CURRENT AFFAIRS CAPSULE (July 2020 to 10th January 2021) (For IBPS PO, SBI PO, IBPS RRB Officer Scale I and Office Assistant 2020 MAINS EXAMINATIONS)
January-2021
President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Dr. ICMR successfully cultures new UK strain of Justice S. Muralidhar as Chief Justice of Odisha Coronavirus. No country has yet reported High Court and Kumari Justice Hima Kohli as successful isolation and culture of the UK-variant Chief Justice of Telangana. Justice Pankaj Mithal of SARSCoV-2. will be Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Ladakh High Court and Justice Sanjib Banerjee, Development Federation of India) signs MoU with Chief Justice of Madras. DAY-NRLM to boost livelihoods of SHG Women Defence Ministry has signed a contract with & Tribal Populations. Bharat Electronics Limited for procurement of 10 The International Financial Services Centres Lynx U2 Fire Control systems for frontline Authority (IFSCA) became an associate member warships of Indian Navy. of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). The Union government has selected actuarial firm The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Milliman Advisors for ascertaining the embedded (FSSAI) has capped the amount of trans fatty value of Life Insurance Corporation of India, acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% ahead of its initial public offer. by 2022. New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has Malayalam Poet and lyricist Anil Panachooran overtaken Australia’s Steve Smith and India passed away. captain Virat Kohli to be the No. 1 Test batsman Argentine filmmaker Pablo Cesar to head 51st in the world in the latest ICC rankings. IFFI''s International Jury. Michael Kindo, a member of India’s 1975 hockey Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of World Cup winning and the 1972 Olympics bronze Cooperation between India, Japan on partnership winning teams, passed away. in 'Specified Skilled Worker’. Leon Mendonca became India’s 67th chess Alan Burgess, the world's oldest first-class Grandmaster by winning his third and final norm cricketer, has died aged 100 years and 250 days. in a tournament in Italy. Indian-American Raj Iyer has taken over as the The appointments committee of the Union cabinet first Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the U.S. has approved giving an extension of one year to Army. ISRO chairman K Sivan. Elon Musk has overtaken Amazon.com Inc. V.K. Yadav, Chairman & CEO, Railway Board, founder Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person. Ministry of Railways has been conferred with the Fashion designer Satya Paul, who reinvented the prestigious “Eminent Engineer Award for the Year saree for contemporary women through his brand, 2020’ by the Institution of Engineering and passed away. Technology (IET). The Union Law Ministry has notified the Slovakian tennis player Dagmara Baskova was appointment of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia as the banned for 12 years for match-fixing offenses. new Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court. New kids book "Vahana Masterclass" launched by Twitter permanently suspends US President Italian Writer Alfredo Covelli. Donald Trump's account. Soma Mondal has taken over as the new Madhavsinh Solanki, Former Union Minister &3 Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited time CM of Gujarat Passed Away. (SAIL). She is the first-ever women-head of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency body. Ltd (IREDA) virtually signed a Memorandum of 1
Understanding (MoU) with NHPC Limited Lt. Gen. Konsam Himalay Singh Authored a Book (formerly known as National Hydroelectric Power Titled ‘Making of a General & A Himalayan Echo’. Corporation), to provide its technical expertise for Neil Sheehan, an American Journalist and Pulitzer developing renewable energy projects for the next Prize-Winning Author Passed Away. 5 years. The Reserve Bank of India has approved the re- PNB Collaborates with IIT Kanpur &FIRST to Set appointment of Vishakha Mulye as an Executive up Fintech Innovation Centre at IIT Kanpur Director of the ICICI Bank. Campus. CBoI Signs MoU with NABFOUNDATION to Provide Working capital for SHGs to Undertake ‘My Pad My Right’ Project.
December-2020
The Union environment minister, Prakash Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has Javadekar has released a report titled the ‘Status announced that India’s biggest hockey stadium is of Leopard in India 2018’. The States of Madhya being set up in Rourkela city of Odisha. Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra recorded NITI Aayog has launched indigenously developed the highest leopard estimates at 3,421, 1,783, and India’s first Digital Asset Management and 1,690 respectively. Storage platform, called ‘DigiBoxx’. The 9th edition of Sustainable Mountain The Ministry of Agriculture has declared Development Summit (SMDS) held in Dehradun, Lakshadweep as India’s first Union Territory to Uttarakhand. become 100 per cent organic. The UN Women and Kerala government have The historical fort cities of Gwalior and Orchha in collaborated to establish India’s first Gender Data Madhya Pradesh have been included in the list of Hub. UNESCO’s world heritage cities under its The Consulting firm PwC India has collaborated with World Heritage Cities Programme. the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited in India) to upskill Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan launched India’s first 300 million young Indians over the next 10 years. indigenously developed ‘100 Octane premium Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the petrol’ through video conferencing. It has been Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya developed by Indian Oil Corporation Limited Yojana (AB-PMJAY) SEHAT scheme. The main (IOCL) at its Mathura refinery in Uttar Pradesh. aim behind the scheme is to extend health Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off the insurance coverage to all residents of Jammu and country’s first-ever fully-automated driverless train Kashmir. service on the Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro. The Central Government has set up an Apex The Union Cabinet approved revised guidelines Committee for the Implementation of the Paris for Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting services, Agreement (AIPA) for achieving its goals under allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment the global deal. R P Gupta will be the head of this (FDI) as well as increasing the licence period to committee. 20 years. Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh has Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation inaugurated the advanced Hypersonic Wind stone of the 30,000 megawatt (MW) capacity Tunnel (HWT) test facility of the DRDO in hybrid renewable energy park in Kutch district of Hyderabad, Telangana. Gujarat. It will be the largest renewable energy Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh park of its kind in the world. Vardhan inaugurated the meteorological centre India’s first pollinator park with over 40 species of (MC) of the India Meteorological Department at butterflies, honeybees, birds and insects has been Leh in Ladakh. developed over four acres at Haldwani, India’s first Lithium refinery is soon going to be set Uttarakhand. up in Gujarat. Manikaran Power Limited, one of India’s first hot air balloon wildlife safari in a tiger the country’s largest power trading and renewable reserve was launched in the Bandhavgarh Tiger energy company will invest around `1,000 crore Reserve by Madhya Pradesh forest minister Vijay to set up this refinery. Shah.
