PATHFINDERS’ ACADEMY CAPF/CDS 9867321800 CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR CDS 1 2020 -Asst. Comdt. Dr. Prashant Jagtap (CISF)

NATIONAL • Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2029 coming into effect from 31st October 2029 • Kargil and Leh districts form Ladakh, while the rest of the region constitutes the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir • First time that a state has been divided into UTs and with this now has 9 UTs and 28 states. • The Union Territory of J &K will have a legislature while the UT of Ladakh will have no legislature, with both UTs having Lieutenant Governors (LG) as administrators, to be appointed by the President of India • Serving IAS officer of cadre Girish Chandra Murmu has been appointed as the LG of Jammu and Kashmir and retired bureaucrat of cadre Radha Krishna Mathur as LG of Ladakh. • Ranbir Penal Code will be replaced by Indian Penal Code • Number of seats in J&K Legislative Assembly will go up to 114 from 87 delimitation exercise, with seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. • Lieutenant Governor of UT of J & K may nominate two members to give representation to women • High court of Jammu and Kashmir shall be the common High Court for the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh with present Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir being Justice . • India Ranks 102 in Global Hunger Index. • About Global Hunger Index (GHI) – Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide and German organization Welthungerhilfe. • Level of hunger in India has been termed ‘serious’ in 2019 report. • Niti Ayog’s School Education Quality Index (SEQI) – bagged the top rank with 76.6% while with 36.4% was the lowest. • ‘Sarbat da Bhala’ Express connecting to Ludhiana – as part of 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak. Would serve the Sikh pilgrims visiting Sultanpur Lodhi – ‘Sarbat da Bhala’ means ‘Goodness for all’ • New Delhi-Katra Vande Bharat Express Flagged off – facilities such as CCTV surveillance, bio voccum toilet GPS based information system and onboard wi-fi

internet. – maximum speed of 130 km per hour, making it the fastest on Indian tracks. – second Vande Bharat Express the first one running between New Delhi and Varanasi. • Audio Odigos App Launched for 12 sites of India – Ministry of Tourism – inbuilt map of the site for a smoot navigation during the tour • Ministry of power launched the PRAKASH (Power Rail Koyla Availability through Supply Harmony) – developed by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) • Union Water Ministry revealed about excavation of an old, dried-up river in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) that linked the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. • India’s 1st Global Trade centre for Women in Kerala – Kozhikode • Doordarshan is a Public broadcast terrestrial television channel run by Prasar Bharati under Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. It was started in New Delhi on 15 September 1959 – a specially designed postage stamp was released to mark Doordarshan’s 60th Foundation Day. – DD India will now be available in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). • Directorate General of Training (DGT) division of the Ministry of Sill Development & Entrepreneurship signed an agreement with Global IT Major IBM – latter will carry out a nationwide Train-the-Trainer in basic Artificial Intelligence skills. • India’s first private semi-high speed train, Tejas Express from – Lucknow to Delhi six days a week – Tejas India’s first private train run by IRCTC – will be provided a free insurance of up to Rs. 10 lakh by the IRCTC. • Ministry of Science & Technology launched UMMID (Unique Methods of Management and Treatment of Inherited Disorders) initiative & inaugurated NIDAN (National Inherited Diseases Administration) Kendras – by Department of Biotechnology • JEET (Joint Effort for Elimination of TB) – Government has set a target of a TB- free India by 2025 • Atal Innovation Mission (ATM), NITI Ayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL), UNICEF India and Generation Unlimited launched ‘The Gandhian Challenge’. • Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): it is Government of India’s flagship initiative to give substantial boost to the innovation ecosystem and to catalyse the entrepreneurial spirit in the country. • Generation Unlimited: A new UNICEF – led global partnership that aims to ensure that every young person age 10-24 is in some form of school, learning, training, self- employment or age-appropriate employment by 2030. • A recent study of DNA from skeletal remains excavated from the Harappan cemetery at Rakhigarhi argues that the hunter gatherers of South Asia – people from Indus Valley Civilization, who then became a settled people, have an independent origin. - There was a movement of people from east to west as the Harappan people’s presence is evident at sites like Gonur in Turkmenistan and Sahr-i-Sokhta in Iran. • Prohibition of E-cigarettes ordinance 2019 – these are the most common form of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) – they vapourise a solution using a battery and this vapour is then inhaled by the user – can release in varying amounts

potential carcinogens such as acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and acetone – they also contain volatile organic compounds, heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead. • Neat Scheme Announced – To use Artificial Intelligence to make learning more personalized and customized as per the requirements of the learner. • Government-Funded NGOs To Come under RTI • ‘Digital Charkha’ which has been installed at the Electronics Niketan that houses the MeitY. • 29 August launched the Fit India Movement in New Delhi on the occasion of National Sports Day. • SARAL: ‘State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index’ – The State of has been placed at the first rank in the Index while Telengana, Gujarat and have got 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rank respectively. • Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched the National Mission to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level – NISHTHA, National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement – to build capacities of 42 lakh government teachers across the country, it is being touted as the world’s largest teachers’ training programme of its kind. • Learning outcomes; Competency based learning and testing; learner centered pedagogy; School safety and security; Personal-social qualities; Inclusive education; ICT in teaching-learning including Artificial Intelligence; Health and well-being including yoga; • ‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon was jointly organized by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. • Deendayan Antyodaya Yojana National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY- NULM) a flagship mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has been conferred the prestigious SKOCH Governance Gold Award for its Portal for Affordable credit and Interest Subvention Access (PAiSA) – Launched in November 2018 it was designed and developed by the Allahabad Bank. • ‘Jan Aushadhi Suvidha Oxo-Biodegradable Sanitary Napkin’ will now be available at only One Rupee per pad. • Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal launched one of world’s largest Integrated Online Junction for School Education ‘Shagun’ in New Delhi • Shagun is coined from two different words, ‘Shala’ meaning schools and ‘Gunvatta’ meaning quality • It will also focus on using artificial intelligence and deep machine learning in a variety of ways to enhance the quality of school education – An Integrated National School Education Treasury (INSET) was also launched • Tinsukia becomes 4000th Railway station with wifi of – Free Wi-Fi service are being provided to passengers under ‘RailWire’ – the retail Broadband initiative of RailTel catering to Enterprises, SMEs and homes.

