Current Affairs January Pocket PDF 2016

Current Affairs Pocket PDF

Current Affairs January Pocket PDF 2016

INDIAN AFFAIRS

• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs increase in the budget amount for grid-connected solar rooftop systems to Rs. 5,000 crore from Rs.600 crore for 2019-2020. • Amaravati will get India’s first ever underwater tunnel under the river Krishna -3km long. • Pakistan’s Singer Adnan Sami gets Indian Citizenship • Goa set up Investment Promotion Board (IPB) for fast approvals to industrial proposals - cleared 62 proposals with investment of Rs 5,200 crore. • Government decided to merge the ministry of overseas Indian affairs (MOIA) with the external affairs ministry. • Telangana becomes the first state in the country to legally accept Electronic motor insurance policies  e-Vahan Bima -under Motor Vehicle Act 1988 • Alstom the French transportation equipment maker rolled out the first set of railway coaches for the Kochi Metro project - Chennai metro the first. • PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 103rd Indian Science Congress in Mysore,Karnataka  Theme – Science & Technology for Indigenous Development in India • 5 key bills assented by Prez Pranab Mukherjee - Article 111 1. Atomic Energy (Amendment) Act Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Act, 2015 2. Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act, 2015 3. Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 4. Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act • A friendship bus service between India and Nepal via Champawat in Uttarakhand resumed after a gap of 27 years. • State election commissioner (SEC) Ashok Kumar Chauhan announced that toilets will be mandatory requirement for eligibility to contest panchayat elections in Bihar. • Home Minister Rajnath Singh approved 33% of constable-rank personnel in paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and 15% in the border guarding forces for being filled up by women. • Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the road projects worth Rs 41,000 crore for Telangana. • Union Minister of State for Development of North-Eastern Region (MDoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh released MDoNER Calender-2016.  Theme – Rising North East • Odisha gov increased the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel by 3% each. • Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri. Y. S. Chowdary laid Foundation for the building complex of the International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCO- Ocean) at Hyderabad. • BHEL has commissioned 600 MW unit at Kakatiya Thermal Power Project, Telangana. • Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh approved the allocation of Additional Central Assistance (ACA) of Rs.1000 crores to 7 states.  Jharkhand,Chhattisgarh,Bihar,Odisha,Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. • Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the River Information System (RIS) in New Delhi. • Ministry of Road Transport & Highways decided to directly shift from BS-IV to BS-VI Emission norms directly by 01.04.2020 -Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari. • Ministry of Urban Development approved the Atal Mission plans for Punjab(720cr) and Uttarakhand(267cr) for 2015-16. • Kerala Gov implement the “Sampoorna Arogya Keralam” - Families with annual income below Rs.3 lakh - OutlayRs.20 crore • Ministry of Urban Development has commissioned Quality Council of India (QCI) to make Report Card of Swachh Bharat Mission • President promulgated Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2016 to make