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HDFC Bank is the top-ranked company among New Zealand has declared a “climate emergency” the 100 Banking, Financial Services and and promised to make its public sector carbon Insurance (BFSI) companies in the country, as per neutral by 2025. the BFSI Movers and Shakers 2020 report by The Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the Wizikey. ICICI Bank and State Bank of India (SBI) banking licence issued to Subhadra Local Area are ranked second and third, respectively. Bank Ltd., Kolhapur, Maharashtra to carry on India was placed at the 111th spot out of 162 banking business in India. countries in the 2020 Human Freedom Index. The The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to first three spots have been bagged by New set up an Automated Banknote Processing Centre Zealand, Switzerland and Hong Kong. (ABPC) in Jaipur for the receipt, storage and American media personality and reality TV star, dispatch of currency notes. Kylie Jenner has been crowned the highest-paid The Reserve Bank of India has announced that celebrity of 2020 by Forbes. the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system According to the report released by the United will be made available round the clock on all days Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India of the year with effect from 00:30 hours on has been dropped two spots to 131 among 189 December 14, 2020. countries in the 2020 Human Development Index. The six-member Monetary Policy Committee of Norway topped the index, followed by Ireland, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), headed by Switzerland, Hong Kong and Iceland. Sonu Sood has topped the first-of-its-kind ’50 Governor Shaktikanta Das, has decided to Asian Celebrities in The World’ 2020 list, maintain the status quo on policy rate amid sticky published by UK based Eastern Eye newspaper. rate of inflation. India is ranked at 10th place in the ‘Climate • The repo rate under the liquidity adjustment Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2021’. facility (LAF) has been kept unchanged at The Nongpok Sekmai Police Station in Manipur 4.00%. topped the list of best police stations in India. • The reverse repo rate under the LAF has been Chairperson of HCL Technologies, Roshni Nadar kept unchanged at 3.35%. Malhotra has topped the list of wealthiest women • The marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and in India, according to the second edition of ‘Kotak the Bank Rate have been kept unchanged at Wealth Hurun–Leading Wealthy Women’ report. 4.25%. Lahore, the cultural capital Pakistan, has been • Cash Reserve Ratio – 4% ranked as the world’s most polluted city, according • Statutory liquidity ratio – 18% to air pollution data released by the US Air Quality Index (AQI). ICICI Bank has announced that it is collaborating The 20th edition of the Indian Ocean Rim with Google to issue FASTag. It has become the Association (IORA) Council of Ministers (COM) first bank to join hands with Google Pay for the Meeting via video conferencing under the issuance of FASTag. Chairmanship of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Ltd. has launched an electronic spot platform, “BSE E-Agricultural The Hawker Culture of street food in Singapore Markets Ltd (BEAM)”, for agricultural commodities has been inducted by UNESCO in its prestigious through its subsidiary BSE Investments Ltd. ‘Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Defence Research and Development Heritage of Humanity’. Organisation (DRDO) along with the Indian Navy Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched an conducted the successful maiden test trial of initiative called, the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access ‘SAHAYAK-NG’ India’s first indigenously Facility (APVAX), for its developing member designed and developed Air Dropped Container countries. The bank has allocated USD 9 billion from IL 38SD aircraft (Indian Navy) off the coast for APVAX. of Goa. China has become the second country in the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has been world to unfurl its national flag on the moon nominated as the board member of the Global surface. Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). Bangladesh has signed its first Preferential Trade Managing Director of logistics major Transport Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan, which will allow Corporation of India Limited, Vineet Agarwal has duty-free access to a range of goods between the taken over as the new President of The two countries and hence boost bilateral trade Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry between them. of India (Assocham).
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Zena Wooldridge from England has been elected 2020 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians as the World Squash Federation President. was awarded to Dr Carolina Araujo, The International Golf Federation (IGF) elected Mathematician from the Institute for Pure and Annika Sorenstam as its new president effective Applied Mathematics (IMPA), Rio de Janeiro, January 1, 2021. Brazil. US-based Indian-origin health expert, Anil Soni Journalist-author, Raj Kamal Jha has won the 3rd has been appointed as the first Chief Executive Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for his novel, Officer (CEO) of the newly-created “The World “The City and The Sea”. Health Organization (WHO) Foundation”. Ranjitsinh Disale, has won the 2020 Global Srinagar born Wushu coach and the first Teacher Prize. He is the first Indian to win this Dronacharya Awardee from the Union Territory of award, which carries prize money of $1 million. Jammu and Kashmir, Kuldeep Handoo is Lewis Hamilton has won the BBC Sports appointed as the Ambassador of Fit India Personality of the Year 2020. movement. M S Dhoni won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of US President-elect, Joe Biden and Vice the Decade. President-elect Kamala Harris have been jointly The 2030 Asian Games were awarded to Doha, named Time magazine’s 2020 “Person of the Qatar and the 2034 event went to Riyadh, Saudi Year”. Arabia. Pt Satish Vyas conferred Tansen Samman at the Madagascar has replaced the Maldives as the World Music Festival. host of the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games due Senior scientist Hemant Kumar Pandey has been to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. honoured with DRDO’s” Scientist of the Year Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis and Award” for his contribution in developing several Venezuelan triple jumper Yulimar Rojas are the herbal medicines, including the popular drug 2020 Male and Female World Athletes of the Lukoskin meant for the treatment of leucoderma. Year. Srinagar based Amar Singh College has been Jehan Daruvala created history, as he became the recognized with the ‘Award of Merit’ in the 2020 first Indian to win a Formula 2 race at the 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Sakhir Grand Prix, Bahrain. Heritage Conservation. Virat Kohli became the fastest to reach 12,000 Ratan Tata honoured with “ASSOCHAM runs in One-day International cricket. Kohli Enterprise of the Century Award” for his breached the mark in the third ODI against distinguished contributions to the country. Australia in Canberra. International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) Asia Regional Office awarded Paul Sein Twa, for Goldman Environmental Prize 2020 for Asia.