• Country’s longest electrified rail tunnel between Cherlopalli and Rapuru and the electrified railway line between Venkatachalam and Obulavaripalli both in Andhra Pradesh – 6.7 km long tunnel that will provide viable rail connectivity between the Krishnapatnam Port and the hinterland for the seamless movement of freight. • The Human Resource Development Ministry has awarded the status of Institute of Eminence to the IIT-Madras, IIT-Kharagpur, Delhi University, Benares Hindu University and the University of . • India is a party to Brasilia Declaration on road safety & has committed to reduce accidents by 50% by 2020. • Good Samaritan: Person who renders emergency medical or non-medical assistance to a victim at accident scene will not be liable to any civil or criminal action for any injury or death of victims. • 5th August 2019 the President of India promulgated the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Order 2019 • Amended Article 370 and revoked the special status given to J & K. According to the order, provisions of Indian Constitution are now applicable to stat. • A special bill called J & K Reorganization Bill, 2019 was introduced – this bill bifurcates the state into two Union Territories (UTs): • J & K with legislature • Ladakh without legislature • Article 35 A – Port of Indian Constitution which gives power to J & K Constituent Assembly to define permanent residents of state and bestowed upon them special rights and privileges regarding acquisition of property, jobs, public aid etc. • This acts as a restriction on Indian citizens and also on women of J & K who marry outside the state. • 11th DefExpo to be held in 2020 in Lucknow • Dissolve National Institute of Miners’ Health (NIMH), an autonomous Institute under Ministry of Mines (MoM) and merge with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW). • MEGHDOOT APP – The Ministries of Earth Sciences and Agriculture have launched a mobile application that will provide location, and crop and livestock-specific weather-based agro advisories to farmers in local languages. • It has been developed by experts from the India Meteorological Department and Indian Institute of Tropical meteorology • The SC (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2029 – it amends the Supreme Court (Number of judges) Act. 1956 • The bill increases total number of Supreme Court judges from 30 to 34 (Including CJI) • The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019 – it prohibits commercials surrogacy, but allows altruistic surrogacy i.e. it involves no monetary compensation to the surrogate mother other than the medical expenses and insurance coverage during the pregnancy.

• Who suffer from proven infertility. The intending couple should have a ‘certificate of essentiality’ and a ‘certificate of eligibility’ issued by the appropriate authority. • The central and the state governments shall constitute the National Surrogacy Board (NSB) and the State Surrogacy Boards (SSB) • Who can be a Surrogate Mother? a) A close relative of the intending couple b) A married woman having a child of her own. c) 25 to 35 years old d) A surrogate only once in her lifetime e) Possess a certificate of medical and psychological fitness for surrogacy • Eligibility Criteria for Intending Couple • The couple being Indian citizens and married for at least five years. • Between 23 to 50 years old (wife) and 26 to 55 years old (husband). • They do not have any surviving child (biological adopted or surrogate) which will not include a child who is mentally or physically challenged or suffers from life threatening disorder or fatal illness. • The Virasat-e-Khalsa museum in ’s Anandpur Sahib town found place in the Asia Book of records for becoming the most visited museum in the Indian sub- continent on a single day. • CORAS (Commando for Railway Security) of Indian Railway and new establishment manual for Railway Protection Force on 14 August 2019. • New state of the art commando training center to be established in Jagadhri, . • The government has reconstituted the Inter State Council and the Standing Committee of the Inter State Council. • Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Inter State Council. Chief Ministers of All States and Six Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman are the members of the Council. • Home Minister Amit Shah will be the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Inter State Council. • In Article 263 of the Constitution of India by a Presidential Order 1990 based on the recommendation of Sarkaria Commission. • The Inter-state council is not a permanent constitutional body • Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Indian Railways launched a Special Drive with a Code Name Operation ‘Number Plate’ to identify and verify all vehicle parked in Railway premises, circulating area, parkings and even in the ‘No Parking’ areas for longer duration. • The world’s largest irrigation and drinking water system – Kaleshwaram Multipurpose Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) – was recently inaugurated by • The Kalwshwaram project is an off shoot of the original Pranahitha Chevella Lift Irrigation Scheme

• It is aimed to make Telangana drought proof by harnessing the flood waters of the Godavari. • KLIP has many unique features, including the longest tunnel to carry water in Asia, running up to 81 km, between the Yellampally barrage and the Mallannasagar reservoir. • Mission Kakatiya – it is flagship programme launched by the Government of Telangana which aims at rejuvenation of water tanks and other water storage structures to provide assistance and help to the small and marginal farmers of the state. • Mission Bhagiratha – it is a project for providing safe drinking water for every village and city household in Telangana • In a bid to curtail the rampant cloning and theft of mobile phones across the country, the Telecom Ministry is ready to roll out a Central Equipment Identify Register (CEIR) – a database of IMeIs, the 15- digit numbers that uniquely identify each mobile device. • GST Council – Goods & Services Tax Council is a constitutional body for making recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to Goods and Services Tax • The GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister. • Anthropological Survey of India – Headquarters: • A sculpture of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who ruled for around 40 years in the early 19th century was unveiled at the historic Lahore Fort in Pakistan. • Maharaja Ranjit Singh also called ‘Share-e-Punjab’ (‘The Lion of the Punjab’)(1780-1839) was a Sikh emperor of the sovereign country of Punjab and the Sikh Empire. • The National Grid is the high voltage electricity network in mainland India, connecting power stations and major substations and ensuring that electricity generated anywhere in mainland India can be used to satisfy demand elsewhere. • The National Grid is owned, operated and maintained by state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India. • POSCO Act 2012 & Amendment- it will make punishment more stringent for committing sexual crimes against children including death penalty. • It also provides for levy of fines and imprisonment to curb child pornography • It has also been Approved to Section 4 of the POSCO Act so as to increase the minimum punishment to ten years, from the existing seven years. • The Act defines a child as any person below eighteen years of age, and regards the best interests and welfare of the child as matter of paramount importance at every stage. • The act is gender neutral.

