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defence lawyers
making him the first former U.S. President to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the
White House next year. The charges centre on payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign
to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. They mark an extraordinary development after
years of investigations into Mr. Trump’s business, political and personal dealings.
• Charges in New York come after a years-long investigation into a payment made by Trump’s personal
lawyer to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. A grand jury has voted to
indict him after investigating a $130,000 pay-out to Stormy Daniels in an attempt to silence her over
an alleged affair.
• Stormy Daniels has said she received money in exchange for keeping silent about a sexual encounter
she had with Trump in 2006. The former president’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen has said he coordinated
with Trump on the payments to Daniels and to a second woman, former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who
also said she had a sexual relationship with him.
Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as
the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump’s political positions have been described
as populist, protectionist, isolationist, and nationalist. He won the 2016 U.S. presidential election as the
Republican nominee against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton despite losing the national popular vote.
He became the first U.S. president with no prior military or government service. Trump is the only American
president to have been impeached twice. In March of that year, a Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump
on 34 felony counts of fraud, making him the first former president to face criminal charges; he pleaded
not guilty to all counts.

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Finland tops World Happiness rankings for sixth straight year
• The annual World Happiness Report, published by the United Nations Sustainable Development
Solutions Network, has just been released, and it reveals that Finland remains the happiest country
in the world for the sixth consecutive year. The report is based on data from the main life evaluation
question in the Gallup World Poll, which measures how happy citizens perceive themselves to be.
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network showed Finland scores
“significantly ahead of all other countries” in the ranking, followed by Denmark in the second place
and Iceland in third. Lebanon and Afghanistan came last, while Lithuania was among the biggest gainers,
climbing up more than 30 places since 2017 to rank number 20 now.
• The report ranked the top 10 happiest countries, with Finland in the lead followed by Denmark,
Iceland, Israel, and the Netherlands. Other European countries such as Sweden, Norway, Switzerland,
and Luxembourg also made the top 10. New Zealand was the only non-European country to make it to the top
10. The rankings are based on a range of factors such as social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life
choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
• India’s position in the World Happiness Report has improved from 136 to 126, although it is still
behind its neighboring countries such as Nepal, China, and Bangladesh. Despite having the world’s
fastest-growing economy, India’s ranking in the report has consistently been low, leading some to
question how it can be ranked lower than countries in turmoil.
• Despite the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both countries rank higher than India in the
World Happiness Report, with Russia ranked 70th and Ukraine ranked 92nd. The report indicates that
both countries experienced increased levels of kindness in 2020 and 2021, but in 2022, Ukraine saw
a sharp rise in benevolence while it declined in Russia.
• The World Happiness Report also highlights the least happy countries, with Afghanistan ranking
as the unhappiest country out of the 137 nations surveyed. The report also highlighted other nations
such as Lebanon, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as being among the unhappiest countries,
largely due to factors such as high levels of corruption and low life expectancy.
Sri Lanka to be first country in Asia to come under IMF’s governance diagnostic exercise
• Sri Lanka will be the first country in Asia to undergo a governance diagnostic exercise by the IMF
which will assess corruption and governance vulnerabilities in the debt-trapped country.
• The International Monetary Fund’s Executive Board approved a 48-month extended arrangement under
its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (about USD 3 billion) to
help Sri Lanka overcome its economic crisis. The IMF emphasised the importance of anti-corruption and
governance reforms as a central pillar of the EFF-supported programme.
Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of the
Bay of Bengal. Sri Lanka is separated from the India by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri
Jayewardenepura Kotte is the official, administrative capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is the commercial
capital and largest city of Sri Lanka. Ranil Wickremesinghe is the current President of Sri Lanka, in office
since January 2015. Sri Lankan rupee is the currency of Sri Lanka. Dinesh Gunawardena is the current
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
QS World University Rankings by Subject: IIT Bombay ranks first in India in Engineering
and Technology
• IIT Bombay has been ranked first in India and 47th globally in Engineering and Technology with an
overall score of 80.4 out of 100 in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject for 2023.
• The institute has been ranked in 4 out of 5 broad subject areas, which include Engineering & Technology,
Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Management, and Arts and Humanities. Overall, the Institution improved
its 2022 performance by 18 places, IIT Bombay said in a statement.
• IIT-B has been ranked (51-100) for Art and Design, 66th for Computer Science & Information Technology,
51-100 for Civil & Structural Engineering, 77th for Chemical Engineering, 54th for Electrical & Electronics
Engineering, 68th for Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering, and 37 for Minerals & Mining.
• Parameter-wise, in Academic Reputation, IIT Bombay’s best performance is in Mathematics, in
which it scores 78.6; in Employer Reputation, the Institute’s best performance is in Engineering – Mineral
& Mining where it earned a score of 88.1; In Citations per Paper, IIT Bombay’s best performance is in
Engineering – Mineral and Mining, earning a highest-score 88.8.

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India remains world’s top arms importer: SIPRI report
• India remained the world’s top arms importer, but its imports declined by 11 per cent between 2013-
17 and 2018-22, according to a report released by Stockholm-based defence think-tank SIPRI. The decline was
linked to a complex procurement process, efforts to diversify arms suppliers and attempts to replace imports
with local designs.
• The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said the five largest arms importers
in the world during 2018-22 were India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Australia and China. The five largest
arms exporters were the United States, Russia, France, China and Germany.
• With an 11% share of total global arms imports, India was the world’s biggest importer of major
arms in 2018–22, a position it has held for the period 1993–2022. India remained the top importer despite
an 11% drop in its arms import between 2013-17 and 2018-22.
• Russia was India’s largest arms supplier in the periods between 2013-17 and 2018-22, but its share of
arms imports to India fell from 64% to 45% while France emerged as the second-largest arms supplier
to India between 2018-22 at 29%, followed by the US at 11%.
• Russia’s position as India’s main arms supplier is under pressure owing to strong competition from other
supplier states, increased Indian arms production, and, since 2022, constraints on Russia’s arms exports
related to its invasion of Ukraine. India also imported arms during this five-year period from Israel,
South Korea, and South Africa which are among the top arms exporters globally.
• India was the third-largest arms supplier to Myanmar during this period after Russia and China and
comprised 14% of its imports. Arms imports by Pakistan increased by 14% between 2013–17 and 2018–22
and accounted for 3.7% of the global total with China supplying 77% of Pakistan’s arms imports in 2018–22.
• While the global level of international arms transfers decreased by 5.1%, imports of major arms by
European states increased by 47% between 2013–17 and 2018–22 in the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. The
U.S. share of global arms exports increased from 33% to 40% while Russia’s fell from 22% to 16%.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is an international institute based
in Stockholm. It was founded in 1966 in Stockholm, Sweden and provides data, analysis and
recommendations for armed conflict, military expenditure and arms trade as well as disarmament and
arms control. The research is based on open sources and is directed to decision-makers, researchers,
media and the interested public.
Russia assumes UN Security Council presidency
• Russia took over the presidency of the UN’s top security body, which rotates every month. The last
time Moscow held the post was in February 2022, when its troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Finland clears last hurdle to join NATO, flanked by Turkey
• Lawmakers unanimously backed the Nordic country’s accession two weeks after President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly blessed the bid. Turkey’s approval leaves Finland – which has a
1,300-kilometre (800-mile) border with Russia – with only a few technical steps before it becomes the 31st
member of the world’s most powerful military bloc. Finland and its neighbour Sweden ended decades of
military non-alignment and decided to join NATO last May.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance between 31
member states, 29 of which are in Europe and the other 2 being part of North America. Established in
the aftermath of World War II, the organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty, signed 4 April
1949. NATO constitutes a system of collective security, whereby its independent member states agree
to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. It was established during the Cold
War in response to the threat posed by the Soviet Union. The NATO headquarters is located in Brussels,
Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium. Since its founding,
the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12 countries to 30.
The most recent member state to be added to NATO was North Macedonia on 27 March 2020. NATO
currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine as aspiring members.
Italian government seeks to ban English, other foreign languages in official
communication
• Italians who use English and other foreign words in official communications could face fines of
up to 100,000 Pounds or 108,705 Dollars under new legislation introduced by Prime Minister Giorgia
Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party.

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 Italy is a country that consists of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and several islands surrounding it.
Italy is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, in Southern Europe. A unitary parliamentary republic
with Rome as its capital. Euro is the currency of it. Sergio Mattarella is the current President of Italy.
Giorgia Meloni has been serving as the Prime Minister of Italy since 22 October 2022, the first woman to
hold this position.
Finland PM Sanna Marin ousted, conservatives win tight vote
• Finland’s main conservative party claimed victory in a parliamentary election in an extremely tight
three-way race in which right-wing populists took second place, leaving Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s
Social Democratic Party in third, dashing her hopes for reelection.
• The center-right National Coalition Party (NCP) claimed victory with all of the votes counted,
coming out on top at 20.8%. They were followed by right-wing Populist Party The Finns with 20.1%,
while the Social Democrats garnered 19.9%. Orpo, Finland’s former finance minister and likely new
prime minister assured that the Nordic country’s solidarity with Kyiv would remain strong during his tenure.
Finland is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the
north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, across
from Estonia. Helsinki is the capital and largest city. Euro is the official currency of it.
Self-driving buses to serve route in Scotland in ‘world first’
• Self-driving buses will begin carrying passengers over Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge next month in
what has been hailed as a world first. Five single-decker buses will cover the 14-mile route from 15 May,
carrying up to 10,000 passengers every week between the Ferrytoll Park and ride in Fife and the Edinburgh
Park train and tram interchange.
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland.
Humza Haroon Yousaf is the current First Minister of Scotland.
Finland joined NATO military alliance
• NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Finland has become the 31st member of the military
alliance. A flag raising ceremony to add the Finnish flag to those of the other members will take place at NATO
headquarters.
• Finland became an official member of the NATO military alliance, prompted by Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine last year. The Nordic nation is the 31st country
to join the alliance, which vows in its treaty that an attack on one of its members is an attack on them all.
It’s a historic moment for Finland, which has followed a path of neutrality for decades.
• Authorities in Helsinki decided that in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February
2022, the country was no longer safe on its own and applied to join the alliance a few months later.
Finland shares an 832-mile border with Russia, the longest of any European Union member. NATO’s
border with Russia will roughly double in size after Finland’s accession.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance between 31
member states, 29 of which are in Europe and the other 2 being part of North America. Established in
the aftermath of World War II, the organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty, signed 4 April
1949. NATO constitutes a system of collective security, whereby its independent member states agree
to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. It was established during the Cold
War in response to the threat posed by the Soviet Union. The NATO headquarters is located in Brussels,
Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium. Since its founding,
the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12 countries to 30.
The most recent member state to be added to NATO was North Macedonia on 27 March 2020. NATO
currently recognizes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine as aspiring members.
‘MF Hydra’: World’s first liquid hydrogen-powered ferry gets operational
• Norwegian company Norled has successfully launched the world’s first ferry that runs on liquid
hydrogen. The vessel, called MF Hydra, is a hybrid that uses both batteries and liquid hydrogen
fuel cells. It underwent sea trials for two weeks after initial testing at Hjelmeland quay earlier this year.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) has given final approval for the ferry to operate. This milestone
achievement is a significant step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime industry, as
hydrogen fuel cells produce only clean water as a byproduct.

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• The world’s first liquid hydrogen-powered ferry launched by the Norwegian business Norled is
operational now. The 82.4-meter-long ferry can carry up to 300 passengers and 80 vehicles and decrease its
yearly carbon emissions by up to 95%. The ferry has an 80 cbm hydrogen storage tank, which should allow it to
decrease its yearly carbon emissions by up to 95%.
UK joins trans-Pacific trade bloc in a deal likely to boost GDP by less than 0.1%
• Britain has reached an agreement to join a major free trade bloc in the Pacific region. The country
will become the first new member, and the first in Europe, to join the Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) since it came into force in 2018.
• Although the government called the agreement its “biggest trade deal since Brexit,” its own estimates
show that joining the CPTPP will increase UK economic output by less than 0.1% in the long run, or
over approximately 15 years.
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), also known
as TPP11 or TPP-11, is a trade agreement among Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia,
Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. It evolved from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),
which was never ratified due to the withdrawal of the United States. The eleven signatories have combined
economies representing 13.4 percent of global gross domestic product, at approximately US$13.5 trillion, making
the CPTPP one of the world’s largest free-trade areas by GDP, along with the United States–Mexico–
Canada Agreement, the European single market, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
The TPP had been signed on 4 February 2016 but never entered into force, as the U.S. withdrew from
the agreement soon after the election of president Donald Trump. On 31 October 2018, Australia was
the sixth nation to ratify the agreement; it subsequently came into force for the initial six ratifying
countries on 30 December 2018.
Bangladesh receives 450 MW from Godda plant of Adani power
• Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) received 450 MW of electricity from the Godda
plant of Adani Power. It was further increased to 750 MW. The Adani Power plant in Godda, Jharkhand
had conducted a 14-day reliability test during which uninterrupted supply for 72 hours at peak load was tested.
• Adani Power and BPDB completed the work of the transmission line before the test run. The Power
Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) constructed 134 kilometres of transmission line from the Chapainawabganj
border to the Bogra substation for receiving electricity from the Godda plant of Adani Power.
Protests continue in Georgia despite ruling party’s promise to drop ‘foreign agent’ bill
• In Georgia, thousands of protesters took to the streets despite the ruling party’s promise to drop
a controversial foreign agent bill. The protesters opposed to the law that would impose registration
requirements on media and NGOs with foreign ties.
Georgia is a transcontinental country at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is part of
the Caucasus region, bounded by the Black Sea to the west, Russia to the north and northeast, Turkey to the
southwest, Armenia to the south, and by Azerbaijan to the southeast. Tbilisi is its capital and largest city.
The lari is the currency of Georgia. Salome Zourabichvili is currently serving as the President of Georgia
and Irakli Garibashvili is currently serving as the Prime Minister of Georgia.
Iran, Saudi Arabia sign statement on re-establishing ties
• The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Beijing for the first formal meeting of their
top diplomats in more than seven years, after China brokered a deal to restore ties between the regional rivals.
Iran and Saudi Arabia will restore diplomatic relations within the two-month period stipulated in
an agreement facilitated by China, a joint statement signed by the two countries. The two countries will
continue coordination to examine ways to expand cooperation, including resuming flights and bilateral visits,
in addition to facilitating visas for citizens.
Iran also known as Persia and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country located in Western
Asia. Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. The rial is the official currency of Iran. Ebrahim Raisi
is current President of Iran. Ali Hosseini Khamenei is the second and current supreme leader of Iran,
in office since 1989.
Finland maintained its position as the country with the happiest population for the sixth
year in a row
• Finland has maintained its position as the country with the happiest population for the sixth year
in a row, according to the World Happiness Report 2023 released. The World Happiness Report surveys
people’s satisfaction with their lives in different countries.

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• The report, compiled by scientists in the United States and based on surveys by the Gallup Institute,
asks a nationally-representative sample of people how satisfied they are with their lives. Along with Finland,
Denmark and Iceland rounded up the top three happy countries.
• Israel climbed five spots to be in fourth place this year, with the Netherlands in fifth. Other countries
in the top ten include Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg and New Zealand, DW reported. Germany,
however, dropped two spots from last year to 16th place. The United States, United Kingdom and France ranked
15th, 19th and 21st respectively. Meanwhile, Afghanistan and Lebanon remained the two unhappiest countries
in the survey. The report emphasized that significant differences in country rankings for life evaluations
were only seen at the extremes, as in the case of Finland at the top and Afghanistan and Lebanon
at the bottom.
• India ranked at No. 126 in the World Happiness Report 2023. This is an improvement from last year,
when India’s position was at No. 136 on the list, but India is still behind close neighbours like Sri Lanka (No.
112), Pakistan (No. 108) and Nepal (No. 78).
The World Happiness Report 2023 has been released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions
Network. The annual report ranks nations based on gross domestic product per person, healthy life
expectancy and the opinions of residents. In 2017, Madhya Pradesh became the first state in the country
to set up ‘Happiness Department’, with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan saying it will work to ensure
“happiness in the lives of common people” on the lines of Bhutan. Andhra Pradesh was the second state to
set up ‘Happiness Department’. Bhutan is the only country in the world that measures Gross National
Happiness (GNH). Gross National Happiness (GNH), sometimes called Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH), is a
philosophy that guides the government of Bhutan. It includes an index which is used to measure the collective
happiness and well-being of a population. Gross National Happiness Index is instituted as the goal of the
government of Bhutan in the Constitution of Bhutan, enacted on 18 July 2008.
India surpasses China to become world’s most populous nation with 142.86 cr people: UN
• India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous nation, according to UN data released. India’s
population surpassed 1.428 billion, slightly higher than China’s 1.425 billion people, news agency
Bloomberg reported the UN’s World Population dashboard as saying.
• According to a new UNFPA report, 25 per cent of India’s population is in the age group of 0-14 years,
18 per cent in the 10 to 19 age group, 26 per cent in the age bracket of 10 to 24 years, 68 per cent in
15 to 64 years age group, and 7 per cent above 65 years. Estimates by different agencies have suggested
that India’s population is expected to keep rising for nearly three decades before it peaks at 165 crore and then
would start declining.
India is the seventh-largest country by area, and is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian
Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast, it shares land borders with 7 countries such
as Pakistan and Afghanistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh
and Myanmar to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; its
Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand, Myanmar, and Indonesia. The song Vande
Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji, was a source of inspiration to the people
in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana. The poem was first sung by
Rabindranath Tagore in the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. On 24 January 1950, the
Constituent Assembly of India has adopted “Vande Mataram” as national song. “Jana Gana Mana” is
the national anthem of the Republic of India. It was originally composed as Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata in
Bengali by polymath Rabindranath Tagore. The first stanza of the song Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata was
adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India as the National Anthem on 24 January 1950. A formal
rendition of the national anthem takes approximately 52 seconds. It was first publicly sung on 27 December
1911 at the Calcutta (now Kolkata) Session of the Indian National Congress. “Sare Jahan se Accha”
formally known as “Taranah-e-Hindi” is an Urdu language patriotic song for children written by poet
Muhammad Iqbal in the ghazal style of Urdu poetry. The poem was published in the weekly journal Ittehad
on 16 August 1904.
Ukraine, World Bank agree on $6 bn recovery programme
• Ukraine and the World Bank Group have agreed on a special program to respond to the challenges
and restore Ukraine, which will enable Kiev to attract up to $6 billion. According to Ukrainian Prime
Minister Denys Shmyhal, the funds, which will be raised through the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD), will be used to restore critical, social and transport infrastructure in Ukraine.

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 Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest country by area in Europe after Russia,
which it borders to the east and north-east. Ukraine also shares borders with Belarus to the north; Poland,
Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the south; and has a coastline along the
Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. With a population of 43 million, Ukraine is the eighth-most populous country
in Europe. The nation’s capital and largest city is Kyiv. The hryvnia, hryvna, or sometimes gryvnya, has been the
national currency of Ukraine since 2 September 1996. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician, former
actor and comedian, who is the sixth and current President of Ukraine.
World military spending up to an all-time high
• Global military spending grew for the eighth consecutive year in 2022 to an all-time high of $2.24
trillion, with a sharp rise in Europe, chiefly due to Russian and Ukrainian expenditure. Spending globally
increased by 3.7% in real terms, but military expenditure in Europe was up 13% - its steepest year-
on-year increase in at least 30 years, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or SIPRI, said
in a report.
• SIPRI said most of that was linked to Russia and Ukraine, but other countries also stepped up
military spending in response to perceived Russian threats. Moscow invaded and seized Ukraine’s
Crimean peninsula in 2014, and backed separatist rebels in the country’s east before it began its
full-scale invasion in February 2022.
• The United States remained the world’s largest military spender — up 0.7 percent to $877 bn in 2022 —
which was 39 percent of total global military spending. The increase was largely driven by “the unprecedented
level of financial military aid it provided to Ukraine,” SIPRI’s Nan Tian said. US financial military aid to
Ukraine totalled $19.9 bn in 2022, according to the think tank. China remained the world’s second-largest
military spender, allocating an estimated $292 bn in 2022. This was 4.2 percent more than in 2021 and
represents the 28th consecutive annual increase.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is an international institute based
in Stockholm. It was founded in 1966 in Stockholm, Sweden and provides data, analysis and
recommendations for armed conflict, military expenditure and arms trade as well as disarmament and
arms control. The research is based on open sources and is directed to decision-makers, researchers,
media and the interested public.
Emirates Unveils World’s First Robotic Check-In Assistant
• Dubai-based airline Emirates has unveiled its latest innovation, the world’s first robotic check-in assistant
named Sara. The system is part of a new City Check-in and Travel Store that is set to launch in Dubai’s
financial district. Sara will match customers’ faces with scanned passports, check passengers in, and
guide them to the luggage drop area.
Pakistan is the largest recipient of ADB loans in Asia
• Pakistan has become the largest recipient of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded programmes/
projects in the year 2022. According to the ADB Annual Report 2022, released out of total disbursement of
over USD 31.8 billion to 40 countries, Pakistan received loans of USD 5.58 billion.
• Pakistan is in a deep economic crisis and out of the total lending of USD 5.58 billion, Pakistan
received concessional funding of USD 2.67 billion from the bank last year. However, these loans have been used
by Pakistan to avert default. These loans were conditional on Pakistan obtaining loans from the IMF, which
imposed its own conditionalities.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December
1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila,
Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field offices around the world to promote social and economic development
in Asia. The bank admits the members of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (UNESCAP, formerly the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East or ECAFE) and non-
regional developed countries. From 31 members at its establishment, ADB now has 68 members. The ADB
was modeled closely on the World Bank, and has a similar weighted voting system where votes are distributed in
proportion with members’ capital subscriptions. As of 31 December 2020, Japan and the United States each
holds the largest proportion of shares at 15.571%. China holds 6.429%, India holds 6.317%, and Australia
holds 5.773%. The current president of ADB is Masatsugu Asakawa.

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Zimbabwe plans to launch digital currency backed by gold
• Zimbabwe will launch a digital currency next month by introducing “tokens” that are backed by gold
reserves and can be transferred between people and businesses as a form of payment, the country’s central bank
said. The move is aimed at shoring up Zimbabwe’s faltering national currency, the Zimbabwe dollar,
which is fast depreciating amid years long economic woes in the southern African nation. The Bahamas,
Jamaica and Nigeria have already launched digital currencies backed by their central banks, with several other
countries, including China, running trial projects.
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers.
The capital and largest city is Harare. The Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar or RTG (Zimdollar
or zollar, now abbreviated as ZWL or ZWL$) was the only official currency in Zimbabwe from June 2019
to March 2020, after which foreign currencies were allowed for trade in the country again. Emmerson
Dambudzo Mnangagwa is current President of Zimbabwe.
Uzbekistan President wins nationwide referendum to rewrite Constitution
• A vast majority of Uzbekistan’s voters voted “Yes” to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s bid to rewrite
the country’s Constitution in referendum that promised more freedoms to the people of the former
Soviet republic and could also see the President extending his rule beyond his current two-term
limit. According to the preliminary results announced by the Election Commission 90.21% of voters supported
the changes, while 9.35% voted ‘No’. The turnout was 84.54%.
Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country located in Central Asia. It is surrounded by five landlocked
countries: Kazakhstan to the north; Kyrgyzstan to the northeast; Tajikistan to the southeast; Afghanistan to the
south; and Turkmenistan to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Tashkent. The sum is the official
currency of Uzbekistan. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been serving as President of Uzbekistan.
Sweden is building the world’s first permanent electrified road for EVs to charge while driving
• The first of its kind in the world, the e-motorway may lead to an expansion of a further 3,000 km of
electric roads in Sweden by 2045. As the EU passed a landmark law last month to require all new cars
sold to have zero CO2 emissions from 2035, European countries are rushing to prepare the infrastructure
needed for fossil fuel-free mobility.
• And Sweden is now turning a highway into a permanent electrified road - the first of its kind in the
world. On an electric road, cars and trucks can recharge while driving. Dynamic charging allows them to travel
longer distances with smaller batteries, and to avoid waiting at charging stations.
Sweden is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. The Nordic countries, or the Nordics, or Norden
(literally “the North”), are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic,
which includes the sovereign states of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden as well as the
autonomous countries of the Faroe Islands and Greenland (both part of the Kingdom of Denmark). The
capital city is Stockholm. The krona is the official currency of Sweden. Stefan Lofven has been Prime
Minister of Sweden since October 2014.
Ghana is First to Approve ‘World-Changing’ Malaria Vaccine
• The West African nation of Ghana authorized a highly effective malaria vaccine against a parasitic
disease that sickens nearly 250 million people a year and kills 600,000, most of them young children. The
Ghana Food and Drugs Authority has approved the vaccine, known as R21, for children aged five
months to three years.
• Ghana is the first nation to take action on the vaccine, which was developed at the University of
Oxford. WHO is considering approval as well. The first malaria vaccine, GSK’s Mosquirix, was endorsed
by the World Health Organization only two years ago. It is about 30% effective, and current production capacity
isn’t nearly enough to meet demand. R21 builds on and shares similarities with Mosquirex. The new vaccine
contains Novavax’s Matrix-M, an adjuvant that enhances the immune system response, which the Serum
Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, said makes it more potent and durable.
India slips in World Press Freedom Index, ranks 161 out of 180 countries
• India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries,
according to the latest report released by global media watchdog Reporters without Borders (RSF). In
comparison, Pakistan has fared better when it comes to media freedom as it was placed at 150, an
improvement from last year’s 157 rank.

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• Norway, Ireland and Denmark occupied the top three positions in press freedom, while Vietnam,
China and North Korea constituted the bottom three. In 2022, India was ranked at 150. Sri Lanka also
made significant improvement on the index, ranking 135 this year as against 146 in 2022. In comparison,
Pakistan climbed up seven ranks to reach 150 this year. Countries ranked lower than India include
Bangladesh (163), Turkey (165), Saudi Arabia (170) and Iran (177). China and North Korea occupy
the last spots at 179 and 180, respectively.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) comes out with a global ranking of press freedom every year. RSF is an
international NGO whose self-proclaimed aim is to defend and promote media freedom. Headquartered
in Paris, it has consultative status with the United Nations. The objective of the World Press Freedom Index,
which it releases every year, “is to compare the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and
media in 180 countries and territories” in the previous calendar year. RSF defines press freedom as “the
ability of journalists as individuals and collectives to select, produce, and disseminate news in the public interest
independent of political, economic, legal, and social interference and in the absence of threats to their physical and
mental safety.”
Arab governments vote for Syria’s return to the Arab League after 12-year absence
• Arab government representatives in Cairo voted to return Syria to the Arab League after a 12-year
suspension. The vote in the Egyptian capital came days after regional top diplomats met in Jordan to discuss
a roadmap to return Syria to the Arab fold as the conflict continues to de-escalate, and soon before Saudi Arabia
hosts the upcoming Arab League Summit.
The Arab League is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa,
Western Africa, Eastern Africa, and Western Asia. The Arab League was formed in Cairo on 22 March
1945, initially with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (renamed Jordan in 1949), Lebanon, Saudi
Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a member on 5 May 1945. Currently, the League has 22 members. The
League’s main goal is to “draw closer the relations between member states and co-ordinate collaboration
between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and
interests of the Arab countries”.
King Charles III Crowned At First UK Coronation in 70 Years
• Charles III finally met his date with destiny after a lifetime as heir to his late mother Queen Elizabeth
II, as he was officially crowned king in the first coronation in Britain since 1953. The Archbishop of
Canterbury Justin Welby placed the solid gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head as a sacred and
ancient symbol of the monarch’s authority.
• Cries of “God Save the King” rang out from the 2,300-strong congregation at Westminster Abbey
and trumpet fanfares sounded at the climax of the solemn religious confirmation of his accession.
Outside, ceremonial gun salutes blasted out across land and sea while bells pealed in celebration at churches
across the country. As well as being the first coronation in 70 years, it was the first of a king since 1937.
It was only the second to be televised and the first in colour and streamed online. To the royal family
and government, the occasion — code-named Operation Golden Orb — is a display of heritage,
tradition and spectacle unmatched around the world.
Bangladesh, Myanmar bracing as Cyclone Mocha set to make landfall
• Bangladesh and Myanmar were bracing as an extremely severe cyclone was set to hit their coastal
areas, and authorities told thousands of people in both countries to seek shelter. UN agencies and aid
workers prepositioned tons of dry food and dozens of ambulances with mobile medical teams in sprawling
refugee camps in Bangladesh with more than 1 million Rohingya who fled persecution in Myanmar. The camps
at Cox’s Bazar are in the path of Cyclone Mocha, which was closing in on the coast of southeastern
Bangladesh and Myanmar with wind speeds of up to 220 kilometers (135 miles) per hour and gusts of up to
240 kph (150 mph).
Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Mocha was a powerful and deadly tropical cyclone in the North
Indian Ocean which affected Myanmar and parts of Bangladesh in May 2023. The second depression and
the first cyclonic storm of the 2023 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Mocha originated from a low-pressure
area that was first noted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 8 May. Yemen suggested the name
‘Mocha’, which is supposed to be pronounced as Mokha.

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Australia cancels Quad meeting in Sydney after Biden postponement
• Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Quad summit in Sydney would not go ahead
without U.S. President Joe Biden, who postponed his trip to Australia due to debt ceiling negotiations
in Washington. Mr. Albanese said the leaders of Australia, the United States, India and Japan would instead
meet at the G7 in Japan, after Mr. Biden cancelled a trip to Sydney on the second leg of his upcoming Asia trip,
which was also to have included a visit to Papua New Guinea.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), colloquially the Quad or QUAD, is a strategic security
dialogue between the United States, India, Japan and Australia that is maintained by talks between
member countries. The dialogue was initiated in 2007 by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with the
support of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh. The dialogue was paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale,
titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement was widely viewed as a response to increased
Chinese economic and military power, and the Chinese government responded to the Quadrilateral
dialogue by issuing formal diplomatic protests to its members, calling it “Asian NATO”.
Greece PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis wins national elections
• Greece’s conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has won national elections, hailing his
party’s big victory as a political earthquake. He said in a victory speech, people wanted the choice of a Greece
run by a majority government and by New Democracy without the help of others.
Greece, historically also known as Hellas is a country located in Southern Europe. Athens is the nation’s
capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki. Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization
being the birthplace of democracy and Olympic Games. Ioannis Sarmas has been serving as the Prime
Minister of Greece since May 2023. Because the May 2023 Greek legislative election did not result in the
formation of a new government, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou appointed him to be the caretaker
Prime Minister of Greece on 25 May 2023. He is expected to serve until the formation of a new government after
the upcoming June 2023 election. Katerina Sakellaropoulou has been serving as the President of Greece
since 2020. The euro is the official currency of the Greece.
Second edition of bilateral exercise ‘Al Mohed Al Hindi 23’
• The sea phase of second edition of bilateral exercise ‘Al Mohed Al Hindi 23’, between Indian Navy and
Royal Saudi Naval Force (RSNF) was held off Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia. INS Tarkash, INS Subhadra
and Dornier Maritime Patrol aircraft (MPA) participated in the exercise from the Indian side. The RSNF
was represented by HMS Badr and Abdul Aziz, MH 60R helo and UAV.
Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan wins another term as president, extends rule into 3rd decade
• Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won re-election, extending his increasingly authoritarian
rule into a third decade as the country reels from high inflation and the aftermath of an earthquake
that leveled entire cities. A third term gives Erdogan, a polarizing populist, an even stronger hand domestically
and internationally, and the election results will have implications far beyond the capital of Ankara. Turkey
stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and it plays a key role in NATO. With more than 99% of ballot boxes
opened, unofficial results from competing news agencies showed Erdogan with 52% of the vote, compared
with 48% for his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Erdogan’s government vetoed Sweden’s bid to join
NATO and purchased Russian missile-defense systems, which prompted the United States to oust
Turkey from a U.S.-led fighter-jet project.
Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkiye is a transcontinental country located mainly on Anatolia in
Western Asia, with a portion on the Balkans in Southeast Europe. It shares borders with the Black Sea to the
north; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east; Iraq to the southeast; Syria and the
Mediterranean Sea to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest. Cyprus is
located off the south coast. Ankara is Turkey’s capital. The Turkish lira is the official currency of Turkey
and Northern Cyprus. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is serving as the current President of Turkey since 2014.
Nigeria: Bola Tinubu Sworn in as President
• Bola Tinubu was sworn in as the new President of Nigeria, amid pressure to resolve sustained economic
and security issues plaguing the country. The inauguration took place in the capital Abuja at Eagles
Square. He succeeded Muhammadu Buhari who is also a member of the All Progressives Congress party
(APC).

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 Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa. Abuja is the capital and
eighth most populous city of Nigeria. The naira is the currency of Nigeria.
UAE Withdraws from United States Led Maritime Coalition
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced its withdrawal from a maritime coalition led by
the United States. The decision comes after a thorough assessment of its security requirements, according to
the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• The ministry stated that the UAE had pulled out of the Combined Maritime Forces as part of its ongoing
evaluation of effective security cooperation with all partners. The UAE emphasized its commitment to
dialogue, diplomatic engagement, and the promotion of regional security and stability.
Five countries elected to UNSC as non-permanent members
• Five countries have been elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council following a
vote in the General Assembly. Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia will join
the premier body for maintaining international peace and security, starting in January, serving for
a two-year period. They were among six countries vying for five non-permanent seats around the
Council’s horseshoe-shaped table that will become vacant at the end of the year.
• The five newly elected countries will join Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland as
non-permanent members of the Council. They will take up seats currently occupied by Albania, Brazil,
Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates when their two-year terms end on 31 December.
The United Nations Security Council was established by the UN Charter in 1945. It is one of the six
principal organs of the United Nations. The other 5 organs of the United Nations are—the General Assembly
(UNGA), the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice,
and the Secretariat. Its primary responsibility is to work to maintain international peace and security.
The council is headquartered at New York. The council has 15 members: the five permanent members and
ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. The five permanent members are the United States, the
Russian Federation, France, China and the United Kingdom. India, for the eighth time, has entered the UNSC
as a non-permanent member in 2021 and stayed on the council for two years i.e 2021-22. Each year, the
General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of ten in total) for a two-year term. The ten
non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis.
NATO completes unprecedented European air drill
• NATO concluded its largest ever air force deployment exercise in Europe in a show of force against potential
threats such as Russia. The German-led “Air Defender 23” manoeuvres brought together some 250 military
aircraft from 25 NATO and partner countries including Japan and Sweden, which is bidding to join the alliance.
Up to 10,000 service members participated in the drills intended to boost interoperability and preparedness
to protect against drones and cruise missiles in the case of an attack within NATO territory.
Dhaka remains 7th in least liveable city in world, reveals Global Liveability Index 2023
• Dhaka remained the 7th least liveable city in the world for the second time in a row, according to the
Global Liveability Index 2023 published by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) of Economist. However, it
improved its numerical value to 43.8 out of 100 in 2023 compared to 39.2 last year.
• Among 172 countries, Dhaka has the rank of 166. It shares the least liveable city index at number 7
with Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe. On the stability parameter, Dhaka scored 50, on healthcare its
score was 41.7, on culture and environment 40.5, education 75.0 and on infrastructure, it scored 26.8.
• Vienna in Austria tops the ranking of the most liveable cities in the world followed by Copenhagen
in Denmark, Melbourne and Sydney on 3rd and 4th rank while Vancouver has been placed at the 5th best city on
the liveability index. Damascus in Syria and Tripoli in Libya remained at the bottom of the liveability index.
India to sign Artemis Accords
• India has decided to join the Artemis Accords, which brings like-minded countries together on
civil space exploration, and NASA and ISRO have agreed to a joint mission to the International
Space Station in 2024. “On space, we will be able to announce that India is signing the Artemis Accords,
which advance a common vision for space exploration for the benefit of all humankind”. Grounded in the
Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST), the Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed
to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century. It is an American-led effort to return
humans to the moon by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and beyond.

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UN adopts world’s first treaty to protect the high seas
• The U.N. has adopted the world’s first treaty to protect the high seas and preserve marine
biodiversity in international waters, marking a milestone after nearly 20 years of effort, U.N. Secretary-
General Antonio Guterres announced. The adoption followed an agreement reached in March by more
than 100 countries on the of text of the High Seas Treaty, also known as the Biodiversity Beyond
National Jurisdiction treaty, after more than 15 years of discussions and five rounds of U.N.-led negotiations.
• The world’s first international treaty to protect the high seas was adopted at the United Nations,
creating a landmark environmental accord designed to protect remote ecosystems vital to humanity. The
treaty that will establish a legal framework to extend swathes of environmental protections to international
waters, which make up more than 60 percent of the world’s oceans.
• The High Seas Treaty will be implemented under the UNCLOS. The treaty will complement the aim
of UNCLOS similar to the working of the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC). After almost 20 years of discussions, the United Nations finally approved a
historic international high seas treaty on 19 June 2023.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea
Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework
for all marine and maritime activities. The convention resulted from the third United Nations Conference
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), which took place between 1973 and 1982. UNCLOS replaced the
four treaties of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas. UNCLOS came into force in 1994, a year after Guyana
became the 60th nation to ratify the treaty. In 2023, agreement was reached on a High Seas Treaty to be
added as an instrument of the convention, to protect ocean life in international waters. This would
provide measures including Marine Protected Areas and environmental impact assessments.
Gravitas: US certifies world’s first flying car
• Alef Aeronautics’s flying car has received legal approval to fly from the US government. The car
company announced that it has received a Special Airworthiness Certification from the US Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA). ‘Model A’ is the first of its kind to receive the legal clearance to take off from
the road to the sky. Based in San Mateo, California, the flying car costs around $299,999, approximately
Rs.2.46 crore.
• It is the first time a vehicle of this nature has been certified in the US. Based in San Mateo, California,
the flying car is 100 per cent electric and can carry one or two occupants. The flying car is being
developed for driving on a “regular urban or rural road.” It can be parked in a regular parking space and inside a
regular-sized garage. The car won’t go faster than 25 miles per hour on a paved surface as it is a low-speed vehicle.
A flying car or roadable aircraft is a type of vehicle which can function both as a road vehicle and as an
aircraft. As used here, this includes vehicles which drive as motorcycles when on the road. The term “flying car”
is also sometimes used to include hovercars and/or VTOL personal air vehicles.
Biden gifts Modi first edition collection of Robert Frost’s work
• The only writer to have been awarded four Pulitzer Prizes (in 1924, 1931, 1937, 1943), Robert Frost
was one of the 20th century’s most popular poets. Recognised as a poet whose work represented the
quintessential American life, his poetry combined elements of romanticism and modernism in theme and style.
In a career spanning over five decades, Frost wrote of nature and of the loneliness of the human condition.
Among the many gifts received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his three-day State visit
to the United States of America is an autographed first-edition copy of Collected Poems of Robert
Frost, published in 1930 by Henry Holt and Company.
• Mr. Narendra Modi was in the U.S. at the invitation of President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
His visit to the U.S. started in New York, where he led a historic event at the UN Headquarters to
commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga on June 21. Later, in Washington DC, he was given a
red-carpet welcome at the White House by President Biden.
• The two leaders held a historic summit, followed by Mr. Modi’s address to Congress and a state
dinner hosted at the White House by the Bidens in his honour. The visit was marked by several major
deals to boost cooperation in key areas such as defence, space and trade.
• Mr. Modi also became the first Indian leader to address the Joint Session of the U.S. Congress twice.
During his address, he sought action against state sponsors of terrorism. Mr. Modi also made a strong push for
reforming multilateral institutions, including the UN, and spoke glowingly of India’s ties with the U.S. U.S.

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 Vice President Kamala Harris along with Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted a luncheon for
the Indian leader at the State Department. Mr. Modi also met top CEOs of the U.S. and India at the White
House. Later in the day, he addressed an event hosted by the Indian community in the U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or
America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district. It
is the world’s third-largest country by both land and total area. The national capital is Washington,
D.C., and the most populous city and financial center is New York City. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is
the 46th and current President of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served
as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 under Barack Obama and represented Delaware in the
United States Senate from 1973 to 2009. Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris defeated incumbent
president Donald Trump and vice president Mike Pence in the 2020 presidential election. He is the
oldest president and the first to have a female vice president. The United States dollar is the official
currency of the United States and several other countries.
U.S. decides to rejoin UNESCO and pay back dues, to counter Chinese influence
• The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) announced that the
United States planned to rejoin — and pay more than $600 million in back dues — after a decade-
long dispute sparked by the organisation’s move to include Palestine as a member.
• The decision to return was motivated by the concern that China was filling the gap left by the U.S.
in UNESCO policy-making, notably in setting standards for artificial intelligence and technology education
around the world. The return of the U.S., once the agency’s biggest funder, is expected to face a vote by
its 193 member states, according to a UNESCO diplomat. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and
Resources Richard Verma submitted a letter to UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay formalising
the U.S.’ plan to rejoin.
• The U.S. and Israel stopped funding UNESCO after it voted to include Palestine as a member state
in 2011, and both countries lost their voting rights in 2013. The Trump administration decided in 2017 to
withdraw from the agency altogether the following year, citing anti-Israel bias and management problems.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and is a specialised
agency of the United Nations (UN). It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in
Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
Political and economic arrangements of governments are not enough to secure the lasting and sincere
support of the peoples. Peace must be founded upon dialogue and mutual understanding. Peace must be built upon
the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity. It is headquartered at the World Heritage Centre in Paris,
France. Audrey Azoulay is a French civil servant and politician who has been serving as the Director-
General of the UNESCO since 2017, becoming the second female leader of the organization.
Abraham Accords boost Israel’s defence exports to Arab countries
• Israel’s defence exports doubled in less than a decade, reaching a record $12.546 billion in 2022,
according to the country’s Ministry of Defence (MoD). Exact details of defence deals usually remain classified,
but a breakdown of the information released by the MoD and its International Defence Cooperation Directorate
(SIBAT) reveals novel trends that would have been deemed impossible not long ago.
The Abraham Accords are a series of joint normalization statements initially between Israel, the United
Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, effective since September 15, 2020. Mediated by the United States, the initial
announcement of August 13, 2020, concerned only Israel and the United Arab Emirates before the announcement of
a follow-up agreement between Israel and Bahrain on September 11, 2020. On September 15, 2020, the official
signing ceremony for the Abraham Accords was hosted by the United States at the White House. As part
of the dual agreements, both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain recognized Israel’s sovereignty,
enabling the establishment of full diplomatic relations. Israel’s establishment of diplomatic relations
with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain marked the first instance of Arab–Israeli normalization
since 1994, when the Israel–Jordan peace treaty came into effect.
Iran in the SCO
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Iran as the newest member of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) at the virtual summit of the grouping. Prior to Iran’s joining, the SCO consisted of
eight member countries: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and the four Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan,

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 Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Recently, India has chaired the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) virtual Summit, leaders called for the formation of a “more representative” and
multipolar world order in the global interest. During this 23rd Summit, Iran officially joined the SCO as
the Ninth Member Country.
• The theme of India’s chairpersonship of SCO is ‘Towards a SECURE SCO’, which is derived from the
acronym coined by the Indian PM at the 2018 SCO Qingadao Summit. It stands for: S: Security, E: Economic
development, C: Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, E:
Environmental protection.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), also known as the Shanghai Pact, is a transcontinental
political, economic, security, and military alliance. It is a permanent intergovernmental international
organization. The creation of SCO was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China). The Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation Charter was signed during the St. Petersburg SCO Heads of State meeting
in June 2002, and entered into force on 19 September 2003. In terms of geographic scope and population, it
is the world’s largest regional organization, covering approximately 60% of the area of Eurasia, 40% of the world
population, and more than 30% of global GDP. The SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five, a mutual
security agreement formed in 1996 between China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
Its membership has since expanded to eight states, with India and Pakistan joining on 9 June 2017.
Iran started accession as a full member in September 2021 at the Dushanbe Summit in Tajikistan. Iran
has been accepted as the ninth full member of the organisation. Several countries are engaged as observers
or partners. The SCO is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making
body, which meets once a year. Military exercises are also regularly conducted among members to promote
cooperation and coordination against terrorism and other external threats, and to maintain regional
peace and stability.
Grover part of panel probing human rights violations in Ukraine
• The Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for
strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe, has appointed advocate
Vrinda Grover in the three-member panel probing human rights violations by Russia in Ukraine.
• The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine was set up in March 2022. The
Commission is headed by Erik Møse Norway and also includes Pablo de Greiff from Colombia. In April
2022, India in the strongest statement so far on Russia’s actions following its invasion of Ukraine which began
in February last year had “unequivocally condemned” killings in Ukraine’s Bucha and supported calls for an
independent investigation into the “deeply disturbing reports”.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to
promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered
three-year terms on a regional group basis. The headquarters of the Council are at the United Nations
Office at Geneva in Switzerland. The Council investigates allegations of breaches of human rights in United
Nations member states and addresses thematic human rights issues like freedom of association and assembly,
freedom of expression, freedom of belief and religion, women’s rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of racial and
ethnic minorities. The Council was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March
2006 to replace the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR, herein CHR).
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s coalition government collapses; failing to reach deal
on restricting immigration
• Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s coalition government collapsed, after failing to reach a deal on
restricting immigration. After just a year and a half in office, the government collapsed due to the differences
among four coalition parties over the asylum policies. The four parties were unable to find agreement in
crisis talks chaired by Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Rutte, the Netherlands’ longest-serving leader,
presided over crisis talks amongst the four coalition partners but failed to reach a deal.
The Netherlands, informally Holland is a country located in northwestern Europe with overseas
territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Amsterdam is the country’s most populous city and the nominal capital. Mark Rutte has served as
Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 2010. He was also the Leader of the People’s Party for Freedom and
Democracy (VVD) from 2006 through 2023. He is currently acting in a demissionary capacity and will not
return to politics following installation of a new cabinet.

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Philippines accuses China of more ‘harassment’ near disputed reef
• The Philippines accused China’s coast guard of harassment, obstruction and “dangerous
manoeuvres” against its vessels, after another incident near a strategic feature of the South China Sea
that has become a flashpoint between them. Philippine coast guard boats were assisting a naval operation
when they were “constantly followed, harassed, and obstructed by the significantly larger Chinese coast guard
vessels”.
Territorial disputes in the South China Sea involve conflicting island and maritime claims in the region by
several sovereign states, namely Brunei, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan (Republic of China/
ROC), Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The disputes involve the islands, reefs, banks, and
other features of the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, Scarborough Shoal,
and various boundaries in the Gulf of Tonkin. The waters near the Indonesian Natuna Islands, which some
regard as geographically part of the South China Sea, are disputed as well. Maritime disputes also extend
beyond the South China Sea, as in the case of the Senkaku Islands and the Socotra Rock, which lie in the
East China Sea. In July 2016, an arbitration tribunal constituted under Annex VII of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruled against the PRC’s maritime claims in Philippines
v. China.

The Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Manila is the national capital, while the
largest city is Quezon City. The Philippine peso is the official currency of the Philippines. Ferdinand
Romualdez Marcos Jr. is the current President of the Philippines.
United States has world’s most powerful military
• The United States has the strongest military force in the world, with Russia and China in second
and third and India in fourth place, according to Global Firepower, a data website that tracks global
defence-related information. The 2023 Military Strength list - which also includes the nations with the
weakest military force in the world, which includes Bhutan and Iceland - assessed over 60 factors.
China launches world’s first methane-fuelled space rocket
• A private Chinese company has launched the world’s first methane-liquid oxygen space rocket into
orbit. The Zhuque-2 carrier rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest
China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and “completed the flight mission according to the procedure.
International Maritime Organisation targets achieving net-zero emissions by 2050
• All 178 countries, including associate members, of the International Maritime Organization have
committed to ensure that international shipping operations achieve net zero emissions “by or
around” 2050.
• The agreement also includes indicative targets of reducing emissions 20-30 per cent from 2008 levels by
2030, and 70-80 per cent by 2040. “The adoption of the 2023 IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy is a monumental
development for IMO and opens a new chapter towards maritime decarbonization,”.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible
for regulating shipping. The IMO was established following agreement at a UN conference held in
Geneva in 1948 and the IMO came into existence ten years later, meeting for the first time in 17 March
1958. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, IMO currently has 175 Member States and three Associate
Members. The IMO’s primary purpose is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework
for shipping and its remit today includes maritime safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-
operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris makes history with tie-breaking votes in Senate
• Kamala Harris set another record in U.S. history when she matched a 191-year-old record of casting
tie-breaking votes as a Vice President and backed the nomination of Indian-origin Kalpana Kotagal
to be a member of a federal agency. Ms. Harris, who made history as the first woman or person of colour
in 2020, equalled the record held by Senator John C. Calhoun, a Democratic-Republican who served
as Vice President to John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson from 1825 to 1832. Ms. Harris, cast her
vote on cloture for the nomination of Kotagal, a diversity, equity, and inclusion expert to serve as a member of
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

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 Kamala Devi Harris is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th and current vice president
of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in
U.S. history, as well as the first African American and first Asian American vice president. A member of
the Democratic Party, she served as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017 and as a United
States senator representing California from 2017 to 2021. Harris became vice president upon being
inaugurated in January 2021 alongside President Joe Biden, having defeated the incumbent president,
Donald Trump, and vice president, Mike Pence, in the 2020 election.
€500 million in EU’s first phase funding for India green energy
• European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, plans to invest about €1
billion in India’s renewable energy sector. EIB is in discussion with the Central government to lend €500
million during the first phase of the funding.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union’s development bank and is owned by the
EU Member States. It is one of the largest supranational lenders in the world. The EIB finances and invests
both through equity and debt solutions projects that achieve the policy aims of the European Union through loans,
guarantees and technical assistance. The EIB is one of the biggest financiers of green finance in the world.
In 2007, the EIB became the first institution in the world to issue green bonds. The EIB was founded by
the Treaty of Rome, which came into force on 1 January 1958. It is headquartered in Luxembourg.
India to push G-20 to raise MNC tax share
• India will push its Group of 20 partners at a meeting it is hosting to support its proposal to raise
the share of taxes multinational companies pay to countries where they earn “excess profits”.
India’s proposal, which has not been previously reported, could temper optimism among G-20 members such
as Australia and Japan that the meeting of Finance Ministers and central bankers in Gujarat would make
progress on a long-awaited overhaul of global corporate taxation.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental
organisation with 38 Member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world
trade. It is a forum whose member countries describe themselves as committed to democracy and the
market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify
good practices, and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members. The OECD’s headquarters are
at the Chateau de la Muette in Paris, France.
Congo: World’s 2nd-largest rainforest continues to vanish with half a million hectares lost
in 2022
• The Congo, the world’s second-largest rainforest after the Amazon, continues to retreat. The
rainforest is spread across six African countries, the largest of which lost half a million hectares
(mha) of forest last year. The Congo rainforest is spread across Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic
of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Sixty per cent of the rainforest
lies in the DRC. The DRC lost over 500,000 hectares in 2022, according to the report made available by the
World Resources Institute (WRI) and the University of Maryland on Global Forest Watch, an open-source web
application to monitor global forests in near real-time.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as Congo-Kinshasa and formerly known as
Zaire is a country in Central Africa. Kinshasa is the capital city of the DRC. The Congolese franc is the
currency of the DRC. Felix Tshisekedi is the current President. Sama Lukonde is the current Prime
Minister.
Algeria applies to Join BRICS Bank
• Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that the country has applied to join the BRICS group
and submitted a request to become a shareholder member of the BRICS Bank. The North African
country is rich in oil and gas resources and seeking to diversify its economy.
• The BRICS group of nations comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It accounts
for more than 40 percent of the world’s population and about 26 percent of the global economy. More
than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS group of nations, South Africa’s top diplomat in
charge of relations with the bloc said this week. Argentina, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates,
and Kazakhstan are among the countries that expressed interest.

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 Algeria is a country in North Africa. Algeria is the world’s tenth largest nation by area, and the largest
nation in Africa, The capital and largest city is Algiers. The dinar is the monetary currency of Algeria.

BRICS is the acronym coined to associate five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India,
China, and South Africa. Since 2009, the governments of the BRICS states have met annually at formal
summits. Originally the first four were grouped as “BRIC” (or “the BRICs”) before the induction of
South Africa in 2010. The term “BRIC” is believed to be coined in 2001 by then-chairman of Goldman
Sachs Asset Management, Jim O’Neill, in his publication Building Better Global Economic BRICs. But, it was
actually coined by Roopa Purushothaman who was a Research Assistant in the original report. The
BRIC grouping’s 1st formal summit, also held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, commenced on 16 June 2009.
Singapore’s passport is now the most powerful in the world 2023 Henley Passport Index
• The updated 2023 Henley Passport Index was released. Singapore tops the list, having the world’s
most powerful passport. It has visa-free access to 192 travel destinations out of 227 around the globe.
While the US once topped the ranking nearly a decade back, it is now in the eighth place with 184
destinations listed as visa free. India, on the other hand, improved its position by 5 spots from last
year, and is currently ranked 80th on the index along with Togo and Senegal, with visa-free access to
57 countries.
The Henley Passport Index is a ranking system that evaluates all the world’s passports based on the
number of travel destinations their holders can access without the need for a prior visa. This index
encompasses 199 different passports and covers 227 travel destinations. It is compiled and published by Henley
& Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm.
Saudi Arabia invests USD 10 billion to build Pakistan’s largest oil refinery in Gwadar
• Four Pakistani state-owned petroleum companies have signed a memorandum of understanding
with Saudi Arabia to build Pakistan’s largest oil refinery with an investment of USD 10 billion in the
strategic Gwadar Port. The MoU to set up the facility with a production capacity of 300,000 barrels per day
was signed with the state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd (OGDCL), Pakistan State Oil (PSO),
Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL), and Government Holdings Private Ltd (GHPL) signed the MoU to join hands
and provide comfort to the Saudi firm to enter Pakistan with a major investment.
Saudi Arabia is a country on the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by the Red Sea to
the west; Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; the Persian Gulf, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the
east; Oman to the southeast; and Yemen to the south. Bahrain is an island country off the east coast. Its capital
and largest city is Riyadh. The Saudi riyal is the currency of Saudi Arabia. Mohammed bin Salman is
the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is King of Saudi
Arabia, reigning since 2015. Petroleum was discovered in 1938 and followed up by several other finds
in the Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia has since become the world’s second-largest oil producer (behind
the US) and the world’s largest oil exporter, controlling the world’s second-largest oil reserves and the
fourth-largest gas reserves.
PM of Papua New Guinea visits Indian warships on port call at Port Moresby
• In a rare diplomatic gesture, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG) James Marape visited
the two Indian Naval ships that made a port call at Port Moresby and called for more such naval
visits and increased defence cooperation. The two frontline warships under the Eastern Naval Command,
INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, arrived as India sharpens into focus on the Pacific. “PM Marape
welcomed Indian Naval Ships; thanked PM Modi for visiting PNG in May 2023.
• Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New
Guinea and its offshore islands in Melanesia (a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of
Australia). Its capital, located along its southeastern coast, is Port Moresby.
Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) is a multinational grouping developed in 2014 for
cooperation between the Republic of India and 14 Pacific Islands nations which include Cook Islands, Fiji,
Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Palau, Papua
New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. All heads of state or heads of government of the above countries
met in Suva, Fiji in November 2014 for the first time where the annual summit was conceptualised.

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Ethiopia declares state of emergency following militia clashes
• Ethiopia’s government declared a state of emergency following days of clashes in the Amhara
region between the military and local Fano militiamen. Fighting that broke out across Ethiopia’s second-
largest region earlier this week has quickly become a security crisis. Amhara’s regional government requested
additional help from federal authorities to reimpose order.
• Fano was a key ally of the military (ENDF) during a two-year civil war in the neighbouring Tigray
region that ended last November, but the relationship has soured over recent efforts by federal authorities to
weaken regional paramilitary groups.
Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa. Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city
of Ethiopia. The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Abiy Ahmed Ali is serving as the current Prime
Minister of Ethiopia since 2018, and as a leader of the Prosperity Party since 2019. He was awarded
the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize “for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in
particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea”.
Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni appoints Hun Manet- as the new Prime Minister
• Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni has appointed former Prime Minister Hun Sen’s son - Hun
Manet- as the new prime minister of the country. A royal decree was issued by the King stating that he
appoints Dr. Hun Manet as the prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for the 7th mandate of the parliament.
• While the King has appointed Hun Manet as the PM, the leader and his cabinet must win the confidence
vote to assume office. During the Cambodian Elections 2023, Hun Sen’s party - the Cambodian People’s
Party - won with a landslide victory. Days after their victory, former PM Hun Sen announced that he will
be stepping down as the Prime Minister, after assuming office in 1998.
Cambodia is a country in the southern Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia. The capital and largest
city is Phnom Penh. The riel is the currency of Cambodia. Angkor Wat (“Temple City”) is a temple complex
in Cambodia and is the largest religious monument in the world.
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan gets 3-year sentence in Toshakhana corruption case
• Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested after a trial court in Islamabad found him
guilty of the “offence of corrupt practices” in the state gifts case (commonly known as the Toshakhana
case). Mr. Khan has been sentenced to three years in jail and fined 100,000 Pakistani rupees.
• Mr. Khan is accused of misusing his tenure from 2018 to 2022 to buy and sell gifts in state possession that were
received during visits abroad and were worth more than Rs. 140 million. However, he denies that he misdeclared.
One of the most precious gifts that he sold was a special Holy Kaaba edition Graff watch that was gifted by Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia to him. Imran Khan’s party to challenge his 3-year sentence.
• The Toshakhana issue over the sale of state gifts received by the former cricketer-turned-politician
became a major issue in national politics after the ECP disqualified Khan on October 21, 2022, for
making “false statements and incorrect declaration”. The Toshakhana is a department under the Cabinet
division that stores gifts given to rulers and government officials by heads of other governments and foreign
dignitaries. Khan bought some of the gifts, including a precious watch, and sold the same for profit.
Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi is a Pakistani former cricketer and politician who served as the 22nd Prime
Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022. He is the founder and chairman of the political
party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Born to a Niazi Pashtun family in Lahore, Khan graduated from Keble
College, Oxford. He began his international cricket career in a 1971 Test series against England. Khan
played until 1992, served as the team’s captain intermittently between 1982 and 1992, and won the 1992 Cricket
World Cup, Pakistan’s only victory in the competition. Amid a constitutional crisis, Khan became the first
prime minister to be removed from office through a no-confidence motion in April 2022. On 9 May 2023,
Khan was arrested on corruption charges at the Islamabad High Court by paramilitary troops who
smashed their way into the courthouse. Protests broke out throughout Pakistan resulting in the arrest of several
thousands of Khan’s supporters along with military installations being ransacked.
Amazon nations launch alliance to fight deforestation at summit
• Eight South American countries agreed to launch an alliance to fight deforestation in the Amazon,
vowing at a summit in Brazil to stop the world’s biggest rainforest from reaching “a point of no return.” The
closely watched summit of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) adopted what host
country Brazil called a “new and ambitious shared agenda” to save the rainforest, a crucial buffer
against climate change that experts warn is being pushed to the brink of collapse.

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• The group’s members – Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela
– signed a joint declaration in Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River, laying out a nearly 10,000-word
roadmap to promote sustainable development, end deforestation and fight the organized crime that fuels it.
The Amazon rainforest also called Amazon jungle or Amazonia is a moist broadleaf tropical rainforest
in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This region includes territory
belonging to nine nations and 3,344 formally acknowledged indigenous territories. The majority of
the forest, 60%, is in Brazil, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in
Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. The Amazon represents over half of Earth’s
remaining rainforests, and comprises the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world. The
Tropical rainforest of Amazon is known as the lungs of the planet earth’ because they are responsible
for the production of about 20% of the earth’s oxygen. They remove a large amount of carbon dioxide from
the air and give out oxygen.
Sri Lanka to join RCEP trade bloc
• President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka seeks to join the Regional Comprehensive
Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade bloc comprising major economies like China and Japan as the
country strives to rebuild its crisis-hit economy. Addressing the 56th anniversary of the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) held at Indonesia’s embassy in Colombo, he said Sri Lanka will work
closely with ASEAN nations.
• The island nation was hit by an unprecedented financial crisis in 2022, the worst since its
independence from Britain in 1948, due to a severe paucity of foreign exchange reserves. RCEP
comprises 15 members, the 10 ASEAN member states, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and
New Zealand.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a free trade agreement among the Asia-
Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The 15 member countries account for about
30% of the world’s population (2.2 billion people) and 30% of global GDP ($29.7 trillion), making it the
largest trade bloc in history. Signed in November 2020, RCEP is the first free trade agreement among
the largest economies in Asia, including China, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea. The RCEP was
conceived at the 2011 ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia, while negotiations formally launched during the
2012 ASEAN Summit in Cambodia. India, which took part in the initial negotiations but later decided to
opt out, was invited to join the bloc at any time. Any other country or separate customs territory in the region
can accede to the pact from 1 July 2023 onward. The treaty was formally signed on 15 November 2020 at the
virtual ASEAN Summit hosted by Vietnam. For the first ten ratifying countries, the trade pact took
effect on 1 January 2022.
Niger junta says it will prosecute ousted president for treason
• The military junta that seized power in Niger in a coup last month has said it will prosecute ousted
President Mohamed Bazoum for high treason over his exchanges with foreign heads of state and
international organisations.
• The coup leaders have imprisoned Bazoum and dissolved the elected government, drawing
condemnation from global powers and West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS, which decided last week
to assemble a standby military force that could intervene to reinstate Bazoum. At stake is not just the fate of
Niger – a major uranium producer and Western ally in the fight against an Islamist insurgency – but also the
influence of rival global powers with strategic interests in the region.
Niger is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad
to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to
the northwest. It is the largest landlocked country in West Africa. The capital Niamey is located in Niger’s
southwest corner. The West African CFA franc is the currency used by eight independent states in West
Africa which make up the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA): Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte
d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. Abdourahamane Tchiani also known as Omar
Tchiani is a Nigerien military officer who is the president of the National Council for the Safeguard
of the Homeland, the military junta of Niger. He had served as the chief of the Nigerien presidential
guard (2011-2023). He played a key role in the 2023 Nigerien coup d’état by detaining former president
Mohamed Bazoum.

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U.S., Japan and South Korea agree on new security pledge ahead of Camp David summit
• The United States, Japan and South Korea are set to sign on to a new security pledge, committing
the three countries to consult with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the
Pacific. Details about the new “duty to consult” commitment emerged as President Joe Biden prepared
on August 18 to welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio
Kishida for a summit at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.
• The move is one of several joint efforts that the leaders are expected to announce at the daylong summit, as
the three countries look to tighten security and economic ties amid increasing concerns about North
Korea’s persistent nuclear threats and Chinese provocations in the Pacific.
Russia’s first moon mission in decades fails as Luna-25 crashes into lunar surface
• Russia’s Luna-25 has crashed on the Moon’s surface, the country’s space agency said in a disappointing
end to its first mission to the lunar surface 47 years after the last landing by the former Soviet Union.
This leaves India’s Chandrayaan-3 has become the first spacecraft to land near the lunar South Pole.
• The Luna-25 was scheduled to make a soft landing on the lunar surface August 21, two days ahead of
the Chandrayaan-3. Both were supposed to land in the region around the Moon’s South Pole. But the Russian
spacecraft developed problems as it tried to move into a pre-landing orbit. Russian space agency
Roscosmos said “an emergency situation” had arisen in the spacecraft because of which the orbit-reduction
manoeuvre could not be completed. It had also lost contact with the spacecraft. Roscosmos announced that
Luna-25 had crash-landed on the Moon’s surface.
Luna 25 was a failed Russian lunar lander mission by Roscosmos in August 2023 that planned to land
near the lunar South Pole near the crater Boguslawsky. Initially called the Luna-Glob lander, it was
renamed Luna 25 to emphasize continuity with the Soviet Luna programme from the 1970s, though it
is still part of what was at one point conceptualized as the Luna-Glob lunar exploration programme. It is the first
lunar lander that the Russian space agency Roscosmos has sent to the Moon and would have been the
first lander to land on the lunar south pole. The Luna 25 mission lifted off on 10 August 2023, atop a Soyuz-
2.1b rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s far eastern Amur Region, and on 16 August
entered lunar orbit. On 19 August 2023, the lander crashed on the Moon’s surface after a failed orbital
manoeuvre.
The African Union suspends Niger until ‘the effective restoration of constitutional order’
• The African Union suspended Niger from all of its institutions and activities “until the effective
restoration of constitutional order” following last month’s coup. The Executive Council of the 55-nation
bloc made the decision after mutinous soldiers overthrew Niger’s democratically elected president almost four
weeks ago and quickly entrenched themselves in power, rebuffing most dialogue efforts.
The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of
Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the
establishment of the African Union. The bloc was founded on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and
launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa. The intention of the AU was to replace the Organisation
of African Unity (OAU), established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa by 32 signatory governments; the
OAU was disbanded on 9 July 2002. The most important decisions of the AU are made by the Assembly of
the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states. The AU’s
secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa. The largest city in the AU is Lagos,
Nigeria, while the largest urban agglomeration is Cairo, Egypt. Moussa Faki Mahamat is a Chadian
politician and diplomat who has been the elected Chairperson of the African Union Commission since 14
March 2017. Azali Assoumani is a Comorian politician and military officer who has served as President of
the Comoros since April 2019. He has also served as Chairperson of the African Union since February 2023.
Anti-graft crusader wins Guatemala presidency by landslide
• Guatemalan anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arevalo was voted in as president preliminary
results showed, a victory that until recently seemed impossible and which many voters hope will end years
of rule dogged by allegations of graft and authoritarianism.
• Arevalo, ex-diplomat and son of a former president, had a 58% to 37% lead over former first lady
Sandra Torres with 99% of votes counted. His victory comes as violence and food insecurity roil the country,
triggering fresh waves of migration. Guatemalans now represent the largest number of Central Americans
seeking to enter the United States.

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 Guatemala is a country in Central America. Guatemala City is the capital and largest city of the
Republic of Guatemala. The quetzal is the currency of Guatemala.
Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa wins re-election as President after troubled vote
• Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa was re-elected for a second and final term.
Mnangagwa won 52.6% of the vote. Main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa won 44% of the vote. The result
will likely be scrutinized after election observers raised questions over the election environment in the buildup
to the vote and pointed to an atmosphere of intimidation against Chamisa’s supporters. The election was due to
be held on just one day but voting was extended after delays and problems with the printing of ballot papers.
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers.
The capital and largest city is Harare. The Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar or RTG (Zimdollar
or zollar, now abbreviated as ZWL or ZWL$) was the only official currency in Zimbabwe from June 2019
to March 2020, after which foreign currencies were allowed for trade in the country again.
Gabon army officers announce coup after president declared vote winner
• Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power after the Central African state’s
election body announced that President Ali Bongo had won a third term. If successful, the coup would be
the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020.
• The latest one, in Niger, was in July. Military officers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea,
Burkina Faso and Chad, erasing democratic gains since the 1990s. The officers, calling themselves The
Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, said Gabon was “undergoing a severe institutional,
political, economic, and social crisis”.
Gabon is a country on the Atlantic coast of West Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by
Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo on the east and south, and the
Gulf of Guinea to the west. Libreville is the country’s capital and the largest city. The Central African CFA
franc is the currency of six independent states in Central Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic,
Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Queen Camilla unveils British Indian spy Noor Inayat Khan’s portrait
• Britain’s King Charles’ wife Queen Camilla unveiled a new portrait of the Indian-origin spy and
descendent of Tipu Sultan, Noor Inayat Khan at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Club to honour her sacrifice as
an undercover agent for Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the World War II.
• The royal formally named a room at the RAF Club as “Noor Inayat Khan Room” which houses the
portrait. Noor Inayat Khan was a member of RAF’s Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) when she was
recruited to the SOE in 1942. She then became one of only two members of the WAAF to be awarded the George
Cross (GC) which is the highest award bestowed for heroism. Noor Inayat Khan was born Noor-un-Nisa
Inayat Khan in Moscow in 1914 to an Indian sufi saint father and American mother.
India to be part of implementation of Zelenskyy’s peace formula
• India will be part of the implementation of the 10-point peace formula proposed by Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the event, a memorandum of understanding was signed between
the India-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IUCCI), a bilateral chamber focused on India and
Ukraine, and the WTC, a business and industry association, to jointly promote business and trade between the
two countries.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Mr. Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G-7 summit in Tokyo in May during
which he said that the war in Ukraine was a very big issue for the whole world and has had “many
different impacts on the whole world”.
World’s First Specialized Explosive Naval Drone Unit Formed in Ukraine
• Maritime drones are a hot topic in many navies, but Ukraine has become the first to form a specialist
unit using explosive-armed ones. The recently revealed 385th Separate Brigade is unique in the world. On
August 24, as part of the Independence Day celebrations, President Zelensky, recognized a unique unit
in the Ukrainian Navy. The 385th Separate Brigade uses a range of “Special-Purpose Naval Unmanned
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• These include the explosive laden maritime drones which have are the scourge of the Russian Navy in
the Black Sea. It is one of the clearest signs of the changes we are witnessing in warfare; the Ukrainian
Navy has a unit dedicated to a mode of warfare which essentially didn’t exist 1.5 years ago.
ASEAN launches world’s first regionwide Digital Economy Framework Agreement
• ASEAN Economic Ministers launched the negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework
Agreement (DEFA) – touted to be the first major regionwide digital economy agreement in the world
– at the ASEAN Economic Community Council (AECC) meeting.
• The meeting also endorsed the Framework for Negotiating DEFA, which will guide the negotiations
of the DEFA by exercising the objectives and principles of negotiations, examining the areas to be
negotiated and sets out the negotiation process and timeline.
Russia declares Nobel-winning editor Dmitry Muratov to be a foreign agent
• Russian authorities declared newspaper editor Dmitry Muratov, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize,
to be a foreign agent, continuing the country’s moves to suppress critics and independent reporting. Russian
law allows for individuals and organizations receiving funding from abroad to be declared foreign
agents, a pejorative term that potentially undermines their credibility with the Russian public. The status also
requires designees to mark any publications with a disclaimer stating they are foreign agents.
• Mr. Muratov was chief editor of Novaya Gazeta, which was widely respected abroad for its investigative
reporting and was frequently critical of the Kremlin. Mr. Muratov was a co-laureate of the 2021 Nobel
Prize; he later put up his Nobel medal for auction, receiving $103.5 million which he said would be
used to aid refugee children from Ukraine.
Centuries-old Neolithic hamlet unearthed in France after 150 years of search
• Archaeologists working a vast Neolithic site in northeast France have uncovered what they say is
the last piece of the puzzle – traces of a permanent settlement. The settlement was unearthed at the vast
Neolithic site of Marais de Saint-Gond, giving rare insights into its social organization 150 years after the first
flints were discovered.
UK’s second-largest city Birmingham says it’s bankrupt
• Britain’s second-largest city Birmingham’s local authorities said that it is shifting focus on maintaining
vital services as the council is effectively bankrupt due to an annual budgetary shortfall of millions
of pounds.
• Birmingham City Council, the largest local authority in Europe comprising over 100 councillors, issued a Section
114 notice to say that all new expenditures with the exception of protecting vulnerable people and
statutory services will be stopped immediately.
UK’s Rishi Sunak commits record $2 bn climate aid
• UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a commitment of a record $2 billion to the Green Climate
Fund (GCF), marking the largest single funding contribution by the UK to combat climate change
on a global scale, British High Commission in India said ahead of the second day of G20 Summit in New Delhi.
The Green Climate Fund, established by 194 countries following the Copenhagen Accord at COP15,
plays a pivotal role in financing projects and initiatives aimed at addressing climate change.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund established in 2010 within the framework of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism to
assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change. The GCF is
based in Incheon, South Korea. It is governed by a Board of 24 members and supported by a Secretariat. The
objective of the Green Climate Fund is to “support projects, programmes, policies and other activities in
developing country Parties using thematic funding windows”. It is intended that the Green Climate Fund
be the centrepiece of efforts to raise Climate Finance under the UNFCCC.
Indonesia passes law to relocate capital to remote Borneo
• Mr. Jokowi, as the president is known, first announced the plan in 2019, but progress was delayed
by the pandemic. Indonesia’s parliament has approved a bill to relocate the nation’s capital from
Jakarta to a jungled area of Kalimantan on Borneo Island.
• The new state capital law, which provides a legal framework for President Joko Widodo’s ambitious
$32 billion mega project, stipulates how development of the capital will be funded and governed. The new
centre will be called “Nusantara”, a Javanese name for the Indonesian archipelago chosen by the president.

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 Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists
of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. Indonesia is
the world’s largest island country and the 14th-largest country by area. With about 270 million people,
Indonesia is the world’s fourth-most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority
country. Java, the world’s most populous island, is home to more than half of the country’s population.
The rupiah (Rp) is the official currency of Indonesia.
‘Hero Kim Kun Ok’, North Korea’s new nuclear submarine to counter US naval power
• The submarine was named as ‘Hero Kim Kun Ok’ and is designed to launch tactical nuclear weapons
from underwater. However, there was no specification about the number of missiles it could carry and fire.
• North Korean President Kim Jong Un expressed his satisfaction that the country acquired its own
nuclear attack submarine to counter the advanced naval assets of the US. Other than Hero Kim
Kun Ok, North Korea is also working on nuclear-propelled submarine and is planning to remodel its existing
submarines and surface vessels.
North Korea is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders
China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean
Demilitarized Zone. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city. Kim Jong Un has been supreme leader of
North Korea since 2011 and the leader of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012.He is the third
son of Kim Jong Il, who was North Korea’s second supreme leader from 1994 to 2011, and Ko Yong-hui. The
Korean People’s won, more commonly known as the North Korean won is the official currency of North
Korea.
India proposes G-20 satellite for climate observation
• India proposed to launch a G-20 Satellite Mission for Environment and Climate Observation, with
an aim to help the countries of the Global South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the suggestion at
the G-20 Leaders’ Summit at the Bharat Mandapam international convention centre in the presence of world
leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and South Africa President Cyril
Ramaphosa among others.
Consensus reached by GCC countries to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol
• GCC ministers responsible for climate and environment affairs reached a consensus on the Kigali
Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, during their 25th
meeting in the Sultanate of Oman. The consensus includes a unified position of the GCC and an annex to the
mechanisms for ratifying the Kigali Amendments. The Kigali Amendment will help curb up to 0.4°C
of global warming in this century while continuing to protect the ozone layer.
• Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a statement expressing its profound appreciation
for the unanimous consensus reached by GCC member states to advance the ratification of the Kigali
Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This declaration
was made during the participation of Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and
Environment, at the GCC Committee meeting.
World’s 1st Bio-Methanol Container Ship “Laura” Unveiled In Denmark
• European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen christened the world’s first bio-methanol
container ship, Laura, which joined the fleet of Danish shipping giant Maersk. Built in South Korea
by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and fitted with a dual-fuel engine, Laura is a relatively small model
that will be able to transport 2,136 20-foot (TEU) containers.
• “Neither we nor the climate can afford complacency or waiting for other solutions to emerge in
the late 2020s,” he added. In line with tradition for christening vessels, van der Leyen then swung a bottle of
champagne across the ship’s hull. Green methanol, also known as “e-methanol”, is composed of waste
carbon dioxide (CO2) and “green hydrogen”, which is created by using renewable energy to split
water molecules.
UN committee votes to list ruins near Palestine’s Jericho as World Heritage Site
• A U.N. conference voted to list prehistoric ruins near the ancient West Bank city of Jericho as a World
Heritage Site in Palestine, which controls the territory and does not recognize a Palestinian state.
Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on earth, and is in a part of the Israeli-
occupied West Bank that is administered by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.

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• The listing refers to the Tel es-Sultan archaeological site nearby, which contains prehistoric ruins dating
back to the ninth millenium B.C. and is outside the ancient city itself. The decision was taken at a meeting
of the U.N. World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the U.N. Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
India, Brazil begin talks to resolve sugar-related trade dispute at WTO
• India and Brazil have started talks to mutually resolve a sugar-related trade dispute at the World
Trade Organisation (WTO) and as part of the solution the South American nation may share ethanol
production technology with New Delhi. Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane and ethanol in
the world. It is also a leader in the technology used for ethanol production.
World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates
international trade between nations. It officially commenced operations on 1 January 1995, pursuant to
the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was
established in 1948. The WTO is the world’s largest international economic organization, with 164 member
states representing over 96% of global trade and global GDP. The WTO is headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the current Director-General of the World Trade Organization. She
has become the first woman and the first African to hold the office.
UNESCO adds new sites to the World Heritage List
• UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has wrapped up its deliberations related to sites that are in
danger and began adding new sites to its prestigious World Heritage List. Sites in Ukraine the St. Sophia
Cathedral and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery complex, both located in the capital city of Kyiv,
and the historical center of Lviv in western Ukraine were deemed to be “in danger”.
• The Forest Massif of Odzala-Kokoua in Congo was inscribed. It is one of Africa’s oldest parks as well
as one of the largest tropical rainforests in the world. On the French island of Martinique, the volcanoes
and forests of Mount Pelée and the Pitons on the northern part of the island were also announced as a new
addition to the list during the first day of deliberations.
• Meanwhile, an existing World Heritage Site — Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay — was extended to include Cat
Ba Archipelago, the country’s largest limestone archipelago. It is now listed as one site: Ha Long
Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. Ha Long Bay was first recognized in 1994.
Thailand’s ancient town of Si Thep, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Si Thep, an ancient town located about 340 km north of Bangkok in the Phetchabun province, is
the newest addition to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Thailand. The site has been listed
as The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments. With this new addition,
Thailand now has seven World Heritage Sites.
Dr Mohamed Muizzu wins Presidential elections in Maldives
• Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the opposition PPM PNC coalition has won the Presidential elections in
Maldives. In the provisional results, Dr. Muizzu was shown to have polled over 53 per cent of the votes.
As per the laws, at least 50% vote is necessary for a candidate to emerge victorious.
Maldives is a South Asian country, located in the Indian Ocean, situated in the Arabian Sea. Male is the
capital and most populated city, traditionally called the “King’s Island” for its central location. Maldivian
rufiyaa is the currency of the Maldives. Mohamed Muizzu is the President of the Maldives. The Maldives
rejoined the Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after showing evidence of functioning democratic
processes and popular support.
India retains 40th rank in Global Innovation Index 2023
• India has retained 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2023. NITI Aayog said India retained the
40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World
Intellectual Property Organization.
• It said India has been on a rising trajectory over the past several years in the Global Innovation
Index, from a rank of 81 in 2015 to 40 in 2023. NITI Aayog said the consistent improvement in the GII ranking
is owing to the immense knowledge capital, the vibrant start-up ecosystem, and the work done by the public and
private research organizations.

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 The Global Innovation Index is a leading reference for measuring an economy’s innovation ecosystem
performance. Published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization, it is also a valuable
benchmarking tool used by policymakers, business leaders, and other stakeholders to assess progress in innovation
over time. The Global Innovation Tracker 2023 addresses these crucial questions. It takes the pulse
of four key stages in the innovation cycle: (1) science and innovation investment; (2) technological
progress; (3) technology adoption; and (4) the socioeconomic impact of innovation.