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amendments to the Enemy Property Act, 1968. • Operation Green Hunt to hunt Maoists in Sukma district of south Chhattisgarh. • Maharashtra CMDevendra Fadnavis unveiled “Laman Diva” as the logo of the first Make in India (MII) Week scheduled to be held in Mumbai between February 13 and 18. • Gove approved the set up of fifth Greenfield electronics manufacturing cluster in Raipur, Chattisgarh worth Rs.89 crore • International Kite Festival began at Surat and Rajkot in Gujarat. • Human Resource Minister Smriti Irani unveiled the 43rd New Delhi World Book Fair • Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas launched an Online Initiative to engage the LPG Consumers and Citizens of India. • Governor’s rule imposed in Jammu & Kashmir under Article 92 (1) after death of Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. • Railway Board chairman AK Mittal inspected first luxury ‘Make in India’ railway coaches at Habibganj railwaystation(Bhopal). • Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inaugurated Implementation of E-enabled Track Management System (TMS) & Mobile Application of TMS on Indian Railway and Track Inventory Management System on Northern Railway at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi . • Telangana became the first State to make gender education compulsory • Kerala became the first state in the country to achieve the status of 100% primary education declared by Vice-President Hamid Ansari. • Scientists at Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) in Hisar have successfully produced a cloned buffalo offspring “Cirb Gaurav”.  CIRB becomes world’s third and India’s second institute to produce cloned buffalo. • 20th National Youth Festival has commenced in capital city of Chhattisgarh, Naya Raipur.  Theme – “India Youth for Skill, Development and Harmony” • BHEL commissions 520 MW thermal power unit in Andhra Pradesh in successful operation at Simhadri Super Thermal Power Station of NTPC. • Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar approved major changes to the Defence Procurement Procedure - modernize defence acquisitions • India Meteorological Department (IMD) changed the languages and also redefined many of its terms. • BSF starts ‘Operation Cold’ along international border Covering Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Barmer and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan • 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas held in New Delhi, Organised by External Affairs Ministry • Nitin Gadkari-led Road Ministry announced Rs 11,000 crore for a plan to reduce the number of road fatalities and to fix 726 black spots . • Supreme Court stayed the Centre’s notification lifting ban on controversial bull taming sport Jallikattu during the festival of Pongal in Tamil Nadu. • Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar launched two initiatives  SAMEEP(Safety Alert Messages Exclusively For Passengers) is an effort towards instant communication with railway passengers  B-Safe is a prolonged multi-media awareness campaign. • Union Cabinet gave its nod for India becomes a member country of International Energy Agency – Ocean Energy Systems (IEA-OES) by signing the Implementing Agreement (IA). • Supreme Court suggested Parliament to enact separate law for child rape - rape of infants and children below 10 years of age • Sikkim turned out to be the India’s first fully organic state by implementing organic practices - 75,000 hectares • Union Human Resource Development Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurated the permanent campus (Phase I) of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Vithura • India’s Grid-linked solar generation capacity crosses 5,000 MW mark • Jharkhand to set up fast track courts for trial of witchcraft-related attacks relating to witchcraft incidents. • President Pranab Mukherjee given his assent to the Sugar Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2015 -Rs 25 to Rs 200 per quintal under Sugar Cess Act, 1982 • The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 with special provisions to tackle child offenders in the age group of 16-18 years committing heinous offences. • First ‘Mahila Troop’ inducted for High-Altitude Posts of “IC Border” - 500 women labor force • The country’s first “water tourism” will begin in Madhya Pradesh on February 12 to February 21 in Hanuwantiya at Indra Sagar Dam. • National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) sanctioned 791 crore rupees to the drought 2 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2015 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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affected Telangana. • World’s largest Tricolour hoisted at the Pahari temple in Ranchi - 99 by 66 feet and height of 293 feet. • Pranab Mukherjee launched the Pulse Polio programme for 2016  1st phase six States - Assam, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. • Union government released draft for the right of transgender person bill, 2015  Issue the certificate for the identification of the transgender persons • Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh inaugurated the “Hall of Nuclear Power” in New Delhi. • For the first time in 10 years, sex ratio in Haryana shown a mounting crossing the 900 mark with 903 girls per 1,000 boys. • BHEL commissioned the second 660 MW supercritical unit of Lalitpur Super Thermal Power Project (STPP) in Uttar Pradesh. • Kalraj Mishra released Laghu Udyog Samachar Magazine on Startup India theme in 13th Meeting of the NBMSME • National Conference on “Sustainable Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare” was chaired in Sikkim – Chief Guest PM Narendra Modi • Central Information Commission has ruled the Universities and examining bodies