INTERNATIONAL • 2nd PHASE OF LOTUS-HR LAUCHED – India and Netherlands – LOTUS – HR (Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuseplant) • Indian nun Mariam Thresia of Kerala along with English Cardinal John Henry Newan • Mariam Thresia – was born in the Chiramel Mankidiyan family in Puthenchira village of Thrissur district in 1876. She is the third nun and fourth clergy member from Kerala- based Syro-Malabar Church • Thersia in 1913 formed a community ‘House of Solitude’ along with a few others which marked the beginning of the Congregation of Holy Family • She died in 1926 at the age of 50 • What does Sainthood Mean? It is titled that is conferred posthumously • There are now 11 Saints from India. • In 2008, Kerala – born Sister Alphonsa was declared as the first woman Catholic saint from India. • Mother Teresa had fast track to sainthood when she was canonized in 2016. • Drone Innovator Network (DIN) Summit 2019 – New Delhi • DigiSky is a portal for registration and flying of civil drones in India. • Indian Diaspora Largest in the World • Abhijit Guha, a retired Indian lieutenant general, was appointed as the head of the UN Mission in Hodeidah, Yemen • UN Security Council decided to establish a special political mission to support ceasefire between Yemen’s Government and Houthi militia under resolution 2452 • Deaucha Panchami coal block of Birbhum coalfield area in is the second largest coal block in the world and the largest in Asia. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Mongolia H. E. Mr. Khaltmaagiin Battulga, jointly unveiled a statue of Buddha and his two disciples, installed at the historic Gandan Tegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar • Exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy at Yasnaya Polyana, Russia the birth place of Tolstoy at Russia. • Leo Tolstoy had a great influence on Mahatma Gandhi. His message of love, no greed, truth, non-violence, bread labour etc found resonance in Gandhi’s thought process. • In South Africa Gandhi set up his first ashram as Phoenix Settlement (in 1904) • Gandhi also published the Gujarati translation of Tolstoy’s short story titled ‘Wonderful is the Way of God’ • Bada Dashain the biggest festival of Nepal • FATF ASIA – GROUP PUTS PAKISTAN IN BLACKLIST • Indonesia has decided to shift its capital city from Jakarta to the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. • Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of Borneo, an island shared with and Brunei. • Maldives to attend the fourth Indian Ocean Conference 2019.

• The 10th Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Ministerial Meeting was held in Bangkok, . • Asia’s first cross border petroleum pipeline linking Motihari () in India and Amlekhgunj in Nepal has been fully completed, the pipeline covers a distance of 70.2 kilometres. • Sagar Maitri is a unique initiative of the DRDO which aligns with the broad objective of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy declaration ‘Safety And Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR) to promote closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects as well as greater scientific interaction, especially in ocean research among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries. • INS Sagardhwani has been designed and developed by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), , a premier systems laboratory of the DRDO. • The Indian Army team secured the first position in the fifth International Army Scouts Masters Competition held at ’s Jaisalmer’s Military station under the aegis of Southern Command of Indian Army. • India, Russia & Bangladesh in 2018 signed an MoV for construction of Rooppur nuclear power plant near Dhaka, Bangladesh. • It is the first initiative under India- Russia nuclear deal to undertake atomic energy project in 3rd countries. • It will also be India’s 1st atomic energy venture abroad. • Jordan has launched its first underwater military museum off the Red Sea coast, Aqaba. • As part new underwater military museum, the kingdom submerged several military vehicles including tanks, troop carriers and even a decommissioned Jordanian Armed Forces’ AH-1 Cobra helicopter. • The Red Sea is a sea water inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. To the north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez. • The Netherland joins a number of other European nations in implementing a law which bans clothing that ‘covers the face’ from being worn in public spaces. • Gambia is often described as the ‘Smiling Coast’ of Africa. • AWaRe LAUNCHED BY WHO FOR SAFER USE OF ANTIBIOTICS • United States President Donald Trump became 1st sitting US president to enter Democratic People’s Republic of Korea • US LAW TO GIVE INDIA NATO ALLY STATUS • About NATO– It is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April 4, 1949, which sought to create a counterweight to Soviet armies stationed in central and eastern Europe after World War II.