The European Union launches first phase of world’s first carbon border tariff
• The European EU Union launched the first phase of the world’s first system to impose CO2 emissions
tariffs on imported steel, cement and other goods as it tries to stop more polluting foreign products
from undermining its green transition.
• The planned tariff has caused disquiet among trading partners and at a forum last month, China’s top climate
envoy Xie Zhenhua urged countries not to resort to unilateral measures such as the EU levy. The
bloc will not begin collecting any CO2 emission charges at the border until 2026.
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily
in Europe. A monetary union was established in 1999, coming into full force in 2002, and is composed
of 19 member states which use the euro currency. The union and EU citizenship were established
when the Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993. The EU traces its origins to the European Coal and
Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), established, respectively, by the
1951 Treaty of Paris and 1957 Treaty of Rome. The original member states of what came to be known as the
European Communities were the Inner Six: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and
West Germany. The United Kingdom became the first member state to leave the EU on 31 January 2020.
Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen is a German politician and physician who has been President of the
European Commission since 1 December 2019. Charles Michel is a Belgian politician serving as President
of the European Council.

Indonesian president launches Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, funded by China
• Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway as it was
set to begin commercial operations, a key project under China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative
that will drastically reduce the travel time between two key cities.
In a world first, Finland introduces digital passports
• Finland became the first country to launch digital passports, aiming to streamline and enhance
international travel. Finnish travellers departing from Helsinki to the UK now have the option to present a
digital ID on their mobile device instead of their physical passport.
Finland is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the
north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, across
from Estonia. Helsinki is the capital and largest city. Euro is the official currency of it. Petteri Orpo is
serving as the Prime Minister of Finland since 2023 and as the leader of the National Coalition Party since
2016. Finland successfully joined NATO as 31st member in April 2023.

Armenia’s parliament votes to join the International Criminal Court, straining ties with
ally Russia
• Armenia’s Parliament voted to join the International Criminal Court, a move that further strains
the country’s ties with its old ally Russia after the court issued an arrest warrant for President
Vladimir Putin over events in Ukraine. Moscow last month called Yerevan’s effort to join the ICC an
“unfriendly step,” and the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Armenia’s ambassador.
• Armenia reports ‘casualties’ after saying Azerbaijan opened fire. Countries that have signed and
ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC are bound to arrest Mr. Putin, who was indicted for war crimes
connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine, if he sets foot on their soil. Armenia later sought to
assure Russia that Mr. Putin would not be arrested if he entered the country. Lawmakers voted to
ratify the Rome Statute by a vote of 60-22. The decision after that is to be submitted to Armenia’s president,
who must prepare a ratification document, which is then deposited with the UN secretary-general.

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 Armenia is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus
region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and
the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south. Yerevan is the capital, largest city and financial center.
The Armenian dram is the currency of the Republic of Armenia. Vahagn Garniki Khachaturyan is
the 5th and current President of Armenia. Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan is serving as the Prime Minister of
Armenia since 8 May 2018. Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed territory, internationally recognized as part
of Azerbaijan, although most of its territory was governed by ethnic Armenians under the breakaway
Republic of Artsakh—also known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)—from the end of the first
Nagorno-Karabakh War between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1994 to the announcement of the pending dissolution
of the republic in September 2023.
Sri Lanka to take over as Chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association
• Several Foreign Ministers, including those of India, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Iran, Malaysia and South Africa,
participated in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers meeting in Colombo,
according to the Sri Lankan government, which is taken over as Chair of the regional grouping.
• Established in 1997 as an intergovernmental organisation of States on the rim of the Indian Ocean,
the IORA has members from Africa, West Asia, South Asia, Southeat Asia and the Oceania. The Association’s
membership has expanded to 23 member states and 11 dialogue partners.
Russia is defeated in its bid to regain a seat on the U.N.’s top human rights body
• Russia was defeated in its bid to regain a seat in the U.N.’s premier human rights body by a significant
majority election in the General Assembly, which voted last year to suspend Moscow after its invasion of
Ukraine. Russia was competing against Albania and Bulgaria for two seats on the Geneva-based
Human Rights Council representing the East European regional group.
• In the secret ballot vote, Bulgaria got 160 votes, Albania received 123 votes and Russia just 83 votes.
Russia has claimed that it has support from a silent majority, and even though 83 votes came from less than
half the 193 U.N. member nations, there is certain to be a concern, especially by Ukraine and its Western allies.
• The other closely watched race was in the Asia group where four countries – China, Japan, Kuwait and
Indonesia – were candidates for four seats. Some rights groups also campaigned against Beijing and the
size of the vote was closely watched. Indonesia topped the ballot with 186 votes followed by Kuwait with
183 votes and Japan with 175. China was last with 154 votes.
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to
promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered
three-year terms on a regional group basis. The headquarters of the Council are at the United Nations
Office at Geneva in Switzerland. The Council investigates allegations of breaches of human rights in United
Nations member states and addresses thematic human rights issues like freedom of association and assembly,
freedom of expression, freedom of belief and religion, women’s rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of racial and
ethnic minorities. The Council was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March
2006 to replace the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR, herein CHR).
Australia rejects proposal to recognise Indigenous people in its constitution
• Australia decisively rejected a proposal to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution.
Australians had to vote in the referendum, on the question of whether to alter the constitution to recognise
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people through the creation of an Indigenous advisory body, the “Voice to
Parliament”.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged it was not the outcome he had hoped for but said the country
would have to seek a new way forward for reconciliation. Australia’s indigenous citizens, who make up
3.8% of the country’s 26 million population, have inhabited the land for years but are not mentioned in the
constitution.
Australia is the largest country in Oceania and the world’s sixth-largest country by total area. Australia’s
capital is Canberra, and its largest city is Sydney. Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George) is King
of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. He acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022
upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon. The Australian dollar is the currency of Australia. Anthony Albanese is the
current Prime Minister of Australia.

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Christopher Luxon wins New Zealand election after incumbent PM Chris Hipkins
concedes
• New Zealand’s National Party, led by Christopher Luxon, will form a new government, as Prime
Minister Chris Hipkins conceded his Labour Party’s defeat after general election. Christopher Luxon
will be New Zealand’s next prime minister.
• With most of the votes counted, Luxon’s National Party has about 39 percent of the vote, Labour Party
has 26.9 percent while Australian Capital Territory (ACT) party has 9 percent of the vote share.
National Party is expected to form an alliance with the ACT Party. Coalition negotiations between National
Party and ACT Party are expected to begin in the coming days. National party won over voters by promising
relief for struggling middle-income people, and to bring historically high inflation under control while reducing
the country’s debt.
New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. New Zealand’s capital city is
Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland. The New Zealand dollar is the official currency and legal
tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the
Pitcairn Islands.
Israel-Palestine Conflict: Israel launches operation ‘Iron Swords’
• The Israel Defence Force launched operation ‘Iron Swords’ in response to Hamas’s surprise attack
on Israel. IDF is striking Hamas targets in Gaza. “In response to the barrages of rockets launched by
Hamas from Gaza at Israel, the IDF is currently striking Hamas targets in Gaza.
• Operation Iron Swords takes into account all the attackers who have infiltrated into Israel and are
carrying out attacks on civilians and Israeli defence forces. Hamas said the attack was driven by what
it said were Israel’s escalated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem and against Palestinians in
Israeli prisons.
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict in the Levant. Beginning in
the mid-20th century, it is one of the world’s longest continuing conflicts. Various attempts have been made
to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, alongside other efforts to resolve the broader
Arab–Israeli conflict. Public declarations of the desire to see a Jewish homeland established in Palestine,
including the First Zionist Congress of 1897 and the Balfour Declaration of 1917, created early tensions
in the region after waves of Jewish immigration. Following World War I, the Mandate for Palestine included
a binding obligation for the “establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”.
Tensions grew into open sectarian conflict between Jews and Arabs. The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan
for Palestine was never implemented and provoked the 1947–1949 Palestine War. The current Israeli-
Palestinian status quo began following Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, known
as the Palestinian territories, in the 1967 Six-Day War. Progress was made towards a two-state solution
with the Oslo Accords of 1993–1995. Final status issues include the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements,
borders, security and water rights as well as Palestinian freedom of movement and the Palestinian right of return.
South Korea, US, Japan hold first joint air drills
• South Korea, the United States and Japan carried out their first joint aerial drills. The exercise,
which involved a US nuclear-weapons-capable B-52 bomber, comes as Seoul, Washington and Tokyo beef
up their defence cooperation against growing missile and nuclear threats from North Korea. B-52
bombers fly at sub-sonic speed but can travel more than 8800 miles without any need of refuelling. The bomber
can reach an altitude of 50,000 feet.
• The trilateral exercise took place south of the Korean peninsula, where Seoul and Tokyo’s air defence
identification zones overlap. “This marks the first time for the air powers of South Korea, the United
States, and Japan to carry out an aerial exercise”. North Korea considers all such exercises as rehearsals
for an invasion against it and repeatedly warns of “overwhelming” action in response.
South Korea is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and
sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is
defined by the Sea of Japan. The South Korean won is the official currency of South Korea. Yoon Suk-Yeol
is the current President of South Korea. 38th parallel, popular name given to latitude 38° N that in East
Asia roughly demarcates North Korea and South Korea.

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IMEEC work begins with 3.5 lakh crore railways plan to link 8 ports on west coast
• A monumental step towards bolstering regional connectivity, the India Middle East Europe Economic
Corridor (IMEEC) project is set to redefine trade routes and enhance economic cooperation. This
strategic initiative, encompassing a massive INR 3.5 lakh crore railway plan, aims to establish a
seamless transportation network linking eight key ports on the West Coast of India to Fujairah, UAE, ultimately
connecting to Haifa, Israel, and further extending to Europe.
• A strategic project, the plan under the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) is to
transport goods from Indian ports to Fujairah in the UAE by ship, and from there move the containers
by train to Haifa in Israel.
• From Haifa, the containers will move to Europe with Italy, France, the UK and the US having
already joined the alliance. Ports in Greece and North Africa may also see some traffic movement. “The
IMEEC, which is an India initiative, is for the long term and its significance is long term. While short-term
glitches can have concerns and occupy our minds, we will keep engaging with all stakeholders. This is just not
for the immediate future, we have started it with a long-term interest”.
Recently, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Project was signed at the G20 Summit
in New Delhi, which holds significant geopolitical and economic implications for India. The project
forms part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). PGII is a values-driven,
high-impact, and transparent infrastructure partnership to meet the enormous infrastructure needs of
low and middle-income countries. The proposed IMEC will consist of Railroad, Ship-to-Rail networks and
Road transport routes extending across two corridors, that is, 1. The East Corridor – connecting India
to the Arabian Gulf, 2. The Northern Corridor – connecting the Gulf to Europe. The IMEC corridor will also
include an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable. At the heart of IMEEC
lies the aspiration to streamline the movement of goods from Indian ports to Fujairah in the UAE via
sea routes, followed by the efficient transfer of containers by rail to Haifa, Israel. Subsequently, these containers
will continue their journey to Europe, with nations like Italy, France, the UK, and the US already endorsing this
visionary alliance. Furthermore, ports in Greece and North Africa are expected to witness heightened activity due
to this transformative initiative. Signatories countries: India, the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the European
Union, Italy, France, and Germany.
In Switzerland, a Populist Party rebounds, Greens sink after election
• Switzerland’s anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party rebounded from searing losses four years ago
to become the largest parliamentary faction after the election, as two environmentally-minded parties
lost ground despite record glacier melt in the Alpine country.
• The final tally showed the people’s party, known as SVP by its German-language acronym, gained nine
seats compared to the last vote in 2019, and climbed to 62 seats overall in parliament’s 200-member
lower house. The Socialists, in second, added two seats to reach 41 in that chamber, known as the National
Council.
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located at the confluence of
Western, Central and Southern Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the
north and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Bern is the de facto capital of Switzerland. The Swiss
franc is the currency of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Alain Berset serves as President of the Swiss
Confederation for 2023.
Japan becomes 1st Country Ever to Fire Electromagnetic Railgun from an Offshore Vessel
• Japan has successfully test-fired a medium-caliber maritime electromagnetic railgun from an
offshore platform as it continues to advance its defenses in the face of burgeoning regional security threats.
For the test, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) collaborated with the Acquisition
Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA).
China approves the world’s first flying taxi
• Chinese drone startup EHang has obtained type certification for its electric vertical take-off and
landing (eVTOL) aircraft, in what the company is calling the “world’s first” such approval.
• EHang announced that its EH216-S aircraft had received the approval from the Civil Aviation
Administration of China (CAAC), indicating the model’s airworthiness and bringing it closer to commercial
operation.

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SCO Summit in Astana next year
• On the occasion of Kazakhstan Republic Day, the country’s ambassador to India, Nurlan
Zhalgasbayev, addressed a Round Table in New Delhi saying that his country was looking forward to
hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SCO Summit in Astana next year. The Round Table
dedicated to Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s State of the Nation address – ‘Economic Course
of a Just Kazakhstan’. The Kazakh President laid out the country’s ambitious push for economic reforms and a
fresh economic trajectory for the nation.
Slovenia nuclear plant could be operational again
• Slovenia’s only nuclear power plant Krsko (NEK) has begun repairing a leak in a pipeline at the
facility and the plant should resume operations in November, the Slovenian government said. Slovenia
jointly owns the plant with Croatia. It was shut down after the leak occurred on the connection
system of the primary circuit on October 6. “Currently, the damaged part of the pipeline is being
replaced with the new one”, adding that the safety injection system’s pipeline on the other side of the reactor
vessel will also be replaced “as a preventive measure”.
Slovenia is a country in southern Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north,
Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short coastline within the Adriatic Sea to the
southwest. Ljubljana, the capital and largest city of Slovenia. Euro is the official currency of it. Robert Golob
is serving as Prime Minister of Slovenia and leader of the Freedom Movement since 2022. Natasa Pirc Musar
is a Slovenian attorney and author, serving as President of Slovenia since December 23, 2022.
Sweden’s Saab bags India’s first 100% FDI in defence project
• India has cleared the first 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the defence sector, with permissions
granted to Sweden’s Saab to set up a new facility that will manufacture rockets. FDI proposal, valued at under
Rs. 500 crore, was cleared. India currently allows up to 74% FDI in the defence sector under the
automatic route. Beyond that, clearances can be obtained on a case-by-case basis.
Sweden is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway
to the west and north, Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge–tunnel across
the Öresund. The capital and largest city is Stockholm. The krona is the official currency of the Kingdom
of Sweden. Ulf Hjalmar Ed Kristersson has been serving as Prime Minister of Sweden since 2022. Carl XVI
Gustaf is King of Sweden.
Malaysia names Sultan Ibrahim as next king
• Malaysia’s royal families elected the powerful and outspoken Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar from
the southern state of Johor to be the country’s next king. The king plays a largely ceremonial role in Malaysia,
but the monarchy has become more influential in recent years due to prolonged political instability that has
prompted the incumbent king to wield rarely used discretionary powers.
• Malaysia has a unique system in which the heads of its nine royal families take turns to be monarch
for a five-year term. The Southeast Asian country is a parliamentary democracy, with the monarch serving
as head of state. Sultan Ibrahim will take over from current King Al-Sultan Abdullah on Jan. 31, 2024.
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of 13 states and
three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo’s
East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with
Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital. The Malaysian ringgit is the
currency of Malaysia. Anwar bin Ibrahim has been serving as the current Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Sri Lanka announces free visas for Indians
• Sri Lanka waived the visa fees for Indians and tourists from six other countries, as part of its efforts
to boost tourist arrivals and help rebuild the island nation’s battered economy following last year’s financial
crash. India has remained Sri Lanka’s top source market for many years.
World’s first global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit held in UK
• As the United Kingdom hosts the world’s first global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit,
British Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has called for international collaboration to mitigate risks
of the fast-growing technology. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is represented India at the
two-day summit starting November 1 at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire in southern England, a significant
location in the history of computer science development- the base for World War II code-breaking operations.

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• The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit 2023 held at Bletchley Park, England has marked
a significant turning point in the global approach to tackling the challenges posed by frontier AI
technologies. To tackle these challenges, 28 major countries, including the United States, China, India,
and the European Union, signed the Bletchley Park Declaration at this first-ever AI Safety Summit.
This landmark declaration seeks to create a collective understanding and coordinated approach to address the
potential risks and benefits of advanced AI systems, known as frontier AI.
Putin signs law revoking Russian ratification of nuclear test ban treaty
• President Vladimir Putin signed a law revoking Russian ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty. Russia says the aim is to restore parity with the United States, which has signed but never
ratified the 1996 treaty, and that it will not resume testing unless Washington does.
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a multilateral treaty aimed at banning all nuclear
explosions, whether for military or peaceful purposes. The roots of the CTBT can be traced back to the Cold
War era when the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a nuclear arms race, conducting numerous
nuclear tests. The CTBT will enter into force 180 days after it has been ratified by all 44 states listed in
Annex 2 to the treaty, which are states that possessed nuclear reactors or research reactors at the time
of its adoption. It has been signed by 187 nations and ratified by 178. However, the treaty cannot formally
enter into force until it is ratified by 44 specific nations. Eight of these nations have yet to ratify the
treaty: China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, Egypt, United States.
Montenegro gets new government, promises to unblock EU integration
• Montenegro’s new government was confirmed on October 31, with the Prime Minister promising to
unblock the Balkan nation’s stalled European Union integration process as a top EU official was set
to hold talks in the small NATO member country. Parliament approved the new Cabinet with 46 votes in
favour and 19 against after a session. Montenegro’s Assembly has 81 members but not all were present at the
vote.
Montenegro is a country in Southeast Europe. Podgorica is the country’s capital and its largest city.
Milojko Spajic has been serving as Prime Minister of Montenegro since October 2023. Jakov Milatovic is
the incumbent President of Montenegro, serving since May 2023. Euro is the official currency of it.
India, Kazakhstan to conduct 13-day military exercise to boost anti-terror cooperation
• India and Kazakhstan will begin a 13-day mega wargame in the Kazakh military base of Otar with
a focus on boosting their counter- terror cooperation. The Indian contingent comprising 120 personnel
from the Army and the Indian Air Force left for Kazakhstan to participate in the seventh edition of the exercise
‘Kazind-2023’.
• “Exercise Kazind-2023 will provide an opportunity for both sides to gain an insight into the tactics,
battle drills and procedures of each other, which is a prerequisite while operating under the ambit of the UN,”.
Kazakhstan is a country in Central Asia; it has borders with Russia in the north, China in the east, and
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan in the south. The capital is Nur-Sultan, formerly known as
Astana. Kazakhstan is the world’s largest landlocked country and the ninth-largest in the world. Kassym-
Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev has been serving as the President of Kazakhstan since 20 March 2019. The
tenge is the currency of Kazakhstan.
World’s first ammonia-fueled container ship to launch by 2026
• Efforts are on in Norway to build the world’s first ammonia-powered container ship, which is
expected to enter service by 2026. Yara Eyde will travel between Oslo, Brevik, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven
and is optimized for the commercial corridor between Norway and Europe. The project is being commissioned
by Norwegian ammonia manufacturer Yara International’s subsidiary Yara Clean Energy in
collaboration with maritime logistics firm North Sea Container Line. The vessel will be operated by
NCL Oslo, a firm formed as part of the new cooperation between the firms.
Norway is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western
and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the
archipelago of Svalbard also form part of Norway. The capital and largest city in Norway is Oslo. Jonas
Gahr Store has been serving as current Prime Minister of Norway since 2021. Masud Gharahkhani has
been serving as the President of the Norway since 2021. The krone is the currency of the Kingdom of
Norway (including overseas territories and dependencies.

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Philippines announces exit from China’s Belt & Road Initiatives
• The Philippines has announced to exit from China’s Belt and Road Initiatives. The full termination
of major infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative has been announced by the Philippine
Department of Transportation in favour of competitors from the West and Japan. As per the Philippine Senate,
doubt now shrouds nearly all of China’s crucial investment initiatives in the Philippines, owing to
economic and political factors. This has led to a new low point in Philippine-China relations, marking a
drastic reversal from the six years of warm engagement during the pro-Beijing Rodrigo Duterte presidency.
Emmanuel Macron pledges €1 bn to fund research into melting ice caps
• France will spend €1 bn (£880m) on polar research between now and 2030, amid rapidly rising
scientific concern over the world’s melting ice caps and glaciers. A new polar science vessel will
spearhead the effort, and France is calling for a moratorium on the exploitation of the seabed in Polar
Regions, to which the UK, Canada, Brazil and 19 other countries have so far signed up. The plight of
the Earth’s Polar Regions and glaciers has sparked alarm among many scientists, as heatwaves at both poles,
which were seen for the first time last year, look set to be a regular occurrence.
India becomes largest source of international graduate students in US, China 2nd
• India has surpassed China to become the largest source of international graduate students in the
US for the first time since 2009-10, with 268,923 Indian students studying in American institutions during
the academic year 2022-23.
• According to a new report from the Institute of International Education (IIE) released a record
number of Indian students travelled to the US to pursue higher education for the third year in a
row. Data also showed India leading in the number of individuals (69,062) who pursued optional practical
training (OPT), a type of temporary work permission that allows eligible students to get real-world experience
related to their field of study.
Icelandic Town Evacuated as Earthquakes Portend Volcanic Eruption
• Icelandic authorities declared a state of emergency and evacuated a town of about 4,000 people
after hundreds of earthquakes were detected overnight, signaling an increased likelihood of a volcano
erupting in the country’s southwestern Reykjanes Peninsula. The enhanced seismic activity measured near
Sundhnjukagigar, north of Grindavik, came two days after thousands of other earthquakes rattled the region
to close the Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist destination known for its geothermal spas.
Iceland is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge between North America and Europe. Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík. The krona is the
currency of Iceland. Katrin Jakobsdottir has been serving as the Prime Minister of Iceland since 2017.
Guoni Thorlacius Jóhannesson is serving as the current President of Iceland.
Nepal government bans TikTok
• The Nepal government decided to ban the Chinese-owned social network platform TikTok, citing its
negative effects on social harmony. The Nepal government decided to ban TikTok due to its negative
effects on social harmony.
Algerian President names new Prime Minister ahead of elections next year
• Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune dismissed the country’s prime minister and replaced him
with the head of his Cabinet as the country struggles with inflation and next year’s national elections approach.
• Aimene Benabderahmne would be replaced with 73-year-old lawyer Mohamed Labaoui, a Tebboune
ally who has headed the president’s cabinet since March 2023. Benabderahmne’s sacking comes three years
into Tebboune’s tenure and is the latest upheaval to shape North African politics. In August 2023, Tunisia’s
president dismissed his prime minister, while the head of Algeria’s powerful state-run oil company and eight of
his vice presidents were dismissed several weeks ago.
Algeria is a country in North Africa. Algeria is the world’s tenth largest nation by area, and the largest
nation in Africa, The capital and largest city is Algiers. The dinar is the monetary currency of Algeria.
Second Quad, CECA on the agenda at India-Australia 2+2 dialogue
• The upcoming Quad summit is expected to figure prominently in the 2+2 Ministerial dialogue
between India and Australia, with both countries also likely to take stock of their ongoing negotiations for a
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

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• This comes shortly after the India-U.S. 2+2 dialogue, and will be an opportunity to discuss regional
developments, including the crisis in West Asia. The Australian and Japanese governments have
informally conveyed to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that January 27 is an acceptable date.
• However, India has been waiting for a confirmation from U.S. President Joseph Biden’s office, as
he had been invited to be the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade on January 26. In addition,
Australian PM Anthony Albanese’s visit will be an opportunity to sign the CECA if talks on the free trade
agreement are concluded.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), colloquially the Quad or QUAD, is a strategic security
dialogue between the United States, India, Japan and Australia that is maintained by talks between
member countries. The dialogue was initiated in 2007 by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with
the support of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh. The dialogue was paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale,
titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement was widely viewed as a response to increased
Chinese economic and military power, and the Chinese government responded to the Quadrilateral
dialogue by issuing formal diplomatic protests to its members, calling it “Asian NATO”.
Former Prime Minister David Cameron appointed U.K. Foreign Secretary
• U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reshuffled his Cabinet, sacking controversial Home Secretary
Suella Braverman and resurrecting the political career of former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron,
who was appointed Foreign Secretary. The (now) former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was appointed
Home Secretary. Ms. Braverman’s history of provocative statements including her latest allegations of bias
in the Metropolitan Police, over their handling of pro-Palestinian protests, had increased pressure
on Mr. Sunak to fire Ms. Braverman.
Dominica creates world’s first marine protected area for sperm whales
• The tiny Caribbean island of Dominica is creating the world’s first marine protected area for one of
Earth’s largest animals: the endangered sperm whale. Nearly 300 sq miles (800 sq km) of royal blue waters
on the western side of the island nation that serves as key nursing and feeding grounds will be designated as
a reserve. As a result, nutrient-rich poop remains along the ocean surface and creates plankton blooms, which
capture carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and drag it to the ocean floor when they die.
Spain’s Pedro Sánchez re-elected Prime Minister despite controversy over amnesty for
separatists
• Spain’s acting Socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, was chosen by a majority of legislators to
form a new government in a parliamentary vote. Mr. Sánchez was backed by 179 lawmakers in the 350-
seat lower house of parliament. Only right-wing opposition deputies voted against him.
• The vote came after nearly two days of debate among party leaders that centered almost entirely on a
highly controversial amnesty deal for Catalonia’s separatists that Mr. Sánchez agreed to in return
for vital support to get elected prime minister again.
Spain is a country located in Southwestern Europe, with parts of its territory in the Atlantic Ocean, the
Mediterranean Sea and Africa. Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. Pedro Sanchez has been
Prime Minister of Spain since June 2018. Felipe VI is the King of Spain. The Euro is the official currency of it.
Muizzu takes office as the new Maldivian president
• Mohamed Muizzu, an engineer-turned-politician, took oath as the eighth President of the Maldives at
a ceremony attended by a multitude of foreign dignitaries, including India’s Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. Muizzu
took the oath of office at the Special Assembly of the People’s Majlis held at Republic Square. At the ceremony,
Hussain Mohamed Latheef also took oath as the 10th vice president of the Maldives. Muizzu, a close
associate of former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen who forged close ties with China during his Presidency
from 2013 to 2018, defeated India-friendly incumbent Solih in the presidential runoff held in September.
Argentina elects right-wing libertarian Javier Milei as its new president
• Argentina elected right-wing libertarian Javier Milei as its new President rolling the dice on an outsider
with radical views to fix an economy battered by triple-digit inflation, a looming recession and rising poverty.
Milei, who rode a wave of voter anger with the political mainstream, won by a wider-than-expected margin. He
landed some 56% of the vote versus just over 44% for his rival, Peronist Economy Minister Sergio
Massa, who conceded. Presuming that margin holds, it would be wider than predicted by all polls and the
widest since Argentina’s return of democracy in 1983.

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 Argentina is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina is the second-largest country
in South America after Brazil, Argentina claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia
and the South Sandwich Islands, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, and a part of Antarctica. Buenos Aires is the
capital and primate city of Argentina. The peso (established as the peso convertible) is the currency of
Argentina. Alberto Fernandez has been serving as President of Argentina since 2019. Javier Milei is an
Argentine politician, economist, and author who is the president-elect of Argentina. He will assume the
office on 10 December 20-23.
Deep depression intensifies into Cyclone Midhili, hits Bangladesh coast
• Recently, Cyclone Midhili, which stemmed from a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal and was
named by Maldives, underwent a downgrade from a “deep depression” to a “depression” as confirmed
by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) after its landfall on the Bangladesh coast. A cyclonic storm is
characterized by a maximum sustained wind speed of 62-88 kmph, while it is termed a severe cyclonic storm if
the maximum sustained wind speed reaches 89-117 kmph.
• The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm Midhili and is crossing the
Bangladesh coast near Khepupara with wind speed gusting up to 80 kmph. Cyclone Midhili is the second
cyclonic formation to hit the Bangladesh coast in quick succession. Last month, Cyclone Hamoon made
landfall in Bangladesh.
Ex-finance minister Frieden becomes Luxembourg’s new Prime Minister
• Luxembourg’s former finance minister Luc Frieden has become the country’s new Prime Minister,
leading a government coalition of his Christian democratic party and the liberal party of former Prime Minister
Xavier Bettel. Frieden’s Christian Social People’s Party (CSV), Luxembourg’s long-dominant centre-right party,
leaving the former coalition of liberals, socialists and greens without a majority.
Luxembourg officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a small landlocked country in Western
Europe. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembourg. Henri is Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Euro is
it’s official currency.
Bustanica: UAE’s sustainable agriculture marvel takes center stage ahead of COP28 summit
• As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prepares to host the upcoming COP28 summit, the nation is
spotlighting its progressive environmental efforts, with a particular focus on Bustanica, the world’s largest
vertical farm. Unveiled last year, this agricultural marvel is an expression of the country’s commitment to
sustainable practices.
• Bustanica, the brainchild of Emirates Crop One (ECO1), a collaboration between Emirates Flight
Catering (EKFC) and Crop One, boasts an investment of US$40 million in cutting-edge technology
and infrastructure. Strategically located near Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport, the
facility harnesses hydroponic cultivation, reducing water consumption by up to 95% compared to
traditional outdoor farming.
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more
commonly referred to as COP28, is the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference, being held from 30
November until 12 December 2023 at Expo City, Dubai. The conference has been held annually since the
first UN climate agreement in 1992. The COP conferences are intended for governments to agree on policies to
limit global temperature rises and adapt to impacts associated with climate change. The UAE pledged to reduce
carbon emissions to net zero by 2050; the first Middle Eastern government to make such a pledge. It was
the first country in the region to sign the Paris Agreement on 21 September 2016. The country has invested
$50 billion into clean energy internationally and promised an additional $50 billion by 2030. In November 2022,
the UAE agreed to partner with the United States to invest another $100 billion in clean energy. On
1 August 2023, the UAE allowed environmental activists to “assemble peacefully” at the summit and
vowed to provide them a space to “make their voices heard”, despite its laws that prohibit unauthorized protests.
Joseph Boakai declared winner of Liberia presidential election
• Political veteran Joseph Boakai was declared winner of Liberia’s presidential election, beating
incumbent George Weah, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) said after completing the ballot count. Mr.
Boakai won with 50.64% of the vote, against 49.36% of the vote for former international football star Mr. Weah,
Davidetta Browne Lansanah, president of the commission.

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 Liberia is a country on the West African coast. The capital and largest city is Monrovia. The dollar
(currency code LRD) has been the currency of Liberia since 1943. George Manneh Oppong Weah is a
Liberian politician and former professional footballer who is the outgoing president of Liberia, serving
in office between 2018 and 2024. He played as a striker in his prolific 18-year professional football career, which
ended in 2003. Weah is the first African former professional footballer to become a head of state.

Pakistan applies for BRICS membership

• Pakistan has applied for membership in the BRICS grouping and sought Russia’s support. Pakistan
has filed an application to join the BRICS group of nations in 2024 and is counting on Russia’s assistance during
the membership process.
• Pakistan’s application to join the BRICS came as the grouping of emerging economies was set for
its biggest expansion with six new members under Russia’s rotating Presidency in 2024. This year’s
BRICS summit held in South Africa formally admitted Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) as new members. They will formally join during the 2024 summit in Russia.
Pakistan is a country in South Asia. It is the world’s fifth-most populous country, with a population
of almost 227 million, and has the world’s second-largest Muslim population after Indonesia. It has a
1,046-kilometre (650-mile) coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the south, and is bordered
by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to the southwest, and China to the northeast. It is
separated narrowly from Tajikistan by Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor in the north, and also shares a
maritime border with Oman. Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi is serving
as the current President of Pakistan. The Pakistani rupee has been the official currency of Pakistan.

Dutch election winner Geert Wilders is known as the Dutch Donald Trump
• Dutch Election Winner Geert Wilders Is Anti-Islam Firebrand Known as the Dutch Donald Trump.
He’s been threatened with death countless times by extremists, convicted of insulting Moroccans, and Britain
once banned him from entering the country. Now Geert Wilders has won a massive victory in a Dutch
election and is in pole position to form the next governing coalition and possibly become the
Netherlands’ next prime minister.
• The only time Wilders came close to governing was when he supported the first coalition formed
by Prime Minister Mark Rutte in 2010. But Wilders did not formally join the minority administration and
brought it down after just 18 months in office in a dispute over austerity measures. Since then, mainstream
parties have shunned him. They no longer can.
The Netherlands informally Holland is a country located in northwestern Europe with overseas territories
in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands
consists of twelve provinces; it borders Germany to the east, and Belgium to the south, with a North Sea
coastline to the north and west. Amsterdam is the capital and most populated city of the Netherlands, with
The Hague being the seat of government. Euro and United States Dollar are the official currency of it.

COP and the Paris Agreement

• The historic Paris Agreement, a product of COP21 in 2015, remains a cornerstone in the fight
against climate change. Binding nations together, it commits nearly all countries to limit the rise in global
average temperature to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, above pre-
industrial levels. Further pledges encompass enhancing adaptation capacities, aligning financial flows with
low greenhouse gas emissions, and committing to a net-zero trajectory.
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change. Adopted in 2015, the agreement covers
climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The Paris Agreement was negotiated by 196 parties at the
2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference near Paris, France. As of February 2023, 195 members
of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are parties to the agreement. Of the
three UNFCCC member states which have not ratified the agreement, the only major emitter is Iran.
The United States withdrew from the agreement in 2020, but rejoined in 2021. The Paris Agreement’s
long-term temperature goal is to keep the rise in mean global temperature to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F)
above pre-industrial levels, and preferably limit the increase to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), recognizing that this
would substantially reduce the effects of climate change.

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 The Prime Minister of India at the COP-26 Glasgow summit presented five nectar elements, Panchamrit,
to deal with climate change: 1. India will reach its non-fossil installed electricity capacity to 500 GW by
2030. 2. India will meet 50% of its electricity requirements from renewable energy by 2030. 3. India will
reduce the total projected carbon emissions by one billion tonnes from now onwards till 2030. 4. By
2030, India will reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by less than 45%. 5. By the year 2070, India
will achieve the target of Net-zero.

C. Business & Economy

DPIIT launches startup applications for registration on MAARG portal
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) launched startup applications
for registration on the MAARG portal, the National Mentorship Platform by Startup India. The
purpose of the application is to provide further boost the startup ecosystem by catalysing the startup culture
and building a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in India.
• MAARG portal, (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth) is a one stop platform to
facilitate mentorship for startups across diverse sectors, functions, stages, geographies, and backgrounds.
The MAARG is being operationalized in three phases which include, Mentor Onboarding, Startup Onboarding,
and MAARG Portal Launch and Mentor Matchmaking.
Government of India launched the flagship initiative, “Startup India” in 2016. The program envisages
to build a strong ecosystem that is conducive for the growth of startup businesses and kickstarted an
entrepreneurship revolution. Further, the overhaul of the digital payments ecosystem is being led by State
innovation (NPCI), with Aadhaar, Jan Dhan, UPI, and India Stack. As India improved its digital connectivity,
market access barriers have been brought down and created a favourable ecosystem for startups. India is the
third largest Unicorn ecosystem in the world after US and China.
Qatar signs world’s ‘longest’ gas supply deal with China
• Qatar Energy announced a 27-year natural gas supply deal with China calling it the “longest” ever
seen as it strengthened ties with Asia at a time when Europe is scrambling for alternative sources. The state
energy company will send four million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually from its new North
Field East project to China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec). China is the first
country to seal a deal for North Field East.
Qatar is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the
Arabian Peninsula, and shares its sole land border with neighbouring Gulf Cooperation Council monarchy
Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The capital is Doha,
home to over 80% of the nation’s population. The Qatari riyal is the currency of the State of Qatar. Khalid
bin Khalifa is the current Prime Minister of Qatar. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the Emir of
Qatar.
India to engage with four key economies over FTAs
• The year 2023 is set to be extremely busy for Indian trade negotiators as they will engage four key
economies – the UK, the European Union (EU), Canada and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – on
trade deals while targeting to close a deal with the UK by the Holi festivities in March.
• India finalised two deals this year– the India-UAE FTA signed on February 18 that officially entered
into force on May 1, and the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA),
which was inked on April 2 and was ratified by Australia’s Parliament.
• India currently has 12 FTAs and India-UAE CEPA is the latest one. After India opted out of the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in November 2019, the 15-member FTA grouping that includes
Japan, China and Australia, FTAs went into cold storage for India. But now the bilateral free trade agreements
of India are being negotiated with the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.
Wipro becomes 1st Indian IT firm to allow Europe employees to form union
• Wipro has allowed its employees to unionise in Europe. It has become the first IT Company in
India to do so. The employees will be allowed to set up a European Works Council (EWC) and encourage
debates on their issues.
• Wipro’s employees that have been allowed to unionise belong to 13 countries including France,
Sweden, Finland and Germany. In Europe, the company has over 30,000 employees. The EWC will be led

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 by elected or appointed employee representatives from the European Union (EU) and the European Economic
Area (EEA). The chair sponsorship will continue to remain with Wipro’s CEO for Europe and a team of regional
business heads.
Wipro Limited (formerly, Western India Palm Refined Oils Limited) is an Indian multinational
corporation that provides information technology, consulting and business process services. Thierry Delaporte
is serving as CEO and managing director of Wipro from July 2020. Wipro’s capabilities range across
cloud computing, cyber security, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, and other
technology consulting services to customers in 167 countries. Azim Hashim Premji is an Indian businessman,
investor, engineer, and philanthropist, who was the chairman of Wipro Limited.
IDBI to continue as ‘Indian private sector bank’ post strategic sale
• The government’s residual 15 per cent stake in IDBI Bank post the strategic disinvestment of the
lender will likely be considered as ‘public shareholding’ and a reasonable period may be given to the potential
buyer to comply with minimum public shareholding (MPS) norm. IDBI Bank will operate as an ‘Indian
private sector bank’ after its strategic sale. Department of investment and public asset management (Dipam)
said that the winning bidder will have no restriction on undertaking a corporate restructuring of the subsidiaries
of the bank. It also said that certain asset sizes and timing thresholds related to asset stripping would be
provided to give flexibility in operations to the successful bidder.
The IDBI Bank Limited (IDBI Bank or IDBI) is a development finance institution under the ownership
of Life Insurance Corporation of India and Government of India. It was established in 1964 as Industrial
Development Bank of India, a development finance institution, which provided financial services to industrial
sector. In 2005, the institution was merged with its commercial division, IDBI Bank, forming the present-
day banking entity and was categorised as “other development finance institution” category. Later in
March 2019, Government of India asked Life Insurance Corporation to infuse capital in the bank due to high
NPA and capital adequacy issues and also asked LIC to manage the bank to meet the regulatory norms.
As of December 9, 2022, Life Insurance Corporation holds the 49.24% shareholding and the Central
government holds 45.48%, with LIC being in control of the management of the bank.
Tata Sons announces merger of Vistara with Air India
• Vistara airlines will be merged with Tata-owned Air India by March 2024. Singapore Airlines, which
owns minority share in Vistara in its joint venture with Tata, will own around 25 per cent of the enlarged
Air India, into which it’ll infuse over Rs. 2,000 crore. The rearrangement will mean a larger fleet and
more routes under the Air India brand as Tata Sons rebuilds a mega aviation wing of its empire.
• At present, 51 per cent share in Vistara is with Tata, while Singapore Airlines owns the remaining 49
per cent in the join venture set up in 2013. Since Tata bought Air India for Rs. 18,000 crore as part of a
government disinvestment around a year ago, the plan has been to merge all its aviation brands under that
name. Tata also owns low-cost carriers Air India Express and AirAsia India, both of which will be
merged under the Air India brand, too, by 2024. This will take the fleet size to 218, putting togetaher Air
India’s 113 with AirAsia India’s 28, Vistara’s 53, and Air India Express’s 24. It will then be India’s largest
international carrier and second largest domestic carrier.
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India, headquartered at New Delhi. It is owned by Talace Private
Limited, a Special-Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of Tata Sons, after Air India Limited’s former owner, the Government of
India, completed the sale. Air India operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving 102 domestic and
international destinations. The airline was founded by J. R. D. Tata as Tata Airlines in 1932; Tata himself
flew its first single-engine de Havilland Puss Moth, carrying air mail from Karachi’s Drigh Road Aerodrome to
Bombay’s Juhu aerodrome and later continuing to Madras (currently Chennai). After World War II, it became
a public limited company and was renamed as Air India. On 21 February 1960, it took delivery of its first
Boeing 707 named Gauri Shankar and became the first Asian airline to induct a jet aircraft in its fleet. Air India’s
mascot is the Maharajah (Emperor) and the logo consists of a flying swan with the wheel of Konark
inside it. Natarajan Chandrasekaran is the chairman of Tata Sons. He was chief operating officer (COO)
and executive director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where in 2009, he became chief executive
officer (CEO).
RBI announces launch of first pilot for retail digital rupee on Dec 1
• The Reserve Bank of India announced the launch of the first pilot for the retail digital Rupee on 1,
December 2022. Eight banks have been identified for phase-wise participation in this pilot. The first

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 phase will begin with four banks including State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank and IDFC First
Bank in four cities across the country.
• Four more banks, including Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra
Bank will join this pilot subsequently. The pilot would initially cover four cities, including Mumbai,
New Delhi, Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar and later extend to Ahmedabad, Gangtok, Guwahati, Hyderabad,
Indore, Kochi, Lucknow, Patna and Shimla.
• The scope of the pilot may be expanded gradually to include more banks, users and locations as
needed. The pilot would cover select locations in a closed user group - CUG comprising participating customers
and merchants. The digital Rupee would be in the form of a digital token that represents legal tender.
• Users will be able to transact with digital Rupee through a digital wallet offered by the participating
banks and stored on mobile phones. Transactions can be both Person to Person and Person Merchant.
Payments to merchants can be made using QR codes displayed at merchant locations. The digital Rupee
would offer features of physical cash like trust, safety and settlement finality.
• As in the case of cash, it will not earn any interest and can be converted to other forms of money, like deposits with
banks. The pilot will test the robustness of the entire process of digital rupee creation, distribution
and retail usage in real time. Different features and applications of the digital Rupee token and architecture
will be tested in future pilots, based on the learnings from this pilot.
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) or Digital Rupee is a digital form of currency notes issued by
the central bank of India i.e. RBI. RBI defines CBDC as the legal tender issued by a central bank in a
digital form. CBDC in India will be referred to as “Digital Rupee” or “e`” and it will act as an additional
option to the currently available forms of money. CBDC is very similar to banknotes but they are in
digital form and have several benefits such as being easier, faster and cheaper.
New Pamban bridge, India’s first vertical lift sea bridge, is 84% complete
• The Indian railways said 84 per cent of work on much-awaited India’s first vertical lift sea bridge
- New Pamban bridge - connecting the holy Rameswaram in Pamban island to mainland India has
been completed. The bridge is set to replace the iconic Pamban Bridge - India’s first sea bridge which
opened in 1914. The total length of the bridge is 2.078 km.
Pamban Bridge is a railway bridge that connects the town of Mandapam in mainland India with
Rameswaram on Pamban Island. Opened on 24 February 1914, it was India’s first sea bridge, and was the
longest sea bridge in India until the opening of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in 2010. The rail bridge is, for
the most part, a conventional bridge resting on concrete piers but has a double-leaf bascule section midway, which
can be raised to let ships and barges pass through.
Adani Group wins Dharavi redevelopment project with Rs. 5,069 crore bid
• The Adani Group won the bid to redevelop Dharavi, one of the largest slum clusters in the world
with an initial investment of Rs. 5,069 crore.
• SVR Srinivas, chief executive officer of Dharavi Redevelopment Project and commissioner of Maharashtra
Housing and Area Development Authority confirmed the same and said, “Adani Group won the bid with
Rs. 5,069 crore, DLF Group submitted a bid of Rs. 2,025 crore, we did not open Naman Group’s bid, as it
didn’t not qualify due to technical reasons.”
Reliance Industries emerges as most valuable listed company in India
• Reliance Industries has emerged as the most valuable listed company followed by Tata Consultancy
Services and HDFC Bank. In the ‘2022 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 Top 10’ list, companies, on an
average, were worth a total of Rs 226 lakh crore (USD 2.7 trillion).
• The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries is valued at Rs 17.25 lakh crore, nearly 6 lakh crore more
than Tata Consultancy Services which is valued at Rs 11.68 lakh crore, according to the second edition of the
list of 500 most valuable companies in India. HDFC Bank, ranked at number three, was valued at Rs 8.33
lakh crore, it added.
India’s first gold ATM and world’s first real time gold ATM launched in Hyderabad
• Goldsikka with technology support from city-based startup, Opencube Technologies has launched its
first Gold ATM at Begumpet. This Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is different. Not cash, but this one
dispenses gold coins. Goldsikka ATM–India’s first Gold ATM and World’s first real-time gold ATM
allow people to withdraw gold coins just like cash from this gold ATM using their debit or credit
cards. The gold ATM was recently launched in Begumpet, Hyderabad.

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• Goldsikka Pvt Ltd a gold distributor company installed its first gold ATM on December 3 in collaboration
with M/s OpenCube Technologies Pvt Ltd- a Hyderabad-based startup for technology support. This ATM can
dispense gold coins in different denominations ranging from 0.5 gm to 100 grams and customers can use
their debit or credit card to buy gold coins of different denominations.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, 5 other Indians among Forbes’ World’s 100 Most
Powerful Women
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and
Nykaa founder Falguni Nayar are among six Indians who have made it to the Forbes’ annual list of
The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Ranked at number 36, Sitharaman has made it to the list for
the fourth time in a row. In 2021, the 63-year-old minister was ranked at number 37 in the list, while she
was in the 41st spot in 2020 and 34th in 2019.
• The other Indians to feature on the list are HCLTech Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra (rank:
53), Securities and Exchange Board Of India (SEBI) Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch (rank: 54), and Steel
Authority Of India Chairperson Soma Mondal (rank: 67). Malhotra, Mazumdar-Shaw and Nayar made it to the
prestigious list last year also at 52nd, 72nd and 88th spots respectively.
StocX.in launches India’s first private market index
• StocX.in, an online unlisted securities portal, has launched India’s first private market index known
as StocX Private Market Index (SPMI). Until now, there was no way to track the price movements of
privately traded securities (i.e the stocks of companies that are not yet listed in the stock market).
• The biggest challenge in constructing such an index is availability of price. The unlisted market
does not have transparent pricing and therefore price may vary from portal to portal and it is quite difficult
to compile price movements and build an index. StocX.in claims to have achieved this by using the concepts of
indexing & basic statistics.
Bhutan DGPC handed keys to Indian-backed 720 Mw Mangdechhu hydro project
• The India-assisted 720 Megawatts Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project has been handed to
Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in Bhutan. With the handing over of the project, India and
Bhutan have successfully completed four mega hydroelectric power projects.
• The 720 MW project Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project was jointly inaugurated by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering in 2019. The commissioning
of the project has increased Bhutan’s Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44 per cent and it is now at
2,326 Mega Watts. The Project has generated more than 9000 million units of energy since its commissioning,
reducing 2.4 million tons of emissions annually.”
UK’s Royal Mint Unveils First King Charles III Coins
• The UK’s Royal Mint revealed the first coins to bear King Charles III’s official coinage portrait,
offering collectors the chance to acquire the commemorative set with the new monarch’s portrait from
January 3, 2023. The design had been unveiled earlier this year as part of the Queen Elizabeth II
memorial coin range and the all-new coins struck from January 1, 2023, will now bear the 74-year-old King’s
portrait.
RBI, Maldives Monetary Authority sign swap pact
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed an agreement to extend up to $200 million currency
swap facility to Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework.
• This agreement will enable the MMA to make drawals in multiple tranches up to a maximum of $200
million from the RBI. The facility is to provide swap support as a backstop line of funding for short term
foreign exchange liquidity requirements. In 2020, the RBI had signed a similar pact for extending up to
$400-million currency swap facility to Sri Lanka. The SAARC Currency Swap Framework came into
operation on November 15, 2012.
Shaji K V takes over charge as NABARD Chairman
• Shri Shaji K V assumed charge as Chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD) on 7th December 2022. Prior to this, he was serving as Deputy Managing Director, NABARD since 21st
May 2020 and was instrumental in implementing initiatives like software based supervisory inspection, Data-
warehouse, process re-engineering and improvement in the risk management practices besides conceptualising
the ambitious scheme of computerising Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS).

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 NABARD came into existence on 12 July 1982 by transferring the agricultural credit functions of RBI and
refinance functions of the then Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC). NABARD is
headquartered at Mumbai. The Bank has been entrusted with “matters concerning policy, planning
and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India”.
Gautam Adani among India’s most generous philanthropists- Forbes list
• Billionaire Gautam Adani is one of India’s most generous philanthropists. According to the 16th edition
of Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy list released, Adani was listed for having pledged Rs. 60,000
crores (USD 7.7 billion) when he turned 60 in June. The money will go towards healthcare, education, and
skill development and will be channelled through the family’s Adani Foundation, founded in 1996, the Forbes
list said.
• The unranked list - which ‘highlights leading altruists in the Asia-Pacific region’ - also counted self-
made billionaire and HCL Technologies co-founder Shiv Nadar among the top donors in India for having
channelled close to USD 1 billion of his wealth in the past few decades via the Shiv Nadar Foundation. This year
he donated Rs. 11,600 crore (USD 142 million) to the foundation he established in 1994.
NTPC commissions 162 MW solar capacity in Ettayapuram
• State-run power giant NTPC has commissioned 162.27 MW of solar power capacity at Ettayapuram in
Tamil Nadu. “Consequent upon successful commissioning, first part capacity of 162.27 MW out of 230 MW
Ettayapuram Solar PV Project at Tamil Nadu. The Ettayapuram plant is spread over about 900 acres and
uses about 10.5 lakh solar panels, all of Indian origin. Drone-based digital technologies were extensively used
during plant construction, for surveillance and monitoring.
NTPC Limited, formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, is an Indian public
sector undertaking which is engaged in generation of electricity and allied activities. The headquarters of
the company is situated at New Delhi. NTPC’s core function is the generation and distribution of electricity to
State Electricity Boards in India. The body also undertakes consultancy and turnkey project contracts that involve
engineering, project management, construction management, and operation and management of power plants. In
May 2010, NTPC was conferred Maharatna status, one of only four companies to be awarded this status.
Elon Musk replaced as the world’s richest person
• The Twitter owner has been dethroned as the No.1 on the rich list by Louis Vuitton boss Bernard
Arnault. According to the lists by Forbes and Bloomberg, the Tesla CEO is now placed second after holding the
numero uno position since September 2021. Elon Musk, who saw his net worth tumble by more than $100
billion in 2022, has been replaced by Bernard Arnault, the chief executive of luxury brand Louis
Vuitton’s parent company LVMH, as the world’s richest man.
• According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk is now worth $168.5 billion, less than the $172.9
billion net worth of Arnault. Last week, Arnault and his family for the first time logged personal wealth
of $185.4 billion, ahead of Musk which recorded a net worth of $185.3 billion, before jumping again to
$190 billion.
• The Tesla CEO’s wealth eroded further after he bought Twitter for a whopping $44 billion. The 51-year-
old’s net worth peaked at $340 billion in November last year. Meanwhile, Tesla shares have plummeted
around 58 per cent to date. In January 2021, Musk became the richest person in the world for the
first time, with a net worth of more than $185 billion. Meanwhile, Tesla shares are further sliding, amid
reports that Tesla will cut production at its Shanghai plant by 20 per cent in December.
Elon Musk is a business magnate and investor. He is the founder, CEO and chief engineer of SpaceX;
angel investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; owner and CEO of Twitter, Inc.; founder of The
Boring Company; co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI; and president of the philanthropic Musk Foundation.
With an estimated net worth of around $164 billion as of December 13, 2022, primarily from his ownership
stakes in Tesla and SpaceX, Musk is the second-wealthiest person in the world according to both the
Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes’s real-time billionaires list. In 1999, Zip2 was acquired by Compaq for
$307 million and Musk co-founded X.com, a direct bank. X.com merged with Confinity in 2000 to form
PayPal, which eBay acquired for $1.5 billion in 2002. In 2006, he helped create SolarCity, a solar energy
company that was later acquired by Tesla and became Tesla Energy. In 2015, he co-founded OpenAI, a nonprofit
artificial intelligence research company.

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Adani unveils India’s first silicon ingot
• Adani Solar, the PV unit of Adani Group, unveiled its new monocrystalline silicon ingots at the
Intersolar India 2022 expo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It is the first silicon ingot to be made in India. The
company plans to build 2 GW of ingot and wafer capacity by December 2023. It aims to scale it to 10 GW by
2025. Ahmedabad-based Chiripal Group has set up a new unit under its Chiripal Renewable Energy subsidiary
to manufacture solar cells, modules and glass.
Gautam Shantilal Adani is an Indian billionaire industrialist. He is the chairman and founder of Adani
Group, an Ahmedabad-based multinational conglomerate involved in port development and operations
in India. Adani is also the president of Adani Foundation, which is primarily led by his wife, Priti Adani. As of 7
September 2022, according to Forbes, with a net worth of US$148.4 billion, he is the richest person in
India and Asia, and the fourth richest person in the world.
Hurun Global 500 List Features 20 Indian Companies Vs 12 Last Year; Reliance Most-
Valued Indian Firm
• Twenty Indian companies are now among the 500 most-valued firms in the world, according to the
2022 Hurun Global 500 released. This is an addition of eight new companies to the list as compared
to last year. With a valuation of $202 billion, Reliance Industries was the most valuable Indian
company on the list with 34th rank globally. RIL was followed by Tata Consultancy Services with a
market capitalisation of $139 billion and HDFC Bank with the total valuation of $97 billion.
• Sector-wise, financial services led the way with seven companies on the list, followed by software &
services and energy with three companies each, among others. Four companies controlled by billionaire
Gautam Adani made the Hurun Global 500 for the first time — Adani Enterprises (worth $63 billion),
Adani Transmission ($44 billion), Adani Total Gas ($43 billion), and Adani Green Energy ($40 billion).
Other companies featured in the top 10 globally included names like Alphabet, Amazon, Tesla, Berkshire
Hathaway, Johnson and Johnson and Exxon Mobil.
• Saudi Aramco was the world’s most valuable listed state-controlled company, with a total value of
$2.03 trillion. State Bank of India (SBI), at $62 billion, and the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), at $45
billion, were the two biggest state-owned Indian companies. These did not feature in the list as they contained
only non-state-controlled companies.
PhonePe becomes India domiciled company after separation from Flipkart
• Walmart-owned online retailer Flipkart no longer owns a stake in digital payments platform
PhonePe as the two companies announced a full ownership separation. As part of the deal, existing
Flipkart Singapore and PhonePe Singapore shareholders, led by Walmart, have purchased shares directly in
PhonePe India. Walmart will remain the majority shareholder of both business groups. This completes the
move to make PhonePe a fully India domiciled company, a process that started earlier this year. PhonePe was
acquired by Flipkart in 2016.
FTX founder agrees to extradition to US
• Sam Bankman-Fried told a Bahamian court that he has agreed to be extradited to the U.S. to face
criminal charges related to the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The former FTX CEO left a
Magistrate’s Court and headed to Odyssey Aviation to return to the United States, according to Bahamian news
organization Our News.
• Bahamian authorities arrested Bankman-Fried at the request of the U.S. government. U.S. prosecutors allege
he played a central role in the rapid collapse of FTX and hid its problems from the public and investors.
The Securities and Exchange Commission said Bankman-Fried illegally used investors’ money to buy
real estate on behalf of himself and his family.
Samuel Bankman-Fried also known by his initials SBF, is an American entrepreneur, investor, and
former billionaire. Bankman-Fried was the founder and CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX and
cryptocurrency trading firm Alameda Research. FTX experienced a crisis in late 2022, which led to a
collapse in FTX’s native cryptocurrency, FTT. Amid the crisis, Bankman-Fried announced he would wind
down operations at Alameda Research and resigned as CEO of FTX, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
NSE set up Social Stock Exchange as a separate segment
• National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has received in-principle approval from the Securities
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to set up a Social Stock Exchange (SSE) as a separate segment of the NSE.

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 Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, had proposed the creation of a Social Stock Exchange,
under the regulatory ambit of SEBI, for listing social enterprises and voluntary organisations working
for the realisation of a social welfare objective, so that they can raise capital as equity, debt or as
units like a mutual fund.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is the leading stock exchange in India located in Mumbai and the
fourth largest in the world by equity trading volume in 2015, according to World Federation of Exchanges
(WFE).It began operations in 1994 and is ranked as the largest stock exchange in India in terms of total
and average daily turnover for equity shares every year since 1995, based on annual reports of SEBI. NSE
launched electronic screen-based trading in 1994, derivatives trading (in the form of index futures) and
internet trading in 2000, which were each the first of its kind in India. Ashishkumar Chauhan is the
current managing director and chief executive officer of National Stock Exchange (NSE).
Gautam Adani to control nearly 65% of NDTV as founders sell stake
• New Delhi Television Ltd’s founders have decided to transfer most of their shares in the company to
billionaire Gautam Adani, giving his conglomerate control over nearly 65% of the news network. Radhika
and Prannoy Roy will sell a 27.26% stake in NDTV to an entity owned by Adani, giving it 64.71% of
NDTV, regulatory filings by NDTV showed. Adani already held more than 37% in NDTV after an open offer and
an earlier acquisition of a company owned by the founders.
New Delhi Television Ltd is an Indian news media company focusing on broadcast and digital
news publication. The company is considered to be a legacy brand that pioneered independent news
broadcasting in India, and is credited for launching the first 24x7 news channel and the first lifestyle
channel in the country. It owns and operates the broadcast news channels of NDTV India and NDTV 24x7. The two
channels of the company have received 32 Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards. NDTV
was founded in 1984, by economist Prannoy Roy and journalist Radhika Roy, a husband and wife duo
from the city of Kolkata. In December 2022, Radhika and Prannoy Roy sold 27.26 per cent out of their 32.26
per cent shareholding in the news network to Adani Group, making the conglomerate, the single largest
shareholder with over 64.71 per cent stake.
Elon Musk became the first person ever to lose $200 billion
• Tesla Chief Elon Musk became the only person in history to lose $200 billion from their net worth,
Bloomberg reported. Musk, who recently acquired the micro-blogging platform Twitter for $44 billion,
was the second person to amass over 200 billion after Jeff Bezos.
• Following the acquisition, Musk was mostly occupied with Twitter, which resulted in the loss of shares
of Tesla. According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk’s wealth plummeted to $137 billion. Musk also
sold many shares of Tesla throughout the year. He sold at least USD 23 billion worth of Tesla stock
since April with much of the money likely going into his acquisition of Twitter.
India’s first, Mumbai World Trade Centre wins top WTCA recognition
• The MVIRDC World Trade Center in Mumbai, India’s first -- has been accorded the premier
accreditation from the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), New York “for providing and setting
up highest standards” of various kinds of business-related services. Founded in 1970, the MVIRDC WTC
has been recognised for its contributions to trade development, real estate services, conferences and
exhibition services, said its Chairman Dr. Vijay Kalantri.
• The WTCA Accreditation was established in 2021 as the official process that provides formal
validation of a WTC’s commitment to excellence in facilities and services. It comprises two levels
- Accredited Member and Premier Accredited Member for those providing the top facilities and services.
The WTCA is a global network of over 300 highly-connected, mutually supportive businesses and
organisations spread over nearly 100 countries.
IEX becomes India’s first carbon-neutral power exchange
• Energy trading platform Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) became the country’s first carbon-neutral
power exchange, using market based tradable instruments to offset its carbon emissions. “To reduce its
carbon footprint, IEX voluntarily cancelled CERs (certified emissions reductions) from clean
projects registered under the Clean Development Mechanism of United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change,”.

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President Droupadi Murmu lays foundation stone for SJVN’s 1,000 MW solar project in
Rajasthan
• President Droupadi Murmu virtually laid the foundation stone of state-owned energy firm SJVN’s
1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project in Jaipur, Rajasthan. This project will be implemented through
its wholly-owned subsidiary SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL).
• As per the statement, SJVN has bagged the 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project under Central
Public Sector Undertaking Scheme Phase-II, Tranche-III (Government Producer Scheme) through
competitive bidding. The power generated by the project shall be for self-use or use by government/ government
entities, either directly or through distribution companies (DISCOMS).
Droupadi Murmu has been serving as the 15th president of India since 25 July 2022. She is the first person
belonging to the tribal community and also the second woman after Pratibha Patil to hold the office.
She is also the youngest person to occupy the post and the first President born in Independent India.
Before entering politics, she worked as a clerk in the State Irrigation and Power Department from 1979
to 1983, and then as a teacher in Rairangpur until 1997. Droupadi Murmu was born to a Santali family on
20 June 1958, in Uparbeda village in the Baidaposi area of Rairangpur, Odisha. Murmu was sworn in as the
Governor of Jharkhand on 18 May 2015, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Prathibha
DeviSingh Patil served as the 12th president of India spanning from 2007 to 2012. She is the first woman
to become the president of India. K.R. Narayanan was the first Dalit to hold the high office of the
President of India from 1997 to 2002. Ramnath Kovind is the 2nd Dalit President of India served from
2017 to 2022.
BSE appoints Sundararaman Ramamurthy as MD, CEO
• BSE Ltd said that Sundararaman Ramamurthy as the Managing Director and chief executive officer
(CEO) of the exchange effective January 4. He has been appointed for tenure of five years. BSE received
consent from regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to appoint Ramamurthy as MD and CEO
of the exchange.
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is an Indian stock exchange located at Dalal Street, Mumbai. It was
established in 1875. Bombay Stock Exchange was started by Premchand Roychand in 1875. BSE is Asia’s
first stock exchange. BSE claims to be the world’s fastest stock exchange, with a median trade speed of 6
microseconds. The BSE is the 6th largest stock exchange with an overall market capitalisation in the world.
Centre approves Rs. 19,744 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission
• The Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which is aimed at making India
the global hub for the production of green hydrogen. The total outlay for the mission is Rs. 19,744
crore, out of which the government has allocated Rs. 17,490 crore for the SIGHT programme, Rs.
1,466 crore for the upcoming pilot projects, Rs. 400 crore for R&D, and Rs. 388 crore towards other mission
components. The National Hydrogen Mission was launched on August 15, 2021, with a view to cutting
down carbon emissions and increasing the use of renewable sources of energy.
India first in world to hit $100 billion in remittances
• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said remittances sent to the country by overseas Indians
were about $100 billion for the year 2022, an increase of 12 per cent in one year. India was the
largest remittance receiving country in 2021 as well while Mexico was second and China third. India
received remittances worth over $89 billion in 2021, about 8 per cent higher than $82.73 billion in 2020.
Jack Ma to give up control of China’s Ant Group
• Ant Group founder Jack Ma will no longer control the Chinese fintech giant, as the firm seeks
to draw a line under a regulatory crackdown that was triggered soon after its mammoth stock market
debut was scuppered two years ago. Ant’s $37 billion IPO, which would have been the world’s largest, was
cancelled at the last minute in 2020, leading to a forced restructuring of the financial technology behemoth and
speculation the Chinese billionaire would have to cede control.
Jack Ma is a Chinese business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He is the co-founder and former
executive chairman of Alibaba Group, a multinational technology conglomerate. In addition, he co-founded
Yunfeng Capital, a Chinese private equity firm. As of January 2023, with a net worth of $34.1 billion, Ma
is the fifth-wealthiest person in China (after Zhong Shanshan, Zhang Yiming, Ma Huateng and Robin Zeng), as
well as the 34th wealthiest person in the world, ranked by Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

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India surpasses Japan to become 3rd largest auto market globally
• India eclipsed Japan in auto sales last year, according to the latest industry data, making it the third-
largest auto market for the first time, Nikkei Asia reported. India’s sales of new vehicles totalled at least
4.25 million units, based on preliminary results, topping the 4.2 million sold in Japan.
OVL retakes 20% stake in Sakhalin-1 oil, gas fields
• ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), has
re-taken a 20 per cent stake in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas fields in the far east region of Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin disbanded Exxon Neftegaz - a regional subsidiary of US super
major ExxonMobil - as operator of the Sakhalin-1 and transferred the project and all of its assets and
equipment to a new operator. The other former foreign shareholders in the project - Japan’s Sodeco consortium
and ONGC Videsh - were asked to apply to the Russian government to regain their shareholdings in the project.
RBI deputy governor Michael Debabrata Patra reappointed for one year
• Reserve Bank of India deputy governor Michael Debabrata Patra has been reappointed for a period
of one year with effect from January 15, 2023. Patra is also key member of the Monetary Policy
Committee, which is entrusted with the responsibility of monetary policy decision making in India. As deputy
governor, Patra looks after monetary policy department including forecasting and modelling unit, financial
markets operations department and department, financial markets regulation and department of economic and
policy research among others. The current Deputy Governors of RBI are, Shri M.K. Jain; Dr. Michael
Patra; Shri M. Rajeshwar Rao and Shri T. Rabi Sankar.
World Economic Forum 2023
• The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Annual Meeting 2023, held in Davos, Switzerland concluded.
It was the 53rd edition of the Annual meeting of the WEF. The meeting has brought together 2,700 leaders
from 130 countries including 52 heads of state/government. The theme of this year was ‘Cooperation in
a Fragmented World’ which is in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war, Climate Change, and
changing global political scenarios. New initiatives launched at WEF 2023 are given below:
• Giving to Amplify Earth Action (GAEA): It is a global initiative launched by WEF with support of
more than 45 partners to fund new and existing public, private and philanthropic partnerships
(PPPPs) to help unlock the $3 trillion of financing needed each year to reach net zero, reverse
nature loss and restore biodiversity by 2050.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation
based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer
and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, which is mostly funded by its 1,000 member companies –
typically global enterprises with more than five billion US dollars in turnover – as well as public subsidies, views
its own mission as “improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other
leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”. The WEF is mostly known for its annual
meeting at the end of January in Davos, a mountain resort in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland.
Womaniya on Government e Marketplace
• Government e Marketplace [GeM] has launched “Womaniya on GeM”, an initiative to enable women
entrepreneurs and women self-help groups [WSHGs] to sell handicrafts and handloom, accessories,
jute and coir products, home décor and office furnishings, directly to various Government ministries, departments
and institutions.
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) was launched in 2016 to bring transparency and efficiency in the
government buying process. GeM is a one-stop National Public Procurement Portal to facilitate
online procurement of common use Goods & Services required by various Central and State Government
Departments/Organizations/Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The procurement of goods and services by
Ministries and the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) is mandatory for goods and services available
on GeM. It also provides the tools of e-bidding and reverse e-auction to facilitate the government users
achieve the best value for their money. The nodal ministry is Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
In a first, Hyderabad to host World Economic Forum’s centre for fourth Industrial Revolution
• The World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR Telangana), which
will be the only center in India thematically focused on healthcare and life sciences, will be established
in Hyderabad. The announcement was made after the Telangana government and the World Economic
Forum signed a collaboration agreement during the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos.

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Mukesh Ambani is No.1 among Indians, 2nd globally on Brand Guardianship Index 2023
• Billionaire Mukesh Ambani has overtaken the likes of Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Google’s
Sundar Pichai to be ranked No.1 among Indians and second globally on the Brand Guardianship
Index 2023. Brand Finance constructs its Brand Guardianship Index in a similar way to the Brand Strength
Index that underpins its corporate brand valuations.
• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Reliance Industries Ltd’s Mukesh Ambani are ranked first and
secondrespectively in the Index (BGI). Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, who topped last year, is at number three.
Most of the top 10 in the index are from India or Indian-origin CEOs. Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen and Pichai are
ranked fourth and fifth. Deloitte’s Punit Rejen is at No.6 and Tata group chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran
at the eighth spot.
The Brand Guardianship Index includes ‘Equity’ factors, which reflect current perceptions, ‘Performance’
factors which reflect the tangible results of these perceptions, and ‘Investment’ factors which support
future performance.
World’s largest hydrogen aircraft takes to the sky for first flight
• ZeroAvia, an electric aircraft propulsion specialist, has successfully completed the maiden flight of
its 19-seat Dornier 228 testbed aircraft retrofitted with a full-size prototype hydrogen-electric powertrain.
This milestone moves ZeroAvia forward on the way to meeting the target of commercial flights using only
hydrogen fuel cell power by 2025 and scaling the engine technology to larger airframes.
• According to ZeroAvia, the aircraft developed as part of the HyFlyer II project is the largest hydrogen-
electric aircraft in the world to date. The development of this technology is an important part of the
HyFlyer II project, supported by the British Government’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI),
aimed at creating a zero-emission propulsion system for aircraft with capacities from 9 to 19 passengers.
Dharmendra Pradhan tests indigenously developed ‘BharOS’
• Union Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan tested ‘BharOS’
an indigenous operating system developed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT).
BharOS is a new mobile operating system focused on privacy and security. A mobile operating system
is a software that is the core interface on a smartphone like Android by Google and iOS by Apple.
• The BharOS is an Indian government-funded project to develop a free and open-source operating
system (OS) for use in government and public systems. The project aims to reduce the dependence
on foreign OS in smartphones and promote the use of locally developed technology. It is a huge
leap forward to create an indigenous ecosystem and a self-reliant future. BharOS Services are currently being
provided to organisations that have stringent privacy and security requirements and whose users handle
sensitive information that requires confidential communications on restricted apps on mobiles. Such users
require access to private cloud services through private 5G networks.
BharOS is based on Android Open-Source Project (AOSP) and is somewhat similar to Google Android.
However, it does not come preloaded with Google services like in regular Google Android phones. So BharOS users
are free to download only those apps that they like or prefer rather than being forced. Android phone
with stock OS usually have Chrome set up as default browser. BharOS makers are looking to partner with
DuckDuck Go for its default browser. DuckDuck Go is a privacy-focused browser with several privacy-
centric features like anonymous browsing mode and Privacy Grade.
Shyam Narayan launches world’s first metaverse venture philanthropy DAO
• Shyam Narayan, a renowned entrepreneur and the founder of Qrishn, has announced the launch
of the world’s first Metaverse Venture Philanthropy Decentralized Autonomous Organization
(DAO) under the name of his popular bootstrapped start-up, Qrishn. This groundbreaking initiative aims
to address some of the most critical and overlooked problems facing underprivileged communities, including
access to education, healthcare, and employment.
NITI Aayog’s AIM, CBSE, and Intel India collaborate to bring change in education sector
• The Atal Innovation Mission - NITI Aayog, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSC) - Ministry
of Education, and Intel India in New Delhi have collaborated to bring a change in the education sector
by embedding future skills such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Tinkering in the formal curriculum.
• The aim of this collaboration is to align the National Education Policy 2020’s guidance to increase
the pace of tech integration for youth, the need to bridge the future skills gap in the country, and optimize
the current infrastructure towards making India AI-ready. Together, they launched the AIoT Integration
in School Curriculum in September 2022 and initiated a pilot.

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 Intel Corporation (commonly known as Intel) is an American multinational corporation and technology
company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world’s largest semiconductor chip
manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 series of instruction sets, the instruction sets
found in most personal computers (PCs). Intel was founded on July 18, 1968, by semiconductor pioneers
Gordon Moore (of Moore’s law) and Robert Noyce (1927–1990), and is associated with the executive leadership
and vision of Andrew Grove.

The Union Government of India has setup the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at NITI Aayog in 2016.
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) including Self-Employment and Talent Utilization (SETU) is Government
of India’s endeavour to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Its objective is to serve
as a platform for promotion of world-class Innovation Hubs, Grand Challenges, Start-up businesses and
other self-employment activities, particularly in technology driven areas. With a vision to ‘Cultivate one Million
children in India as Neoteric Innovators’, Atal Innovation Mission is establishing Atal Tinkering
Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India.
‘World-first’ crypto regime set out by UK government
• The UK has announced plans to regulate the crypto space and introduce a “world-first regime”
to prevent market abuses. The new roadmap for cryptocurrency regulations would also aim to grow the
economy and encourage innovation in the burgeoning sector.
A cryptocurrency or crypto, is a virtual currency secured by cryptography. It is designed to work as a
medium of exchange, where individual ownership records are stored in a computerised database. The
defining trait of a cryptocurrency is that they are not issued by the government agency of any country making them
immune against any interference and manipulation from them. The first type of crypto currency was Bitcoin,
which to this day remains the most-used, valuable and popular. Along with Bitcoin, other alternative
cryptocurrencies with varying degrees of functions and specifications have been created. Some are iterations
of bitcoin while others have been created from the ground up. Bitcoin was launched in 2009 by an
individual or group known by the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto. The competing cryptocurrencies that
were created as a result of Bitcoin’s success are known as altcoins. Some of the well-known altcoins are as
follows: Litecoin, Peercoin, Namecoin, Ethereum and Cardana.
IMF lifts 2023 global growth forecast
• The outlook for the global economy is growing slightly brighter as China eases its zero-COVID
policies and the world shows surprising resilience in the face of high inflation, elevated interest rates and
Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
• That’s the view of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which now expects the world economy to grow
2.9% this year. That forecast is better than the 2.7% expansion for 2023 that the IMF predicted in
October, though down from the estimated 3.4% growth in 2022.
• The IMF said global growth would still fall to 2.9% in 2023 from 3.4% in 2022, but its latest World Economic
Outlook forecasts mark an improvement over an October prediction of 2.7% growth this year with
warnings that the world could easily tip into recession.
• IMF retains growth projections for India; economy expected to slow down to 6.1% in 2023 from 6.8% in
2022. For 2024, the IMF said global growth would accelerate slightly to 3.1%, but this is a tenth of a percentage
point below the October forecast as the full impact of steeper central bank interest rate hikes slows demand.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 190 countries, working to foster global
monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high
employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. Created in
1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 190 countries that make up its near-global membership. Ms.
Kristalina Georgieva, from Bulgaria, is Managing Director and Chairman of the Executive Board of
International Monetary Fund (IMF) from October 1, 2019. Prominent Indian-American economist Gita
Gopinath is the first woman to occupy the post of chief economist of the International Monetary Fund.
The latest currency that was added to the basket of currencies by the International Monetary Fund
to determine the value of XDR is the Chinese renminbi in 2016. The other international currencies in the
basket of currencies are British Pound, Japanese Yen, US Dollar, and Euro. XDR is the currency code
of Special Drawing Rights. Andorra has joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to become its
190th member.

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Budget 2023 | Zero tax for annual income up to Rs. 7 lakh under new scheme
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that those earning up to Rs. 7 lakh a year need
not pay any income tax under the new tax regime, giving a push for the regime which disallows all exemptions
on investments. It was Rs 5 lakh so far. Those earning up to Rs. 7 lakh annually and opting for new tax
regime, could save Rs. 33,800. Those with income up to Rs. 10 lakh would save Rs. 23,400 and Rs.
49,400 saving would accrue to those earning up to Rs. 15 lakh.
• Income between Rs. 0-3 lakh will have no tax; it was zero to Rs. 2.5 lakh earlier. From then on: Income
part from Rs. 3 lakh and 6 lakh will be taxed at 5 per cent; Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 9 lakh, at 10 per cent; Rs. 9 lakh
to 12 lakh, 15 per cent; Rs. 12 lakh to 15 lakh will attract a 20-per-cent tax; and The part of income going above
Rs. 15 lakh will be taxed at 30 per cent. The minister also brought down the highest applicable tax rate
in India after surcharges, from 42.7 per cent to 39.
RBI unveils UPI payments facility for international travellers in India
• The Reserve Bank of India has announced that all international travellers visiting India will be able
to make local payments using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) while they are in the country. According
to the statement, the facility is available to the travellers from G-20 nations at select international
airports of New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
• The travellers will be issued prepaid payment instruments (PPI) wallets which will be linked to UPI for making
payments. The UPI-linked wallets will be issued by private lenders ICICI Bank, IDFC First Bank
along with two non-bank PPI issuers named Pine Labs Private Limited and Transcorp International Limited.
Adani to set up AI lab in Tel Aviv, develop real estate in Haifa
• Indian tycoon Gautam Adani’s ports-to-energy conglomerate will set up an artificial intelligence lab
in Tel Aviv as it looks to leverage on a $1.2 billion Haifa port deal to make more investments in Israel.
Adani, whose business empire was rocked by allegations of fraud by U.S. short-seller Hindenburg
Research, appeared alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the signing of the deal to
takeover Haifa Port in Israel.
• Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. in partnership with local chemicals and logistics group
Gadot in July last year won an Israel government’s tender to buy the Haifa Port, a major trade hub
on Isreal’s Mediterranean coast, for about USD 1.2 billion. He did not make any mention of the row
that has already wiped out over $70 billion in value from his group stocks. Adani said his group will
also develop real estate at the port to transform the Haifa skyline.
Gautam Shantilal Adani is an Indian billionaire industrialist. He is the chairman and founder of Adani
Group, an Ahmedabad-based multinational conglomerate involved in port development and operations
in India. Adani is also the president of Adani Foundation, which is primarily led by his wife, Priti Adani. As of 7
September 2022, according to Forbes, with a net worth of US$148.4 billion, he is the richest person in
India and Asia, and the fourth richest person in the world. In November 2022, it reached $280 billion
(INR 24 trillion) surpassing Tata Group. Adani subsequently lost more than $104 billion of market
capitalization after fraud and market manipulation allegations by short-seller firm Hindenburg Research.

Lexi, India’s first ChatGPT-powered AI chatbot, launched

• India has got its first ChatGPT called ‘‘Lexi”- launched by financial technology company Velocity.
Velocity integrated this latest advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) with its existing analytics tool-
Velocity Insights. E-commerce firms in India using Velocity Insights receive a daily business report
on WhatsApp, which led Velocity to also integrate ChatGPT in the same Whatsapp interface. The financial
technology company said that the integration of ChatGPT with Velocity Insights has empowered e-Commerce
founders by providing them with AI-powered business insights in a conversational manner freeing up time for
critical business functions.
RIL, Ashok Leyland unveil India’s first hydrogen-powered truck
• Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL) and Ashok Leyland unveiled India’s first Hydrogen
Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) powered truck at the India Energy Week in Bengaluru. RIL
and Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship company of the Hinduja Group and India’s leading commercial vehicle
manufacturer, were working on developing this technology over the past year.

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 Reliance Industries Limited is an Indian multinational conglomerate company, headquartered in Mumbai.
It has diverse businesses including energy, petrochemicals, natural gas, retail, telecommunications, mass
media, and textiles. Reliance is one of the most profitable companies in India, the largest publicly traded
company in India by market capitalisation, and the largest company in India as measured by revenue.
RIL has a market capitalisation of US$243 billion as of March 31, 2022. The company was co-founded by
Dhirubhai Ambani and Champaklal Damani in 1960’s as Reliance Commercial Corporation. Mukesh Dhirubhai
Ambani is an Indian business magnate and chairman, managing director, and the largest shareholder
of RIL.