for not to charge more than Rs 2 per page for providing copies of evaluated answer scripts to students. • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the results from the first phase of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-16  Improvements in maternal and child health and nutrition and Better care for women during pregnancy • IIT-Kharagpur has launched an innovation centre to promote the culture of innovation • Union Cabinet approved “National Tariff Policy for Electricity” to tightening regulations for setting power rates and promotion of clean energy. • Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurate d the 19th National Conference on e-Governance in Nagpur, Maharashtra. • Telangana Gov is set to introduce ‘Course Credits’ in Secondary education for students to take part in certain programmes. • Bihar Gov approved 35 per cent reservation for women in government jobs • Cabinet approbated 50000 crore rupees for Infrastructure Projects in TN  Four-lane National Highways projects in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tirupur and 2 flyovers in Marthandam and Parvathipuram. • Policy on “Promotion of City Compost” approvrd by the Union Cabinet to lower the maximum retail price of city compost for farmers -Rs 1,500 per tonne • Rs 4,918-crore approved for Highway Project in Bihar - 222 kms • Gov granted infrastructure status to the shipyard industry to enable shipyards to avail flexible long-term funding at lower costs under Income Tax Act, 1961 • Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs given its nod for setting up over 5,000 MW of Grid- Connected Solar PV Power Projects - Rs 30,000 crore • Andhra Pradesh has reestablished the Andhra Pradesh Commission for Backward Classes by exercising the rights vested in the section 3 of Andhra Pradesh Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993. • India’s first radio taxi service for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) was flagged off in Mumbai. • France returns head of Hindu statue taken 130 years ago taken from the Phnom Da temple in southern Takeo territory by French researchers in 1882-1883. • Union Ministry Environment, Forest and Climate Change had notified stricter environment rules for sugar industries in various states of the country to minimize water pollution  400 liter per ton limited to 200 liter per ton • The first free Public Wi-Fi service launched by Indian Railways’ telecom wing RailTel in partnership with Google at Mumbai’s central railway station. • Union Tourism Ministry consented fund under “Swadesh Darshan scheme”, to create infrastructure for “Beating Retreat” - Rs 99 crore • On the 119th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, PM Modi publicized the 100 secret files • Maharashtra’s first Solar Power operated Mini-Water Supply Plant commissioned in Hingna village of Mouda Taluka in Nagpur district • Corporate affairs ministry under the initiative of Government Process Re-engineering (GPR) has initiated the Central Registration Centre (CRC) -to provide speedy incorporation-related services. 3 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2015 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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• Maharashtra govt given its consent to new maritime policy for port development to create better facilities around 720 km coastal region of the state. • India commemorated and honoured the 67th birth anniversary of its Constitution as Republic day  French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest of 67th Republic Day  French Marching Contingent – 76 member French Army contingent  Army Dog Squad – After 26 long years.  For the first time, a women only stunt contingent demonstrated their motorcycle riding skills  The celebration this year was 25 minute shorter than usual.  For the first time, Dhabalu Sisa (41) and Samari Sisa (46) a couple from Odisha attended the Republic Day function as PM Narendra Modi’s guests.  For the first time, the parade saw an ex-servicemen tableau • Indian and Chinese troops meet on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh sector of Jammu and Kashmir for the ceremonial Border Personal Meetings • The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act came into force for prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. • India has donated 40 ambulances and 8 buses to various hospitals, non-profit charitable organisations and educational institutions in Nepal. • French President Francois Hollande visit to India  Chief guest of the Republic Day parade.  Modi met Hollande at the Rock Garden  16 agreements signed during Business summit regarding Smart Cities, Urban Sector Development,Solar Photovoltaic Projects,partnership for helicopters  India, France sign Rafale fighter plane accord  India, France ink pacts for cooperation in space technology  India’s first international &inter-governmental organization headquartered in India  Mr. Hollande Bollywood Meet – Actors Aishwarya Rai & Shahrukh Khan, Designer Ritu Beri & filmmaker Aditya Chopra • Indian Railway flagged off India’s first blind friendly train, from Mysuru to Varanasi. • Railway broadband reaches 500,000 households through its Railwire network. • Union Cabinet has publicized the names of the first 20 urban areas that will be developed as smart cities Sr. no City State Sr. no City State 1 Bhubaneswar Odisha 11 Indore Madhya Pradesh 2 Pune Maharashtra 12 NDMC New Delhi 3 Jaipur Rajasthan 13 Coimbatore Tamil Nadu 4 Surat Gujarat 14 Kakinada Andhra Pradesh 5 Kochi Kerala 15 Belagavi Karnataka 6 Ahmedabad Gujarat 16 Udaipur Rajasthan 7 Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh 17 Guwahati Assam 8 Vishakapatnam Andhra Pradesh 18 Chennai Tamil Nadu 9 Sholapur Maharashtra 19 Ludhiana Punjab 10 Davangere Karnataka 20 Bhopal Madhya Pradesh