ECONOMY • The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), on October 21, launched a new version of its Unified Payment Interface (UPI) platform Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) • The new interface BHIM 2.0 has additional languages including Konkani, Bhojpuri and Haryanvi (over and above the existing 13) • Tellurian, a Houston (US) based natural gas company and Petronet LNG Ltd. (PLL), whereby Petronet will invest USD 2.5 billion in Tellurian’s proposed Driftwood LNG export terminal • This has become the largest deal by an Indian company in US LNG (liquified natural gas). • National Recruitment Agency (NRA) to streamline recruitment of Group-B (Non- gazetted), Group-C (non-technical) and clerical posts in the government along with various equivalent recruitment in public sector banks through a Common Eligibility Test (CET). • 100 % FDI APPROVED IN COAL MINING • India has been ranked 10th in terms of total gold reserves. • Ministry of Textiles to take Samarth – Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS) forward • Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles or FAME 2 • COMMITTEE ON VIRTUAL CURRENCIES REPORT - Under the Chairmanship of Subhash Chandra Garg; • GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX 2019 – released in New Delhi • Switzerland is the world’s most innovative country • India climbed five notches on the GII this year to the 52nd position. • CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE KOINEX SHUTS DOWN • What is Cryptocurrency? • A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security • ‘Crypto’ refers to the fact that various encryption algorithms and cryptographic techniques are employed. • Cryptocurrencies are decentralized system based on block chain technology, a distributed ledger enforced by a disparate network of computers. • The first blockchain based cryptocurrency was Bitcoin • Facebook has announced to launched crypto currency named Libra by 2020.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY • GOVT LAUNCHED MOBILE APP FOR THE FARMERS – Krishi Kisan App: • ’s space agency JAXA, touts the Kounotori8 as ‘the world’s biggest transport space ship’ in a promotional movie on its website. • NASA has launched a satellite ICON to detect dynamic zones of Earth’s Ionosphere. The satellite Ionosphere Connection Explorer (ICON) • The ICON satellite will study the Earth’s Ionosphere. It includes various layers of the uppermost atmosphere where free electrons flow freely. • Nitrogen is the most commonly deficient nutrient in the soil. • THE FIRST SATELLITE SERVICING SPACECRAFT LAUNCHED • MEV-1 a satellite that can extend the life of other satellites has been launched and is the first of its kind. • Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) was launched on a Russian Proton rocket • MEV-1 is first of its kind commercial satellite-servicing spacecraft • It’s had a capability to extend satellite life by 15 years. • The International Union’s Minor Planet Center confirmed 20 new moons orbiting Saturn, making it the planet with the most moons in our Solar System at 82 against 79 moons of Jupiter. • FEDOR ROBOT IN SPACE • A lifesize Russian robot • Fedor short for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research was Russia’s first humanoid robot • Instead of cosmonauts, Fedor, also known as Skybot F850 • ‘Samudrayaan’ project undertaken by the NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology: NIOT), , is in line with the ISRO’s ambitious ‘Gaganyaan’ mission of sending an astronaut to space by 2022. • The indigenously developed vehicle is capable of crawling on the sea bed at a depth of six kilometer for 72 hours. • The ‘Samudrayaan’ is a part of the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ pilot project for deep ocean mining for rare minerals. • Great solution – affordable, reusable and biodegradable sanitary napkins made of banana fiber that can last for up to 120 washes or two years. • Europa Clipper mission which will explore life on Jupiter’s Galilean moon Europa. • MAITRI CLINCHED BRONZE • The app, called Maitri, aims at bringing together individuals suffering from loneliness and depression and those lacking the nurturing love of elderly role models. • Technovation Challenge is the world’s largest technology and entrepreneurship programme for girls • Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever • It is caused by a tick-borne virus (Nairovirus) of the Bunyaviridae family which causes severe viral hemorrhagic fever.

• It is endemic in Africa, the Balkans, the Middle East and Asia, in countries south of the 50th parallel north. • India has become the first country in the world to issue Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID), capturing the facial bio-metric data of seafarers. • Earth experienced a previously underestimated severe mass-extinction event which occurred about 260 million years ago, raising the total of major mass extinctions in the geologic record to six. • South Korea has become the 1st country in world that finished the auctioning of spectrum for 5G to telecom companies. • Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have designed an antimicrobial protein that promises to kill multidrug resistant bacterium called Acinetobacter baumanni. • OCEAN ENERGY DECLARED AS RENEWABLE ENERGY • Such as tidal wave, ocean thermal energy conversion • ICAR-IIHR DEVELOP NEW MANGO HYBRID, ARKA SUPRABHATH • ISRO’S NEW SPACE COMPANY NSIL GETS ITS FIRST ORDER • The New Space India Limited (NSIL) • NSIL is ISRO’s second commercial arm after Antrix Corporation • SRI LANKA’S 1ST EVER SATELLITE, RAAVANA – 1 LAUNCHED – known as Bird LKA • SEVEN MEGA MISSIONS BY ISRO • Chandrayaan – 2 • XPoSat (to study cosmic radiation in 2020) and Aditya-L1 (to study the Sun in 2021) • Mangalyaan – 2 Lunar Polar Exploration • Venus mission (in 2023) Exoworlds • CURIOUSITY ROVER FINDS HIGH LEVELS OF METHANE ON MARS • Indian Railways is conducting trials of ‘Tri-Netra’ (Terrain Imaging for Drivers Infrared, Enhanced Optical & Radar Assisted) system a new technology to tackle fog. • Japan’ Hayabusa-2 spacecraft, which successfully made its second touchdown on asteroid Ryugu

DEFENCE • KAZIND 2019 IN UTTARKHAND • It is annual exercise conducted alternatively in Kazakhstan and India. • INDIA- BANGLADESH MAIDEN NAVAL EXERCISE • Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) with ships Ranvijay and Kuthar • Indian Army’s biggest mountain combat exercise ‘Him Vijay’, first of its kind, in

NATIONAL • Chandrarani Murmu is the youngest MP in the country and her debut in Parliament. • Flight Lieutenant Mohana Singh became the first IAF woman pilot in Indian to fly Hawk jets • The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued the status of ‘legal person or entity’ to all animals in Haryana, granting them the ‘corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person’. • Delhi Metro becomes India’s first project to receive power from waste-to-energy • Karnataka government has launched ‘Pink Sarathi’ vehicles that are procured by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). • India’s First Dinosaur Museum Park inaugurated in Gujarat. • Om Birla has been unanimously elected as the 17th Lok Sabha Speaker with the opposition Congress coming out in support of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s candidate. • is crowned as 2019 • India is to celebrate the 20th anniversary of victory in ‘Operation VIJAY’ popularly known as the ‘Kargil War’. • Rachna Khaira of the Tribune News Service won the Red Ink Award for Excellence in Indian Journalism Journalist of the Year 2019. The award is for her expose during 2018 on functioning of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and its Aadhaar data cache. • A book titled ‘A Prime Minister to Remember Memories of a Military Chief, authored by former Navy Chief Admiral • Varuna 19.1 is the first part of the Indo-French joint naval exercise it is being held off the coast from 1st to 10th May 2019 • Mangalore Police gets an all women patrol unit Rani Abbakka Force. • Purple Frog is to be named as Kerala’s state amphibian. The species is endemic to Western Ghats. • Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth scripted history by becoming first woman pilot of to qualify to undertake combat missions on a fighter jet.