PhonePe launches cross-border UPI payments service, says it’s India’s first
• PhonePe has launched a service that will allow the fintech firm’s Indian users traveling abroad to pay
foreign merchants using Unified Payments Interface (UPI). ‘UPI international’ supports merchant outlets
in UAE, Singapore, Mauritius, Nepal and Bhutan that have a local QR (quick response) code. Users will be able
to make direct payments in a foreign currency from their Indian bank, like they do with international debit cards.
PhonePe is an Indian digital payments and financial technology company headquartered in Bengaluru,
Karnataka, India. PhonePe was founded in December 2015, by Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari and Burzin
Engineer. The PhonePe app, based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), went live in August 2016. It is
owned by Flipkart, a subsidiary of Walmart.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is an advanced version of Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)-
round–the-clock funds transfer service to make cashless payments faster, easier and smoother. UPI is a
system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank),
merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood. UPI
is currently the biggest among the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) operated systems
including National Automated Clearing House (NACH), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Aadhaar
enabled Payment System (AePS), Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), RuPay etc. The top UPI apps
today include PhonePe, Paytm, Google Pay, Amazon Pay and BHIM, the latter being the Government
offering. As part of an agreement, India’s UPI will be linked to Singapore’s PayNow. NPCI launched UPI
with 21 member banks in 2016.

India’s First Underground Battery Electric Vehicle deployed at Hindustan Zinc

• In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Indian mining sector, Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta group company, has
introduced Normet Agitator SmartDrive EV, into its underground mining operations. The company
will soon expand its BEV fleet with Normet’s Explosive Charger (CHARMEC MC 605 V SD) and Concrete
Sprayer (SPRAYMEC MF 050 VC SD).
Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) is an Indian integrated mining and resources producer of zinc, lead, silver
and cadmium. It is a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited. Earlier it was a Central Public Sector Undertaking,
sold by Government of India to Vedanta Limited when Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Bharatiya Janta Party
Government was in power in the year 2003. HZL is the world’s second largest zinc producer. They are one of
the world’s largest integrated producers of zinc and are among leading global lead and silver producers.

Vedanta-Foxconn JV finalises Gujarat’s Dholera for India’s first semiconductor plant

• The joint venture between India’s Vedanta Limited and Taiwanese electronics manufacturer
Foxconn recently announced that it will set up its semiconductor and display manufacturing facility
at the Dholera Special Investment Region near Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• Both Vedanta and Foxconn, in September 2022, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with
the Gujarat government to invest Rs 1, 54,000 crore, independent India’s biggest-ever corporate
investment so far, to set up the country’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility. The Vedanata-
Foxconn’s semiconductor manufacturing facility is likely to get huge subsidies and incentives, like zero stamp
duty on land purchase and subsidised water and electricity, under the ‘Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-27.’
Vedanta Limited is an Indian multinational mining company headquartered in Mumbai, India, with
its main operations in iron ore, gold and aluminium mines in Goa, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Odisha.
Vedanta (then called Sterlite industries) began in the 1980s, as the founder D.P.Agarwal founded Sterlite
Industries (India) Limited in Mumbai and begun to buy mining concessions in different states of India.

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India ranks 42 among 55 countries on International IP Index
• India ranks 42nd among 55 leading global economies on the International IP Index released by the
U.S. Chambers of Commerce, according to which India is ripe to become a leader for emerging markets
seeking to transform their economy through IP-driven innovation. “As India’s size and economic influence
grows on the world stage, India is ripe to become a leader for emerging markets seeking to transform their
economy through IP-driven innovation,” Patrick Kilbride, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce Global Innovation Policy Center, who publishes the annual report.
• The United States ranks first in the 2023 index, followed by the UK and France. According to the
report, India’s size and economic influence is growing on the world stage. India is poised to become a leader
for emerging markets seeking to transform their economies through IP-driven innovation. India has
taken steps to improve enforcement against copyright-infringement and provides a best-in-class framework to
promote better understanding and use of IP assets.
India’s First Sovereign Green Bond Indices Launched
• NSE Indices, NSE’s index services subsidiary, launched India’s first ever sovereign green bond
indices. Besides, it launched a new target maturity index Nifty GSec May 2029 index that is expected to appeal
to investors looking to invest in debt portfolios with target maturity theme.
• As per NSE Indices, the Nifty India Sovereign Green Bond Jan 2028 Index has a maturity date of
January 31, 2028. It includes Government securities (G-Secs) issued under the category of sovereign green
bonds (SGrBs) maturing during the six-month period ending January 31, 2028. The Nifty India Sovereign
Green Bond Jan 2033 index, on the other hand, has a maturity date of January 31, 2033. It includes government
securities (G-Secs) issued under the category of sovereign green bonds (SGrBs) maturing during the twelve
month period ending January 31, 2033.
• The indices include Government securities issued under the category of sovereign green bonds
maturing during the six-month period ending the respective maturity dates. “The Nifty India Sovereign
Green Bond indices are the first of its kind, as they seek to capture the performance of Indian sovereign green
bonds that finance green infrastructure.
West Bengal on top, Uttar Pradesh at bottom of index for literacy among children below
10 years
• West Bengal ranked first in the index on foundational learning, published in a report on Foundation
Literacy and Numeracy, which was released by the Prime Minister’s economic advisory council and the
Institute for Competitiveness, Stanford.
• The survey is based on the performance of schools across the country and is divided into two
sections based on large states and small states and Union Territories, including the northeastern states.
The report is based on five basic parameters which include basic health, access to education and educational
infrastructure, amongst others.
India scores 74.4 in World Bank index on life cycle of working women
• The laws affecting the Indian working woman’s pay and pension do not provide for equality with Indian men,
dragging India’s score in a World Bank index on the life cycle of a working woman down to 74.4 out
of a possible 100. A score of 100 on the Index means that women are on an equal standing with men
on all the eight indicators being measured, according to the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law
2023 report.
World Bank signs $1 billion programme to support India’s health sector
• The World Bank is lending up to $1 billion to help India with preparedness for future pandemics
as well as to strengthen its health infrastructure. The lending will be divided into two complementary
loans of $500 million each. Through this combined financing of $1 billion, the bank will support India’s
flagship Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), launched
in October 2021, to improve the public healthcare infrastructure across the country. In addition to the national-
level interventions, one of the loans will prioritise health service delivery in seven States including
Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

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 Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) (PM-JAY lit. ’Prime Minister’s People’s
Health Scheme’, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY lit. ’Persevering India Prime Minister’s People’s Health
Scheme’; also referred to as Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Scheme or NHPS) is a
national public health insurance fund of the Government of India that aims to provide free access to
health insurance coverage for low income earners in the country. People using the program access their
own primary care services from a family doctor. When anyone needs additional care, then PM-JAY provides
free secondary health care for those needing specialist treatment and tertiary health care for those requiring
hospitalization. It was launched in September 2018 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. That
ministry later established the National Health Authority as an organization to administer the program.
It is a centrally sponsored scheme and is jointly funded by both the union government and the states.
By offering services to 50 crore (500 million) people it is the world’s largest government sponsored
healthcare program. It is providing a cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for medical treatment in
empaneled hospitals, both public and private, offering cashless payment and paperless recordkeeping through
the hospital or doctor’s office; using criteria from the Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 to determine
eligibility for benefits.
India & World Bank signs loan agreement for construction of Green National Highway
Corridors Project in 4 States
• India and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement for the construction of the Green National
Highway Corridors Project in four States. These States are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The agreement has been signed for the construction of 781 kilometers in
these States, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars. The objective of the Green National Highway
Corridors Project is to demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and
the use of green technologies.
RBI initiates 75 digital villages programme
• Reserve Bank of India’s Governor Shaktikanta Das announced the central bank will initiate a 75 Digital
Villages programme to enable 75 villages across the country with digital payments through awareness
and support from local entrepreneurs and merchants. Launching the Har Payment Digital initiative to
encourage digital payments adoption among people, Das said payment system operators (PSOs)
will “adopt 75 villages in the country and convert them into digital payment-enabled villages,” under
the 75 Digital Villages programme and in observance of 75 years of independence.
State Bank of India completes first commercial trade in Sri Lankan rupees
• Indian lender State Bank of India completed its first non-dollar transaction with Sri Lanka, by
paying for exports in Sri Lankan rupees as India looks to bring countries that are short of U.S. dollars into the
trade mechanism. The move comes as Sri Lanka grapples with its worst economic crisis since its independence,
triggered by a shortage of dollars. The island nation’s forex reserves stood at $2.1 billion as of end-January.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das conferred with ‘Governor of the year’ Award at Central
Banking Awards 2023
• Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das has received the ‘Governor of the Year’ 2023 Award by
the international publication Central Banking. He has been given the award for steering the financial
markets through multiple crises including the pandemic and the inflation due to the war in Ukraine.
Shaktikanta Das is serving as the current & 25th governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He was
earlier a member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission and India’s Sherpa to the G20. Das is a retired
1980 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre. During his career as an IAS
officer, Das served in various capacities for Indian and Tamil Nadu governments, including as Economic
Affairs Secretary, Revenue Secretary, Fertilizers Secretary. He has also served as India’s Alternate
Governor in the World Bank, ADB, NDB & AIIB.
RBI Governor lays foundation stone for data centre in Bhubaneswar
• Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Daslaid the foundation stone for a ‘Greenfield Data Centre’
and an ‘Enterprise Computing & Cybersecurity Training Institute’ in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank opens INR denominated Nostro account in Indian Bank in Mumbai
• Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank has opened an Indian rupee-denominated Nostro account in Indian Bank in
Mumbai. The arrangement will help settle cross-border transactions using Indian rupee between the two nations.

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• The Sri Lankan bank said the initiative will enable local customers to enter into transactions
denominated in the Indian Rupee, eliminating the need to conduct Trade and Remittance
transactions in US dollars. India has been trying to increase Indian rupee-based trade settlements, which
will help the traders on both sides given shortages in Foreign Exchange.
A Nostro account is an account held by a bank in another bank. It allows the customers to deposit
money in the bank’s account in another bank. It is often used if a bank has no branches in a foreign country.
Nostro is a Latin word that means “ours”. A vostro account is an account that domestic banks hold for
foreign banks in the former’s domestic currency, in this case, the rupee. Domestic banks use it to provide
international banking services to their clients who have global banking needs.
Egypt joins BRICS bank as new member
• Egypt has joined the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), after President Abdel-Fattah El-
Sisi visited India as a chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations. Egypt is planning to boost its
infrastructure and NDB funding can contribute to it in a big way. The next BRICS summit to be hosted
by South Africa in August 2023 is expected to give a big push to intra-Brics trade in national currencies,
enabling member states to safeguard their foreign exchange reserves.
New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral
development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The
bank is headquartered in Shanghai, China. The first regional office of the NDB is in Johannesburg, South
Africa. The initial authorized capital of the bank is $100 billion divided into 1 million shares having a
par value of $100,000 each. The initial subscribed capital of the NDB is $50 billion divided into paid-in shares ($10
billion) and callable shares ($40 billion). Dilma Vana Rousseff is a Brazilian served as the former President
of Brazil and she is the current President of New Development Bank.
India Post Payments Bank partners Airtel to launch banking services on WhatsApp
• State-owned India Post Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti Airtel to launch banking services
through WhatsApp for its customers.
• The newly launched IPPB WhatsApp Banking channel will enable IPPB customers to connect with
the bank on WhatsApp and effortlessly avail a host of banking services, including doorstep service requests
and locating the nearest Post Office.
India Post Payments Bank, abbreviated as IPPB, is a division of India Post which is under the ownership
of the Department of Post, a department under Ministry of Communications of the Government of India.
Opened in 2018, IPPB aims to utilize all of India’s 155,015 post offices as access points and 3 lakh postal
postmen and Grameen Dak Sewaks to provide doorstep banking services.
Union Bank becomes first to open special vostro account for India-Malaysia trade
settlement in rupee
• Public sector lender, Union Bank of India becomes the first bank in the country to open a Special
Rupee Vostro Account through its corresponding bank in Malaysia i.e. India International Bank
of Malaysia. This means that trade between India and Malaysia can now be settled in the Indian
rupee, in addition to the current modes of settlement in other currencies.
• Union Bank of India, commonly referred to as Union Bank or UBI, is an Indian public sector
bank headquartered in Mumbai. After the merging with Corporation Bank and Andhra Bank,
which came into effect on 1 April 2020, the merged entity became the one of the largest PSU banks in
terms of branch network with around 8700+ branches. It was established on 11 November 1919 in Bombay
(now Mumbai) by Seth Sitaram Poddar.
A vostro account is an account that domestic banks hold for foreign banks in the former’s domestic currency,
in this case, the rupee. Domestic banks use it to provide international banking services to their clients
who have global banking needs. Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVA) is an additional arrangement to the
existing system that uses freely convertible currencies and works as a complimentary system. The existing
systems require maintaining balances and position in such currencies like US dollar and pound to facilitate trade.
Elon Musk is world’s richest person again; Gautam Adani falls to 32nd rank
• Elon Musk is once again the world’s richest person. The latest data by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index
showed that Twitter CEO Elon Musk became the richest person globally again as his net worth surged
nearly 36 per cent in 2023 so far. Musk’s net worth stands at $187.1 billion, which exceeds the fortune

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 of French luxury goods tycoon Bernard Arnault. LVMH’s CEO Arnault’s net worth currently stands at
$185.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world’s richest people.
• The surge in Musk’s wealth is contributed by a rally in Tesla stocks. The company has gained around
92 per cent so far this year, the Bloomberg data showed. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index updates the wealth
figures of the world’s richest people at the close of every trading day in New York.
• According to the Bloomberg index, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the world’s third richest person now,
as his net worth currently stands at $117 billion. The latest data also showed that Indian billionaire
Gautam Adani, who was the world’s third richest person till early this year, has now slipped to 32nd
rank in Bloomberg’s index. Meanwhile, Mukesh Ambani with a net worth of $81.1 billion is the tenth
richest person, worldwide.
Elon Musk No Longer World’s Richest Man after Losing $1.9 Billion in a Day
• Elon Musk has once again lost his spot as the world’s richest person just 48 hours after he reclaimed
the title, Fortune reported. Earlier first week of March 2023, the Tesla and SpaceX chief briefly retook
the number one spot on the global wealth pyramid.
• According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his net worth reached an estimated $187.1 billion.
However, Fortune reported that shares of Tesla fell by more than 5%, causing Mr Musk’s net worth to
drop by nearly $2 billion and allowing French billionaire Bernard Arnault, CEO of the French
luxury brand Louis Vuitton, to reclaim the top spot. Mr Musk’s net worth was down $1.91 billion on the
day, to $184 billion. This placed him below the $186 billion fortune of Mr Arnault.
Elon Musk is a business magnate and investor. He is the founder, CEO and chief engineer of SpaceX;
angel investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; owner and CEO of Twitter, Inc.; founder of The
Boring Company; co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI; and president of the philanthropic Musk Foundation.
With an estimated net worth of around $164 billion as of December 13, 2022, primarily from his ownership
stakes in Tesla and SpaceX, Musk is the second-wealthiest person in the world according to both the
Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes’s real-time billionaires list. In 1999, Zip2 was acquired by Compaq for
$307 million and Musk co-founded X.com, a direct bank. X.com merged with Confinity in 2000 to form
PayPal, which eBay acquired for $1.5 billion in 2002. In 2006, he helped create SolarCity, a solar energy
company that was later acquired by Tesla and became Tesla Energy. In 2015, he co-founded OpenAI, a nonprofit
artificial intelligence research company.
Chinese EV Maker Unveils World’s First Sodium-Ion Battery Powered Electric Vehicle
• Chinese Electric Vehicle brand JAC Auto has unveiled the world’s first-ever EV to be powered by a
sodium-ion battery. The sodium-ion battery, which is considered to be a cheaper alternative to lithium
ion batteries was developed by Beijing-based startup Hina Battery Technologies.
Nishad Singh, Indian-origin engineer at FTX, pleads guilty to fraud charges
• A 27-year-old Indian-origin engineer at a crypto asset trading platform has pleaded guilty to charges
of commodities fraud. Nishad Singh was the former co-lead engineer of FTX Trading Ltd. He is facing
federal charges for his role in a multiyear scheme to defraud equity investors in FTX, the crypto trading platform
started by Singh along with Samuel Bankman-Fried and Gary Wang.
Paytm becomes first to launch UPI LITE for small value transactions
• Paytm Payments Bank has become the first platform to launch UPI LITE payments, to enable quick
and seamless transactions of up to Rs. 200 without having to enter a PIN to make a payment. UPI
LITE, enabled by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), aids users to carry out multiple small value
UPI transactions without using a PIN. Moreover, users can transfer UPI balances back to their bank account
anytime, without any charges. Customers will receive a daily SMS from the bank containing a history of all UPI
LITE transactions made during the previous day.
Paytm (“pay through mobile”) is an Indian multinational technology company that specialises in digital
wallet, e-commerce, payment system and financial technology company, based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh,
India. Paytm was founded in August 2010 with an initial investment of $2 million by its founder Vijay
Shekhar Sharma in Noida, a region adjacent to India’s capital New Delhi. It started off as a prepaid mobile
and DTH recharge platform, and later added data card, postpaid mobile and landline bill payments in 2013.
Campa Cola is back: Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance rolls out iconic beverage brand
• Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL), the fast-moving consumer goods arm and subsidiary of
Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL) announced the launch of the iconic brand, Campa, made for a new-

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 age India. The Campa portfolio will initially include Campa Cola, Campa Lemon and Campa Orange in the
sparkling beverage category. The launch of this brand was in line with the company’s strategy to promote
homegrown Indian brands that not only have a rich heritage but also boasted a deep-rooted connect
with Indian consumers.
BSE & UN Women India launches a new programme, ‘FinEMPOWER’, at Bombay Stock Exchange
• BSE and UN Women India launched a new programme, ‘FinEMPOWER’, at the Bombay Stock Exchange
(BSE). It is a year-long joint capacity-building programme between BSE and UN Women to empower
women towards financial security.
• In commemoration of International Women’s Day, BSE and UN Women India collaboratively organised
the ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ceremony to accelerate investment in women leaders and
entrepreneurs at BSE.
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) is an Indian stock exchange located at Dalal Street, Mumbai. It was
established in 1875. Bombay Stock Exchange was started by Premchand Roychand in 1875. BSE is Asia’s
first stock exchange. BSE claims to be the world’s fastest stock exchange, with a median trade speed of
6 microseconds. The BSE is the 6th largest stock exchange with an overall market capitalisation in the
world with more than Rs. 276.713 lakh crore, as of January 2022. In January 2023, Sundararaman Ramamurthy
has assumed charge as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of leading stock exchange BSE.
TCS MD Gopinathan quits, Krithivasan appointed CEO-designate
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said Managing Director & CEO for the last six years, Rajesh
Gopinathan, has “decided to step down from the company to pursue other interests.” Mr. Gopinathan
will continue with the company till 15th September 2023 to provide transition and support to his
successor,” the company said in a statement. The board has nominated K. Krithivasan as the CEO-
designate with effect from March 16.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is an Indian multinational information technology (IT) services and
consulting company with its headquarters in Mumbai. It is a part of the Tata Group and operates in 150
locations across 46 countries. TCS is the second largest Indian company by market capitalization and is
among the most valuable IT service brands worldwide.
LIC appoints Tablesh Pandey as managing director
• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has elevated Tablesh Pandey, executive director of the company,
as its managing director. His appointment is effective from April 1, 2023, according to a regulatory filing.
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is an Indian public sector life insurance company
headquartered in Mumbai. It is India’s largest insurance company as well as the largest institutional
investor with total assets under management worth Rs. 41 trillion (US$510 billion) as of May 2022. It is under
the ownership of Government of India and administrative control of the Ministry of Finance. The Life
Insurance Corporation of India was established on 1 September 1956, when the Parliament of India passed
the Life Insurance of India Act, nationalizing the insurance industry in India.
Alibaba to split empire into 6 units as co-founder Jack Ma returns to China
• Alibaba Group plans to split into six units and explore fundraisings or listings for most of them, in
a major revamp as Beijing vows to ease a sweeping regulatory crackdown and support its private enterprises.
• The Chinese e-commerce conglomerate said that the biggest restructuring in its 24 year history would
see it split into six units – Cloud Intelligence Group, Taobao Tmall Commerce Group, Local Services Group,
Cainiao Smart Logistics Group, Global Digital Commerce Group and Digital Media and Entertainment Group.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited, also known as Alibaba is a Chinese multinational technology company
specializing in e-commerce, retail, Internet, and technology. Founded on 28 June 1999 in Hangzhou,
Zhejiang, the company provides consumer-to-consumer (C2C), business-to-consumer (B2C), and business-to-
business (B2B) sales services via web portals, as well as electronic payment services, shopping search engines, and
cloud computing services. Jack Ma Yun is the co-founder of Alibaba Group, a multinational technology
conglomerate.
Telangana gets first PPP-based EV charging station in India
• India’s first EV charging station strengthened with Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model was
inaugurated at Yadadri, Telangana. The PPP model is deemed a viable option where government engages

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 and encourages private players to supply charging infrastructure and install public charging infrastructure in
rural and semi-urban areas.
Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME II), is a scheme launched by
the Government of India to give a boost to development of Electric Vehicles. This is important considering
the efforts to combat climate change across the globe. The Government of India has allocated a budget
of Rs 10,000 crores for the second phase of this scheme. This scheme was launched to achieve the goals of
National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP). Phase I lasted from 2015 to 2019 and Phase II of FAME
was launched in 2019 and is expected to be completed by 2022. The Central government has increased the
subsidy under the second phase of the FAME India scheme on electric two-wheelers by 50 percent. The
subsidy will now be Rs 15,000 per kWh for electric two-wheelers under FAME India phase II. Earlier, it
was Rs 10,000 per kWh. Additionally, the cap on subsidy for an electric two-wheeler will be 40 per cent
of its cost, up from 20 per cent earlier.
5 Indian-origin women feature in ‘100 Most Influential Women in US Finance’ list
• Five Indian-origin women executives have made it to Barron’s prestigious annual ‘100 Most
Influential Women in US Finance’ list for achieving positions of prominence in the financial services
industry and helping shape its future. Indian-origin Anu Aiyengar from J.P. Morgan, Ariel Investment’s
Rupal J. Bhansali, Sonal Desai of Franklin Templeton, Goldman Sach’s Meena Flynn and Savita
Subramanian from Bank of America are among the 100 women who were named in the fourth annual
version of the prestigious list.
Bengaluru to get India’s first post office building made with 3D printing technology
• Two years after finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated India’s first 3D-printed house at
the Indian Institute of Technology Madras campus to boost affordable housing across the country,
Bengaluru will soon have India’s first post office constructed with 3D printing technology. The
project is being implemented by Larsen & Toubro, which has experience in building construction using 3D
printing technology. The 1,100 sq ft building is expected to cost 30-40 per cent less than conventional buildings
because of the technological intervention. The post office is being built at a cost of Rs. 23 lakh.
Stanford University’s AI Index report
• Stanford University’s AI Index report states that India is ranked fifth in terms of investments
received by startups offering AI-based products and services in 2022. AI startups in India received a
total investment of $3.24 billion, surpassing countries such as South Korea, Germany, Canada, and Australia.
However, India is still behind the US, China, the UK, and Israel in terms of AI investments received.
Odisha Government launched the world’s first MissCall-based payment system ‘MissCallPay’
• Odisha Government launched the world’s first MissCall-based payment system ‘MissCallPay’ at the
State’s first-ever Fintech Festival – an initiative to enhance the adoption of digital payments and promote
Bhubaneswar as a fintech hub of East India.
U.S. emerges as India’s biggest trading partner in FY23 at $128.55 billion; China at second
position
• The U.S. has emerged as India’s biggest trading partner in 2022-23 on account of increasing economic
ties between the two countries. According to the provisional data of the Commerce Ministry, the bilateral
trade between India and the U.S. has increased by 7.65% to $128.55 in 2022-23 as against $119.5 billion in
2021-22. It was $80.51 billion in 2020-21.
Top 5 countries with the highest number of billionaires
• Forbes’ 2023 ranking of the world’s wealthiest people has once again revealed the countries with
the most billionaires. The Forbes 2023 rich list reveals that 2,640 billionaires of the world hail from 77
countries or territories.
• The country with the highest number of billionaires is, unsurprisingly, the US. The United States
of America has 735 billionaires – same as last year, according to Forbes. While the US cannot claim to be
home to the world’s richest person – that honour goes to France with Bernard Arnault – it is home
to the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.
• LeBron James and Tiger Woods were among the 50 people who joined the billionaires list for the
first time this year, even as Sam Bankman-Fried, Kanye West and dozens others dropped off. The country
ranking second in terms of the number of billionaires it has produced is China. This year, China is home to

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 495 billionaires, a not-insignificant drop from last year’s 539 Chinese billionaires. India is home to 169
billionaires with a collective net worth of $675 billion.
Forbes is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes
family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing
topics. Forbes also reports on related subjects such as technology, communications, science, politics, and law.
Its headquarters is located in Jersey City, New Jersey. Primary competitors in the national business
magazine category include Fortune and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The magazine is well known for its
lists and rankings, including of the richest Americans (the Forbes 400), of the America’s Wealthiest
Celebrities, of the world’s top companies (the Forbes Global 2000), Forbes list of The World’s Most
Powerful People, and The World’s Billionaires. The motto of Forbes magazine is “Change the World”. Its
chair and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes, and its CEO is Mike Federle.

World’s First Carbon Import Tax Approved by EU Lawmakers

• The European Union’s parliament approved legislation to tax imports based on the greenhouse
gases emitted to make them, clearing the final hurdle before the plan becomes law and enshrines climate
regulation in the rules of global trade for the first time. It caps nearly two years of negotiations on
the import tax, which aims to push economies around the world to put a price on carbon-dioxide
emissions while shielding the EU’s manufacturers from countries that aren’t regulating emissions as
strictly, or at all. The tax gives credit to countries that put a price on carbon, allowing importers of goods from
those countries to deduct payments made for overseas emissions from the amount owed at the EU’s borders.
Bengaluru startup opens India’s first commercial Li-ion cell manufacturing line
• Bengaluru-based Log9 Materials, an advanced battery-technology and deep-technology startup,
inaugurated India’s first commercial lithium-Ion (Li-ion) cell manufacturing facility on its campus in
Jakkur. The facility will produce batteries for electric vehicles.
• Log9’s commercial Li-ion cell manufacturing line has an initial capacity of 50 MWh. This facility will
cater to the manufacturing of lithium-titanate oxide and lithium iron phosphate cells.
SBI launches its Coffee Table Book – The Banker to Every Indian
• The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the launch of its coffee table book ‘The Banker to
Every Indian’ which celebrates 75 years of Indian independence and SBI’s glorious 200-year history.
“The book is a tribute to the spirit of India’s independence and the Bank’s contribution to nation-building”.
State Bank of India (SBI) is an Indian multinational public sector bank and financial services statutory
body headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The bank descends from the Bank of Calcutta, founded
in 1806 via the Imperial Bank of India, making it the oldest commercial bank in the Indian Subcontinent.
The Government of India took control of the Imperial Bank of India in 1955, with Reserve Bank of India
(India’s central bank) taking a 60% stake, renaming it State Bank of India. SBI is the 43rd largest bank in the
world and ranked 221st in the Fortune Global 500 list of the world’s biggest corporations of 2020, being the only
Indian bank on the list. It is a public sector bank and the largest bank in India with a 23% market share
by assets and a 25% share of the total loan and deposits market. On 16th Aug 2022 an attempt to facilitate
and support start-ups in the country, the State Bank of India (SBI) announced the launch of its first “state-
of-the-art” dedicated branch for start-ups in the country in Bengaluru. YONO (You Only Need One) is
an integrated digital banking platform offered by State Bank of India (SBI) to enable users to access a
variety of financial and other services such as flight, train, bus and taxi bookings, online shopping, or medical
bill payments. Five associates and the Bharatiya Mahila Bank became part of the State Bank of India
(SBI), catapulting the country’s largest lender to among the top 50 banks in the world. State Bank of
Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank
of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT), besides Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB), merged
with SBI with effect from April 1, 2017.

Solar Energy Corporation of India gets Miniratna Category-I status

• The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) was accorded the status of Miniratna Category-I
Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE). SECI is the primary implementing agency of MNRE for renewable
energy schemes and projects. SECI, an arm of the MNRE, is the primary project implementing agency formed
on September 20, 2011. SECI is the only CPSE dedicated to the renewable energy sector.

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 Criteria for grant of Miniratna status to CPSEs: Miniratna Category-I status: The CPSEs which have made
profit in the last three years continuously, pre-tax profit is Rs.30 crores or more in at least one of the
three years and have a positive net worth are eligible to be considered for grant of Miniratna-I status.
Miniratna Category-II status: The CPSEs which have made profit for the last three years continuously
and have a positive net worth are eligible to be considered for grant of Miniratna-II status. Miniratna
CPSEs should have not defaulted in the repayment of loans/interest payment on any loans due to the Government.
Miniratna CPSEs shall not depend upon budgetary support or Government guarantees.
Apple opens its first India retail store at BKC, Mumbai
• Apple Inc., which has been operating for more than 25 years in India opened Apple BKC, its first
retail store in the country at Jio Centre, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai in a significant move
to solidify its base in this part of the world. The iPhone maker’s chief executive Tim Cook has arrived in
the country to inaugurate the exclusive store at Bandra Kurla Complex. The Apple store is launched
at a time when Apple is commemorating 25 years in India.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company that specializes in consumer electronics,
computer software and online services. Apple is the largest information technology company by
revenue (totaling $274.5 billion in 2020) and, since January 2021, the world’s most valuable company. As of
2021, Apple is the fourth-largest PC vendor by unit sales and fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer.
It is one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Alphabet
(Google), Meta (Facebook), and Microsoft. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and
Ronald Wayne to develop and sell Wozniak’s Apple I personal computer. It was incorporated by Jobs and
Wozniak as Apple Computer, Inc. It is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited now a Navratana
• Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has now been promoted to ‘Navratna’ category of Central Public
Sector Enterprises (CPSE) from Category-I Miniratna. This means the company will have more autonomy
in terms of investment, setting up joint venture and other financial decisions. “Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman has approved the upgradation of RVNL to Navratna CPSE. RVNL will be the 13th Navratna
amongst the CPSEs,” Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) said. RVNL is a Ministry of Railways
CPSE with an annual turnover of Rs.19,381 crores and net profit of Rs.1,087 crores for the years 2021-22.
• RVNL is a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways. It was established in
2003 to implement railway infrastructure projects and raise extra-budgetary resources for Special
Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).
Navratna status is a recognition given by the Indian government to select public sector enterprises
(PSEs) that have financial and operational autonomy. The grant of Navratna status to RVNL provides it with
more operational freedom, financial autonomy, and enhanced delegation of powers. This status enables PSEs
to invest up to Rs. 1000 crore without any approval from the central government, giving them more
flexibility in decision making, personnel management, and joint ventures. The CPSEs which are Miniratna
I, Schedule ‘A’ and have obtained ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ MOU rating in three of the last five years and
having composite score of 60 or above in following six selected performance indicators are eligible to be considered
for grant of Navratna status.
ONGC Videsh wins $190 million arbitral awards against Sudan
• ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) has won $190 million arbitration awards against Sudan in a long-running
dispute over payments for oil and a pipeline. Following the arbitration awards, OVL has sent demand
notices to the Sudanese government seeking payments, the people cited above said, adding that the company
hasn’t yet gone to a court to enforce the award and is hoping to recover the money using the diplomatic channel.
NSE Indices launches India’s first-ever REITs and InvITs index
• NSE Indices Ltd, an arm of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) launched the country’s first-ever Real
Estate Investment Trusts and Infrastructure Investment Trusts index — Nifty REITs and InvITs Index.
The index aims to track the performance of REITs and InvITs that are publicly listed and traded on the NSE.
• A real estate investment trust (REIT) or an infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) is an investment
vehicle that owns revenue-generating real estate or infrastructure assets. REITs invest in real estate
projects, whereas InvITs invest in infrastructure projects with a long gestation period. Through
these trusts, investors get exposure to diversified regular income-generating real estate and infrastructure
assets.

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Ambani regains Asia’s richest person spot: Forbes
• Mukesh Ambani has regained his spot as Asia’s richest person after rival Gautam Adani tumbled
to No. 24, Forbes said in its Billionaire 2023 list released. The 25 richest people in the world are worth a
collective USD 2.1 trillion, according to Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list, down a combined USD 200 billion
from USD 2.3 trillion in 2022.
MetGain Token Unveils the World’s First Crypto Block chain to the World
• MetGain also has garnered more headlines because it has been breaking barriers in the DeFi space
and leading the way to the top, motivating and inspiring other up-and-coming decentralized platforms to prove
their mettle. Another significant reason why it is making great headlines is because of its one-of-a-kind token,
the MetGain Token, which now unveils the world’s first crypto blockchain to the world.
A cryptocurrency or crypto, is a virtual currency secured by cryptography. It is designed to work as a
medium of exchange, where individual ownership records are stored in a computerised database. The
defining trait of a cryptocurrency is that they are not issued by the government agency of any country making them
immune against any interference and manipulation from them. The first type of crypto currency was Bitcoin,
which to this day remains the most-used, valuable and popular. Along with Bitcoin, other alternative
cryptocurrencies with varying degrees of functions and specifications have been created. Some are iterations
of bitcoin while others have been created from the ground up. Bitcoin was launched in 2009 by an
individual or group known by the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto. The competing cryptocurrencies that
were created as a result of Bitcoin’s success are known as altcoins. Some of the well-known altcoins are as
follows: Litecoin, Peercoin, Namecoin, Ethereum and Cardana.
India is now Europe’s largest supplier of refined fuels: Kplr
• India has become Europe’s largest supplier of refined fuels for the month of April 2023 while
simultaneously buying record amounts of Russian crude, according to data from analytics firm Kpler. Europe’s
reliance on Indian crude oil products has grown since the ban on Russian oil. Europe’s refined fuel imports from
India are set to surge above 360,000 barrels a day, edging just ahead of those of Saudi Arabia, Kpler’s data show.
Telangana government launches India’s first robotics framework
• The Telangana government launched State Robotics Framework, a first-of-its-kind policy in India,
aimed at creating a sustainable robotics ecosystem and to position the state as a leader in the field of robotics.
The framework is a comprehensive roadmap that outlines the state’s vision for the development of the robotics
ecosystem in the state and contributing to the growth of the industry in the country.
Netherlands emerges as India’s 3rd largest export destination
• The Netherlands has emerged as India’s third largest exports destination after the US and UAE
during 2022-23, showed commerce ministry’s data. This can be attributed to a surge in shipment of
goods such as petroleum products, electronic items, chemicals, and aluminium goods. India’s trade
surplus with the Netherlands has also increased from USD 8 billion in 2021-22 to USD 13 billion in 2022-23.
The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country located in Northwestern Europe with overseas
territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands. Amsterdam is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the
seat of government. Euro and United States dollar are the official currencies of it. Mark Rutte is a Dutch
politician who has served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 2010.
Government appoints Ravneet Kaur as CCI Chairperson
• The government has appointed Ravneet Kaur as the Chairperson of the Competition Commission
of India (CCI). The appointment of Ravneet Kaur, a 1988 Punjab cadre IAS officer, will be for a period of five
years from the date of assuming charge or till the date of attaining the age of 65 years or until further orders,
whichever is the earliest.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is the chief national competition regulator in India. It is a
statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and is responsible for enforcing the Competition
Act, 2002 to promote competition and prevent activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on
competition in India. The CCI looks into cases and investigates them if the same has a negative impact
on competition. CCI also approves combination under the act so that two merging entities do not overtake the
market. The commission was established on 14 October 2003. It became fully functional in May 2009
with Dhanendra Kumar as its first chairman.

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FDI into India falls for the first time in a decade
• Gross FDI into India has seen a 16 percent fall in FY’23. Inflows stood at $71 billion in FY’23 as
compared to $84.8 billion in FY’22. This is the first time India has seen inflows decline YoY in the last
10 years. A wide variety of indicators show that India’s growth trend remains robust. Corporate
sector leverage is at a cyclical low while earnings growth is expected to pick up. Indian banks are very well-
capitalized. Credit growth at around 16 percent, is close to pre-pandemic highs.
• The report said that the latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s monthly bulletin
showed that during the last financial year, “after adjusting for repatriation and disinvestment by foreign
investors, direct inflows were 27% lower at $41.6 billion”. FDI inflows into India did not decline even in
2020, the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdowns were imposed, due to investments in big
money projects like Reliance Jio and tech startups. But, “high inflation and weak demand in the
US and Europe has dried up flows into startups, which were large recipients of surplus money floating
globally”. The decline was visible for the most part of FY 22-23, the report added.
FDI stands for Foreign Direct Investment and refers to investment made by a foreign company in
another country’s company. The purpose of the investment is to gain long-lasting control or influence over the
foreign company. FII stands for Foreign Institutional Investor. FIIs are a group of investors who pool
their money to invest in foreign assets. FII is a quick way for investors to make money and includes institutions
such as banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, and hedge funds. FDI involves a direct investment in
a company with the intention of acquiring management control or influence, while FII involves
investment in securities or assets of a foreign company. FDI results in a long-term interest in the
investee company, whereas FII investment is usually short-term and focused on the secondary market.
FDI is subject to stricter regulations compared to FII, which allows for a relatively easy entry and exit
from investment. FDI brings in not just finance, but also technical knowledge and direct involvement
in the day-to-day operations of the foreign company, while FII investment primarily provides financial
benefits. FDI is considered a more stable form of foreign investment as compared to FII, which is
known as “hot money” due to its quick entry and exit from investments.
JP Morgan set to acquire assets of First Republic Bank after its closure
• US-based First Republic Bank was closed by the local regulators and entered into an agreement with
JP Morgan Chase Bank to purchase and assume all deposits and assets of the troubled bank in a
bid to protect depositors. JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association submitted a bid for all of First
Republic Bank’s deposits. As part of the agreement, First Republic Bank’s 84 offices in eight states in the US
will reopen as branches of JPMorgan Chase Bank. All depositors of First Republic Bank will become depositors
of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, and will have full access to all of their deposits.
• As of April 13, 2023, First Republic Bank had approximately USD 229.1 billion in total assets and
USD 103.9 billion in total deposits. In addition to assuming all of the deposits, JPMorgan Chase Bank
agreed to purchase “substantially” all of First Republic Bank’s assets.
Six years since demonetisation, RBI withdraws Rs 2,000 currency notes
• A little more than six years ago, on November 8, 2016, the Indian government had introduced the new
Rs 2,000 currency notes following the demonetisation of the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes as a
step against accumulation and circulation of black money in the country.
• Now, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has again decided to scrap a certain denomination of our
currency. The RBI decided to withdraw Rs 2,000 banknotes from circulation and asked everyone to
exchange them by September 30, 2023. The RBI explained its move, saying that the aim of introducing the
Rs 2,000 currency notes has been achieved as “it was introduced in November 2016 primarily with the
objective to meet the currency requirement of the economy in an expeditious manner.”
On 8 November 2016, the Government of India announced the demonetisation of all Rs. 500 and Rs.
1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series. It also announced the issuance of new Rs.500 and Rs.
2,000 banknotes in exchange for the demonetised banknotes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that
the action would curtail the shadow economy, increase cashless transactions and reduce the use of illicit
and counterfeit cash to fund illegal activity and terrorism. According to a 2018 report from the Reserve
Bank of India Rs. 15.3 lakh crore (15.3 trillion rupees on the short scale) of the Rs. 15.41 lakh crore in
demonetised bank notes, or approximately 99.3%, were deposited in banks, leading analysts to state that
the effort had failed to remove black money from the economy.

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Veteran Mohanty named as first CEO of India’s largest insurer LIC
• India’s government named Siddhartha Mohanty as the first chief executive of the Life Insurance
Corp of India (LIC) the country’s biggest insurer. Mohanty, a veteran of the company which listed in May
last year in India’s biggest initial public offering, will lead LIC as chairman until June 2024 and then become
chief executive until at least June 2025.
Life Insurance Corporation of India (abbreviated as LIC) is an Indian government owned insurance
and investment corporation under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The Life
insurance Corporation of India was established on September 1, 1956, when the Parliament of India passed the
Life Insurance of India Act that nationalized the insurance industry in India. Over 245 insurance companies
and provident societies were merged to create the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India. It
is based in Mumbai.
Twitter’s new CEO Linda Yaccarino
• Elon Musk is welcoming a veteran ad executive to the helm of Twitter, the social media site the
billionaire Tesla CEO had been running since he bought it last fall. Mr. Musk announced that he’s hiring
Linda Yaccarino to be the new CEO of San Francisco-based Twitter, which is now called X Corp.
Adani Foundation Launches World’s First Skill Centre in Metaverse
• The Adani Foundation’s skill development vertical has set a major milestone by becoming the world’s
first skill centre to enter the Metaverse. Adani Skill Development Centre (ASDC), or Adani Saksham, which
completed seven years since its launch on May 16, 2016, has begun its Metaverse journey with two courses.
Tata’s AirAsia India successfully operates country’s first commercial flight on India-made
sustainable fuel
• Air India’s low-cost subsidiary AirAsia India, successfully operated the country’s first commercial
flight on the Pune-Mumbai sectors using an indigenously produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
blend. Flight I5767 flew from Pune to Delhi powered by SAF blended aviation turbine fuel (ATF) supplied by Indian
Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) in partnership with Praj Industries, which provided the technology for the blend.
Tata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai. Founded in 1868 by
Jamshedji Tata, the group gained international recognition after purchasing several global companies. It is one
of the biggest and oldest industrial groups in India. Each Tata company operates independently under the
guidance and supervision of its own board of directors and shareholders. In 1991, Ratan Tata became chairman
of Tata Group. This was also the year of economic liberalization in India, opening up the market to foreign
competitors. Natarajan Chandrasekaran became the first non-Parsi and professional executive to head
the Tata Group. Significant Tata affiliates include Air India, Tata Chemicals, Tata Communications, Tata
Consultancy Services, Tata Consumer Products, Tata Elxsi, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Steel, Jamshedpur
FC, Tanishq, Voltas, Tata Cliq, Tata Projects Limited, Tata Capital, Titan, Trent, Indian Hotels Company Limited,
TajAir, Croma, and Tata Starbucks, etc.
Mobile app for loan application for street vendors under PM SVANidhi scheme
• The Centre launched a mobile app for street vendors to ease their loan application process under
the PM SVANidhi scheme which completed three years. The PM SVANidhi is a micro credit scheme
which was launched by the Central government in 2020 to provide handholding support to street
vendors, to tide over pandemic-induced economic stress. The scheme aims to restore self-employment, Self-
Sustenance, and Self-Confidence among street vendors. The scheme has also empowered COVID-19-affected
street vendors to resume their livelihood.
The PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was launched by the Ministry of Housing
and Urban Affairs on June 01, 2020 for providing affordable Working Capital loan to street vendors to
resume their livelihoodsthat have been adversely affected due to Covid-19 lockdown. The duration of the scheme is
until March 2022. It is a special micro-credit facility plan to provide affordable loan of up to Rs. 10,000 to
more than 50 lakh street vendors, who had their businesses operational on or before 24 March. The scheme is
valid until March 2022. Extension of lending period till December 2024. Small Industries Development
Bank of India is the technical partner for implementation of this scheme. It will manage the credit
guarantee to the lending institutions through Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small
Enterprises. The Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme has been
extended beyond March, 2022.

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Cabinet approves Rs 89,000 crore revival plan for state-owned BSNL
• India’s cabinet has approved a revival package of 890.47 billion rupees ($10.79 billion) for state
telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). The development comes days after BSNL partnered
with top software company Tata Consultancy Services to help deploy 4G network across the country when
larger rivals are rolling out high-speed 5G network.
• BSNL, struggling with poor infrastructure, has been battered by intense competition from Jio, the
wireless arm of Reliance Industries, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea which have rolled out 4G services at low
prices on voice calls and data.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (d/b/a BSNL meaning India Communications Corporation Limited)
is a central public sector undertaking headquartered in New Delhi, India. It is under the ownership
of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Government of India. It was
incorporated on 1 October 2000 by the Government of India. Its top official is designated as Chairman and
Managing Director who is a central government civil servant of the Indian Communication Finance Service cadre
or a central government engineer of the Indian Telecommunications Service cadre. It provides mobile voice and
internet services through its nationwide telecommunications network across India. It is the largest government-
owned-wireless telecommunications service provider in India.
India climbs eight places to 127 in global gender index, says WEF report
• The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released the annual Gender Gap Report for 2023, which
measures the gender disparity in various aspects of society. India has ranked at 127 out of 146
countries in terms of gender parity — an improvement of eight places from last year — according to the
World Economic Forum’s annual Gender Gap Report, 2023.
• The World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked India at 135 out of 146 countries in the Global Gender
Gap Index in the report’s 2022 edition. India has improved by 1.4 percentage points and eight positions
since the last edition, marking a partial recovery towards its 2020 parity level. The country has attained
parity in enrolment across all levels of education.
• India has closed 64.3 per cent of the overall gender gap, the report said. However, it underlined that India has
reached only 36.7 per cent parity on economic participation and opportunity. The index ranked India’s neighbours
Pakistan at 142, Bangladesh at 59, China at 107, Nepal at 116, Sri Lanka at 115 and Bhutan at 103.
• Iceland is the most gender-equal country in the world for the 14th consecutive year and the only one
to have closed more than 90 per cent of its gender gap, according to the report. In India, while there has been
uptick in parity in wages and income, the share of women in senior positions and technical roles have dropped
slightly since the last edition. On political empowerment, India has registered 25.3 per cent parity, with
women representing 15.1 per cent of parliamentarians — the highest for the country since the inaugural
report in 2006. Out of the 117 countries with available data since 2017, 18 countries — including
Bolivia (50.4 per cent), India (44.4 per cent) and France (42.3 per cent) — have achieved women’s
representation of over 40 per cent in local governance.
AI-based tech start-up develops India’s first autonomous car ‘zPod’
• An artificial intelligence (AI) startup Minus Zero, which is based in the Indian city of Bengaluru,
has unveiled the first self-driving car in the country, “zPod”. The four-wheeler does not have a steering
wheel and the strategically-placed high-resolution cameras help the car in analysing driving conditions, which
includes traffic. The surroundings of the vehicle are captured in a camera-sensor suite which is shared with the
AI system embedded in it. In turn, the information is processed by the AI through images to help zPod control
its speed, avoid obstacles, and stop.
Alan Turing, although not commonly referred to as the “father of artificial intelligence,” made
significant contributions to the field and played a crucial role in the development of AI. Alan Turing is
renowned for proposing the concept of the Turing Test in his 1950 paper titled “Computing Machinery
and Intelligence.” The Turing Test is a test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behavior indistinguishable
from that of a human. While Turing made various contributions to computer science and mathematics, the Turing
Test is particularly associated with his name and is relevant to the field of AI.
Ajay Banga takes over as first person of colour to become World Bank President
• Indian origin CEOs have been making waves across the globe as they have taken control of top tech firms and
are dominating other sectors as well. Among them, the former President and CEO of Mastercard, Ajay
Banga achieved a new milestone when he was picked as the President of the World Bank.

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• The Pune-born Indian American has now taken over the reins of the World Bank, as the first person
of colour to lead the organisation meant to fight poverty. Chosen by the US President Joe Biden, Banga
was elected as the World Bank chief unopposed. As opposed to his predecessor and former US President Trump’s
pick David Malpass, Banga has urged the world to focus on climate change.
The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around
the world. The World Bank Group comprises five institutions managed by their member countries. It was
established in 1944, the World Bank Group is headquartered in Washington, Ajay Banga is an Indian-
born American business executive. He is currently the President of the World Bank Group, and vice
chairman at General Atlantic.He was executive chairman of Mastercard, after having previously served
as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company from July 2010 until December 31,
2020. Together, IBRD and IDA form the World Bank, which provides financing, policy advice, and technical
assistance to governments of developing countries. IDA focuses on the world’s poorest countries, while IBRD
assists middle-income and creditworthy poorer countries. The International Development Association
(IDA) is a multinational financial institution providing aid to poor countries in the form of loans. It
is also referred to as soft loan window of the World Bank. IBRD and IDA have 189 and 174 member
countries, respectively. The U.S., Japan, China, Germany and the U.K. have the most voting power.
Govt appoints SBI MD Swaminathan Janakiraman as RBI deputy governor
• India’s government appointed Swaminathan Janakiraman as a deputy governor of the Reserve Bank
of India for three years from the date of joining. Janakiraman, currently the managing director of
State Bank of India, will succeed Mahesh Kumar Jain, whose tenure ends on June 22. Jain was appointed
as a deputy governor in June 2018 for three years. He was re-appointed in June 2021 for a further two-year
period.
• Currently, the other three deputy governors of the RBI are Michael D Patra, T Rabi Sankar and
Rajeshwar Rao. MK Jain had served as the managing director and chief executive officer of IDBI
Bank before being appointed as the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank Of India. Before joining IDBI Bank,
he headed Indian Bank. The deputy governor gets a fixed salary of Rs. 2.25 lakh per month plus allowances.
The deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India is the second most senior executive of the Reserve
Bank of India after its governor. The term of office typically runs for three years and can, in some cases, be
extended for another two years. The inaugural officeholder was James Braid Taylor, while K J Udeshi
holds the unique distinction of becoming the first female deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
Currently there are four incumbent deputy governors of the Reserve Bank of India.
Merger of HDFC with HDFC Bank effective from July 1
• The merger of housing finance major HDFC with the country’s largest private lender HDFC Bank
came into effective from July 1, 2023. Termed as the biggest transaction in India’s corporate history,
HDFC Bank agreed to take over the biggest domestic mortgage lender in a deal valued at about $40 billion,
creating a financial services titan. The proposed entity will have a combined asset base of around Rs.18 lakh
crore. HDFC Bank will be now 100% owned by public shareholders, and existing shareholders of
HDFC will own 41% of the bank. Every HDFC shareholder will get 42 shares of HDFC Bank for every 25
shares they hold.
HDFC Bank Limited (also known as HDB) is an Indian banking and financial services company
headquartered in Mumbai. HDFC Bank was incorporated in 1994 as a subsidiary of the Housing
Development Finance Corporation, with its registered office in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is India’s
largest private sector bank by assets and world’s 4th largest bank by market capitalisation as of July 2023
after its reverse takeover of its parent HDFC. It is the second largest company by market capitalisation
of $172 billion on the Indian stock exchanges. It is also the sixteenth largest employer in India with
nearly 1.77 lakh employees. Atanu Chakraborty is currently the Chairperson of HDFC Bank, India’s
largest lender by market capitalization. Sashidhar Jagdishan is the current MD and CEO of HDFC Bank.
Tata to build India’s first lithium-ion cell manufacturing gigafactory in Gujarat
• Tata Group signed an agreement with the Gujarat state government to set up a giga-factory for
manufacturing lithium-ion cells, with an estimated initial investment of around 130 billion rupees ($1.6
billion). A giga-factory of this kind will be operational in Gujarat for the production of the first-ever
lithium-ion cells in India.

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Reliance climbs eight spots to 45th rank on Forbes’ Global 2000 list
• Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd. climbed eight spots to the 45th rank, the
highest for an Indian company on Forbes’ latest Global 2000 list of public companies worldwide.
The Global 2000 ranks the largest companies in the world using four metrics: sales, profits, assets, and
market value, Forbes said while releasing the 2023 ranking of the world’s top 2,000 companies. Reliance
surpassed several well-known companies including Germany’s BMW Group, Switzerland’s Nestle,
Alibaba Group from China, Procter & Gamble from the US, and Sony from Japan, with sales of $109.43
billion and a profit of $8.3 billion.
• JPMorgan, America’s biggest bank with $3.7 trillion in assets, is at the top of the list for the first
time since 2011 and has emerged stronger from this spring’s regional banking crisis, with more deposits and
opportunistic acquisition of the failed First Republic Bank. The top spot on the list is held by JPMorgan,
followed by Saudi oil giant Aramco, and three giant-sized state-owned Chinese banks.
• Several other Indian companies featured on the list, including Axis Bank at 423, NTPC at 433, Larsen
& Toubro at 449, Bharti Airtel at 478, Kotak Mahindra Bank at 502, Indian Oil Corporation at 540, Infosys at
554, Bank of Baroda at 586, Coal India at 591, Tata Steel at 592, Hindalco at 660, and Vedanta at 687. The list
also featured three companies from the Adani Group – Adani Enterprises at 1062, Adani Power at
1488, and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones at 1598. The group previously faced criticism from
a U.S short-seller earlier this year.
• The State Bank of India has climbed up to the 77th position from its previous rank of 105th in the
2022 ranking. Other Indian companies on the list include HDFC Bank at 128th position (153 in 2022), ICICI
Bank at 163 (204 in 2022), state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) at 226, HDFC at 232, and Life
Insurance Corporation (LIC) at 363. However, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) saw a slip in rank from 384 last
year to 387 this year. Notably, 55 Indian firms made it to the list.
Mukesh Ambani’s RIL tops list of Indian companies, Adar Poonawalla’s Serum Institute
first among unlisted: Hurun report
• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), led by Mukesh Ambani, has emerged as the most valuable private
sector company in India, according to Burgundy Private Hurun India 500-Special report. Meanwhile, Serum
Institute of India (SII), helmed by Adar Poonawalla and renowned for its Covid-19 vaccines, takes the title of
India’s most valuable unlisted company, with a valuation of Rs. 1.92 lakh crore. The report is based on the data
from October 30, 2022 to April 30, 2023.
Meesho, NPCI only 2 Indian firms to feature on TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies
2023 list
• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Meesho are the only two Indian companies
that made it to TIME’s list of 100 Most Influential Companies 2023 released. Polygon Labs — which
was originally Matic Network by four Indians — chipmaker Nvidia, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Apple, Sam Altman’s
OpenAI, footwear maker Crocs, Samsung, Microsoft, and luxury fashion brand LVMH were other companies
to feature on the list. Founded in 2008 by the Reserve Bank of India and the Indian Bank’s Association (IBA),
NPCI was launched to create more robust payment systems in the nations.
NASSCOM announces 1st SME Launchpad in Britain
• NASSCOM, the leading organization representing India’s technology industry with over 3,000 member
companies accounting for 90 per cent of the sector’s revenue, has entered into a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with MIDAS (Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency) and MAG (Manchester
Airports Group).
• The aim of this collaboration is to foster innovation, investment, and technological exchange between
Greater Manchester, the UK, and India. As a result of this MoU, the first NASSCOM launchpad in the UK
will be established, building upon the success of a similar initiative in Canada.
The National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) is an Indian non-governmental
trade association and advocacy group, focused mainly on the technology industry of India. Established
in 1988, NASSCOM is a non-profit organisation. It is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Indigo becomes India’s first airline to fly past Rs. 1 trillion in market value
• InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, which operates budget carrier Indigo, became India’s first aviation
company to cross Rs. 1 trillion market cap after its shares hit a record high with 29 percent gains so far
this year. Indigo ranks 10th in terms of market value among world’s top 10 listed aviation firms.

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• Delta Airlines Inc is the world’s biggest airline by value, with a market cap of $29.62 billion followed
by South West Airlines Co and Ryanair Holdings PLC. United Airlines Holdings PLC ranks at number
four, followed by Air China, Singapore Airlines, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines Co and
Deutsche Lufthansa.
Apple now becomes world’s first $3 trillion company
• Apple became the first publicly traded company to close a trading day with a USD 3 trillion market
value. The company marked another milestone for a technology juggernaut that has reshaped society with a
line-up of products that churn out eye-popping profits.
• Apple is one of a handful of technology companies, including Microsoft and chipmaker Nvidia that helped drive
the S&P 500 to a gain of nearly 16 per cent in the first half of the year. The 47-year-old company co-founded by
Silicon Valley legend Steve Jobs had briefly eclipsed a USD 3 trillion market value on back-to-back
days in January 2022, but couldn’t hold on by the time the market closed.
• Microsoft is the second-most valuable public company at USD 2.5 trillion. Oil giant Saudi Aramco has
a market value of USD 2.08 trillion. Alphabet, the parent of Google, Amazon and Nvidia have market values
above USD 1 trillion. It took Apple less than two years to close with a USD 3 trillion market value
after topping USD 2 trillion for the first time in August 2021, which occurred about two years after the
Cupertino, California, company reached USD 1 trillion for the first time.
• The cascading trillions have been driven by the technology empire that Apple has built since Jobs returned
to the company in 1997 after being pushed aside by then-CEO John Sculley in 1985. At the time of
Jobs’ comeback, Apple was flirting with bankruptcy and so desperate for help that it turned to its once-bitter
rival Microsoft for a cash infusion. Although most of Apple’s innovations were hatched while Jobs was running
the company, most of its wealth has been created under the reign of its current CEO, Tim Cook, who
took over as CEO shortly before Jobs died in October 2011. When Jobs passed the baton to Cook,
Apple’s market value stood at USD 350 billion.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company that specializes in consumer electronics,
computer software and online services. Apple is the largest information technology company by
revenue (totaling $274.5 billion in 2020) and, since January 2021, the world’s most valuable company. As of
2021, Apple is the fourth-largest PC vendor by unit sales and fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer.
It is one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Alphabet
(Google), Meta (Facebook), and Microsoft. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and
Ronald Wayne to develop and sell Wozniak’s Apple I personal computer. It was incorporated by Jobs and
Wozniak as Apple Computer, Inc. It is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California.
Government asks banks to ensure enhanced credit for MSMEs to achieve One Trillion
Dollar merchandise export target by 2030
• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has asked the Indian banks to ensure enhanced and
affordable credit to MSMEs to achieve the target of one trillion dollar merchandise exports by 2030.
It was attended by the top officials of 21 banks including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National
Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of India and Central Bank of India.
• The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Limited can examine the extension of the scheme
proposed for nine banks, to all the banks, so that the export credit offtake for the MSME Exporters can
be increased. It was attended by the top officials of 21 banks including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda,
Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of India and Central Bank of India.
As per the latest classification of MSME: 1. Micro enterprises would be those with investments not
exceeding Rs one crore and turnover of Rs 5 crore. 2. Small enterprises would be those with investment
up to Rs 10 crore and turnover of up to Rs 50 crore. 3. Medium enterprises – as those with investments
not exceeding Rs 50 crore and turnover of Rs 250 crore.
India extends UPI services to France, first in Europe after Singapore
• The unified payments interface (UPI) would soon be used in France and Indians travelling there
can make rupee payments using the UPI. UPI can be accepted internationally only if the payment
operator in the home country has an arrangement with a similar payment operator in the overseas country.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has set up connectivity with Lyra in France.
Within India, the chain of UPI transactions runs from the payer’s bank to the NPCI switch, and then to the
payee’s bank.

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Indian Bank Introduces Digital Services Under ‘Project WAVE’ Initiative
• Indian Bank has announced the launch of new digital services as part of its Project WAVE initiative,
aimed at transforming the banking experience for its customers. Collaborating with National
E-Governance Services Ltd, the bank has introduced an electronic bank guarantee (e-BG) service
to simplify traditional paper-based processes.
Indian Bank is an Indian public sector bank, established in 1907 and headquartered in Chennai. Since
1969, the Government of India has owned the bank. As per the announcement made by the Indian Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 30 August 2019, Allahabad Bank merged from 1 April 2020, making
Indian Bank now the seventh largest bank in the country.

Bank of India becomes first bank to offer Mahila Samman Savings Certificate
• Bank of India, one of the largest public sector banks (PSBs) in the country, has become the first bank
to officially roll out Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (MSSC) scheme. The scheme was announced
by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her Budget speech this year. The scheme offers an
interest rate of 7.5 per cent per annum, compounded quarterly.
• Under the scheme, individual girls or women can open a Mahila Samman Savings Certificate or a
guardian can open an account on behalf of a minor girl. The account will mature after two years from
the date of opening. Accounts under this scheme can be opened until March 31, 2025.
• According to a statement by the bank, while the minimum investment is Rs. 1,000, any sum in multiples of
Rs. 100 can be deposited, up to a maximum limit of Rs. 2 lakh. Individuals can open multiple accounts
with a gap of three months between each account, subject to the overall investment cap of Rs. 2 lakh. All
earnings under the Mahila Samman Savings Certificate will be taxable as per existing income tax provisions.
However, TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) will not be deducted under the scheme.
Bank of India (BOI) is an Indian public sector bank headquartered in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.
Founded in 1906, it has been government-owned since nationalisation in 1969. BoI is a founder member
of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Inter Bank Financial Telecommunications), which facilitates provision of
cost-effective financial processing and communication services. Bank of India was founded on 7 September 1906 by
a group of eminent businessmen from Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Bank was under private ownership
and control till 19 July 1969 when it was nationalised along with 13 other banks.

IDFC to merge with IDFC First Bank

• Close on the heels of the merger of HDFC Ltd with HDFC Bank, the board of directors of IDFC First
Bank approved the scheme of amalgamation of its parent IDFC Ltd with IDFC First Bank. The
share exchange ratio for the amalgamation will be 155 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 of IDFC First Bank
for every 100 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 of IDFC Ltd. “The merger will lead to simplification of the
corporate structure of IDFC FHCL, IDFC Limited and IDFC First Bank by consolidating them into a single
entity and will help streamline the regulatory compliances of the aforesaid entities,”.
IDFC FIRST Bank (formerly IDFC Bank) is an Indian private sector bank formed by the merger of the
banking arm of Infrastructure Development Finance Company and Capital First, an Indian non-bank
financial institution. It is the first universal bank to offer monthly interest credit on savings accounts, lifetime free
credit cards with dynamic and low annual percentage rates. The Reserve Bank has approved the appointment
of V. Vaidyanathan as Managing Director and CEO of IDFC First Bank for a period of three years,
effective from December 19, 2018.

PNB launches its virtual branch in the Metaverse

• State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) announced the launch of a virtual branch, PNB Metaverse.
It is a virtual branch of the bank, which will deliver a unique experience of banking to existing and new
customers who can now explore the bank’s products and services such as bank deposits, retail/MSME loans,
digital products, women/senior citizens, ‘Do It Yourself’ and government flagship schemes. PNB has developed
the Bank’s Metaverse Branch, where its esteemed customers will get exclusive access to its virtual
environment from the comfort of their home or office through their mobile phones and laptops.

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 Punjab National Bank (abbreviated as PNB) is an Indian public sector bank based in New Delhi.
The bank was founded in May 1893 and is the third largest public sector bank in India in terms of its
business volumes and second largest in terms of its network. PNB’s founders included several leaders of the
Swadeshi movement such as Dyal Singh Majithia and Lala Harkishen Lal, Lala Lalchand, Kali Prosanna Roy, E. C.
Jessawala, Prabhu Dayal, Bakshi Jaishi Ram, and Lala Dholan Dass. Lala Lajpat Rai was actively associated with
the management of the Bank in its early years. On 30 August 2019, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
announced that the Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India would be merged with Punjab
National Bank. The proposed merger would make Punjab National Bank the second largest public
sector bank in the country with assets of Rs. 17.95 lakh crore (US$220 billion) and 11,437 branches. On 1 April
2020, the merger came into effect.
Meta officially launches Twitter rival Threads
• Facebook has tried to compete with Twitter in numerous ways over the years, including copying
signature Twitter features such as hashtags and trending topics. But now Facebook’s parent company is
taking perhaps its biggest swipe at Twitter yet. Meta officially launched a new app called Threads, which is
intended to offer a space for real-time conversations online, a function that has long been Twitter’s core selling point.
Meta Platforms, Inc., doing business as Meta, and formerly named Facebook, Inc., and it is an American
multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California. The company owns and
operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, among other products and services. Meta is
one of the world’s most valuable companies and among the ten largest publicly traded corporations in the United
States. It is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside
Google parent company Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft. Mark Zuckerberg is an American
business magnate, computer programmer, internet entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is known for
co-founding the social media website Facebook and its parent company Meta Platforms (formerly
Facebook, Inc.), of which he is the executive chairman, chief executive officer, and controlling shareholder.
Indra Nooyi & Jayshree Ullal among four Indian-origin women America’s richest self-
made women
• Four Indian-origin women, including Jayshree Ullal and Indra Nooyi, have been named by Forbes
among America’s 100 richest self-made women, with a combined net worth of a whopping USD 4.06 billion.
President and CEO of Arista Networks, a computer networking firm; Jayshree Ullal, co-founder of
IT consulting and outsourcing firm Synte; Neerja Sethi, co-founder and former chief technology
officer (CTO) of cloud company Confluent; Neha Narkhede and PepsiCo’s former chair and CEO
Indra Nooyi made it to Forbes list of ‘America’s Richest Self-Made Women’. “Bolstered in part by a
rebound in the stock market, they are cumulatively worth a record USD 124 billion, up nearly 12 per cent from
a year ago,” Forbes said last month at the release of its ninth annual list.
Razorpay launches its first international payment gateway in Malaysia
• Fintech unicorn Razorpay announced the launch of its first international payment gateway for
the Malaysian market with Curlec. In February last year, Razorpay had acquired a majority stake in the
Malaysia-based startup which is now known as Curlec By Razorpay. The launch, Razorpay said, will enable
it to further widen its reach in the international markets and make its capabilities available in
emerging markets. Curlec currently works with more than 700 Malaysian businesses including Tune Protect,
CTOS, Courts, and Mary Kay. The new Curlec payment gateway will serve more than 5,000 businesses with a
target of RM10 billion in annualised gross transaction value (GTV) by 2025.
Wipro to invest $1 billion in 3 years to advance AI capabilities
• Wipro, a Bengaluru-based technology services and consulting firm would invest $1 billion to advance
its AI capabilities over the next three years. The company also launched Wipro ai360, a comprehensive,
AI-first innovation ecosystem, that builds on Wipro’s decade-long investments in artificial intelligence (AI)
with the goal of integrating AI into every platform, every tool, and every solution used internally and offered to
clients.
• Wipro ai360, fuelled by this new investment, would help unleash a new era of value, productivity, and
commercial opportunities through the application of AI and generative AI, said the company in a
regulatory filing. Wipro will also develop a curriculum that maps out the complete AI journey for different roles.
The completion of the curriculum will culminate in the credentialing of employees through the Decentralized
Identity & Credential Exchange (DICE) ID platform, according to the filing.

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Foxconn plans India semiconductor unit without Vedanta, seeks ‘diverse’ stakeholders
• Foxconn is planning to apply separately to build a semiconductor manufacturing plant in India,
the Taiwanese tech giant said after withdrawing from a semiconductor joint venture (JV) with India’s
Vedanta Limited. “Foxconn is working towards submitting an application related to Modified Programme
for Semiconductors and Display Fab Ecosystem.
• Last year, the two companies announced VFSL (Vedanta Foxconn Semiconductors Limited), a joint
venture that would have invested $20 billion to set up units for semiconductor fabrication, assembly
and testing, and display manufacturing, in India.
• The project, which would have seen the world’s fifth-largest economy get its maiden chip manufacturing
plant, was proposed under a $10 billion financial incentive scheme (Modified Programme for
Semiconductors and Display Fab Ecosystem) backed by the country’s Narendra Modi government.
Vedanta Limited is an Indian multinational mining company headquartered in Mumbai, India, with
its main operations in iron ore, gold and aluminium mines in Goa, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Odisha. Anil
Agarwal known professionally as “metal king,” is an Indian billionaire businessman who is the founder and
chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited.
L&T, Navantia sign teaming agreement for Project 75 (India) submarine program
• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed a teaming agreement with Spain-based Navantia for submission
of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine programme.
P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion (over Rs 43,500 crore) and is India’s
largest defence acquisition project.
• As per the agreement, Navantia would carry out the design of P75 (I) submarines based on its S80 class
of submarines. The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its
delivery to Spanish Navy at the end of 2023. The agreement was signed in the presence of SN Subrahmanyan,
L&T CEO & MD and Augustin Alvarez Blanco, Naval Construction Vice President, and Member of the Board-
Navantia.
Adani Group’s $1.1 bn copper project to start operations from March 2024
• Billionaire Gautam Adani-led group’s copper-producing factory at Mundra in Gujarat will start
operations from March next year, helping cut India’s dependence on imports and aiding energy
transition. Copper is known as the “metal of electrification” as deeper electrification requires wires,
which are primarily made from copper. Technologies critical to the energy transition like electric vehicles
(EVs), charging infrastructure, solar photovoltaics (PV), wind and batteries, all require copper.
• Kutch Copper Ltd (KCL), a subsidiary of the group’s flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), is setting
up a Greenfield copper refinery project for the production of refined copper with 1 million tonnes
per annum in two phases. For Phase-1, capacity of 0.5 million tonnes per annum, KCL has achieved financial
closure through a syndicated club loan. The first phase is expected to become operational by the end of the
current fiscal.
Twitter launches new logo, drops bluebird for X as part of wider rebranding
• Social Media platform Twitter has launched its new logo, dropping the blue bird on its website for
an X as part of a wider rebranding. The social media network’s site showed the company’s new logo, a white
X on a black background.
• Twitter owner Elon Musk and its Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino unveiled the new logo
for the social media network. The new logo is the latest change since Mr Musk bought the social media
platform for 44 billion dollars last year.
Twitter is an American microblogging and social networking service on which users post and interacts
with messages known as “tweets”. Registered users can post, like, and retweet tweets, but unregistered users
can only read them. Twitter was created by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams in
March 2006 and launched in July of that year. On April 25, 2022, the Twitter board of directors agreed
to a $44 billion buyout by Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, potentially making it one of the
biggest deals to turn a company private. Parag Agrawal is an Indian-American software engineer who
is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Twitter.

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Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer surpassed tech giants Mark Zuckerberg, and
Google’s cofounders with $120B fortune
• According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Steve Ballmer’s estimated fortune of $120 billion places
him sixth on the list, outshining tech gurus like Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the cofounders of Google.
Apart from his Microsoft fortunes, Ballmer is also the owner of the LA Clippers.
• His investments and Microsoft’s interest in artificial intelligence and $10 billion investment in
OpenAI earlier this year, have increased the company’s growth prospects even further. With Microsoft
stock soaring 44% this year alone, the surge contributed to a $34 billion rise in Ballmer’s net worth in
2023.
• While other tech titans like Zuckerberg, Page, and Brin have also witnessed an increase in wealth
but they are still far from their all-time high. On the other hand, Ballmer’s Microsoft shares have reached
a record-breaking high, which has propelled him up the billionaire list. Although he may still fall behind Larry
Ellison and Bill Gates, who are both worth over $130 billion, Ballmer’s success as a retired CEO and non-
founder has placed him in a highly desirable position.
Amazon launches first-of-its-kind floating store in India
• Amazon India has set sail on Dal Lake in Srinagar with the country’s first-ever floating ‘I Have
Space’ store. This adds to Amazon’s delivery network. Murtaza Khan Kashi runs a houseboat named Selec
Town, and has decided to become a ‘I Have Space’ partner for Amazon’s deliveries on and around Dal
Lake and Nigeen Lake.
PFC becomes 1st member from India to join Asia Transition Finance Study Group
• Power Finance Corporation Ltd(PFC) has achieved a milestone by becoming the first Indian
participant in the Asia Transition Finance Study Group (ATFSG), an initiative spearheaded by the
Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to promote sustainable transition finance in
Asian countries. By becoming a part of this initiative, PFC will not only contribute India’s perspective but also
collaborate on devising policy considerations to facilitate efficient energy transition financing.
Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (P. F. C.) is an Indian central public sector undertaking under the
ownership of the Ministry of Power, Government of India. Established in 1986 in New Delhi, it is the
financial backbone of Indian power sector. PFC is India’s largest NBFC and also India’s largest infrastructure
finance psu. Government has raised status of PFC from ‘ Navratna’ to ‘Maharatna’ psu on 12 October
2021.
Walmart buys out $1.4 billion Tiger Global stake in Flipkart
• Walmart has paid $1.4 billion to buy out hedge fund Tiger Global’s investment in e-commerce
firm Flipkart citing a letter by the hedge fund to its investors. The transaction brings the value of the
e-commerce firm to $35 billion from nearly $38 billion after it sold its shares to Japan’s SoftBank, U.S. retailer
Walmart and other investors in 2021. Earlier private equity firms Accel and Tiger Global, two early backers of
Flipkart, were in talks to sell their remaining stake in the company to Walmart. Tiger Global held about 4% of
the company. Walmart acquired a majority stake of 77% in Flipkart for about $16 billion in 2018.
Flipkart Private Limited is an Indian e-commerce company, headquartered in Bangalore, and incorporated
in Singapore as a private limited company. Flipkart was founded in October 2007 in Mumbai by Sachin
Bansal and Binny Bansal, alumni of the IIT, Delhi and former Amazon employees. In August 2018, American
retail chain Walmart acquired a 77% controlling stake in Flipkart for US$16 billion.
Gati Shakti: Kandla port in Gujarat to get mega container terminal
• India’s Deendayal Port Authority at Kandla in Gujarat signed a concession agreement with the
UAE-based DP World group for one of the largest greenfield container terminals in the country worth
Rs.4,243.64 crore, will boost trade and growth in Asia’s third-largest economy.
• The container terminal will ease supply-chain pressures, boost India’s exports and will be vital to
achieve the country’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy. It is part of the National Infrastructure
Pipeline and will complement the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan as well as the National Logistics
Policy. Ports are key to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambition to make India a manufacturing leader, but
for that, it needs billions of dollars in investment for modern infrastructure.

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 Recently, the government of India has launched the ambitious Gati Shakti scheme or National Master Plan
for multi-modal connectivity plan, with the aim of coordinated planning and execution of infrastructure
projects to bring down logistics costs. To ensure integrated planning and implementation of infrastructure
projects in the next four years, with focus on expediting works on the ground, saving costs and creating jobs. The
Gati Shakti scheme will subsume the Rs. 110 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline that was
launched in 2019.

BRICS Bank Aims to Issue First Indian Rupee Bond by October

• The development bank founded by the so-called BRICS countries is planning to issue its first Indian
rupee bond by October as the lender comes under pressure to raise and lend more in local currencies.
• The New Development Bank (NDB) issued its first rand bond in South Africa and could consider
local currency issuance in members Brazil, Russia and United Arab Emirates, Vladimir Kazbekov told ahead
of the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on Aug. 22-24. Founded in 2015, the NDB is the most concrete
achievement of the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - as they bid
to turn the bloc into a counterweight to the west. However, its already slow pace of lending has been further
hampered by sanctions against Russia.
The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a
multilateral development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa). According to the Agreement on the NDB, “the Bank shall support public or private projects
through loans, guarantees, equity participation and other financial instruments.” Moreover, the NDB
“shall cooperate with international organizations and other financial entities, and provide technical assistance for
projects to be supported by the Bank.” The initial authorized capital of the bank is $100 billion divided into
1 million shares having a par value of $100,000 each. The initial subscribed capital of the NDB is $50 billion
divided into paid-in shares ($10 billion) and callable shares ($40 billion). The initial subscribed capital of the
bank was equally distributed among the founding members. The Agreement on the NDB specifies that
every member will have one vote no one would have any veto powers. The bank is headquartered in
Shanghai, China. Marcos Troyjo is President of the New Development Bank (NDB).

Fortune Global 500: Reliance jumps 16 places, LIC slips 9

• Fortune Global 500 list has been released and eight Indian companies have been featured in the list.
Notably, billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries has maintained its high rank, furthering
another sixteen places. Reliance Industries is now ranked at number 88. Reliance Industries had been
ranked at number 104 in the 2022 ranking and in the 2023 ranking it is placed at number 88, according
to the publication. The company has gained a whopping 67 places in the last two years from number 155 in
2021.
• The ranking of number 88 is the best-ever achieved by Reliance on the Fortune Global 500 ranking
list. Meanwhile, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LICI) which slipped nine places to rank at 107. Notably,
LICI had been featured in the Fortune Global 500 list for the first time in 2022.
• A total of eight companies had featured in this years Fortune Global 500 list. In that state-owned
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) jumped 48 places to rank at number 94. Further, Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation was ranked at number 158, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd at number 233, and State Bank of
India was placed at number 235 on the list. These were also the other state-owned firms on the list.
Oil India elevated as 13th ‘Maharatna’ company, ONGC Videsh rises to ‘Navaratna’ status
• State run oil major Oil India Limited was elevated as to the Maharatna status on recommendation
from the Finance ministry of India government. This makes Oil India Limited the 13th Maharatna Central
Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE). The move to elevate the status of Oil India Limited aims to enhance powers
to the OIL board while taking financial decisions.
• The other companies included in the Maharatna list are Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL),
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Coal India Limited, GAIL India Limited, Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Limited (HPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited, NTPC Limited, Oil & Natural Gas Corporation
Limited (ONGC), Power Finance Corporation, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, Rural Electrification
Corporation Limited and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

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 Oil India Limited (OIL) is the second largest Indian-government owned hydrocarbon explorer and
producer. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The Ministry of Petroleum
and Natural Gas oversees its operations, with its headquarters in Duliajan, Assam. The government
corporation is a maharatna with its offices in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Guwahati and Jodhpur.
Tesla leases space in Pune for its first office in India
• Tesla India Motor & Energy Pvt Ltd has taken office space on lease for five years at Panchshil
Business Park in Pune at a starting monthly rent of Rs. 11.65 lakh, its first real office setup in India.
The 5,850 sq feet of space located on the first floor has been leased from the building operator Tablespace
Technologies. The lock-in period for the lease is 36 months and the rent escalates 5 per cent annually. Tesla
founder Elon Musk had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month when Musk had reportedly
said that he was ‘finetuning’ his India entry and investing in a car-making facility in the country.
Elon Reeve Musk is a business magnate and investor. Musk is the founder, chairman, CEO and chief
technology officer of SpaceX, angel investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc., owner, chairman
and CTO of X Corp., founder of the Boring Company, a co-founder of Neuralink and OpenAI, and the
president of the Musk Foundation. He is the wealthiest person in the world, with an estimated net worth
of US$239 billion as of July 2023, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and $248.8 billion according to
Forbes, primarily from his ownership stakes in Tesla and SpaceX.
Morgan Stanley upgrades India’s rating to overweight, downgrades China’s to equal
weight
• Brokerage firm Morgan Stanley upgraded India’s outlook to ‘overweight,’ saying that the firm believes
that the country is just at the start of a long-wave boom. This comes four months after the firm upgraded
India’s outlook to equal weight from underweight on March 31. An overweight outlook means that Morgan
Stanley expects India’s economy to perform better in the future.
• In a note, Morgan Stanley said that the country’s macro indicators remain resilient, and added that India’s
economy is on track to achieve the GDP forecast of 6.2 per cent. With this upgrade, India is now the top
ranked, most-preferred market among emerging markets (EMs).
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding
company headquartered in New York City. JPMorgan Chase is incorporated in Delaware. JPMorgan
Chase is the largest bank in the United States, the world’s largest bank by market capitalization, and
the fifth-largest worldwide in terms of total assets, controlling US$3.684 trillion. As a “Bulge Bracket”
bank, it is a major provider of various investment banking and financial services.
Govt appoints R Doraiswamy as LIC MD
• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the government has appointed R Doraiswamy as the
managing director. Doraiswamy is currently the executive director at the central office in Mumbai. He has
been appointed as managing director of LIC in place of Ipe Mini with effect from the date of assumption of
charge of the office on or after September 1, 2023, and up to the date of his superannuation on August 31, 2026.
Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) is a government body set up under the department of
financial service by central government in 2022. The Secretariat of the Bureau currently comprises of Secretary
and four officers. It replaced Banks Board Bureau (BBB). It aims to identify manpower capabilities and
ensure proper selection of talent for senior positions at financial institutions owned by the government.
The board is entrusted to making recommendations of full-time appointment of directors and non-
executive chairman of state-run financial services / Public sector organization and on other matters
relating to personnel management in the institution. It comprises of Ex-Officio members from Government other
the Regulatory Bodies and experts from the respective field. The final decision on the FSIB recommendation
would be taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister.
Indian Oil, L&T, ReNew form JV for green hydrogen projects
• A joint venture of Indian Oil Corporation, L&T and ReNew to focus on green hydrogen projects has
been incorporated with the three partners investing Rs.1 crore each in its authorised capital. The JV
company GH4India Private Ltd., incorporated on August 25, has been formed for the purpose of development
of green hydrogen and its derivatives, including green ammonia and methanol, besides production assets and
associated renewable assets through any model of ownership and operatorship, IOC and L&T said in separate
filings.