• CCEA Approves Hybrid Annuity Model for Highway Projects - provide 40% of the project cost to the developer • Union Cabinet approved the plan of rising 17 India Reserve Battalions (IR Bns) in Jammu & Kashmir and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected States. • Aparna Kumar UP cadre IPS officer become the country’s first civil servant to scaled Mount Vinson Massif. • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced to impose ban on polythene in entire state from January 2017. • GOI to create ‘Khadi Gramudyog’ network announced at the 68th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and a book titled Nathuram Godse – The Story of an Assassin is also released on the occasion. • Wings Rainbow in Mumbai and Kerala is to launch G-Taxi (Gender Taxi) operated owned and operated by members of the LGBT

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

• India will no longer receive financial aid from the UK, from January 1, 2016. • New coins featuring William Shakespeare, Beatrix Potter, the Army and the Great Fire of London are released in 2016. • India and Pakistan exchanged the list of their nuclear installations for the 25th consecutive year under a bilateral agreement. • Saudi Arabia announced the end ceasefire agreement with Yemen’s Houthi involve fighters and their allies. • 3 post-graduate courses of Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru ranked top in Central Asia - Paris-based international agency Eduniversal, • Sri Lanka and Pakistan agreed to expand their bilateral free trade agreement by inclusion of services and investment and 8 MoUs and defence deal signed • Forbes annual list of achievers under the age of 30  Ritesh Agarwal  Neel Rai  Anoop Jain  Gagan Biyani and  Vishal Lugani  Ashish Kumbhat Neeraj Berry  Ashish Patel  Dipayan Ghosh  Karishma Shah  Nisha Chittal  Anisha Singh  Lily Singh  Amit Mukherjee  Sanjam Garg  Nila Das  Sampriti  Divya Nettimi Bhattacharyya  Vikas Patel  Saagar Govil • China’s first lawsuit on same-sex marriage rights has been accepted by a court • World’s happiest countries- 1. Fiji(beautiful islands) 2.Colombia and 3.Saudi Arabia became third country - Greece is the third most unhappy country • Nepal elected to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) executive board, representing the group of Asia-Pacific countries for the term 2016-2018. • Sri Lanka government proposes new constitution - aimed at devolving power and preventing the sort of ethnic tensions • Kenya published new broadcast regulations to place strict limits on sexual content and ban preachers from soliciting money on air. • 2016 outsourcing index - top 10 India includes China, Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines, Mexico, Chile and Poland  India and Philippines - greatest priority in case of outsourcing. • Chinese President Xi Jinping reshuffles military headquarters in major revamp – 4 HQ • US and Jordan signed a Joint Action Plan (JAP) to improve efforts against nuclear and radiological smuggling • India has largest diaspora population followed by Mexico and Russia - UN report “Trends in International Migrant Stock” • “India Tourism Year” in China in 2015 and“China Tourism Year” in India in 2016 announced by China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) • Conference of Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) on Afghan Peace and Reconciliation process held in Islamabad • Nepal gov proposed formation of 4-member Eminent Persons Group to review the existing bilateral agreements with India • Saudi Arabia reopened its embassy in Baghdad after 25 years • WHO announced that the Ebola epidemic that has ravaged West Africa for two years • United Nations reduced its GDP growth forecast for India for 2016 to 7.5% from 8.2% - report by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) • India marked as 2nd largest fruit producer in Global List - handbook, published by the Oxford University – 1. China and 2.Brazil • US removed a wide range of sanctions against Iran • Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTC) –India - 89th position.  