November-2020
Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh The Navies of India, the US, Japan and Australia Shekhawat has launched India’s first solar-based began the four-day-long phase first of the Malabar Integrated Multi-Village Water Supply Project naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal. (IMVWSP) in Arunachal Pradesh. The Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College The 27th edition of India – Singapore Bilateral and Research Institute in Bengaluru have been Maritime Exercise SIMBEX-20 has been named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari organised in the Andaman Sea. Vajpayee. The 2nd edition of India, Singapore and Thailand SpiceJet has launched dedicated freighter Trilateral Maritime Exercise SITMEX-20 was services connecting Leh with the rest of the conducted in the Andaman Sea. country. This is the first time a civil airliner has The 30th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated started freighter services to Leh. Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) was held between the Malayalam film “Jallikattu”, directed by Lijo Jose Indian Navy and the Royal Thai Navy. Pellissery, has been selected as India’s official Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) has entry for the Best International Feature Film conducted a three-day Tri-Service Combat category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Exercise code-named “Bull Strike” at Teressa The first solar power-enabled Textile Mill in Asia is Island in Nicobar Group of Islands. set to be set up in Parbhani district, Maharashtra. 4
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually The Insurance Regulatory and Development unveiled the ‘Statue of Peace’ dedicated to Jain Authority of India (IRDAI) has given its in-principle Monk Acharya Shree Vijay Vallabh Surishwarji approval for the merger of Bharti AXA General Maharaj at Vijay Vallabh Sadhana Kendra, Insurance with ICICI Lombard. Jetpura, in Pali, Rajasthan. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) The Keetham lake, also known as Sur Sarovar, in has enhanced the investment limits for Mutual Agra of Uttar Pradesh has been added to the list Fund companies for overseas investments. of Ramsar sites. The Lonar Lake in Buldhana Mutual Funds can make overseas investments district of Maharashtra has been chosen as a subject to a maximum of US $ 600 million per wetland site of international importance under the Mutual Fund, within the overall industry limit of US Ramsar conservation treaty. $ 7 billion. The UNESCO has recently included Panna The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has handed National Park of Madhya Pradesh under its list of over the Lucknow airport to the Adani group on Biosphere reserves. lease for a period of 50 years. The first coal-based power plant of Arab Gulf China recently launched the Chang'e-5 Lunar country is being developed in Saih Shuaib, Dubai, Mission. The mission is the first probe in four United Arab Emirates. decades to bring back rock samples from the Cambridge Dictionary has named ‘quarantine’ as moon from its previously unexplored portions. Word of the Year 2020. Lt Gen Harpal Singh was appointed new Russia successfully test-fired a Tsirkon Engineer-in-Chief of Indian Army. hypersonic cruise missile in the Arctic. Greg Barclay of New Zealand has been elected as Japan and Australia have signed a ‘landmark’ the new chairman of the International Cricket defence pact in a bid to counter China’s growing Council (ICC). influence in the South China Sea and over the Manipur’s Gyanendro Ningombam was elected Pacific island nations. The deal called Reciprocal unopposed as the President of Hockey India. Access Agreement (RAA) was signed between Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad was elected unopposed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his for the Senior Vice President post. Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. The Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and the Uttar Portugal MP, Duarte Pacheco has won the Pradesh Forest department have bagged the first- elections for the post the President of the Inter- ever international award, “TX2” for doubling the Parliamentary Union (IPU). The term of the Duarte number of tigers in four years against a target of Pacheco will be from 2020-2023. 10 years. Bangladesh and US navies launched the Sadat Rahman from Bangladesh has been ‘Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training awarded the prestigious International Children’s (CARAT) Bangladesh 2020’ to expand Peace Prize 2020. relationships and broaden maritime awareness Malayalam author, S Hareesh has won the JCB between the two countries. Prize for Literature 2020 for his novel Moustache. Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga has Chen Meng beat Sun Yingsha to win her maiden stated that the country will achieve zero carbon International Table Tennis Federation(ITTF) emissions by 2050. Women’s World Cup table tennis title in held in The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has banned the Weihai, China. Manta Urban Cooperative Bank in Jalna district of Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals in the Maharashtra for six months for payment of money final of Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) and loan transactions. 2020 to lift their fifth IPL trophy. The Reserve Bank of India will evaluate the Daniil Medvedev has won Paris Master 2020 title impact of multi-media public awareness campaign in tennis defeating Alexander Zverev. ‘RBI Kehta Hai’, which was launched in 14 languages to educate the public about safe banking and financial practices.
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October-2020
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a score of 81.6. It is followed by China (76.1) and theAtal Tunnel. Atal Tunnel is the world’s longest Japan (41) at second and third spot respectively. highway tunnel. Atal tunnel has been built, by the India has acquired the second rank in terms of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under the number of migrants going to the Organisation for Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal Range of Economic Co-operation and Development the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway in (OECD) countries and acquiring the citizenship of Himachal Pradesh. those countries. China retained its top spot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top destination commemorative coin of `75 denomination on the for attracting the highest number of domestic occasion of 75th Anniversary of Food and tourists visiting the state in 2019 as per the Indian Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Tourism Statistics (ITS) 2020, released by the Ministry of Tourism. In terms of Foreign tourists, India and Myanmar are working towards the Tamil Nadu has topped the list operationalization of the Sittwe port in the Rakhine India ranked 94 among 107 nations in the Global state of Myanmar. Hunger Index 2020. India has assumed the Chairmanship of the As part of the United Nations International Day of Governing Body of International Labour Girl Child (11th October 2020), a 16-year old Aava Organization (ILO), after a gap of 35 years. Murto assumed the post of Finland’s Prime India and France were re-elected as the president Minister for one day on 7th October 2020 to raise and co-president of the International Solar awareness about gender equality. Alliance (ISA) for a term of two years at the virtual Singapore became the World’s First Country to meeting of the third assembly. attach Facial verification in the National Asan Conservation Reserve has become Identification Database. The function is called Uttarakhand’s first Ramsar site. “SingPass Face Verification”. Kerala becomes the first state in the country to fix Andorra has joined the International Monetary the floor price for vegetables. Fund (IMF), to become its 190th member. Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao Indian-origin Wavel Ramkalawan has been has launched the web portal ‘Dharani’ for land and elected as the President of Seychelles. property registrations. The World Economic Forum (WEF) will hold its