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 Green hydrogen is defined as hydrogen produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using
renewable electricity. This is a very different pathway compared to both grey and blue. Green hydrogen
featured in a number of emissions reduction pledges at the UN Climate Conference, COP26, as a means
to decarbonize heavy industry, long haul freight, shipping, and aviation. Governments and industry have both
acknowledged hydrogen as an important pillar of a net zero economy. The Green Hydrogen Catapult, a United
Nations initiative to bring down the cost of green hydrogen announced that it is almost doubling its goal
for green electrolysers from 25 gigawatts set last year, to 45 gigawatts by 2027.

LIC acquires 6.66% stake in Jio Financial Services through demerger process
• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has acquired 6.66 per cent stake in Jio Financial Services, the
demerged non-banking financial services unit of the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance group. “Corporation
has acquired 6.660 per cent shareholding in ‘Jio Financial Services Ltd’ through demerger action by ‘Reliance
Industries Ltd”. Jio Financial Services listed on the stock exchanges. The market capitalisation of the financial
services company stood at close to Rs. 1.60 lakh crore.
Life Insurance Corporation of India (abbreviated as LIC) is an Indian government owned insurance
and investment corporation under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The Life
insurance Corporation of India was established on September 1, 1956, when the Parliament of India passed the
Life Insurance of India Act that nationalized the insurance industry in India. Over 245 insurance companies
and provident societies were merged to create the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India.
It is based in Mumbai. Shri. Mangalam Ramasubramanian Kumar is the current Chairperson of LIC.

Moody’s affirms India’s sovereign rating at ‘Baa3’; says GDP growth to support increase in
income level
• Moody’s affirmed India’s sovereign rating at ‘Baa3’ with a stable outlook and said high growth will
support a gradual increase in income levels, which will further contribute to economic strength. Moody’s said it
expects India’s economic growth to outpace all other G20 economies through at least the next two years,
driven by domestic demand.
Wipro launches centre of excellence on generative AI at IIT Delhi
• IT major Wipro has announced the launch of a centre of excellence on generative artificial
intelligence in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi). This centre
has been set up on the premises of the Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence at IIT Delhi, and this Centre of
Excellence (CoE) will support applied research in generative AI. Wipro CoE teams will jointly work on
building innovative solutions using AI, Machine Learning (ML), and other technologies.
Wipro is an Indian multinational corporation that provides information technology, consultant and
business process services. It is one of the leading Big Tech companies. Wipro’s capabilities range across cloud
computing, computer security, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, and other
technology consulting services to customers in 167 countries. The company was incorporated on 29 December
1945 in Amalner, India, by Mohamed Premji. In 1966, after Mohamed Premji’s death, his son Azim
Premji took over Wipro as its chairperson at the age of 21.

IRDAI cuts capital for foreign reinsurance branches for Rs 50 cr

• Aimed at attracting more foreign reinsurers to establish operations in India, the Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has slashed the minimum capital requirement for foreign
reinsurance branches (FRBs) from Rs 100 crore to Rs 50 crore with the provision to repatriate any
excess assigned capital.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is a regulatory body under
the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance, Government of India and is tasked with regulating and licensing
the insurance and re-insurance industries in India. It was constituted by the Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority Act, 1999, an Act of Parliament passed by the Government of India. The agency’s
headquarters are in Hyderabad, Telangana, where it moved from Delhi in 2001. IRDAI is a 10-member
body including the chairman, five full-time and four part-time members appointed by the government of India.
Debasish Panda is the current chairman of Insurance Regulatory Development of India (Irdai).

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Telangana Grabs India’s First Gorilla Glass Factory
• In a major update not just for Telangana but for India, Corning Inc. the leading smartphone glass makers,
have decided to set up their first Gorllia Glass factory in Telangana. The factory will manufacture
Corning’s widely popular and reliable ‘Gorilla Glass’, an innovation that prevents screens (smart phones, tablets
and laptops) from breaking easily.
US largest source of India’s foreign direct investment in FY23
• The United States emerged as the leading source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India during
the fiscal year 2023 (FY23), according to a recent census conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The
data also revealed that Mauritius, the United Kingdom, and Singapore followed the United States and
collectively contributed 60 per cent of the total FDI inflow into India. In terms of market value, the FDI
amounted to Rs. 50 lakh crore in FY23.
India ranks 126th in World Happiness Index 2023 amidst rising mental health concerns
• According to the latest World Happiness Index for 2023, India finds itself ranked at the 126th position
among 146 countries, marking it as one of the least joyful nations globally. This decline in happiness levels
has been attributed to the growing mental health crisis in India, particularly in Gujarat, which has
been exacerbated by the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Centre launches Skill India Digital app to find jobs, training opportunities
• The Centre formally launched the Skill India Digital app, which brings together listings for upskilling
courses and job listings. The app had been soft launched in April, and was announced by Union Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Budget session of Parliament in February.
Recently, the Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched Skill India Digital
(SID). This comprehensive digital platform aspires to provide every Indian with access to quality skill
development, relevant opportunities, and entrepreneurial support. Skill India Digital (SID) is envisioned
as the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship in
India. It aims to bring together various skilling initiatives and create a seamless ecosystem for skill development,
aligning with the principles of the G20 framework for building DPIs. Digital public infrastructure refers to
blocks or platforms such as digital identification, payment infrastructure and data exchange solutions
that help countries deliver essential services to their people, empowering citizens and improving lives by enabling
digital inclusion.
Prime Minister announces Jan 16 as National Start-up Day
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India’s startups ecosystem, acknowledging 42 startups turned
unicorns, or a startup valued at $1 billion or more, in 2021. He announced that January 16 will be
celebrated as National Startup day.
• “Five years ago, there were less than 500 startups in India, today there are close to 60,000 startups
in the country. Startups will be the backbone of new India,” Modi said in an interaction with youngsters from the
startup ecosystem. In 2015, India was at number 81 in this ranking and it now ranks 46 in Innovation
Index, he said.
• The event was organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry
of Commerce and Industry as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The event also marks the 6th anniversary
of the launch of the Startup India initiative. India is the third largest Unicorn ecosystem in the
world after US and China.
Developing countries lead in crypto adoption, India ranks first
• At a time when enacting a global framework for regulating crypto assets is the talk of the town, a new report
by a global crypto research firm shows that developing countries are leading the race to adopt
crypto assets. The latest edition of Chainalysis’ Global Crypto Adoption Index ranks India first in
crypto adoption.
• India is followed by Nigeria and Vietnam. In fact, except for the United States, which ranks 4th, rest of
the top 10 list comprise of developing countries. War-ravaged Ukraine and sanctions-hit Russia, where crypto
usage has spiked after the war began in 2022, also feature in the list; Ukraine ranks fifth while Russia is in 13th
position.

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Government approves one-year extension to RBI Deputy Governor Rajeshwar Rao
• The government extended the term of RBI Deputy Governor M Rajeshwar Rao for a period of one
year. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the re-appointment of M Rajeshwar Rao,
Deputy Governor Reserve Bank of India, for a period of one year with effect from October 9, 2023. He was
appointed as the RBI Deputy Governor in October 2020 for a period of three years. Rao was elevated as the RBI
executive director in November 2016.
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das for being ranked as the top central
banker globally by US-based Global Finance magazine
• Prime Minister Modi congratulated Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das for being ranked
as the top central banker globally by US-based Global Finance magazine. Shaktikanta Das was rated
an ‘A+’ in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023.
The Reserve Bank of India was founded on 1 April 1935 to respond to economic troubles after the First
World War. RBI was conceptualised as per the guidelines, working style and outlook presented by Dr. B.
R. Ambedkar in his book titled “The Problem of the Rupee – Its origin and its solution” and presented
to the Hilton Young Commission. The bank was set up based on the recommendations of the 1926 Royal
Commission on Indian Currency and Finance, also known as the Hilton–Young Commission. In 1969, the
Indira Gandhi-headed government nationalised 14 major commercial banks. Upon Indira Gandhi’s return
to power in 1980, a further six banks were nationalised. The first Governor of the RBI was British banker
Osborn Smith and C.D. Deshmukh was the first Indian Governor of RBI. Shaktikanta Das is the current
Governor of RBI.
Uday Kotak steps down as MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank
• In a key leadership change in the Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited, its founder and promoter Uday Kotak
stepped down as its managing director and chief executive officer, effective September 1, 2023. He
will now be associated with the bank as its significant shareholder and a non-executive director.
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited is an Indian banking and financial services company headquartered
in Mumbai. It offers banking products and financial services for corporate and retail customers in the areas of
personal finance, investment banking, life insurance, and wealth management. It is India’s third largest private
sector bank by market capitalisation after HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. In 1985, Uday Kotak founded
Kotak Capital Management Finance as an investment and financial services company with a loan of
Rs.30 lakh from family and friends.
IDFC First joins elite club of 10 most valuable listed banks in India
• IDFC First Bank has entered the elite club of 10 most valuable listed lenders in India, replacing
Union Bank of India and Canara Bank with a valuation of Rs. 65,325 crore. Union Bank of India has a market
capitalisation (MCap) of Rs. 65,251 crore, while Canara Bank is worth Rs. 61,081.77 crore, according to BSE
data.
• HDFC Bank leads the league as India’s most profitable bank with a market cap of Rs. 12 lakh crore,
followed by ICICI Bank at Rs. 6.77 lakh crore, and state-run State Bank of India at Rs. 5.14 lakh crore. Kotak
Mahindra Bank comes at the fourth spot, followed by Axis Bank, IndusInd Bank, Bank of Baroda, IDBI Bank
and Punjab National Bank.
NPCI launches slew of new payment options on payment platforms UPI
• The NPCI has launched a slew of new payment options on popular payment platforms UPI, including
conversational transactions. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced the launch
of the products by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) at the ongoing Global Fintech Festival
in Mumbai.
• The latest offerings are aimed at creating an inclusive, resilient and sustainable digital payments
ecosystem and will help UPI achieve the target of 100 billion transactions per month. NPCI said it
has partnered with AI4Bharat at IIT Madras, to co-develop Hindi and English payment language models.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organisation for operating retail
payments and settlement systems in India. Founded in 2008, the NPCI is a not-for-profit organisation
registered under section 8 of the Companies Act 2013, established by Reserve Bank of India & IBA. It is
headquartered in Mumbai.

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RBI approves appointment of Dipak Gupta as interim MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment Dipak Gupta as the interim Managing
Director & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited, the private sector lender said in a regulatory filing.
The lender said that the central bank has approved the appointment of Gupta for a period of two months, with
effect from September 2, 2023.
• This comes nearly a week after Kotak Mahindra Bank’s founder Uday Kotak stepped down as the MD
and CEO with effect from September 1, 2023. His resignation came four months ahead of the end of his
current tenure, which was December 31, 2023. Kotak is the founder and promoter of the bank and has been the
MD & CEO of the bank since August 1, 2002.
RBI approves reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as ICICI Bank MD for 3 years
• Private sector ICICI Bank said the RBI has approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as
Managing Director and CEO of the private lender for three years. The reappointment of Bakhshi will
be effective from October 4, 2023, till October 3, 2026, ICICI Bank said in a regulatory filing.
Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Bank Limited is an Indian multinational
bank and financial services company headquartered in Mumbai with registered office in Vadodara. It offers
a wide range of banking and financial services for corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery
channels and specialized subsidiaries in the areas of investment banking, life, non-life insurance, venture capital
and asset management. Sandeep Bakhshi is the current MD & CEO, ICICI Bank. ICICI is the second-
largest private bank in India. HDFC is the largest private bank in India in terms of market capitalization.
Former SBI chair Rajnish Kumar is now Mastercard India Chairman
• Mastercard India announced the appointment of Rajnish Kumar, former State Bank of India (SBI)
chairman, as the Chairman of Mastercard India. In this non-executive advisory role, Kumar will guide
Mastercard’s South Asia executive leadership team in navigating the domestic payments landscape. Kumar,
over the course of nearly four decades, has held a wide range of leadership roles at SBI and its subsidiaries.
He managed critical operations across India and internationally in the UK and Canada. An early adopter of
technology in Indian banking, Kumar spearheaded the development of SBI’s digital platform, YONO. More
recently, he concluded a three-year term as SBI chairman in October 2020.
Indian Bank rolls out IB SAATHI to provide basic banking services
• Indian Bank has unveiled IB SAATHI (Sustainable Access and Aligning Technology for Holistic
Inclusion), a financial inclusion solution, aimed at providing basic banking services to stakeholders
through the business correspondent (BC) channel.
Indian Bank is an Indian public sector bank, established in 1907 and headquartered in Chennai. Since
1969, the Government of India has owned the bank. As per the announcement made by the Indian Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 30 August 2019, Allahabad Bank merged from 1 April 2020, making
Indian Bank now the seventh largest bank in the country.
Axis Bank launches ‘NEO for Business’
• Axis Bank announces the launch of ‘NEO for Business’, a distinctive Transaction Banking platform
specially curated for Indian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This is a first-of-its-kind
comprehensive digital proposition that caters to the real, current, and emerging Transaction Banking needs of
MSMEs.
Axis Bank Limited is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It sells
financial services to large and mid-size companies, SMEs and retail businesses. It is the third largest
private sector bank in India The bank was founded in December 1993 as UTI Bank, opening its registered
office in Ahmedabad and a corporate office in Mumbai. Shikha Sharma was the managing director and CEO
of Axis Bank from 2009 to 2018. Amitabh Chaudhry is the current managing director (MD) and chief
executive officer (CEO) of it.
India’s NABARD raises 10 billion rupees in country’s first social impact bond
• India’s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) concluded the country’s
first social impact bond issue, but raised less than it could have due to higher costs for the issuer. NABARD
accepted bids worth 10.40 billion rupees ($124.9 million), the bankers said, declining to be identified as
they are not authorised to speak to the media. NABARD had planned to raise at least 10 billion rupees via this
issue, with a greenshoe option to retain an additional 20 billion rupees.

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 National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is an apex regulatory body for overall
regulation of regional rural banks and apex cooperative banks in India. It is under the jurisdiction
of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The bank has been entrusted with “matters concerning policy,
planning, and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India”.
NABARD is active in developing and implementing financial inclusion. Shri Shaji K V is the current Chairman
of NABARD. It is headquartered in Mumbai.
CCI approves Vistara-Air India merger
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the merger of Vistara with Air India as well
as allowed Singapore Airlines to acquire 25.1% stake in the erstwhile national carrier. The CCI
announced the decision through a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Air India is the flag carrier of India, headquartered in New Delhi. It is owned by Talace Private Limited,
a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, after Air India Limited’s former owner, the Government of India,
completed the sale. The airline was founded by J. R. D. Tata as Tata Airlines in 1932; Tata himself flew its
first single-engine de Havilland Puss Moth, carrying air mail from Karachi’s Drigh Road Aerodrome to Bombay’s
Juhu aerodrome and later continuing to Madras (currently Chennai). After World War II, it became a public limited
company and was renamed as Air India.
Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal sent to ED custody till Sept 11 in Bank Fraud Case
• A special PMLA court in Mumbai remanded Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal in the Enforcement
Directorate’s custody till September 11. This is in relation to an alleged case of bank fraud of Rs. 538
crore. Goyal was arrested by the Central agency late last night under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act
following a long session of questioning at its office in Mumbai.
Jio Platforms ties up with NVIDIA to build cloud-based AI infrastructure
• Jio Platforms Ltd announced plans to build a state-of-the-art cloud-based AI compute infrastructure
to accelerate India’s position as a growing force in artificial intelligence, in collaboration with NVIDIA of the US,
a pioneer in accelerated computing. The new AI cloud infrastructure will enable researchers, developers,
startups, scientists, AI practitioners and others across India to access accelerated computing
and high-speed, secure cloud networking to run workloads safely and with extreme energy efficiency.
Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, doing business as Jio, is an Indian telecommunications company and a
subsidiary of Jio Platforms, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It operates a national LTE network with
coverage across all 22 telecom circles. Jio offers 4G and 4G+ services all over India and 5G service in many cities. Its
6G service is in the works. Jio soft launched on 27 December 2015 with a beta for partners and employees, and
became publicly available on 5 September 2016. It is the largest mobile network operator in India and
the third largest mobile network operator in the world with over 42.62 crore (426.2 million) subscribers.
Micron begins construction of $2.75 billion semiconductor plant in Gujarat
• US based chipmaker Micron Technology, Inc. carried out the groundbreaking of its $2.75 billion
assembly, testing and packaging plant (ATMP) in Sanand, Gujarat. The event took place at Gujarat
Industrial Development Corporation’s (GIDC) industrial estate in Sanand where the company has
been allotted 93 acres of land for the project. The project marks the largest investment under the India
Semiconductor Mission (ISM).
Semiconductors are materials which have a conductivity between conductors and insulators. They can
be pure elements, silicon or germanium or compounds, gallium, arsenide or cadmium selenide. They are
the basic building blocks that serve as the heart and brain of all modern electronics and information
and communications technology products. These chips are now an integral part of contemporary automobiles,
household gadgets and essential medical devices such as ECG machines. In December 2021, the centre govt
sanctioned Rs. 76,000 crore under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage the
manufacturing of various semiconductor goods within India.
GanderCoin: India’s First Digital Coin
• CoinCRED is the best crypto exchange in india that offers advanced cryptocurrency features
to make the digital revolution accessible. In a world marked by constant innovation and ever-evolving
financial landscapes, CoinCred, an Indian crypto exchange, emerges as a dynamic force, reshaping how we
perceive and engage with trading.

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LIC sells over 2% stake in Sun Pharma for Rs. 4,699 crore
• LIC has sold 2% of its holding in Sun Pharma for Rs.4,699 crore via open market sale. Following the
share sale, there is a decrease of 2% in holding during the period from July 22, 2022 to September 13, 2023.
• The shares were sold at an average price of Rs.973.80 per share during the period through an open
market sale in an ordinary course of transaction. Sun Pharma is engaged in the business of manufacturing,
developing and marketing a wide range of branded and generic formulations and Active Pharma Ingredients
(APls). Shares of the country’s largest state-owned insurer, LIC, closed at Rs.660.80 apiece on BSE, up by
0.27%. Sun Pharma shares ended 0.8% up at Rs.1, 143.60.
IMF, World Bank hold first meetings in Africa in 50 years
• The IMF and World Bank gather in Morocco for their first annual meetings on African soil in 50
years, under pressure to reform to better aid poor nations blighted by debt and climate change. The
International Monetary Fund and World Bank traditionally hold their annual gathering of finance ministers
and central bank governors outside their Washington headquarters every three years.
• The southern Moroccan city of Marrakesh was supposed to host it in 2021, but the gathering was
postponed twice because of the Covid pandemic. A powerful earthquake that killed nearly 3,000 people in the
region south of Marrakesh last month threatened to derail the event again, but the government decided it could
go ahead.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 190 countries, working to foster global
monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high
employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. Created in
1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 190 countries that make up its near-global membership. Ms.
Kristalina Georgieva, from Bulgaria, is Managing Director and Chairman of the Executive Board of
International Monetary Fund (IMF) from October 1, 2019. Prominent Indian-American economist Gita
Gopinath has joined as the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, becoming the first
woman to occupy the top post at the global lender. The latest currency that was added to the basket of
currencies by the International Monetary Fund to determine the value of XDR is the Chinese renminbi
in 2016. The other international currencies in the basket of currencies are British Pound, Japanese Yen,
US Dollar, and Euro. XDR is the currency code of Special Drawing Rights. Andorra has joined the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), to become its 190th member.
India ranks 111th on Global Hunger Index 2023
• India ranked 111th out of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2023. In the index released, India
has a score of 28.7, indicating a serious level of hunger. The country came after neighbouring countries
Pakistan (102nd), Bangladesh (81st), Nepal (69th) and Sri Lanka (60th). However, India fared better than South
Asia and Africa South of the Sahara, which recorded a score of 27 each.
• While the rate of undernourishment in India stood at 16.6 percent and under-five mortality at 3.1 percent, the
prevalence of anaemia in women aged between 15 and 24 years stood at 58.1 percent. As per the index, India
also has the highest child wasting rate in the world at 18.7 percent, reflecting acute undernutrition.
• According to the GHI 2023 report, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Chile, China are among the top
ranked countries (i.e., low level of hunger) and Yemen, Madagascar, Central African Republic are
the bottom. The GHI 2023 score for the world is 18.3, considered moderate, showing minimal improvement
since 2015. The prevalence of undernourishment has risen from 572 million to approximately 735 million people
since 2017.
• The GHI attributed the stagnation to various crises, including climate change, conflicts, economic
shocks, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a peer-reviewed report, published on an annual basis by Concern
Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. The GHI is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger
at global, regional, and national levels, reflecting multiple dimensions of hunger over time. The GHI score is
calculated on a 100-point scale reflecting the severity of hunger - 0 is the best score (implies no hunger)
and 100 is the worst. The report defines “hunger” by using four specific parameters –1. prevalence of
undernourishment 2. Child stunting (low height compared to their age) < Age 5 3. Child wasting (low
weight for their age) < Age 5 4. Under-5 child mortality i.e who did not live to be five-years-old. The higher
the score of a country on the list, the lower it was ranked.

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Construction of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor’s completes
• The construction of the entire 1,337 kilometres of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, EDFC,
has been completed. Ministry of Railways has taken up the construction of two Dedicated Freight
Corridor - the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from Ludhiana to Sonnagar and the Western
Dedicated Freight Corridor connecting Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal to Dadri.
• Managing Director of Dedicated Freight Corridor R K Jain said, the average speed of goods trains in
Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor will be 50 to 60 kilometres per hour. Generally, on Indian Railways route,
the average speed of goods train is 20 to 30 kilometres per hour. The first freight trial run between EDFC’s
New Sahnewal in Ludhiana to New Khurja has also been completed.
The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) is a public sector undertaking
which undertakes planning, development, and mobilisation of financial resources and construction, maintenance
and operation of the Dedicated Freight Corridors. Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor or Eastern DFC is
a broad gauge freight corridor in India. The railway will run between Ludhiana in Punjab and Dankuni
(near Kolkata) in West Bengal via Khurja in Uttar Pradesh. The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor
or Western DFC is a 1,506 km long, under-construction freight corridor in India. It will connect Dadri in
Uttar Pradesh (near Delhi) with Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
US beat China to emerge as India’s biggest trading partner during first half of FY24
• Despite declining exports and imports, the US emerged as India’s biggest trading partner during the
first half of the financial year 2023-24. Rising above global economic uncertainties, the US surpassed China
in terms of trade with India during April-September period.
The balance of trade is the distinction between the value of a nation’s imports and exports for a given
time frame. The BoT is the largest constituent of a nation’s balance of payments. Economists utilise the BoT
to compute the associative potency of a nation’s economy. The BoT is also known as the trade balance or
the international trade balance. The balance of payment is a statement of all the transactions that
are made between entities in one nation and the rest of the world over a particular time frame, such
as a quarter or a year. To put it in other words, the BoP is a set of accounts that identifies all the commercial
transactions operated by the nation in a specific period with the remaining nations of the world.
Narendra Modi unveils long term blueprint for blue economy
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, the long-term blueprint for the
Indian maritime blue economy while inaugurating Global Maritime India Summit 2023 in Mumbai
through video-conference. The blueprint outlines strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing port facilities,
promoting sustainable practices, and facilitating international collaboration.
Blue economy refers to the sustainable use of marine resources for exploration, economic growth,
improved livelihoods, and transport while preserving the health of marine and coastal ecosystems. In
India, the blue economy encompasses a wide range of sectors, including shipping, tourism, fisheries, and offshore
oil and gas exploration. 80% of world trade happens using the seas, 40% of the world’s population live
near coastal areas, and more than 3 billion people access the oceans for their livelihood. As the world’s seventh-
largest country by land area, it’s no surprise that India has a vast and diverse maritime territory. With an
over 7,500-km-long coastline spread across nine coastal states, 12 major, and 200 minor ports, India’s blue
economy supports 95% of the country’s business through transportation and contributes an estimated 4% to
its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
China, world’s top graphite producer, to curb exports of key battery material
• Recently, China, the world’s top graphite producer (around 65%) and exporter, has decided to curb
exports of key battery material. China will require export permits for some graphite products to protect
national security, in its latest move to control supplies of critical minerals in response to challenges over its
global manufacturing dominance. China is the world’s top graphite producer and exporter.
Graphite is a naturally occurring mineral composed of carbon. It is one of the three crystalline forms of
carbon, with the other two being diamond and amorphous carbon (such as charcoal or carbon black). Graphite is a
good conductor of both electricity and heat. It is used in the production of electrodes for batteries and in the
electronics industry. Graphene is 1 million times thinner than a human hair. It is the thinnest material
on earth.

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Indra Mani Pandey to be next BIMSTEC Secretary General, First Indian to Hold the Position
• Indra Mani Pandey, the outgoing Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, will be
the next Secretary General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Pandey is an Indian Foreign Service Officer of the 1990 batch and is presently the
Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organisations
in Geneva. “This is the first time that an Indian will hold the position of the Secretary General of BIMSTEC”.
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an
international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, housing 1.73 billion people
and having a combined gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion (2021). The BIMSTEC member states –
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand– are among the countries dependent
on the Bay of Bengal. Fourteen priority sectors of cooperation have been identified and several BIMSTEC
centres have been established to focus on those sectors. A BIMSTEC free trade agreement is under negotiation
(c. 2018), also referred to as the mini SAARC. Leadership is rotated in alphabetical order of country names. The
permanent secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Indians top the list of those seeking citizenship in wealthy OECD nations
• India maintained its top position as the country of origin of new immigrants to the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations in 2021. According to OECD’s International
Migration Outlook: 2023 report, released, 407,000 Indians moved to OECD nations in 2021. It was 86 per cent
higher than 220,000 Indians in 2020. China and Romania followed India, with 283,000 and 215,000 immigrants,
respectively.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental
organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world
trade. It is a forum whose member countries describe themselves as committed to democracy and the market
economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good
practices, and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members. The OECD’s headquarters are at
the Chateau de la Muette in Paris, France. Mathias Cormann is a Belgian-born Australian politician
and diplomat who currently serves as Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD), having assumed the office on 1 June 2021.
International Solar Alliance to release ‘Solar Stock take’ report
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA), a gathering of 116 member countries formed to accelerate
the global adoption of solar technology, will for the first time compile and release a ‘global solar stock-
take report.’ This is inspired by the first ever ‘Global Stocktake’ of the United Nations Conference of
Parties, scheduled in Dubai later this year.
The International Solar Alliance is a common platform for cooperation among sun-rich countries lying
fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The initiative was launched at the UN
Climate Change Conference in Paris at the end of 2015 by the then, President of France and the Prime
Minister of India. In January 2016, Narendra Modi, and the then, French President François Hollande
jointly laid the foundation stone of the International Solar Alliance headquarters and inaugurated the
interim Secretariat at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gwalpahari, Gurugram, India.
Ajay Mathuri is the current Director General of ISA.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India Mobile Congress
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 7th Edition of the India Mobile Congress
2023 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. India Mobile Congress (IMC) is the largest telecom, media,
and technology forum in Asia to be held from 27th to 29th October 2023 with the theme ‘Global Digital
Innovation’. The IMC 2023 aims to strengthen India’s position as a developer, manufacturer, and exporter of
key cutting-edge technologies. During the program, the Prime Minister awarded 100 ‘5G Use Case Labs’
to educational institutions across the country. The three-day event has been jointly organised by the
Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).
“Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi set to inaugurate India Mobile Congress 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi”.
• With the theme ‘Global Digital Innovation,’ the IMC 2023 aims to strengthen India’s position as
a developer, manufacturer, and exporter of key cutting-edge technologies. The three-day congress
will highlight technologies such as 5G, 6G, and Artificial intelligence (AI) and discuss issues pertaining to the
semiconductor industry, green technology, cybersecurity etc.

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World Bank retains India’s growth at 6.3%
• The World Bank retained India’s economic growth forecast for 2023-24 at 6.3% in its biannual review,
amid challenging external conditions and waning pent-up demand, as it expects global headwinds to persist and
intensify due to high global interest rates and geopolitical tensions.
• While the bank’s projection is lower than the Reserve Bank of India’s growth estimate of 6.5% in
August, it expected robust services activities and strong investment to drive the economy. India will remain
one of the fastest growing major economies even as its growth is expected to moderate to 6.3% in 2023-24
from 7.2% in 2022-23.
The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around
the world. The World Bank Group comprises five institutions managed by their member countries. It was
established in 1944, the World Bank Group is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Together, IBRD and
IDA form the World Bank, which provides financing, policy advice, and technical assistance to governments of
developing countries. IDA focuses on the world’s poorest countries, while IBRD assists middle-income and
creditworthy poorer countries. The International Development Association (IDA) is a multinational
financial institution providing aid to poor countries in the form of loans. It is also referred to as soft
loan window of the World Bank. IBRD and IDA have 189 and 174 member countries, respectively. The
U.S., Japan, China, Germany and the U.K. have the most voting power. Ajay Banga is an Indian-born
American business executive. He is currently the president of the World Bank Group.
Govt extends tenure of SBI chairman Dinesh Khara until August 2024; MD Ashwini Tewari
gets 2-year extension
• The government of India has extended State Bank of India chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara’s tenure
till August next year while offering a two-year extension to the bank’s managing director Ashwini Kumar
Tewari. The government said that Khara is given the extension till he turns 63. Khara was born on August 28,
1961. Khara took charge at the country’s largest lender on October 7, 2020, for three years. His current term is
coming to an end on October 6.
RBI appoints Muneesh Kapur as its executive director
• The Reserve Bank of India appointed Muneesh Kapur as its executive director with effect from
October 3. According to a statement released by the central bank, he will look after the Department of Economic
and Policy Research.
Rs 2,000 crore loans to Go First are now NPA
• Central Bank of India classified its loans to Go First as non-performing assets (NPAs) in the July-
September quarter (second quarter, or Q2) of 2023-24 (FY24). The no-frills carrier has been under insolvency
proceedings since May 2023 and ceased operating flights on May 3 this year.
Public Sector Undertakings (Banks) are a major type of government-owned banks in India, where a
majority stake (i.e., more than 50%) is held by the Ministry of Finance (India) of the Government of India or
State Ministry of Finance of various State Governments of India. The shares of these government-owned-banks are
listed on stock exchanges. Their main objective is social welfare. India currently has 12 public sector banks:
Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Indian Bank, Indian
Overseas Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, UCO Bank, and Union Bank
of India. 14 banks that were nationalised banks in 1969. On July 19, 1969, Indira Gandhi who was both
Prime Minister and Finance Minister at that time decided to nationalise the 14 largest private banks of
the country. In the year 1980, another 6 banks were nationalised, taking the number to 20 banks. In 2019,
the central government decided to merge six disparate and weak PSBs into four in one stroke. Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting Budget 2021-22, had announced the privatisation of
Public Sector Banks (PSBs) as part of the disinvestment drive to garner Rs. 1.75 lakh crore.
RBI asks private banks to have at least two whole-time directors, including MD and CEO
• Reserve Bank of India has asked private banks and wholly owned subsidiaries of foreign banks
to ensure at least two Whole Time Directors (WTDs), including the MD and CEO, on their boards to
facilitate succession planning.
CCI approves IDFC merger plan with IDFC First Bank
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) gave its approval for the merger plan of IDFC with
IDFC First Bank. The announcement was made by the company in an official filing to the stock exchanges.

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 The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is the chief national competition regulator in India. It is a
statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and is responsible for enforcing the Competition
Act, 2002 to promote competition and prevent activities that have an appreciable adverse effect on competition
in India. The CCI looks into cases and investigates them if the same has a negative impact on competition. CCI also
approves combination under the act so that two merging entities do not overtake the market. The commission
was established on 14 October 2003. It became fully functional in May 2009 with Dhanendra Kumar
as its first chairman. The current Chairperson of the CCI is Ravneet Kaur, who was appointed to the role
in 2023. The commission comprises a chairperson and not less than two and not more than six other
members appointed by the Central Government.
Junagadh first district in Gujarat to have Health ATMs in all PHCs
• Junagadh has become the first district in Gujarat to introduce Health ATMs. While you may be
familiar with ATM machines for withdrawing money, for the first time, ATMs for health check-ups have made
their debut. The Health ATMs were inaugurated by the Chief Minister in the Junagadh district recently, and
they have been installed in all 40 Primary Health Centers (PHCs) across the nine talukas in the district.
An automated teller machine (ATM) is an electronic telecommunications device that enables customers
of financial institutions to perform financial transactions, such as cash withdrawals, deposits, funds transfers,
balance inquiries or account information inquiries, at any time and without the need for direct interaction with
bank staff. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is the apex authority for maintaining a
nationwide link of all the ATMs in India.
Sberbank becomes first Russian bank to register with Sebi as FPI
• Sberbank of Russia has become the first Russian bank to register with the Indian markets regulator
as a foreign portfolio investor (FPI), according to data available on the website of National Stock Depository
(NSDL). Sberbank of Russia, a state-owned bank which already has a presence in India, registered with the
Indian markets regulator for a Category I FPI licence.
Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) consists of securities and other financial assets passively held
by foreign investors. It does not provide the investor with direct ownership of financial assets and is
relatively liquid depending on the volatility of the market. Examples of FPIs include stocks, bonds, mutual funds,
exchange traded funds, American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). FPI is part
of a country’s capital account and is shown on its Balance of Payments (BOP). The BOP measures the
amount of money flowing from one country to other countries over one monetary year. The Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) brought new FPI Regulations, 2019, replacing the erstwhile FPI Regulations
of 2014. FPI is often referred to as “hot money” because of its tendency to flee at the first signs of trouble
in an economy. FPI is more liquid, volatile and therefore riskier than FDI.
TCS retains its number one position as most valuable brand: Kantar BrandZ’23 report
• Indian brands remained resilient during the global slowdown. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
retained its number one position in the 2023 Kantar BrandZ top 75 most valuable Indian brands report for
the second consecutive year, with a brand value of USD 43 billion. HDFC Bank, Infosys and Airtel
also held on to their top four positions, while State Bank of India raised one spot to enter the Top
five.
• There are four newcomers to the 2023 Indian brand ranking, plus two re-entrants. PhonePe – the highest
entry at 21st spot has become a leading digital payment app by investing heavily in the strength of its
infrastructure, building connections with partner banks and developing a huge network of merchant acceptance
points. Also making their debut are fintech brand Cred (No. 48; USD 2.0 bn), photo and video sharing app
ShareChat (No.67; USD 1.33 bn) and entertainment platform Star (No.71; USD 1.30 bn).
World’s richest billionaires in 2023: Mukesh Ambani at 9th spot
• American business magazine Forbes has released the 37th edition of its annual billionaires ranking, positioning
French business magnate Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault at the top, with a stunning net worth of
$211 billion. Arnault, the founder and CEO of the world’s largest brand of luxury goods - ‘LVMH Moët
Hennessy Louis Vuitton’ is the only billionaire in the list to have a net worth of over $200 billion.
Trailing not too far behind, the second position is held by Tesla CEO Elon Musk with a substantial
net worth of $180 billion. Indian business tycoon Mukesh Ambani also features among the top 10
billionaires, with a net worth of $83.4 billion at the 9th spot.

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• The Forbes list reveals that nearly half of all billionaires are poorer than they were a year ago.
Falling stocks, wounded unicorns and rising interest rates were cited as some of the reasons for this. Globally,
the list comprises 2,640 ten-figure fortunes, down from 2,668 in 2022. Amazon’s Jeff Bezoz, Oracle’s Larry
Ellison, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates are also in the top 10 list. Arnault oversees the LVMH empire of 75
fashion and cosmetics brands, including Louis Vuitton and Sephora. The 74-year-old featured at the third spot
in 2022, with $158 billion net worth.
India’s richest woman Savitri Jindal now 7th wealthiest Indian
• Savitri Jindal, Chairperson Emeritus of the OP Jindal Group and the richest woman in India, has
now surpassed steel magnate Laxmi Niwas Mittal to become the seventh wealthiest person in the
country. Jindal’s net worth rose by $4.82 billion over the past 12 months, and currently stands at $18.7 billion,
a rise of nearly 35% (34.72%) over the last year. This also means that her global rank is 82. By contrast, Mittal
has a net worth of $17.2 billion, which means a global rank of 98, and tenth in India.
• Mukesh Ambani continues to be the wealthiest Indian, followed by Gautam Adani, who began the year
as the third richest in the world but has since seen his fortunes slide after being accused of stock manipulation by
US-based short seller Hindenburg Research; the Adani Group has repeatedly rejected Hindenburg’s allegations.
Meanwhile, Shapoor Pallonji Mistry, Shiv Nadar and Azim Premji round off the top 5. They are followed by
Cyrus Poonawalla, Savitri Jindal, Dilip Shanghvi, Radhakishan Damani, and Laxmi Mittal, in that order.
• Savitri Devi Jindal is an Indian businesswoman and politician. She was the chairperson emerita of
O.P. Jindal Group. She is also the president of Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha. Jindal family net
worth is estimated to be $24.5 billion.
Hurun India Rich List 2023: 52 real estate developers on the list of 1,319 richest Indians
• DLF’s Rajiv Singh and family topped the Hurun India Rich List 2023 among real estate developers
with a wealth of Rs. 78,900 crore followed by Mangal Prabhat Lodha and the family of Macrotech
Developers with a wealth of Rs. 52,800 crore. The third is Chandru Raheja and family of K Raheja Corp, with a
wealth of Rs. 45,700 crore.
• Hurun India released 360 ONE Wealth Rich List 2023 that named Mukesh Ambani and family of the
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) as India’s richest Indians in 2023 with a worth of Rs. 8,08,700 crore
followed by Gautam Adani and family, of the Adani Group with Rs. 4,74,000 crore. The real estate
sector contributed 52 of the 1,319 names worth over Rs. 3,000 crore, including 11 new additions to the list in
the last one year. The combined value of the real estate industry has grown by 27 percent, according to the list.
Walmart Foundation invests $39 million in farmer livelihood enhancement programme in India
• Walmart Foundation said that, since 2018, through its market access programme it has invested
over $39 million in India to reach 500 Farmer Producer Organizations/Farmer Producer Groups
targeting 8,00,000 farmers, of which more than half are women. NGOs like PRADAN, ACCESS, Mercy Corps
and Srijan are working with the Walmart Foundation’s Market Access Program to provide on-ground impact.
• The Foundation, through its Market Access Program, said it is supporting agrarian communities in
nine states across India – Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Telangana, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. In March 2023, to improve farmer livelihoods in India, the
Foundation had announced a new five-year strategy to reach 1 million smallholder farmers by 2028, with at
least 50% of them being women.
Walmart Inc. is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also
called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States, headquartered in
Bentonville, Arkansas. The company was founded by brothers Sam and James “Bud” Walton in nearby
Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law on October 31,
1969. It also owns and operates Sam’s Club retail warehouses. Walmart is the world’s largest company by
revenue, with about US$570 billion in annual revenue, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in
October 2022.
Ircon and RITES attains Navratna Status for Public Sector Enterprises
• Ircon International Limited and RITES Ltd under the Ministry of Railways have been announced
as the 15th and 16th Navratna among Central Public Sector Enterprise. Both the companies have been
conferred Navratna status by the Ministry of Finance. With the grant of this status, the companies will benefit
in enhancing their market credibility and in undertaking larger size Public-Private Partnership projects.
Attaining Navratna status brings several advantages for RITES Ltd, including:

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 To achieve Navratna status, a PSU must also meet specific financial benchmarks, including: A net profit
of over Rs. 5,000 crore for three consecutive years. An average annual turnover of Rs. 25,000 crore for
three years. An average annual net worth exceeding Rs. 15,000 crore for three years.
Tata Set to Become First Indian iPhone Maker in India as It Acquires Winston Unit
• iPhones will soon be made in India by an Indian company, as Tata has acquired the Wistron unit to
become the first Indian iPhone maker. Wistron, the Taiwan-based contract manufacturer for Apple, has
decided to sell a 100 percent stake in the Wistron InfoComm Manufacturing (India) unit to Tata Electronics for
a deal price of $125 million (nearly Rs. 1,040 crores). With the new takeover, Tata will set itself as the first-ever
iPhone maker in India.
JP Morgan upgrades India to ‘overweight’ as its appeal to investors soars
• JP Morgan, a leading global brokerage firm, has upgraded India to an “overweight” rating,
reaffirming the country’s growing appeal to investors. In a key move, the brokerage has included three
prominent stocks, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Bank of Baroda, and Hindustan Unilever, in
its Emerging Markets (EM) Model portfolio.
Apple opens its first retail store in India
• In a major development for Apple enthusiasts in India, the tech giant has opened its first retail store
in the country. The store, located in Mumbai, marks a significant milestone for the company’s expansion into
the Indian market. The Apple store, which spans over 20,000 square feet, is located in the heart of Mumbai’s
high-end shopping district. The store’s design is a reflection of Apple’s signature minimalist aesthetic, featuring
floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a large video wall, and spacious product display areas.
Meta to jointly invest with Airtel in telecom infrastructure
• Social media giant Meta Platforms and Bharti Airtel announced a collaboration to jointly invest
in telecom infrastructure to cater to the rising demand of high speed data and digital services
in India. The announcement comes on the back of telecom operators’ demand to share revenue with service
providers to build networks.
Meta Platforms, Inc.doing business as Meta and formerly named Facebook, Inc., and TheFacebook, Inc.,
is an American multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California. The company
owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, among other products and services. Meta is one
of the world’s most valuable companies and among the ten largest publicly traded corporations in the United States.
It is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Google’s
parent company Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft. In addition to Facebook, Instagram, Threads and
WhatsApp, Meta has also acquired Oculus (which it has integrated into Reality Labs), Mapillary, CTRL-Labs,
and a 9.99% stake in Jio Platforms; the company additionally endeavored into non-VR hardware, such as the
discontinued Meta Portal smart displays line and presently partners with Luxottica through the Ray-Ban Stories
series of smart glasses
Small Finance Banks AU and Fincare agree to merge
• The Board of Directors of AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) Ltd and Fincare Small Finance Bank
(Fincare SFB) Ltd approved an all-stock merger of AU SFB and Fincare SFB. As per the deal, Fincare
SFB shareholders will receive 579 shares in AU SFB for 2,000 shares of Fincare SFB.
• Post merger, existing shareholders of Fincare SFB will hold 9.9% in AU SFB. All employees of Fincare
SFB will become part of the AU SFB. According to terms, Fincare Business Services Ltd (FBSL), promoter of
Fincare SFB, will infuse Rs. 700 crore into Fincare SFB prior to the completion of the merger.
Nano project: arbitration tribunal awards final claim of Rs. 765.78 crore in favour of Tata Motors
• In a major victory for Tata Motors in the fight against West Bengal for cancelling its Nano small
car project, which forced the company to relocate the project to Sanand in Gujarat, a three-member
arbitration tribunal has made the final award of Rs. 765.78 crore to Tata Motors as per its claims.
Tata Motors Limited is an Indian Multinational automotive company, headquartered in Mumbai, and
part of the Tata Group. The company produces cars, trucks, vans, and busses. On 17 January 2017, Natarajan
Chandrasekaran was appointed chairman of the company Tata Group. Subsidiaries include British Jaguar
Land Rover and South Korean Tata Daewoo.

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Zurich Insurance set to acquire 51% stake in Kotak General Insurance for Rs. 4,051 crore
• Zurich Insurance Company is set to acquire 51 per cent stake in Kotak General Insurance for Rs.
4,051 crore. The investment will be through a combination of fresh growth capital and share purchase. Zurich
Insurance will acquire an additional stake of 19 per cent in the general insurance company in three years. Kotak
Mahindra Bank and Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company have entered into a definitive agreement for
the stake sale with Zurich Insurance Company.
Ex-crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried convicted for FTX collapse, faces 110 years in prison
• FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of defrauding customers of his now-bankrupt
cryptocurrency exchange in one of the biggest financial frauds on record, a verdict that cemented the
31-year-old former billionaire’s fall from grace. A 12-member jury in Manhattan federal court convicted him on
all seven counts he faced after a monthlong trial in which prosecutors made the case that he stole $8 billion from
the exchange’s customers out of sheer greed.
Samuel Benjamin Bankman-Fried is an American former entrepreneur who in 2023 was convicted of
fraud. He founded FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange which became one of the largest in the world with
billions in deposits. He was celebrated as “a kind of poster boy for crypto” and ranked the 41st-richest
American in the Forbes 400 2022. The public success of Bankman-Fried masked significant problems at FTX,
and when in November 2022 evidence of potential fraud began to surface, there was a rush by depositors to withdraw
funds that caused a liquidity crisis and forced the company into bankruptcy. On December 12, 2022, Bankman-
Fried was arrested in the Bahamas and extradited to the United States where he was indicted on
seven criminal charges including wire fraud, commodities fraud, securities fraud, money laundering,
and campaign finance law violations. In United States v. Bankman-Fried, on November 2, 2023, he was
convicted of fraud and conspiracy, on all seven counts. His sentencing is scheduled for March 28, 2024. A
second trial, for five additional charges including bank fraud and bribery, is scheduled for early March 2024.
Shiv Nadar donated Rs. 5.6 cr a day, up from Rs. 3 cr per day in FY22: EdelGive Hurun
India List 2023
• The latest EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2023, which was released, revealed that Shiv
Nadar, founder-chairman of HCL Technologies, donated around Rs. 5.6 crore per day on average
taking the total to Rs. 2,042 crore in FY2023. He donated 76 per cent more than the amount he
donated in FY22, where he gave away more than Rs. 3 crore per day on average.
• The Top 10 in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2023 cumulatively donated Rs. 5,806 crore in
FY23, as against a combined donation of Rs. 3,034 crore in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List
2022. The Bajaj family, along with Cyrus S Poonawalla & Adar Poonawalla, and Rohini Nilekani achieved a
significant milestone by securing positions in the top 10 of the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2023.
• A total of 14 Indians, up from six last year, donated over Rs. 100 crore. The list further showed that 24
Indians, up from 12 last year, donated over Rs. 50 crore, and 47 donated over Rs. 20 crore.
• Nadar heads the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which was established in 1994, that operates under the
ethos of ‘Creative Philanthropy’. Nadar’s philanthropic endeavors have predominantly centered around art
and culture. Noteworthy initiatives by the foundation include the SSN Institutions, Vidya Gyan, Shiv Nadar
University, Shiv Nadar School, Shiksha Initiative, and Kiran Nadar Museum of Art. The Foundation has
dedicated a total of $1.1 billion across its various impactful initiatives.
• Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and his family made a significant philanthropic
impact with a donation of Rs. 376 crore in FY23. Their philanthropic endeavors are channeled through the
Reliance Foundation, where their focus lies predominantly on enhancing the education and healthcare sectors.
Ashok Leyland commences delivery of ‘India’s first LNG-powered haulage truck’
• Ashok Leyland said it had commenced delivery of India’s first batch of 12 LNG-powered haulage
trucks – AVTR 1922 – to Mahanagar Gas in Hosur. With this, Ashok Leyland becomes the first Indian
original equipment manufacturer to unveil an in-house LNG engine compliant with BS-VI Stage II
emission standard, the commercial vehicle manufacturer said in a statement. The truck is built on the AVTR
platform and shares a high degree of commonality with Ashok Leyland’s existing diesel truck range.
Moody’s downgrades U.S. credit rating to ‘negative’
• Moody’s lowered its outlook on the U.S. credit rating to “negative” from “stable” citing large fiscal
deficits and a decline in debt affordability, a move that drew immediate criticism from President Joe Biden’s
administration.

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• The move follows a rating downgrade of the sovereign by another ratings agency, Fitch, this year,
which came after months of political brinkmanship around the U.S. debt ceiling. Federal spending and political
polarisation have been a rising concern for investors, contributing to a selloff that took U.S. government bond
prices to their lowest levels in 16 years.
• Moody’s is the last of the three major rating agencies to maintain a top rating for the U.S. government.
Fitch changed its rating from triple-A to AA+ in August, joining S&P which has had an AA+ rating
since 2011. While it changed its outlook, indicating a downgrade is possible over the medium term, Moody’s
affirmed its long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings at ‘Aha’ citing U.S. credit and economic strengths.
A credit rating agency (CRA) assesses an entity’s (group, company, government, etc.) creditworthiness
in general terms or relating to particular debt or financial obligation. These agencies help lenders and
investors determine the potential risk involved in lending money to a particular borrowing entity and
gauge the entity’s repayment ability based on its past credit behaviour. SEBI (Securities and Exchange
Board of India) authorizes and regulates all credit rating agencies in India as per SEBI Regulations,
1999 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. There are seven credit rating agencies in
India including CRISIL, ICRA, CARE, India Ratings and Research Pvt Ltd, Acuite Ratings & Research,
Brickwork Ratings India Pvt. Ltd. and Infomerics Valuation and Rating Pvt. Ltd. that are authorised by
SEBI to assess credit ratings.
Germany approves global minimum corporate tax
• The German parliament approved the implementation of a global minimum corporate tax, as part
of an international deal to ensure large companies pay a minimum tax rate of 15%. Multinational firms
will have to pay that level of tax on all of the profits they make worldwide, regardless of where the profits are
generated.
• In 2021 almost 140 countries agreed to an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development deal they
are meant to implement from next year to prevent big companies like Alphabet’s Google (GOOGL.O) or
Amazon (AMZN.O) avoiding taxation by transferring profits to low-tax countries.
AI gets AI: Air India becomes world’s first airline to launch virtual AI agent called
‘Maharaja’
• Air India has become the world’s first airline to successfully deploy a Generative AI virtual agent.
Named ‘Maharaja’, this agent is powered by Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service. The project was
introduced in the testing phase in March 2023. Air India claims that Maharaja has answered over half a million
customer queries and currently handles more than 6,000 queries per day in four languages: Hindi, English,
French, and German. Maharaja manages a wide range of customer queries across 1,300 areas, including flight
status, baggage allowances, packing restrictions, check-in procedures, frequent flyer awards, airport lounge
access, flight changes, and refunds.
Air India is the flag carrier of India, headquartered in New Delhi. It is owned by Talace Private Limited,
a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, after Air India Limited’s former owner, the Government of India,
completed the sale. The airline was founded by J. R. D. Tata as Tata Airlines in 1932; Tata himself flew its
first single-engine de Havilland Puss Moth, carrying air mail from Karachi’s Drigh Road Aerodrome to Bombay’s
Juhu aerodrome and later continuing to Madras (currently Chennai). After World War II, it became a public limited
company and was renamed as Air India.
Govt e-Marketplace (GeM) Achieves Two Lakh Crore GMV Milestone
• Ministry of Commerce and Industry has said that Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has reached
a significant milestone by surpassing two lakh crore in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in less
than eight months of the current fiscal year. GeM also witnessed a significant growth in average GMV per
day reaching more than 850 crore rupees per day in current Financial Year. The GeM’s expansion into the
services sector has played a pivotal role in driving its accelerated adoption.
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) facilitates online procurement of common use Goods & Services
required by various Government Departments / Organisations / PSUs. The initiative was launched
in August 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. It provides the tools of
e-bidding, reverse e-auction and demand aggregation to facilitate the government users, achieve the best value for
their money and aims to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement. Public procurement
refers to the process by which governments and state-owned enterprises purchase goods and services
from the private sector.

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RBI increases risk weights on consumer credit exposure of banks, NBFCs to 125% from 100%
• A day after barring Bajaj Finance Ltd. from sanctioning and disbursing loans under its two lending
products ‘eCOM’ and ‘Insta EMI Card’ with immediate effect, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),
which has been red flagging about the rising unsecured loan books of certain Regulated Entities
(REs), issued regulatory measures towards consumer credit and bank credit to Non-Banking Financial
Companies (NBFCs.) increasing risk weights by an additional 25 percentage points to 125%.
US: ChatGPT-maker Open AI announces Mira Murati to take over as interim CEO
• In the US, ChatGPT-maker Open AI, announced that Mira Murati will take over as interim Chief
Executive Officer (CEO). She joined the organisation in 2018 and was working as Chief Technology Officer
(CTO) till before the announcement.
• Her responsibilities included the distribution of their flagship product ChatGPT along with managing research
and supercomputing strategy. Ms Murati earlier worked at Elon Musk’s organisation, Tesla, as a senior
product manager. According to Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, Murati has shown a demonstrated ability to
assemble teams with technical expertise, commercial acumen and a deep appreciation for the importance of
mission. He added that she helped build some of the most exciting AI technologies ever seen.
India’s GDP crosses $4 trillion for the first time
• Achieving a historic milestone, India’s economy crossed the $4 trillion mark in its gross domestic
product (GDP) in nominal terms for the first time ever, several media reports said, citing a purported
screenshot of a live GDP tracker of all economies based on the IMF data. Union minister of state Arjun
Ram Meghwal also shared the screen grab, tweeting that this is a significant moment in India’s global presence.
However, there was no official announcement from the government till the preliminary reports emerged.
• With this development, India’s economy made a significant stride towards its ambitious goal
of reaching a $5 trillion economy by 2025. India’s constant efforts in many areas, together with good
governance and strategic policies, have also powered this historic jump, highlighting India’s status as one of the
world’s fastest-growing major economies. After the report surfaced in the media circle, BJP leaders, ministers
and top industrialists also hailed India for crossing the $4 trillion mark and credited Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s leadership for the achievement.
The economy of India has transitioned from a mixed planned economy to a mixed middle-income
developing social market economy with notable public sector in strategic sectors. It is the world’s fifth-largest
economy by nominal GDP and the third-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). India has been a
member of the World Trade Organization since 1 January 1995. The United States of America, China, Japan,
Germany, and India are the largest economies in the world in 2023, as per their GDP data.
L&T Finance signs financing pact with ADB for $125 million
• L&T Finance, a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), said it has signed a financing agreement
with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for $125 million to support financing in rural and peri-urban
areas in India particularly for women borrowers.
• The funding comprises a loan of up to $125 million from ADB, and an agreement to syndicate additional
$125 million co-financing from other development partners. At least 40% of the proceeds is allocated for
women borrowers, while the rest will support farmers, Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
(MSMEs), as well as loans to purchase new two-wheeled vehicles.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966,
which is headquartered in 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila 1550, Philippines. The bank also
maintains 31 field offices around the world to promote social and economic development in Asia. Starting
with 31 members at its establishment, ADB now has 68 members. The ADB was modeled closely on
the World Bank and has a similar weighted voting system, where votes are distributed in proportion with
members’ capital subscriptions. Japan and the United States each holds the largest proportion of shares
at 15.571%. China holds 6.429%, India holds 6.317%, and Australia holds 5.773%. Masatsugu Asakawa, a
Japanese civil servant, is the president of the ADB.
Binance’s Changpeng Zhao pleads guilty, steps down to settle US illicit finance probe
• Binance Chief Changpeng Zhao stepped down and pleaded guilty to breaking US anti-money
laundering laws as part of a $4.3 billion settlement resolving a years-long probe into the world’s
largest crypto exchange. The deal, which will see Zhao personally pay $50 million, was described by

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 prosecutors as one of the largest corporate penalties in US history. It is another blow to the crypto
industry that has been beset by investigations and comes on the heels of the recent fraud conviction of FTX
founder Sam Bankman-Fried.
Sam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO
• Sam Altman will return as CEO of OpenAI along with former President Greg Brockman days after
their shock exit. OpenAI confirmed saying it has reached an “agreement in principle” with Altman as
CEO and a new board with Bret Taylor as chairman, Larry Summers and Adam D’Angelo. Microsoft
will reportedly have a seat on the new and expanded board with Altman himself.
OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence (AI) research organization consisting of the non-profit
OpenAI, Inc. registered in Delaware and its for-profit subsidiary OpenAI Global, LLC. OpenAI researches
artificial intelligence with the declared intention of developing “safe and beneficial” artificial general
intelligence, which it defines as “highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically
valuable work”.OpenAI has also developed several large language models, such as ChatGPT and GPT-4, as
well as advanced image generation models like DALL-E 3, and in the past published open-source models. The
organization was founded in December 2015 by Ilya Sutskever, Greg Brockman, Trevor Blackwell, Vicki Cheung,
Andrej Karpathy, Durk Kingma, Jessica Livingston, John Schulman, Pamela Vagata, and Wojciech Zaremba, with
Sam Altman and Elon Musk serving as the initial board members.

D. Science & Technology

Scientists create world’s first synthetic embryo without sperm
• Breakthroughs happen when scientific explorations meet medical experiments. Researchers at the Weizmann
Institute in Israel have produced the first “synthetic embryos” in the world without the need for
sperm, eggs, or fertilisation.
• Scientists grew “synthetic embryos” from mice cells after discovering that it was possible to get mouse
stem cells to self-assemble into structures that resembled early embryos that have an intestinal tract, a developing
brain, and a beating heart. Though more research would be needed before considering growing a human embryo
this way, the present breakthrough could help the scientific community expand its understanding of how organs
and tissues develop throughout the growth of natural embryos hereon.
ISRO launched PSLV-54
• ISRO’s work horse PSLV-C54 has successfully launched EOS-06 satellite along with Eight Nano-
satellites into two different SSPOs. The mission was accomplished from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
SHAR on 26th November 2022. “EOS-06 (Oceansat-3) plus eight nano satellites (BhutanSat, ‘Anand’ from
Pixxel, Thybolt two numbers from Dhruva Space, and Astrocast – four numbers from Spaceflight USA).
• EOS-06 is third generation satellite in the Oceansat series, which provides continued services of
Oceansat-2 with enhanced payload capability. The satellite onboard carries four important payloads viz. Ocean
Color Monitor (OCM-3), Sea Surface Temperature Monitor (SSTM), Ku-Band Scatterometer (SCAT-3), ARGOS.
India carries out successful training launch of Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-
3 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island
• India carried out a successful training launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-3
from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The successful test was part of routine user training launches
carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command. The launch was carried out for a predetermined
range and validated all operational parameters of the system.
Telangana will have first integrated rocket facility in nation
• Telangana state will have the country’s first integrated rocket design, manufacturing and testing
facility. The Hyderabad-based startup, incubated at T-Hub (a State government initiative for startups),
launched India’s first private rocket on November 18.
• The Hyderabad-based startup, incubated at T-Hub, launched the country’s first private rocket.
Skyroot Aerospace became the first privately held company in India after the space sector was opened
for the private players by the union government in 2020. Skyroot Aerospace wants to build high-technology,
low-cost, reliable launch vehicles. Its co-founders Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka previously worked with
the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as rocket scientists for about a handful of years before starting
up in 2018.

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India’s First Graphene Innovation Centre in Kerala
• The Kerala government announced that India’s first Graphene Innovation Centre would come up
in Thrissur, Kerala. It is a joint venture of Digital University of Kerala, Centre for Materials for
Electronics Technology (C-MET) and Tata Steel Limited.
• Earlier in 2020, the researchers from the City University of Hong Kong had produced a laser-induced
form of graphene masks that inactivate the coronavirus species. An Innovation Center is a cross-
functional plan that creates a safe haven for new ideas.
Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. It is the building-
block of Graphite, but graphene is a remarkable substance on its own with a multitude of astonishing properties.
It is the thinnest, most electrically and thermally conductive material in the world, while also being
flexible, transparent and incredibly strong.
UN panel recommends Australia’s Great Barrier Reef be put on in danger list
• A UN panel has recommended that Australia’s Great Barrier Reef should be listed as a world heritage
site that is in danger. It said, the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem was significantly impacted by
climate change and warming of oceans.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and
900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres (1,400 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres
(133,000 sq mi). The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, separated from
the coast by a channel 100 miles wide in places and over 200 feet deep.
India’s third Survey Vehicle ship ‘Ikshak’ launched for the Indian Navy
• Indian Navy’s third Survey Vehicle ‘Ikshak’ has been launched in Chennai which is being built by
GRSE and L&T. This is the third of the four Survey Vessels (Large) (SVL) Project, being built by GRSE and
L&T for Indian Navy.
• The ship has been named ‘Ikshak’ which means ‘Guide’. The ship has been named to signify the
contribution of the Survey ships towards facilitating safe passage for Mariners at Sea. Four SVL
ship was signed between MoD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). As per the build strategy
of GRSE, the first ship is being built at GRSE, Kolkata. SLV ships will replace the existing Sandhyak
Class survey ships with new-generation hydrographic equipment to collect oceanographic data.
India’s first dedicated astronomy mission, witnessed the birth of black holes
• Astrosat, India’s first dedicated astronomy mission, witnessed the birth of black holes for the five
hundredth time. Black holes, the ultimate cosmic enigma, have been a subject of intense scrutiny from
astronomers from all over the world. However, Indian scientists are making great headway in studying
black hole births using the indigenously built space telescope - Astrosat. Calling it a landmark
achievement, Prof. Dipankar Bhattacharya, the current Principal Investigator of CZTI said, the wealth of data
obtained on Gamma Ray Bursts is making a big impact worldwide. It may be noted that astronomers study
Gamma Ray Bursts, also called the mini big bangs and X-rays from such bursts to better understand formation
of black holes.
Japan’s ispace launches world’s first commercial moon lander
• A Japanese space startup launched a spacecraft to the moon after several delays, a step toward what
would be a first for the nation and for a private company. ispace Inc’s HAKUTO-R mission took off
without incident from Cape Canaveral, Florida, after two postponements caused by inspections of its
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. More than a hundred people at a viewing party in Tokyo roared in applause when the
rocket fired and lifted into the dark skies.
Work on world’s largest radio telescope begins in Australia, South Africa
• The construction of the largest radio astronomy facility in the world began in Australia and South
Africa. The Square Kilometre Array will consist of 131,072 low-frequency antennae in Australia
(SKA-Low), combined with a sister facility (SKA Mid) in South Africa with 133 dish antennae.
• The SKA project is an international effort to build the world’s largest telescope. As the name
suggests, the telescope will eventually have a collecting area of over a square kilometre. The pre-construction
development for the project initially began in 2013.

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 The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an intergovernmental international radio telescope project being
built in Australia (low-frequency) and South Africa (mid-frequency). The combining infrastructure, the
Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), and headquarters, are located at the Jodrell Bank Observatory
in the United Kingdom. The SKA cores are being built in the southern hemisphere, where the view of the
Milky Way galaxy is the best and radio interference at its least.
1,073 sqkm in Ladakh’s Hanle becomes India’s first Dark Sky Reserve
• The administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has officially identified a 1,073 sqkm area in
Ladakh’s Hanle as India’s first dark sky reserve and will be known as the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve
(HDSR). The UT has earmarked this area covering a cluster of six hamlets of Hanle revenue range.
• These hamlets include Bhok, Khuldo, Shado, Punguk, Naga and the Tibetan Refugee habitations
located within the Changthan Wildlife Sanctuary, situated around the Indian Astronomical
Observatory owned by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
NASA’s Juno to explore most volcanic place in the solar system
• Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanic place in the solar system according to NASA and will have
Juno’s full attention for the next one and a half years. On December 15, the mission conducted the first
of nine flybys planned during the period. While in the second year of its exploration of Jupiter’s inner
moons, NASA’s Juno spacecraft has sent back a treasure of details about the Jovian moons Ganymede and
Europa.
• Now, the mission is poised to take pictures of the Jovian moon Io, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL). Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanic place in the solar system according to NASA
and will have Juno’s full attention for the next one and a half years.
Nigeria and Rwanda Join Artemis Accords for Space Exploration, First In List from Africa
• Nigeria and Rwanda have signed the Artemis Accords and are now the first countries from Africa to
join the space exploration agreement. The entry of the two nations was announced during the US-Africa
Leaders Summit which featured the first-ever space forum between the US and Africa.
• The Artemis Accords is a non-binding pact that is based on the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and calls
for peaceful and sustainable exploration of the Moon and outer space. It was launched by the US
Department of State and NASA together with eight nations in 2020.
The Artemis Accords are a series of non-binding multilateral agreements between the United States
government and other world governments participating in the Artemis Program, an American-led effort
to return humans to the Moon by 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars and
beyond. As of December 2022, 23 countries and one territory have signed the accords, including eight in
Europe, seven in Asia, three in North America, two in Oceania, two in Africa, and two in South America. Drafted
by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, the Accords establish a framework for cooperation in the civil
exploration and peaceful use of the Moon, Mars, and other astronomical objects.
INS Mormugao ‘one of India’s powerful warships’
• INS Mormugao, a P15B stealth guided missile destroyer, was commissioned into the Indian Navy
in Mumbai. The warship is set to significantly strengthen the defence capability and enhance the
maritime prowess in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Mormugao, named after the historic port city of Goa on India’s west coast, made her first sea sortie
on December 19 in 2021, when Goa celebrated 60 years of independence from Portuguese rule. The current
commissioning comes a day before the “Goa Liberation Day”.
Gaganyaan: ISRO to launch India’s 1st human space flight mission in 2024
• Gaganyaan, India’s first crew journey to space is scheduled for 2024. The uncrewed ‘G1’ mission will
launch in the fourth quarter of 2023, the second uncrewed ‘G2’ mission will launch in the second quarter of
2024, and the final human space flight ‘H1’ mission will launch in the fourth quarter of 2024.
• The Rs. 10,000 crore project intends to launch a three-person Indian crew into space for five to
seven days and safely return them to Earth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi initially mentioned the
Gaganyaan mission in his Republic Day speech from the Red Fort in 2018. The year 2022 commemorates
the 75th anniversary of India’s independence. However, the personnel mission has been postponed owing to a
variety of problems.

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IAF test-fires extended range BrahMos cruise missile from SU-30MKI
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully fired the Extended Range (ER) version of BrahMos air-
launched supersonic cruise missile against a ship target from a SU-30MKI fighter aircraft. “The
missile achieved the desired mission objectives in the Bay of Bengal region.
• The current air-launched missile weighs 2.65 tonnes, which will come down to 1.33 tonnes with the
BrahMos-NG (Next Generation) that is under development. With this, a SU-30MKI will be able to carry
up to four BrahMos-NG missiles, while the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) will be able to carry two
missiles.
Agni-V missiles can now strike targets beyond 7,000 Kms if India wants
• India has successfully reached the 7,000 kms mark after successfully testing its nuclear-capable
Agni-5 ballistic missile. The newly tested Agni-5 missile is capable of striking targets beyond the range
of 7,000 kms. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-developed missile has been
reduced in weight as well by replacing steel with composite materials. With the weight reduced by beyond
20 per cent, the government can easily increase the missile’s range to 7,000 kms.
• Agni V uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine and is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000
kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy, the defence ministry said in a statement. The successful
test of Agni-V is in line with India’s stated policy to have ‘credible minimum deterrence’ that underpins
the commitment to ‘No First Use’, it had said.
Agni-5 is an ingeniously built advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed under the
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). It is a fire-and-forget missile, which
cannot be stopped without an interceptor missile. The missile has the capability of hitting targets beyond
the range of 5000 km and is crucial for India’s self-defense systems. The Agni missile class is the backbone
of India’s nuclear launch capability, as are Prithvi short-range ballistic missiles, submarine-launched
ballistic missiles, and fighter aircraft. Agni-1 to 5 missiles are designed & developed by Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Over 190 nations adopt landmark biodiversity pact to restore natural ecosystems
• Over 190 countries have adopted a landmark biodiversity pact to restore natural ecosystems. At
the UN Biodiversity Conference, COP15 in Montreal, these countries agreed to protect 30 percent of the
planet by 2030. The countries pledged to achieve 23 targets to reverse ecosystem degradation under
four overarching goals for the survival of the natural world.
• Under the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), countries also agreed to reduce harmful
government subsidies worth 500 billion dollars annually, while vowing to identify subsidies that are
harmful to biodiversity by 2025. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who led the country’s negotiating
team called it a milestone moment.
• The Global Biodiversity Framework is considered equivalent to the Paris Agreement on climate
change in terms of its significance for protecting biodiversity. Its other targets include reducing the use of
pesticides by half and raising annual international financial flows from developed to developing
countries to at least 20 billion dollars by 2025, and to at least 30 billion dollars by 2030.
The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits
Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, also known as the Nagoya Protocol
on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a 2010 supplementary agreement to the 1992 Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD). Its aim is the implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and
equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on
Biological Diversity is an international agreement on biosafety as a supplement to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) effective since 2003. The Biosafety Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity
from the potential risks posed by genetically modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
US approves world’s first vaccine for declining honey bees
• The US has approved use of the world’s first vaccine for honey bees. It was engineered to prevent
fatalities from American foulbrood disease, a bacterial condition known to weaken colonies by attacking bee
larvae. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved a conditional license for the vaccine this week,
according to the biotech firm behind its development.

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Toughest-known alloy, which gets tougher in the cold
• An alloy made from chromium, cobalt and nickel has been found to be the toughest material ever
recorded. And CrCoNi only gets tougher as the temperature drops. Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have tested the
alloy for strength and ductility and found that it has the highest toughness ever recorded.
• The alloy is a subset of a class called high entropy alloys (HEAs) which is made by mixing equal
amounts of allelements while other alloys are made with high amounts of one element along with low
amounts of others. This equal mix makes the CrCoNi alloy exceptionally strong and ductile when
tested, the study, published in the journal Science, noted. These materials, though expensive to make, can be
used to build structures which can withstand extreme cold conditions, such as those in deep space.
Graphene, a carbon material, is the thinnest and strongest material known. It is also known as “The
Wonder Material”. It is a two-dimensional (2D) material composed of carbon atoms linked in a hexagonal
lattice. It is extracted from graphite. Graphite is arranged in 3D crystalline manner, whereas, graphene is
a 2D crystal only an atom thick. It came into the limelight after its exceptional quantum properties fetched
Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. Since then, many research projects
have focussed on its applications in nano electronics.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh releases theme of National Science Day 2023
• Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh released the Theme of National Science Day
2023 at a function in New Delhi. This year the theme of National Science Day is ‘Global Science for
Global Wellbeing’.
• The theme has been chosen for the purpose of raising public appreciation of scientific issues in a
global context which is having a bearing on global Well-being. National Science Day is celebrated
every year on the 28th of February to commemorate the discovery of the Raman Effect by Indian
Physicist Sir C V Raman.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover drops fourth sample on Mars
• NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover has dropped a fourth sample tube on the Martian surface. The
tube contains one of the ten samples that will be considered for a journey back to the Earth as part of the
space agency’s Mars Sample Return Program.
• The Perseverance Mars Rover took 43 six-inch-long cylindrical titanium sample containers to Mars.
Among these, 38 will be filled with different kinds of samples collected from the Martian surface while five
“witness tubes” will be kept empty to document the cleanliness of the sampling system throughout the mission.
Indian-American space expert named NASA’s new chief technologist
• An Indian-American aerospace industry expert has been appointed as NASA’s new chief technologist
to serve as principal advisor to Administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programmes at
the space agency’s headquarters.
• In his position, AC Charania will align NASA’s agencywide technology investments with mission needs
across six mission directorates and oversee technology collaboration with other federal agencies, the
private sector, and external stakeholders.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the executive
branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as
aeronautics and aerospace research. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established NASA in 1958. Bill Nelson
was sworn in as the 14th NASA administrator on May 3, 2021, tasked with carrying out the Biden-Harris
administration’s vision for the agency.
World’s 1st Nasal Vaccine out on Republic Day
• The world’s first made-in-India intranasal Covid-19 vaccine iNCOVACC, manufactured by Bharat
Biotech, was launched as the country marked its 74th Republic Day. Union health minister Mansukh
Mandaviya launched the vaccine and emphasised India’s vaccine manufacturing and innovation capability,
which he said is appreciated all over the world.
• iNCOVACC will be rolled out as a booster dose for those above 18 years of age. For all the procurement
by state and central governments, the price set, by Bharat Biotech, for each dose is 325 (plus GST) dose.
The private hospitals and vaccination centres will have to pay 800 (plus GST) for each dose.

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• iNCOVACC (BBV154) was approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in November
for limited emergency use as a heterologous booster dose in adults. It is a pre-fusion stabilised
recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine. Because of the organised immune
systems of the nasal mucosa, the nasal route has excellent vaccination potential. Immune responses at the
site of infection (in the nasal mucosa) are critical for preventing Covid-19 infection and transmission.
Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) is an Indian multinational biotechnology company
headquartered in the city of Hyderabad, India engaged in the drug discovery, drug development,
manufacture of vaccines, bio-therapeutics, pharmaceuticals and health care products. Krishna Ella is an Indian
scientist and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Bharat Biotech where he is also a Managing
Director. Ella and his company were responsible for developing India’s own COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin.

Fifth Scorpene-class submarine ‘Vagir’ commissioned on January 23

• Indian Navy is commissioned the fifth diesel-electric Scorpene as INS Vagir. Four of the Kalvari class
of submarines has already been commissioned as INS Kalvari, INS Karanj and INS Vela. It is named
after the Sand Fish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean.
• It is a part of the six Kalvari-class submarines being built in India. Built in India by the Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai in collaboration with France-based M/s Naval Group, France,
Vagir will boost the Indian Navy’s capability to further India’s maritime interests by undertaking
diverse missions including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying
and surveillance missions. Launched and named ‘Vagir’, the submarine in its new avatar has the distinction
of having the lowest build time among all indigenously manufactured submarines till date.
Project-75 is a programme by the Indian Navy that entails building six Scorpene Class attack submarines.
Scorpene is a conventional powered submarine weighing 1,500 tonnes and can go up to depths of 300m. The
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) is manufacturing six Scorpene submarines with technology
assistance from Naval Group of France under a USD 3.75 bn deal signed in October 2005. Project 75
includes the indigenous construction of six submarines. Other submarines of the ongoing Project-75: The
first submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned into Indian Navy December 2017, second submarine
INS Khanderi in September 2019, third one INS Karanj in March 2021 and the fourth one INS Vela joined
service in November 2021. The sixth and last submarine, Vagsheer, is expected to be delivered to the
Navy by end 2023.

IIT-Madras backed firm builds India’s first indigenous operating system BharOS
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in a conference held recently, announced BharOS – a new
mobile operating system focused on privacy and security. It was stated that this Indigenous Mobile
Operating System, developed by JandK Operations Private Limited (JandKops), which has been
incubated by IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, a Section 8 Company established by IIT
Madras, will benefit India’s 100 crore mobile phone users while providing a secure environment for them.
The foundation is supported by the government’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) as
part of its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NMICPS).
• Developed by JandK Operations Private Limited (JandKops), the goal of BharOS mobile operating
system, according to its creators, is to provide consumers greater freedom, power, and flexibility, which
can only be modified according to their needs.
The James Webb telescope’s confirmation of its first exoplanet
• After a spectacular first set of images last year, including those of the birthplaces and deathbeds of stars, and
the cosmic waltz of galaxies, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) James Webb
Space Telescope (JWST), the largest and most powerful one ever launched into space, began its year
by confirming an exoplanet.
• The exoplanet, formally christened LHS 475 b, is almost exactly the size of the Earth, clocking in at
99% of our home planet’s diameter. NASA announced a team of two researchers — Kevin Stevenson and Jacob
Lustig-Yaeger, both from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland—
confirmed the exoplanet using the JWST.

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 The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope developed by NASA with the European
Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The telescope is named after James E. Webb,
who was the administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968 and played an integral role in the Apollo program.
It is intended to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA’s flagship mission in astrophysics. JWST was
launched on 25 December 2021 on Ariane flight VA256. It is designed to provide improved infrared
resolution and sensitivity over Hubble, and will enable a broad range of investigations across the fields
of astronomy and cosmology, including observations of some of the most distant events and objects in
the Universe such as the formation of the first galaxies, and allowing detailed atmospheric characterization of
potentially habitable exoplanets.
European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE)
• JUICE is the mission to study Jupiter’s icy – and possibly life-friendly – moons like never before. The
European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) has been confirmed for launch from
the agency’s spaceport in French Guiana in April 2023.
• The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is an interplanetary spacecraft in development by the
European Space Agency (ESA) with Airbus Defence and Space as the main contractor. The mission will
study three of Jupiter’s Galilean moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa (excluding the volcanically
active Io; Io is not an icy moon) all of which are thought to have significant bodies of liquid water
beneath their surfaces, making them potentially habitable environments.
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass
more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, while being
slightly less than one-thousandth the mass of the Sun. Jupiter is the third brightest natural object in the
Earth’s night sky after the Moon and Venus, and it has been observed since prehistoric times. It was named
after Jupiter, the chief deity of ancient Roman religion. In our solar system, the planet Saturn has the
highest number of satellites in comparison with any other planets. Since, the Saturn has 82 satellites
around it. In which, it overtakes the planet Jupiter by having more satellites in the solar system.
Private firm Agnikul to launch India’s first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket ‘Agnibaan’ in
March
• Indian launch vehicle company Agnikul Cosmos is targeting a March 2023 launch for its rocket
“Agnibaan”, which will be India’s first rocket to be powered by a combination of kerosene and liquid
oxygen. The maiden flight would be carried out from India’s spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre,
Sriharikota and is to be a sub-orbital flight, which means that the rocket would not venture into
space. This rocket is capable of lifting payloads weighing up to 100 kg to orbits around 700 kms above
the earth’s surface.
AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited is an Indian aerospace manufacturer based in National Center for
Combustion R&D (NCRD) of IIT Madras, Chennai. The startup aims to develop and launch its own small-lift
launch vehicle such as the Agnibaan, capable of placing 100 kg (220 lb) payload into a 700 km (430 mi) orbit. The
company was founded by Srinath Ravichandran and Moin SPM within IIT Madras with a seed funding
of Rs.3 crore.
ISRO-NASA built NISAR satellite ready to be shipped to India for launch
• An earth-observation satellite jointly developed by NASA and ISRO that will help study Earth’s land
and ice surfaces in greater detail is all set to be shipped to India for a possible launch in September. ISRO
Chairman S Somanath visited NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the US state of California
to oversee the final electrical testing of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite
before being shipped to India. Later this month, the SUV-size payload will be moved into a special cargo
container for a 14,000-kilometer flight to the U. R. Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is a joint project between NASA and ISRO
to co-develop and launch a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar on an Earth observation satellite.
The satellite will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies. It will be used for remote
sensing, to observe and understand natural processes on Earth. It is designed to observe and measure
some of the planet’s most complex natural processes, including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet
collapse, and natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides. With a total cost
estimated at US$1.5 billion, NISAR is likely to be the world’s most expensive Earth-imaging satellite.