Switzerland followed Singapore, Luxembourg,United States and Denmark. • Indian business leaders emerged as the most optimistic lot globally about economic recovery in 2016 - Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR). • French President Francois Hollande declared “a state of economic emergency” to redefine France’s economic and social model. • India and Israel agreed to intensify coordination to deal with the menaceof terrorism 5 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2015 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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• USA, China, Germany, the UK and India - most promising markets globally: PwC survey • 4 Indian Magnificoes among World’s 62 Super-Rich -Oxfam report “An Economy for the 1%”  Mukesh Ambani,Azim Premji,Dilip Shanghvi and Hinduja Brothers • India ranked 4thamong the top five Asia Pacific countries with 2.36 lakh - Asia Pacific 2016 Wealth Report, by New World Wealth – 1.Japan, 2. China and 3.Australia • India’s growth projection unchanged at 7.3% in the current fiscal - International Monetary Fund (IMF) • World tourism numbers hit record 1.18 billion in 2015 - United Nations World Tourism Organisation • India and the UK agreed to strengthen economic cooperation in infrastructure financing, addressing issues of cross-border tax evasion and avoidance. • India ranked 22nd among world’s best countries - World Economic Forum  Top 5 countries - Germany, Canada, the UK, the USA and Sweden • Denmark crowned as “World’s Best Country for Women - US News and World Report.  Second – Sweden,Third – Canada and Algeria and Pakistan are the worst countries for females • India submitted its first Biennial Update Report (BUR) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). • Global Human Development Report (HDR) 2015 by UN Development Programme (UNDP)  Bangaldesh tops in SouthAsia.Sri Lanka, Iran-69th, Maldives-104th, India- 130th • World Economic Forum (WEF) accredited World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to its Board of Trustees. • India’s National capital New Delhi(20th ) and Financial capital Mumbai(12th ) among the top Asia -Asia Pacific 2016 Wealth Report. First - Tokyo • Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga approved the lifting of sanctions on Iran. • India become the third largest steel producer in the world after China and Japan with a production of 6 million tonne (mt) in 2015 • IIM Ahmadabad, IIM- Bangalore; and the ISB in top 100 on FT’s global MBA list by Financial Times Global MBA Ranking for 2016 • Pakistan plans its first mega nuclear power plant - 2,000 megawatts. • Japanese automaker Toyota emerged as the world’s biggest automaker for the 4th straight year. • India at 76th place in its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2015 - Denmark-topped in the list • Danish parliament approved a controversial law allowing authorities to seize refugee’s cash and valuables • International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced to implement long due quota reforms - more voting rights to India and China. • Bill Gates topped the list of 50 World’s Wealthiest People - Wealth-X  Amancio Ortega(Inditex) – 2nd and Warrant Buffett(Berkshire Hathaway) - 3rd • US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) extends the funds for the TB-free India project - USD 7.5 million • India ranks 4th on the list of nations with the most number of think tanks after US, China and UK • Japan unveiled country’s first stealth fighter aircraft X-2