• ‘Kandhamal Haldi’ a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern , has earned the Geographical indication (GI) tag form Intellectual Property India, an organization functioning under the auspices of the Union ministry of commerce & industry • For the first time in , braille-enabled ballot papers will be made available at all pooling booths. • observed the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of on 4th April 2019. The theme of the event is ‘Remembrance, Reconciliation, and Rebirth’. • A book poem Khooni Vaisakhi on Jallianwala Bagh massacre released in UAE. It is written by Nanak Singh, and Navdeep Suri. • Saba Naqvi is the author of the book ‘Politics of Jugaad: The Coalition Handbook’, where she examines the possibility of coalition government after Lok Sabha polls (2019) • The Prayagraj Kumbh Mela 2019 has made into Guinness World Records in the following three sectors: (i) Largest traffic and crowd management plan. (ii) Biggest painting exercise of public sites under ‘paint my city’ scheme. (iii) Biggest sanitation and waste disposal mechanism. • Ghumot is to be notified as a heritage instrument of Goa.

INTERNATIONAL • The Bengaluru-based NGO Akshaya Patra has been awarded the BBC World Service Global Champion Award for the programme. • Iceland topped the Global Peace Index 2019 rankings which was released by Institute for Economics & Peace. India ranked 141 among 163 countries. • Liberal lawyer Zuzana Caputova’ won Slovakia’s Presidential election, becoming the country’s first female head of state. • ‘Reiwa’ will be the name for the new imperial era in Japan, • Lori Lightfoot is elected as the Chicago’s first openly gay Mayor as well as the first African American woman. • Mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck (76 year old) has become the first woman to win the Abel prize, sometimes called the Nobel prize of mathematics, for the impact of her work on ‘analysis, geometry and mathematical physics’. • Italy’s Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano erupted recently • Suman Kumari became First Hindu woman to be appointed Civil judge in Pakistan. • Jair Bolsonaro has been appointed as Brazil’s president

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY • For the first time, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has appointed two women scientists – Ritu Karidhal (as mission director) and Muthayya Vanitha (as project director) to head the India’s second Moon mission Chandrayaan-2 • SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, the most powerful operational rocket in the world • RTS, Svaccine under the trade name Mosquirix has been developed by British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative.

SPORTS • and two Indian Cricketers won International Cricketers of the year award at CEAT International Awards 2019. • India has lost to South Korea in the final of Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament at Ipoh in Malaysia. South Korea lifted the title, defeating India in a shoot out 4-2 • India-born Manu Sawhney took over as ICC Chief Executive with immediate effect • World No.1 won India’s first gold medal in the 65 kg category at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2019 in Xi’an China. • Jamie Chadwick from Bath, England made history by becoming the first female driver to win the MRF challenge title after scoring a triple win in the final round in Chennai. • Mountaineer Satyarup Siddhanta conquered Antartica’s highest point Mount Sidley. • D. Gukesh became the India’s youngest ever Grandmaster after he captured the title at the Delhi International chess Grandmaster Open.

OPPOINTMENT & RESIGNATIONS • Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria becomes AirForce Chief. • 4 New Judges appointed to supreme court – V. Ramasubraanian, Krishna Murari, S. Ravindra Bhat, Hrishikesh Roy. • P. V. Sindhu named as brand Ambassador of Visa • Kristalina Geogieva is the IMF’s New Chief • : New Chancellor of Haryana Sports University • Shireen Matthews – nominated Indian American Shireen Mathews as a judge of the US District Court for the Southern District of California. • Atish Dabholkar – (a theoretical physicist from India) has been appointed as the new director of Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste (Italy). • Boris Johnson – 77th Prime Minister of Britain • Chandrima Shaha – First woman president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) • Priti Patel – took charge as Britain’s first Indian – origin Home Secretary in the newly unveiled Boris Johnson Cabinet.

• Priti Patel – Home Secretary • Mette Frederiksen has become the new Prime Minister • Aparna Kumar – created history by becoming the first civil servant and IPS officer to achieve the incredible and rare feat of completing ‘7 Summits’ challenge • She is also the first women IPS Officer to reach the south pole. • Seven Summits Challenge means challenge of climbing highest point in each of the seven continents. • Amish Tripathi – Renowned Author Amish Tripathi has been named the director of London’s Nehru center, which is under Indian council for cultural Relation (ICCR) • Rose Hudson-Wilkin – The Church of England’s first black female bishop has been appointed by Downing street. • Justice Lakshmana Reddy: 1st Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh • Wing Commander Anjali Singh: India’s 1st Military Diplomat • Ponung Doming became the first lady officer from Arunachal Pradesh in the Indian army to be elevated to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. • Greta Thunberg: A 16 year old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg reached New York on August 28, after a 15 day journey crossing the Atlantic in a zero- carbon yacht (Malizia II) • Narendra Modi – Award from Bill and Melinda Gates Foudation for Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan from during his visit to the United States • Viral Acharya – Deputy Governor Viral Acharya who had made a fervent pitch for autonomy for the RBI has resigned 6 months before the scheduled end of his term • Krishna Swami was appointed as the next Director General of the Indian coast Guard • Anshula Kant – The World Bank Group announced that Anshula Kant, an Indian national has been appointed its next MD and CFO (Chief Financial Officer). • Ms. Kant will be the first woman CFO of the Bank.