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Lithium reserves found in Jammu and Kashmir
• The government of India said lithium reserves have been found for the first time in the country in
Jammu and Kashmir. Lithium is a non-ferrous metal and is one of the key components in EV batteries.
• Geological Survey of India (GSI) has for the first time established Lithium inferred resources of
about 6 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana area of the Reasi District of Jammu & Kashmir (UT).
51 Mineral Blocks including Lithium and Gold were handed over to State Governments.
Lithium is a soft, silvery metal. It has the lowest density of all metals. It reacts vigorously with water.
Greenbushes mine in Western Australiais the largest hard-rock lithium mine in the world and Australia
is the global leader in Lithium production. Lithium is primarily extracted from brine pools (‘Salar’ in Chile)
and rock minerals such as spodumene (in Australia). Countries with Largest Reserves: Chile> Australia>
Argentina. Lithium is a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage
systems.
India joins Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate
• India has joined a global platform launched by the US and the UAE with an aim to accelerate
investment and support for climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation. The Agriculture
Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM4C) was launched by the two nations in November 2021.
• On the sidelines of the I2U2 – Israel, India, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates –
Business Forum in Abu Dhabi, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dammu Ravi signed a letter
stating India’s intention to join the AIM4C. There was a first-ever I2U2 Business Forum. The mission
will serve as an example of the advantages of group dedication. It will seek to enhance investments
in novel agricultural technology, smart agriculture, and the food chain. Frameworks will be developed
to encourage technical debates, knowledge, and expertise. This will be accomplished by increasing investments
at the national and international levels. To develop information sharing and action-related infrastructure for
governments, scientists, and other stakeholders.
Jupiter becomes planet with most moons with 12 newly discovered
• Astronomers have discovered 12 new moons around Jupiter, putting the total count at a record-
breaking 92. That’s more than any other planet in our solar system. Saturn, the one-time leader,
comes in a close second with 83 confirmed moons.
• In 2019, Saturn captured the title of the planet with the most moons, after astronomers announced
the ringed planet hosts 82 circling satellites. (That number was further bumped up to 83 in 2021.) But now,
Jupiter just took back the crown.
• Jupiter now has 92 confirmed moons with orbits published by the International Astronomical
Union’s Minor Planet Center. This includes 12 newly announced moons, half of which were first spotted
around Jupiter within the past two years. The 12 new jovian moons are enough for the king of planets to
rightfully reclaim its title as king of satellites as well.
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass
more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, and slightly less than
one one-thousandth the mass of the Sun. Jupiter is the third brightest natural object in the Earth’s night
sky after the Moon and Venus, and it has been observed since prehistoric times. It was named after Jupiter,
the chief deity of ancient Roman religion. Jupiter is primarily composed of hydrogen, followed by helium,
which constitutes a quarter of its mass and a tenth of its volume.
Canada to test world’s first AI on the moon
• The Canadian Space Agency has built what it claims will be the world’s first artificial intelligence
(AI) tool to reach beyond the low-Earth orbit — by sending it all the way to the surface of the moon. In
a new mission that involves Japan’s Hakuto-R lunar lander launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the
machine learning algorithm will seemingly help a lunar rover housed inside the Hakuto-R lander in its
search for minerals on the surface of the moon.
• The technology is developed by Canada’s Mission Control Space Services (MCSS) — a private space
company that works with numerous space and research bodies and agencies around the world. MCSS largely
provides white-label technologies for space agencies — ie it does not claim credit for manufacturing or
developing technologies deployed by space agencies around the world.

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For the first time, genetically modified trees have been planted in a US forest
• In a low-lying tract of southern Georgia’s pine belt, a half-dozen workers planted row upon row of twig-
like poplar trees. These weren’t just any trees, though: Some of the seedlings being nestled into the soggy soil
had been genetically engineered to grow wood at turbocharged rates while slurping up carbon dioxide from the air.
Mumbai ranked ‘world’s 2nd most polluted city’ in the global Air Quality Index
• Mumbai has overtaken Delhi to become the world’s second-most polluted city in terms of the
global Air Quality Index (AQI). According to Switzerland-based air quality monitoring tech company IqAir,
Sarajevo in Bosnia has been ranked as the world’s most polluted city for the period between January
29 and February 8. As per the AQI data on the IqAir website, Mumbai has an AQI of 163, which falls under the
unhealthy category.
• Lahore is in the third position. Delhi is in the sixth spot with 155 US AQI, while Kolkata is in the 17th
position with a US AQI of 135. As per past records of IqAir, Mumbai at the 10th position on the most polluted
list on January 29. It rose to the top on February 2, following which the air quality improved marginally
around February 8. But on February 13, it surpassed Delhi to become the second most polluted city
in the world for air quality. IQAir has joined hands with United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) and Greenpeace to measure the air quality in India. Its studies are based on data from the
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Mission to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047: Finance Minister
• The government has proposed to work in a mission mode to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by
2047, announced Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in the
Parliament. “A mission will be launched to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047.
• The mission will entail awareness creation, universal screening of seven crore people in the 0-40
years age group in affected tribal areas and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries
and state governments,”. The government also announced to establish 157 new nursing colleges will
be in co-location with the existing 157 medical colleges established since 2014.
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a chronic single gene disorder causing a debilitating systemic syndrome
characterized by chronic anaemia, acute painful episodes, organ infarction and chronic organ damage and by a
significant reduction in life expectancy. Symptoms of sickle cell disease can vary, but some common symptoms
include: Chronic Anaemia: leading to fatigue, weakness, and paleness. Painful episodes (also known as
sickle cell crisis): these can cause sudden and intense pain in the bones, chest, back, arms, and legs. Delayed growth
and puberty.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover found new evidence of ancient lake on Mars
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Curiosity Rover has discovered new
evidence that an ancient lake existed in a region of Mars, which was earlier believed to be drier.
The rover was traversing through an area of Mars called the “sulfate-bearing unit”, and researchers previously
thought would show evidence of “mere trickles of water, as scientists believed the rocks there formed as the
surface of the red planet was drying out”. Instead, they found some of the clearest event of ancient waters.
• ‘Billions of years ago, waves on the surface of a shallow lake stirred up sediment at the lake bottom,’
said Nasa in a statement. ‘Over time, the sediment formed into rocks with rippled textures that are the
clearest evidence of waves and water that Nasa’s Curiosity Mars rover has ever found.’
Curiosity is a car-sized Mars rover designed to explore the Gale crater on Mars as part of NASA’s
Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. Curiosity was launched from Cape Canaveral (CCAFS) on November
26, 2011 and landed on Aeolis Palus inside Gale crater on Mars on August 6, 2012. Mission goals include an
investigation of the Martian climate and geology, assessment of whether the selected field site inside Gale has
ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life (including investigation of the role of water), and
planetary habitability studies in preparation for human exploration.
SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA
• SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA including the first
person from the Arab world going up for an extended months long stay. The Falcon rocket bolted from
Kennedy Space Center shortly after midnight, illuminating the night sky as it headed up the East
Coast. Nearly 80 spectators from the United Arab Emirates watched from the launch site as astronaut Sultan
al-Neyadi — only the second Emirati to fly to space — blasted off on his six-month mission.

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• The new SpaceX Dragon capsule Freedom carrying the Crew-4 astronauts lifted off from historic
Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center atop a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket. The Dragon and its
four passengers — NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines and Jessica Watkins and the
European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti — are scheduled to dock with the ISS.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is an American spacecraft manufacturer, launcher, and
a satellite communications corporation headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002
by Elon Musk with the stated goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization
of Mars. The company manufactures the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, several
rocket engines, Cargo Dragon and Crew Dragon spacecraft, and Starlink communications satellites.
SpaceX is developing a satellite internet constellation named Starlink to provide commercial internet
service. In January 2020, the Starlink constellation became the largest satellite constellation ever launched, and
as of December 2022 comprises over 3,300 small satellites in orbit
ISRO brings down decommissioned weather satellite Megha-Tropiques-1
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) brought down the decommissioned weather satellite
Megha-Tropiques-1 in a controlled manner and burned up in the atmosphere. The ISRO carried out a
series of 20 manoeuvres from August 2022 to slowly lower the satellite’s orbit, expending the 120 kg fuel
that remained unutilised even at the end of the mission life. Large satellites likely to survive re-entry
through the atmosphere and shower down debris are brought down in a controlled manner to ensure that it
does not impact people.
• Megha-Tropiques-1 was developed as a joint mission by India and France to study the tropics’ water
cycle and energy exchanges. Like many others developed by the ISRO, the satellite worked for over a decade,
providing valuable data for climate models. The 1,000-kg satellite was launched in 2011 with a mission life of
three years.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission astronauts return to Earth
• NASA announced that a SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft carrying astronauts who are part
of the agency’s Crew-5 mission splashed down near Tampa off the coast of Florida. The Crew-6 mission
launched in a similar fashion from the Kennedy Space Center on March 2, carrying NASA astronauts
Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, and UAE astronaut Sultan Alneyadi.
• SpaceX Crew5 astronauts, Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina, NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, NASA astronaut
Nicole Mann and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata pose for a photo as they leave
the Operations and Checkout building before heading to Launch Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center
in Cape Canaveral, for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
• The mission, designated Crew-5, marks the fifth full-fledged ISS crew NASA has flown aboard a
SpaceX vehicle since the private rocket venture founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk began sending
US astronauts aloft in May 2020. The SpaceX launch vehicle, consisting of a Falcon 9 rocket topped with a
Crew Dragon capsule dubbed Endurance, lifted off into clear skies at noon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
in Cape Canaveral. The two-stage, 23-story-tall Falcon 9 ascended from the launch tower as its nine Merlin
engines roared to life in billowing clouds of vapor and a reddish-orange fireball.
Amazon targets 2024 launch of first Kuiper internet satellites
• Amazon.com plans to launch its first internet satellites to space in the first half of 2024 and offer
initial commercial tests shortly after as it prepares to vie with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and others to provide
broadband internet globally.
• Amazon’s satellite internet unit, Project Kuiper, will begin mass-producing the satellites later this
year, the company said. Those will be the first of over 3,000 satellites the technology giant plans to
launch in low-Earth orbit in the next few years.
ISRO successfully conducts autonomous landing of India’s first reusable rocket
• The realisation of an Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle is a step closer to becoming a reality as
the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) has been successfully
accomplished by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• At the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka, the trial involved a winged body lifted
to an altitude of 4.5 km by an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter, subsequently freed to execute an
independent landing on a runway. This is the first time that a winged body has been released mid-air
by a helicopter and carried out an autonomous landing. The RLV LEX is essentially a space plane with

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 a low lift-to-drag ratio requiring an approach at high glide angles that necessitated a landing at high velocities
of 350 kmph.
Israeli scientists produce world’s first mRNA vaccine for bacteria
• Researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Israel Institute for Biological Research have developed
the world’s first mRNA vaccine effective against bacteria. By modifying proven mRNA technology
used to fight COVID and other viral pathogens, the scientists developed a single-dose vaccine that
fully protects mice against the Plague, the lethal disease that killed millions of people during the Middle Ages
especially in parts of Africa and Asia. The researchers hope to adapt the vaccine for other diseases, especially
ones caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria that could lead to a fast-spreading pandemic.
Scientists have developed a new type of vaccine that uses a molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA)
rather than part of an actual bacteria or virus. Messenger RNA is a type of RNA that is necessary for protein
production. Once cells finish making a protein, they quickly break down the mRNA. The mRNA from vaccines
does not enter the nucleus and does not alter DNA. The mRNA vaccines work by introducing a piece
of mRNA that corresponds to a viral protein, usually a small piece of a protein found on the virus’s
outer membrane. (Individuals who get an mRNA vaccine are not exposed to the virus, nor can they
become infected with the virus by the vaccine.) By using this mRNA, cells can produce the viral protein. As
part of a normal immune response, the immune system recognizes that the protein is foreign and produces
specialized proteins called antibodies. Antibodies help protect the body against infection by recognizing
individual viruses or other pathogens, attaching to them, and marking the pathogens for destruction.
Once produced, antibodies remain in the body, even after the body has rid itself of the pathogen, so that
the immune system can quickly respond if exposed again. If a person is exposed to a virus after receiving mRNA
vaccination for it, antibodies can quickly recognize it, attach to it, and mark it for destruction before it
can cause serious illness.
Decoding dengue: India’s first prospective DNA vaccine against disease is promising
• In a significant development in DNA vaccination research, India’s first and only DNA vaccine
candidate for dengue has shown promising results. In preliminary trials on mice, the candidate generated
a robust immune response and improved survival rates after exposure to the disease. The DNA vaccine
candidate has been in development since 2019 by scientists from the National Centre for Biological Sciences
(NCBS), Bengaluru, in collaboration with nine institutions in India, Africa and the US.
• Firstly, developing an effective vaccine against dengue is tricky because it is caused by four closely
related virus serotypes. Each one interacts differently with antibodies in human blood. A person infected
with DEN-1 is then protected against it for life, but not against the other three serotypes. An ideal vaccine must
target all serotypes. Secondly, vaccines trigger the production of antibodies that prevent the virus from binding
to cells at later exposure. But with dengue, antibodies help the virus replicate and cause severe disease. The
ZyCoV-D is the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus (Genus Flavivirus), transmitted
by several species of female mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally Aedes aegypti. This mosquito also
transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infection. There are 4 distinct, but closely related, serotypes
(separate groups within a species of microorganisms that all share a similar characteristic) of the virus that cause
dengue (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4). Symptoms: Sudden high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the
eyes, severe bone, joint, and muscle pain, etc. The dengue vaccine CYD-TDV or Dengvaxia was approved by
the US Food & Drug Administration in 2019, the first dengue vaccine to get the regulatory nod in the US.
India’s first cloned indigenous Gir female calf produced at NDRI, Karnal
• Scientists of the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal, Haryana have achieved new
milestone by producing country’s first Indigenous Gir cow clone calf. The female calf named Ganga
was born on March 16, but the achievement was disclosed after observing her health for around 10 days. The
weight of the calf at the time of birth was 32 kg and the new-born is keeping good health.
• The NDRI had initiated a project to clone indigenous cow breeds such as Gir and Sahiwal to increase
milk production. Gir, Sahiwal, Tharparkar, and Red-Sindhi are indigenous cattle breeds in India
that play a pivotal role in milk production and the growth of the Indian dairy industry. Among these,
Gir is well-known for its tolerance to conditions of stress and resistance to various tropical diseases. More than
15 liters of milk per day can be produced by the cloned Gir female calf, which has the potential to significantly
contribute to milk production.

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• The National Dairy Research Institute collaborated with Uttarakhand Livestock Development
Board (ULDB), Dehradun, to work on cloning high-yield desi breeds such as Gir, Red Sindhi, and
Sahiwal breeds. The Gir was cloned by isolating the oocytes from live animals using ultrasound-guided needles.
Cloning is a technique scientists use to make exact genetic copies of living things. Genes, cells, tissues,
and even whole animals can all be cloned. Dolly was a female Finn-Dorset sheep and the first mammal
that was cloned from an adult somatic cell. Samrupa is the world’s first cloned buffalo calf. Samrupa
was considered to be India’s answer for Dolly sheep which lived for seven years. However, Samrupa was
infected with a lung infection after five days of its birth and died.
Tuberculosis: India becomes first country to introduce mathematical model to estimate TB cases
• India has become the first country in the world to develop a sophisticated mathematical model to
track the spread of tuberculosis (TB) cases. According to health ministry sources, the model was unveiled
and is based on the natural history of the disease, individual cases of infection, healthcare-seeking behaviour,
missed or correct diagnosis, treatment coverage, and outcome.
• The new Indian model, calibrated for years 2011 to 2025, is a significant step forward in the fight
against TB, which is one of the world’s leading infectious diseases. The model takes into account reported
figures as inputs for prevalence rate, notification rate, mortality rate, the proportion of patients put on treatment,
reduction in notification on time, proportion of latent TB, and infection in the community.
The global target for eliminating Tuberculosis is 2030; the target for India to eliminate Tuberculosis
is 2025, five years before the global target. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease usually caused by the
bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
A supermassive blackhole is directly facing Earth
• A team of scientists at the Royal Astronomical Society has reclassified a galaxy after they discovered
that a supermassive blackhole has changed its direction and is directly facing toward the Earth.
The galaxy, 657 million light-years away from the Earth has been named as PBC J2333.9-2343.
A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, including light or other
electromagnetic waves, has enough energy to escape its event horizon. The theory of general relativity
predicts that a sufficiently compact mass can deform spacetime to form a black hole. The boundary of
no escape is called the event horizon. Although it has a great effect on the fate and circumstances of an object
crossing it, it has no locally detectable features according to general relativity. In many ways, a black hole acts like
an ideal black body, as it reflects no light. Moreover, quantum field theory in curved spacetime predicts that
event horizons emit Hawking radiation, with the same spectrum as a black body of a temperature inversely
proportional to its mass. This temperature is of the order of billionths of a kelvin for stellar black holes, making it
essentially impossible to observe directly.
`Noorie’: World’s first cloned Pashmina goat passes away at 11
• It is a sad day for science as the first cloned female Pashmina goat `Noorie’ has passed away. Kashmir
achieved a rare feat in 2012 when its scientists gave India the second cloned animal and the world its
first cloned Pashmina goat – Noorie (The Light). India’s first cloned animal –`Garima’, a buffalo calf
– was born in Haryana in 2009.
• “Noori”, the Cloned Pashmina Goat native of Ladakh region was developed at SKUAST Kashmir
in 2012 by a team of Scientists. On March 09, 2012 research work conducted by the team of Scientists
at Animal Biotechnology Centre of SKUAST Kashmir led to the production of World’s first Cloned
goat, named “Noori” using a simplified and cost effective technique. “The name of the cloned goat was given
by one of the professors from SKUAST-K. Since it was a female goat, it was named “Noorie,” which
means “The light”.
World Will See the First Complete Year at 1.5 Degrees Celsius above Pre-Industrial Levels
In Next Decade
• The world will see the first complete year at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the
next decade, quoting a United Nations (UN) report. The first full year when the temperature will be 1.5
degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels could come any time between 2030 and 2035.
• The aim of the Paris Agreement, adopted on December 12, 2015, at the 21st UN Climate Change
Conference (COP21) in Paris, France is to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well
below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to

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 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels,” the UN says. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said rich nations
must achieve net-zero carbon quicker, by 2040, to ‘defuse’ the climate ‘time bomb’.
Oldest pearl town found in UAE
• Archaeologists have found the oldest pearling town in the Persian Gulf on an island off one of
the northern sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates. Artifacts found in this town on Siniyah Island
in Umm al-Quwain, likely once home to thousands of people and hundreds of homes, date as far back as the
region’s pre-Islamic history in the late 6th century. While older pearling towns have been mentioned in historical
texts, this represents the first time archaeologists say they have physically found one from this ancient era
across the nations of the Persian Gulf.
The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The body of
water is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. It is connected to the
Gulf of Oman in the east by the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Persian
Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
IIT Roorkee exhibits India’s first regional earthquake early warning system
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee displayed the Uttarakhand state earthquake early
warning system (UEEWS) at the third national platform for disaster risk reduction (NPDRR) exhibition
held in Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. UEEWS is India’s first regional earthquake early warning system
developed by professor at department of earth sciences at the institute.
NGT suspends environmental clearance for JSW’s proposed Rs.65,000-crore mega steel
project in Odisha
• The Rs. 65,000-crore mega steel project proposed by Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group in Odisha received
a jolt when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) suspended the environmental clearance granted to
the project. A four-member Division Bench of the NGT headed by Chairperson Adrarsh Kumar Goel
ordered the suspension of the environment clearance for three months before the Expert Appraisal
Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change takes a fresh call on the project.
National Green Tribunal (India) had been set up under National Green Tribunal Act as a statutory body
in year 2010 to deal with environmental cases and speedy implementation of decisions relating to it. India
is the third country in the world – after Australia and New Zealand – to set up such a body to deal
with environmental cases. The principal National Green Tribunal bench is located in Delhi, with other
benches sitting in Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai.
NASA names first woman, first Black astronauts for Artemis II lunar flyby
• NASA named the first woman and the first African-American ever assigned as astronauts to a lunar
mission, introducing them as part of the four-member team chosen to fly as early as next year on what would
be the first crewed voyage around the moon in more than 50 years. Christina Koch, an engineer who
already holds the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman, was named as a mission
specialist, along with Victor Glover, a U.S. Navy aviator, who was selected as the Artemis II pilot.
Ningaloo ‘hybrid’ solar eclipse in April
• A ‘hybrid’ solar eclipse called the Ningaloo Eclipse happened on April 20, 2023. During the hybrid
solar eclipse, some viewers in the world will be able to see the eclipse going from annular to total
to annular. In the annular eclipse, the Moon will not fully cover the Sun but it will also appear as
a smaller dark disk superimposed on the Sun. Neither a partial eclipse, nor a full eclipse will be visible
to viewers in India but you will be able to catch a livestream of the event from a vantage point in Western
Australia.
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and thereby obscures the view
of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. It is an extraordinary coincidence that
the Moon happens to precisely cover the solar disk during a total solar eclipse, and this is due to the pure
coincidence of the moon being about 400 times smaller and 400 times closer than the sun and thereby covering as
much of the sky. A total or partial solar eclipse occurs approximately every six months, during the eclipse
season in its new moon phase, when the Moon’s orbital plane is closest to the plane of the Earth’s orbit.
In a total eclipse, the disk of the Sun is fully obscured by the Moon. In partial and annular eclipses, only
part of the Sun is obscured. Unlike a lunar eclipse, which may be viewed from anywhere on the night
side of Earth, a solar eclipse can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world.

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Union Cabinet gives nod to Indian Space Policy 2023
• The Union Cabinet approved the Indian Space Policy, 2023 under which roles and responsibilities
of organisations such as ISRO, NewSpace India Limited and private sector entities have been laid down.
The government had earlier opened up the space sector for the private sector to help boost development of
the segment. The policy will aim to enhance the role of Department of Space, boost activities of ISRO
missions and give a larger participation of research, academia, startups and industry.
Dr. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was an Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and
helped develop nuclear power in India. He is internationally regarded as the Father of the Indian Space
Research Program. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously)
in 1972. Homi Jehangir Bhabha was an Indian nuclear physicist who is widely credited as the “father of
the Indian nuclear programme”.
India joins 6 leading nations in quantum tech as Cabinet approves Rs. 6003 crore National
Quantum Mission
• The Union Cabinet approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM), putting India among the top six
leading nations involved in the research and development in quantum technologies. NQM, planned
during 2023 – 2031, is worth Rs. 6,003.65 crore and will mainly work towards strengthening India’s
research and development in the quantum arena alongside indigenously building quantum-based (physical
qubit) computers which are far more powerful to perform the most complex problems in highly secure manner.
• Presently, R&D works in quantum technologies are underway in the US, Canada, France, Finland,
China and Austria. Quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, and are faster than regular
and supercomputers, which use conventional bits. For instance, according to reports, Google’s quantum
processor, Sycamore, in 2019 completed a task in 200 seconds that Google claimed, in a Nature
paper, would take a state-of-the-art supercomputer 10,000 years to finish.
ISRO’s PSLV successfully places 2 Singapore satellites into orbit
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully placed two Singaporean satellites,
TeLEOS-2 and Lumelite-4, in orbit aboard the trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, while also carrying
out experiments with seven payloads attached to its PS4 upper stage. The TeLEOS-2 satellite has been
developed under a partnership between the Defence Science and Technology Agency of Singapore
and ST Engineering, a Singaporean technology and engineering group.
SpaceX launches world’s 1st 5G satellite to bring global connectivity to Internet of Things
• SpaceX has launched what is reportedly the first satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) to operate on the
5G cellular standard. Known as “The GroundBreaker,” the relatively small, 22-pound (10-kilogram) orbital
data relay, designated Sateliot_0, is the first of a constellation of over 250 spacecraft designed to communicate
with terrestrial cell towers and fill gaps in data networks worldwide. A Falcon 9 rocket launched the
satellite from SpaceX’s launch facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Prez Droupadi Murmu meets India’s first cloned Gir cow
• President Droupadi Murmu visited the National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, Haryana,
where she met with ‘Ganga’, India’s first cloned Gir cow. Ganga was born at the facility. The cloning was
accomplished by a process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), which involves replacing the
genetic material in an egg cell with genetic material from another cell.
World’s first mid-infrared solar observation telescope starts assembly
• The world’s first mid-infrared solar observation telescope developed by China has started installation
and testing in northwest China’s Qinghai Province. The telescope is equipped with Infrared System
for the Accurate Measurement of Solar Magnetic Field (AIMS) to fill the gap in such fields around the
world. The mid-infrared range observation of the sun would help improve accuracy in measurement
of the solar magnetic field.
• AIMS has adopted the off-axis optical system design for the first time in the country’s astronomical
observation history. The focal plane scientific instrument is equipped with a high spectral resolution mid-
infrared imaging spectrometer and polarization measurement system.
NISAR satellite to map Himalayas’ seismic zones
• A forthcoming satellite, NISAR, jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the U.S. will map the most
earthquake-prone regions in the Himalayas with unprecedented regularity.

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Earth Day 2023: UN report points to continuous advance of climate change
• As we celebrate Earth Day, it seems that the Earth itself has little to celebrate. From the depth of the
ocean to the peaks of mountains, climate change is continuing its assault on our planet, according to a report
by the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). In terms of temperature, the years
between 2015 and 2022 were the eight warmest on record.
• This is despite the cool impact of the La Nina over the past three years. Melting of glaciers and sea
level rise reach records in 2022 and it will continue for thousands of years. Ice levels in the Antarctic
Sea fell to its lowest on record and the melting of some glaciers was quite literally off the charts. The massive
impacts of climate change also made themselves evident with many extreme weather effects across the world,
including continuous droughts in East Africa, widespread floods in Pakistan, and record-breaking heat waves in
China and Europe. Not only did such hazardous climate and weather-related events worsen conditions for
the more than 95 million that were already displaced when 2022 began, but it also added to that number.
We need accelerated climate action with deeper, faster emissions cuts to limit global temperature rise to
1.5 degrees Celsius. We also need massively scaled-up investments in adaptation and resilience, particularly
for the most vulnerable countries and communities who have done the least to cause the crisis.
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year. The day is also known as International Mother Earth Day.
The day is observed to spread awareness about issues, including the rampant increase in pollution, global warming,
and deforestation, which harm the environment and result in the destruction of the planet. Countries from all over
the world come together to raise awareness about the dire need to protect our environment. Senator Gaylord
Nelson established Earth Day in the 1970s. He wanted to promote ecology and increase public awareness of
issues pertaining to the environment. The theme of World Earth Day 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet”, calling
for businesses to shift towards sustainable practices.
IIT-Patna to get state’s first supercomputer
• The IIT-Patna will get a PARAM supercomputer of 833 Tera Flops (TF) high performance computing
(HPC) system by September this year. It will be the first supercomputer in Bihar.
• The IIT-P and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), a central government
body, inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for setting up the supercomputer under the
Centre’s National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MEITY) and Department of Science and Technology (DST). A similar supercomputer was
recently installed at IIT-BHU and other four are proposed to be installed at IIT-Guwahati, IIT-
Gandhinagar, IIT-Mandi and NIT-Trichy.
A supercomputer is a computer that performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for
computers. Generally, PETAFLOP is a measure of a Supercomputer’s processing speed and can be
expressed as a thousand trillion floating point operations per second. FLOPS (floating point operations
per second) are typically used to measure the performance of a computer’s processor. Using floating-point
encoding, extremely long numbers can be handled relatively easily. Globally, China has the maximum number
of supercomputers and maintains the top position in the world, followed by the US, Japan, France, Germany,
Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom. India’s first supercomputer was PARAM 8000. PARAM Shivay,
the first supercomputer assembled indigenously, was installed in IIT (BHU), followed by PARAM Shakti,
PARAM Brahma, PARAM Yukti, PARAM Sanganak at IIT-Kharagpur, IISER, Pune, JNCASR, Bengaluru and IIT
Kanpur respectively. In 2020, PARAM Siddhi, the High-Performance Computing-Artificial Intelligence
(HPC-AI) supercomputer, achieved global ranking of 62nd in Top 500 most powerful supercomputer
systems in the world.
ISRO to launch navigational satellite for its constellation
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in the third launch of the year, will fly NVS-01
to augment the seven-satellite navigation constellation NavIC. Not only will it be the first launch of a
navigational satellite under the new moniker NVS, but it will also beat the space agency’s record during the
three pandemic years. There were only two Isro launches each in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
• The two launches that have already happened this year were also significant as the first one resulted in
the induction of the new Small Satellite Launch Vehicle into the existing ISRO fleet and the second
established the heaviest rocket LVM Mk3 as a dependable commercial launcher.
• The NVS-01 satellite will replace the navigational capabilities of another satellite IRNSS-1G in the
constellation. It will retain its communication and messaging capabilities. The navigational capabilities of a
couple of satellites were hampered after the atomic clocks on board malfunctioned.

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• The location of objects for satellite-based navigation is determined by very precisely measuring the
time it takes for the signals to return from the ground. After the failure of some of the imported atomic
clocks, India decided to develop its own atomic clocks as well.
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NavIC (acronym
for ‘Navigation with Indian Constellation; or ‘navigator’ in Indian languages), is an autonomous regional
satellite navigation system that provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services. It covers India
and a region extending 1,500 km (930 mi) around it, with plans for further extension. An extended service
area lies between the primary service area and a rectangle area enclosed by the 30th parallel south to the 50th
parallel north and the 30th meridian east to the 130th meridian east, 1,500–6,000 km (930–3,730 mi) beyond borders
where some of the NavIC satellites are visible but the position is not always computable with assured accuracy.
The system currently consists of a constellation of eight satellites, with two additional satellites on
ground as stand-by. The constellation is in orbit as of 2018. NavIC will provide two levels of service,
the “standard positioning service”, which will be open for civilian use, and a “restricted service” (an
encrypted one) for authorised users (including the military). NavIC-based trackers are compulsory on
commercial vehicles in India and some consumer mobile phones with support for it have been available since the
first half of 2020. There are plans to expand the NavIC system by increasing its constellation size from
7 to 11.
XPoSat, India’s first polarimetry mission
• The Indian Space Research Organisation is collaborating with the Raman Research Institute (RRI),
Bengaluru, an autonomous research institute, to build the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat)
that is scheduled to be launched later this year.
• According to ISRO, “XPoSat will study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in
extreme conditions.” It has been billed as India’s first, and only the world’s second polarimetry mission
that is meant to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.
NASA testing robot snake ‘EELS’ to explore oceans on Saturn’s moon
• NASA says a team at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is testing a snake-like robot that could
one day explore the subsurface oceans on Saturn’s moon Enceladus by entering through vents on the
surface. The Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor or EELS robot is being designed to autonomously map,
traverse and explore otherwise inaccessible destinations on our planet, the Moon and other planets
in the solar system.
• JPL teams began first developing the prototype in 2019 and they have been making continuous revisions
ever since. In 2022, they began conducting monthly field tests while also refining EELS’ hardware and software.
WHO declares end to mpox public health emergency
• The World Health Organization (WHO) said that mpox was no longer a global health emergency,
ending a near year-long alert for the viral disease that led to confirmed cases in more than hundred countries.
The organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern in July 2022 and backed
its stand in November and February. The WHO tag is designed to trigger a coordinated international response
and unlock funding to collaborate on sharing of vaccines and treatments.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for
international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as “the attainment by all
peoples of the highest possible level of health”. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it has six regional
offices and 150 field offices worldwide. The WHO was established on 7 April 1948. The first meeting of the
World Health Assembly (WHA), the agency’s governing body, took place on 24 July of that year. The
current director-general is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia.
Saturn outshines Jupiter in ‘moon race’; total count at 145
• Planet Saturn has made a remarkable comeback to reclaim the title of the “planet with the highest
number of moons”, surpassing Jupiter, which temporarily took the lead in February with its 12 newly
discovered moons. A new study have unveiled an astonishing 62 new moons orbiting the ringed planet,
bringing Saturn’s official count of natural satellites to a grand total of 145.
• In contrast, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has confirmed Jupiter’s moon count at 95.
The newly discovered moons of Saturn have currently been designated with numbers and letters. In due course,
these moons will be bestowed with names inspired by Gallic, Norse, and Canadian Inuit gods, following
the established convention for Saturn’s moons.

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 The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective
of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach, education, and
development through global cooperation. It was founded in 1919 and is based in Paris, France. The IAU is
a member of the International Science Council (ISC), which is composed of international scholarly and
scientific institutions and national academies of sciences.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Space Company Blue Origin bags NASA contract to develop
moon lander for astronauts
• NASA has granted a contract to Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin to develop a lunar lander
to take astronauts to the moon. Bezos’ company will work for the success of NASA’s Artemis mission which
aims to explore the moon much more than ever before, uncovering more scientific discoveries, and preparing
for future astronaut missions to Mars. Blue Origin will build a human landing system as NASA’s second
provider to deliver Artemis astronauts to the lunar surface.
Blue Origin, LLC is an American aerospace, space exploration company and launch service provider
headquartered in Kent, Washington, United States. Blue Origin makes advanced rocket engines for United
Launch Alliance and other customers as well as manufactures advanced rockets, spacecraft and heavy-lift launch
vehicles. The company was selected as the second provider for lunar lander services for NASA’s Artemis
program and was awarded a $3.4 Billion contract. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos, the
founder and current executive chairman of Amazon.
NASA observes a polar cyclone on Uranus for the first time
• NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced that for the first time, scientists have strong
evidence of a polar cyclone on Uranus. They examined radio waves emitted by the planet using ground-
based telescopes and detected the extreme weather event at the planet’s North Pole.
• This confirms the hypothesis that all planets with substantial atmospheres in our solar system show
signs of a swirling vortex at the poles, irrespective of whether they are composed of rock or gas,
according to JPL. The space agency’s Voyager 2 spacecraft had imaged methane cloud tops in the
past, which showed winds at the polar centre spinning faster than over the rest of the pole.
Human genome reboot better reflects global population
• Scientists unveiled a new accounting of the human genome that improves on its predecessor by
including a rich diversity of people to better reflect the global population – a boost to ongoing efforts
to identify genetic underpinnings of diseases and new ways to treat them.
• This “pangenome” achievement was announced two decades after the first sequencing of the human
genome, a feat that transformed biomedical research by giving scientists a reference map to analyze DNA for
clues about disease-related mutations.
The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international scientific research project with the goal of
determining the base pairs that make up human DNA, and of identifying, mapping and sequencing all
of the genes of the human genome from both a physical and a functional standpoint. It started in 1990
and was completed in 2003. It remains the world’s largest collaborative biological project. Planning for
the project started after it was adopted in 1984 by the US government, and it officially launched in
1990. It was declared complete on April 14, 2003, and included about 92% of the genome. Level “complete
genome” was achieved in May 2021, with a remaining only 0.3% bases covered by potential issues.
India’s First Domestically Built 700 MW Nuclear Reactor Starts Operations In Gujarat
• India’s first indigenously developed 700 MW nuclear power reactor at the Kakrapar Atomic Power
Project in Gujarat started commercial operation. First indigenous 700 MWe Unit, KAPP-3, has become
commercial. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. is building two 700 MW pressurised heavy water
reactors (PHWRs) at Kakrapar, which is also home to two 220 MW power plants. Various commissioning
activities were underway at KAPP 4, which had achieved 96.92% progress by May end.
Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after coal, gas, hydroelectricity and
wind power. India has been making advances in the field of thorium-based fuels, working to design and
develop a prototype for an atomic reactor using thorium and low-enriched uranium, a key part of India’s three stage
nuclear power programme. Thorium is produced from ilmenite and monazite deposits found along the
coast of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

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Indian scientists discover new exoplanet with mass 13 times that of Jupiter
• A team of scientists headed by Professor Abhijit Chakraborty of the Physical Research Laboratory
(PRL) in Ahmedabad discovered the densest alien planet, 13 times the size of Jupiter. This is the third
exoplanet identified by PRL scientists. The findings of the study were published in the journal Astronomy and
Astrophysics Letters.
• Scientists from India, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States used the indigenous PRL Advanced Radial-
velocity Abu-sky Search spectrograph (PARAS) at Mt Abu’s Gurushikhar Observatory to precisely determine
the planet’s mass. The exoplanet has a mass of 14 g/cm3. The newly-discovered planet orbits a star
known as TOI 4603 or HD 245134, which has previously been identified as a possible home for
a secondary body of unknown type by Nasa’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The
object has now been identified as a planet and given the designation TOI 4603b or HD 245134b. The
planet is 731 light years away from Earth and orbits its star once every 7.24 days. The planet is hot, with a
temperature of 1,396 degrees Celsius, the report said.
Medium-range ballistic missile Agni-1 test-fired in Odisha
• A successful training launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, Agni-1 was carried out by the Strategic
Forces Command from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The missile is a proven system, capable of
striking targets with a very high degree of precision. The user training launch successfully validated all
operational and technical parameters of the missile.
Agni missiles are long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear bombs. The
medium-range Agni-1 ballistic missile has a strike range from 700-1200 kilometres and weighs around
12,000 kilograms. It is also capable of carrying a payload of up to 1,000 kg. Agni 1 was first tested in 1989
at the Interim Test Range in Chandipur, but they were Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM). Agni-I is used by
the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Indian Army.
Rare Higgs boson decay observed in Large Hadron Collider experiments
• The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), which hosts the Large Hadron
Collider,(LHC) announced that scientists at the organisation found the first evidence of the rare process
by which the Higgs boson decays into a Z boson and a photon. The discovery of the Higgs boson,
what some call the “god particle,” in 2012 marked a major milestone in the study of particle physics.
Iran unveils its first hypersonic missile ‘Fattah’
• Iran unveiled what is being described as its first-ever domestically-made hypersonic ballistic
missile ‘Fattah’. The missile is said to be capable of travelling at hypersonic speeds of up to 15 times
the speed of sound and can reportedly penetrate the most advanced missile defence systems. The
hypersonic missile named by the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ‘Fattah’ in Farsi, which
roughly translates to “the opener,” was unveiled at a ceremony. The United States, Russia, China and
North Korea are believed to be the only countries to have successfully tested hypersonic missiles,
but exact details of the weaponry remain scant.
First abort mission of ‘Gaganyaan’ to be conducted in August-end
• The first abort mission for India’s maiden human spaceflight ‘Gaganyaan’ would be conducted at the
end of August this year, while the unmanned mission to orbit would take place next year, Chairman of the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S. Somanath.
Pune’s GMRT becomes first Indian facility to detect gravitational waves
• In a major breakthrough, an international team of astronomers announced scientific evidence confirming
the presence of gravitational waves using pulsar observations. Operated by the National Centre for
Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), India’s Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) located in Pune was
among the six of the world’s largest radio telescopes that paved the way for this discovery of nano-hertz
gravitational waves.
• This major announcement has come eight years after the first detection of gravitational waves which
was proposed by Physicist Albert Einstein a century ago. Radio astronomers representing the Indian
Pulsar Timing Array (InPTA) and European Pulsar Timing Array (EPTA) shared that a time aberration
was observed in the signals emerging from these pulsars. Nicknamed as cosmic clocks, pulsars are rapidly
spinning neutron stars that send out radio signals at regular intervals which are seen as bright flashes from
the Earth.

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 Gravitational waves are waves of the intensity of gravity generated by the accelerated masses of an
orbital binary system that propagate as waves outward from their source at the speed of light. They were
first proposed by Oliver Heaviside in 1893 and then later by Henri Poincaré in 1905 as waves similar
to electromagnetic waves but the gravitational equivalent. Gravitational waves were later predicted
in 1916 by Albert Einstein on the basis of his general theory of relativity as ripples in spacetime. Later
he refused to accept gravitational waves. Gravitational waves transport energy as gravitational radiation,
a form of radiant energy similar to electromagnetic radiation. Newton’s law of universal gravitation, part of
classical mechanics, does not provide for their existence, since that law is predicated on the assumption
that physical interactions propagate instantaneously (at infinite speed) – showing one of the ways the methods of
Newtonian physics are unable to explain phenomena associated with relativity. The first indirect evidence for
the existence of gravitational waves came in 1974 from the observed orbital decay of the Hulse–Taylor
binary pulsar, which matched the decay predicted by general relativity as energy is lost to gravitational radiation.
In 1993, Russell A. Hulse and Joseph Hooton Taylor Jr. received the Nobel Prize in Physics for this
discovery. The first direct observation of gravitational waves was made in 2015, when a signal generated
by the merger of two black holes was received by the LIGO gravitational wave detectors in Livingston,
Louisiana, and in Hanford, Washington. The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics was subsequently awarded to
Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne and Barry Barish for their role in the direct detection of gravitational waves.
Project Cheetah: NTCA constitutes 11-member screening committee after death of six
cheetahs in Kuno National Park
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has formed a high-level screening committee
for the Government of India’s ambitious “Project Cheetah” in response to the recent deaths of
six cheetahs, including three new-born cubs, in a span of two and a half months in Madhya Pradesh’s
Kuno National Park (KNP). The project’s nodal agency, NTCA, constituted a screening committee comprising
11 members. The committee’s formation was decided upon during a meeting with the Madhya Pradesh
government’s additional chief secretary. The Secretary General of Global Tiger Forum, Dr Rajesh Gopal, will
head the committee.
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority was established in December 2005, following a
recommendation of the Tiger Task Force, The Prime Minister of India established it to reorganise the
management of Project Tiger and India’s many Tiger Reserves in India.
The cheetah is scientifically known as Acinonyx jubatus. The large cat is native to Africa and central
Iran. It is the fastest land animal, running at the speed of 80 to 128 km/h. They can be found in variety of
habitats like savannahs of Serengeti, arid mountain ranges of Sahara and hilly desert terrain of Iran.
In the IUCN Red list, Cheetah is listed in Vulnerable category.
14 of top 20 most polluted cities in the world from India
• India fared badly on air pollution index in 2022 even though it improved three places from the
previous year on the list of countries with worst air quality, according to a report. India was ranked eighth
on the list, dropping three places from the previous year, with Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, and
Bangladesh being the five most polluted countries in 2022.
• According to the annual world air quality report published by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, 14
out of top 20 most polluted cities in the world are Indian. Lahore, Pakistan, Hotan, China, Bhiwadi,
India, Delhi, India, Peshawar, Pakistan, Darbhanga, India, Asopur, India, N’Djamena, Chad, New Delhi,
India, Patna, India, Ghaziabad, India, Dharuhera, India, Baghdad, Iraq, Chapra, India, Muzzafarnagar, India,
Faisalabad, Pakistan, Greater Noida, India, Bahadurgarh, India, Faridabad, India and Muzzafarpur, India.
‘Chandrayaan 3 launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
• India’s third moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, was successfully launched onboard a Launch Vehicle
Mark-3 (LVM-3) rocket from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
on July 14. This is India’s second attempt at soft-landing robotic instruments on the lunar surface
after the previous attempt, Chandrayaan-2, failed in 2019. Thus far, only three countries, the U.S., USSR
and China, have successfully soft-landed on the moon.
ISRO’s Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System aces 2 more hot tests
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out two more hot tests on the
Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC),
Mahendragiri. The SMPS is designed and developed by the Liquid Propulsion System Centre (LPSC)

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 in Bengaluru and Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram. According to ISRO, the initial hot test, which lasted
for 723.6 second, focussed on demonstrating Orbital Module injection, and the calibration burn of 100 N
thrusters and Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engines.
Gaganyaan is an Indian crewed orbital spacecraft intended to be the formative spacecraft of the Indian
Human Spaceflight Programme. It is ISRO’s first human space flight programme. The spacecraft is being
designed to carry three people, and a planned upgraded version will be equipped with rendezvous and
docking capabilities. In its maiden crewed mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s largely
autonomous 5.3-metric ton capsule will orbit the Earth at 400 km altitude for up to seven days with a two- or three-
person crew on board. The first crewed mission was originally planned to be launched on ISRO’s LVM3 in
December 2021, But this has since been delayed to no earlier than 2025.
IISc study reveals that picolinic acid can block viruses causing SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A
• A new study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) and collaborators has revealed
that picolinic acid, a natural compound produced by mammalian cells, can block several viruses,
including those responsible for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A.
Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. Coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-
CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease has since
spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic. Symptoms of COVID-19 are variable, but often
include fever, cough, headache, fatigue, breathing difficulties, and loss of smell and taste. Symptoms
may begin one to fourteen days after exposure to the virus. At least a third of people who are infected do not develop
noticeable symptoms.
ISRO sucessfully launches 7 Singaporean satellites on board PSLV-C56 rocket from Sriharikota
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)‘s PSLV-C56 rocket successfully launched the
Singapore’s DS-SAR satellite and six co-passenger payloads from the first launch-pad of SDSC-
SHAR in Sriharikota. PSLV-C56 / DS-SAR, is the Dedicated Commercial Mission of NewSpace India Limited
(NSIL) for ST Engineering, Singapore. DS-SAR, a Radar Imaging Earth Observation satellite, is the
primary satellite for the mission.
• In addition to this, there are six co-passenger customer satellites also belonging to Singapore. PSLV-C56 is
configured in its core-alone mode, similar to the previous C55 mission. All satellites are injected
into a 535 km circular with 5 orbital inclination. SAR carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload
Hoped by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
India’s Anti-Tank Guided Missiles HELINA and Dhruvastra
• India’s indigenous Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) has cleared all the trials, according to the reports.
Indigenously developed helicopter-launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ has completed all
the trials, according to the officials from the Ministry of Defence.
• The missile is guided by an Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker operating in the Lock on Before Launch
mode. It is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. A variant of HELINA Weapon System
called DHRUVASTRA is also being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF). Earlier in 2022, Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested at high-altitude ranges as part of
user validation trials. The flight test was jointly conducted by teams of scientists from DRDO, the Indian army
and the Indian air force.
The Helina (the Army version) and Dhruvastra (Indian Airforce version) are helicopter-launched
versions of third-generation anti-tank guided missiles (the Nag missile system). The missile system has
all-weather day-and-night capability and can defeat battle tanks with conventional armor and explosive reactive
armor. The missile systems have been designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
India becomes fourth country to land on the moon, first on the South Pole, with
Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft
• India became the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon’s South Pole— a historic voyage to
uncharted territory that scientists believe could hold vital reserves of frozen water, and a technological triumph
for the world’s most populous nation.

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• After a failed attempt to land on the moon in 2019, India now joins the United States, the Soviet
Union and China as only the fourth country to achieve this milestone. A lander with a rover inside
touched down on the lunar surface at 6:04 p.m. local time, sparking celebrations across India, including in the
southern Indian city of Bengaluru, where space scientists watching the landing erupted in cheers and applause.
• The successful mission showcases India’s rising standing as a technology and space powerhouse and dovetails
with the image that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to project: an ascendant country asserting its place
among the global elite. “India is now on the moon. India has reached the south pole of the moon — no
other country has achieved that. We are witnessing history,” Modi said as he waved the Indian tri-
colored flag while watching the landing from South Africa, where he is participating in the BRICS
nations summit.
Chandrayaan-3 is the third Indian lunar exploration mission under the Indian Space Research
Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan programme. It consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover
named Pragyan, similar to those of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The propulsion module carried the lander and
rover configuration to lunar orbit in preparation for a powered descent by the lander. Chandrayaan-3
was launched on 14 July 2023. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 5 August, and the lander touched
down in the lunar South Pole region on 23 August 2023, making India the fourth country to successfully
land on the Moon, and the first to do so near the lunar South Pole.
Pragyan Rover of India’s Chandrayaan-3 takes walk on moon
• Pragyan rover of Chandrayaan-3 has rolled down on the lunar surface. ISRO has said that Made in
India and Made for the Moon rover Pragyan has ramped down from the Lander and India took a
walk on the moon. This signifies a giant leap in the Indian space programme. By rolling on the lunar surface,
the six wheels of the rover have imprinted Indian tricolour and ISRO logo on the Moon crust. Showing to the
world for time immemorial that India landed first near Lunar south pole.
Pragyan (‘wisdom’) is a lunar rover that forms part of Chandrayaan-3, a lunar mission developed by
the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). A previous iteration of the rover was launched as part of
Chandrayaan-2 on 22 July 2019 and was destroyed with its lander, Vikram, when it crashed on the Moon on 6
September. Chandrayaan-3 launched on 14 July 2023, carrying new versions of Vikram and Pragyan,
which successfully landed near the lunar south pole on 23 August 2023.
Samudrayaan: Three-member team to explore depths of the ocean in first manned ocean
mission
• After the Chandrayaan mission, India is now preparing to explore the deep oceans and its resources
via the Samudrayaan project, where three people will be sent into the depth of 6,000 metre in a
submersible. The Samudrayaan Mission is India’s first manned mission to explore the deep ocean. It is
designed to study the deep ocean resources and conduct biodiversity assessments as well. The
submersible project will be only used for exploring biodiversity while letting the marine ecosystem remain
intact.
• The project will be part of a larger deep ocean diversity exploration and research based mission,
which supports the Centre’s Blue Economy policy. This aims to sustainably use marine resources for the
country’s economic growth and livelihoods along with creating jobs and maintaining the health of the marine
ecosystems as well. The submersible for the mission has been designed and manufactured by the
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai. The Matsya 6000 is designed with the
capability of operating in the deep sea for 12 hours while in case of emergency it can also operate up to
96 hours with all the necessary measures for human safety.
• The mission is expected to be implemented by 2026. The cost of the Deep Sea Mission which also
includes the Samudrayaan Project, over a period of five years, has been estimated at Rs. 4,077 crore
and it will be implemented in phases. This mission is important for the country as it will allow observing and
understanding the unexplored parts of the deep ocean through direct interaction. India is expected to get expert
and technical assistance from countries such as the United States, Russia, France, Japan, and China for the
mission.
ISRO rocket debris on Australian shore: rules governing space junk
• A large object found on the shores of Western Australia a couple of weeks ago has been confirmed to
be the debris of an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) rocket. ISRO has agreed with the
assessment, saying the debris could be from one of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rockets. An ISRO

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 official said the object was most likely an unburnt part of the PSLV rocket that launched a navigation
satellite for the IRNSS constellation two months ago.
• That satellite was launched in the southward direction. It is possible that one of the parts of the rocket did
not burn completely while dropping back into the atmosphere, and fell into the ocean. It could later
have been swept towards the Australian shore. ISRO is still to decide on the future course of action.
Himalayan vulture bred in captivity for the first time in India
• The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) researchers have recorded the first instance of
successful captive breeding of the Himalayan vulture (Gyps himalayensis) in India at the Assam
State Zoo, Guwahati. Categorized as ‘Near Threatened’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) Red List of threatened species, the Himalayan vulture is a common winter migrant to the Indian plains
and a resident of the high Himalayas.
• BNHS is one of India’s oldest and premier scientific organizations, working for nature conservation
since 1883. Its primary goal is to spread about nature through science-based research, conservation advocacy,
education, scientific publications, nature tours, and other programmes.
ISRO launched first of its kind solar mission Aditya L1 from Sriharikota
• Indian Space Research Organisation launched the first space-based Indian observatory to study
the Sun, namely Aditya L1 on from Sriharikota space station in Andhra Pradesh. The satellite will be
placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point L1 of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5
million km from the Earth.
• ISRO’s spacecraft succesfully launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. With this,
India inched one step closer for the completion of its maiden Solar expedition. ISRO’s trusted PSLV will
carry the Aditya L1 mission on a 125-day voyage to the Sun. The Aditya L1 spacecraft will stay in Earth’s
orbit for sixteen days. After four months of journey, the satellite will be placed on the L1 point in the halo orbit
around the Sun. “PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission: The launch of Aditya-L1, the first space-based Indian
observatory to study the Sun.
• The Aditya-L1 mission, which will mark India’s first mission to study the Sun, will allow India’s
scientists to unlock new insights about the centre of our solar system. The spacecraft is meant to
be placed in a halo orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is about
1.5 million km from the Earth. Aditya L1 is designed to provide remote observations of the Solar
corona and conduct in-situ observations of the Solar wind at L1 (Sun-Earth Lagrangian point),
which is about 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth. Earlier, the mission was conceived as Aditya-1 with a
400 kg class satellite carrying one payload, the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) that was to be
launched in an 800-km low Earth orbit.
PM Narendra Modi announces August 23 as ‘National Space Day’
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced August 23 as the ‘National Space Day’. Chandrayaan-3 made
a successful soft landing on the south pole of the Moon on August 23. The prime minister was addressing
the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists at the ISRO command centre in Bengaluru.
• Modi met and congratulated ISRO scientists as he lauded Chandryaan-3 heroes involved with the
successful lunar landing. In Bengaluru, the PM interacted with ISRO scientists at the Isro Telemetry
Tracking and Command Network Mission Control Complex (ISTRAC). PM Modi further announced that the
point on the moon where Chandrayaan-3 landed will be called ‘Shivshakti’.
Russia starts manufacturing reactor for Kudankulam nuclear power plant
• Russia’s state atomic energy corporation has started manufacturing the nuclear reactor and steam
generators for the sixth unit of Tamil Nadu’s Kudankulam nuclear power plant. Rosatom is currently
building the 6,000-MW project at Kudankulam, which will have six VVER-1000 nuclear reactors, and
is in talks with India to construct six more reactors at a new site that is yet to be identified.
Sukrayaan 1: ISRO’s mission to Venus
• A little over a month after achieving a historic milestone with the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan
3 on the Moon’s south pole, and then launching the nation’s first solar mission Aditya-L1, the Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has shifted its focus to Venus.
• ISRO chairman S Somanath announced that the Venus mission, often informally referred to as
Shukrayaan-1, is making progress. The mission has been configured, and several payloads are currently in
the development phase. The name ‘Shukrayaan-1’ is a combination of two words ‘Shukra’, meaning

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 Venus, and ‘Yaana’, meaning craft, in Sanskrit. The idea of ‘Shukrayaan -1 was born in 2012. In that
year, the ISRO sought payload proposals from research institutes.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. As
the brightest natural object in Earth’s night sky after the Moon, Venus can cast shadows and can be,
on rare occasions, visible to the naked eye in broad daylight. Venus lies within Earth’s orbit, and so never
appears to venture far from the Sun, either setting in the west just after dusk or rising in the east a little
while before dawn. Venus orbits the Sun every 224.7 Earth days.
Disease X, the next pandemic, could kill about 50 million people
• COVID-19 claimed approximately 20 million lives worldwide, but if scientists are to be believed, the next
pandemic could kill more than twice that figure. In a new book, the former Chair of the UK Vaccine
Taskforce, Kate Bingham, has issued a stark warning about the potential for the next pandemic to
emerge from a vast pool of unknown viruses, potentially claiming as many lives as the Spanish Flu, which killed
an estimated 50 million people. Co-authored with vaccine expert Tim Hames, an excerpt from the book published
in the Daily Mail outlines their concerns about the next pandemic and calls for enhanced pandemic preparedness.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December
2019. It has since spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic. WHO first learned of this new virus
on 31 December 2019, following a report of a cluster of cases of ‘viral pneumonia’ in Wuhan, People’s
Republic of China. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are, Fever, Dry cough and Fatigue. The
standard diagnosis method is by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
from a nasopharyngeal swab. In India, the first case was reported in Kerala.
Black hole is observed snacking on sun-like star, bite by bite
• Black holes, celestial objects known for their gluttony, usually eat stars unlucky enough to stray too
close to them in one big gulp, annihilating them with their enormous gravitational pull. But some, it turns out,
tend to snack rather than gorge.
• Researchers said they have observed a supermassive black hole at the center of a relatively nearby
galaxy as it takes bites out of a star similar in size and composition to our sun, consuming material
equal to about three times Earth’s mass each time the star makes a close pass on its elongated oval-shaped
orbit.
• Black holes are extraordinarily dense objects with gravity so strong that not even light can escape. The star is
located about 520 million light years from our solar system. A light year is the distance light travels
in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).
Webb telescope discovers methane, carbon dioxide on potential ocean planet
• Scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope to look into the planet K2-18 b and found the
presence of carbon-bearing molecules like methane and carbon dioxide. The planet is 8.6 times as
massive as Earth and recent studies have suggested that its surface could be covered with water oceans and
that it has a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.
• The planet K2-18 b orbits the cool dwarf star K2-18 in the “goldilocks zone: where it gets just enough
starlight to have liquid water while not enough to boil it off into vapour. The planet is about 120 light-years
away from us in the constellation Leo. Studies suggest that it is a “Hycean planet” — a hypothetical type
of planet described as a hot, water-covered planet with a hydrogen atmosphere.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope currently conducting infrared astronomy.
As the largest telescope in space, it is equipped with high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments,
allowing it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope. This enables
investigations across many fields of astronomy and cosmology, such as observation of the first stars, the formation of
the first galaxies, and detailed atmospheric characterization of potentially habitable exoplanets. The U.S. National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) led Webb’s design and development and partnered with
two main agencies: the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The
telescope is named after James E. Webb, who was the administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968 during the
Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. The James Webb Space Telescope was launched on 25 December
2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, and arrived at the Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point in
January 2022. The first Webb image was released to the public via a press conference on 11 July 2022.

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Scientists use pollen data to decode first human migration into Eurasia
• Pollen grains analysis helps understand how the first humans migrated from Africa across Europe
and Asia. The pollen data showed that warming temperatures supported forests that expanded into Siberia
and facilitated early human migration there, researchers from the University of Kansas, US.
• They compared Pleistocene vegetation communities around Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, to the
oldest archeological traces of Homo sapiens in the region. Pleistocene period is considered two million to
11 thousand years ago and as the time of human evolution. In this study, the researchers use the “remarkable
evidence” to tell this migration story from about 45,000-50,000 years ago. “This research addresses long-
standing debates regarding the environmental conditions that early Homo sapiens faced during their migration
into Europe and Asia around 40,000 to 50,000 years ago”.
Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change
• A total of 48 African countries have now agreed to adopt the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration,
Environment and Climate Change (KDMECC) to address the nexus of human mobility and climate
change in the continent. The continental expansion of the KDMECC was discussed at a three-day Conference
of States that began August 23, 2023.
• It was co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Uganda with support from the International
Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC). It also enabled the African States to develop a common position ahead of the Africa
Climate Summit and the Conference of Parties (COP 28).
• Africa is one of the world’s most vulnerable continents to the impacts of climate change, the IOM
said in a release. Climate change, which leads to an increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather
events, has a direct impact on migration.
IAF to induct Astra missiles by end-2023
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed two contracts with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the
indigenous Astra Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air to Air Missile and the first batch is expected to be
inducted by the end of 2023. Development is underway on the more advanced and longer-range Astra-Mk2,
a defence source said and static firing has been conducted.
• In May 2022, the Defence Ministry signed a contract with BDL for the supply of Astra Mk-I missiles
and associated equipment for the IAF and the Navy at a cost of Rs. 2,971 crore. The IAF has expressed
satisfaction with the Astra’s performance and officials have stated that they were looking for over 200 Mk-1
missiles initially. Astra is a state-of-the-art BVR air-to-air missile with a range of over 100 km designed
to engage and destroy highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets. It is designed and developed
by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and
other DRDO laboratories.
Government declares August 23 as National Space Day to commemorate success of
Chandrayaan-3 Mission
• Government has declared 23rd of August of every year as National Space Day to commemorate the
success of Chandrayaan-3 Mission, with the landing of Vikram lander and deployment of Pragyaan
Rover on lunar surface. Department of Space said the outcome of this historic mission will benefit mankind
in the years to come. It said 23rd August marks an important milestone in the country’s advancements
in Space Missions, and inspires younger generations towards enhanced interest in pursuing STEM.
• India took a giant leap as ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the south pole of the
moon on August 23, making it the first country to have achieved the historic feat. With the successful
Chandrayaan-3 mission, India became the fourth country to master the technology of soft landing on
the Moon after the US, China and the erstwhile Soviet Union.
Chandrayaan-3 is the third Indian lunar exploration mission under the Indian Space Research
Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan programme. It consists of a lander named Vikram and a rover
named Pragyan, similar to those of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. The propulsion module carried the lander and
rover configuration to lunar orbit in preparation for a powered descent by the lander. Chandrayaan-3
was launched on 14 July 2023. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit on 5 August, and the lander touched
down in the lunar South Pole region on 23 August 2023, making India the fourth country to successfully
land on the Moon, and the first to do so near the lunar South Pole.

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Second spaceport of ISRO to be set up at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu
• The second spaceport of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which will be dedicated
exclusively for Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) developed by the private sector, will come up
in about two years at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. SSLV is a 3-stage
launch vehicle capable of launching approximately 500 kg satellites in 500-km planar orbit.
• According to ISRO, the key features of SSLV are low cost, with low turnaround time, flexibility in
accommodating multiple satellites, launch-on-demand feasibility, and minimal launch infrastructure
requirements. At present, ISRO has one space station — the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in
Sriharikota — with two launch pads from where the rocket launching operations of PSLV and LMV3
are carried out.
ISRO is the space agency of India headquartered in the city of Bangalore. ISRO was formed in 1969.
ISRO built India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, which was launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1975.
S Somanath is current the chairperson of the ISRO. Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Sriharikota
Range (SHAR) is a rocket launch centre operated by ISRO. It is located in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Indian-origin NASA scientist to lead rocket mission to ‘ring of fire’ eclipse
• NASA has unveiled plans for a ‘sounding rocket mission’ set to launch three rockets during this
year’s solar eclipse on October 14. During the eclipse, viewers will witness the Sun dimming to just 10
percent of its usual brightness, leaving a brilliant “ring of fire” or sunlight as the Moon passes in front
of the Sun.
• The project is spearheaded by Aroh Barjatya, an engineering physics professor of Indian origin at Embry-
Riddle Aeronautical University. Known as Atmospheric Perturbations around the Eclipse Path (APEP),
the mission is focused on examining how the sudden reduction in sunlight impacts the Earth’s atmosphere.
Assam to build 1,000-km high-speed economic corridor costing Rs. 3,000 cr
• The Assam government approved the construction of a 1000-km “High-Speed Economic Corridor”
road project with a cost of Rs. 3,000 crore. This proposed high-speed economic corridor will come under the
‘Asom Mala’ project. The state cabinet also approved the construction of a Judicial Guest House in Kaziranga. “7
Bigha, 2 Katha, 10 Lessa of land at Halowagaon revenue village under Kaziranga Mouza of Bokakhat revenue
circle to be allotted for construction of Judicial Guest House in Kaziranga.
Assam is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak
River valleys. Assam is known for Assam tea and Assam silk. The state was the first site for oil drilling in
Asia. Largest tea producing state in India is Assam. The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh
to the north; Nagaland and Manipur to the east; Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh to the south; and
West Bengal to the west via the Siliguri Corridor, a 22-kilometre-wide (14 mi) strip of land that connects the state to
the rest of India. Gulab Chand Kataria is serving as the current Governor of Assam since 15 February 2023.
World’s first underground anti-missile blood bank in Israel
• Israel officially inaugurated the world’s first subterranean missile-proof blood center, which will
double the country’s annual blood processing capacity when it begins operations later this year.The Magen
David Adom (MDA) emergency services’ new Marcus National Blood Services Center (MNBSC),
located in the central Israeli city of Ramla, can withstand missiles, earthquakes, and chemical and
biological attacks.
Indian Navy gets its third stealth destroyer ‘IMPHAL’
• In a significant development for the Indian Navy, the state-of-the-art stealth guided missile destroyer, Yard
12706 (Imphal), has been officially transferred to Indian Navy on October 20, 2023. This momentous
occassion marks a major milestone in India’s indegenous shipbuilding capabilities, enahncing its
maritime strength in the Indian Ocean region. Imphal is the third vessel of Project 15B that was built
at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
Japan provides up to $80 million subsidy to moonshot startup ispace
• Japan will provide a subsidy of up to 12 billion yen ($80 million) to moon exploration startup ispace
(9348.T) as part of a grant programme for innovative ventures. Tokyo-based ispace aims to launch its
second moon lander next year and start a NASA-sponsored moonshot in 2026, following its failed first lunar
landing attempt in April this year.

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 The Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite. At about one-quarter the diameter of Earth (comparable to
the width of Australia), it is the largest natural satellite in the Solar System relative to the size of a major
planet, the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System overall, and larger than any known dwarf planet. The most
widely accepted origin explanation posits that the Moon formed about 4.51 billion years ago, not long
after Earth, out of the debris from a giant impact between the planet and a hypothesized Mars-sized body called
Theia. It then receded to a wider orbit because of tidal interaction with the Earth. Orbiting Earth at an average
distance of 384,400 km (238,900 mi), or about 30 times Earth’s diameter, its gravitational influence slightly
lengthens Earth’s day and is the main driver of Earth’s tides. The Moon’s orbit around Earth has a sidereal
period of 27.3 days. During each synodic period of 29.5 days, the amount of visible surface illuminated by the
Sun varies from none up to 100%, resulting in lunar phases that form the basis for the months of a lunar calendar.
JioSpaceFiber, India’s First Satellite-Based Gigabit Broadband Service
• Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited has demonstrated “JioSpaceFiber,” India’s first satellite-based
giga-fiber service. This pioneering service is aimed at delivering high-speed broadband connectivity to areas
in India that were previously inaccessible.
• JioSpaceFiber is set to enter the competition with other service providers such as Bharti Enterprises’
OneWeb, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and Elon Musk’s Starlink, all of which are looking forward to
providing satellite-based internet services in India. The Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, Akash
Ambani, introduced the project to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of an exhibition at
the 7th edition of the India Mobile Congress in Delhi.
Artificial intelligence has discovered its first supernova
• A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool and a fully automated process have successfully detected,
identified, and classified its first supernova. Such technologies could take the grunt work away from
astronomers, giving them more time to develop and test new hypotheses to explain the universe.
• The AI tool is called BTSbot and no, the researchers were not fans of the wildly popular South Korean
boy band. BTSBot stands for Bright Transient Survey Bot, and it was developed by an international group
of researchers led by Northwestern University. Apart from rapidly accelerating the process of analysing and
classifying new supernovas, the bot might even be able to bypass human errors. Humans have spent more than
2,2000 hours over the past six years, visually inspecting and classifying supernova candidates, according to the
university. The development of this tool means that researchers can redirect this time to other responsibilities.
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. A supernova occurs during the last
evolutionary stages of a massive star or when a white dwarf is triggered into runaway nuclear fusion.
The original object, called the progenitor, either collapses to a neutron star or black hole, or is completely destroyed
to form a diffuse nebula. The peak optical luminosity of a supernova can be comparable to that of an entire galaxy
before fading over several weeks or months. The last supernova directly observed in the Milky Way was
Kepler’s Supernova in 1604, appearing not long after Tycho’s Supernova in 1572, both of which were
visible to the naked eye.
NASA launched Psyche mission to metal-rich asteroid to find how Earth formed
• NASA launched a spacecraft from Florida on its way to Psyche, the largest of the several metal-
rich asteroids known in our solar system and believed by scientists to be the remnant core of an ancient
protoplanet, offering clues about Earth’s formation.
• The Psyche probe, folded inside the cargo bay of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, blasted off under
partly cloudy skies from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on a planned journey 2.2
billion miles (3.6 billion km) through space. The spacecraft, roughly the size of a small van, is due to
reach the asteroid in August 2029. The journey to the asteroid, also named Psyche, will span nearly
six years and cover approximately 3.6 billion kilometers. The asteroid orbits the Sun between Mars and
Jupiter and is believed to be a remnant core of a planetesimal, composed primarily of iron-nickel metal.
Psyche (SY-kee) is a NASA space mission launched on October 13, 2023 to explore the origin of planetary
cores by orbiting and studying the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche beginning in 2029. NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) manages the project. 16 Psyche is the heaviest known M-type asteroid, and may be an
exposed iron core of a protoplanet, the remnant of a violent collision with another object that stripped off its mantle
and crust. On January 4, 2017, the Psyche mission was selected for NASA’s Discovery #14 mission. It was launched
atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

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IIT-Delhi researchers achieve secure quantum communication for 380 km in standard
telecom fiber
• IIT-Delhi researchers have achieved an experimental breakthrough on secure quantum
communication up to a distance of 380 kilometres in standard telecom fiber with a very low error rate
that can be helpful in securing financial transactions and secret codes. This long secure length is the highest
achieved so far, not only in India but globally, for the Differential Phase Shift (DPS) QKD protocol.
• “Such low quantum bit error rate (QBER) makes the quantum communication resistance to
collective and individual attacks and implementable for various applications, such as securing
financial transactions, medical records and secret codes”. “This QKD demonstration shows methods to get rid
of the intermediate trusted nodes, which are the weak security loopholes and are vulnerable to several kinds of
attacks. It paves ways for more secure long distance communication useful for strategic areas such as defence
and online banking, making digital transactions safer in the near future”.
Scientists surprised by source of largest quake detected on Mars
• NASA’s InSight lander detected the largest quake yet recorded on Mars, one with a 4.7 magnitude
- fairly modest by Earth standards but strong for our planetary neighbour. Given Mars lacks the geological
process called plate tectonics that generates earthquakes on our planet, scientists suspected a meteorite impact
had caused this marsquake. But a search for an impact crater came up empty, leading scientists to conclude
that this quake was caused by tectonic activity - rumbling in the planet’s interior - and giving them a deeper
understanding about what makes Mars shake, rattle and roll.
• NASA retired InSight in 2022 after four years of operations. In all, InSight’s seismometer instrument
detected 1,319 marsquakes. Earth’s crust - its outermost layer - is divided into immense plates that continually
shift, triggering quakes. The Martian crust is a single solid plate. But that does not mean all is quiet on the
Martian front.
Mars is the fourth planet and the furthest terrestrial planet from the Sun. The reddish color of its
surface is due to finely grained iron(III) oxide dust in the soil, giving it the nickname “the Red Planet”.
Mars’s radius is second smallest among the planets in the Solar System at 3,389.5 km. The Martian dichotomy is
visible on the surface: on average, the terrain on Mars’s northern hemisphere is flatter and lower than its southern
hemisphere. Mars has a thin atmosphere made primarily of carbon dioxide, and two irregularly shaped natural
satellites: Phobos and Deimos. Like the other planets in the Solar System, Mars was formed approximately 4.5
billion years ago. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), unofficially known as Mangalyaan was a space
probe orbiting Mars since 24 September 2014. It was launched on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO). It was India’s first interplanetary mission and it made ISRO the fourth
space agency to achieve Mars orbit, after Roscosmos, NASA, and the European Space Agency. It made
India the first Asian nation to reach the Martian orbit and the first nation in the world to do so on its
maiden attempt.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Declares Dolphin as State Aquatic Animal
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has declared the Gangetic Dolphin as the state
aquatic animal. CM Yogi emphasised the need to maintain the purity of ponds and rivers. These dolphins
are found in rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Chambal, Ghaghra, Rapti, and Gerua.
The Ganges River Dolphin or also called ‘Susu,’ is the National Aquatic Animal of India. It is one of the
National Symbols of India. Gangetic Dolphins are found in the river systems of Ganga, Brahmaputra,
Meghna, and Karnaphuli- Sangu in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh. The reason to declare Ganges River
Dolphin as the National Aquatic Animal of India was to save it from extinction. Also, the Ganges Dolphin
is seen as the reflector of the health of the Ganga River.

Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in
the world. It was created on 1 April 1937 as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh during British rule,
and was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950, giving the acronym UP. The state is divided into 18 divisions and
75 districts with the capital being Lucknow. On 9 November 2000, a new state, Uttarakhand, was carved
out from the state’s Himalayan hill region. The two major rivers of the state, the Ganges and Yamuna,
join at Allahabad and flow further east as Ganges. The state contributes 80 seats to the lower house of
the Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha and 31 seats to the upper house of the Indian Parliament, Rajya
Sabha. Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel is serving as the current Governor of Uttar Pradesh. She also served
as Governor of Madhya Pradesh. She has served as the first female Chief Minister of Gujarat. Yogi
Adityanath is serving as the current Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

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Antarctic sea ice sets new record. Check its impact on global weather, climate
• Scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center have revealed that Antarctic sea ice has
reached an unprecedented wintertime low, setting a new record. This remarkable milestone was achieved
by a significant margin, and the center emphasized that the extent of ice loss is well beyond anything
observed in the 45-year satellite record that commenced in 1979.
• To put this into perspective, the ‘missing’ sea ice measures approximately 386,000 square miles less
than the previous record low recorded in 2022, which is larger than the land area of Egypt. Antarctic
sea ice had only reached a maximum size of 16.96 million square kilometers
Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the
Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the
geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and
has an area of 14,200,000 km2. Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet; with an average
thickness of 1.9 km. Antarctica is governed by about 30 countries, all of which are parties of the 1959
Antarctic Treaty System. According to the terms of the treaty, military activity, mining, nuclear explosions, and
nuclear waste disposal are all prohibited in Antarctica.
Asteroid ‘Dinkinesh’
• NASA’s Lucy spacecraft, on a mission to observe Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids, recently made an unexpected
discovery. It found that the main belt asteroid Dinkinesh, which it was set to fly by, is actually a binary
system of two asteroids bound together. Preliminary analysis suggests that the larger asteroid is about 790
meters wide, while the smaller one is approximately 220 meters in size.
An asteroid is a rocky, metallic, or icy minor planet that orbits within the inner Solar System. Asteroids
are smaller than planets but larger than meteoroids. They can range in size from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf
planet almost 1000 km in diameter. Asteroids are remnants left over from the early formation of our
solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. Most of them can be found orbiting our Sun between Mars
and Jupiter within the main asteroid belt. Asteroids are also known as minor planets or planetoids. The
larger forms of asteroids are also known as planetoids.
Russia’s new nuclear submarine test launches Bulava intercontinental missile
• Russia’s new nuclear-powered submarine Imperator Alexander III carried out a successful test
launch of the Bulava ballistic missile, designed to carry nuclear warheads. Firing a ballistic missile is
the final element of state tests, after which a decision will be made to accept the cruiser into the Navy.
• The intercontinental missile, launched from an underwater position in the White Sea off Russia’s
northern coast, hit a target thousands of kilometres away on the Kamchatka peninsula in the Russian
Far East. The navy has three nuclear-powered submarines of the Borei class in service - one is completing tests
and three more are under construction. The 12-metre (40-foot) long Bulava missile, which has an estimated
range of around 8,000 km (5,000 miles) and can carry up to six nuclear warheads, has become the cornerstone
in the naval part of Russia’s nuclear triad.
Russia or the Russian Federation is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern
Asia. It is the largest country in the world; covering over 17,125,191 square kilometres (6,612,073 sq mi),
consisting of more than one-eighth of the Earth’s inhabited land area, extending to eleven time zones,
and has bordering sixteen sovereign nations, the most of any country in the world. Vladimir Putin is
serving as the current President of Russia since 2012, previously being in the office from 1999 until 2008. He
was also Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. Russian ruble or rouble is the
currency of the Russian Federation. Mikhail Mishustin is serving as Prime Minister of Russia since 16
January 2020.
‘Mika’ becomes world’s first AI human-like robot CEO
• In a groundbreaking move, Hanson Robotics and Dictador, a Polish run company, have appointed the
world’s first humanoid robot CEO named Mika. This innovative project aims to blend advanced artificial
intelligence and machine learning with the unique values of the company. While this development sparks
excitement about the potential of AI in leadership roles, it also raises concerns among workers about job security.
• Mika is a research project between Hanson Robotics and Polish rum company Dictador, who
customized the CEO to represent the company and its unique values. In 2016, Hanson Robotics
unveiled Mika’s sister, Sophia, who once said that she will “destroy humans.” In response to the potential
risks associated with AI, President Biden recently issued an executive order requiring companies to

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 share information on national security risks posed by AI. This move reflects the government’s recognition
of the need to regulate and mitigate potential risks associated with the rapid advancement of AI technology.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the intelligence of machines or software, as opposed to the intelligence of
humans or animals. It is a field of study in computer science that develops and studies intelligent machines. “AI”
may also refer to the machines themselves. AI technology is widely used throughout industry, government
and science. Some high-profile applications are: advanced web search engines (e.g., Google Search),
recommendation systems (used by YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix), understanding human speech (such
as Siri and Alexa), self-driving cars (e.g., Waymo), generative or creative tools (ChatGPT and AI art),
and competing at the highest level in strategy games (such as chess and Go). AI founder John McCarthy agreed,
writing that “Artificial intelligence is not, by definition, simulation of human intelligence”.
QS Asia University Rankings 2024: IIT Bombay ranks 1st in India
• The QS Quacquarelli Symonds has released the QS Asia University Rankings 2024. Peking University
has once again topped the rankings. This year’s list is the biggest so far, including 856 colleges from 25
different places, with 148 being ranked for the first time.
• The University of Hong Kong moves up to the second position, while the National University of Singapore
(NUS) takes the third spot. India has the most number of universities on the list, with 148 featured,
which is 37 more than last year. Following India, Mainland China has 133 and Japan has 96 universities
listed. Myanmar, Cambodia, and Nepal are included in the rankings for the first time. IIT Bombay remains
the top institution in India.
• Alongside it, IIT Delhi, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT
Madras, and the University of Delhi also ranked in the top 100 of the QS Asia University Rankings
2024. In total, 148 institutions from India are listed in these rankings. Peking University has retained its top
position in the QS Asia University Rankings 2024. The list includes 856 colleges from 25 different places, with
148 universities being ranked for the first time.
India successfully test-fires ‘Pralay’ missile off Odisha coast
• India successfully test-fired its surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) ‘Pralay’ from
the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
• The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
‘Pralay’ is a 350-500 km short-range, surface-to-surface missile with a payload capacity of 500-1,000 kg.
‘Pralay’ has been developed for deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC).
Chile becomes 95th member of International Solar Alliance ISA
• Chile has become the 95th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Chile handed over the
Instrument of ISA ratification during the meeting of Ambassador Juan Angulo of Chile with Joint Secretary
(Economic Diplomacy) in Ministry of External Affairs Abhishek Singh in New Delhi.
India’s first AI-focused technology business incubator unveiled in Tamil Nadu
• India’s first AI-focused technology business incubator, ‘AI Venture Factory’ was unveiled by Tamil
Nadu Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The incubator offers extensive support to
start-ups, encompassing seed funding, research and grant allocations, access to seasoned mentors, strategy
refinement for potential clients, and the broadening of global reach. This initiative led by HaiVE, an AI service
platform, is designed to nurture emerging AI-driven ventures within the campus.
As per the latest classification of MSME: 1. Micro enterprises would be those with investments not exceeding
Rs. one crore and turnover of Rs. 5 crore. 2. Small enterprises would be those with investment up to Rs. 10
crore and turnover of up to Rs. 50 crore. 3. Medium enterprises – as those with investments not exceeding
Rs. 50 crore and turnover of Rs. 250 crore.
Webb telescope finds clues about how Earth, other planets formed
• Scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope to make a breakthrough in the search for
understanding how planets are formed. They observed water vapour in distant protoplanetary
discs, the precursor to a planet, confirming a long-proposed theory of how planets are formed.
• Scientists have for long proposed ice-covered pebbles act as the seeds of planet formation. According
to this pebble accretion theory, icy solids that usually inhibit the outer reaches of “protoplanetary discs” enter
the warmer region close to the inner disc. There, they release a lot of cold water vapour. This process is thought
to deliver both water and solids to early planets.