BANKING & FINANCE

• RBI asked State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) banks to identify villages with population above 5,000 without a bank branch • SEBI rejects Sahara plea to restore portfolio manager licence because it was Not ‘fit and proper’ for this business • Punjab National Bank launched host of digital banking solutions including green PIN and enrichment of its mobile app. • Among all Asian and BRICS currencies, “Rupee” turned out to be one of the best performers in 2015 excluding yen. • LIC introduced a limited premium paying, non-linked with-profits Endowment Assurance plan “Jeevan Labh”. • RBI imposes Rs 1 cr fine on State Bank of Travancore • Andhra Bank launched Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) at all its branches – max Rs. 2 lakh • India Index Services & Products (IISL) launched the Nifty Private Sector Bank Index. • India to grow robust at 7.8% in 2016-17 - World Bank‘s latest Global Economic Prospect (GEP)

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report • Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance launched micro term insurance plan Bajaj Allianz Bima Dhan Suraksha Yojana with return of premium option. • Kotak Life launches Premier Life Plan -about 35 to 40 per cent up to 99 years of age • ICICI Bank partnered with FINO PayTech to venture into the payments bank space – 30% • SBT to sponsor NeFMS Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MNREGA) scheme. • HDFC targets fund size of Rs. 5000 crore for HCARE-1 – 12years • HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company set up a wholly-owned reinsurance company at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) -USD 12.33 million. • Indian Bank to raise Rs 1,100 crore from bonds to fund business growth. • Bank of Baroda timely paid over Rs 95 crore as interest to the beneficiaries of its additional tier-I Basel-III compliant bonds issue of Rs 1,000 crore. • BankBazaar.com launches “One Loan Two Homes” program to help the flood-affected citizens of Chennai. • Asian Development Bank extend a $625 million loan to the proposed $840 million Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor. • SEBI tightened the rules on mutual fund-sector-specific exposure limit 30% of the NAV to 25%. • IndiaFirst Life Insurance joint venture with Bank of Baroda, Andhra Bank enter into pension space to launches retirement plan • Asian Development Bank extend a $625 million loan to the proposed $840 million Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor. • India (1945-2015): Largest recipient of loans from World Bank -$102.1 billion • Country’s largest lender SBI opened a branch in Seoul, South Korea • SBI launches dedicated branch for start-ups in Bengaluru-wealth management offering centre - Exclusif’ • Bank of India (BOI) acquired 49% stake from BSE Ltd in their joint venture BOI Shareholding Ltd for an undisclosed amount. • RBI raises shareholding in NHB by pumping in Rs 1,000 crore -Rs 450 crore to Rs 1,450 crore • GOI and WB sign agreement for Neeranchal National Watershed Project -Rs.2142 crore • China’s Xi Jinping launches Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank-India and 56 countries have joined as founding members • World Bank released its annual World Development Report (WDR) titled “Digital Dividends” with a focal point on the impact of the Internet, mobile phones and communication technologies on economic development. • Banks to issue 2nd tranche of sovereign gold bonds -915.95 kg amounting to Rs. 246 crore. • Suresh Prabhu announced that World Bank would be the anchor investor in the new Railway Development Fund. • World Bank to extend $20 million for reconstructing Visakhapatnam's Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP). • Somnath Temple is all set to become Gujarat’s first temple to deposit its idle gold in the Gold Monetisation Scheme as its trustees – 35kg • Bombay Stock Exchange launched a new service for algorithm trading test environment in partnership with Symphony Fintech Solutions Pvt Ltd. • State Bank of Travancore tied up with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to provide customers of the state utility online facility for remittance of electricity charges. • Bihar Kosi Basin Development Project got a financial succor of US$ 250 million from World Bank • ICICI Bank inaugurated its first full service branch at Sandton in Johannesburg in South Africa • RBI instructed banks to cease Rs 1,000 notes lacking Security Thread • FreeCharge teamed up with MasterCard & Yes Bank to launch Virtual Card • Gold Monetisation Scheme gets Simplified - depositors to deposit their gold directly with the refiners . • Deposits in Jan Dhan accounts cross Rs 30,000 Crore • Gov announced that under the monetisation scheme, so far 900 kg of idle household • RBI shortlisted 5 companies for Audit and Risk Monitoring Mechanism (AMRMS)  Auditime Information Systems Pvt Ltd-Mumbai,NCSSoft Solutions Pvt Ltd-Chennai, PWC Pvt Ltd- Mumbai,Quadrant 4 Software Solutions Pvt Ltd,Chennai and Thomson Reuters Pvt Ltd Mumbai. • ADB 2nd tranche $80 Million assistance for urban reforms in Agartala & Aizwal • RBI governor Raghuram Rajan joins World Economic Forum (WEF) task force to study the global finance system 7 | Page

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• Bank of Japan has imposed a negative interest rate of -0.1% on accounts it holds for commercial banks. • State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda are creating stricter norms on anti-money laundering (AML) framework for their branches outside India. • Gov revised down its annual economic growth for the fiscal year that ended in March 2015 to 7.2% from 7.3%. • RBI increased the Ways and Means Advances (WMA) for all states to Rs 32,225 crore for the current and next financial years.