Annual Meeting 2021 in Lucerne-Burgenstock, Microsoft has collaborated with the National Skill Switzerland, from May 18 to 21, as against the Development Corporation (NSDC) to impart traditional venue of the ski resort town, Davos digital skills to more than one lakh underserved India hosted the 19th Meeting of the Shanghai women in India over the next ten months. Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Ministers of The red cherry pepper chilli of Sikkim which is Foreign Economy and Foreign Trade. locally known as the “Dalle Khursani” has earned Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has raised the banks’ the geographical indication (GI) tag. maximum aggregate retail exposure limit to The Puducherry airport has become the first entities with turnover up to `50 crore to `7.5 crore. airport of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Earlier this limit was `5 crore. The decision has which is entirely solar-powered. been taken to increase credit flow to small The South Eastern Railways (SER) has launched the project, “Operation my Saheli” to enhance the businesses. security of women passengers in the train. ICICI Bank has shut down his operations in Sri India has been ranked 129 among 158 countries Lanka after getting approval from the Sri Lankan in the 2020 Commitment to Reducing Inequality monetary authority. (CRI) Index. The 2020 CRI index has been topped Nokia has been selected by NASA to build the first by Norway. South Sudan is the lowest ranking cellular network on the moon. country. The government of India has appointed Dinesh India has been ranked at 4th position, with a score Kumar Khara as the new Chairman of State Bank of India for a period of three years. of 39.7 out of 100, in the Asia Power Index 2020, Britain’s Prince William and Naturalist David released by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute. The Attenborough have launched an “Earthshot United States has retained its position as the most Prize”, with an aim to encourage change and powerful country influencing the Asia Pacific with support to repair the planet. 6
Aishwarya Sridhar became the first Indian woman the general theory of relativity. The other half to win the 2020 Wildlife Photographer of the Year jointly to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez for award. the discovery of a supermassive compact object Late Indian actor, Om Puri was honoured with at the centre of our galaxy. a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third edition The 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to of the India International Film Festival of Boston Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna (IIFFB 2020). “for the development of a method for genome India-assisted Mangdechhu Hydroelectric editing”. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded project in Bhutan has been awarded the Brunel by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Medal-2020, an award conferred by the UK’s top Stockholm, Sweden. engineering body, Institute of Civil Engineers. The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2020 is awarded Odia poet, Nityanand Nayak will be conferred the to the American poet Louise Glück. prestigious Sarala Puraskar for his poetry work The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to ‘Setebelaku Nathiba award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the The Right Livelihood Award Foundation has World Food Programme (WFP). announced the four winners for the 2020 Right In Badminton Nozomi Okuhara of Japan clinched Livelihood Award (which is also known as the the Denmark Open 2020 title defeating Carolina alternative Nobel Prize) in Stockholm. The four Marin in women’s singles. In the men’s singles activists are Ales Bialiatski of Belarus, Nasrin final, world number seven Anders Antonsen of Sotoudeh of Iran, Bryan Stevenson of the United Denmark defeated his compatriot Rasmus States(US) and Lottie Cunningham Wren of Gemke. Nicaragua. Rafael Nadal beats Novak Djokovic to win The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020 the men’s 2020 French Open Title. In Women’s was awarded jointly to Harvey J. Alter(America), single, Iga Swiatek of Poland, claimed a historic Charles M. Rice (America) and Michael Houghton win, by becoming the youngest women to win the (Britain) for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus. title in the history of the championship. She The Nobel Prize in Physics 2020 was divided, one defeated Sofia Kenin, of the United States and half awarded to Roger Penrose for the discovery became the first Polish tennis player to win the that black hole formation is a robust prediction of singles’ Grand Slam.
September-2020
Flight Lieutenant, Shivangi Singh to become the India has been elected as a member of the United first woman fighter pilot of India to fly the Rafale Nation’s Commission on Status of Women, a body combat aircraft that was formally inducted into of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). the Indian Air Force(IAF) Central Government has constituted The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) to (UTDB) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police oversee the process of the corporatisation of the (ITBP) signed a memorandum of understanding Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). Defence (MoU) to promote adventure sports activities Minister Rajnath Singh is the chairman of this at Tehri Lake in the state. EGoM. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved Prime Minister Narendra Modi will digitally launch the setting up of 3-member committee the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada headed by Lt. Gen. Shekatkar (retired) Yojana. Along with the scheme, the PM will also to review the effective utilisation of the Armed launch e-Gopala application. The scheme aims to Forces Headquarters Civil Services (AFHQ CS) enhance fish production to 70 lakh cadre. tonnes by 2024-25. India has withdrawn its participation from the India and Japan signed multilateral Military Exercise “Kavkaz 2020” to be an agreement concerning Reciprocal Provision of held in Russia. Supplies and Services between the Armed The Lok Sabha has passed the Salary, Forces of India and The Self-Defense Forces of Allowances and Pension of Members of Japan. Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 on 15 Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry have September 2020. The bill seeks to cut salaries of launched a toll-free mental health rehabilitation all Members of Parliaments (MPs) by 30 per helpline “KIRAN”. The helpline was launched in cent for a period of one year. view of the growing incidence of Mental Illness. 7
National Nutrition Week is observed every year President of the USA, Donald Trump has from 1st September to 7th announced Wilmington, North Carolina as the September since 1982 and can be considered a first World War II Heritage City. significant period to raise awareness on the The United Kingdom and the United Nations are therapeutic effects of foods. going to co-organise a global climate summit on The Union Cabinet has approved the launch of December 12, 2020, to mark the fifth anniversary a “Mission Karmayogi” National Programme for of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB). 2015. According to the World Risk Index (WRI) 2020, The 10th Meeting of the BRICS High India has been ranked at the 89th spot among Representatives on National Security 181 Countries. Vanuatu followed by Tonga topped was hosted by the current chair of BRICS the list. i.e. Russia. Time Magazine has released the TIME 100 Most The Environment Ministerial Meeting (EMM) of Influential People List 2020. Prime Minister of the G20 countries was held through video India, Shri Narendra Modi is the only politician on conferencing under the Presidency of Kingdom the list. of Saudi Arabia. World Bank released the report titled “The Human The 1st World Solar Technology Summit was held Capital Index 2020 Update: Human Capital in the virtually. The summit was inaugurated by Prime Time of COVID-19”. India ranked 116 in the list Minister of India Narendra Modi. which is topped by Singapore. India has entered into a Memorandum of India has been ranked 105th position “Global Understanding (MoU) with Denmark in the field Economic Freedom Index 2020 Annual of Intellectual Property (IP) Cooperation. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted in- Report” by Canada’s Fraser Institute, which has principle approval to Vakrangee Ltd to set been released in India in conjunction with Center up Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) for Civil Society, New Delhi-based think tank. The to handle payment services related to bills. list was topped by Hong Kong, followed by IDBI become the first to implement the new Singapore. feature of document embedding facility with Letter India has joined the group of top 50 countries in of Credit (LC) / Bank Guarantee (BG) messages the global innovation index for the first time, over SFMS (Structured Financial Messaging moving up four places to the 48th rank. System) platform of Indian Financial Technology Switzerland, Sweden, the US, the UK and the and Allied Services (IFTAS). Netherlands lead the innovation ranking, and the The Reserve Bank of India has announced that it top 5 positions. will launch “Positive Pay System” for Cheque The interim President of Mali, Bah Ndaw, has Truncation System from 01st January, named former Malian Foreign Minister Moctar 2021. Banks will be required to enable the system Ouane as the new prime minister of Mali. for all account holders issuing cheques for President of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi amounts of `50,000 and above. Mohamed has appointed Mohamed