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U.S. approves first vaccine against chikungunya virus
• U.S. health authorities approved the world’s first vaccine for chikungunya, a virus spread by
infected mosquitoes that the Food and Drug Administration called “an emerging global health threat.”
The vaccine, developed by Europe’s Valneva which will be marketed under the name Ixchiq, was approved for
people 18 and over who are at increased risk of exposure.
• Since chikungunya was first identified in Tanzania in 1952, it has been recorded in more than 110
countries, according to the World Health Organization.
Chikungunya is transmitted to humans by the bites of infected female mosquitoes. Most commonly,
the mosquitoes involved are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These two species can also transmit other
mosquito-borne viruses, including dengue. Chikungunya causes fever and severe joint pain, which is often
debilitating and varies in duration.
Chandigarh Smart City launches AI-driven chatbot ‘BIRBAL’ to push ‘ease of living’
• Adopting smarter technology innovations to better citizen centric services, Chandigarh Smart City Limited
(CSCL) has launched a new AI-driven interactive chatbot named ‘BIRBAL’. The new AI backed chatbot
will provide efficient and user-friendly citizen services in the local civic body.
• The new AI chatbot is also equipped to address a wide range of issues, including complaint management,
citizen services, public transport services, online payment services, certificates/forms, health-related queries,
MC budget inquiries, property details, and fire safety certificate requests facilities.
Britain approves world’s first gene therapy Casgevy for sickle cell disease and thalassemia
• The United Kingdom’s drug regulator has approved the world’s first gene therapy treatment for
sickle cell disease and thalassemia. It approved Casgevy for patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia
who are 12 years old and over. Casgevy is made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Ltd. and CRISPR
Therapeutics. To date, bone marrow transplants, an extremely arduous procedure that come with very
unpleasant side effects, have been the only long-lasting treatment. The move can offer relief to thousands of
people with the crippling disease in the UK.
• Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are genetic disorders that affect red blood cells. They both affect
the hemoglobin molecule in red blood cells. The hemoglobin molecule is the protein part of the red blood cell that
binds to oxygen and carries it around the body. Hemoglobin has an alpha chain and a beta chain. The term for
a disease that affects hemoglobin is “hemoglobinopathy.” Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are
both hemoglobinopathies, but that’s where the similarities end. Thalassemias can affect either the
alpha or the beta chain. Sickle cell disease affects only the beta chain.
Gene therapy is a technique which involves the replacement of defective genes with healthy ones in
order to treat genetic disorders. It is an artificial method that introduces DNA into the cells of the human body.
The first gene therapy was successfully accomplished in the year 1989.
IN-SPACe grants authorisation to OneWeb India, takes first step for 24x7 internets in
rural India
• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has authorised the
Eutelsat OneWeb constellation to enable the provisioning of its capacity in India for providing
communication services.
• OneWeb India is part of the Bharti Group, which operates Airtel, and subsidiary of Eutelsat Group.
M/s OneWeb India Communication Private Limited (OneWeb India) is the first company that has been
authorised by IN-SPACe to enable the provisioning of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation
capacity in the country.
Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is an autonomous nodal agency,
approved by the Union Government and will be governed by the Department of Space. This organisation
shall act as a medium between ISRO and the private space sector in India. Under the Indian National
Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, the private parties will be allowed to perform space activities
and use the equipment and facilities of the Department of Space (DoS) for launch manifest. This will
be the first time that the infrastructure and property under the control of the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) will be used by the private sector. IN-SPACe will act as a single-point interface between
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and everyone who wants to participate in space-related
activities, or use India’s space resources.

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 E. Sports
Liberian president’s son Tim Weah scores US’s first world cup goal
• George Weah is the Liberian Imran Khan. A celebrated football star, first African to be become FIFA
player of the year, turned to politics after retirement and became the president in 2017. His son Tim
starred for USA, scoring the goal against Wales.
Ronaldo becomes first male player to score in five FIFA World Cups
• Cristiano Ronaldo creates history as he became the first male player to score in five World Cups
in Portugal’s opening game in Qatar against Ghana. Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 65th minute
from the penalty spot to open the scoring at Doha’s stadium 974, which was also the 118th goal of his
country. His first World Cup goal came in 2006, when he converted a penalty against Iran. 16 years later, it
was destiny that his record breaking goal came courtesy of yet another penalty - this time against Ghana.
Legendary athlete P T Usha becomes first woman President of Indian Olympic
Association
• Former athlete P T Usha has been elected unopposed as the President of the Indian Olympic
Association, IOA. She was the lone contender and was elected after no other nominations were filed till the
deadline. Usha is the first woman to occupy the top job at IOA in its 95-year history and she is also the
first Olympic winner and international medalist to take over the top post. Earlier this year, she was elected
as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.
Canada won First Davis Cup Title after Defeating Australia
• Felix Auger-Aliassime gave Canada an invincible 2-0 lead against Australia in Malaga advancing
his country to its first Davis Cup Finals victory by defeating Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4. Canada made
its debut in the Davis Cup title game in 2019, where Roberto Bautista Agut and Rafael Nadal defeated Auger-
Aliassime and Shapovalov, respectively. Canada came agonisingly close to giving their nations their first Davis
Cup victory that year.
Stéphanie Frappart, the 1st woman referee at men’s World Cup
• Frappart previously was picked for fourth official duties. The 38-year-old Frenchwoman has been
promoted in the men’s game by European soccer body UEFA and in her home country. She refereed
men’s games in World Cup qualifying and the Champions League, and this year’s men’s French Cup final. She
also took charge of the 2019 Women’s World Cup final for FIFA.
Vijay Hazare Trophy Final: Saurashtra beat Maharashtra by 5 wickets
• Saurashtra beat Maharashtra by 5 wickets in the final to win the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Narendra
Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. They restricted Maharashtra at 248/9 in 50 overs as captain Ruturaj
Gaikwad hit a century, scoring 108 off 131 balls after a slow start. Saurashtra bowler Chirag Jani claimed
a hat-trick in the match. Man of the moment is Sheldon Jackson It was Saurashtra’s second title
triumph in history. Player of the match in the final: Sheldon Jackson (133 runs in 135 Balls). Player
of the tournament: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Games: 5; Runs: 660; Avg: 220).
Mirabai Chanu clinches silver at World Championship
• Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu was not at her best due to a wrist injury but still won a silver
medal at the World Championships with a total lift of 200 kg.
Ishan Kishan hammers quickest ODI double century
• Ishan Kishan becomes the fourth Indian to hit the double hundred. He joined Sachin Tendulkar,
Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma in elite list. India batsman Ishan Kishan slammed the quickest
double-century in men’s one-day international with just 126 balls.
• The 24-year-old was recalled to India’s team following injury to captain Rohit Sharma and celebrated
by beating the previous best set by Chris Gayle for West Indies against Zimbabwe in Canberra in
early 2014 by 12 deliveries.
• He is only the fourth Indian player to hit a double century in one-day internationals along with
Rohit, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. Kishan now holds the record for the fifth-highest
score in men’s ODI cricket along with Zaman, 54 runs behind Rohit’s record of 264.
• The left-hander’s innings - his maiden three-figure score on the international scene - plus a 44th hundred in
the format for Virat Kohli helped India to their sixth 400-plus score but their first in eight years. With

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 his ton, Kohli moved ahead of Ricky Ponting with 72 international centuries, the second-highest
tally behind Tendulkar’s record of 100. The second-wicket pair added 290 runs inside 32 overs, in a batting
blitz that went against the grain of a three-match series that Bangladesh secured with back-to-back wins in
Mirpur.
PV Sindhu 12th highest-paid female athlete in world, only Indian and badminton player in
top 25
• India’s badminton star PV Sindhu is the only Indian player in the top 25 in Forbes’ annual list of the
highest-paid female athletes in the world. Sindhu, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist, occupies the 12th
spot in the list.
• Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka tops the list. The 27-year-old made 7 million US Dollars of her
earnings, having won a singles gold and doubles silver at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year
in Birmingham. For the third straight year, Osaka tops Forbes’ annual list of the World’s highest-paid female
athletes. The list is dominated by tennis players once again.
• The list’s Top 10 includes Serena Williams, Emma Raducanu, Iga Swiatek, Venus Williams, Coco
Gauff and Jessica Pegula. For the record, Osaka and Serena are the only two women who are placed in the
Top 50 of Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes.
Badminton is a popular sport in India. It is the second-most played sport in India after Cricket. Badminton
in India is managed by the Badminton Association of India. Indian shuttlers P. V. Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and
the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty are ranked amongst the Top-10 in the current BWF
world rankings. Prakash Padukone was the first player from India to achieve the world no. 1 spot in
the game, after which Srikanth Kidambi became the second male player to make it to the top spot in April 2018.
Prakash Padukone was ranked World No. 1 in 1980; the same year he became the first Indian to win
the All England Open Badminton Championships. Saina Nehwal is the first female player from India
to achieve the world no. 1 spot, which she did in April 2015, and the first Indian badminton player to win a
medal at the Olympic Games. P. V. Sindhu is the first Indian to become the badminton World Champion,
which she achieved in 2019, and the only badminton player from India to win two consecutive medals
at the Olympic Games.

Brazil’s legendary footballer Pele dies

• Brazilian football legend Pele, who won a record three World Cups has passed away at the age of 82.
Widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest players, Pele is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals
in 1,363 appearances during a 21-year career, including 77 goals in 92 matches for his country.
• The only player to win the World Cup three times, lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970, Pele was
named Fifa’s Player of the Century in 2000. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele had
been battling cancer for a while and recently, his health condition worsened during the hospital stay to regulate
his cancer medication, doctors had announced earlier this week.
World’s first stadium that can be moved, transported to another nation
• ‘Stadium 974’ is the first and only stadium in the history of football that can be molded and transported
to another nation. It has been a centre of attraction since the start of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in
Qatar. ‘Stadium 974’ is currently based at Ras Abu Aboud Stadium in Qatar.
• The stadium was designed by Fenwick Iribarren. At first, the name of the stadium was announced as Ras Abu
Aboud Stadium, it was officially renamed ‘Stadium 974’. The stadium will disappear after this as Qatar
which will soon host the Asian Games, the Asian Cup, and possibly even the Olympics and the venue will be
used for those games. The stadium was constructed using 974 recycled shipping containers. It is the
only World Cup stadium in Qatar that does not have air conditioning. The international dialling number for
Qatar is also the name of the stadium, 974.
World Cup champions to get $42 million in prize money
• The World Cup champions will earn $42 million in prize money for their soccer federation. The
losing team in final between France and Argentina will get $30 million from a FIFA prize fund of $440
million. FIFA’s total revenue for the past four years was $7.5 billion, with most from broadcast and
sponsorship deals, plus ticket and hospitality sales.

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Croatia beats Morocco 2-1 to take 3rd place at World Cup
• Luka Modric led Croatia to third place in what was likely the midfield great’s last appearance at
the World Cup. The runners-up from four years ago secured another medal by beating Morocco 2-1 in the
third-place match.
FIFA World Cup 2022 | Lionel Messi wins Golden Ball for best player; Mbappe takes Golden Boot
• Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball for the best player at this year’s World Cup after leading Argentina
to victory in the final against France. Kylian Mbappe came second to Messi for that award but did win
the Golden Boot for the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals.
• Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez won the Golden Glove award while Enzo Fernandez won the Best
Young Player award. Argentina defeated France 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out to win the World Cup for
the third time.
• The 2022 FIFA World Cup was an international football tournament contested by the men’s national
teams of FIFA’s member associations and 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup. It took place in Qatar from
20 November to 18 December 2022, making it the first World Cup held in the Arab world and Muslim world,
and the second held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
• Argentina were crowned the champions after winning the final against the title holder France
4–2 on penalties following a 3–3 draw after extra time. It was Argentina’s third title and their first
since 1986, as well being the first nation from South America to win the tournament since 2002.
French player Kylian Mbappé became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final
since Geoff Hurst in the 1966 final and won the Golden Boot as he scored the most goals (eight) during
the tournament. Argentine captain Lionel Messi was voted the tournament’s best player, winning the
Golden Ball. Teammates Emiliano Martínez and Enzo Fernández won the Golden Glove, awarded
to the tournament’s best goalkeeper, and the Young Player Award, awarded to the tournament’s best
young player, respectively. The tournament, with 172 goals, set a new record for the highest number of goals
scored with the 32 team format.
OneLove armband Controversy: The decision to wear the armband was taken as a mark of protest
against the same-sex relationship (LGBTQ+) laws prevailing in Qatar, which makes homosexuality
illegal. The captains of teams from the Netherlands, England, Switzerland, Belgium, Wales, Denmark and
Germany had planned to wear the ‘OneLove’ armband. The head of Qatar’s World Cup organising committee
has accused teams who wanted to wear the OneLove armband at the World Cup of sending a “very
divisive message” to the Islamic and Arab world. Same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar and while
organisers and Fifa have repeated the message that “everyone is welcome” during the World Cup, it is unclear
whether laws that criminalise acts such as kissing in public have been suspended. The kafala system
used to monitor and regulate migrant labourers, which is used in Qatar and a few other countries, and which
came under heavy criticism in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. The final or the apex
body for the resolution of a sporting dispute is known as the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS)
based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
India to bid for hosting 2036 Olympic Games
• Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur have said India will bid for hosting the Olympic
Games in 2036. Mr Thakur said that government will present a roadmap before the full members of the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) during the IOC session in Mumbai in September 2023. The
minister said that Gujarat already has a world-class sporting infrastructure and Ahmedabad is likely to be the
‘host city’ for the games.
Tata Steel signs MoU with Hockey India as official partner of Men’s Hockey World Cup
• Tata Steel Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hockey India to become
an Official Partner of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. The 15th edition
of the Hockey Men’s World Cup will take place in Bhubaneswar-Rourkela from January 13 to January 29, 2023.
Cape Verde becomes first country to name stadium after Pele
• African Portuguese speaking country Cape Verde became the first country responding to the call made
by FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to name a stadium after Pele. Cape Verde Prime Minister Ulisses
Correia e Silva confirmed their Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde would be renamed after Pele.
“The 15,000-seat stadium, which hosts football matches for the Cape Verde national team, will be called ‘Pele
Stadium’ in honour of the former New York Cosmos player.

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M Pranesh becomes India’s 79th chess Grandmaster
• M Pranesh clinched the title in the Rilton Cup, the first tournament of the FIDE Circuit to become
India’s 79th chess Grandmaster. The 16-year-old Pranesh crossed the 2500-rating threshold and became a
GM, having completed his three norms before the Rilton Cup. To become a GM, a player has to secure three GM
norms and cross the live rating of 2,500 Elo points.
Mascot, torch and anthem of Khelo India Youth Games unveiled in Bhopal
• In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the mascot, torch, and anthem
of Khelo India Youth Games-2022 in a colorful program at Shaurya Smarak in Bhopal. Union Minister
of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nishith Pramanik was the guest of honour.
• The mascot of Khelo India Youth Games 2022 is ‘Asha’. While the theme song is ‘Hindustan Ka Dil
Dhadka Do...’ sung by famous singer Shaan. The torch of Khelo India Youth Games was named
Amarkantak, on which the figure of Maa Narmada is also engraved.
• Madhya Pradesh’s Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Smt. Yashodhara Raje Scindia informed that in this
program various facets of Khelo India will be explained through drone and laser shows. Madhya Pradesh is
hosting the fifth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. In this sports event, to be held from the 30th of
January to the 11th of February, six thousand players will show their sports skills in eight different
cities for 13 days.
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup commences in Cuttack
• FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup got off to a colourful start in the historic Barabati stadium in the
millennium city of Cuttack in Odisha. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Odisha Chief Minister
Naveen Patnaik, International Hockey Federation president Tayyab Ikram and Hockey India
chairman Dilip Tirkey were present at the glittering ceremony. 16 teams are participating in the global
tournament.
• The matches will be held at two venues, Birsa Mundra Hockey Stadium in Rourkela and Kalinga Stadium
in Bhubaneswar, from January 13 to January 29. While 20 matches will be played at Rourkela, 24 matches,
including the final, will be held in Bhubaneswar. The state government has built a new hockey stadium in
Rourkela ahead of the event. Odisha is hosting the international event for the second consecutive
time, the previous one having been held in Bhubaneswar in 2018.
• “Olly,” is the official mascot of the FIH hockey world cup 2023 and is the representative of the 16-team
competition. Olly is the new mascot of the Mascot-verse which has to make to inspired by Olive
Ridley Turtle. Olly is a reflection of the many thousands of miles-per-year olive ridley sea turtle, which is
close to extinction. It is the world’s shortest and most common marine turtle.
• Due to the olive-greenish color of its heart-shaped body, the Olive Ridley turtle receives its name.
The animal, which is among the tiniest sea turtles in the world and can only be found in tropical
areas of the Indian, and Atlantic oceans, is listed as a severely endangered animal. Annually, between the
third week of February and the first week of March, these endangered animals congregate there to lay their
eggs.
The Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup is an international field hockey competition organised by the
International Hockey Federation (FIH). The tournament was started in 1971. It is held every four years,
bridging the four years between the Summer Olympics. Pakistan is the most successful team, having won
the tournament four times. The Netherlands and Australia have each won three titles, and Germany
has won two titles. Belgium and India have both won the tournament once. The 2018 tournament was
held in Bhubaneswar, India from 28 November to 16 December. Belgium defeated Netherlands in a penalty
shoot-out 3–2 after the match ended in a 0–0 draw to win their first World Cup title. The World Cup
expanded to 16 teams in 2018.
MC Mary Kom to lead Oversight Committee to probe allegations against WFI president
• Boxing great MC Mary Kom will lead a five-member Oversight Committee that will probe sexual
harassment charges against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The government-appointed Committee will also run the day-to-day affairs of WFI for the next one month.
Indian trailblazer Sania Mirza bows out of Grand Slam tennis
• Indian trailblazer Sania Mirza bowed out of Grand Slam tennis with defeat in the Australian Open
mixed-doubles final playing alongside Rohan Bopanna – her first playing partner 22 years ago. The
Mirza, regarded as her country’s greatest women’s tennis player, returned to Melbourne Park for one last

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 hurrah and made it all the way to the decider. However, she and her doubles partner Rohan Bopanna were
unable to get over the line, losing 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 to Brazilian pair Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos.
• Mirza first appeared at a Grand Slam tournament 18 years ago in Melbourne, when she was beaten
by eventual 2005 champion Serena Williams in a third-round match. “Rohan was my first-ever mixed-
doubles partner at [age] 14 and we won the nationals,” said Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam champion, three
in women’s doubles and three in mixed.
Sania Mirza is an Indian professional tennis player. A former doubles world No. 1, she won six major
titles – three in women’s doubles and three in mixed doubles. From 2003 until her retirement from singles
in 2013, she was ranked by the Women’s Tennis Association as the Indian No. 1 in singles. Throughout
her career, Mirza has established herself as one of the most known, highest-paid, and influential athletes in India.
England’s Ben Stokes and Nat Sciver win ICC annual awards
• England Test captain Ben Stokes and England all-rounder Nat Sciver are among the winners in the
International Cricket Council’s annual awards.
• All-rounder Stokes has been named Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year while Sciver won the Rachael
Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. Sciver is also named Women’s one-day
international (ODI) Cricketer of the Year.
• Full list of ICC winners: Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year: Ben Stokes, England
• Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Babar Azam, Pakistan
• Men’s T20 Cricketer of the Year: Suryakumar Yadav, India
• Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Marco Jansen, South Africa
• Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy: Babar Azam, Pakistan
• Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy: Nat Sciver, England
• Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Nat Sciver, England
• Women’s T20 Cricketer of the Year: Tahlia McGrath, Australia
• Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Renuka Singh, India
Novak Djokovic beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to win 10th Australian Open
• In Tennis, Novak Djokovic beats Stefanos Tsitsipas to win his 10th Australian Open. Djokovic equals
Rafael Nadal’s men’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles and the Serb will now world number one.
Tsitsipas is still waiting for first major title.
• Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player. He is currently ranked world No. 1 in
singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), and has held the top position for a record total 374
weeks, finishing as the year-end No. 1 an Open Era record seven times. He has won a total of 93 singles
titles on the ATP Tour, comprising a joint-record 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, a record 10
Australian Open titles, a record 38 Masters titles, a joint-record 6 Tour Finals titles, and a record 66
Big Titles. Djokovic has completed a non-calendar year Grand Slam in singles, becoming the only
man in tennis history to be the reigning champion of the four majors at once across three different
surfaces. He is also the first man in the Open Era to achieve a double Career Grand Slam in singles and the
only player to complete the career Golden Masters in singles by winning all of the nine Masters
tournaments, which he has done twice.
R Ashwin becomes only second Indian after Anil Kumble to scalp 450 or more Test wickets
• Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has gone past 450 wickets in Test matches during the first
Test between India and Australia on day-1 at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Ashwin is
now the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of Indian cricket behind legendary leg-spinner
Anil Kumble.
P T Usha became the first nominated member in the history of the Rajya Sabha
• Legendary athlete and MP P T Usha chaired a Rajya Sabha session for the first time since she was
included in the panel of Vice-Chairman of the House last year. This came as House chairman and Vice-
President Jagdeep Dhankhar was absent for the proceedings earlier in the day. Sprint queen P T Usha was
nominated to the Rajya Sabha in July last year along with music maestro Ilaiyaraaja, acclaimed
screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad, and philanthropist and spiritual leader Veerendra Heggade.

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Chess: Vignesh and Visakh NR become India’s first brothers to become Grandmasters
• India’s chess player Vignesh NR has become India’s 80th Grandmaster after he defeated Germany’s IM
Ilja Schneider and won the 24th NordWest Cup 2023 at Bad Zwischenahn in Germany.
• The Chennai boy reached the milestone after crossing 2500 in the live ratings. Vignesh’s elder brother Visakh
NR had become India’s 59th GM in 2019. Thus, Visakh and Vignesh become India’s first brothers who
are Grandmasters.
Akshdeep Singh, Priyanka Goswami win National Race Walking Championships; Qualify
for 2024 Paris Olympics
• Akshdeep Singh and Priyanka Goswami have won the National Race Walking Championships. With
this, both have qualified for this year’s World Championships and next year’s Olympics in Paris.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated race walkers, Akshdeep Singh and Priyanka Goswami
on winning National Race Walking Championships. Mr. Modi also extended best wishes to them for their
upcoming endeavours.
India wins Women’s U19 T20 World Cup; defeat England by 7 wickets in final
• India’s quest for a maiden world title in women’s cricket finally came to an end when they defeated
England by seven wickets in a low-scoring finale to emerge as the winner of the inaugural ICC U19
Women’s T20 World Cup at the JB Marks Oval.
• Nearly 18 years after India first made it to the final of a World Cup through the 50-over event in 2005, Shafali
Verma and Co produced a superb bowling performance coupled with some outstanding fielding
to bowl out England for just 68. This is also the first time that the Indian women’s team has won a
World Cup title at any level.
Saurashtra lift Ranji Trophy title, thrashing Bengal by 9 wickets
• Saurashtra defeated Bengal by 9 wickets at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, to lift the Ranji Trophy title for
the second time in their history.
5th Khelo India Youth Games: Maharashtra ranks first in medal table; Madhya Pradesh 2nd,
Haryana 3rd
• Khelo India Youth Games 2023, the fifth edition of the flagship event under the Indian government’s
Khelo India initiative, concluded on February 11, 2023.
• A total of 11 venues spread across eight cities in Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi hosted the different
KIYG 2023 events. Over 5,000 athletes, representing the 36 states and Union Territories of India, competed
for 973 medals - 295 gold, 295 silver and 383 bronze - in 27 sports at the Khelo India Youth Games 2023.
• Maharashtra won the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 title after topping the medals tally with 56
gold medals, 55 silvers and 50 bronze. Last edition’s champions Haryana finished second with 41 golds, 32
silvers and 55 bronze.
• The scale of the Khelo India Youth Games went up from last year with fencing and water sports
(canoeing, kayaking and slalom) being added to the 25-sport list from the last edition.
• The Khelo India Youth Games is structured like a team championships, where medals won by each
athlete or team count towards their respective State or Union Territory’s medals tally. At the end of the event,
the State or UT with the highest number of gold medals is declared the winner.
• Haryana topped the Khelo India Youth Games medals table in the inaugural edition in 2018, then
called the Khelo India School Games, but Maharashtra clinched the KIYG title in 2019 and 2020.
• In this edition, hosts Madhya Pradesh fielded the largest contingent (474 athletes) find came in
third with 39 gold, 30 silver and 27 bronze medals.
• In the Canoe slalom event held at Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh made a clean sweep and won all
four gold medals. On the other hand, girls from Arunachal Pradesh won two gold medals in weightlifting.
Lionel Messi was adjudged the best men’s player in the FIFA award ceremony
• Lionel Messi was adjudged the best men’s player in the FIFA award ceremony but his arch rival Cristiano
Ronaldo, who did not make it to the shortlist, abstained from casting his votes for this year’s event. The winner
is decided after votes from select national team captains and coaches and Ronaldo, who captained Portugal on
136 occasions, was expected to be part of the process.

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• However, FIFA confirmed that after the World Cup in 2022 where Ronaldo was more or less relegated to the bench,
longtime teammate Pepe took up the responsibility of voting in place of the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner. Messi
edged Kylian Mbappé again, this time to take FIFA’s best men’s player award. After steering Argentina
to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbappé’s France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player
vote against Mbappe and Karim Benzema to secure the FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years.
• The Best FIFA Football Awards is a football award presented annually by the sport’s governing body,
FIFA. The first awarding ceremony was held on 9 January 2017 in Zurich, Switzerland. The award is
aimed at reviving the FIFA World Player Gala.
The Federation internationale de football association (FIFA) is the international governing body of
association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded in 1904 to oversee international competition
among the national associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and
Switzerland. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, its membership now comprises 211 national
associations. Gianni Infantino is a Swiss football administrator and the current president of FIFA.
Sayantan Das becomes India’s 81st Grandmaster
• Sayantan Das became India’s 81st Chess Grandmaster as well as the 11th player from West Bengal to
bag the honour after he crossed the 2500-mark in live ratings and won the Cannes Open with a score of 7.5
out of 9. The had achieved his final GM norm in 2017 but had to wait 6 years to cross the 2500-mark in order to
become a grandmaster.
A life-sized statue of Tendulkar at the Wankhede
• The Mumbai Cricket Association is coming up with a ‘special gift’ for cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar,
who will celebrate his 50th birthday on April 24 this year. In a unique gesture, the MCA will erect a life-
size statue of Tendulkar inside the Wankhede stadium.
• The cricket icon’s journey started here under childhood coach Ramakant Achrekar, and it was at this very
venue that he won the World Cup with India in 2011. He also bid adieu to cricket at the same ground,
by playing in his landmark 200th Test against the West Indies in 2013.
Savlon names Sachin Tendulkar as world’s first ‘Hand Ambassador’ for Swasth India Mission
• Savlon revealed the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar as its world’s first ‘Hand Ambassador’ for its
Swasth India Mission. Master Blaster, who is respected throughout the world for his enormous contributions
to the game of cricket, has motivated generations with his numerous firsts in the sport’s history.
• He now devotes his prized hands to a unique cause as a ‘Hand Ambassador’ in yet another first, hoping to
encourage billions of people to properly wash their hands. With creative experiences and projects, ITC’s Savlon
Swasth India Mission has been at the leading edge of encouraging a change in behaviour towards
hand hygiene.
At 23, swimmer Prabhat Koli youngest to complete Oceans Seven challenge
• Mumbai-based Prabhat Koli became the youngest swimmer to finish the difficult Oceans Seven
challenge. He “successfully” swam across The Cook Strait in New Zealand. He completed his race in eight
hours and 41 minutes to cross the 28-km water stretch in bad weather.
Gianni Infantino re-elected FIFA president
• Gianni Infantino was re-elected FIFA president by acclaim through 2027, after suggesting the financial
results under his leadership would keep an industry CEO in the job for life. Infantino had no election opponent
and won by acclaim instead of a formal vote by the congress of 211 member federations whose basic annual
funding from FIFA has risen from $250,000 to $2 million since his first win in 2016.
Tennis: India’s Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden of Australia win Men’s Doubles title
at Indian Wells Masters in California, US
• In Tennis, Indian Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden of Australia have won the Indian Wells
doubles title in California, United States. The unseeded team of Bopanna and Ebden defeated top-seeded
pair of Dutch players Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski from Great Britain.
Australia lift ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy beating South Africa by 19 runs in Cape
Town
• In Women’s Cricket, Australia have lifted the ICC T20 World Cup Trophy for the sixth time. In the Final
match they defeated South Africa by 19 runs at Newlands, Cricket Ground in Cape Town.

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• Their victory means Australia have now won six Women’s T20 World Cup titles, and they have completed
a ‘three-peat’ under the captaincy of Meg Lanning, winning in 2018, 2020 and now 2023.
• Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner is the winner of the ICC Player of the Tournament award thanks to her
stunning all-round efforts during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.
• The 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was the eighth edition of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
tournament. It was held in South Africa between 10 February and 26 February 2023. The final took place
at Cape Town. Australia won their sixth and third consecutive title after beating the hosts South Africa in the
final by 19 runs.
Delhi Capitals joins hands with Satya Nadella to own Major League Cricket team in U.S.
• IPL side Delhi Capitals has joined hands with Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella to own
and “operate” the Seattle franchise in the Major League Cricket (MLC), a new T20 franchise league
in the USA. India can look beyond the bottom line and decide which way the game goes. The team has been
named Seattle Orcas. Orca is a killer whale found in the ocean around Seattle. The league is scheduled to be
launched this July. IPL’s most successful teams — Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings — are
also associated with the new league.
Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals to clinch inaugural WPL title.
• Mumbai Indians defeat Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets to win the inaugural edition of Women’s Premier
League.
Archery World Cup 2023: India’s Jyothi Surekha Vennam equals qualification world
record
• Indian archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam equalled the world record score in the women’s compound
event qualification round at the Archery World Cup 2023 stage 1 in Antalya, Turkey. The 26-year-old
Jyothi Surekha Vennam scored 713 points from a maximum possible 720 to vault to the top of the
standings in the season-opening Archery World Cup. The world No. 11 Indian archer matched Colombia’s Sara
Lopez’s record set at the 2015 Colombian National selections. The effort also broke the Asian record of 709, held
by Korea’s So Chaewon at the 2017 Asian championships in Dhaka.
FIFA Men’s World Ranking
• The FIFA Men’s World Ranking is a ranking system for men’s national teams in association football,
led by Argentina as of April 2023. The teams of the men’s member nations of FIFA, football’s world governing
body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest. The
rankings were introduced in December 1992, and eight teams (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) have held the top position, of which Brazil have spent
the longest ranked first. The Indian men’s football team has climbed up five places in the recent
FIFA World Rankings and are now ranked 101st. Brazil has won more FIFA World Cup titles than
any other country, with a total of five. Meanwhile, Germany and Italy rank joint-second, with four titles
each. Argentina, winners of the 2022 tournament, have won three World Cups.
Qatar to host 2027 World Cup in men’s basketball
• Qatar is going to host another World Cup. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) picked Qatar
to host the 2027 edition of its marquee men’s World Cup.
Neeraj Chopra wins Doha Diamond League with world-leading 88.67 m throw in 2023
• Neeraj Chopra finished first at the Doha Diamond League, the first of the series of top-tier track
and field events. He was not able to go past the 90 m mark but came up with the world-leading throw of the
season - 88.67m. This is the third time Neeraj has topped the field at the Diamond League after the win
in Lausanne in August 2022 and the Diamond League Final victory in Zurich.
Neeraj Chopra is a track and field athlete from India. He is the reigning Olympic champion, silver
medalist in the World Championship, and the Diamond League champion in Javelin throw. He is the
first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in Men’s Javelin throw. A Junior Commissioned Officer
(JCO) in the Indian Army, Chopra is the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for India at
the Olympics. He is also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the IAAF World U20
Championships, where in 2016 he achieved a world under-20 record throw of 86.48 m, becoming the first
Indian athlete to set a world record.

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Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes’ 2023 highest-paid athletes list after Saudi move
• Cristiano Ronaldo became the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side
Al-Nassr nearly doubled his annual playing salary while Paris St Germain duo Lionel Messi and Kylian
Mbappe round off the top three, according to Forbes.
• Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi soccer club on a deal until 2025 after leaving Manchester United
last year, earned $136 million with Forbes saying his annual playing salary went up to an estimated $75
million. Ronaldo’s contract has been estimated by media to be worth more than 200 million euros ($219.98
million). PSG forward Messi, 35, was next on the list after bringing home a combined $130 million while club
team mate and France captain Mbappe – the youngest on the list at 24 – earned $120 million to sit third. PSG
are owned by Qatar Sports Investments.
Lionel Messi wins Laureus World Sportsman of the year 2023, Becomes first footballer to
clinch it twice
• Lionel Messi added yet another feather in the cap, when the World Cup winning Argentine captain
clinched his second Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in Paris. The Laureus World Sports
Awards is a prestigious annual recognition given to honour sporting individuals and teams. Leo Messi is now
the only footballer in history to clinch two Player of the Year recognitions.
The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sporting awards. First held in 2000, the annual
event honours the greatest and most inspirational sporting triumphs of the year and showcases the work of
Laureus Sport for Good. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award. Roger Federer (5 times)
has received this award, the maximum number of times compared to others followed by Usain Bolt (4
times) and Novak Djokovic (4 times).
Neeraj Chopra becomes first Indian track & field athlete to be ranked World No.1
• Reigning Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra scripted history when he became the new World No.1
Javelin thrower. The ace Javelin thrower Chopra has become the first Indian track and field athlete to be
crowned World No.1.
Barcelona wins La Liga for 1st time since 2019, 27th overall
• Barcelona won its first Spanish league title after the departure of Lionel Messi with a 4-2 victory
against Espanyol. Robert Lewandowski scored twice to lead the Catalan club to its first league title since
2019.
PM Modi inaugurates 3rd Khelo India University games in Lucknow
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that in the last 9 years, a new era of games has begun in the country and
it is not just for making the country a power in sports but also for social change. The Prime Minister was
speaking at the opening ceremony of the 3rd Khelo India University games in Lucknow.
Lionel Messi joins Inter Miami
• Lionel Messi will sign for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, choosing the United States as his
next destination over a Barcelona reunion or blockbuster deal to play in Saudi Arabia. Messi is
a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and is expected to earn the individual accolade once more after leading
Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in December 2022.
• Inter Miami, co-owned by former England international David Beckham and founded in 2018, sacked
coach Phil Neville with the team bottom of the Eastern Conference — with Argentine Javier Morales taking
over on an interim basis.
Lionel Messi also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for
Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the
greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards and a record six European
Golden Shoes, and in 2020 he was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream Team. Until leaving the club in 2021,
he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 34 trophies,
including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and the UEFA Champions League four times.
With his country, he won the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He also has the most
international goals by a South American male (103). Messi has scored over 800 senior career goals for club
and country, and has the most goals by a player for a single club (672).

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Japan’s Tokito Oda makes men’s history with wheelchair victory at French Open, De
Groot wins women’s final
• Japanese teenager Tokito Oda won the French Open wheelchair final to become the youngest man
to win a Grand Slam tournament in any discipline, while Diede De Groot won the women’s final
for her 18th major singles title. The 17-year-old Oda was seeded second and beat top-seeded Alfie Hewett
of Britain 6-1, 6-4 on Court Philippe Chatrier for his first major title. The International Tennis Federation
confirmed Oda’s record, which excludes juniors, and listed his age as 17 years, 33 days.
Mahasweta Ghosh became the first Indian woman to complete Marathon Des Sables
• Mahasweta Ghosh became the first Indian woman to complete the Marathon Des Sables. This
marathon is known to be the toughest race in the world.
Iga Swiatek survives scare to beat Karolina Muchova in three epic sets, becomes first
woman to defend French Open title in 16 years
• World number one Iga Swiatek defended her Roland Garros crown by outclassing unseeded Karolina
Muchova in the 2023 women’s singles final. The 22-year-old Swiatek secured a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win over
Muchova of the Czech Republic to become the youngest women’s player to clinch consecutive titles
at the French Open since Monica Seles (1990, 1991, 2002). Swiatek also joined Seles and Naomi Osaka as
the only women in the Open Era to clinch each of their first four Grand Slam finals.
• The French Open also known as Roland-Garros is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks
at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, beginning in late May each year. The tournament and
venue are named after the French aviator Roland Garros. The French Open is the premier clay court
championship in the world and the only Grand Slam tournament currently held on this surface.
It is chronologically the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments, occurring after the
Australian Open and before Wimbledon and the US Open.
French Open final | Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd Grand Slam title by beating Casper
Ruud
• Novak Djokovic won his men’s-record 23rd Grand Slam title with a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Casper
Ruud in the French Open final. Djokovic, from Serbia, broke a tie with rival Rafael Nadal for the most major
singles trophies in the history of men’s tennis, which dates to the 1800s. Only Margaret Court holds more
Grand Slams titles in singles tennis all-time (men’s and women’s), with 24.
Chennai Super Kings win IPL 2023 beating defending champions Gujarat Titans by 5
wickets
• Chennai Super Kings won its 5th IPL title by defeating defending champions Gujarat Titans by 5
wickets in the rain-interrupted match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Chennai Super Kings
(CSK) emerged victorious, equalling the record set by the Mumbai Indians for the most IPL titles
(5). Shubman Gill holds the 2023 IPL Orange Cap with 890 runs in seventeen matches which includes 4
fifties and 3 centuries. Gujarat’s Mohammed Shami won the Purple Cap in IPL 2023. Shami has taken
28 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 8.03.
Australia create history, become first team to win ICC world titles in all three formats
• Australia created history after beating India in the final of the World Test Championship 2021-23
at the Oval in London as they became the first men’s team in the history of international cricket to
win the International Cricket Council (ICC) world titles in all three formats of the game. Australia
emerged as the new world champions in Tests after thrashing India by 209 runs in the final. This is also their
9th ICC Trophy in total. India bundled out 234 runs chasing 444 runs in the final. Travis Head (163 off 174
balls in 1st innings, 18 off 27 balls in 2nd innings) won the Man of the Match award. Australia won
the ICC Test Championship mace for the first time, and was also awarded the cash prize of US$1.6
million, while India won US$800,000.
Goa CM Pramod Sawant launches mascot for upcoming 37th National Games
• Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant launched the mascot for the upcoming 37th National
Games. The launch ceremony was held at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao.
• It was organized by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Sports Authority of Goa and held on
the occasion of the Goa Revolution Day. Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched mascot named
‘Moga’ which represents an Indian bison, for the upcoming 37th National Games.

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• The 2023 National Games of India, also known as the 37th National Games of India and informally as Goa
2023, will be the 37th edition of the national games of India and held in various locations in the state
of Goa. Earlier Goa was the host for 36th edition but due COVID-19 surge in the state Goa declared inability to
host such multi sports events.
Neeraj Chopra wins second straight Diamond League title in Lausanne
• Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra clinched the prestigious Diamond League title for the second
consecutive time by throwing his spear to 87.66m but the coveted 90m mark eluded the star Indian
javelin thrower yet again. Coming back from a one-month injury lay-off, Chopra’s title-winning performance
at the Lausanne leg in challenging conditions was below his own top-10 efforts but he still stamped his authority
in the prestigious One-day meet. Chopra, who had skipped three top events due to a muscle strain he sustained
last month, had won the season-opening Diamond League in Doha with his fourth career-best throw of 88.67m.
R Ashwin creates history, becomes first Indian bowler to dismiss a father and son duo in
Test cricket
• Ravichandran Ashwin achieved a unique feat in his illustrious Test career when he became the first
Indian and only the fifth bowler in world cricket to dismiss both the father and son in Test matches
during the opening day of the first Test against West Indies in Roseau, Dominica. Ashwin, who made his Test
debut in 2011, had previously dismissed Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s father, Shivnarine Chanderpaul,
during Ashwin’s maiden appearance in Test cricket.
Tennis: Marketa Vondrousova defeats Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-4 to clinch women’s title at
Wimbledon
• Marketa Vondrousova became the first unseeded player to win the women’s singles at Wimbledon.
Czech Marketa Vondrousova stunned Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-4 on July 15 to become the first
unseeded player in the professional era to win the Wimbledon women’s singles title. Jabeur was bidding to
become the first Arab player to win a Grand Slam title and the first African woman to lift one of the
four major trophies.
Wimbledon 2023 | Carlos Alcaraz gets the better of a fighting Novak Djokovic in a
memorable final
• Carlos Alcaraz defeated seven-time champion Novak Djokovic to claim his first Wimbledon title
shattering the Serb’s dream of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown. World No. 1 Alcaraz recovered
from dropping the first set and saving a set point in the second to win 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 after four hours
and 42 minutes on Centre Court.
• It was a second major for the 20-year-old Spaniard following his US Open title last year as he became
Wimbledon’s third youngest men’s champion. The result will also spark feverish speculation over the start
of a generational shift, with 36-year-old Djokovic carrying the torch of the ‘Big Three’ now that Roger Federer
is retired and Rafael Nadal is sidelined, perhaps permanently.
West Indies fail to qualify for 2023 ODI World Cup
• West Indies have failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup after losing to Scotland in the Super
Six stage of the ongoing World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. Only the two finalists of that tournament
make it to the World Cup in India later this year, and West Indies now can’t reach the final. They were
champions of the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, and runners-up in 1983; the 13th edition of the
competition will be the first without the team from the Caribbean.
India beat Kuwait 5-4 in penalty shootout to win SAFF Championships title for 9th time
• Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu made the difference once again as he saved a crucial penalty kick in the
summit clash to help India beat Kuwait 5-4 in the shootout and clinch SAFF Championships title for
the ninth time. Chhangte, was named AIFF Men’s Player of the Year was not to be denied a second
time in the 39th minute.
• Sunil Chhetri is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both Indian
Super League club Bengaluru and the India national team. He is known for his link-up play, goal scoring
abilities, and leadership. He is the third-highest international goalscorer among active players, behind only
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, fourth overall, and is also the most-capped player and the all-time
top goalscorer of the India national team.

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Lord Hanuman chosen as Asian Athletics Championships official mascot in Thailand
• The 2023 Asian Athletics Championships which began in Thailand have chosen revered Hindu god
Hanuman as the official mascot for this year’s event. The event, dubbed as ‘Asia’s biggest track and field’
meet is being held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the continental governing body.
Duleep Trophy final | South Zone beats West Zone by 75 runs to clinch title
• South Zone applied the finishing touches to their superiority across the last four days, defeating
West Zone by 75 runs to clinch the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru. This was South’s 14th title win in the
Duleep Trophy, and they will also count this as a sweet revenge. In the 2022 final, west had beaten South by
294 runs.
Aditi Gopichand makes history, gives India its first-ever individual gold medal at World
Archery Championships
• Indian archer Aditi Gopichand Swami made history giving India its first-ever individual gold
medal in the history of the World Archery Championships at the ongoing edition of the tournament
in Berlin. Aditi, who is a Khelo India athlete earned the title of ‘World Champion’ in the women’s individual
compound archery by defeating Mexico’s Andrea Beccera in the final by 149-147 in a thrilling title clash. The
Sports Authority of India (SAI) acknowledged Aditi’s accomplishment through their Twitter handle.
Ronaldo wins first title at Al-Nassr with brace in Arab Club Champions Cup final
• Cristiano Ronaldo guided 10-man Al-Nassr to their first-ever Arab Club Champions Cup title after
scoring twice in a 2-1 extra-time win over fellow Saudi side Al-Hilal. Ronaldo failed to land a trophy last
season after his move to Al-Nassr, who finished runners-up in the Saudi Pro League, but the Ronaldo scored
six times in the tournament to finish as its top scorer en route to the title. The tournament is played
by top Arab clubs in the region and included teams from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq,
Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.
India’s Praggnanandhaa finishes 2nd after valiant fight with World No 1 Magnus Carlsen
• After three days and four games of intensely nervy chess across two formats, Magnus Carlsen finally managed
to win the FIDE World Cup for the first time in his career. He defeated India’s Praggnanandhaa in
the final, but not before the 18-year-old teenage prodigy had dragged him through the tie-breaker.
• Pragg, who turned 18 during the World Cup, was the youngest World Cup finalist ever, and is the
youngest World Cup winner. Pragg is also the lowest seed to make the final of the World Cup. Praggnanandhaa
became the third youngest player after the legendary Bobby Fischer and Carlsen to qualify for the Candidates
tournament.
Infosys signs tennis legend Rafael Nadal as ambassador for 3 years
• Bengaluru-based tech-giant Infosys signed Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal as its ambassador
for a three-year period. Nadal’s first collaboration with the company will be in the development of an AI-
powered match analysis tool. Infosys has pioneered video and stats analysis platforms for players and coaches
to revolutionize training, bolstered match analysis with AI-assisted journalism platforms for broadcasters to
post engaging content and introduced new ways for fans to engage with the game.
Asia’s oldest football tournament Durand Cup to begin
• Asia’s oldest football tournament Durand Cup will begin. A total of 43 matches will be played across four
venues in Assam and West Bengal, which include Guwahati, Kokrajhar and Kolkata. The Durand Cup will
feature 24 teams. The roster includes teams from the Indian Super League, I-League and the Armed Forces.
Army teams from Nepal and Bangladesh have also been included this season.
Spain wins its first Women’s World Cup title, beating England 1-0 in the final
• Spain won its first Women’s World Cup title less than a year after a player rebellion, holding off
England 1-0 after Olga Carmona’s first-half goal. Spain’s first major international trophy made it the first
European team to win the Women’s World Cup since Germany in 2007. The nine FIFA Women’s World
Cup tournaments have been won by five national teams. The United States have won four times.
• Japanese player Hinata Miyazawa won the Golden Boot scoring five goals throughout the tournament.
Spanish player Aitana Bonmatí was voted the tournament’s best player, winning the Golden
Ball, whilst Bonmatí’s teammate Salma Paralluelo was awarded the Young Player Award. England
goalkeeper Mary Earps won the Golden Glove, awarded to the best performing goalkeeper of the
tournament.

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IDFC First acquires title sponsorship rights for all of Team India’s home matches
• IDFC FIRST Bank has bagged the title rights for home international series of the Board of Control
for Cricket in India (BCCI), announced the Indian cricket board, adding the private lender would pay a sum
of Rs.4.2 crore per international game. IDFC First will be the Title Sponsor for all international matches
(both women and men), domestic cricket matches like the Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and Ranji Trophy
organized by the BCCI as also all junior cricket (Under 19 and 23) matches, held in India.
Neeraj Chopra becomes first Indian to win gold at World Athletics Championships
• Neeraj Chopra, in a historic moment for Indian athletics, clinched the gold medal in the men’s
javelin throw event at the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. The ‘golden
boy of Indian athletics’ etched his name in history by becoming the first-ever Indian athlete to secure a gold
medal at this prestigious championship.
• Displaying exceptional prowess, he recorded a stellar throw of 88.17 meters during his second attempt,
solidifying his dominance throughout the event. This outstanding performance not only secured the gold medal
for Neeraj but also established him as a trailblazer for Indian sports on the global stage.
Novak Djokovic, no longer chasing history but making his own, wins 24th Grand Slam at
US Open after war of attrition
• Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his fourth U.S. Open and a record-
equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, avenging his loss to the Russian in the final two years ago. Djokovic
won to become the oldest men’s champion in New York in the Open era and match Margaret Court’s all-time
mark for most Grand Slam victories.
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1 in singles
by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Djokovic has been ranked No. 1 for a record total of 392
weeks in a record 12 different years, and finished as the year-end No. 1 a record seven times. Djokovic has
won an all-time record 24 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open
titles. Overall, he has won 96 singles titles, including a record 69 Big Titles (24 majors, a record 39
Masters, and a joint-record six ATP Finals). Djokovic is the only man in tennis history to be the reigning
champion of all four majors at once across three different surfaces. In singles, he is the only man to achieve
a triple Career Grand Slam, and the only player to complete a career Golden Masters, a feat he has achieved twice.
Cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur among 3 Indians on TIME100 NEXT 2023 list of emerging leaders
• Three Indians, including cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur, were named by TIME magazine as the top
100 emerging leaders shaping the world. The ‘2023 TIME100 Next: the Emerging Leaders Shaping the
World’ list, released featured three Indians, Kaur, Nandita Venkatesan and Vinu Daniel. It also featured
Indian-origin Nabarun Dasgupta.
• Indian-origin scientist Dasgupta helped launch a programme through a nonprofit that cleared
bottlenecks stopping the opioid-overdose-reversing drug naloxone from getting to the front lines.
• After creating new supply arrangements and buying the treatment in bulk, the organisation distributed over
1.6 million doses across the country in the past year, helping end a life-threatening drug shortage. Indian-
origin scientist Dasgupta helped launch a programme through a nonprofit that cleared bottlenecks
stopping the opioid-overdose-reversing drug naloxone from getting to the front lines.
Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Diamond League Final
• Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra failed to defend his Diamond League
champion’s title as he finished second with a modest performance of 83.80 m. Jakub Vadlejch of
Czech Republic became the Diamond League champion for the third time with a best throw of 84.24
m which came in his sixth and final attempt. He was leading the six-man field from the beginning following his
first round effort of 84.01 m. He had become only the third javelin thrower in history to hold both the
Olympic and World Championships crowns after winning the worlds title in Budapest with a throw
of 88.17 m. Just a few days after winning the World Championships title, he competed in the Zurich DL leg on
August 31 when he finished second behind Vadlejch.
India seal fifth U-19 World Cup win after clinching tense final
• India’s dominance in U-19 World Cups is unrivalled. They added another trophy to their cabinet, another
silverware to reaffirm the strength of India’s age-group programmes in beating England by four
wickets in a tense final in Antigua.

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Leander Paes becomes first Asian man to be nominated as a player to International
Tennis Hall of Fame
• Legendary Leander Paes, the multiple Grand Slam champion made history as he became the first
Asian male nominee for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category. The 50-year-old
Paes is one of the six nominees for the Class of 2024.
• He will be vying for this prestigious honor alongside fellow nominees Cara Black, Ana Ivanovic, Carlos
Moya, Daniel Nestor, and Flavia Pennetta in the Player Category. Li Na, the Chinese player who won
the women’s singles title at Australian Open and French Open, became the first Asian player to get nominated
to the ITHF in 2019.
US to host ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for first time
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) said that the US will host a Men’s T20 World Cup for the first
time. The ICC confirmed Dallas as the host for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and New York and Florida
have been chosen as the venues for the event.
• The Grand Prairie in Dallas, Broward County in Florida, and Nassau County in New York have been
chosen as the venues. Several other venues have been identified for pre-event matches and training including
George Mason University in Washington, the home for Major League Cricket (MLC) team Washington Freedom.
• USA and West Indies were selected as co-hosts for the global tournament back in November 2021,
when the ICC Board awarded them the hosting rights. The venues were chosen following an extensive evaluation
of several options.
Indian Women’s Cricket team defeat Sri Lanka in final to clinch first-ever Asian Games
gold medal in Hangzhou
• The Indian Women’s Cricket Team made the country proud by securing gold at the Asian Games,
being held in Hangzhou, China. Women in Blue beat Sri Lanka in a closely fought final match. With this medal,
India’s total tally has risen to 11 medals- two gold, three silver, and six bronze in the Asian Games so far. This
is India’s first gold medal in the sport at the Asian Games.
E-sports at the Asian Games
• In 2023, E-sports has been included at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, as a medal event
— a first at a major multi-sporting event. A total of seven competing events feature; Arena of Valor Asian
Games Version, Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA Online 4, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile Asian
Games Version and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. India however, has only named their 15-member
squad across four of the seven; League of Legends, Dota 2, FIFA and Street Fighter.
The 2022 Asian Games officially the 19th Asian Games also known as Hangzhou 2022 is a continental
multi-sport event currently being held from 23 September to 8 October 2023 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Province, China. The games marked the 110th anniversary since the creation of the first continental
event, starting with the 1913 Far Eastern Championship Games. Originally scheduled to take place from 10 to 25
September 2022, on 6 May 2022 the Games were postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new dates
were announced on 19 July 2022. Hangzhou is the third Chinese city to host the Asian Games, after Beijing in 1990
and Guangzhou in 2010. The slogan for the 19th Asian Games is “Heart to Heart, @Future”, reflecting the
ability of the digital age to connect people from all over the continent through the Asian Games. The three mascots
of the Games, Congcong, Lianlian and Chenchen, known collectively as the “Memories of Jiangnan”,
Jiangnan refers to roughly China’s eastern regions south of the Yangtze River) whose name derives from
the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi’s famous sentence “When I recall Jiangnan, Hangzhou brings back most of my
memories.”
PM Modi inaugurated the country’s first high-tech sports training centre for Divyangjan
• On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the country’s
first high-tech sports training centre for Divyangjan, named after former Prime Minister Shri Atal
Bihari Vajpayee, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. He expressed admiration for persons with disabilities
and highlighted that previous government did not pay attention to them and this Government is committed
for Divyangjan. This initiative aims to provide equal opportunities in sports, enhance talent, and encourage
participation in various sports disciplines. Divyangjan from all over the country can practice and train in the
Atal Bihari Training Center for Divyang Sports.

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Virat Kohli to own team in world’s first all-electric powerboat series, E1 World
Championship
• Indian batter Virat Kohli was announced as the newest celebrity team owner in the E1 World
Championship, joining the likes of Rafa Nadal, Tom Brady, Didier Drogba and Sergio Perez in the world’s
first all-electric powerboat series.
• The UIM E1 World Championship is the latest entry into the environmentally responsible motor
sports competition, joining Formula E and off road Extreme E, and is scheduled to begin racing next year in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Former Chelsea striker Drogba, seven-time NFL Super Bowl champion Brady, 22-time
tennis Grand Slam champion Nadal and Formula One driver Sergio Perez were all previously named as team
owners in the series. The inaugural season will have stops in Venice, Monaco and Rotterdam with
more venues to be announced later.
Annu Rani became the first Indian woman to win gold in the javelin throw in the history
of Asian games
• Annu Rani conjured up her season-best performance to claim the top prize in women’s javelin
throw, while Parul Chaudhary pulled off a heist for a sensational women’s 5000m gold, joining other four
Indian athletes who bagged six medals in total at the Asian Games. The 31-year-old Annu, who hails from
Meerut, became the first Indian woman to win gold in the javelin throw in the history of Asian
games. She produced the season-best effort of 62.92m in her fourth attempt to win gold.
Sunil Kumar wins India’s first Greco Roman medal at Asian Games since 2010
• Practising defence from ground position in the last three weeks with top wrestlers worked wonders for Sunil
Kumar, who won India’s first Greco Roman medal at the Asian Games in 13 years, bagging a bronze
in the 87 kg category even as three of his compatriots exited the tournament. Up against Kyrgyzstan’s Atabek
Azisbekov, the Indian wrestler fought a strategic bout in which twice he defended well from ‘par terre’ position,
denying his opponent a scoring opportunity from the ground position for a 2-1 win.
Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Sandhu win historic squash mixed doubles gold
• India’s Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu created history by becoming the first pair
to win the gold medal in the squash mixed doubles event at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou.
• This was the first mixed doubles event in squash at the Games. This was India’s second team gold in
squash at the 19th Games after the top finish of the men’s team. The Indian pair beat Malaysia’s Aifa Binti
Azman and Mohammad Kamal of Malaysia in a roller-coaster final.
CM Hemant Soren unveils Mascot and trophy for Asian Women’s Hockey Championship in
Ranchi
• Chief Minister Hemant Soren unveiled the mascot- Juhi and the trophy of Asian Women’s Hockey
Championship in Ranchi. Around 13 countries will take part in the international hockey championship
beginning from October 27 to November 14 in Ranchi. On the occasion, Mr. Soren thanked Mohd Taiyab Ekram,
President of International Hockey Association and Mr Dilip Tirkey, President of Hockey India to
organise the international sporting event in Jharkhand.
Indian Chess Grandmaster Karthikeyan Murali beats World number One Magnus Carlsen
in Qatar Masters
• In Qatar Masters, Indian chess grandmaster, Karthikeyan Murali, became the third Indian player to
beat the world’s number one player, Magnus Carlsen in classical chess.
• Karthikeyan Murali is the third Indian after Harikrishna and Viswanathan Anand to have beaten
Carlsen. Karthikeyan’s win occurred in the seventh round of the tournament, where he skillfully
wielded the black pieces. With this significant triumph, he joined the ranks of other leading players such as
SL Narayan, Javokhir Sindarov, David Paravyan, Arjun Erigaisi, and Nodirbek Yakubboev, all of whom held a
remarkable score of 5.5 out of 7.
Usama Mir becomes first-ever concussion substitute in World Cup history
• Pakistan cricketer Usama Mir became the first-ever concussion substitute in World Cup history. Mir
took the field after Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan suffered a head injury during their World Cup
fixture against South Africa. Shadab was replaced by spinner Mir as the concussion substitute. The incident
took place in the first over of South Africa’s chase.

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Hangzhou Asian Games | India thrashes Japan to claim hockey gold; qualifies for Paris Olympics
• India won their fourth Asian Games gold and first since the 2014 Incheon edition. With this win,
India booked a direct ticket to Paris Olympics 2024. Captain Harmanpreet Singh got his second, and
India’s 5th goal in the 59th minute of the match and finally allowed himself a smile. The result was sealed, gold
assured and an Olympic ticket confirmed as the Indian men’s hockey team registered an emphatic 5-1 win
against defending champion Japan to reclaim the Asian Games title in Hangzhou.
Indian archers claim compound men’s and women’s team gold
• India’s compound archers carried their mixed team form into the men’s and women’s team events,
winning twin gold medals to mark another successful day at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre in the
Asian Games. Three gold medals in as many team events sets up the stage nicely for a five-gold haul with India
competing in the two remaining individual finals. While Verma and Deotale have made it an all-India final.
Centre approves setting up of Khelo India State Excellence Centre at Spithuk in Leh
district of Ladakh
• In Ladakh, the newly constructed open stadium located at Spithuk in the Leh district has received
approval from the Central Government for the establishment of the Khelo India State Excellence
Center (KISCE) focusing on athletics, boxing, and archery.
• This center is slated to be completed within a two-year timeframe, with an expenditure of 3.139 crore
rupees allocated for the 2023-24 financial year and 1.195 crore rupees for the subsequent financial
year. The Department of Youth Services and Sport, Ladakh, announced in a press statement that the Sports
Authority of India has granted its approval for Ladakh’s proposal to establish the Khelo India State Excellence
Center. In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the Sports Authority of India
and the Department of Youth Services and Sport, UT Ladakh, in the near future.
Asian Games 2023
• India’s 655-strong contingent wrapped up the 14th day of the Hangzhou Asian Games on October 7
with a record-breaking 107 medals, marking a historic achievement for the nation. This remarkable
feat has solidified India’s position as a powerhouse in Asian sports, surpassing all previous records in a single
edition of the quadrennial showpiece. As the curtains come down on the 2023 Hangzhou Games, India
stands tall with an impressive medal tally of 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze medals, showcasing the
country’s incredible depth and talent in a wide range of sporting disciplines.
• This monumental accomplishment has shattered India’s previous best haul of medals, which stood at
70, achieved during the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games. That achievement was celebrated for the 16 gold
medals it included, but the 2023 Hangzhou Games have eclipsed it in both quantity and quality.
• Beyond the prestigious medals, Hangzhou’s Asian Games have also provided opportunities to secure
coveted spots in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics. A total of 74 Olympic quotas were up for grabs,
distributed across various sports. These quotas included six in archery, 10 in artistic swimming, 34 in boxing,
two in breaking, two in hockey, 10 in modern pentathlon, six in sailing, two in tennis, and two in water polo.
• October 7, 2023, India has demonstrated an impressive performance at the 2023 Asian Games, amassing a
grand total of 107 medals, comprising 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze. China stands at the top of the
overall Asian Games 2023 medal tally, boasting a remarkable 187 gold medals, leading ahead of
Japan with 47 gold medals and the Republic of Korea with 36 gold medals.
Cricket set to be included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
• In a pretty big development which will come as music to the ears of the cricket fans, the sport is set to be
included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The LA organising committee’s decision will be officially
announced after the International Olympic Committee’s 141st session in Mumbai.
• The Olympics had earlier played host to cricket in 1900 when England played France in a single
match to decide the gold medal. As per the report, in LA in 2028, there will be a T20 men’s and women’s
tournament just like they had in the recently concluded Asian Games.
International Olympic Committee includes T20 cricket, four other sports as part of Los
Angeles Olympic Games 2028
• The International Olympic Committee has announced the inclusion of Twenty-20 cricket and four other
sports as part of Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. The other new entries are flag football, lacrosse,
squash and baseball-softball.

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• The LA28 local organizing committee played a significant role in pushing for cricket’s inclusion. It recommended
the “potential inclusion” of not only cricket but also four other sports: baseball/softball, flag football,
lacrosse, and squash. These recommendations align with the broader ethos of LA28, creating a diverse and
dynamic sporting environment for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
• The IOC’s executive board accepted a proposal by Los Angeles organisers for Twenty20 cricket, along
with the four other new events. Adding cricket to the Olympic programme would tap into the lucrative
South Asian market, attracting fans in countries such as India and Pakistan. Cricket last featured at the
1900 Paris Olympics, when Britain stumped France to win the Gold Medal. It remains as the only
cricket match played in the Olympics so far.
2030 FIFA World Cup to be held in 6 countries across 3 continents
• The FIFA World Cup will be very different when the 2030 edition rolls around. FIFA and global football
leaders reached agreement to accept one bidder that grew from Spain-Portugal to include Morocco, Argentina,
Paraguay and Uruguay in a tournament that is set to be played on three continents in six countries.
• Among the key considerations was finding a way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup in
Uruguay, where the inaugural tourney final was held in 1930. Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are
targeted to host kickoff matches to begin the 2030 World Cup, with a specific aim to play in Montevideo,
capital of Uruguay and home of the 1930 Cup final.
• FIFA will allow all six of those countries’ national teams to receive automatic entries, and Morocco will be the
first North Africa nation to host the event. The 2030 decision has sped up the process of finding a home
for the 2034 World Cup, which is to be held in Asia or Oceania, likely in November and December.
Saudi Arabia now becomes the primary candidate for the 2034 edition.
The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior men’s
national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the
sport’s global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural
tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War.
The current champion is Argentina, which won its second title at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The 22
World Cup tournaments have been won by eight national teams. Brazil have won five times, and they are
the only team to have played in every tournament.
State Bank of India ropes in MS Dhoni as brand ambassador
• India’s largest commercial bank, the State Bank of India announced its collaboration with cricketing
legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni. As the brand ambassador of SBI, MS Dhoni, will play a pivotal role in
various marketing and promotional campaigns. Dhoni’s association with SBI as a satisfied customer makes him
a perfect embodiment of our brand’s ethos.
Sachin Tendulkar’s statue to be unveiled at Wankhede Stadium
• The life-size statue of the 200-Test veteran revealed on the eve of the India-Sri Lanka ICC World Cup
2023 match. Tendulkar, who has an impressive record of 15,921 Test runs and 18,426 ODI runs, will be present
for the ceremony.
• The statue, dedicated to his 50 years of life, has been placed near the Sachin Tendulkar Stand. Chief
Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis will also attend the unveiling function.
Rugby World Cup: South Africa Wins Record 4th Title
• South Africa’s Springboks have managed to clinch the Rugby World Cup title for a record fourth time
after defeating New Zealand’s All Blacks.
FIFA effectively handed hosting rights of 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia
• The venue for the 2034 FIFA World Cup was effectively decided after Australia pulled out of the
race to host the 48-team event, essentially clearing the way for the world body to award the hosting rights
to Saudi Arabia. Football Australia boss James Johnson had earlier said that his country was ‘exploring the
possibility of 2034’, but amidst a host of challenging problems, it said that they would now focus on bids for
the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup and the 2029 Club World Cup, which would feature 32 teams.
• Australia had also attempted to host the 2022 World Cup which was subsequently awarded to Qatar.
A mere 12 years after Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup, the stage seems to have been set by FIFA itself to
ensure that Saudi Arabia also gets to stage a World Cup.

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ICC suspends Sri Lanka’s membership over government interference
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) membership with
immediate effect for government interference.
• Sri Lanka’s ministry of sport dismissed SLC’s board and replaced it with an interim committee following the
country’s poor performance at this year’s World Cup but the sacking was stayed by Sri Lanka’s Court of
Appeal. “The ICC Board met and determined that Sri Lanka Cricket is in serious breach of its obligations as a
Member”.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. It was founded as the
Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South Africa. It
was renamed as the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1987. The
ICC has its headquarters in Dubai, UAE. The ICC has 105 member nations currently: 12 Full Members
that play Test matches, and 94 Associate Members. Shashank Manohar resigned as Chairman of the
International Cricket Council (ICC) on 30 June 2020, after more than four years in the role. New Zealand
administrator Greg Barclay was elected Chairman on 24 November 2020. Geoffrey John Allardice is
an Australian former cricketer and current administrator, who serves as the CEO of the International
Cricket Council.
Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews becomes the first player to be given a ‘timed out’ in
international cricket
• Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews was ruled ‘timed out’, the first such dismissal in international cricket.
According to cricket rules, the incoming batsman has to be ready to face a ball within three minutes of the fall
of a wicket. According to ICC rules “after the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter
must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to
receive the next ball within 3 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the
incoming batter will be out, Timed out.”
Virender Sehwag, Diana Edulji and Sri Lanka’s Aravind D’Silva enter ICC’s Hall of Fame
• Three cricketing greats and standout performers in the history of the game - legendary opener Virender
Sehwag, former Indian Women Test skipper Diana Edulji and Sri Lanka’s iconic star Aravinda de
Silva are the latest inductees to be added to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. The International Cricket
Council (ICC) announced the name of the three legends of cricket as the latest inductees of the ICC Cricket Hall
of Fame. Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar were the first Indians to be inducted into
the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009, the year in which the recognition was launched.
Djokovic gets his trophy after securing year-end No. 1 ranking for a record-extending 8th time
• Novak Djokovic received his trophy after securing the year-end No. 1 ranking for a record-extending
eighth time. Djokovic needed only a match win at the ATP Finals to be sure of keeping the top spot and the
24-time Grand Slam champion secured it in his opener. Djokovic bounced back this year by winning three
of the four major titles and finishing runner-up to Alcaraz at Wimbledon.
Curtains come down on 37th National Games in Goa
• The 37th National Games 2023 concluded in Goa. The grand closing ceremony took place at Shyama Prasad
Indoor stadium in Panaji in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Indian Olympic Association
President P T Usha, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and others.
• The Raja Bhalendra Singh trophy was given to Maharashtra for overall championship in national
games. Maharashtra has continued its dominance in National Games from its beginning and retained its first
position. Maharashtra has bagged 228 medals including 80 gold.
• Best woman athlete trophy was given to Pranati Naik and Sanyukta Kate while best man athlete
trophy was given to Shrihari Natraj. Services Sport Control Board stood at second position in medal
tally with a total of 126 medals including 66 Gold medals.
• While Haryana stood at third position with a total of 192 medals including 62 gold medals. The torch
for national games was handed over to Uttarakhand as 38th National Games will be organized there.
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham Promotes Equality & Empowerment for
Girls on His First Visit to India
• UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham travelled to India this week to meet children and
adolescents, including girls who are bringing about change and innovation in their communities,

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 and young women who have overcome barriers to help close gender gaps. During his four-day visit, including to
the western Indian state of Gujarat, Beckham saw first-hand how UNICEF-supported programmes are making
a difference for girls and women, in partnership with the Government of India.
Australia lifts ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup defeating India by 6 wickets in Ahmadabad
• Australia stunned host India in Ahmedabad to win the men’s Cricket World Cup for a record sixth
time. Pat Cummins’ men waltzed past the finish line with six wickets and seven overs to spare, quietening the
wild support from the 92,453-strong crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The win caps off a sensational 2023
for Australia, in which it also beat India to win the World Test Championship (WTC) and retained the
Ashes in England.
• The Australian selectors and team management must be lauded for their bold decisions. Travis Head was the
star with his counter-attacking hundred, becoming the seventh player to do so in a World Cup final. Travis
Head has now been named Player of the Match in the semifinal and final of the World Cup and the
final of the WTC. Australia’s Travis Head became the fourth player to be adjudged Player of the
Match in the semifinal and final of the same ODI World Cup, after his side’s win over India in the 2023
summit clash against India in Ahmedabad. Head top-scored for his side in a 241-run chase against India, with
a 120-ball 137. Head’s composed knock was studded with 15 fours and six sixes. India’s Mohinder Amarnath
was the first to achieve the feat, in 1983. Sri Lanka’s Aravinda de Silva followed suit in 1996 during
his side’s title run. Three years later, Australia’s Shane Warne repeated the trick.
• India’s run-scoring machine Virat Kohli has been named the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Player
of the Tournament. His 765 runs in the tournament is the most ever scored by an individual batter
at a men’s Cricket World Cup, surpassing the previous record set by Sachin Tendulkar, who hit 673
in the 2003 tournament. Kohli finished with an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31 in the tournament,
hitting three centuries along the way – against Bangladesh and South Africa in the league stage and then once
more against New Zealand in the semi-finals. India’s Mohammed Shami is the top wicket-taker in World
Cup 2023 with 24 wickets in 7 innings.
• West Indies have failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup after losing to Scotland in the Super
Six stage of the ongoing World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. Only the two finalists of that tournament
make it to the World Cup in India later this year, and West Indies now can’t reach the final. They were
champions of the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, and runners-up in 1983; the 13th edition of the
competition was the first without the team from the Caribbean. The first World Cup was organised
in England in June 1975, with the first ODI cricket match having been played only four years earlier.
Djokovic destroys Sinner to win record seventh ATP Finals title
• A ruthless Novak Djokovic destroyed home favourite Jannik Sinner to win the ATP Finals title for a
record seventh time adding yet another milestone to his incredible career. The world number one dropped
only two points on serve in the opening set and once he had broken Sinner’s serve in the fourth
game it was largely one-way traffic. Djokovic moves past Roger Federer to stand alone as the most
successful player in the tournament’s history. His win concludes a year in which he won three of the four
Grand Slam titles and seized back the world number one spot from Carlos Alcaraz and worryingly for
the chasing pack he will head into 2024 looking as dominant as ever.
Pankaj Advani Clinches 26th World Title at IBSF Billiards Championship 2023 in Doha
• India’s Pankaj Advani has lifted his 26th world title as he won the World IBSF Billiards Championship
2023 in Doha, Pankaj defeated opponent Sourav Kothari with a 1000-416 margin in the final.
• Advani stormed into the final with a convincing victory over fellow Indian Rupesh Shah. He defeated the
Gujarat cueist 900-273. The semifinal saw breaks of 259 and 176 from the champion, while Shah managed a
62 break only in the 900-up format.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur launches mascot, logo,
jersey & theme song for Khelo India Para Games
• Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur launched the mascot, logo, jersey
and theme song for the first-ever Khelo India Para Games at a function in New Delhi. The first-ever
Khelo India Para Games will be held from 10th to 17th of next month.
• Over 1400 participants from across 32 states and Union Territories including Services Sports Control
Board are expected to participate in the maiden Khelo India Para Games. The Para athletes will
compete for honours in 7 disciplines including para athletics, para shooting, para archery, para football,
para badminton, para table tennis and para weight lifting.

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• The events will be held in Indira Gandhi Stadium, Shooting Range in Tughlaqabad and the Jawaharlal
Nehru Stadium. Khelo India Para Games aims to provide opportunity for aspiring para athletes to
showcase their skill and develop their career in para sports.
• Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), are the annual national level multidisciplinary grassroot games in
India held in January or February for two categories, namely under-17 years school students and under-21
college students. Every year best 1,000 kids will be given an annual scholarship of Rs.5 lakh (US$6,300)
for 8 years to prepare them for the international sporting events. The Training of Trainers (TOT)
Programme was held in December 2018- January 2019 in the first phase. Here total of 160 trainers will be trained
in 4 batches of 40 each in December-January period. This TOT Programme will be carried out semi-annually
or quarterly to include all the interested teachers, principals, vice-principals and physical education trainers.
• On 31 January 2018, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, inaugurated Khelo India School Games at
the opening ceremony based on Guru–shishya tradition held at Indira Gandhi Arena. From the 2019
events, Khelo India School Games were renamed to Khelo India Youth Games after Indian Olympic
Association came on board earlier in September 2018. The second edition of the event was kicked off in
Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, a sports complex situated in Balewadi, Pune, by then Sports Minister,
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and, then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis. On 27 February
2019, PM Narendra Modi launched the Khelo India App at the Youth Indian Parliament in Vigyan
Bhawan, New Delhi to promote sports and fitness. On 22 February 2020, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi inaugurated the first edition of the Khelo India University Games in Cuttack to give athletes
the exposure of multi-disciplinary events at the university level.

F. Awards
Pratham gets Indira Gandhi prize for works in education
• Former Vice-President Hamid Ansari presented the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament
and Development of 2021 to Pratham, an NGO functioning in the field of education. The award is in
recognition of Pratham’s work in ensuring quality education for children of the country, particularly
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The organisation started its work in the Mumbai slums, setting up community-based pre-schools. Its
outreach in India has now expanded to an average 1 million children directly and 5 million through
government partnerships annually. Its Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), based on surveying
6 lakh rural Indian children, is now used as a model to assess education outcomes and learning deficiencies
in 14 countries.
The Indira Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual prestigious award. It has been named after former Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi. It is conferred every year since 1986 by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust. It
consists of a monetary award of Rs. 25 lakh along with a citation. Parliamentarians for Global Action is the
first recipient of the award in 1986 and Mikhail Gorbachev is a Russian and former Soviet politician, he
is the second and first person to receive Indira Gandhi Peace Prize in 1987.
Dalai Lama receives Gandhi Mandela Award
• The 14th Dalai Lama conferred the Gandhi Mandela Award 2022 at Thekchen Choeling in Dharamshala’s
McleodGanj by Himachal Pradesh governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The Tibetan spiritual leader,
receiving the peace prize from the New Delhi-based Gandhi Mandela Foundation, said the qualities
of non-violence and compassion had been ingrained in Indian culture for thousands of years.
• The award is given to personalities who have carried forward the legacies of Gandhi and Mandela
by making significant contributions in the fields of Peace, Social Welfare, Culture, Environment,
Education, Healthcare, Sports and Innovation. This time, the awardee, Dalai Lama, was selected by a
jury including former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra, former Supreme Court
Judge Gyan Sudha Misra, former Chief Justice of Nepal Justice Kedarnath Upadhyay and former Chief Justice
of Bangladesh Justice MD Tafazzul Islam.
Film ‘Dear Diary’ wins 53-Hour Challenge for 75 creative minds
• The second edition of ‘75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow’ at International Film Festival of India
(IFFI) in Goa concluded with the award ceremony of the “53-Hour Challenge”. The competition provided
a challenge to the 75 Creative Minds selected from all over the country to produce a short film on their idea of
India@100, all in 53 hours.

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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy named Time’s 2022 ‘Person of the Year’
• Time magazine named Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 2022’s “Person of the Year” saying
he inspired Ukrainians and won global accolades for his courage in resisting Russia’s devastating invasion.
• Refusing to leave Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv at the outbreak of the war as Russian bombs rained
down, the former comedian rallied his compatriots in broadcasts from the capital and traveled across his war-
torn nation, the publication noted in bestowing its annual title. Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon
Musk was named Time’s “Person of the Year” in 2021, a year that saw his electric car company
become the most valuable carmaker in the world. Time began this tradition in 1927.
2022 Earthshot Prize winners – an accomplished group of entrepreneurs and innovators
spearheading ground-breaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet
• The Earthshot Prize organization has revealed the 2022 Earthshot Prize winners – an accomplished
group of entrepreneurs and innovators spearheading ground-breaking solutions to repair and regenerate the
planet. The shortlisted five winners were awarded a £1 million prize at the second-annual Earthshot
Prize awards ceremony held.
• Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot challenge in the 1960s, which united millions of
people around the goal of putting a person on the moon within a decade, The Earthshot Prize aims to
discover and help scale innovative solutions that put the world firmly on a trajectory toward a
stable climate by 2030 – a world in which communities, oceans and biodiversity can thrive in harmony.
S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR wins prestigious awards given by the Hollywood Critics Association
and the Atlanta Film Critics Circle
• The cast and crew of Indian filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli’s Telugu-language action film RRR received
the Hollywood Critics Association’s (HCA’s) Spotlight Award at the sixth Annual HCA Film Awards
Ceremony in Los Angeles on February 24 next year. However, it is not the only international laurel
for RRR as it also picked up the Best International Feature Award at the Atlanta Film Critics Circle
(AFCC).
People of Ukraine handed EU’s top human rights prize
• The people of Ukraine and their representatives were handed the European Union’s top human
rights prize for their resistance to Russia’s invasion and defiance during the ongoing war. The
27-nation bloc awarded the “brave people of Ukraine” the prize in October. Yulia Pajevska, founder of the
medical evacuation unit Angels of Taira, human rights activist Oleksandra Matviichuk and Ivan Fedorov, mayor
of the occupied city of Melitopol, were on hand to receive it during a solemn ceremony in Strasbourg, France.
• The EU award, named for Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, was created in 1988 to honour
individuals or groups who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. Sakharov, a Nobel Peace Prize
laureate, died in 1989. It’s the second straight year EU lawmakers used the Sakharov Prize to send
a message to the Kremlin. Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny won it last year.
• The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, commonly known as the Sakharov Prize, is an honorary
award for individuals or groups who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights
and freedom of thought. Named after Russian scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, the prize was
established in December 1988 by the European Parliament.
M. Rajendran’s ‘Kala Pani’ bags 2022 Sahitya Akademi award
• Former IAS Officer M. Rajendran’s historical novel Kala Pani (Black Water), which depicts the defeat
and exile of 72 persons — including Vengai Periya Udayanna Devar, ruler of Sivaganga, and Duraisamy, son of
Chinna Marudu — after the Kalayakoil war, has won the Sahitya Akademi award for 2022.
• The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India’s National
Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published
in any of the 22 languages of the 8th Schedule to the Indian constitution as well as in English and
Rajasthani language. Established in 1954, the award comprises a plaque and a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000.
The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22 jointly won by Sudeep Sen and
Shobhana Kumar
• The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22 has been jointly won by Sudeep Sen for his genre
and formbender Anthropocene: Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation (Pippa Rann Books &
Media, 2021) and Shobhana Kumar for her haibun collection A Sky Full of Bucket Lists (Red River, 2021).