OBITUARIES • Alexei Leonov – Russian astronaut Alexei Leonov, who was the first human to walk in space in 1965, died in Moscow Russia. He was 85. • First women DGP Kanchan Chaudhary dies • Ram Jethmalani – eminent jurist and former Union Minister Ram Jethmalani passed away at the age of 95. • Vidya Sinha – Film and Television actor Vidya Sinha passed away in , she was 71. Sinha got her breakthrough role in filmmaker Basu Chatterjee’s film Rajnigandha in 1974. Her first film was ‘Raja Kaka’ (1974) • Arun Jaitley: A lawyer by profession, Jaitley was the most important leader in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet

• Sushma Swaraj: BJP stalwart and former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj died on August 6, 2019 – Youngest-ever Cabinet Minister of Delhi and the first woman spokesperson for any national political party. • Khayyam: Veteran composer Khayyam (Mohammed Zahur Hashmi) best known for his music in classic films such as ‘Umrao Jaan’and ‘Kabhi Khushi’, passed away after prolonged illness in Mumbai. He was 92 years old • Sheila Dikshit – Three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit passed away on July 20, 2019 after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was the longest serving Chief Minister of Delhi as well as the longest – serving female chief Minister of any Indian State • Joao Gilberto – Brazil is mourning the death of Joao Gilberto, one of the country’s greatest musicians and composers. He was well known as a ‘father of bossa nova’.

AWARDS & HONOURS • Sakharov award – Ilham Tohti – The Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought named is honour of the Soviet Physicist and Political dissident Andrei Sakharov. • VYAS Samman awar (2019) – Nasira Sharma – Noted Hindi Writer conferred with the ‘Vyas Samman’ 2019 for her novel ‘Kagaz ki Naav’. • Italian Golden sand award – Sudarsan Pattanaik (First Indian to win this award) • FIFA best player (male) 2019 – Lionel Messi • Forbes’ world’s best regarded company – Infosys • Ramanujan Prize (2019) – Adam Harper – conferred annually on mathematician from across the world, who are less than 32 years of age. • Changemaker award (2019) – Payal Jangid (17 years) • Dadasaheb Phalke award (2018) – Amitabh Bachchan • Right livelihood award (2019) Greta Thunberg • 28th Saraswati Samman Award – Dr. K. Siva Reddy – Poetry Collection – ‘Pakkaki Ottigilite’. • Dr. Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award (2019) Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina • Nobel Prize (peace) – Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed Ali – initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea. • Nobel Prize (Economics) – (a) Abhijit Banerjee (b) Esther Duflo (c) Michael Kremer – for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty • Lamp of peace of saint francis award – Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus • Order of Zayed award – PM Narendra Modi • Bharat Ratna – Pranab Mukherjee, Lata Nanaji Deshmukh, Late Bhupen Hazarika • Ramon Magsaysay award (2019) – Ravish Kumar (Journalist) • Raiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award – (a) Bajrang Punia (Wrestling) (b) (Parathletics)

OTHER AWARDS & HONOURS

• The article titled ‘Coalgate 2.0’ authored by Nileena M. S. • Author Rana Dasgupta was awarded the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 for his 2010 novel Solo. • Hindi writer Leeladhar Jagudi honoured with Vyas Samman 2018 for his collection of poems ‘Jitne Log Utne Prem’. • becomes first female to play 200 ODIs • became Worlds 1st woman amputee to climbe Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica

CONVENTIONS/TREATIES/PACTS • World Hindu Economic Forum – The 7th annual World Hindu Economic forum began in Mumbai

BOOKS & AUTHORS NAME • Neha J Hiranandani – Girl Power: Indian Women Who Broke The Rules • Roopa Pai – From Leeches to Slug Glue: 25 Explosive Ideas that Made (and Are Making) Modern Medicine • Fakir Hassen – ‘150 Years of Celebrating the Mahatma – the South African Legacy’ • Rahul Agarwal and Bharathi S Pradhan – Turbulence and Triumph: The Modi Years • Vikram Sampath – Savarkar: Echoes from a forgotten past, 1883-1924 • Satyarth Nayak – ‘: Girl Woman Superstar’ • Venkaiah Naidu – Listening, Learning and Leading • Baba Ramdev – ‘My Life, My Mision’ • Sushil Kumar – ‘A Prime Minister to Remember – Memories of a Military Chief’ • Anupam Kher – ‘Lessons Life Taught Me Unknowingly’ • Dr. Bibek Debroy – Making of New India • Jairam Ramesh – ‘Chequered Brilliance: The Many Lives of V K Krishna Menon’ • Kamlesh Patel Alias Daaji – ‘Designing Destiny: The Heartfulness Way’ • Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh – Fire and Furry Corps – Saga of Valour, Fortitude and Sacrifice’, • Malala Yousafzai – We are Displaced • Mr. Suri – ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’ • Navin Chawla – ‘Every Vote Counts – The story of India’s Elections’ • Neeraj Jha, Vidhanshu Kumar – ‘Virat: The making of a Champion’ • P. Chidambaram – ‘Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India’ • Raghuram Rajan – The Third Pillar • Ruchir Sharma – ‘Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India’ • Shahid Afridi – Game Changer • Valay Singh – ‘Ayodhya: City of Faith, City of Discord’ •