Hussein The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will implement Roble as the new Prime Minister of Somalia. the “Technology Vision for Cyber Security’ for Former rebel military commander, Ishmael Urban Co-operative Banks (2020-2023) to Toroama has been elected as president enhance the IT security system of Urban Co- of Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua operative banking to prevent, detect, respond to New Guinea. and recover from cyber-attacks. Mexico has become the first country in the world State Bank of India is planning to launch a loan to issue a sovereign bond linked to product named “SAFAL” for organic cotton the sustainable development goals set by growers. The product Safe and Fast Agriculture the United Nations. Loan (SAFAL) is primarily focussed on organic Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide cotton growers who don’t have any credit history. Suga has been elected as the new Chief of The Priority Sector country’s ruling, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Lending (PSL) Guidelines have been reviewed by and Prime Minister-designate of Japan. the Reserve Bank of India. In the revised PSL Government of Australia has appointed former Guidelines, the Reserve Bank of India cricketer, Matthew Hayden and Indian-origin has included some fresh categories eligible for politician Lisa Singh as trade envoys for finance under priority sector. These include loans advancing business ties with India. to farmers for installation of solar power plants; loans for establishment of Compressed Bio 8
Gas (CBG) plants; and bank finance to start-ups of Film and Television Institute of India of up to `50 crore. (FTII) Society and Chairman of FTII Governing E-commerce marketplace, Flipkart and Bajaj Council. Allianz General Insurance have launched a cyber RBI appointed A K Dixit as administrator to PMC insurance cover for online financial frauds. The bank. product, ‘Digital Suraksha Group Insurance’, will A Joint Venture(JV) of Public Sector help customers who want to cover themselves Undertakings, under the Ministry of Power, against financial losses caused as a result of Government of India, Energy Efficiency Services cyber attacks. Ltd (EESL) has appointed Rajat Sud as its The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has new Managing Director. approved the acquisition of 100% equity shares of Anil Dhasmana has been appointed as the chief Medlife International Private Limited (“Medlife”) by of the National Technical Research Organisation. API Holdings Private Limited (“API Holdings”). Narendra Singh Tomar takes additional charge of Google Pay has partnered with VISA for the Ministry of Food processing Industries. rollout of tokenization across its platform that will Jane Fraser named first female CEO of Citi group. enable users to safely transact with their debit or The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has credit cards. appointed Takeo Konishi as its new Country HCL Technologies and Google Cloud has Director for India. announced the expansion of their strategic Harivansh Narayan Singh was re-elected deputy partnership to bring HCL’s Actian portfolio, chairman of Rajya Sabha. starting with Actian Avalanche, to Google Cloud. Rajesh Khullar has been appointed as Executive The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed Director at World Bank . an agreement for $15 million of debt United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has financing through the subscription of appointed Bollywood Actor Ayushmann nonconvertible debentures for Suguna Foods Khurrana as its celebrity advocate for children’s Private Limited (Suguna). The deal will help in rights campaign, ”For Every Child”. sustaining poultry farming operations, as well as Subhash Kamath has been elected as rural livelihoods and food security in India during the chairman of the board of governors of the COVID-19 pandemic. the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). The Insurance Regulatory and Development Paresh Rawal was appointed chairman of Authority of India (IRDAI) has identified Life National School of Drama. Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Anil Jain becomes President of All India Tennis Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) and New Association. India Assurance as domestic systemically Murali RamaKrishnan was appointed MD and important insurers (D-SIIs). IRDAI has also CEO of South Indian Bank. subsequently decided to subject the three insurers S Krishnan was appointed MD and CEO of Punjab to enhanced regulatory supervision. and Sind Bank. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has has successfully developed ‘MOUSHIK’, an approved the appointment of the current chairman indigenously-made microprocessor for of the Railway Board VK Yadav as the Chief the Internet of things (IoT) devices. Executive Officer (CEO). Defence Research and Development Hemant Khatri (Retd) has assumed charge as Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight-tested the Chairman and Managing Director of state- a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle owned defence shipbuilder, Hindustan Shipyard (HSTDV), which is an unmanned scramjet vehicle Ltd with the ability to travel at six times the speed of Usha Padhee has been given additional charge sound. as Director-General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Security (BCAS). She is the first woman and third Bombay, students have launched a free-of-cost IAS officer to have been appointed to the post. mobile scanner application “AIR Scanner”. The Editor Emeritus and Vice Chairman of the World’s Largest Solar Tree has been developed Ananda Bazar Group of Publications, Aveek by the CSIR-CMERI. The solar tree has been Sarkar has been elected as the chairman of Press installed at the Residential Colony of CSIR- Trust of India. CMERI in Durgapur, West Bengal. Rajiv Kumar took charge as Election P D Vaghela was appointed as chairman of TRAI. Commissioner of India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has The incumbent Emir (King or Ruler) of the announced Shekhar Kapur as the new President Kuwait Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, has passed away. 9
Kerala Tourism’s ‘Human by Nature Print Sir David Attenborough was conferred with the Campaign’ bagged the Prestigious Pacific Asia prestigious Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for the year Travel Association (PATA) Grand Title Winner 2019. He is an English broadcaster and a 2020 for Marketing. historian. He is popular for writing and presenting Sonu Sood has been conferred the the BBC Natural History Unit. prestigious SDG Special Humanitarian Action Team of NTPC Limited, the Central PSU under Award by the United Nations Development Ministry of Power, has won the All India Programme (UNDP) Management Association (AIMA) Chanakya The Maharashtra government has announced (Business Simulation Game) National the Gan Samragni Lata Mangeshkar award for Management Games (NMG) 2020. the year 2020-21 to veteran female playback The Hyderabad International Airport or GMR singer Usha Mangeshkar. led Rajiv Gandhi International Airport won Kerala has won the United Nations Inter-Agency the ‘National Energy Leader’ and ‘Excellent Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Energy Efficient Unit’ awards at the 21st National Noncommunicable Diseases Awards 2020 for Awards for ‘Excellence in Energy Management’. its “outstanding contribution” towards the non- Novak Djokovic has defeated Argentine Diego communicable diseases-related sustainable Schwartzman, to win 2020 Men’s Single Italian development goals. Open title. Simona Halep defeated Margaret Atwood has won the 2020 Dayton champion Karolina Pliskova, to win women’s Literary Peace Prize’s lifetime achievement single Italian Open title. award. The award celebrates literature’s power to Austria’s Dominic Thiem defeated Alexander foster peace, social justice and global Zverev to win the men’s singles title at the 2020 understanding. US Open tournament. Chef Vikas Khanna has been chosen to be Japan’s Naomi Osaka defeated Victoria honoured with the prestigious Asia Game Azarenka of Belarus to clinch the Women’s Changer Award 2020. Singles title in the 2020 US Open Tennis The Fiumicino International Airport tournament. (FCO) in Rome, Italy, has become the first airport Indian Police Officer, Poonam Khatri has in the world to be certified with “COVID-19 5-star claimed World Championship status after her airport rating” from Skytrax, a U.K.-based airport silver medal at the Wushu World and airline review firm. FCO, also known as Championship last year has been upgraded to the Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport, is the a Gold medal. busiest airport in Italy. Indian Grandmaster P Iniyan has won the Managing Director of HDFC Bank, Aditya Puri has prestigious 48th Annual World Open online chess been conferred the Lifetime Achievement tournament. Award by Euromoney Awards of Excellence 2020.