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• The winners, awarded $10,000 and a Rabindranath Tagore statuette, were picked from a shortlist of 11
at India International Centre, with the Tagore Prize for social achievement going to Sanjoy K Roy, producer of
the Jaipur Literature Festival.
CJI Chandrachud to be conferred with ‘Award for Global Leadership’ by Harvard Law
School Center
• Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has been selected for the “Award for Global Leadership”
by the Harvard Law School Center in recognition of his lifetime service to the legal profession in the
country and around the world. The award will be presented to him at an online event on January 11.
‘Fabelmans,’ ‘Banshees’ win top awards as Hollywood re-embraces Golden Globes
• “The Fabelmans,” Steven Spielberg’s movie inspired by his teen years, and dark comedy “The
Banshees of Inisherin” landed the top movie awards at the Golden Globes as Hollywood returned to a show
that had been knocked off television by scandal. “The Fabelmans” was named best movie drama at the
star-studded ceremony in Beverly Hills. “Banshees of Inisherin,” the story of feuding friends on an Irish
island, won best movie musical or comedy.
• The song ‘Naatu Naatu’, from the wildly popular Telugu film RRR, made history at the 80th Golden
Globes as it became the first Indian song to win the Best Original Song award. The history creating
track from the director SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster movie is composed by MM Keeravani. The
singers are Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj. “Naatu Naatu,” which became an anthem of sorts for the
Rajamouli fans is a dance number featuring Jr NTR and Ram Charan. It created ripples for its elaborate
choreography and musical storytelling. The 80th Golden Globe Awards honored the best in film and
American television of 2022, as chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
Golden Globes 2023: ‘Naatu Naatu’ from movie ‘RRR’ wins best original song
• SS Rajamouli’s “RRR” struck gold at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards by winning the trophy for the
best original song–motion picture for its hit track “Naatu Naatu”. The blockbuster Telugu movie is also
nominated for the ‘best picture-non English’ at the ceremony.
Bhavin Rabari of Oscar-nominated Gujarati film Chhello Show bags International Press
Academy (IPA) award
• Bhavin Rabari, the lead child actor in Pan Nalin’s Oscar-nominated Gujarati film Chhello Show
(The Last Film Show), bagged the International Press Academy (IPA) award in the ‘Best Breakthrough
Performance’ category at the 27th Satellite Awards held in the United States.
• The film is the first Indian film to be shortlisted for the Oscars in the ‘Best International Feature
Film’ category after 21 years. The film has also bagged top honours in other international festivals like
Tribeca, Busan, Mill Valley, and Seminci. Rabari, 13, the child actor who played the character of the protagonist
named Samay, is among the youngest recipients of the prestigious award, joining the list of former recipients
such as Edward Norton, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Russel Crowe, and Hale Berry.
Bangladesh: Indian films bag award for best script writer and best actress at DIFF
• Two Indian films bagged awards for the best script writer and best actress in the Asian Film Competition
section at the 21st Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) which concluded. Anik Dutta directed film
Aparajito (The Undefeated) got the best scriptwriting award while Ketaki Narayan was judged the
best actress for her role in Krishnendu Kalesh directed film Prappeda (Hawk’s Muffin).
Padma Awards for year 2023 announced; Mulayam Singh Yadav and ORS pioneer Dilip
Mahalanabis honoured with Padma Vibhushan posthumously
• The Centre has announced the Padma Awards on the eve of Republic Day. Of the 106 Padma awards
announced, six are Padma Vibhushan, nine are Padma Bhushan and 91 are Padma Shri. Nineteen of
the awardees are women.
• Six people were awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2023, they are Shri Balkrishna Doshi (Posthumous)
(Others - Architecture), Shri Zakir Hussain (Art), Shri S M Krishna (Public Affairs), Shri Dilip Mahalanabis
(Posthumous) (Medicine), Shri Srinivas Varadhan (Science & Engineering) and Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav
(Posthumous) (Public Affairs).
• Nine people were awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023, they are, Shri S L Bhyrappa (Literature &
Education), Shri Kumar Mangalam Birla (Trade & Industry), Shri Deepak Dhar (Science & Engineering), Ms.
Vani Jairam (Art), Swami Chinna Jeeyar (Others - Spiritualism), Ms. Suman Kalyanpur (Art), Shri Kapil Kapoor
(Literature & Education), Ms. Sudha Murty (Social Work) and Shri Kamlesh D Patel (Others - Spiritualism).

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• Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) pioneer Dilip Mahalanobis will be awarded the Padma Vibhushan
posthumously in the field of Medicine (Pediatrics). He pioneered the wide use of ORS, believed to have
saved over five crore lives globally. Former Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will be
awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously in the field of public affairs. Tabla Mestro Zakir Hussain
will also be awarded Padma Vibhushan.
• Those who will be honoured with Padma Bhushan inlcude Kannada novelist and screenwriter S L
Bhyrappa,Industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and Author and Philanthropist Sudha Murthy.
• Ratan Chandra Kar, a Retired Government Doctor from Andamans working with the Jarawa tribe
who inhabit an island 48 km from North Sentinel, will receive Padma Shri in the field of Medicine
(Physician).
• Hirabai Lobi, a Siddi Tribal social worker and leader, who has dedicated her life to the betterment
of the Siddi community in Gujarat, will receive Padma Shri in the field of Social Work (Tribal).
• Ramkuiwangbe Newme, a Naga Social Worker from Dima Hasao who dedicated his life to the
conservation and preservation of the Heraka religion, will be awarded Padma Shri in the field of Social
Work (Culture).
• Vadivel Gopal and Masi Sadaiyan, Expert Snake Catchers from Irula Tribe, specialised in catching
dangerous and venomous snakes, will receive Padma Shri in the field of Social Work (Animal
Welfare). Tula Ram Upreti, a 98-year-old self-sustained small farmer, practising organic farming
using only traditional methods, will receive Padma Shri in the field of Others (Agriculture).
• Ajay Kumar Mandavi, Gond Tribal Wood Carver from Kanker will receive Padma Shri in the field of
Art (Wood Carving). Ghulam Muhammad Zaz, an 8th Generation Santoor Craftsman from a family known for
making the finest Santoors in Kashmir for the last 200 years, will receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Craft).
Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honors of India announced annually on the eve of Republic
Day after the Bharat Ratna. The Award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines
where an element of public service is involved. The total number of awards to be given in a year (excluding
posthumous awards and to NRI/foreigners/OCIs) should not be more than 120. The award does not
amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the awardees’ name. The Government
of India instituted two civilian awards-Bharat Ratna & Padma Vibhushan in 1954. All nominations are
placed before the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The
Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Home Secretary, Secretary to the President and
four to six eminent persons as members. The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime
Minister and the President of India for approval. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of
activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine,
literature and education, sports, civil service etc. The Padma award is just an honor. No cash allowance or
any facility/benefit in terms of concession etc. in rail/air travel is attached to these awards.
Former PM Manmohan Singh Conferred With Lifetime Achievement Honour in UK
• Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was recently conferred a Lifetime Achievement
Honour by the India-UK Achievers Honours in London for his contribution to economic and political
life. The India-UK Achievers Honours by NISAU UK, in partnership with the British Council in India and the
UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT), celebrate the achievements of Indian students who studied at
British universities and the Lifetime Achievement Honour is a nod to Dr Singh’s academic achievements at the
Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Indian music composer Ricky Kej creates history by winning third Grammy Award
• Indian music composer Ricky Kej has won his third Grammy Award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards
for his globally acclaimed album, Divine Tides with Rock-legend Stewart Copeland. Ricky Kej is the
youngest person from India to have won a Grammy Award, and only the 4th Indian. The 65th Grammy
Awards was presented in Los Angeles on 5th February 2023.
• After winning his third Grammy, Ricky Kej has created history in India by becoming the only Indian to
win 3 Grammy Awards. The result was announced at the live ceremony held at the Crypto.com arena in Los
Angeles, USA. Ricky’s previous wins came in 2022 and 2015 for ‘Best New Age Album’ for Divine Tides and Winds of
Samsara. The music album Divine Tides is a tribute to ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam - The World is one family’.
• The album, which contains nine songs and eight music videos, was around the world from the
exquisite beauty of the Indian Himalayas to the Icy forests of Spain. Ricky Kej is extremely grateful to
have had another opportunity to make my country India proud by achieving this on the biggest platform in the
world for music.

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• Pandit Ravi Shankar was the first Indian to win a Grammy for ‘West Meets East’, the 1968 album
with American violinist, Yehudi Menuhin. Throughout his career, Shankar went on to win the award five more
times, including the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented
by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize “outstanding” achievements in the music
industry. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the music industry worldwide.
It was originally called the Gramophone Awards, as the trophy depicts a gilded gramophone. The Grammys are
the first of the Big Three networks’ major music awards held annually, and is considered one of the
four major annual American entertainment awards, alongside the Academy Awards (for films), the
Emmy Awards (for television), and the Tony Awards (for theater). The first Grammy Awards ceremony
was held on May 4, 1959, to honor the musical accomplishments of performers for the year 1958. After the 2011
ceremony, the Recording Academy overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012.
Germany ex-chancellor Merkel receives UNESCO peace prize
• Germany’s former chancellor Angela Merkel received a prestigious UN award for opening her
country to refugees during her time in office. Merkel was hailed for welcoming more than 1.2 million
refugees and asylum seekers to Germany in 2015 and 2016 as she was awarded the Felix Houphouet-
Boigny UNESCO Peace Prize in Ivory Coast’s capital Yamoussoukro. Around 2,000 people were invited
to the ceremony, which was set up in 1989 and has previously handed awards to Nelson Mandela, Yasser
Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin and Francois Hollande.
• “The jury wanted to honour the courageous decision taken in 2015 to welcome more than a million
refugees... when at the same time so many voices were calling for the closure of Europe,” said Audrey Azoulay,
director general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The UNESCO Peace Prize, formerly known as the Félix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize, was established
in 1989 by the United Nations Charter and the UNESCO Constitution. For making a major contribution to
the “promotion, study, safeguarding, or preservation of peace,” the prize is given to an individual, an organisation,
or a private or public body. The late former president of Côte d’Ivoire, Félix Houphouet-Boigny, has been
honoured with a prize bearing his name. A certificate for peace is given along with a gold medal, a check for
$150,000, and the prize. The 39th US President Jimmy Carter, the French President François Hollande,
the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and other notable figures are among those who have
received the UNESCO Peace Prize.
Kashmir Files bags best film award at Dadasaheb International Film Festival in Mumbai;
RRR International Film of the Year
• Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Kashmir Files’ bagged the Dadasaheb International Film Festival Awards and
SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ received the International Film of the Year. The grand celebration of Dadasaheb
Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) 2023 took place in Mumbai.
• The Kashmir Files Director Vivek, in his Tweet, said that “he dedicates the award to “all the victims of
terrorism and to all the people of India for the blessings.”. Alia Bhatt won the Award for Best Actress for
Gangubai Kathiawadi. Ranbir Kapoor collected the Best Actor award for his performance in Brahmastra.
• Best Film: The Kashmir Files
• Best Director: R Balki for Chup: Revenge of The Artist
• Best Actor: Ranbir Kapoor for Brahmastra: Part 1
• Best Actress: Alia Bhatt for Gangubai Kathiawadi
• Film of The Year: RRR
The Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards (DPIFF) was started in 2012. It is an
independent corporate film festival. It is not the same “Dadasaheb Phalke Award” presented at the
National Film Awards. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented in a ceremony organized by the
Government of India (Directorate of Film Festivals). But the DPIFF is completely a private ceremony
organized by the family members of Dadasaheb Phalke. 2023 was organized by his grandson. Dadasaheb is
the Father of Indian Cinema. The award presented in his name at the National Film Award ceremony is one of
the most prestigious awards in the country. It is not to be confused with DPIFF
Jnanappana Award - 2023 for V. Madhusoodanan Nair
• Poet V. Madhusoodanan Nair has been selected for the Jnanappana Award - 2023 instituted by the
Guruvayur Devaswom. The award carries Rs. 50,001, a gold locket of Guruvayurappan and a citation.

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RRR wins four trophies at Hollywood Critics Association awards
• RRR directed by SS Rajamouli again received international recognition and won four awards
at Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards. The movie received awards for Best Action Film, Best
International Feature, Best Original Song and Best Stunts.
HDFC Bank’s Sashidhar Jagdishan is ‘BS Banker of the Year 2022’
• Sashidhar Jagdishan, managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of HDFC Bank,
has been chosen as the Business Standard Banker of the Year 2022. This award is given to him for his
successful navigation of technology-related challenges while maintaining the bank’s strong performance.
JSW chairman Sajjan Jindal bags ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 2022’ title
• Sajjan Jindal, the chairman and managing director of JSW Group, was awarded as the EY
Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) 2022. The seven-member jury led by former ICICI Bank chairman K V
Kamath selected Jindal as the EOY 2022 winner for his “exceptional entrepreneurial journey in scaling the global
conglomerate with presence in steel, cement, infrastructure, energy, and paints to revenues of US$22 billion.
Suriya becomes first Tamil actor to join Oscar committee; votes for 95th Academy Awards
• Actor Suriya took to his Twitter account to share that he had cast his vote for the upcoming 95th
Oscar Awards. He became the first South Indian actor to ever get into the Oscars committee. In
June last year, the academy released a list of 397 new artistes, who were invited to the Academy’s Class of
2022. Other than Suriya, Kajol has been invited to be part of the committee from India in 2022. There’s a lot
of anticipation in India for the upcoming Oscars as ‘Naatu Naatu’ song from ‘RRR’ is competing
under the category of Best Original Song. The song, which has already won a Golden Globe, was
performed at the Oscars. ‘Naatu Naatu’ song won the under the category of Best Original Song.
Deepika Padukone is a presenter at Oscars 2023
• Deepika Padukone represented India on the global map again! After being on a jury at the Cannes Film
Festival last year, the Bollywood actress was seen as a presenter at the Oscars 2023. Deepika is one of the
many presenters who presented an Oscar at the Academy Awards.
• Persis Khambatta made history by becoming the first Indian person to ever present at the Academy
Awards. She appeared on stage at the prestigious award event in 1980. After Persis, Priyanka Chopra was
the one to do the honour at the 88th Academy Awards in 2016.
India creates history by winning two Oscars; Song Naatu Naatu from film RRR wins Best
Original Song award; The Elephant Whisperers bags Best Documentary Short Film award
• In 95th Academy Awards ceremony, India’s ‘Naatu Naatu song’ from SS Rajamouli’s film RRR made
history by becoming the first Indian film to win an Oscar for best original song. Composer of the
song M. M. Keeravani along with lyricist Chandrabose collected the award.
• Playback singers of the Naatu Naatu song, Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava performed the song
at the Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles in USA. The performance got them a
standing ovation. The live performance at the ceremony was introduced by Deepika Padukone.
• RRR is the first Indian film in over two decades to be nominated for the Academy Awards while ‘Naatu Naatu’
was the first Indian song to be nominated at the Oscars. The film inspired from the lives of freedom
fighters Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju, narrates a fictional tale set in the 1920s.
• The song, choreographed by Prem Rakshith was competing against Applause from the film Tell It Like A
Woman, Hold My Hand from the movie Top Gun: Maverick, Lift me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,
and This Is Life, from Everything, Everywhere All At Once.
• Another Indian entry in the Academy Awards ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ also won an Oscar in
the Best Documentary Short Film category. This 41 minutes short documentary movie of filmmaker
Kartiki Gonsalves and producer Guneet Monga, explores the bond between Raghu, an orphaned
baby elephant, and his caretakers.
• Some of the important Oscar award winners given below:
• Best picture: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
• Best actor: Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”
• Best actress: Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
• Best director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
• International film: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany)

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 The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in
the film industry. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious and significant awards in the
entertainment industry worldwide. Given annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
(AMPAS), the awards are an international recognition of excellence in cinematic achievements, as assessed by the
Academy’s voting membership. The statuette depicts a knight rendered in the Art Deco style. The award was
originally sculpted by George Stanley from a design sketch by Cedric Gibbons. AMPAS first presented it
in 1929 at a private dinner hosted by Douglas Fairbanks in The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in what would
become known as the 1st Academy Awards. The Academy Awards ceremony was first broadcast by radio in
1930 and was televised for the first time in 1953. It is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony and
is now televised live worldwide. It is also the oldest of the four major annual American entertainment awards;
its equivalents – the Emmy Awards for television, the Tony Awards for theater, and the Grammy Awards
for music – are modeled after the Academy Awards. The first Best Actor awarded was Emil Jannings, for his
performances in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh. At the 29th ceremony, held in 1957, the
Best Foreign Language Film category, now known as Best International Feature Film, was introduced.
Until then, foreign-language films had been honored with the Special Achievement Award. From
1973 to 2020, all Academy Awards ceremonies have ended with the Academy Award for Best Picture.
For 2021, this tradition was broken as the ceremony ended with the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Gyan Chaturvedi to be awarded Vyas Samman 2022 for ‘Pagalkhana’
• Noted Hindi writer Dr Gyan Chaturvedi’s 2018 satirical novel, Pagalkhana, has been selected for the
32nd Vyas Samman, 2022. Instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991, the annual Vyas Samman is
given to an outstanding Hindi literary work by an Indian citizen published during the last 10 years.
Argentine-American Mathematician Luis Caffarelli Wins 2023 Abel Prize
• The Abel Prize, named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel, is considered one of the
highest honors in mathematics. The prize is conferred every year by the King of Norway and is awarded to
one or more outstanding mathematicians. This year, the Abel Prize was awarded to Argentine-American
mathematician Luis Caffarelli for his groundbreaking contributions to several areas of mathematics.
The Abel Prize is awarded annually by the King of Norway to one or more outstanding mathematicians. It
is named after the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel (1802–1829) and directly modeled after the
Nobel Prizes and was first awarded in 2003 by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. It comes
with a monetary award of 7.5 million Norwegian kroner. The Abel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards
in mathematics and is widely regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in mathematics. The prize
is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of mathematics and
whose work has had a significant impact on the discipline. The award of the Abel Prize not only recognizes
the achievements of the recipient but also serves to promote the importance of mathematics to a wider audience.
Kiran Nadar conferred with France’s highest civilian award
• Philanthropist and art collector Kiran Nadar was recently conferred “Chevalier de la Légion
d’Honneur” (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain.
• The highest French civilian award comes in recognition of Ms. Nadar’s outstanding contribution
in the field of art, her commitment to providing greater access to culture both nationally and internationally,
and her leading role in fostering Indo-French cultural ties.
Jacinda Ardern joined Board of Trustees of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize
• Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, is joining the Board of Trustees of Prince
William’s Earthshot Prize. Her commitment to sustainable development and climate action as Prime Minister
of New Zealand strongly align with the optimistic ambition of The Earthshot Prize and its efforts to
protect and restore our planet by 2030.
The Earthshot Prize is awarded to five winners each year for their contributions to environmentalism. It
was first awarded in 2021 and is planned to run annually until 2030. Each winner receives a grant of £1 million to
continue their environmental work. The five categories were inspired by the UN Sustainable Development
Goals; they are ‘the restoration and protection of nature’, ‘air cleanliness’, ‘ocean revival’, ‘waste-free living’,
and ‘climate action’. The Earthshot Prize was launched in 2020 by Prince William and David Attenborough.
The winners are selected by the Earthshot Prize Council, which includes Prince William and Attenborough.

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Ukrainian president decorated with Poland’s top award
• The highest decoration of Poland, the Order of the White Eagle, was presented to Ukraine’s President
Volodymyr Zelensky by the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, during a meeting between the two
leaders at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw. The Order of the White Eagle is the Republic of Poland’s
oldest and most prestigious award.
Asha Bhosle received Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar
• Legendary singer Asha Bhosle was felicitated with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award. The family
and the trust instituted the award in the memory of Lata Mangeshkar, who died following multiple
organ failure. Bhosle, the younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar, received the recognition on April 24, the
memorial day of their father and theatre-music veteran Deenanath Mangeshkar. This award, known
as the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar, is given every year to an individual who has made a
path-breaking contribution towards the nation, its people and society. Prime Minister Narendra
Modi was its first recipient.
• Veteran ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas received the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Puraskar for
contribution to Indian music; Gauri Theaters of Prashant Damle fan foundation for Best Drama of the Year
(“Niyam Va Ati Lagu”); Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust for yeoman Social Service; Granthali Prakashan with the
Vagvilasini Puraskar for contribution to literature; actor-director Prasad Oak with the Vishesh Puraskar for
contribution to cinema and drama; and actor Vidya Balan with the Vishesh Puraskar for contribution to cinema.
Wing Commander Deepika Misra is first IAF woman officer to receive gallantry award
• Wing Commander Deepika Misra was conferred the Vayu Sena medal by Indian Air Force (IAF)
chief Air Marshal VR Chaudhari, making her the first woman Air Force officer to receive a gallantry
award. She was among 58 personnel who received the gallantry award during the investiture ceremony held
in the national capital. Wing Commander Deepika Misra is a trained helicopter pilot, qualified flying instructor
and an instrument-rated instructor and examiner.
Ratan Tata receives the Order of Australia for encouraging economic-cultural ties and
lifelong contributions in the fields of business and philanthropy
• Ratan Tata was awarded the Order of Australia, the highest civil honor in that country. The executive
chairman of Tata & Sons was honoured with his awareness, for his outstanding contribution to fostering ties
between India and Australia, especially in areas such as trade, business, and philanthropy.
• Barry ‘O’ Farrell, who is Australia’s High Commissioner to India, shared some pictures from the
ceremony and revealed that although Tata is a “titan” in the field of business, he had created a lasting impact
in the business community and start-up ecosystem in Australia as well.
Amazon Indigenous woman wins Goldman environment prize
• Munduruku leader Alessandra Korap has been awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental
Prize for her work fighting against illegal mining and large-scale projects aimed at facilitating soybean
exports in the Tapajos River Basin. Two major federal highways paved the way for tens of thousands of settlers,
illegal gold miners and loggers into the region’s vast Indigenous territories, which cover a forested area roughly
the size of Belgium.
Sonam Wangchuk conferred with Prestigious Santokbaa Humanitarian Award
• Sonam Wangchuk, a distinguished engineer, innovator, educationist, and sustainable development
reformist, has been honored with the prestigious Santokbaa Humanitarian Award. The award has been
initiated by Shree Ramkrishna Exports (SRK), a leading company in diamond crafting and exports, and its
philanthropic arm Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF). Wangchuk is the Founder-Director
of Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL).
Indian-American mathematician C R Rao awarded math ‘Nobel Prize’
• Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, a prominent Indian-American mathematician and statistician, will
receive the 2023 International Prize in Statistics, the equivalent to the Nobel Prize in the field, for his
monumental work 75 years ago that revolutionised statistical thinking.
Kumar Mangalam Birla received AIMA’s ‘Business Leader of the Decade’ award
• Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, received the ‘Business Leader of the
Decade Award’ at All India Management Association’s (AIMA) 13th Managing India Awards ceremony.
Birla, who is credited for taking control of the diversified group and successfully consolidating its operations

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 since his early days, won the award for his contributions to the Indian industry over the last decade. Tata
Steel Chairman T V Narendran was facilitated with ‘AIMA-JRD Tata Corporate Leadership’ award.
Leading engineering services company ABB India bagged the ‘MNC in India of the Year’ award.
Associated Press, New York Times win Pulitzers for Ukraine coverage
• The Associated Press won two Pulitzer Prizes, including the distinguished public service award,
for its coverage of the war in Ukraine, while the New York Times earned the international reporting
honor for its stories about the Russian invasion.
• Washington Post reporter Caroline Kitchener won the national reporting prize for coverage of
abortion in the United States after the Supreme Court last year overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v
Wade ruling that had legalised the procedure nationwide.
The Pulitzer Prize is an award administered by Columbia University for achievements in newspaper,
magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was
established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fortune as a newspaper
publisher. Prizes are awarded annually in twenty-two categories. In twenty one of the categories, each
winner receives a certificate and a US$15,000 cash award (raised from $10,000 in 2017). The winner in
the public service category is awarded a gold medal.
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran Conferred With France’s Highest Civilian Award
• Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran was conferred “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur”
(Knight of the Legion of Honour) by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine
Colonna. N Chandrasekaran was felicitated with the highest French civilian award for his contribution in
strengthening and building business between India and France. France is one of India’s largest scientific
partners, with over 25 French R&D centres, 15 joint Indo-French research laboratories, and 500 collaborative
projects in the country.
• France has also emerged as India’s trusted strategic partner in many key sectors. The recent deal,
the biggest in the history of the aviation industry, between Tata Group-owned Air India for the purchase of 250
planes from Airbus, shows the Indo-French business strength.
International Booker prize announces first ever Bulgarian winner
• Georgi Gospodinov’s Time Shelter, translated by Angela Rodel, has become the first book written in
Bulgarian to win the International Booker prize. Georgi Gospodinov’s Time Shelter, translated by Angela
Rodel, portrays a ‘clinic for the past’ and was praised as a ‘great novel about Europe.
• The £50,000 prize, which is split equally between the author and translator, is awarded annually for
a novel or short story collection in any language that has been translated into English and published
in the UK or Ireland. Time Shelter is Gospodinov’s fourth book to be translated into English.
• It concerns the opening of a “clinic for the past” that offers a promising treatment for Alzheimer’s sufferers:
each floor reproduces a decade in minute detail, with everything from furniture, cigarettes and drinks from the
era, to newspapers that cover each day of the decade. As word spreads, healthy people begin to seek refuge in
the clinic to escape the horrors of modern life.
The International Booker Prize (formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize) is an
international literary award hosted in the United Kingdom. The introduction of the International Prize to
complement the Man Booker Prize was announced in June 2004. Sponsored by the Man Group, from 2005
until 2015 the award was given every two years to a living author of any nationality for a body of work
published in English or generally available in English translation. It rewarded one author’s “continued
creativity, development and overall contribution to fiction on the world stage”, and was a recognition of the writer’s
body of work rather than any one title. Since 2016, the award has been given annually to a single book
translated into English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland, with a £50,000 prize for the
winning title, shared equally between author and translator. Crankstart, the charitable foundation of Sir
Michael Moritz and his wife, Harriet Heyman began supporting The Booker Prizes on 1 June 2019.
From this date, the prizes will be known as The Booker Prize and The International Booker Prize. Laszlo
Krasznahorkai became the first author from Hungary to receive the Man Booker award. Arundhati Roy
is the first Indian Citizen to win the Booker Prize.
PM Modi conferred with the highest honours of Fiji and Papua New Guinea
• Papua New Guinea Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae conferred the Companion of the order of
Logohu to PM Modi for championing the cause of unity of Pacific Island countries and spearheading
the cause of Global South.

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• After Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the highest honour of Fiji, the Companion
of the Order of Fiji by by Sitiveni Rabuka, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji. Papua New Guinea
also conferred their highest award to PM Modi.
• Papua New Guinea Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae bestowed the Companion of the order of
Logohu to PM Modi for championing the cause of unity of Pacific Island countries and spearheading
the cause of Global South. Former recipients of this award include former US president Bill Clinton.
Goan writer Damodar Mauzo gets Jnanpith Award
• Damodar Mauzo, a Goan short story writer, novelist, critic, and scriptwriter in Konkani, has been
awarded the 57th Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honor. Mauzo is the second Goan to receive
the award, after Ravindra Kelekar in 2008. Mauzo’s 25 books have been published in Konkani and one in
English. Many of his books have also been translated in different languages. Mauzo’s famous novel ‘Karmelin’
received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983. Renowned poet Gulzar was present during the function held at
the Raj Bhavan near Goa capital Panaji.
• Mauzo’s first short story, “The End of the Night,” was published in 1965. Since then, he has published
over 25 books, including novels, short story collections, and essays. His work has been translated into English,
French, Portuguese, and other languages. Mauzo is a recipient of numerous awards, including the
Sahitya Akademi Award, the Padma Shri, and the Padma Bhushan. He is also a member of the Sahitya
Akademi and the Goa Konkani Academy.
Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya
Jnanpith to an author for their “outstanding contribution towards literature”. Instituted in 1961, the
award is bestowed only on Indian writers writing in Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule
to the Constitution of India and English, with no posthumous conferral. From 1965 till 1981, the award
was given to the authors for their “most outstanding work” and consisted of a citation plaque, a cash prize and
a bronze replica of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom. The first recipient of the award
was the Malayalam writer G. Sankara Kurup who received the award in 1965 for his collection of
poems, Odakkuzhal (The Bamboo Flute), published in 1950.
Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta awarded highest distinction in Dutch science
• Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta has been awarded the Spinoza Prize, the highest distinction
in Dutch science which is also sometimes referred to as the ‘Dutch Nobel Prize’. She was awarded for her
outstanding, pioneering and inspiring scientific work in which she focuses on a just and sustainable world.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das named ‘Governor of the Year’ in London
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das was awarded the “Governor of the Year” at
the Central Banking Awards 2023 in London. Central Banking is a London-based international economic
research journal. Das is the second RBI governor to receive the award after Raghuram Rajan, who was
given the title in 2015. Das “cemented critical reforms, overseen world-leading payments innovation, and
steered India through difficult times with a steady hand and well-crafted turn of phrase”, the organisers of the
award said.
• Das is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, who is currently
serving as the 25th governor of the RBI. He has worked for both the central government and the Tamil Nadu
government in several capacities, such as the economic affairs secretary, the revenue secretary, and fertilisers
secretary.
Gita Press, Gorakhpur, awarded Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021
• The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 will be conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur, one of the largest
publishers of religious texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana and the Upanishads. The
decision to confer the award on Gita Press was taken by a jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after
due deliberations in recognition of the publishing house’s “outstanding contribution towards social, economic
and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods”, the Culture Ministry.
• The annual Gandhi Peace Prize was instituted in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary
of Mahatma Gandhi. The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite
handicraft or handloom item. The previous awardees include organisations such as the Indian Space Research
Organisation, Ramakrishna Mission, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari and
Sulabh International, New Delhi.

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• It has also been awarded to former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, social worker Baba
Amte, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt and
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh. Gita Press is one of the world’s largest publishers,
having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Bhagavad Gita. It completes 100 years
of its establishment in 2023. “The institution has never relied on advertisement in its publications, for revenue
generation.
PM Modi conferred Egypt’s highest state honour, countries elevate relations to ‘strategic
partnership’
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the ‘Order of the Nile’, Egypt’s highest honour,
by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Presidential palace in Cairo. Instituted in 1915, the ‘Order
of the Nile’ is conferred upon heads of states, crown prince’s, and vice presidents who offer Egypt or humanity
invaluable services.
• This is the 13th highest state honour conferred upon Prime Minister Modi. In the first bilateral visit
by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years, India and Egypt elevated their relationship to a ‘Strategic
Partnership’ after Modi and El-Sisi held wide-ranging talks with a particular focus on enhancing political and
security cooperation.
• Modi visited Egypt’s historic 11th century Al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo, restored with the help of
India’s Dawoodi Bohra community. The mosque mainly performs prayers and all five obligatory prayers.
The Prime Minister was seen appreciating the intricate carved inscriptions on the walls and doorways of the
mosque which was built in 1012. Over a thousand years old, al-Hakim is the fourth oldest mosque in
Cairo, and the second Fatimid mosque to be built in the city.
• The visit, the first by any Indian PM since 1997, is of significance as Egypt has traditionally been one of
India’s most important trading partners in the African continent. India-Egypt Bilateral Trade Agreement has
been in operation since March 1978 and is based on the Most Favored Nation clause, according to the Egyptian
Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
Tamil studies chair to be established at the University of Houston
• A Tamil studies chair will be established at the University of Houston with the Indian government’s
help and told the audience to be proud of the fact that Tamil is the “world’s oldest language”.
President Droupadi Murmu confers National Florence Nightingale Awards 2022-2023 to
nursing professionals
• President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the years 2022
and 2023 to the nursing professionals at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Thirty nursing professionals were
awarded the prestigious award for their dedication, duty and service to the community.
• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya briefed President Murmu about the
progress of Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Abhiyaan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted the
Abhiyaan and the Ni-Akshay Mitra initiative during his last Mann Ki Baat programme. India has set a
target of eradicating TB by 2025.
Author Salman Rushdie awarded prestigious German peace prize
• About a year after he was stabbed while on stage during a festival in New York, renowned writer Salman
Rushdie was awarded a prestigious German prize for his literary work and for his resolve in the
face of “constant threat to his life”. The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade said the British-American
author would receive the award in Frankfurt.
World Bank President Ajay Banga named in 2023 List of Great Immigrants
• Ajay Banga, the President of the World Bank, has been recognised on the Carnegie Corporation
of New York’s annual “Great Immigrants” list. He is lauded for his contributions and efforts in enriching
America and its democracy. With over 30 years of experience in key positions, 63-year-old Banga is expected
to usher in transformative policies at the World Bank to combat poverty and address climate change, opening
opportunities for people around the globe.
Narendra Modi becomes first Indian PM to be conferred with Frances highest civilian
award Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Indian Prime Minister to have been conferred
with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest civilian and military honour, by

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 French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr. Modi received the honour at the Elysee Palace and joined
the ranks of other prominent world leaders such as the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, King
Charles - the then Prince of Wales, former Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Boutros Boutros-Ghali,
former Secretary General of the United Nations, among others. The Prime Minister, who is in France for a two-
day official visit, was accorded a red-carpet welcome. He joined President Macron for the French National
Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour.
• The Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour given by France is another in a series of top international
awards and honours bestowed by various countries on Prime Minister Modi. These include Order
of the Nile by Egypt in June 2023, Companion of the Order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea in May 2023,
Companion of the Order of Fiji in May 2023, Ebakl Award by the Republic of Palau in May 2023, Order of the
Druk Gyalpo by Bhutan in 2021, Legion of Merit by the US Government in 2020, King Hamad Order of the
Renaissance by Bahrain in 2019, Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin by Maldives in 2019. Mr.
Modi received the Order of St. Andrew Award from Russia in 2019, and the Order of Zayed Award from the UAE
in 2019.
• He also received the Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award in 2018, the State Order of Ghazi
Amir Amanullah Khan from Afghanistan in 2016 and the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudia
Arabia in 2016. Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, The Legion of Honour is divided into
five classes (lower to higher). The colour of the ribbon is red and the badge is a five-armed Maltese asterisk
hung on an oak and laurel wreath. Although the membership to the award is restricted to French nationals,
foreign nationals who serve France or uphold its ideals may also be given a distinction of the Legion.
Aruna Sairam, Shashank Subramanyam presented Chevalier award
• Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam and flautist Shashank Subramanyam were conferred with the
prestigious Chevalier award by the French government at a ceremony in Chennai. The award was
given in recognition of their contribution to the music field and development of Indo-France relations.
• According to a citation from the French Ministry of Culture, the award was intended to honour personalities
for their creativity in cultural spheres and their works that formed the wealth of the cultural
heritage.
Indian-origin 7-year-old schoolgirl wins UK PM’s Points of Light award
• A seven-year-old girl of Indian origin has received the British Prime Minister’s Points of Light
award for her outstanding efforts in helping the environment. Moksha Roy began volunteering for
a United Nations sustainability initiative against microplastic pollution when she was only three years
old. She is now recognized as the world’s youngest sustainability advocate.
Byculla railway station gets UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage award
• Mumbai’s Byculla Railway Station received UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Award i.e. 24th
July 2023, which was declared in November 2022. An NGO of BJP politician, namely ‘I Love Mumbai’ and
spoke person Shaina NC took up the restoration work of the Byculla railway station, with the help of
heritage conservation architect Abha Lamba and Minal Bajaj Trust, which partnered in the conservation work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conferred Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi was conferred the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in
Pune, Maharashtra today. The Award was constituted by Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in 1983 to honor
the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak. The Prime Minister donated the cash prize to the Namami Gange Project.
• The Lokmanya Tilak National Award is handed out by the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust. The trust was
founded in 1983 in honour of Bal Gangadhar Tilak who was given the title of ‘Lokmanya’ during the
freedom struggle. The award is conferred upon those who have worked towards the development and
upliftment of the nation and who have left a significant impact on the progress of the country. It is
presented on August 1 every year to mark the death anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Several
renowned people have been honoured with this award, including Rahul Bajaj, N R Narayana Murthy.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak (23 July 1856 – 1 August 1920) endeared as Lokmanya was an Indian nationalist,
teacher, and an independence activist. He was one third of the Lal Bal Pal triumvirate. The British colonial
authorities called him “The father of the Indian unrest”. He was also conferred with the title of “Lokmanya”,
which means “accepted by the people as their leader”. Mahatma Gandhi called him “The Maker of Modern
India”. Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of Swaraj (‘self-rule’) and a strong radical in Indian
consciousness. He is known for his quote in Marathi: “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it!”.

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 He formed a close alliance with many Indian National Congress leaders including Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala
Lajpat Rai, Aurobindo Ghose, V. O. Chidambaram Pillai and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Kesari newspaper was
written in Marathi, and “Maratha” newspaper was written in English.
President approves 76 Gallantry awards including four Kirti Chakras, 11 Shaurya
Chakras to Armed Forces and CAPF personnel
• President Droupadi Murmu has approved 76 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police
Forces personnel on eve of Independence Day. These include four Kirti Chakra, all posthumous,
11 Shaurya Chakras, including five posthumous, two Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 52 Sena Medals
(Gallantry), three Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
• The President has also approved 30 Mention-in-Despatches to the Army, including to Army dog
Madhu (Posthumous), and one to Air Force personnel for their significant contributions in different
military operations. The operations include Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Casualty
Evacuation, Operation Mount Chomo, Operation Pangsau Pass, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Orchid,
Operation Kalisham Valley, Rescue Operation and Operation Evacuation.
• President has also approved one President’s Tatrakshak Medal and five Tatrakshak Medals to
the Indian Coast Guard personnel for their act of conspicuous gallantry, exceptional devotion to
duty and distinguished service. These awards are given to the personnel of the Indian Coast Guard on the
occasion of Republic Day and Independence Day every year since 26th January, 1990.
The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice
away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including
posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra. It is second in order of
precedence of peacetime gallantry awards, comes after Ashoka Chakra and before Shaurya Chakra.
Before 1967, the award was known as the Ashoka Chakra, Class II. Established as the “Ashoka Chakra,
Class II” by the President of India, 4 January 1952 (with effect from 15 August 1947). The statutes were revised
and the decoration renamed on 27 January 1967.
Ratan Tata conferred Maharashtra’s first Udyog Ratna award
• Tata Group chairman, Ratan Tatan was honoured with the Udyog Ratna award at his home in
Mumbai by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra
Fadnavis. The Maharashtra government introduced the prestigious Udyog Ratna award this year and Tata
was the first person to receive the award. The honour comprised a shawl, a citation and a memento from
the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
• Ratan Tata will not be attending it due to his ill health. This is why he was conferred the award at his
residence. The steel-to-salt group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents. In 2021-22, the
collective revenue of Tata companies stood at $128 billion.
PM Narendra Modi honoured with Greece’s Grand Cross of the Order of Honour
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour by
Greek President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou in Athens. The award is the highest civilian honour that
can be bestowed by Greece to a foreign head of government. The citation for the award said that it was being
given to PM Modi “in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the promotion of bilateral relations between
Greece and India”. It also praised his “commitment to strengthening the ties between the two countries in the
political, economic, cultural and people-to-people spheres”.
• PM Modi is the first Indian prime minister to be conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order
of Honour. He is also the first foreign head of government to be awarded the honour since 2017.
The award is a significant recognition of PM Modi’s efforts to strengthen ties between India and Greece. The
two countries have a long history of friendship and cooperation, and the award is a testament to the growing
importance of this relationship.
• The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour is conferred by the president of Greece to prime ministers
and “eminent personalities who by reason of their distinguished position, have contributed to
enhancing the stature of Greece”. The Order of Honour was established in 1975. The badge of the
Grand Cross is a gold-plated cross with a red enamelled medallion in the centre. The medallion bears the image
of the Greek goddess Athena, and the words “Only the Righteous Should be Honoured”. The badge is worn
around the neck on a blue and white ribbon.

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Assam-based surgical oncologist Dr. R Ravi Kannan wins Ramon Magsaysay Award 2023
• The Assam-based surgical oncologist Dr. R Ravi Kannan has won Ramon Magsaysay Award 2023. He
won the award for revolutionising the treatment of cancer in Assam through his people-centered and pro-poor
programmes, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said.
• The award was announced Dr. Kannan worked at the Cancer Institute in Chennai before he moved
to Silchar in 2007 to join the Cachar Cancer Hospital. The Magsaysay Award, established in 1957,
seeks to reward individuals for integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism
in democratic societies. It is often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Asia.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President
Ramon Magsaysay’s example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic
idealism within a democratic society. The prize was established in April 1957 by the trustees of the
Rockefeller Brothers Fund based in New York City with the concurrence of the Philippine government.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is widely considered to be Asia’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize. The
award is given to individuals and organisations in Asia for selfless service to society in various fields.
The award is given out every year on August 31, on Magsaysay’s birth anniversary. The awardees are
presented with a certificate and a medal with an image of Ramon Magsaysay.
69th National Film Awards | Allu Arjun, Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon win big
• The 69th National Film Awards were announced at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, with
honours for films censored in the year 2021. The event is held by the Government of India’s Directorate of Film
Festivals, which comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This year’s Jury chairpersons for
various categories include filmmakers Ketan Mehta and Vasanth S Sai and poet and journalist Yatindra Mishra.
• Rocketry: The Nambi Effect won the National Award for best feature film while Alia Bhatt and Kriti
Sanon shared the best actress prize for their roles in Gangubai Kathiawadi and Mimi, respectively.
• Telugu superstar Allu Arjun was judged the best actor for the Telugu film Pushpa: The Rise (Part I).
• The National Awards for 2021 were announced by filmmaker Ketan Mehta who headed the 11-member
jury.
• The National Film Award for best director went to Nikhil Mahajan for Marathi film Godavari.
• Pankaj Tripathi was named best supporting actor for Mimi, and Pallavi Joshi the best supporting
actress for The Kashmir Files.
• The Kashmir Files, directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, won the Nargis Dutt award for best film on
national integration. The award for best popular film providing wholesome entertainment went to the Telugu
version of the multilingual film RRR.
65th Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2023 Winners List
• The Ramon Magsaysay Award, often called the ‘Nobel Prize of Asia’, is a notable accolade that
represents exceptional spirit and influential leadership. This year, in the ceremony’s 65th edition, four
Asians were given the Ramon Magsaysay Award, joining the ranks of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Mother Teresa,
Dalai Lama, Satyajit Ray, and many others. They are Korvi Rakshand from Bangladesh, Eugenio Lemos
from Timor-Leste, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer from the Philippines, and Dr Ravi Kannan R. from India.
The award carries a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize of USD
50,000.
• Korvi Rakshand, the founder of the non-profit organisation JAAGO Foundation, is the 13th
Bangladeshi to have received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award. Rakshand was recognised for his
notable work in developing inclusive education for the underprivileged children in Bangladesh,
which has further led to local youths adopting much-needed societal changes.
• Eugenio Lemos, from the Southeast Asian country of Timor-Leste, is an agriculture expert who has
helped the Timorese community embrace new ways to appreciate agriculture and nature preservation.
• Since the late 1970s, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer has played notable contributions in settling war disputes
and resisting her country’s martial rule. This peace negotiator from the Philippines was part of the drafting
of the country’s first ‘National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security’, an agenda that was eventually
officially adopted in 2010.
• Dr Ravi Kannan R., the first formally trained oncologist in the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research
Centre (CCHRC), helped develop the non-profit facility to become the full-fledged, comprehensive
treatment centre it is known as today. The current CCHRC is home to twenty-eight departments, including but

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 not limited to various aspects of cancer care such as oncology, radiology, tumour registry, etc. Kannan was
selected for this year’s award because of his strong devotion to his medical profession, focusing on
what medicine is truly for: pro-health and people-centred treatment.
Fashion Designer Rahul Mishra Honored with France’s “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et
des Lettres” award
• Rahul Mishra, the visionary Indian designer was honored with the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et
des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government, joining a distinguished
list of fellow countrymen and women including Ritu Kumar, Ritu Beri, Wendell Rodricks, and Manish Arora
who have previously received this award. His creations not only captivate the eye but also inspire change by
highlighting the highest standards and craft of local artisans in India. Mishra’s designs are an exquisite blend
of traditional Indian hand-woven textiles and intricate embroidery techniques, showcasing the country’s rich
heritage and culture.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award conferred on Waheeda Rehman
• Veteran actor Waheeda Rehman will be conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest
film honour, this year. Rehman is a towering legend of Indian cinema known for iconic roles in films like
Guide, Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Chaudhvin Ka Chand and numerous others.
• In a career spanning over six decades, she has been honoured with multiple prestigious awards
including the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, India’s fourth and third highest civilian awards
respectively. She is also a recipient of a National Film Award for Best Actress.
• “At a time when the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023) has been
passed by Parliament, her being awarded with this lifetime achievement award is a fitting tribute to one of the
leading ladies of Indian Cinema and one who has dedicated her life after films to philanthropy and the greater good
of society,”. Veteran Asha Parekh was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2020.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest award in cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film
Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting. The recipient is honoured for their “outstanding contribution to the growth and
development of Indian cinema” and is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the
Indian film industry. The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash
prize of Rs. 1,000,000 (US$13,000). It was first presented in 1969 and the first recipient of the award
was actress Devika Rani; the award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate
Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian cinema. Phalke is popularly known as and often regarded
as “the father of Indian cinema”, was an Indian filmmaker who directed India’s first full-length feature
film, Raja Harishchandra (1913).
Ruixiang Zhang Awarded 2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize in Mathematics
• Mathematician Ruixiang Zhang, an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley,
USA, has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize. This
award recognizes his remarkable contributions to the field of mathematics. The prize, which includes a
cash award of $10,000, will be presented during an international conference in Number Theory,
held in the hometown of the renowned mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, at SASTRA University in
Kumbakonam during the third week of December. In keeping with the legacy of Srinivasa Ramanujan, whose
groundbreaking work was accomplished during his tragically brief life of 32 years, the SASTRA
Ramanujan Prize maintains an age limit of 32 years for its recipients.
• Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician. Though he had almost no formal training in pure
mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and
continued fractions, including solutions to mathematical problems then considered unsolvable. The Man Who
Knew Infinity is a 2015 British biographical drama film about the Indian mathematician Srinivasa
Ramanujan, based on the 1991 book of the same name by Robert Kanigel. Ramanujan is a 2014 biographical
film based on the life of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The film, written and directed by
Gnana Rajasekaran, was shot back to back in the Tamil and English languages.
Katalin Karikó, Drew Weissman win Nobel Prize in Medicine for role in Covid-19 vaccines
• Nobel Prize 2023 in Medicine: Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were jointly awarded the 2023
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking contributions to the development
of highly effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. The prestigious recognition underscores the critical

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 role of their discoveries related to nucleoside base modifications in enabling the rapid creation of these vaccines
during the pandemic.
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation is awarded yearly for outstanding
discoveries in the fields of life sciences and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in his
will in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. The first one was awarded in 1901
to the German physiologist Emil von Behring, for his work on serum therapy and the development of
a vaccine against diphtheria. The first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine,
Gerty Cori, received it in 1947 for her role in elucidating the metabolism of glucose. The first Indian to receive
award in Medicine was Har Gobind Khorana for research that showed the order of nucleotides in
nucleic acids, which carry the genetic code of the cell and control the cell’s synthesis of proteins. He
shared the 1968 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Marshall W. Nirenberg and Robert W. Holley
for research that showed the order of nucleotides in nucleic acids, which carry the genetic code of the cell
and control the cell’s synthesis of proteins.
Norwegian author Jon Fosse wins 2023 Nobel Literature Prize
• Norwegian author Jon Fosse has been awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his innovative
plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable.” Betting sites had tipped Fosse, a playwright whose
work is among the most widely staged of any contemporary playwright in Europe to win the award.
The Nobel Prize in Literature is a Swedish literature prize that has been awarded annually, since 1901,
to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel,
produced “in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction”. It is one of the five
Nobel Prizes established by the 1895 will of Alfred Nobel, which are awarded for outstanding contributions
in chemistry, physics, literature, peace, and physiology or medicine. The first Nobel Prize in Literature
was awarded in 1901 to Sully Prudhoe of France. In 2017, the Swedish Academy awarded Kazuo Ishiguro
the Nobel Prize in Literature. Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian citizen to be awarded Nobel
Prize in Literature for his poem Gitanjali and Mother Teresa is the only woman in the list.
2023 Nobel Peace Prize: Narges Mohammadi | The Iranian activist who continues to fight
from behind the bars
• In 1998, Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi was jailed by the country’s theocratic authorities for
the first time while protesting the rampant imprisonment of voices critical of the administration.
In 2023, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, while still in prison.
• Known for campaigning for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty, Ms. Mohammadi
was awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. “Ms. Mohammadi is a
woman, a human rights advocate, and a freedom fighter.
Jean Henry Dunant and Frederic Passy were the first winners of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1901. The
Nobel Peace Prize 1901 was divided equally between Jean Henry Dunant “for his humanitarian efforts
to help wounded soldiers and create international understanding” and Frederic Passy “for his lifelong
work for international peace conferences, diplomacy and arbitration.” The Institute of International
Law awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1904 and it was the first organization to win the Nobel Peace
Prize. In 2014, Kailash Satyarthi was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Malala
Yousafzai, “for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right
of all children to education.” He is the founder of multiple social activist organizations, including Bachpan
Bachao Andolan, Global March Against Child Labour, Global Campaign for Education and Kailash
Satyarthi Children’s Foundation. Malala Yousafzai is also the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate
and second Pakistani. Mahatma Gandhi was nominated in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and, finally, a few days
before he was murdered in January 1948. The omission has been publicly regretted by later members of the
Nobel Committee; when the Dalai Lama was awarded the Peace Prize in 1989, the chairman of the committee said
that this was “in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi”.
Nobel Prize in Physics 2023: Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier win for
study of electron dynamics
• Nobel Prize 2023 in Physics has been awarded to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier
“for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron
dynamics in matter.” They were acknowledged for their exploration of the world of electrons within atoms
and molecules.

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• According to the official statement, the Nobel Laureates in Physics for 2023 have achieved the remarkable
feat of generating ultrashort bursts of light. These bursts have the potential to precisely gauge the swift
processes by which electrons shift and alter their energy levels.
Bawendi, Brus and Ekimov bag 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work on quantum dot
• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences voted to award the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to
Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum
dots.” Hans Ellegren, the secretary-general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announced the award
in Stockholm.
• The Nobel Prizes carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million). The money comes
from a bequest left by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1896. The Royal
Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the physics, chemistry and economics prizes, asks for nominations
a year in advance from thousands of university professors and other scholars around the world.
Sudha Murty becomes the first woman to get Global Indian Award
• Sudha Murty, renowned author, philanthropist and wife of Infosys co-founder N. R. Narayana
Murty, was conferred with the Global Indian Award by the Canada India Foundation. She has been
conferred by Canada India Foundation at Toronto gala event. The Global Indian Award, which is worth $50,
000, is given each year to a prominent Indian who has made a major mark in his or her chosen field.
2023 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences awarded to U.S. economist Claudia Goldin for
research on the workplace gender gap
• Recently, the Nobel Prize in Economics for 2023 has been awarded to Claudia Goldin, a Harvard
University professor, for research that has advanced the understanding of the Gender Gap in the Labor
Market.
• Goldin is only the third woman to win this honor. In 2009, Elinor Ostrom got the award along
with Oliver E Williamson, while in 2019, Esther Duflo shared it with Abhijit Banerjee and Michael
Kremer.
Nobel Prize in Economics is an award for outstanding contributions to the field of economics, and
generally regarded as the most prestigious award for that field. The award’s official English name is The
Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. The prize was established in
1968 by a donation from Sweden’s central bank the Riksbank to the Nobel Foundation to commemorate
the bank’s 300th anniversary. As it is not one of the prizes that Alfred Nobel established in his will in
1895, it is not a Nobel Prize. However, it is administered and referred to along with the Nobel Prizes
by the Nobel Foundation. It was first awarded in 1969 to the Dutch and Norwegian economists Jan
Tinbergen and Ragnar Frisch, “for having developed and applied dynamic models for the analysis of
economic processes”.
Dhordo village of Gujarat gains global recognition as one of Best Tourism Villages
awarded by UN World Tourism Organization
• Dhordo village in Kutch district of Gujarat has gained global recognition as one of the Best Tourism
Villages awarded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
hailed the Dhordo village for its achievement. Mr Modi said, he is thrilled to see Dhordo in Kutch being celebrated
for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. Prime Minister said, this honour not only showcases the
potential of Indian tourism but also the dedication of the people of Kutch in particular. He hoped
that Dhordo continue to shine and attract visitors from around the world.
Mahsa Amini, the Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody, is awarded EU
human rights prize
• Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody in Iran last year,
sparking worldwide protests against the country’s conservative Islamic theocracy, was awarded
the European Union’s top human rights prize. The EU award, named for Soviet dissident Andrei
Sakharov, was created in 1988 to honor individuals or groups who defend human rights and
fundamental freedoms. Sakharov, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died in 1989.
• Amini died on Sept. 16, 2022, after she was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s mandatory
headscarf law. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said that day will “live in infamy,” adding that
her “brutal murder” marked a turning point. “It has triggered a women-led movement that is making history,”

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 she said as she announced the awarding of the prize to Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran.
Women have played a leading role in the protests, with many publicly removing the compulsory
Islamic headscarf, known as the hijab.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, commonly known as the Sakharov Prize, is an honorary award
for individuals or groups who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom
of thought. Named after Russian scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, the prize was established in
December 1988 by the European Parliament. The prize has also been awarded to organisations, the first being the
Argentine Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in 1992. Five Sakharov laureates were subsequently awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize: Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi, Malala Yousafzai, Denis Mukwege and Nadia
Murad.
Jailed Iranian Nobel Laureate Nargis Mohammadi to get Mother Teresa Memorial Award
for Social Justice
• Harmony Foundation’s founder-chairman Abraham Mathai has announced to confer the prestigious
Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice 2023 on jailed Iranian Nobel Laureate Nargis
Mohammadi. In November, her husband Taghi Rahmani and their two children will receive the award on her
behalf at a function in Mumbai.
• “The award is to recognize her undaunted courage to put her life on the line as a fearless defender
and advocate of human rights against the fundamentalist regime of Iran. She truly exemplify humanity in
action. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 26 in Mumbai.
The Mother Teresa Awards, officially called the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice, are
international and national awards presented annually to honour individuals and organizations that
promote peace, equality and social justice, and aim to encourage the cause of justice and peaceful coexistence, while
providing an impetus for society to imbibe these values. The awards are given in honour of Mother Teresa.
Mother Teresa Awards have been given since 2005 annually or biannually. The awards are an initiative
of Harmony Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Abraham Mathai in Mumbai. It is the
only award in the name of Mother Teresa reviewed and recognized by Sister Prema, Superior General
of Missionaries of Charity.
RBI wins businessline Changemaker of the Year award; Amul is crowned Iconic
Changemaker
• In a glittering ceremony that featured humour-packed moments, a virtuoso violin recital, and a scintillating
hula hoop dance performance, Power Minister R.K. Singh presented businessline’s Changemaker of
the Year award to the Reserve Bank of India for steering the country through the turbulent period
of the pandemic. The ‘utterly butterly’ beloved brand, Amul, was crowned Iconic Changemaker of
the Year.
India-born author Nandini Das is winner of 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global
Cultural Understanding
• India-born author Nandini Das has been named the winner of the 2023 British Academy Book Prize
for Global Cultural Understanding, a leading international non-fiction prize, for her book ‘Courting
India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire’. Das is a Professor of English literatre at the
University of Oxford. The winning book is her debut and has been described by critics as the “true origin story
of Britain and India told through England’s first diplomatic mission to the Mughal courts”. The author has
sought to present a new perspective on the origins of empire through the story of the arrival of the first English
ambassador in India, Sir Thomas Roe, in the early 17th century.
UNEP names Belmonte Champion of the Earth
• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced a city mayor, a non-profit foundation,
a social enterprise, a government initiative and a research council as its 2023 Champions of the
Earth, a statement by the UN body said.
• Josefina Belmonte Belmonte, mayor of Quezon City in the Philippines (Policy Leadership), the UK-
based Ellen MacArthur Foundation (Inspiration and Action), China’s Blue Circle (Entrepreneurial
Vision), José Manuel Moller of Chile (Entrepreneurial Vision) and Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research (Science and Innovation) were declared winners “for their innovative solutions
and transformative action to tackle plastic pollution”. The annual Champions of the Earth award is the
UN’s highest environmental honour.

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Suresh Wadkar named for Maharashtra’s ‘Lata Mangeshkar Award 2023’
• The Maharashtra government has chosen the esteemed playback singer and National Award winner, Suresh
Ishwar Wadkar, as the recipient of the prestigious ‘Gansamragini Lata Mangeshkar Award’ for
2023. The announcement was made by Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, recognizing Wadkar’s
remarkable contribution to the world of music. The ‘Gansamragini Lata Mangeshkar Award’ for 2023 is a
recognition of Wadkar’s significant contributions to the world of music. The award includes a cash prize, a
commendation, and a memento, to be presented at a ceremony later.
Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development 2022
• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development 2022 was jointly awarded to the
Indian Medical Association and the Trained Nurses Association of India for their efforts during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
• Former Vice-President Hamid Ansari presented the award to Dr. Sharad Kumar Agarwal, president of the
Indian Medical Association, and Professor (Dr.) Roy K. George, president of the Trained Nurses Association
of India. The Indira Gandhi Prize aims to honour individuals and institutions that have made
exemplary contributions to the service of humanity and the planet. It is named after Indira Gandhi,
a notable leader of the twentieth century.
Infosys Science Foundation announces 6 prize winners for 2023, including two from
Bengaluru
• Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) announced the winners of the Infosys Prize 2023 which includes two
from Bengaluru. The Infosys Prize is given in six categories – Engineering and Computer Science,
Humanities, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences.
• The two recipients from Bengaluru are Jahnavi Phalkey, founding director, Science Gallery
Bengaluru, and Mukund Thattai, professor, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Bioinformatics at National
Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS).
• The prize for each category comprises a gold medal, a citation, and a purse of $100,000 (or its equivalent
in rupees). The awards will be presented on January 13, 2024. The recepients of Infosys Prize 2023 were
shortlisted from 224 nominations by an international panel of jurors comprising world-renowned scholars and experts.
Ekta Kapoor creates history as first Indian female filmmaker to win Emmy
• The 51st International Emmy Awards ceremony took place in New York City, creating a buzz in India
as producer Ekta Kapoor bagged an Emmy. The International Emmy Directorate Award was given to
the Bollywood producer in recognition of her noteworthy contributions to the entertainment sector. Renowned
author and pioneer of the new age, Deepak Chopra, presented her with the prize.
• Ekta Kapoor achieved this esteemed accolade, making history as the first Indian female filmmaker
to do so. In addition to Kapoor’s recognition, Vir Das also secured an International Emmy for Best
Comedy with Vir Das: Landing. However, Shefali Shah of Delhi Crime S2 did not win, losing to Mexican
actress Karla Souza for her stellar performance in La Ca­ida (Dive). Stay tuned for more updates.

G. Persons & Appointments

Savitri Jindal is richest Indian woman: Forbes
• Savitri Jindal, chairperson of the Jindal Group, became the richest woman in India, according to the
Forbes Billionaires List 2022, with a net worth of $16.4 billion. A total of nine Indian women joined the
global rich list this year. Nykaa’s Falguni Nayar- hailed among the country’s richest self-made billionaires - is
also on the list. With a net worth of $4.8 billion, the Forbes data said, after a bumper IPO (Initial Public Offer),
Nayar stands at the 44th spot in the list.
In a first, turbaned Sikh appointed Dy Mayor of Canada’s Brampton
• Harkirat Singh has become the first turbaned Sikh to be appointed as Deputy Mayor of Canada’s
Brampton city for a four-year term period from 2022-2026. He has served as Brampton’s City Councillor for
Wards 9 and 10 from 2018-2022.
Deepika Padukone is first Indian to unveil FIFA World Cup trophy
• Actor Deepika Padukone became the first from India to unveil the FIFA trophy. At Lusail Stadium,
the venue of the FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and France, Padukone escorted the FIFA World Cup
trophy in a specially commissioned truck and unveiled it.

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• The trophy is made of gold of 18-carat and malachite and weighs 6.175 kg, and unveiling it is an
essential component of the ceremonies, creating an international point for India. Deepika Padukone stepped
in with former Spanish Professional Footballer and FIFA legend Iker Casillas Fernandez.
US President nominates Indian American Richard Verma to top diplomatic position in
State Department
• US President Joe Biden has nominated Indian American Richard R Verma to a top diplomatic
position in the US Department of State. Biden announced his intent to nominate Verma as Deputy Secretary
of State for Management and Resources.
• Verma is the Chief Legal Officer and Head of Global Public Policy at Mastercard. He was the
United States Ambassador to India and Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs during the Obama
administration. Earlier in his career, Verma was National Security Advisor to the United States Senator Harry
Reid (D-NV), Democratic Whip, Minority Leader, and then-Majority Leader of the United States Senate.
First woman officer operationally deployed at highest battleground in Siachen
• Fire and Fury Corps officer Captain Shiva Chauhan became the first woman officer to be operationally
deployed at the highest battleground in Kumar Post on the Siachen glacier.
• The Siachen Glacier is the highest battleground on earth, where India and Pakistan have fought
intermittently since 1984. A team of eight specially-abled people created a world record when they reached
Kumar Post at 15,632 feet on the Siachen glacier in September 2021.
First female Sikh judge in U.S. swears in
• Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh has been sworn in as a Harris county judge, becoming the
first female Sikh judge in the U.S. Ms. Singh was born and raised in Houston and now lives in Bellaire with
her husband and two children. She was sworn in as a judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 in
Texas.
Sri Lanka’s former President ordered to pay 100 million Sri Lankan rupee in
compensation for failing to prevent 2019 Easter attacks
• Sri Lanka’s former president Maithripala Sirisena ordered by the apex court to pay 100 million Sri
Lankan rupee as compensation to victims of the 2019 Easter attack for his negligence in preventing
the country’s one of the worst terror strikes despite having credible information of an imminent attack. In
its verdict, a seven-member Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the respondents named in the petitions for
failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks had violated the Fundamental Rights of the petitioners.
Centre appoints Pankaj Kumar Singh as deputy national security advisor
• Pankaj Kumar Singh, the former director general of the Border Security Force (BSF), was appointed
as the deputy national security advisor (Dy NSA) of India, according to an order issued by the Centre.
The 1988-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Rajasthan cadre, who headed the BSF till December 31 last
year before he retired, has been appointed as Dy NSA on a re-employment contract of two years.
Death anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri
• Lal Bahadur Shastri served as the second Prime Minister of India from 1964 to 1966. He passed
away on January 11, 1966 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (then Soviet Union), a day after signing a peace
treaty with Pakistan to end the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.
Indian-American astronaut Raja Chari nominated by Biden for crucial post
• Indian-American astronaut Raja Chari has been nominated by US President Joe Biden for the post of
Air Force brigadier general. The appointment will be finalised by the Senate, which approves all senior civilian
and military appointments, the State Department added. “Air Force Col. Raja J Chari for appointment to the
grade of brigadier general. Chari is currently serving as the Crew-3 commander and astronaut, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Texas,” an official statement read.
Indian-origin Sikh Amar Singh gets Australian of the Year Local Hero award 2023 for
community service
• Indian-origin Sikh volunteer, Amar Singh has been felicitated with Australian of the Year Local Hero
award 2023 for supporting the community during floods, bushfires, drought and the pandemic.
Amar Singh, a Sikh, founded a charity organisation “Turbans 4 Australia” seven years ago and works towards
supporting the displaced and the vulnerable impacted by natural calamities.

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Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf passes away in Dubai
• Pervez Musharraf, former President of Pakistan, passed away after a prolonged illness at a hospital
in Dubai. He was 79. Musharraf had been undergoing treatment for an ailment at an American Hospital
Dubai.
Indian-American Neal Mohan to be new CEO of YouTube after Wojcicki resigns
• An Indian-American Neal Mohan will be the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of YouTube after
Susan Wojcicki announced her resignation citing personal reasons. Taking to Twitter, YouTube
Creators informed about Wojcicki’s resignation and thanked her for contributing to the online video-sharing
platform. Neal Mohan is currently the Chief Product Officer of YouTube. Before joining YouTube, Mohan was
the Senior Vice President, Display and Video Ads at Google.
Vivek Ramaswamy launches US Presidential bid
• Vivek Ramaswamy is an Indian American. He is a republican (Joe Biden and Barack Obama are
all from the Democratic Political party) and an anti-environment activist. Anti-environmentalists
are those people who believe that environmental regulation is unnecessary. He established a company to ban
environmental governance initiatives. He is a biotech investor. The Republican is planning to contest in
the 2024 US elections. He is 37 years old and his worth is 500 million USD. He is the CEO of Anti-
Woke Inc.
CAG Girish Chandra Murmu selected as External Auditor of ILO in Geneva
• Comptroller and Auditor General, Girish Chandra Murmu has been selected as External Auditor
of the International Labour Organization in Geneva for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027. The
decision was taken after a rigorous selection process. CAG will take over from the incumbent External
Auditor of ILO, Supreme Audit Institution of Philippines.
• CAG’s appointment is recognition of its standing among the international community as well as its
professionalism, high standards, global audit experience and strong national credentials. ILO had formed a
Selection Panel for appointment of External Auditor and invited bids from the Supreme Audit Institutions.
Shailesh Pathak appointed FICCI Secretary General
• Former bureaucrat Shailesh Pathak has been appointed as the new Secretary General of FICCI.
Ficci also announced that Arun Chawla, Director General, will superannuate on June 30, 2023, and
transition to an advisory role.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) is a non-governmental trade
association and advocacy group based in India. Mr.Subhrakant, Managing Director, Indian Metals & Ferro
Alloys Ltd has taken over as FICCI President for 2022-2023, from Mr Sanjiv Mehta. It was established in 1927,
on the advice of Mahatma Gandhi by Indian businessman G.D. Birla and Purshottamdas Thakurdas. It
is the largest, one of the oldest and the apex business organisation in India. It is a non-government, not-
for-profit organisation. FICCI draws its membership from the corporate sector, both private and public,
including SMEs and MNCs. Currently, it is headquartered in the national capital New Delhi and has a
presence in 12 states in India and 8 countries around the world.
Bengaluru’s Sucheta Deb Burman becomes first Indian woman to complete two-way swim
across Palk Strait
• Sucheta Deb Burman, an accomplished ultra-marathon swimmer from Bengaluru, has added another
record to her repertoire by completing a two-way swim across the Palk Strait, covering a 62 Km
distance. The swim was piloted by Angel Sailor Ocean Services, who ensured her safety and success across
the Ram Sethu Bridge and officiated by Rajesh Samathanam from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil
Nadu (SDAT).
• In the Indian waters, the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard ensured her safety, and the Sri Lankan
Navy provided search and rescue (SAR) cover while swimming in the Sri Lankan waters. Born in
Agartala, she came to Bengaluru as a student of St Joseph’s University. Apart from being an elite ultra-
marathon swimmer, Burman is also a Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS) certified
swimmer and an open water coach for open water swimming enthusiasts and triathletes.
2 Indian-American CEOs appointed to Biden’s advisory committee
• US President Joe Biden named two Indian-Americans – Revathi Advaithi, CEO of Flex, and Manish
Bapna, CEO of the Natural Resources Defence Council – to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy

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 and Negotiations. Biden announced his intent to appoint 14 people to the Advisory Committee, which provides
overall policy advice to the United States Trade Representative on matters of development, implementation,
and administration of the US trade policy.
Captain Shiva Chauhan: First woman officer deployed in Siachen
• Captain Shiva Chauhan of Fire and Fury Corps became the first woman officer to be operationally
deployed in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield. The officer was posted at the Kumar post, located at
an altitude of around 15,600 feet in Siachen in January 2023, for a three-month stint. Before her deployment,
Chauhan was put through a rigorous one-month training including endurance training, ice wall climbing,
avalanche and crevasse rescue and survival drills, at the Siachen Battle School alongside other officers of the
Indian Army.
First Woman in Indian Air Force History to Command Combat Unit
• The Indian Air Force has selected Group Captain Shaliza Dhami to take over command of a
frontline combat unit in the Western sector, shattering the proverbial glass ceiling. For the first time
ever in the IAF’s history, a woman officer has been given command of a frontline combat unit - in this case, a
missile squadron in the Western sector. Group Captain Dhami was commissioned in the year 2003 as a
Helicopter pilot and has over 2,800 hours of flying experience. A Qualified Flying Instructor, she has served
as Flight Commander of a Helicopter Unit in the Western sector.
Arun Subramanian becomes first Indian-American judge of New York district court
• The United States Senate confirmed Indian-American Arun Subramanian to be the District Judge for
the Southern District of New York (SDNY), thus making him the first South Asian judge to serve on
this bench. The United States confirmed the nomination of Subramanian by a vote of 58-37.
Indian-American Woman Appointed To Key Judicial Post in US District Court
• Tejal Mehta, an Indian-American woman judge who promised to make a real impact to the community
and treat people with compassion, has taken oath as the first justice of a district court in the US state
of Massachusetts. She will serve as the first justice of the Ayer District Court.
Aparna Kumar, first IPS officer to scale 7 summits now eyes North Pole
• Racing ahead and climbing one peak after another, the lady IPS is the first to scale seven summits.
Seven Summits are the highest mountain peaks of each of the seven traditional continents in the world. Climbing
to the summit of all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge. The challenge was accepted and
achieved by the UP-cadre IPS officer Aparna Kumar. She is the first IPS officer to achieve this feat
in the country. She also has another firsts to her name, including scaling of Mount Everest as an officer and
the first woman director of ITBP Academy in six decades.
Mukesh Ambani leapfrogs Gautam Adani to bag richest Indian title: Hurun Global Rich
list 2023
• Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani overtook Adani Group founder Gautam Adani to
become the richest Indian with a wealth of over USD 82 billion, according to the 2023 Hurun Global Rich List
released. Ranked ninth, Ambani is the only Indian to feature on the list of top 10 billionaires across the world.
Former Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shailaja launches her memoirs
• Kerala’s former Health Minister K. K. Shailaja launched her memoirs – My Life as a Comrade – in
Delhi. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan applauded Ms. Shailaja’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic
and her work as a political activist.
Ajai Chowdhry’s book ‘Just Aspire’
• Narayana Murthy and Azim Premji; and articulate works from Nandan Nilekani. However, India’s
growth in the IT hardware and mobility industry has not got its share of attention. In that sense Ajai
Chowdhry’s book ‘Just Aspire’ fills an important gap in India’s business history, tracing the origins of
India’s knowledge economy through the PC revolution and the subsequent explosion in mobile telephony.
Nepali sherpa becomes world’s second person to scale Mount Everest 26 times
• A Nepali sherpa guide climbed Mount Everest for the 26th time, becoming the world’s second person
to achieve the feat. Pasang Dawa Sherpa stood atop the 8,849-m (29,032-ft) peak, sharing the record
number of summits with Kami Rita Sherpa. Kami Rita, who is also climbing on Everest now, could set
another record if he makes it to the top.

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Alessandra Korap from Amazon wins Goldman Environment Prize
• Alessandra Korap, an indigenous Munduruku woman from the Brazilian Amazon, has been
recognized with a 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize, an esteemed award that acknowledges the efforts
of six activists from six continents who work at the grassroots level to safeguard the environment. Since its
establishment in 1989, the Goldman Prize has celebrated leaders who engage in local initiatives that result in
positive environmental changes through citizen or community involvement.
Kiren Rijiju replaced as law minister, Arjun Ram Meghwal to take over
• Kiren Rijiju was dropped as Union minister for law and justice and replaced by Arjun Ram Meghwal.
Rijiju has been assigned charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Meghwal, currently the minister of
state for parliamentary affairs and culture, will take over the key law and justice ministry.
Deepika Padukone appears on cover of TIME magazine
• Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has been featured on the latest cover of TIME magazine. The iconic
American magazine described Padukone as a ‘global star’ bringing ‘the world to Bollywood’. A major change is signalled
by the TIME Magazine cover and Deepika who earlier in 2018 made it to TIME list of 100 Most Influential
list, has recently been featured on it as a global star speaking volumes for her impact across the world.
Manoj Soni sworn in as UPSC Chairman
• Manoj Soni, a former Vice-Chancellor of two universities in Gujarat, was sworn in as the Chairman
of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Mr. Soni was already serving as the Chairman in charge
since April 2022. He had joined the UPSC as a member in June 2017. He is a monk of the Anoopam mission, a
branch of the Swaminarayan movement.
• The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is India’s premier central recruitment agency for
recruitment of all the Group ‘A’ officers under Government of India. It is a constitutional body and
it is responsible for appointments to and examinations for the Group ‘A’ posts of several central
government establishments which also includes the central public sector undertakings and the central
autonomous bodies. While Department of Personnel and Training is the central personnel agency in India.
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran Conferred With France’s Highest Civilian Award
• Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran has been given France’s highest civilian award Chevalier
de la Legion d’honneur for his contributions to strengthen the trade relationship between India and
France. French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna gave the award to Chandrasekaran
on behalf of the French President.
• France’s highest civilian award is the National Order of the Legion of Honour (French: Ordre national
de la Légion d’honneur). It was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is awarded to French
citizens and foreigners for their outstanding service to France in the fields of military, civil, and cultural affairs.
Centre re-appoints Tushar Mehta as Solicitor General of India
• The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet re-appointed Tushar Mehta as the Solicitor-General
of India. Besides Mehta, six Additional Solicitor Generals of India – namely, Vikramjit Banerjee, K.M
Nataraj, Balbir Singh, S.V Raju, N. Venkataraman, and Aishwariya Bhati – were re-appointed. The term
for all the law officers is that of three years, or until further notice, whichever should be earlier.
• The Attorney General for India is the highest law officer of the country. Senior advocate R
Venkataramani was appointed AG on October 1 last year and has a tenure of three years till 2025. The
office of the SG is most crucial in handling the bulk of Centre’s litigation spread across the country.
He has been ably assisted in this task by his team of ASGs who bring their vast expertise in criminal law,
civil law, tax law, service jurisprudence and other branches of law to defend Centre in some of the vexed legal
questions pending in the top court and high courts.
Solicitor General is the second highest law officer in the country. He is subordinate to the Attorney
General of India, the highest law officer and works under him. He also advises the government in legal
matters. His duties are: To give advice to the Government of India upon such legal matters, and to perform
such other duties of a legal character, as may from time to time, be referred or assigned to him by the Government
of India. To appear, whenever required, in the Supreme Court or in any High Court on behalf of the
Government of India in cases (including suits, writ petitions, appeal and other proceedings) in which the
Government of India is concerned as a party or is otherwise interested. To represent the Government of India
in any reference made by the President to the Supreme Court under Article 143 of the Constitution.

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Elon Musk reclaims position as world’s richest person
• Elon Musk has yet again claimed his position as the world’s richest person after beating the CEO of
the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton Bernard Arnault, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. As
of June 1, Elon Musk’s net worth was about $192 billion. According to the index, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
is the world’s third richest person, with a net worth of $144 billion.
Amit Agrawal takes charge as CEO of UIDAI
• Amit Agrawal, a 1993 batch IAS officer, took charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which administers Aadhaar. Mr. Agrawal, who is from the
Chhattisgarh cadre, was earlier an Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology. Prior to this, he was an Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
• Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number that can be obtained voluntarily by the citizens of
India and resident foreign nationals who have spent over 182 days in twelve months immediately
preceding the date of application for enrolment, based on their biometric and demographic data. The data is
collected by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), a statutory authority established
in January 2009 by the Government of India, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology, following the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and
other Subsidies, benefits and services) Act, 2016.
Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan receives honorary doctorate in UK
• Renowned singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan has been granted an honorary doctorate by
Birmingham City University (BCU) in England. The prestigious recognition is a tribute to his significant
contributions to the field of music and the arts. Shankar Mahadevan, 56 years old, is a prominent member of
the highly accomplished music composing trio known as Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The honorary doctorate was
presented to him by Professor Philip Plowden, the Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University, during a
ceremony held in Birmingham.
‘Vajpayee’, the first instalment of Abhishek Choudhary’s biography of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
• The first instalment of Abhishek Choudhary’s two-volume biography of Atal Bihari Vajpayee is
one of the most significant works of non-academic history in recent memory, for multiple reasons. Like
Roth’s fiction, Choudhary has provided not just an account of a ‘great’ man’s life but rather, a vivid portrait of a
worldview– more often for the worse – seeks to remake India in its insecure image.
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th Prime Minister of
India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed
by a full term from 1999 to 2004. Vajpayee was one of the co-founders and a senior leader of the BJP. He
was a member of the RSS, a Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation. He was the first Indian Prime Minister
not of the INC to serve a full term in office. He was also a renowned poet and a writer. The administration
of Narendra Modi declared in 2014 that Vajpayee’s birthday, 25 December, would be marked as Good
Governance Day. In 2015, he was conferred India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, by the
President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.
Praveen Kumar Srivastava sworn in as Central Vigilance Commissioner
• Vigilance Commissioner Praveen Kumar Srivastava was sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu,
as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi attended the ceremony. Since December last year, Mr. Srivastava had been working as the acting
Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) following the completion of his predecessor Suresh N. Patel’s tenure.
Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is an apex Indian governmental body created in 1964 to address
governmental corruption. In 2003, the Parliament enacted a law conferring statutory status on the
CVC. It has the status of an autonomous body, free of control from any executive authority, charged with
monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India, advising various authorities
in central Government organizations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work. It
was set up by the Government of India Resolution on 11 February 1964, on the recommendations of
the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by K. Santhanam, to advise and guide Central
Government agencies in the field of vigilance. The Annual Report of the CVC not only gives the details
of the work done by it but also brings out the system failures which leads to corruption in various
Departments/Organisations, system improvements, various preventive measures and cases in which the
commission’s advises were ignored etc.