DEFENCE • 14th edition of Indo – Mongolian joint military training exercise Nomadic Elephant-XIV – in Bokloh • The 23rd edition of the annual trilateral naval exercise between India, Japan and US – off the coast of Japan • Astra Missile – IT is an indigenously developed sophisticated Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) • It has option to choose between ‘Lock on Before Launch – LOBL’ and ‘Lock on After Launch – LOAL’ • Stealth frigate INS Nilgiri, the first ship of the P-17A frigates, at the dockyard of the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., Mumbai • INS Khanderi, the second of the six Scorpene class (Kalvari class) being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders LTd. • Mazgaon Dock, called ‘Ship Builder to the Nation’. • INS Khanderi has been named after the wide snouted Saw fish, it is a diesel-electric attack • Khanderi’s motto is ‘Akhand Abhedya Adrishya’. • ICGS ‘VARAHA’ COMMISSIONED • SITMEX-19 involving republic of ‘Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) started at Port Blair India • The Indian Army organized Veer Kutumb Rally in Tanda, Akhnoor of Jammu & Kashmir to reach out to veterans, veer naris, widows and their families, as part of its activities to observe 2019 as the ‘Year of the Next of Kin’. • WARGAMING SOFTWARE FOR INDIAN NAVY • Minister Rajnath Singh in September 2019 flew in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru, becoming the first defense minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) • The Indian Air Force (IAF) on formally inducted eight AH-64E Apache attack helicopters into service at the Pathankot Air Force station • PAKISTAN TEST FIRES GHAZNAVI MISSILE • SAMUDRA LAKSHAMANA NAVAL EXERCISE – India Malaysia • The first Asean – US Maritime Exercise (AUMX) between 10 ASEAN countries and the United States of America – Thailand • India – Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) • ANTI-TANK MISSILE MPATGM • OPERATION ‘SANKALP’ – has been launched by Indian Navy in Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf to assure the safety and security of Indian vessels. • OPERATION ‘BANDAR’ – The IAF air strikes conducted by its Mirage-2000 fighters against the major Jaish-e-Mohammed training facilitate Balakot in Pakistan

• Army, code-named its heightened operational alert and shoring up of defenses along the border to thwart a possible Pakistan retaliation to the air strikes as ‘Operation Zafran’. Zafran is Kashmiri word for saffron. • Garuda 2019 a bilateral Indo- French large force employment warfare exercise hosted by French Air Force (FAF) at Mont-de-Marsan France • The Border Security Force (BSF) has launched a massive exercise, code named ‘Sudarshan’, to fortify the ‘anti-infiltration grid’ along the Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu. • OPERATION ‘SUNRISE 2’ – It is a coordinated operation by armies of Indian and . It is a three-week-long operation carried out in their respective border areas, targeting several militant groups operating in , Nagaland and Assam. • The Kaladan multi modal transit transport project is viewed as India’s gateway to Southeast Asia. • The Kaladan Project connects Sittwe Port in Myanmar to the India -Myanmar border.

ENVIRONMENT ECOLOGY • JALDOOT TRAVELLING EXHIBITION – with the aim of encouraging people’s participation for water conservation. • INVASIVE SPECIES THREAT TO SHOLA VEGETATION – Nilgiris • #FRIDAYSFORFUTURE – FridaysForFuture, marked Global Climate Strike – began in August 2018, after 15 years old Greta Thunberg sat in front of the Swedish parliament every school day for three weeks, to protest against the lack of action on the climate crisis. • Five major Indian coral reef regions in Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshdweep, Gulf of Mannar and Gulf of Kachch. • India has held the Siachen glacier since its occupation in 1984 under ‘Operation Meghdoot’. • INDIA LARGEST SO2 EMITTER • ANDREX project (Antarctic Deep water Rates of Export) which measured the physical, biological and chemical properties of the waters • M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers Intensive Protection and Ecology Status) Application is used, including camera traps, pugmark methodologies. • EARTH OVERSHOOT DAY 2019 IS JULY 29, THE EARLIEST EVER – On July 29, humanity had used up nature’s resource budget for the entire year, according to Global Footprint Network • PASHMINA PRODUCTS RECEIVE BIS CERTIFICATION • INDIA AS WORLD’S 13TH MOST WATER-STRESSED COUNTRY • The Kajin Sara lake discovered in Manang district of Nepal is likely to set a new record of being the world’s highest lake replacing Tilicho, which is situated at an altitude of 4,919 metres, also in Nepal and currently holding the title. • The neem plant, Azadirachta indica, is known to contain a potent phytochemical Azadirachtin-A (Aza-A) that can ward off several pests. • R K Sinha known as ‘India’s Dolhpin Man’ • INDIAN SCIENTISTS DEVELOP ‘BLACK GOLD’ – Using gold nanoparticles

STATE • The Cane and Bamboo Technology Park was inaugurated at Burnihat, Assam • Shondol dance, known as the royal dance of Ladakh, entered into the Guinness Book of World Records in September 2019 as the largest Ladakhi dance • TELANGANA DECLARES 2020 AS AI YEAR • Keeladi (Keezhadi) site in Sivganga district to a period between 6th century BCE and 1st century CE. • ACCESS TO INTERNET A BASIC RIGHT: KERALA HC • HYDERABAD-KARNATAKA RENAMED AS KALYANA KARNATAKA • LAUNCHES SUPER 50 FOR TRIBAL STUDENTS • TN’S DINDIGUL LOOK & KANDANGI SAREE GET GI TAG • ODISHA RASAGOLA GETS GI TAG • BIHAR BANS TREE-FELLING • HIMACHAL PRADESH MAKES GPS DEVICE MUST FOR TREKKERS • ODISHA COMES UP WITH A FLOOD HAZARD ATLAS • A MUSEUM OF PEACE BUILT ON MEMORIES OF WWII • Japan gifted Peace Museum to Manipur to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Imphal • Telangana: Bonalu Festivities • Mountain Medicine Institute: RUDRAPRAYAG • Delhi to convert Rajghat Power Plant into Solar • The Prime Minister unveiled the statue of former Prime Minister Sh. Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Lal bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi • He introduced the slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’