August-2020
Google has launched its employment application The longest river ropeway of India has been named ‘Kormo Jobs’ in India. inaugurated in Assam. The ropeway is 1.8 Km Tata Group is launching a new app named “Super long and connects Southern Bank in Guwahati App”. and North Guwahati over Brahmaputra river. Uttar Pradesh government has signed a ‘plan of An “Innovation Challenge Fund” of £3 Million has cooperation’ with Israel government to resolve been launched by the government of United Kingdom (UK) in India. water crisis in Bundelkhand region. Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched the Tribal A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has Health and Nutrition Portal “Swasthya” and e- been signed by the Indian Institute of newsletter on health and nutrition “ALEKH”. Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the Switzerland-based HELP Logistics. “One Sun, One World, One Grid” (OSOWOG) Chunauti”, a Next Generation Startup Challenge plan. Under this, there will be a trans-national Contest has been launched by the Union Minister electricity grid, for supplying solar power across for Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi the globe. Shankar Prasad.
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Union Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar The Prime Minister of Lebanon, Hassan Diab and has launched National Portal on Human-Elephant his entire government has resigned, in the wake conflict called “SURAKHSYA”. of the major blast in Beirut that has triggered The submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) public outrage, and anger at the Lebanese connecting Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the government for their failure to prevent the mainland has been launched. The 2300 Kms long disaster. submarine cable will boost the endless Walter Roger Martos Ruiz becomes new Prime opportunities in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Minister of Peru by providing better internet & mobile connectivity. President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh won his sixth consecutive term. Chouhan has announced that the Gwalior- A “state of environmental emergency” has been Chambal Expressway will be named Shri Atal declared by the island nation of Mauritius. The Bihari Vajpayee Chambal Progressway. environmental emergency has been declared as a Goa’s traditional festive sweet dish ‘Khaje’, spicy Japanese bulk carrier “MV Wakashio” ran Harmal Chilli and Myndoli Banana (Moira Banana) aground on a reef in Mauritius and began leaking has obtained Geographical Indication (GI) tag oil into the ocean. from the Geographical Indications Registry. The United Arab Emirates became the first Arab Mumbai’s Dadar has become the first in India to country to open a nuclear power plant, when the have women symbols on traffic signals and Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Plant in Abu Dhabi, signage. got operational. A sports gaming platform, WTF Sports has HDFC Bank has announced a strategic appointed cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur and partnership with Adobe to enhance the Digital Suresh Raina as its global brand ambassadors. Experiences of its Customers. NITI Aayog has released the report on Export The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020 in partnership Development has revealed a dedicated debt and with the Institute of Competitiveness. Gujarat, credit guarantee product named as “Structured Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu occupied the top Finance and Partial Guarantee Program for Non- three ranks in the Export Preparedness Index Banking Finance Companies (NBFC)-Micro (EPI) 2020. Finance Institutions (MFIs)”. According to the data provided by Ministry of ICICI Bank uses satellite data to assess the Finance to Rajya Sabha, Tamil Nadu has topped creditworthiness of farmers. ICICI Bank has the list of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) become the first bank in India to use such a in availing loans to women. It was followed by technique to measure an array of parameters and West Bengal and Karnataka. use it in combination with demographic and The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has financial parameters to make quick lending retained the top position in the ‘Atal Ranking of decisions for farmers. Institutions on Innovation Achievements,’ (ARIIA) HDFC Bank has launched “Shaurya KGC Card” 2020 for being the best centrally funded institution for Indian armed forces personnel. The card will in India. offer agriculture loans for military and paramilitary Swachh Survekshan 2020 awards have been professionals. A first-of-its-kind product for over 45 lakh Indian armed forces personnel. announced and Indore became India’s cleanest Punjab National Bank has launched a campaign city for the fourth year in a row. named ‘DIGITAL APNAYEN’ to encourage The Africa Regional Certification Commission customers to use digital banking channels. (ARCC), an independent body set up by the World Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), wholly- Health Organization (WHO), has certified the owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited African continent free from wild Polio virus. has acquired majority equity stake in Chennai- Francisco Pascual Eyegue Obama Asue was based Vitalic Health Pvt. Ltd. as well as in its reappointed as the Prime Minister of the Republic subsidiaries. Vitalic Health Pvt. Ltd. runs an online of Equatorial Guinea for 3rd consecutive term. pharmacy platform “Netmeds” which connects Keith Rowley sworn in as Prime Minister of the customers to pharmacists Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for a 2nd Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) consecutive 5-year term. launched India’s first bullion index named Malian President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has “Bulldex”. resigned and dissolved parliament hours after The Government of India, the Government of mutinying soldiers detained him. Maharashtra, Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation 11