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Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro barred from running for office for 8 years
• Brazil’s highest electoral court has barred former President Jair Bolsonaro from running for
political office till 2030. This comes after Bolsonaro was found guilty of abusing his power and misusing public
media during last year’s election campaign. The former president was found guilty by five out of seven
judges, effectively ending any hope of a political comeback in the forthcoming 2026 election. Two of
the judges voted against the decision, which prevents Bolsonaro from running for public office for eight years.
El Salvadoran ex-President Mauricio Funes sentenced to six years for tax evasion
• An El Salvador court sentenced former President Mauricio Funes to six years in prison for tax
evasion, the second time in barely more than a month that a court has sentenced the ex-leader in absentia.
Prosecutors had asked for an eight-year sentence against Funes, who lives in Nicaragua.
Soundarya, South India’s first AI news presenter by Kannada news channel
• As Artificial Intelligence (AI) news presenters started entering into the Indian TV news industry, Kannada
channel Power TV launched south India’s first AI news presenter. The management named the AI
presenter Soundarya, the first news show was rolled out, featuring her.
• A few other channels in the country too have come up with their own AI powered news presenters. Recently,
an Odia channel called OTV launched state’s first AI news presenter Lisa. Lisa took the internet by
storm after the flawless news presentation in both English and Odia impressed many people.
• In March, India Today group launched country’s first AI news presenters Sana for their Hindi
channel Aaj Tak. Though there is a long way to go for the seamless AI news presenters to take over the human
news presenters, the AI enthusiasts are calling it an interesting development in Indian TV journalism.
Sachin Tendulkar is Election Commission’s national voter awareness ambassador
• Indian cricket legend and Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar will start a new innings as the Election
Commission of India’s national icon for voter awareness and education. The ECI would sign a
memorandum of understanding with Tendulkar to be a voter awareness ambassador for three years.
• Apart from Tendulkar, the ECI has two other national icons as of now – actor Pankaj Tripathi and
Padma Shri awardee and activist Dr. Niru Kumar. For the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the ECI had drafted
cricketer M.S. Dhoni, actor Aamir Khan and boxed Mary Kom as its national icons.
Centre appoints Jaya Verma Sinha as first woman CEO, chairperson of Railway Board
• The Centre appointed Jaya Verma Sinha as the first woman chairperson and CEO of the Railway
Board. “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Jaya Verma Sinha,
Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) Member Operations and Business Development) Railway Board
to the post of Chairman and the CEO with effect from the date of assumption on or after September
1, 2023. Sinha, an alumni of the prestigious Allahabad University, originally belongs to the Indian Railway
Traffic Service 1986 batch Indian Railway Management Service IRMS) and she will replace outgoing head of
Railway board Anil Kumar Lahoti.
Geetika Srivastava to be India’s first woman chargé d’affaires in Pakistan
• The Indian High Commission in Islamabad will soon have a woman diplomat Geetika Srivastava as its
chargé d’affaires. Srivastava is expected to take up her assignment after the term of the current CdA Suresh
Kumar ends.
• She would be the first-ever incharge of the Indian mission. It said she was another addition to the “Female
Diplomatic Club”, as her appointment comes soon after the UK posted its first woman envoy in Pakistan. Since
2919, there has been no full-time high commissioner in Islamabad and New Delhi with middle level diplomats
posted as chargé d’affaires.
Father of Green Revolution in India, MS Swaminathan passes away in Chennai
• Agricultural scientist Dr MS Swaminathan, known as the father of India’s Green Revolution, passed
away in Chennai. He was 98 years old. Swaminathan brought a social revolution through his policies to
rescue India from famine-like circumstances in the 1960s. He founded the MS Swaminathan Research
Foundation and played a vital role in developing high-yield variety seeds of wheat, which led to the
green revolution in India.
• World-renowned for his work on the policy front, Swaminathan has received numerous international
awards and honours, including Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986, the first World Food
Prize in 1987, Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 1991, and the Planet and Humanity Medal
of International Geographical Union in 2000.

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• He was conferred with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. President Murmu said, he was
a visionary who worked endlessly to achieve food security and was rightly called the Father of Green
Revolution. The President said he leaves behind a rich legacy of Indian agriculture science which may
serve as a guiding light to steer the world towards a safer and hunger-free future for humanity.
Param Vir Chakra Awardee Captain Bana Singh Nominated As Ambassador for ‘War
Against Waste’ in Jammu & Kashmir
• In a remarkable move to combat sanitation challenges in rural areas of Union Territory of Jammu and
Kashmir, the Directorate of Rural Sanitation, J&K has announced the nomination of country’s highest
gallantry awardee, the Param Vir Chakra recipient, Captain Bana Singh, a dedicated and decorated
former soldier, as the ambassador for the “War Against Waste” initiative in Jammu & Kashmir. This was
announced by the Director Rural Sanitation, J&K, Shri Charandeep Singh at Captain Bana Singh Stadium, R.
S. Pura Jammu during an ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS 2023) campaign.
Canada’s House of Commons elects first Black Speaker
• Canada’s House of Commons has elected Greg Fergus as its new Speaker, making the Liberal
lawmaker the first Black Canadian to hold the position. The election was triggered by the resignation
of Anthony Rota, who stepped down last week after he invited - and honoured - a man who fought for a Nazi
military unit during World War II.
Raghubar Das appointed as Governor of Odisha; Indra Sena Reddy Nallu as Governor of
Tripura
• President Droupadi Murmu has appointed new Governors for Tripura and Odisha. Indra Sena
Reddy Nallu has been appointed as the Governor of Tripura, while Former Jharkhand Chief Minister
Raghubar Das will be the new Governor of Odisha. Indra Sena Reddy Nallu will replace Satyadeo Narain
Arya, while Raghubar Das has been appointed in place of Prof. Ganeshi Lal.
Election Commission recognizes Rajkumar Rao as National Icon to create awareness
among voters
• In a move towards increasing voter participation during the elections, the Election Commission of India
joined hands with renowned actor Rajkumar Rao. The Commission recognized Rajkumar Rao as
National Icon to create awareness among the voters especially the youth.
• An MoU was exchanged between Rajkumar Rao and the ECI at Rang Bhavan in New Delhi. The Commission
is also planning to join hands with the Education Ministry to engrained the young people with the
electoral process. Actor Rajkumar Rao thanked the Election Commission for recognizing him as a
national icon. The Election Commission of India is continuously engaged in joining hands with the renowned
personalities to create awareness among voters and increasing voter participation in the election. In August
this year, the ECI has recognized Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as National Icon to promote
voter awareness.
Bangladesh’s Saima Wazed wins election to become South East Asia regional director at
WHO in New Delhi
• Bangladesh’s Saima Wazed won the election to become South East Asia regional director at the
World Health Organisation in New Delhi. She fought a high decibel battle against Nepal’s Shambu Prasad
Acharya, who lost by six votes.
• Saima Wazed is the daughter of Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, and has extensively
worked on autism, updating the country’s public health rules, as well as enacting the Mental Heath Act of
2018 and National Mental Health Strategic Plan for 2020-25.
• The current regional director, India’s Poonam Khetrapal Singh, will hand over the charge to
Wazed from February 1st next year. India was among the countries that had confirmed their support for the
Bangladeshi candidate long before the elections.
10-Year-Old Bangalore Kid Wins ‘Wildlife Photographer Of The Year’ Award
• Vihaan Talya Vikas, a 10-year-old prodigy from Bengaluru, has captured the hearts of photography
enthusiasts and conservationists alike by winning the top prize in the ‘10 years and under’ category
renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY) competition. This prestigious competition, often
hailed as the ‘Oscars of Photography,’ is organized by the Natural History Museum and serves as a global
platform for showcasing the world’s most exceptional wildlife photography.

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• Vihaan’s winning photograph is a testament to his extraordinary talent and creativity. His image portrays
a spider in a fascinating pose, positioned alongside a sculpture of Lord Krishna, nestled on the
outskirts of his city.
Nita Ambani Receives USISPF Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy and Corporate
Social Responsibility
• Nita Ambani, Founder and Chair of Reliance Foundation, was honored with the 2023 USISPF Global
Leadership Award for Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility. The award was presented
by John Chambers, Chairman of USISPF, at a reception in New Delhi attended by prominent figures from
the USISPF, Indian business leaders, and Government of India officials.
• Nita Ambani, an acclaimed philanthropist and businesswoman, has impacted millions of lives
in India through Reliance Foundation’s initiatives in education, arts, sports, and healthcare.
She champions women’s and children’s causes, contributing significantly to bridging the gender divide and
enhancing women’s roles in India’s economy.
Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua crowned Miss Universe 2023
• Nicaragua’s Sheynnis Palacios has been crowned Miss Universe for the year 2023, marking her
country’s first win at the international beauty pageant. The 72nd edition of the Miss Universe pageant was held
at the Jose Adolfo Pineda Arena in San Salvador, El Salvador.
• Miss Thailand Anntonia Porsild emerged the first runner-up and Miss Australia Moraya Wilson was
named the second runner-up at the event. Palacios was crowned by USA’s R’Bonney Gabriel, who held the
title of Miss Universe for the year 2022.
Shital Mahajan Makes History: First Woman to skydive from 21,500 ft near Mt Everest
• Indian skydiver Shital Mahajan jumped off a helicopter from the height of 21,500 ft in front of the
world’s highest peak, Mt Everest. She became the first woman to do so. Mahajan landed at Kalapatthar
peak at an altitude 17,444 ft. Mahajan is a well-known Indian skydiver who holds several skydiving records and
is the recipient of the fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri in 2001.
• Mount Everest (Nepali: Sagarmatha; Tibetan: Chomolungma; Chinese: pinyin) is Earth’s highest
mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal
border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow height) of 8,848.86 m (29,031 ft 8+1/2 in) was most
recently established in 2020 by the Chinese and Nepali authorities.
Icon of women’s empowerment, gender justice: India’s first woman Supreme Court Justice
Fathima Beevi passes away
• Justice Fathima Beevi, whose appointment as the first Muslim woman judge of the Supreme Court
had inspired women to pursue the legal profession, died at a private hospital in Kerala’s Kollam.
Considered a role model for gender justice, she had been an icon of women’s empowerment as she blazed a trail
in the legal profession and otherwise.
• Justice Beevi, who had also served as the governor of Tamil Nadu from 1997 to 2001, finished school at
Catholicate School in Pathanamthitta in 1943, completed her graduation in Chemistry from Women’s College,
and studied law at a government law college in Thiruvananthapuram. Beevi was appointed as a judge of
the Kerala High Court in 1983 and was elevated to a judge of the Supreme Court in 1989. Justice
Beevi leaves behind an illustrious career as the judge of the Supreme Court from 1989 to 1992.
Former RBI Governor S Venkitaramanan passes away
• Former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), S Venkitaramanan, who managed the affairs
at the central bank when the country faced two major crisis – balance of payment crisis that led
to the pledging of gold and the securities scam triggered by Harshad Mehta – in the 1990-92 period
passed away after a brief illness. Venkitaramanan, 92, is survived by his two daughters and their families. He
served as Finance Secretary in the Ministry of Finance for a period of four years from 1985 to 1989
when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country.

H. Books & Authors

Book on Chipko Movement wins Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize
• The Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize 2022 has been awarded to The Chipko Movement:
A People’s Movement by historian and activist Shekhar Pathak, translated from Hindi by Manisha

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 Chaudhry. The award, now in its fifth edition, is given for non-fiction on contemporary India by writers of any
nationality, and carries a cash award of 15 lakhs, a trophy and a citation.
Breaking Barriers by Janaki Krishnan
• Success Stories of India’s Leading Business Women Includes stories of: Shaheen Mistri, Vandana Luthra,
Renuka Ramnath Zia Mody, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and others. The stories of ordinary women who went on
to become extraordinary. Breaking Barriers is a book chronicling the lives of some prominent Indian
women entrepreneurs, who have followed their dreams and fulfilled their ambitions. It is authored
by Janaki Krishnan. They refused to succumb to the pressures and established norms that society insists on
imposing on women.
Aanchal Malhotra’s debut novel ‘The Book of Everlasting Things’ is a mesmerising
intersection of love, desire, and communal tensions in 1947 India
• Aanchal Malhotra’s debut novel ‘The Book of Everlasting Things’ paints a riveting picture of the
1947 Partition of India using all senses - especially and unusually leaning into smell.
• ‘The Book of Everlasting Things’ is a book to stroll through and indulge in; a sensory paradise
basking in the sound of words, the smell of a childhood memory, the alluring hook of a nose or a letter. It’s an
ode to passion, from handicraft to the first and deepest love.
Shashi Tharoor’s Ambedkar — A Life: Writing the constitutionalist
• In Ambedkar: A Life, Shashi Tharoor, begins with a curious apprehension: “I have become acutely
conscious of the fact that some will object to this book on the basic ground that I am not a Dalit.”
Ambedkar’s take on Hinduism is well known. “I was born a Hindu but I shall not die a Hindu,” he said as he
converted to Buddhism. But for Tharoor, as he explains in Why I am a Hindu (2018), Hinduism is “a faith
that I have tried to absorb through beliefs and practices handed down to me by my father and others, my own
observations, as well as extensive reading of the scriptures.”
‘A Life in Movie’: New book to offer compelling account of Irrfan Khan’s iconic life
• A new book will offer a compelling account of iconic actor Irrfan Khan’s life and achievements,
starting from his days at the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD) to his nearly a decade-long stint in
television and his gradual ascent in the film industry. In the book, “Irrfan Khan: A Life in Movies”, film
critic Shubhra Gupta engages key people, including director Mira Nair, Vishal Bharadwaj, and Anurag
Basu in conversation on the actor’s art, craft and legacy.
PM Modi receives book titled “ Braving A Viral Storm: India’s Covid-19 Vaccine Story”
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a book titled “Braving A Viral Storm: India’s Covid-19
Vaccine Story” from Aashish Chandorkar. The book chronicles India’s strides in vaccination. In response to a
tweet by Aashish Chandorkar, the Prime Minister said that he was delighted to receive a copy of the book.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya releases book ‘India’s Vaccine Growth Story- From
Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri’
• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya released the book, ‘India’s Vaccine
Growth Story- From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri’, at World Book Fair in New Delhi. The book is authored
by Additional Secretary of Finance Ministry Sajjan Singh Yadav. Dr Mandaviya has urged the writers
to inculcate research-based documentation. Lauding the unwavering dedication of healthcare professionals,
the Minister stated that the country administered 2.2 billion doses as a part of the what he described as
the world’s largest COVID vaccination drive without any shortages across the nation, resulting in
saving 3.4 million lives.
UAE’s Sultan Al Neyadi set to become 1st Arab astronaut to conduct spacewalk
• UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has already created history by being the first Arab astronaut to
go on a long-term mission to the International Space Station. Now, he is set to become the first Arab
astronaut to go on a spacewalk.
• Al Neyadi should be part of US Spacewalk 86 from the space station. According to NASA, the spacewalk
will last about six hours and 30 minutes, during which Al Neyadi and NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen will
prepare cables for future solar panel installations. They will also retrieve some communication equipment.

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Shah RukhKhan Tops TIME100 Reader Poll, Lionel Messi Is No 5
• Shah Rukh Khan has been ranked first in a list of TIME100 Reader Poll. The criterion was that readers
voted for the personalities that they deemed were the best fit for a spot on the iconic magazine TIME’s
annual list of the most influential people.
• The actors ranked above the likes of Oscar-winning actor Michelle Yeoh, athlete Serena Williams, Meta CEO
Mark Zuckerberg and Brazilian President LuizInacio Lula da Silva. Shah Rukh won by earning 4% of the
vote after more than 1.2 million votes were cast. If that is not a reason to celebrate, we don’t know what
is.
• The second spot on the list was occupied by Iranian women protesting for freedom. It was followed by
health care workers, who came in third with a total of 2% of the vote from the readers. The Duke and Duchess
of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan earned about 1.9% of the vote and ranked 4th. Football legend
Lionel Messi, with 1.8% of the vote, occupied the 5th spot.
Astronaut Christina Hammock Koch has been announced as the first woman to circle the
Moon
• In a significant moment for space exploration, astronaut Christina Hammock Koch has been announced as
the first woman to circle the Moon. The US space agency, NASA, has declared that Koch will be the mission
specialist when four humans board the Orion spacecraft for a trip around the Moon. This announcement
marks a breakthrough as it is the first time a woman astronaut will be in the realm of the Moon,
breaking a barrier that was previously only crossed by male astronauts.
• Christina Koch joined NASA in 2013 and has served as a flight engineer on the International Space
Station (ISS) for Expeditions 59, 60, and 61. She holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering
and Physics and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, all from North Carolina State University.
Before joining NASA, she worked as an Electrical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC),
where she contributed to scientific instruments on several NASA space science missions. Koch was first
launched into space in 2019 on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft and has spent a total of 328 days in
space, conducting six spacewalks, including the first three all-women spacewalks.
Raj Subramaniam honoured with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
• Raj Subramaniam, the CEO of FedEx, a renowned global transportation company, and an Indian-
American, was recently honored with the distinguished Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award. This
award is the highest civilian recognition bestowed by India upon individuals of Indian descent and
Indian diaspora. Due to travel restrictions, Subramaniam, aged 55, received the award from Taranjit Singh
Sandhu, India’s Ambassador to the US, at a ceremony held at India House on Saturday instead of receiving it
in India earlier this year.
Parkash Singh Badal, five-time Punjab CM and veteran Akali leader, passes away at 95
• Former Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal passed
away. The 95-year-old was admitted at a hospital in Mohali more than a week ago after he complained of
uneasiness while breathing. Parkash Singh Badal had served as the chief minister of Punjab multiple
times. He was the CM from 1970-1971, from 1977-1980, from 1997-2002, and from 2007-2017.
King Charles confers Britain’s honorary MBE on UK-based Sanskrit scholar
• A well-known UK-based Sanskrit scholar and the Executive Director of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
centre in London Dr M.N. Nandakumara has been conferred an honorary MBE by King Charles III
for services to Indian classical arts in Britain.
• The honorary award, approved by the British monarch for foreign nationals for their contribution
to public life. The honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) has been conferred “for services
to the teaching, performance and accessibility of Indian classical arts in the UK”.
Mani Ratnam becomes first Tamil director to join Oscar committee
• Mani Ratnam was invited to join the Oscar committee. He became the first Tamil director who
joined the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. The Academy sent invitations to 398 other
artists and executives from all over the world, including Ram Charan, Karan Johar, Jr NTR and others.
• The Academy announced the list where it added 398 new members, many of whom are Indians. The
list included names like Karan Johar, Ram Charann, Jr NTR, Mani Ratnam, Siddharth Roy Kapoor, MM
Keeravani, Chandrabose and many more.

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‘Through the Broken Glass: An Autobiography’ by TN Seshan
• ‘Through The Broken Glass: An Autobiography” authored by T.N. Seshan, the former Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC) of India, who made a significant difference to Indian elections. It was published by
Rupa Publications India. This autobiography also covers his term as the CEC from 1990 to 1995 with a
page count of 368. It has been published 4 years after he passed away in 2019.
• In the early part of his career he described his first posting as a sub-collector in Dindigul and then a collector in
Madurai of Tamil Nadu. T.N. Seshan is also the author of An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of
the Great Indian Election.
ISRO chairman S. Somanath pens autobiography, wants to inspire people chase their
dreams
• The autobiography in Malayalam titled Nilavu Kudicha Simhangal – loosely translated as ‘Lions
that drank the moonlight’ – promises to be a tale of motivation. The book is slated to hit the shelves in
November.
• The book focusses on the power of hard work and perseverance in the face of difficulties. It was inspired by the
massive success of Chandrayaan-3, ISRO’s moon mission headed by Mr. Somanath, that catapulted
India to an elite league of nations. After the lunar mission’s success and amidst the back-to-back launches
of Aditya-L1 solar mission and the Gaganyaan test vehicle.
Biography to tell hitherto untold stories of Netaji
• A new biography of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose attempts to bring a fresh perspective on a host
of issues, including his thoughts on independent India’s development, the problem of communalism,
geopolitics, his own political ideology and how he negotiated with the political parties, revolutionary societies
and the government.
• “Bose: The Untold Story of An Inconvenient Nationalist“, authored by researcher and founder of
pressure group Mission Netaji, Chandrachur Ghose, will be released in February by Penguin Random
House India under its Viking imprint.
• “The book throws light on Bose’s intense political activities around the revolutionary groups in
Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra and the United Provinces; his efforts to bridge the increasing communal
divide and his influence among the splintered political landscape; his outlook on and relations with women; his
plunge into the depths of spirituality; his penchant for covert operations; and his efforts to engineer a rebellion
among the Indian armed forces,”.
MoS Culture Meenakashi Lekhi releases pictorial comic book ‘India’s Women Unsung
Heroes’
• Minister of State for Culture Meenakashi Lekhi has released the pictorial comic book ‘India’s
Women Unsung Heroes’ in New Delhi. The book has been prepared by Culture Ministry in partnership
with Amar Chitra Katha. The book portrays the tales of valour of our forgotten women freedom fighters.
• Ms. Lekhi said that the book is a fitting tribute to the forgotten heroes of our freedom struggle as
it celebrates the lives of women who lit the flame of rebellion throughout the country. The minister
said that it contains stories of queens who battled imperialism & dedicated their lives for Maa Bharati.
Kiran Bedi’s new book released
• Based on the ground-realities of nearly five years of service as the 24th Lt Governor of Puducherry, Kiran
Bedi has penned down her journey of governance in the book ‘Fearless Governance’. It was launched
by Indra Nooyi (former chairperson & CEO of PepsiCo) and Prof Debashis Chatterjee (director, IIM
Kozhikode).
Lilly Singh’s new book ‘Be a Triangle’, focusing on her personal struggles
• Comedian-actor Lilly Singh will come out with a new book in April in which she shares her personal
struggles with identity, self-sabotage and negative thought patterns, how she has learned to heal,
and the guidelines she has adopted in her daily life to create a sense of peace within.
• “This book captures the personal journey I went on to dive deeper into my life and what I want from it and
the result is something I think everyone can learn and benefit from in their lives,” she said about “Be a
Triangle: How I Went from Being Lost to Getting My Life into Shape”, which is being published by
Pan Macmillan India.

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‘Igniting Collective Goodness’: Third book in PM Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ series launched
• The BlueKraft Digital Foundation launched ‘Igniting Collective Goodness: MKB@100’, the third
book in the series, which captures the journey of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 100 episodes of Mann Ki
Baat, which has been broadcasted on a monthly basis since October, 2014.
• According to the publishers, the book seeks to explore life journeys, initiatives and milestones that
have made the radio broadcast a force for positive change. Divided into three sections—each dealing
with an aspect of nation-building powered by democratic conversations, social reforms and changing mindsets—
the book contains a mosaic of experiences that have shaped the essence of the programme.
Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan’s new book ‘Breaking the Mould’ to be released
• Penguin Random House India said that Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan’s
new book in collaboration with fellow economist Rohit Lamba, ‘Breaking the Mould: Reimagining
India’s Economic Future,’ will be released on 7 December.
• His earlier books included Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy
which had also won Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award. His other books include I Do
What I Do: On Reform, Rhetoric and Resolve; Saving Capitalism From The Capitalists with in collaboration
with Luigi Zingales; The Third Pillar: How Markets and the State Leave the Community Behind.

I. Important Days
November 26 celebrated as Constitution Day
• The Constitution Day - or ‘Samvidhan Divas’ - is celebrated on November 26 to commemorate the
adoption of the Constitution of India. On this day, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the
Constitution of India, which came into effect on 26th January 1950. The Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment announced the Centre’s decision to observe 26th November as Constitution Day in 2015. The day
is observed to promote constitutional values among the citizens of India.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the chairman of the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly. He
was the first Minister of Law and Justice in India. The framing of the constitution took over 2 years,
11 months, and 17 days. The constituent assembly included 299 members and 15 were a woman. When
the constitution was adopted in 1949, 284 members signed it. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the Chairman of the
Constituent Assembly.
National Milk Day
• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying celebrated “National Milk Day” to commemorate
101st birth anniversary of the “Father of the White Revolution in India”, Dr. Verghese Kurien also
known as the Milkman of India, as a part of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” on 26th November 2022 in Bengaluru.
• National Milk Day is observed on 26 November to highlight the importance of milk and its benefits.
On 1st June every year, World Milk Day is also celebrated which was established by the Food and
Agricultural Organisation. India is the largest producer of milk.
• Verghese Kurien is known as the “Father of the White Revolution” in India. He was a social entrepreneur
whose vision of the “Billion-Litre Idea”, Operation flood, made dairy farming India’s largest self-
sustaining industry and the largest rural employment sector providing a third of all rural income. This
made India the largest producer of milk in the world.
World AIDS Day 1 December
• Every year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite
to show support for people living with and affected by HIV and to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS.
The “Equalize” slogan is a call to action. It is a prompt for all of us to work for the proven practical actions
needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS.
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December
• The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, marks the date of the adoption,
by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and
of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others of 2 December 1949). The focus of this day is on eradicating
contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, and the worst forms of child
labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

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International Civil Aviation Day 7 December
• On December 7, International Civil Aviation Day is observed globally. The aviation industry has made a
huge impact on our lives. The day is observed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a United
Nations (UN) body responsible for maintaining the international standards for aviation safety. Every five years,
coinciding with ICAO anniversaries the ICAO Council establishes a special anniversary theme for
International Civil Aviation Day. Between these anniversary years, Council representatives select a single
theme for the full four-year intervening period. The Council has decided that from now until 2023, the theme
will be: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.
International Anti-Corruption Day 9 December
• The world celebrate International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9. The main motive behind
marking this day is to spread awareness about a corruption-free society. Everyone knows that corruption affects
every area of society. The purpose behind a day of this kind is to make people aware of the repercussions of
indulging in corruption and motivate them to follow a righteous path. This year, the theme for International
Anti-Corruption Day is “Uniting the world against corruption.”
Human Rights Day 10 December
• Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General
Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone
document, which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of
race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other
status. Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world. 2022 Theme:
Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.
Farmers’ Day
• December 23 is observed as Farmers’ Day or Kisan Diwas across India. Farmers are the backbone of
our economy and to honour their hardship, this day was coined by the government of India in 2001. This day
also marks the birth anniversary of the ‘Champion of Indian Peasants’ and the fifth Prime Minister
of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh.
International Day for Biological Diversity
• The International Day for Biological Diversity is a United Nations–sanctioned international day
for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is currently held on May 22. The International Day for Biological
Diversity falls within the scope of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The theme in 2022 is “Building a shared future for all life”.
National Mathematics Day
• National Mathematics Day is celebrated on December 22 every year in honour of the birth
anniversary of legendary mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan. On the 125th birth anniversary of
Ramanujan, NMD was announced by the then-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2012. The day
is celebrated annually with the aim to make people aware of the importance of mathematics and
advancements and developments made in the field.
World Braille Day
• World Braille Day on January 4 is celebrated to honor the birth of Braille’s inventor, Louis Braille.
World Braille Day also commemorates the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, who was born on
January 4, 1809. After losing his sight during childhood, the French educator devised the Braille technique.
Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter
and number, and even musical, mathematical and scientific symbols. Braille (named after its inventor in
19th century France, Louis Braille) is used by blind and partially sighted people to read the same books and
periodicals as those printed in a visual font.
World Hindi Day
• World Hindi Day or Vishwa Hindi Divas is celebrated every year on January 10 to mark the first
World Hindi Conference that was held in 1975. It is celebrated across the world to promote the use of the
Hindi language. India also celebrates National Hindi Divas on September 14.
• It, however, is different from World Hindi Day as National Hindi Divas is celebrated to commemorate
the adoption of Hindi as an official language of India by the Constituent Assembly. The first World
Hindi Conference was held in Nagpur on January 10 in 1975. The theme this year of the conference is
‘Hindi: Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence’.

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National Youth Day
• National Youth Day, also known as Vivekananda Jayanti, is celebrated on 12 January, being the
birthday of Swami Vivekananda. “Viksit Yuva - Viksit Bharat” is the theme for National Youth Day
in 2023.
• It was declared by the Government of India in 1984 in order to honour the contribution made by
Swami Vivekananda towards the betterment of Indian Society. It is also called the Yuwa Diwas. To
mark this day, a National Youth Festival is arranged by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports every year
between January 12 and 16.
Army Day
• Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera
M. Cariappa’s taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Francis
Roy Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on 15 January 1949.
National Girl Child Day
• The National Girl Child Day is celebrated in India every year on January 24. It was initiated in 2008 by
the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the government of India, to spread public awareness about
inequities that girls face in Indian society. The day is celebrated with organized programs including awareness
campaigns about Save the Girl Child, child sex ratios, and the creation of a healthy and safe environment for
girls.
• The government of India has not officially announced any theme for National Girl Child Day 2023.
However, the slogan for the National Girl Child Day 2023 is “Digital Generation, Our Generation”.
National Voters’ Day
• In order to encourage more young voters to take part in the political process, Government of India has
decided to celebrate January 25 every year as “National Voters’ Day”. It has been started from 25
January 2011 to mark Commission’s foundation day.
• The theme for this year’s NVD, ‘Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure’ is dedicated to voters which
conveys individual’s feeling and aspiration towards participation in the electoral process through power of their
vote.
International Day of Education 24 January
• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in
celebration of the role of education for peace and development. The right to education is enshrined in
article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration calls for free and compulsory
elementary education.
• International Day of Education 2023 was held under the theme, ‘To Invest in People, Prioritize
Education’. This year, the Day is dedicated to all the girls and women in Afghanistan, who have been denied
their right to learn, study, and teach.
National Startup Day 2023
• 16th January, the founding day of Startup India is commemorated as the National Startup Day. The
event is being celebrated since 2022. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announceent last year by
calling startups as backbone of new India. The Central government has planned several events this year to
celebrate the National startup day across the country as the part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. To celebrate
the spirit of Indian startup ecosystem and mark this momentous day, DPIIT (Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade) has organised Startup India Innovation Week from 10th – 16th January
2023.
International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust
• United Nations General Assembly Resolution that established the Holocaust and the United Nations
Outreach Programme, also designated 27 January as an annual International Day of Commemoration
in memory of the victims of the Holocaust – observed with ceremonies and activities at United Nations
Headquarters in New York and at United Nations offices around the world.
• The International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or the International Day in Memory of the Victims of the
Holocaust commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one third
of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities between 1933 and 1945 by
Nazi Germany, an attempt to implement their “final solution” to the Jewish question. 27 January was

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 chosen to commemorate the date when the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in
1945. The day remembers the killing of six million Jews, two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population,
and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.
Good Governance Day celebrated on birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee
• Good Governance Day is being celebrated on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee. 25th December is celebrated as Good Governance Day every year to create awareness
of accountability in government among the people.
World Wetlands Day
• World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually on 2 February. World Wetlands Day is celebrated on the
second day of February every year, though it was not originally celebrated until 1997. This day serves to
the influence and positive production that Wetlands have had on the world and in terms brings communities
together for the benefit of Mother Nature.
• This day, also raises global awareness because wetlands play a significant role not only in people
but in the planet. Community protectors and environmental enthusiast all come together on this day to
celebrate their love for nature through celebration, which recognises what wetlands have done for not only us
humans, but all sorts of organisms in this world.
• The theme of World Wetlands Day 2023 is “It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration,”. It highlights the urgent
need to prioritize wetland restoration.
World Cancer Day
• World Cancer Day is an international day marked on 4 February to raise awareness of cancer and
to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International
Cancer Control to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008.
• “Close The Care Gap” has been the theme for World Cancer Day for the past three years (2022, 2023,
and 2024). The multi-year campaign’s main objectives are to increase global awareness of Cancer Day through
exposure, involvement, and opportunities.
World Radio Day 13 February
• World Radio Day is an international day celebrated on 13 February each year. The theme for World Radio
Day 2023 is ‘Radio and Peace’ which focuses on the role of radio as an independent medium of peace making.
The sub-theme of the day are ‘Radio in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding’ and ‘Support to Independent Radio’.
• On World Radio Day 2023, UNESCO highlights independent radio as a pillar for conflict prevention
and peace building. An armed conflict between countries or groups within a country may also translate into
a conflict of media narratives. The narrative can either increase tensions or maintain conditions for peace.
International Mother Language Day 2023
• International Mother Language Day is observed globally on February 21 each year to promote
linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. According to the United Nations, this day recognises
that “languages and multilingualism can advance inclusion and the Sustainable Development Goals’ focus
on leaving no one behind”. It is observed globally that 40 per cent of the population does not have access to
an education in a language they speak or understand. This year’s theme is “Multilingual education – a
necessity to transform education”.
• In Bangladesh, 21 February is the anniversary of the day when the people of Bangladesh (then East
Bengal of Pakistan) fought for recognition for the Bengali language.
National Science Day
• National Science Day is celebrated in India on February 28th each year to mark the discovery of
the Raman Effect by Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman on 28 February 1928. For his discovery, Sir C.V.
Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
• The theme of National Science Day 2023 is ‘Global Science for Global Wellbeing’.
World Wildlife Day 3 March
• World Wildlife Day on March 3rd annually dedicates a celebration to all life on our planet. World
Wildlife Day will be celebrated in 2023 under the theme “Partnerships for wildlife conservation”,
honoring the people who are making a difference. Partnerships operate on a large scale or involve a few children
or a school.

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• All of them are equally valid. This upcoming year, the UN celebrates a special partnership: the 50th
anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES).
International Women’s Day 8 March
• International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal
point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive
rights, and violence and abuse against women. Spurred on by the universal female suffrage movement, IWD
originated from labor movements in North America and Europe during the early 20th century.
• The United Nations Observance of IWD, under the theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for
gender equality”, recognizes and celebrates the women and girls who are championing the advancement of
transformative technology and digital education.
National Vaccination Day
• The Government of India observe March 16 as National Vaccination Day. The day was first celebrated
in 1995 with the government launching Pulse Polio Immunisation programme to fight polio. Vaccination is a
vital aspect of public health. Vaccines provide immunity to the body against future encounters by the same
pathogen. They have reduced the prevalence of several deadly diseases like measles, chicken pox, tetanus,
rubella, polio, and most recently Covid-19.
International Mathematics Day 2023
• International Day of Mathematics or Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 every year to recognise the
mathematical constant, Pi, which defines the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. The value for
Pi is 3.14. For people who follow the month/date format, March 14 represents the value of Pi (3.14). March
is the third month of the year while the following number is 14, hence the March 14 date.
• The day was recognised in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw as he organised a large-scale celebration at the
San Francisco Exploratorium in the United States. It was first celebrated by cutting a Pi-shaped pie, and the
recitation of the value of pi to as many decimal places as possible. The value of Pi was first calculated by
a mathematician named Archimedes of Syracuse. It was later accepted by the scientific community when
Leonhard Euler used the symbol of Pi in 1737.
• The theme for Pi Day 2023 is “Mathematics for Everyone”, proposed by Marco Zarco Rotairo from
Philippines’ Trece Martires City National High School, according to the official website of the celebration.
International Day of Action for Rivers
• International Day of Action For Rivers, observed on March 14 every year, is a day that is dedicated to
saving, celebrating, and creating awareness about the importance of rivers.
International Day of Happiness 20 March
• The General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution of 12 July 2012 proclaimed 20 March the
International Day of Happiness, recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals
and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public
policy objectives.
• The theme for the 2023 International Day of Happiness is “Be Mindful. Be Grateful. Be Kind.” The
General Assembly of the United Nations on July 12, 2012, proclaimed 20 March the International Day of
Happiness.
World Water Day
• World Water Day is observed every year on March 22, to spread awareness about the global water crisis
and ensure all people, especially those from remote, rural areas, have access to it. Another objective of this day
is to educate people about water wastage and help them make optimum use of freshwater resources.
• The focus of World Water Day 2023 is on the theme of ‘Accelerating the change to solve the water and
sanitation crisis,’ underlining the vital importance of taking decisive action to address the global water crisis.
World Meteorological Day 2023
• World Meteorological Day was established in 1951 to commemorate the World Meteorological
Organization creation on 23 March 1950. This day has a different theme each year, and the theme for
2023 is “The Future of Weather, Climate, and Water Across Generations”, which is one of the main
reasons to commemorate it. and the previous year’s theme was “Early Warning and Early Action”.

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Earth Hour 2023
• ‘Earth Hour’ is an annual global event that takes place on the last Saturday of March, and this year,
on March 25 at 8.30 pm, millions of supporters from more than 190 countries and territories are expected to
participate. In 2023, the theme of Earth Hour is to “Invest on Our Planet”.
• The “Earth Hour” encourages people to switch off all lights for an hour, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm
local time, and engage in various activities such as reconnecting with nature, cooking meals, spending quality
time with family and loved ones, and getting creative with art.
24 March is World Tuberculosis Day
• World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24th every year to raise awareness about the global epidemic
of tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease. The theme for this year’s World Tuberculosis Day
is “Yes! We can end TB!” and it focuses on urging leaders from around the world to take action to stop the TB
epidemic. The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the
bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic
Slave Trade
• United Nations General Assembly established the Outreach Programme on the transatlantic slave trade and
slavery, also designated 25 March as the annual International Day of Remembrance of the Victims
of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The Day is observed with ceremonies and activities at
United Nations Headquarters in New York and at United Nations offices around the world. The theme for
the international day this year is ”Fighting Slavery’s Legacy of Racism Through Transformative
Education.”
World Health Day
• World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April, under the
sponsorship of the World Health Organization, as well as other related organizations. In 1948, the WHO held
the First World Health Assembly.
• The theme for this year’s World Health Day is ‘Health for All.’ This year, the World Health Day will
mark WHO’s 75th anniversary and it presents an opportunity to look back at public health successes that have
improved quality of life during the last seven decades.
National Civil Service Day
• Every year on 21 April Civil Service Day is celebrated to rededicate and recommit themselves to the
cause of the people. On this day Civil servants from various parts of the country come together, share their
experiences and also learn about others’ experiences of working in the public sector.
World Creativity and Innovation Day 21 April
• The United Nations designated 21 April as World Creativity and Innovation Day to raise the awareness
of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.
International Mother Earth Day 22 April
• Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year. The day is also known as International Mother Earth
Day. The day is observed to spread awareness about issues, including the rampant increase in pollution, global
warming, and deforestation, which harm the environment and result in the destruction of the planet. Countries
from all over the world come together to raise awareness about the dire need to protect our environment.
• Senator Gaylord Nelson established Earth Day in the 1970s. He wanted to promote ecology and increase
public awareness of issues pertaining to the environment. The theme of World Earth Day 2023 is “Invest
in Our Planet”, calling for businesses to shift towards sustainable practices.
World Book and Copyright Day
• For World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April, Indigenous Languages will be the message UNESCO
will focus on. Of the almost 7,000 existing languages – many of which are fast disappearing – the majority are
spoken by indigenous peoples who represent the greater part of the world’s cultural diversity. The theme for
World Book Day 2023 is ‘Indigenous Languages. ‘ It focuses on promoting the diversity in native languages
of a country.

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World Press Freedom Day 3 May
• World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 every year. The day is celebrated every year to educate
the public regarding the role of media on a global level. The day acts as a reminder to governments of the need
to respect the commitment to press freedom.
• The day is also a reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.
2023 year marks the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day. Three decades have passed since it
was proclaimed in 1993, in which we have seen substantial progress towards achieving a free press and freedom
of expression around the world. The theme for World Press Freedom Day this year is “Shaping a Future
of Rights: Freedom of Expression as a driver for all other human rights”.
National Technology Day 2023
• National Technology Day is celebrated annually on May 11 in honour of India’s scientists and their
accomplishments. The day commemorates the successful nuclear detonation tests in May 1998. The theme for
National Technology Day 2023 is ‘School to Startups-Igniting Young Minds to Innovate.’
• This year, projects worth over Rs 5800 crore related to scientific and technological advancement
will be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave
Observatory - India and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre.
Commonwealth Day
• Each year on 24th May, Commonwealth Day is commemorated. Commonwealth Day is observed on the
birthday of Queen Victoria of England, who was born on 24th May, 1819, and is observed by all countries which
were once a colony of the British Empire.
• On the other hand, on 24th May, India, alongside countries such as Belize, commemorates Commonwealth
Day. Every year, the Commonwealth Day has a theme, and the day is commemorated in such a way that it
honours and instills that theme in the United Kingdom as well as in the rest of the Commonwealth.
• This year, the theme of Commonwealth Day is “Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future.”
The day, also known as Empire Day, aims to unite 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens in honouring their shared
values and principles, as well as pursuing a collective future focused on sustainability and peace.
• The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association
of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire.
International Day of UN Peacekeepers 29 May
• The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, May 29, is “an international day to pay tribute
to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping
operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honor the memory of those
who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.” The theme of the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping/
International Day of UN Peacekeepers is ‘Peace begins with me’.
World No Tobacco Day
• World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed around the world every year on 31 May. The Member
States of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987 to draw global attention to
the tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes. This year’s theme is “Grow food, not
tobacco”.
World Milk Day
• World Milk Day is an international day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. It has been observed on June 1 each
year since 2001. World Milk Day 2023’s theme is “Showcasing how dairy is reducing its environmental
footprint, while also providing nutritious foods and livelihoods,”.
• According to production data of Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical
Database(FAOSTAT), India is the highest milk producer i.e., rank first position in the world
contributing twenty-four percent of global milk production in the year 2021-22.
World Environment Day 5 June
• Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on 5 June since
1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and
is celebrated by millions of people across the world.

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• This year, World Environment Day 2023 is hosted by Côte d’Ivoire (West African country) and the
theme of this year’s Environment Day is ‘Solution to plastic pollution’. This year marks the 50th year
of World Environment Day.
• As the largest global platform for environmental public outreach, World Environment Day has been
celebrated by millions of people across the world since its establishment by the United Nations Environment
Programme during the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. The UNEP has
called for greater efforts to limit waste and transition to a circular economy, as well as releasing a Beat Plastic
Pollution Practical Guide and encouraging social media posts under the hashtag BeatPlasticPollution.
• The inaugural World Environment Day, themed “Only One Earth”, took place in 1973. Since then, the
occasion has addressed a variety of pressing environmental issues such as “Only One Future for Our Children”
(1979), “A Tree for Peace” (1986), “For Life on Earth – Save Our Seas” (1998), “Connect with the World Wide
Web of Life” (2001), and many others.
World Day against Child Labour 12 June
• World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12. It aims to serve as a catalyst for the
growing worldwide movement against child labour. The UN believes child labour can be eliminated from the
world if people and governments focus on the root cause and understand social justice and child labour are
interlinked. The day calls for “reinvigorated international action to achieve social justice, particularly under
the envisaged Global Coalition for Social Justice and universal ratification of ILO Convention No
138 on Minimum Age, which, together with the universal ratification of ILO Convention No 182
on Worst Forms of Child Labour achieved in 2020, would provide all children with legal protection
against all forms of child labour”, according to United Nations Organisation. The theme for the
World Against Child Labour Day in 2023 is ‘Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!’.
International Day of Yoga 21 June
• Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from
Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. Recognizing its
universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International
Day of Yoga. The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of
practicing yoga. The draft resolution establishing the International Day of Yoga was proposed by India and
endorsed by a record 175 member states. The theme selected for this year’s International Day of Yoga
2023 is “Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” which represents our shared desire for “One Earth, One
Family, One Future.”
Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day, 27 June
• MSMEs account for 90% of businesses, 60 to 70% of employment and 50% of GDP worldwide. The
MSME Day event aims to highlight their pivotal role and explore opportunities for their further
advancement.
• The United Nations General Assembly designated 27 June as “Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized
Enterprises Day” to raise awareness of the tremendous contributions of MSMEs to the achievement of the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The theme MSME Day 2023 in India is “Future-ready
MSMEs for India@100.” The Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade is also celebrating the
day with “Building a Stronger Future Together” theme of this year.
International Day of Cooperatives 1 July
• On 1 July, the cooperative movement celebrated the 2023 International Day of Cooperatives. United
by the slogan Cooperatives for sustainable development, we will show how the cooperative way of working,
inspired by the cooperative values and principles, has the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) as part of its DNA.
• The theme for the 2023 International Day of Cooperatives is “Cooperatives: partners for accelerated
sustainable development”.
National Doctor’s Day 2023
• National Doctors Day is celebrated on July 1 every year to commemorate the birth and death
anniversary of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, one of India’s most renowned physicians and the second Chief
Minister of West Bengal. Roy was a highly respected doctor, a visionary statesman, and a recipient of
the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

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• The theme for National Doctors’ Day 2023 in India is “Celebrating Resilience and Healing Hands.
The theme highlights the importance of doctors in our society and how they play a vital role in keeping us
healthy and safe.
American Independence Day
• Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of
Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing
the United States of America. The Founding Father delegates of the Second Continental Congress
declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer subject to the monarch of Britain, King George
III, and were now united, free, and independent states. The Congress voted to approve independence by passing
the Lee Resolution on July 2 and adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, on July 4.
• During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain
in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution
of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the
United States independent from Great Britain’s rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its
attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by
a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author.
World Population Day 11 July
• World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise
awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United
Nations Development Programme in 1989. It took hundreds of thousands of years for the world
population to grow to 1 billion – then in just another 200 years or so, it grew sevenfold. In 2011, the
global population reached the 7 billion mark, it stands at almost 7.9 billion in 2021, and it’s expected
to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100.
• The theme for World Population Day 2023 is “Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the
voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities”.
July 12 observed as Malala Day
• Every year since 2013, July 12 is observed as Malala Day to honour education activist Malala Yousafai.
Ahead of her birthday, the Nobel Peace Prize winner shared throwback images from 10 years back
when she spoke at the United Nations. In 2014, she was the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize,
with Kailash Satyarthi of India. Aged 17 at the time, she was the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.
• World Malala Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the progress made towards providing
every child with quality education and also provides us with a platform to raise awareness around issues
related to education inequality. On this day, we can come together to recognise the achievements of those
who have fought for global education and pay tribute to those who continue to fight for equal access to quality
education for all children.
World Youth Skills Day 15 July
• In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate
the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and
entrepreneurship. The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2023 is Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for
a transformative future.
Nelson Mandela International Day
• Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day) is an annual international day in honour of
Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela’s birthday. The day was officially declared
by the United Nations in November 2009, with the first UN Mandela Day held on 18 July 2010. However, other
groups began celebrating Mandela Day on 18 July 2009.
• With the theme Climate, Food & Solidarity, we are calling on our partners and the public to take
action against climate change and create food-resilient environments in solidarity with communities
across the world facing crisis due to climate change. This year, the call to action is, “It’s in your hands”.
World Chess Day 20 July
• On 12 December 2019, the General Assembly proclaimed 20 July as World Chess Day to mark the date of
the establishment of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in Paris in 1924. Under initiative of
FIDE, July 20 has been observed as International Chess Day by chess players around the world since 1966.

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• The designation of World Chess Day of the UN will not only recognize the important role of the FIDE
in supporting international cooperation for chess activity and aiming to improve friendly harmony
among all peoples of the world, but also to provide an important platform to foster, dialogue, solidarity and
culture of peace. There is no specific theme for World Chess Day 2023. The goal of teaching chess to
everyone is the World Chess Day 2023 motto rather than a specific theme. Every year, the same theme
is used to honor World Chess Day.
International Moon Day 20 July
• International Moon Day is an annual day dedicated to the Earth’s one and only natural satellite,
the Moon!. It’s held every year on the 20th of July, which is the anniversary of the day on which
astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin famously set foot on the Moon in 1969. The Moon landing
is still considered one of humanity’s greatest achievements, and so International Moon Day is all about
commemorating the Apollo 11 mission while teaching people about the Moon and astronomy.
International Moon Day marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the Moon as part
of the Apollo 11 lunar mission.
• American astronauts Neil Armstrong, and Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin became the first humans in history
to land on the Moon on July 20, 1969. The grand Apollo 11 mission took place eight years after the national
goal announcement by President John F. Kennedy to send a man to the moon by the end of the 1960s.
Global Tiger Day
• Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness
for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July. It was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger
Summit in Russia, often called International Tiger Day. International Tiger Day 2023 was celebrated
without any specific theme with the common goal to raise awareness about tiger extinction and the need to
save them.
National Handloom Day 2023
• National Handloom Day is observed on August 7. This day honours the handloom weavers and recognises
their role in the country’s economy and culture. August 7 was designated to celebrate National Handloom
Day to memorialize the ‘Swadeshi’ Movement. Therefore, there is a strong connection between National
Handloom Day and the Swadeshi Movement.
• This day presents a crucial opportunity to express our appreciation and support towards the weavers who
work tirelessly in order to create exquisite pieces of work. In co-operating the same, the theme of National
Handloom Day, this year is “Handlooms for Sustainable Fashion”.
Nagasaki Day 2023
• Japan’s Nagasaki marked the 78th anniversary of the US atomic bombing. On August 9, 1945, the
United States dropped the second nuclear bomb named ‘Fat-man’ on the southern Japanese city,
three days after Hiroshima was destroyed by the first one - a uranium bomb- ‘Little Boy’. As World War
II raged on, the United States, along with its allies, sought to end the conflict with Japan. The decision to use
atomic bombs was driven by the desire to expedite Japan’s surrender and avoid a protracted, costly invasion.
• About 20 days after the United States harnessed nuclear energy on July 16, 1945, following the
‘Trinity Test’, it dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, nicknamed ‘Little Boy’ which
killed about 1,40,000 people by the end of the year. The bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki was code-named
the ‘Fat Man’. It killed over 80,000 people. This led to Japan’s unconditional surrender in Second World
War. At least 70,000 people were killed in the initial blast at Nagasaki, while approximately another 70,000
more died from radiation-related illnesses later. A US warplane named–Enola Gay dropped the ‘Fat Man’ about
1,650 feet above Nagasaki. This led to Japan’s unconditional surrender in Second World War.
International Youth Day 12 August
• International Youth Day is observed annually on August 12. It is meant as an opportunity for
governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide. The theme for International
Youth Day 2023 is “Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World.”
World Biofuel Day 2023: Theme, History, Importance & Future of Biofuel
• World Biofuel Day is observed every year on August 10 to spread awareness about the importance of
non-fossil fuels as an alternative for humanity. The day also attempts to highlight the government’s efforts
to encourage the biofuel sector. However, because of no official declaration of the theme yet, World Biofuel Day

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 will be commended on the 2022 theme, ‘Biofuels for Sustainability and Rural Income. World Biofuel Day
holds a unique spot as it celebrates the legacy of Sir Rudolf Diesel, the mechanical engineer behind
the development of the diesel engine in 1892. Biofuels are environment-friendly fuels that can be
produced using biological materials like agricultural waste, trees, crops or even grass.
National Sports Day
• National Sports Day is a public holiday celebrated in various countries to honour the national
sports teams and sports traditions of those countries. On this day people from different age groups take a part
in sports like kabaddi, marathon, basketball, hockey etc.
• The National Sports Day in India is celebrated on 29 August, on the birth anniversary of hockey
player Major Dhyan Chand. This day marks the birthday of Major Dhyan Chand Singh, the hockey
player who won gold medals in Olympics for India in the years 1928, 1932 and 1936. He scored 570
goals in his career, from 1926 - 1949 (according to his autobiography, Goals).
• The theme for the 2023 is- “Sports are an enabler to an inclusive and fit society”.
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
• On the night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Saint Domingue the Republic of Haiti, saw the beginning
of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. It is
against this background that the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its
Abolition is commemorated on 23 August each year.
• It was first celebrated in a number of countries, in particular in Haiti (23 August 1998) and Gorée Island in
Senegal (23 August 1999). This International Day is intended to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the
memory of all peoples. The following theme for 2023 is declared to be “Fighting Slavery’s Legacy Of
Racism Through Transformative Education”.
World Sanskrit Day
• World Sanskrit Day is an annual event focused around the ancient Indian language Sanskrit that
incorporates lectures about the language and is aimed to promote its revival and maintenance. This year,
World Sanskrit Day is being celebrated on August 31, 2023.
• It is celebrated on Shraavana Poornima, that is the full moon day of the Shraavana month in the
Hindu calendar. This generally corresponds with the month of August in the Gregorian calendar. The Sanskrit
organisation Samskrita Bharati is involved in promoting the day.
International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, 7 September
• 7 September is the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies as designated by the UN General
Assembly. This year’s theme of “Together for Clean Air” focuses on the need for stronger partnerships,
increased investment and shared responsibility to overcome air pollution. Given the transboundary nature of
air pollution, all stakeholders have a responsibility to protect the earth’s atmosphere and ensure healthy air for
everyone.
International Literacy Day
• International Literacy Day is an international observance, celebrated each year on 8 September that
was declared by UNESCO on 26 October 1966 at the 14th session of UNESCO’s General Conference. It was
celebrated for the first time in 1967. This year’s International Literacy Day celebrated worldwide under the
theme, ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and
peaceful societies’.
• Under this theme, ILD2023 will be celebrated at the global, regional, country, and local levels across the world.
At the global level, a conference will be organized in person and online on 8 September 2023, in Paris, France.
This global celebration will include the award ceremony of the UNESCO International Literacy
Prizes to announce this year’s outstanding prizewinning programmes.
International Day of Democracy 15 September
• The International Day of Democracy, celebrated on September 15th each year, is a global observance
that underscores the importance of democracy as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of good
governance and peace. The theme for the International Day of Democracy in 2023 is “Empowering the
next generation.”

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Engineer’s Day in India
• Engineers’ Day is observed every year on September 15 across India to celebrate the birth
anniversary of M Visvesvaraya and recognise the contributions made by him in the field of science and
technology. Popularly known as M Visvesvaraya, his complete name is Mokshagundam
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 16 September
• International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16 designed
by the United Nations General Assembly. On 16th September 2009, the Vienna Convention and the
Montreal Protocol became the first treaties in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal
ratification.
• This year Ozone Day is held under the theme ‘Montreal Protocol: fixing the ozone layer and reducing
climate change’. We celebrate the achievements of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer. This year’s theme highlights and reiterates the positive impact of the Montreal Protocol
on ozone layer recovery and reducing climate change.
• Especially emphasizing the Kigali Amendment, which through the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs) and improved efficiency in the cooling sector, will provide additional climate mitigation benefits.
The Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer reached agreement at their 28th
Meeting of the Parties on 15 October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to phase-down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
International Day of Peace 21 September
• Each year the International Day of Peace (IDP) is observed around the world on 21 September.
The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through
observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. Never has our world needed peace more.
• This year’s theme is Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals. It is a call to action that
recognizes our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. Fostering peace contributes to the
realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
will create a culture of peace for all.
International Day of Sign Languages 23 September
• The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages
in order to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realization of the human rights of
people who are deaf.
• The theme for this year is “A World Where Deaf People Everywhere Can Sign Anywhere!”. This
theme underscores the unifying power of sign languages, emphasizing its importance for deaf communities,
governments, and civil society organizations.
• The International Day of Sign Languages is a unique opportunity to support and protect the
linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users. During the
2023 celebration of the International Day of Sign Languages, the world will once again highlight the unity
generated by our sign languages.
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons 26 September
• The General Assembly commemorates 26 September as the International Day for the Total
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This Day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its
commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority.
• It provides an opportunity to educate the public - and their leaders - about the real benefits of
eliminating such weapons, and the social and economic costs of perpetuating them. Commemorating
this Day at the United Nations is especially important, given its universal membership and its long experience
in grappling with nuclear disarmament issues. It is the right place to address one of humanity’s greatest
challenges; achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.
World Tourism Day 27 September
• Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as
international observances on September 27. This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of
the UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.
• This World Tourism Day 2023, the UNWTO, under the theme “Tourism and green investment” highlights
the need for more and better-targeted investments for the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN roadmap for
a better world by 2030.

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World Maritime Day 28 September
• This year’s World Maritime Day was celebrated on 28 September 2023 and further details about the
event will be circulated in good time.
• This year’s theme, “MARPOL at 50 — Our commitment goes on, reflects the International Maritime
Organization’s (IMO)’ long history of protecting the environment from the impact of shipping via a
robust regulatory framework and emphasizes its ongoing commitment to this important work. The
theme spotlights the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which
covers prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.
International Day of Non-Violence 2 October
• The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi,
leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
According to General Assembly resolution which established the commemoration, the International Day is
an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public
awareness”.
• The resolution reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the desire
“to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”“.
World Habitat Day 2 October
• This year’s World Habitat Day aims to convene various city stakeholders to discuss the ways in
which cities can be primed for recovery following the global intersecting negative economic shocks
of COVID-19 and conflicts by:
• 2023 Theme is resilient urban economies, cities as drivers of growth and recovery.
International Day of the Girl Child 11 October
• On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly declared October 11 as the International
Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the
world. The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls
face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. The Beijing Declaration is the
first to specifically call out girls’ rights. The theme of International Day of the Girl 2023 is “Invest in Girls’
Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being,”
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, 13 October
• The International for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction Day for
Disaster Risk Reduction was started in 1989, after a call by the United Nations General Assembly. Held
every 13 October, the day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their
exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face. The
theme of UN International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2023 is “Fighting inequality for a resilient
future.”
World Food Day 2023
• World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year worldwide on October 16 to
commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organizations concerned with hunger and food security,
including the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and the International Fund for
Agricultural Development.
• WFP received the Nobel Prize in Peace for 2020 for their efforts to combat hunger, contribute to peace
in conflict areas, and for playing a leading role in stopping the use of hunger in the form of a weapon for war
and conflict. Theme for this year is, ‘Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind’.
World Students Day celebrated in India to mark birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
• World Students Day is being celebrated in the country to mark birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul
Kalam, the 11th president of the country. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam also known as the ‘Missile Man’ of India
was born on the 15th of October, 1931, in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. He served as the 11th President of
India from 2002 to 2007. From the small village of Ramesharwam to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, Dr
Kalam’s life story has inspired millions of people.
• “If you fail, never give up because F.A.I.L. World Students Day in 2023 will focus on the topic “FAIL:
stands for First Attempt in Learning.” It is the most original and appropriate theme for World

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 Students Day in 2023. The Ministry of Education and the Government of India have introduced this topic to
motivate pupils.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 17 October
• The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, celebrated annually on October 17th, aims to
promote understanding and dialogue between people living in poverty and the wider society. This year’s theme
draws on first-hand testimonials showing that those trapped in extreme poverty often work long, grueling hours
in dangerous, unregulated conditions but still cannot earn enough income to adequately support themselves
and their families.
• The theme is also a call to political leaders and policymakers to use human dignity as the guiding compass in
all decision-making processes, to ensure the advancement of fundamental human rights and social justice over
the pursuit of corporate profits. 2023 Theme is Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in
practice for all.
United Nations Day 24 October
• United Nations Day, on 24 October, marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN
Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five
permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.
• There is no other global organization with the legitimacy, convening power and normative impact of the United
Nations. No other global organization gives hope to so many people for a better world and can deliver the future
we want. The urgency for all countries to come together, to fulfill the promise of the nations united, has rarely
been greater. UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda
and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 78
years.
• The united nations day 2023 theme is emphasizing on commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), under the overarching theme of “Equality, Freedom, and Justice
for All.”
National Unity Day
• National Unity Day signifies great importance for all Indians as it celebrates the birth anniversary
of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. National Unity Day is also famed as “Rashtriya Ekta Diwas” and is
celebrated every year on 31 October. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the incredible first deputy Prime
Minister and Home Minister of India. His contribution to integrating all the states to make it one nation
called India is impeccable.
World Science Day for Peace and Development, 10 November
• Celebrated every 10 November, World Science Day for Peace and Development highlights the
significant role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging
scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives. By linking
science more closely with society, World Science Day for Peace and Development aims to ensure that citizens
are kept informed of developments in science.
• The theme of World Science Day on 10 November 2023 is: Building trust in science. The role of science in
shaping our collective future can only be fulfilled when there is trust in science. It is trust in science that fuels
the development and application of evidence-based solutions to our world’s multifaceted challenges.
World Diabetes Day 14 November
• Globally, an estimated 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million
in 1980. The global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980, rising from 4.7% to 8.5% in the adult
population. This reflects an increase in associated risk factors such as being overweight or obese.
• In 2007 General Assembly designated 14 November as World Diabetes Day. The document recognized
“the urgent need to pursue multilateral efforts to promote and improve human health, and provide access to
treatment and health-care education.” The theme for World Diabetes Day 2023, “Access to Diabetes
Care,” aligns with the WHO South-East Asia Region’s Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) flagship.
World Toilet Day 19 November
• World Toilet Day is an official United Nations international observance day on 19 November to
inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. The hummingbird is the symbol of World Toilet
Day and World Water Day 2023. This year’s theme is ‘Accelerating Change’, using the hummingbird

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 to inspire people to take personal action to help improve toilets and sanitation systems. Right now, we are
seriously off track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6: safe toilets and water for all by 2030.
International Day for Tolerance
• In 1996, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 16 November as International Day for Tolerance.
This action followed the adoption of a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance by UNESCO’s Member States
on 16 November 1995. Among other things, the Declaration affirms that tolerance is neither indulgence nor
indifference. It is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and
ways of being human.
• The International Day for Tolerance 2023 theme is “Tolerance: A Path to Peace and Reconciliation”.
Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally
diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 25 November
• The United Nations General Assembly has designated November 25 as the International Day for the
Elimination of Violence Against Women. The premise of the day is to raise awareness around the world
that women are subjected to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence; furthermore, one of the aims
of the day is to highlight that the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.
• The global theme for the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence in 2023 is a powerful call
to action: “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls.” The International Day for the
Elimination of Violence Against Women marked the launch of the UNiTE campaign— an initiative of 16 days of
activism concluding on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day (10 December).
Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare, 30 November
• The Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, at its 20th Session, decided that
a memorial Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 30
November each year or, when appropriate, on the first day of the regular session of the Conference.
• This commemoration provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as
well as to reaffirm the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security,
and multilateralism.
• The theme of this year’s International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism is: “Legacy:
Finding Hope and Building a Peaceful Future.”

J. Miscellaneous
Himachal to be India’s first ‘Green Energy’ state by 2025
• Switching its complete fleet of official vehicles in the transport department to electrical, Himachal Pradesh
achieved a new distinction becoming India’s first state to switch over to electric vehicles. All 19
vehicles in the department, earlier run on petrol/diesel will now have become ‘Go Green’ vehicles to be run
on electrically charged batteries.
• Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu flagged off the vehicles at Shimla’s historic Ridge in
presence of Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and the entire Cabinet. Sukhu said by converting
diesel/petrol vehicles to e-vehicles will have the twin advantage of cutting down expenditure on
petroleum products besides preserving the pristine environment of the state. All the government
departments will be equipped with electric vehicles within a year.
Country’s first ever Frozen Lake Marathon on Pangong Tso officially registered in
Guinness Book of World Records as world’s highest Frozen Lake marathon
• In Ladakh, country’s first ever Frozen Lake Marathon on Pangong Tso has been officially registered
in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s highest Frozen Lake marathon. It was held at
the world-famous Pangong Lake at an altitude of 4,350 meters above the mean sea level.
• The Frozen Lake Marathon is first of its kind held in the country on Frozen Pangong Lake and is
also considered as the toughest due to high altitude and freezing temperatures. The theme of the marathon
is The Last Run and is organised with an aim to promote winter as well as border tourism in Ladakh while
creating awareness of climate change. It was organised as part of vibrant village Program to accelerate the pace
of development in border villages.

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Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre: India’s first-of-its-kind multi-disciplinary
auditorium opens
• Mumbai got a first-of-its-kind multi-disciplinary Centre- the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre
as it was launched in the presence of members of Ambani families and other dignitaries. The Centre is highly
inclusive with free access for children, students, senior citizens, and the differently abled, and
will strongly focus on community nurturing programmes including school and college outreach and
competitions, awards for art teachers, in-residency Guru-shishya programs, art literacy programs for adults,
etc. with an exquisite showcase of the best of India across music, theatre, fine arts and crafts to audiences from
India and the world.
Modi inaugurates Shivamogga airport
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Shivamogga Airport in a boost to connectivity and
accessibility of the Karnataka city and other neighbouring areas in the Malnad region. The new airport has
been developed at a cost of around Rs. 450 crore and the passenger terminal can handle 300 travellers every hour.
Hindus among healthiest, highly qualified in England and Wales: Census data
• Hindus living in the UK are among the healthiest and well qualified religious groups and Sikhs
are most likely to own their homes, according to latest census data for England and Wales. The UK’s Office
for National Statistics (ONS) has been analysing census statistics to release information across various
subcategories for the country’s population based on the responses of the online census conducted in March 2021.
Indian Swimmer Equals World Record in First Attempt at Sea in Israel
• Indian swimmer, Aryan Singh Dadiala, equalled the existing world record of the fastest male swimmer
to swim the Sea of Galilee, braving extreme weather conditions. Sea Of Galilee is the second lowest water
body in the world, approximately 214 metres below sea level, and poses multiple challenges such as whirlpools
and indefinite wind storms. Aryan Dadiala, 21, who set a world record in November 2022 in Goa finishing 32
km open water sea swimming in 5 hours 36 minutes, is the first Asian swimmer to swim the Sea of Galilee.
Paradip port handles highest annual traffic among all Ports of the country
• Paradip Port has handled a record annual traffic of 135.36 million metric tonnes against 116.13
million metric tonnes during the last financial year. The Port has achieved highest ever coastal shipping
traffic of 58.42 million metric tonnes, it has also improved its berth productivity to 31,050 MT which is the
highest among all the ports of the country. Paradip Port is the cheapest in terms of tariff among all the port of
the country
First for India: IGIA is now 9th busiest airport globally
• According to the Airports Council International (ACI) World, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI)
Airport has been ranked as the ninth busiest airport in the world in 2022, handling approximately 59.5
million passengers every year. This is a noteworthy achievement for the IGI Airport as it had secured the 13th
position in 2021 and the 17th position in 2019, before the pandemic. In a separate release, Delhi International
Airport Ltd (DIAL) said it is the only airport to figure in the top 10 list from South and South East Asia. The
world’s busiest airport, with 93.6 million passengers in 2022, remained Georgia’s Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta International Airport, which was also the busiest airport in 2021 and 2019.
Union Minister Sonowal reviews progress of India’s first international multimodal
logistics park in Assam
• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal visited the
construction site of India’s first International Multi Modal Logistics park in Jogighopa, Assam to
review the progress. Shri Sonowal said the jetty at the park is likely to be completed within this year. The
park is being developed under the ambitious Bharatmala Pariyojana of the Government. First such MMLP, it
is being made by NHIDCL in Jogighopa of Assam. The park will be connected to road, rail, air and waterways.
This is being developed in 317-acre land along the Brahmaputra.
Ladakh annual festival ‘Monlam Chenmo’ begins in Leh
• The annual five-day-long Great Prayer Festival, “Ladakh Monlam Chenmo,” a mass prayer camp by
Buddhist monks and nuns for world peace and happiness is starting in Leh, Ladakh. The annual Mass
Prayer is resuming this year after three years of discontinuation due to Covid. The event is being organised by the
All Ladakh Gonpa Association. Smonlam Chenmo is a major annual prayer of the Sangha Community
of Ladakh gathered at one platform.

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India hosts world’s largest office building in Gujarat’s Surat
• India’s gem capital Surat in Gujarat has surpassed the United States to host the largest office in the
world. ‘Surat Diamond Bourse’ - a one stop shop for over 65,000 diamond professionals, is now the world’s
largest office building, replacing the Pentagon in the US.
• Spanning over 35 acres of land, the sprawling 15-story complex has been constructed to house the diamond
industry. It features a series of nine interconnected rectangular structures emanating from a central “spine.”
The office has 7.1 million square feet of floor space, making it larger than the Pentagon, the
headquarters of the United States Department of Defence, which held the crown for nearly 80
years.
Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated newly developed infrastructure of Tezu Airport in
Arunachal Pradesh
• Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia inaugurated the newly developed infrastructure
of Tezu Airport in Arunachal Pradesh. The newly developed infrastructure includes an extension of the
runway, the construction of a new apron, the construction of a new terminal building, and a fire station cum
ATC Tower.
• The airport is currently connected to Dibrugarh, Imphal, and Guwahati through regular scheduled flights by
Alliance Air and Flybig Airline. Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu also joined the inauguration
ceremony of the newly developed infrastructure. Teju Airport was operationalized in 2018 under the RCS
UDAN scheme of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Odisha celebrates Nuakhai festival with prompt and gaiety
• The much-awaited day, Nuakahi, for the people of western Odisha districts, came with much pomp
and gaiety. The major agrarian festival of this region is being celebrated in every nook and corner
collectively with much fanfare and religious fervour. Being an agrarian festival, the eldest in each household
in rural pockets worshipped their paddy fields, praying for a bumper crop and favourable weather. Women folk
leave bed early to perform the Nukhai rituals by decorating the house with colourful rangoli.
PM Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of international cricket stadium in Varanasi
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Varanasi to lay the foundation stone of an international
cricket stadium. PM Modi also participated in the closing ceremony of the Kashi Sansad Sanskritik
Mahotsav at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre and later, inaugurated
16 Atal residential schools built across Uttar Pradesh. The cricket stadium in Varanasi, which is also PM
Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency, will be a step towards realising his vision to develop modern, world-class
sports infrastructure.
• The thematic architecture of the stadium draws inspiration from Lord Shiva, with designs developed
for crescent-shaped roof covers, trident-shaped floodlights and ghat steps-based seating arrangements. The
stadium will have a capacity to accommodate 30000 spectators.
Telangana: India’s biggest tribal festival awaits national status
• India’s biggest biennial tribal festival – Sammakka Saralamma Jatara to be held at tiny tribal
hamlet of Medaram in Tadwai block of Telangana’s Mulug district get the “national festival” status,
if the Central government approves the long-pending proposal of the state government. The “jatara” (fair),
which is often referred to as the Kumbh Mela of the South, witnesses the largest congregation of over 10 million
tribals from across the country.
• The footfall at the three-day festival held from February 16 to 18 in 2022 was around 13 million, according to
official records of the state tribal welfare department. Ever since Telangana became a separate state in
June 2014, the state government has been requesting the Centre to give Sammakka Saralamma
Jatara a national festival status, keeping in view the uniqueness of the festival and the congregation of
millions of tribals from all parts of the country.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Gujarat’s first Greenfield International Airport
• Prime minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Hirasar Greenfield International Airport, Gujarat’s first
Greenfield Airport to the nation during his two-day visit to Rajasthan and Gujarat from July 27-28.
The Hirasar Greenfield Airport, located at around 30 km from Rajkot, spans over 2500 acres and has been
developed at a cost of Rs. 1,405 crore.

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Tamil Nadu to celebrate first Nilgiri Tahr Day on October 7
• Nearly a year after launching the Project Nilgiri Tahr for the conservation of its State animal, Tamil
Nadu will celebrate the first ‘Nilgiri Tahr Day’ on October 7. October 7 was chosen by the Government
as Nilgiri Tahr Day in honour of E.R.C. Davidar, a wildlife conservationist who pioneered studies on the sole
mountain ungulate of Southern India as early as in 1960s.
In Jharkhand, PM Modi pays tribute to tribal icon Birsa Munda, unveils projects worth
Rs. 7,200 crore
• Stating that he had come to the land of tribal icon Birsa Munda in Jharkhand’s Khunti to “pay off his debt”
to the deprived, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched two schemes – one to ensure last-mile
delivery of welfare schemes and another for the protection of the particularly vulnerable tribal
groups (PVTGs). He also unveiled projects worth around Rs. 7,200 crore related to coal, petroleum,
railways, roads, education etc.
• After visiting Birsa Munda’s descendants in Khunti’s Ulihatu village and a museum dedicated to tribal freedom
fighters, PM Modi addressed a gathering at Birsa Munda College ground in Khunti and urged the
audience to take a pledge to make India a developed nation.
‘Banni’ festival at Devaragattu in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district
• Banni festival is a traditional stick-fight. It is celebrated on the night of Dussehra celebration
(Vijaya Dasami) every year in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. The objective of this event was
to snatch the idols from God’s team, leading to a fierce battle known as the Banni Fight. This festival was
celebrated by people under the Vijayanagara Empire. It is celebrated on account of the victory of Lord Mala
Malleswara Swamy and Goddess Parvati over demonish Mani and Mallasura, who troubled the people in the
Devaragattu region.
• The ritual takes place at midnight when the procession idols of the ruling deities Malamma (Parvati)
and Malleshwara Swamy (Shiva) are brought down the hill temple at Neraneki. Devotees carry long
sticks or lathis with them for hitting each other with these sticks on the head. The basic idea of this fight is to
capture the procession idol.
Election Commission held Assembly polls in 5 States
• Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram were held
between November 7 and 30. The counting of votes would take place on December 3 for all the five States, the
Election Commission announced, setting the ball rolling for the crucial polls which are being considered to be
the semi-finals to the 2024 general elections. Chhattisgarh is the only State where the polls was held in
two phases — November 7 and 17. While 20 out of the 90 Assembly constituencies voted in the first phase,
the rest went to polls on November 17.
• Mizoram with 40 Assembly seats voted on November 7 along with the first phase in Chhattisgarh. Voting
for the 230 Assembly constituencies of Madhya Pradesh has taken place on November 17 and that in
Rajasthan, which has 200 seats, held on November 23. Telangana, which has 119 Assembly seats voted on
November 30. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have Congress governments, Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP,
Telangana by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Mizoram by the Mizo National Front (MNF).
Psephology is the “quantitative analysis of elections and balloting”,a technique within the branch of
political science known as political methodology. Psephology attempts to explain elections using the scientific
method and is related to political forecasting. One who studies the election and voting trends is called
Psephologist.

Wish you all the very best!

Team CL

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 2. International and National Organizations their heads and headquarters
S.No. Name of the Headquarter Head of the Organization/(Designation)
organization
1 United Nations New York, USA Antonio Guterres (Secretary-General)
2 UNICEF New York, USA Catherine Mary Russell (Executive Director)
3 UNESCO Paris, France Audrey Azoulay (Director General)
4 FAO Rome, Italy Qu Dongyu (Director General)
5 WHO Geneva, Switzerland Tedros Adhanom (Director General)
6 ILO Geneva, Switzerland Gilbert Houngbo (Director General)
7 ICJ The Hague, The Joan E. Donoghue (President)
Netherlands
8 UNCTAD Geneva, Switzerland Rebeca Grynspan (Secretary-General)
9 ADB Manila, Philippines Masatsugu Asakawa (President)
10 OECD Paris, France Mathias Cormann (Secretary General)
11 OPEC Vienna, Austria Haitham Al Ghais (Kuwait)
(Secretary General)
12 EU Brussels, Belgium Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen (President of the
European Commission)
13 NATO Brussels, Belgium Jens Stoltenberg (Secretary-General)
14 IAEA Vienna, Austria Rafael Mariano Grossi (Director General)
15 SAARC Kathmandu Golam Sarwar (Secretary General)
Member countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
16 IBSA Political Forum India+ Brazil+ South Africa
17 New Development Shanghai, China Dilma Rousseff (President)
Bank
18 Asian Infrastructure Beijing, China Jin Liqun (President)
Investment Bank
(AIIB)
19 World Bank Washington D.C Ajaypal Singh Banga (President)
20 IMF Washington D.C Ms. Kristalina Georgieva (Managing Director)
21 WTO Geneva, Switzerland Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
22 European Central Frankfurt, Germany Christine Lagarde (President)
Bank
23 Bank for Basel, Switzerland Agustín Carstens (General Manager)
International
Settlements
24 Federal Reserve Washington D.C Jerome Powell (Chairperson of Board of Governors)
Bank of America
25 Financial Action Paris T. Raja Kumar (President)
Task Force (FATF)

26 RBI Mumbai Shaktikanta Das (Governor)

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 S.No. Name of the Headquarter Head of the Organization/(Designation)
organization
27 NABARD Mumbai Mr. Shaji K V (Chairman)
(Maharashtra)
28 SEBI Mumbai Madhabi Puri Buch (Chairman)
(Maharashtra)
29 IRDA Hyderabad Debasish Panda (Chairman)
30 SIDBI Lucknow Sivasubramanian Ramann (CMD)
31 TRAI New Delhi P D Vaghela (Chairman)
32 Competition New Delhi Ravneet Kaur (Chairman)
Commission of India
(CCI)
33 Niti Aayog New Delhi Narendra Modi (Chairman)
Suman Bery (Vice Chairman)
34 IDFC FIRST Bank Mumbai Mr. V. Vaidyanathan (MD & CEO)
35 EXIM BANK Mumbai Harsha Bangari (CMD)
36 ICICI Mumbai Sandeep Bakhshi (MD & CEO)
37 CAG New Delhi Girish Chandra Murmu
38 CEC New Delhi Rajiv Kumar
39 15th Finance --- N. K. Singh (Chairman)
commission
40 Financial Stability New Delhi Union Finance Minister (Chairman)
and Development
Council (FSDC)
41 GST Council New Delhi Union Finance Minister (Chairman)
42 BIMSTEC Dhaka Tenzin Lekphell (Secretary-General)
Member countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand
43 BRICS --- Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa
44 International Solar Gurugram Ajay Mathur (Director General)
Alliance
45 G7 Countries --- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United
Kingdom, and the United States

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 3. Countries and their heads of Governments
S.No. Country President Prime Minister
1 Afghanistan Hibatullah Akhundzada (Head of the Mohammad Hasan Akhund
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan)
2 Argentina Alberto Fernandez
3 Australia Charles III (Monarch) Anthony Albanese
4 Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin Sheikh Hasina
5 Bhutan Jigme Kheysar Namgel Wangchuck Lotay Tshering
(Monarch)
6 Canada Charles III (Monarch) Justin Trudeau
Mary May Simon
(Governor General of Canada)
7 Egypt Abdel Fateh el-Sisi Mostafa Kemal Madbouly
8 France Emmanuel Macron Elisabeth Borne
9 Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou Kyriakos Mitsotakis
10 India Droupadi Murmu Narendra Modi
11 Indonesia Joko Vidodo
12 Iran Ebrahim Raisi Supreme Leader – Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei
13 Iraq Abdul Latif Rashid Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani
14 Israel Isaac Herzog Benjamin Netanyahu
15 Italy Sergio Mattarela Giorgia Meloni
16 Japan Naruhito (Monarch) Fumio Kishida
17 Jordan Abdullah II (Monarch) Bisher Al Khasawneh
18 Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Alihan Smaiylov
19 Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov (President)
20 Libya Mohamed Yunus al-Menfi Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh
21 Malaysia Abdullah (Monarch) Anwar bin Ibrahim
22 Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
23 Myanmar Myint Swe (Acting President) Min Aung Hlaing (Chairman of the
State Administration Council)
24 Nepal Ram Chandra Poudel Pushpa Kamal Dahal
25 Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu
26 North Korea Kim Jong Un
27 Pakistan Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar (caretaker PM)
28 Palestine Mahmoud Abbas Mohammad Shtayyeh
29 Philippines Bongbong Marcos
30 Russia Vladimir Putin Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin
38 Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (King) Mohammad bin Salman
31 Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam Lee Hsein Loong
32 South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa
33 South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol Han Duck-soo
34 Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe Dinesh Gunawardena
35 Syria Bashar Hafez al-Assad Hussein Arnous

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 S.No. Country President Prime Minister
36 Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan
37 United Arab Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Emirates (President) (Prime Minister)
38 USA Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
39 UK Charles III (Monarch) Rishi Sunak
40 Venezuela Nicolas Maduro
41 Yemen Rashad al-Alimi Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed
42 Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa

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