BUSINESS

• India’s Petronet LNG ink revised contract with RasGas of Qatar to import gas at a significantly lower price. • PM Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of the new plant for the construction of new helicopter manufacturing unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Tumkur district in Karnataka • Oasis Group to invest Rs 500 crore for establishing a wheat-based ethanol plant - at Zira district, Ferozepur in Punjab. • Union Government abolishes export duty 5% export duty on pellets, 10% on bauxite and 30% on chromite and iron ore. • Gov decided to shut three units of HMT including HMT Watches, HMT Chinar Watches and HMT Bearings • Bhel commissioned two 220/20kV substations in Afghanistan to expand its footprint in the strife- torn nation. • PayPal ties-up with Shopmatic for cross-border transactions -first tie-up with an Indian partner. • IndusInd Bank tied up with online payment solution firm payU India to provide customers the full suite of consumer banking products online • Flipkart,Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd has entered into an arrangement with Flipkart for online booking of Mahindra KUV100. • Microsoft’s charity arm is set to donate $1 billion in cloud computing services over the course of the next three years • India initiated a probe into alleged dumping of rubber variants used for leather goods by the EU, South Korea and Thailand • SoftBank invests Rs 100 cr more in Housing.com for premier developers called BRAND FALCON • MRF Tyres and the International Cricket Council (ICC) becomes global partner for four-years deal. • FDI flows into India nearly doubled in 2015 -United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) • Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) gets environmental clearance for a project in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin -53,000 crore. • Coca Cola launched milk-based beverages under the brand name “Vio”. • India has outpaced Thailand as the world’s largest rice exporter in 2015 - Thai Rice Exporters Association • Ratan Naval Tata the Indian businessman and the Chairman of Emeritus Tata Sons have invested in the start-up Teabox • Apollo Munich ties up with Axis Bank for offering bank customers a paperless customized insurance policies. • Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) received an approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for ZembraceSymTouch injection. • Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) are to collaborate to develop a battery for passenger cars using technology . • Iran, Airbus has signed a deal to buy 118 Airbus jets worth $27. • Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro have joined US President Barack Obama‘s ambitious computer science for all • Alibaba’s first Indian trade facility centre opens in Jaipur and a Hindi portal, aimed at connecting small and medium businesses

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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• DAVA (Drug Authentication and Verification Application) project won the 2015 eASIA Award • Sanjay Subrahmanyam conferred with the2015 Sangita Kalanidhi award. • Delhi Police entered into the Limca Book of Records for solving the biggest cash heist case of the the country in November 2015. • Corporation Bank has bagged three awards at the National Payments Excellence Awards 2015 • Flipkart has been named the overall winner of the ‘Website of the Year India 2015 • IRCTC has won the Most Popular Website of the Year India 2015 Award • Amputee Mountaineer Arunima Sinha added another feather to her cap by conquering Mount Aconcagua, Argentina. • Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman’s (41) masterly innings of 281 against Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata • Costa novel award Category Author Book Costa First Novel Award Andrew Michael Hurley The Loney Costa Novel Award Kate Atkinson A God in Ruins Costa Poetry Award Don Paterson 40 Sonnets Costa Children Book Award Frances Hardinge The Lie Tree Costa Biography Award Andrea Wulf The Invention of Nature: The Adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt, The Lost Hero of Science • 2015 US bestseller list - Go Set a Watchman written by Harper Lee • Defense Department awarded with Pentagon Award. • Priyanka Chopra won the Favourite Actress in New TV series award at the 42nd People’s Choice Awards 2016 • Raghuram Rajan conferred with the Central Banker of the Year Award (Global and Asia Pacific) for 2016 by “The Banker”. • Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Ananth Kumar gave away the 1st India Pharma awards during India Medical Expo 2016 in Bengaluru Category Winner Overall India Pharma Excellence Award Cadila Healthcare Ltd India Pharma Leader Award Shri Glenn Saldana, CMD, Glenmark Pharmaceutical Ltd Company of the Year Lupin Limited Bulk Drug Company of the Year SMS Pharmaceutical Ltd Innovation of the Year Cadila Healthcare Ltd Research & Development Achievement Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd Corporate Social Responsibility Programme of the Abbott India Ltd Year Medical Devices Company of the Year Harsoria Healthcare Pvt Ltd Export Company of the Year Campus Pharma Pvt Ltd Bulk Drug Export Company of the Year SMS Pharmaceutical Ltd Medical Devices Export Company of the Year Scope Medical Devices Pvt Ltd Special Award: PSU Company of the Year Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceutical Ltd • Azim Premji has come out as the ‘most generous Indian’ in the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2015 • Balkrishna Garg awarded with the second Harikrishna Devsare Baalsahitya Award 2015 • CEO of e-commerce giant Snapdeal Kunal Bahl has bagged the “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award, 2015 • BAFTA nominated He Named Me Malala, a documentary on Malala Yousafzai(18) in the upcoming awards Documentary category for 2016. • Tata Steel Limited bagged eighth time Prime Minister’s Trophy for being the ‘Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant’ for 2013 2014. • Mangaluru Airport conferred as best in the country • 73rd Golden Globe Awards 2016 Category Winner Picture Best Motion Picture (Drama) The Revenant