and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Amritsar based e-mobility start-up, eBikeGO has (AIIB) has signed a loan agreement for a $500 appointed Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh as its million Mumbai Urban Transport Project-III. brand ambassador. Paytm has launched India’s first Pocket Android Kaushik Khona has been appointed as the Chief POS (Point of Sale) Device named ‘Paytm All-in- Executive Officer of GoAir Airline. One Portable Android Smart POS’ for contactless Former RBI deputy governor, Subhash Sheoratan ordering and payments in India. Mundra has been appointed as non-executive National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has selected chairman of Indiabulls Housing Finance. Infosys Finacle to digitally transform its Soma Mondal has been selected by the Public transaction banking business. Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) as the next The proposed acquisition of C&S Electric Limited chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited by Siemens Limited has received the approval of (SAIL). the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Pramod Bhasin has been appointed as a new The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has Chairman of Indian Council for Research on approved a USD 1 billion (`7,485 crore) loan to International Economic Relations (ICRIER). construct the modern, high-speed 82-kilometre (Delhi – Meerut) Uttar Pradesh Regional Rapid Former NABARD Chief, Harsh Kumar Bhanwala Transit System (RRTS) in India. has been appointed as executive chairman of the China has successfully launched 5th Earth Capital India Finance Limited. observation satellite, Gaofen-9 (05), from the PNB Housing Finance has announced the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. appointment of the former SBI Card head, Indian Institute of Technology’s (IIT) Alumni Hardayal Prasad as its new managing director Council has signed an agreement with Russia’s and chief executive officer. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) and Pradeep Kumar Joshi has appointed as the Russoft to build the world’s largest and fastest chairman of the Union Public Service Commission hybrid quantum computer in India. Girish Chandra Murmu has been appointed as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology India (VSSUT) has signed a Memorandum of President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed former Understanding(MoU) to set up the first of its kind Union minister Manoj Sinha as the next Lieutenant innovation cum incubation centre, VSSUT Space Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Innovation Centre (VSSSIC) to promote space The Reserve Bank of India has approved the research. appointment of Sashidhar Jagdishan as the next The National Aeronautics and Space Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HDFC Bank. Administration has launched “Mars 2020 Dutch Author, Marieke Lucas Rijneveld won the Perseverance rover mission” with United Launch International Booker Prize 2020 for her debut Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket to the Red Planet novel ‘The Discomfort of Evening’. “Mars”. Hyderabad’s, Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash G Satheesh Reddy was given a two-year Jonnalagadda has bagged the first-ever Gold extension as the chairman of Defence Research Medal for India in Mental Calculations World Cup and Development Organisation (DRDO). (MCWC) by Mind Sports Olympiad (MSO). The Government of India Navratna, NLC India Sports eyewear brand “Oakley” has appointed Limited (NLCIL) has bagged the Swachhata Hi Indian cricketer, Rohit Sharma as its brand Seva award for making an extremely valuable ambassador for a period of two years in India. contribution in the implementation of the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has “Swachhta Hi Seva Programme”. appointed Satya Pal Malik as the Governor of Forbes magazine has released “The Highest-Paid Meghalaya. Actors Of 2020” list. Bollywood actor, Akshay The Securities and Exchange Board of India Kumar(ranked 6th) is the only Indian star to be (Sebi) has appointed GP Garg as executive listed among the top 10 world’s highest-paid director. actors of 2020. The list has been topped by Government of India has appointed Rakesh Wrestler-turned-movie star Dwayne Johnson. Asthana as the new director-general of the Border Journalists Nitin Sethi and Shiv Sahay Singh were Security Force (BSF). declared winners of the Asian College of Journalism’s (ACJ) Award 2019 for Investigative Journalism and the K. P. Narayana Kumar
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Memorial Award for Social Impact Journalism, South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, Pakistan respectively. batting great Zaheer Abbas and Pune-born former SKOCH Gold Award has been awarded to the Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar were inducted Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) for its into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of “Empowerment of Tribals through IT enabled Fame in a virtual ceremony. Scholarship Schemes” project. Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated Kyren Wilson with a India and Russia have become the joint winners score of 18-8 to win the World Snooker of FIDE online Chess Olympiad. Championship 2020. Dwayne John Bravo became the first bowler in The title sponsorship rights of Indian Premier cricket to take 500 wickets in Twenty20 matches. League (IPL) 2020 has been bagged by the He achieved the feat in the Caribbean Premier fantasy gaming start-up “Dream 11“. The fantasy League (CPL) 2020 match. gaming start-up has bagged the title sponsorship The most successful men’s doubles pair in tennis rights for `222 crore. history, Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan have Indian Umpire, KN Ananthapadmanabhan has announced their retirement from the sport. been included in ICC’s international panel of German Golfer Sophia Popov won the Women’s umpires. British Open 2020 title (rebranded as 2020 AIG England's James Anderson becomes first fast Women’s Open) by defeating Thailand’s Jasmine bowler to take 600 Test wickets. Suwannapura by two strokes at Royal Troon in Scotland.