SPORTS CRICKET • Indian women T20 became the first Indian to play 100 T20 matches beating M. S. Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, who have played 98 matches each. • FEROZ SHAH KOTLA STADIUM RENAMED AFTER ARUN JAITLEY – In New Delhi • Women’s cricket to be part of Birmingham 2020 Commonwealth Games • Sunil Cheetri and Ashalata Devi Bag top Honours at AIFF Awards • , Allan Donald inducted into ICC’S Hall of Fame • Sourabh Verma wins Vietnam Open Title • Indian shutter Kaushal Dharmamer clinched the Myanmar International series • Total BWF Para – World Championships 2019 – India’s Mansi Joshi won the gold medal by defeating World No. 1 and compatriot Parul Paramar (Silver Medal) in the final of the women’s singles category SL3 in Basel (Switzerland) • TOTAL BWF BADMINTON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019 – P. V. Sindhu won the women’s sigles title • India’s B. Sai Praneeth succeded in winning the bronze medal • It is the first time that India will have a medal in both singles categories • B. Sai Praneeth became the first Indian male shuttler since Prakash Padukone to grab a medal in the World Championship.

TENNIS • US OPEN 2019 – World No. 2 Rafael Nadal (Spain) won the men’s singles • Bianca Andreescu () won the women’s singles title to defeat • The 19 year old Andreescu is the youngest US Open champion • FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022 • HISTORIC FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP BRAZIL 2019 • VINESH PHOGAT: 1st INDIAN WRESTLER TO QUALIFY FOR 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS • AMIT PANGHAL WINS SILVER AT WORLD BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP • German racer driver, Sebastian Vettel has won the Singapore GP 2019. • LEWIS HAMILTON WINS RUSSIA F1 GP • Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won the trophy of the Belgian Grand Prix Formula One race. • Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc won Formula One’s Italian Grand Prix • Indian chess player, Koneru Hampi, clinched the Fide World Grand Prix 2019 title in Skolkova, Russia. • WORLD YOUTH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIOP 2019 was held in Mumbai • For the first time a floating basketball court was brought to India in the Arabian sea near the Bandra Worli Sealink, Mumbai

• The Indian duo of Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta clinched International Billiards and snooker federation (IBSI) world snooker team championship 2019 held in Myanmar. • ELIUD KIPCHOGE: FIRST TO RUN A MARATHON IN UNDER 2 HOURS • PANKAJ ADVANI CLINCHES RECORD 22ND WORLD BILLIARDS TITLE • India’s senior bridge team led by Dipak Poddar has won a bronze medal for the first time in the 44 years of the World Bridge Championships. • Egan Bernal has become the first Colombian to win the Tour de France. He is the youngest race champion (since Francois Faber in 1909) in 110 years

SPORT PERSONALITY • MEGAN SCHUTT – Australian fast bowler Megan Schutt scripted history by becoming the first woman to claim two hat tricks in white-ball cricket. • Six – time world champion MC was awarded the best Asian Female Athlete in (Malaysia) by the Asian Sports Press Union (AIPS) Asia. • India’s rising tennis player Sumit Nagal surprised everyone by winning the first set 6-4 against Roger Federer of Switzerland in the opening match of American Open 2019. • Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle event during the World Shooting Cup in Rio de Janeiro. • Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga became the first player to take four in four balls twice in International Cricket as Sri Lanka beat New Zealand in the third Twenty20 International. • Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2018 – Aparna Kumar (Land Adventure) Wangchuk Sherpa (Life Time Achievement) • Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah became only the third Indian bowler (after and Irfan Pathan) to get a Test hat-trick in the second Test against the West Indies • Former sprinter and Olympian PT Usha was appointed member of the Athletes Commission of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) – Usha, known as ‘Payyoli Express’. • Former Additional Commissioner of Police B. N. S. Reddy beat Bruce Barrios of the U. S. in the men’s singles final to win the gold medal at the World Police and Fire Games in Chendgu (China) • Ravi Shastri was reappointed as the head coach of the Indian Cricket • Kohli has become the first cricketer in the game’s history to score 20,000 International runs in a decade. • West Indies opener Chris Gayle (Christopher Henry Gayle) became the only West Indies cricketer to play 300 One Day Internationals (ODIs) • MISSION SHAKTI – Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir has taken the initiative of Mission Shakti by the players to perform better in the Olympic Games.

• South Africa’s star Hashim Amla has retired from all forms of International Cricket • Ace Indian rally champion Gaurav Gill is the first motorsport athlete to win an Arjuna Award. • Aishwarya Pissay created history by becoming the first Indian to claim a world title in motorsports. • MS DHONI BECOMES SECOND INDIAN PLAYER TO PLAY 350 ODIS AFTER SACHIN TENDULKAR • Indian weightlifter Ajay Singh created a new Commonwealth record in the clean and jerk category en route to a gold medal at the Commonwealth Championships. • HIMA DAS – Ace sprinter Hima Das won 5 Gold Medals in Five different tournament held in June – July 2019 • She is nicknamed as ‘Dhing Express’ • She belongs to the State of Assam • Simona Halep won the French Open 2019 title in Women’s • Lewis Hamilton won Canadian Grand Prix 2019 • Author Amitav Ghosh was awarded the 54th Jnanpith Award. He was awarded for his contribution to the enrichment of Indian literature in English at a ceremony in New Delhi. • The circle of Reason is the first novel by Indian writer Amitav Ghosh • Shahid Afridi autobiography titled ‘Game Changer’ was unveiled • CRICZONE is the name of the World’s first Women cricket magazine. • GS Lakshmi is the first Indian woman to become ICC match referee.

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