July-2020
Government of India has extended medical The World Bank has signed a loan agreement of assistance worth about USD 1 million in the form $400 million with Government of India to enhance of anti-tuberculosis medicines to North Korea. support for the Namami Gange programme. Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has signed an Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology- launched India’s first social media super Kanpur for Training, Research, and application, “Elyments”. Entrepreneurship Development in Smart Grid Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) has released its Technology. biennial Global Real Estate Transparency Index The Central Board of Secondary Education (GRETI). India ranked 34th in GRETI 2020. UK (CBSE) has partnered with Facebook to launch a ranked first followed by USA and Australia. free and comprehensive training program for India is the third top-most country in the Global teachers and students of its affiliated schools in Manufacturing Risk Index 2020. China and the the first phase. United States retained the top two positions The largest Solar Power Plant of Indian Navy was respectively. commissioned at Indian Naval Academy Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh has topped the list Ezhimala, Kerala. of aspirational districts in Overall Delta Ranking by India has successfully conducted flight tests of its government think-tank Niti Aayog for the indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile February-June 2020 period. ‘Dhruvastra’. Dhruvastra’ is an anti-tank guided India and Maldives have signed an agreement for missile (ATGM) which has been developed by the the establishment of ‘Emergency Medical DRDO. Services’ in Male, Maldives. Ministry of Human Resource Development has The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Bakamla RI been renamed as Ministry of Education. (Indonesian Coast Guard) have signed a The Railways Minister Piyush Goyal has memorandum of understanding (MoU) on announced, India’s first cable-stayed Railways ‘Maritime Safety and Security’ to boost maritime bridge “Anji Khad Bridge” to connect Katra and relations. Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). This bridge World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council is being developed by Konkan Railway has granted the “Observer” status to the central Corporation Limited (KRCL). Asian country Turkmenistan. Pakistan and China have signed an agreement for the 700 MW Azad Pattan hydel power project on
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the Jhelum river in Sudhoti district of Pakistan Injeti Srinivas has been appointed as first Occupied Kashmir (PoK). chairman of the International Financial Services The United States has formalized to withdraw Centres Authority (IFSCA) for a period of three from the World Health Organization (WHO) on years. July 6, 2021. Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda has been The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed an appointed as the first woman prime minister of agreement for extending a $400-million currency Gabon. swap facility to Sri Lanka. Lee Hsien Loong has become the Prime Minister According to data from the Reserve Bank of India of Singapore after the ruling People’s Action Party (RBI), Tamil Nadu has raised ₹30,500 crores in won the General Elections held in the country. the fiscal 2020-21 and has topped market Jean Castex has been appointed as the new borrowings among States in the country. Prime Minister of France. The Government of India has approved the Greta Thunberg has been named winner of the Special liquidity scheme of `30,000 crore for Non- inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. Banking Financial Company (NBFCs)/ Housing Guinean doctor Morissana Kouyate and Marianna Finance Companies (HFCs). The Special liquidity Vardinoyannis of Greece are the winners of the scheme has been launched with a prime objective 2020 Nelson Mandela Prize. of improving the liquidity position of NBFCs/HFCs Tata group chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). and Chief Executive Officer and President of SpaceX has successfully launched South Korea’s Lockheed Martin, Jim Taiclet to receive the US- first military satellite “ANASIS-II”. The satellite was India Business Council(USIBC) Global deployed into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) Leadership Award 2020. by a Falcon 9 rocket. Rail Infra and Mobility Business Digital Awards Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will (RIMBDA) has awarded Ved Parkash Dudeja with launch Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite. the coveted ‘Infra Business Leader of the Year’ Paytm Money has appointed Varun Sridhar as the award for 2020. Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Chief, Kailasavadivoo Sivan has named for Von company. Karman Award 2020 by the International Government of India has appointed Partha Pratim Academy of Astronautics (IAA). Sengupta as the new Managing Director (MD) & Arunachal Pradesh filmmaker Kezang D Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Indian Overseas Thongdok has bagged the Dada Saheb Phalke Bank (IOB). Award 2020 for a short documentary “Chi Lupo“. Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) has Chi Lupo, documented by Kezang D Thongdok is appointed Alok Misra as its new Chief Executive a short documentary on honey hunting. Officer & Director. NTPC Ltd has been awarded with the prestigious Prakash Chandra Kandpal has been appointed as CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2019. the managing director and chief executive officer The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has of the Non-life insurer SBI General Insurance. announced that its new headquarters in Lausanne Sumit Deb has been appointed as the Chairman has been awarded the European 2020 US Green and Managing Director (CMD) of National Mineral Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award. Development Corporation (NMDC). Former Reserve Bank of India governor, Board of Directors of the Karur Vysya Bank has Chakravarthi Rangarajan has been conferred with appointed Ramesh Babu Boddu as a Managing the first Prof. P C Mahalanobis Award in Official Director & Chief Executive Officer of the bank. Statistics for lifetime achievements. SBI Cards and Payment Services has appointed Haryana will host the 4th edition of the Khelo India Ashwini Kumar Tewari as its new Managing Youth Games after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Director and chief executive officer. Spanish professional football club, Real Madrid India’s wealthiest woman, Roshni Nadar Malhotra has been crowned La Liga Champions for the 34th becomes the new chairman of Noida-based IT time after defeating Villarreal 2–1 at Estadio company, HCL Technologies. Alfredo Di Stefano in Madrid. Union Bank of India gives managing director and India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was named as CEO, Rajkiran Rai an extension of two-years. the country’s ‘Most Valuable Player’ (MVP) of the 21st century by Wisden.
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Books and Authors
In Pursuit Of Justice: An Autobiography” - Justice Our Only Home: A Climate Appeal to the World” – Rajindar Sachar Dalai Lama and Franz Alt Oh Mizoram - P S Sreedharan Pillai Full Spectrum: India’s Wars, 1972-2020″ - Arjun Ayodhya - Madhav Bhandari Subramaniam Dharma: Decoding the Epics for A Meaningful Life” Quest for Restoring Financial Stability in India – - Amish Tripathi Viral Acharya Sonu Sood is set to pen his autobiography titled “I The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World” Am No Messiah”. The book will be co-authored by – S Jaishankar Meena Iyer. Suraj Kade Marda Nahi’ (sun never dies) - Baldev Singh Sadaknama Your Best Day Is Today – Anupam Kher The Endgame - S Hussain Zaidi Sasindran Kallinkeel’s has penned a novel named A Song of India’ - Ruskin Bond “Rasaathi: The Other Side of a Transgender”. If It Bleeds” – Stephen King Till We Win - Randeep Guleria Overdraft: Saving the Indian Saver’ - Urjit Patel Pandemonium: The Great Indian Banking Tragedy “Getting Competitive: A Practitioner’s Guide for - Tamal Bandyopadhyay India” – R C Bhargava “The Very, Extremely, Most Naughty Asura Tales Amish Tripathi has released his new fiction book for Kids” - Anand Neelakantan ‘Legend of Suheldev: The King Who Saved India’. “The Battle of Belonging” - Shashi Tharoor Hop On: My Adventures on Boats, Trains and Portraits of Power: Half a Century of Being at Planes – Ruskin Bond Ringside”. –N K Singh Wuhan Diary: Dispatches from a Quarantined City "Bye Bye Corona“ - Dr Pradeep Srivastava - Fang Fang “Discovering the Heritage of Assam”, - Padampani Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Bora Making of A Modern Royal Family’ - Omid Scobie Barack Obama has announced his first presidential and Carolyn Durand memoir titled “A Promised Land. ‘The Ickabog – JK Rowling Let Us Dream – Pope Francis Shuttling to the Top: The Story of P.V. Sindhu – V The Big Thoughts of Little Luv” – Karan Johar Krishnaswamy RAW: A History of Indias Covert Operations – The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Yatish Yadav Trump’. – Mary Jordan
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