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Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) The Martian Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) Leonardo DiCaprio Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) Brie Larson Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) Matt Damon Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) Jennifer Lawrence Best Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Best Animated Feature Film Inside Out Best Foreign Language Film Son of Saul (Hungary) Television Best Series (Drama) Mr. Robot Best Actor in a Television Series (Drama) Jon Hamm Best Actress in a Television Series (Drama) Taraji P. Henson Best Series (Musical or Comedy) Mozart in the Jungle Best Actor in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy) Gael Garcia Bernal Best Actress in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy) Rachel Bloom Best Miniseries Wolf Hall Best Actor in a Miniseries Oscar Isaac Best Actress in a Miniseries Lady Gaga • Golden Globes 2016 Winners  Denzel Washington received Cecil B. DeMille award  Best Motion Picture, Drama: The Revenant  Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant  Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: Brie Larson, Room  Best Motion Picture, Comedy: The Martian  Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy  Best Foreign Language Film: Son of Saul, Hungary • Lionel Messi conferred with the FIFA Ballon d’Or award • Kullu folk dance “Nati”- participation of 20,000 dancers during Kullu Dussehra festival on October 26 2015 entered into the Guinness book of world records. • Amitabh Bachchan bestowed honorary life membership of Kolkata’s famed soccer outfit Mohammedan Sporting • Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) conferred with National Award on e-Governance 2015-16 • PepsiCo’s CEO Indra Nooyi becomes “most generous graduate” of Yale B-School • David Beckham bestowed with the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Leadership Award • Sonam Kapoor presented the Neerja Bhanot Award to Bangalore-based Subhashini Vasanth(Vasantharatna Foundation) • Suket Dhir won the Rs 48.5 lakh (A$100,000) worth prestigious International Woolmark Prize. • Shri Narendra Modi presented the “Times Now” Amazing Indians Awards 2016 Category Winner Incredible Innovators Chintakindi Mallesham Young Indians, Big Achievements Damini Sen Young Indians, Big Achievements Malavath Poorna Ordinary Indians, Extraordinary Achievements Murugan S Energising India Mathews K Mathew Indian at Heart Timothy Global Indians Yashraj Khaitan Grassroots Soldier Late Kallen Pokkudan Grassroots soldier Popatrao Pawar Educators of India Ruma Roka Stree Shakthi Sunita Aralikar Unstoppable Indians S Ramakrishnan

• Writer Ankita Anand won the Lorenzo Natali Media Prize for work on Khap panchayats • Largest bollywood dance performance‘ of students held at Khalsa College in Amritsar placed in Guinness Book of World Records-8,726 students from 40 schools . • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan awarded with Lee Kuan Yew Exchange Fellowship in Singapore • 2016 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature conferred upon Anuradha Roy for her novel Sleeping

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on Jupiter • 61st Britannia Filmfare Awards 2015

Category Winner Best Film Bajirao Mastani Best Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) Ranveer Singh Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) Deepika Padukone Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) Anil Kapoor Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female) Priyanka Chopra Best Playback Singer (Male) Arijit Singh Best Playback Singer (Female) Shreya Ghoshal Best Costume Anju Modi and MaximaBasu Best Choreography Pt Birju Maharaj Best Film Piku Best Actor (Male) Amitabh Bachchan Best Actor (Female) Kangana Ranaut Lifetime Achievement Award Moushumi Chatterjee RD Burman Award Armaan Mallik Best Debut (Male) Sooraj Pancholi Best Debut (Female) Bhumi Pednekar Best Debut Director Neeraj Ghaywan • Dr Jancy James- first woman Vice Chancellor of Kerala selected for the Prof MV Pylee Award • Easterine Kire from Nagaland, won The Hindu Prize, 2015 for When the River Sleeps • Director Joshua Oppenheimer's "The Look of Silence", based won the Top Documentary Award at the 9th Annual Cinema Eye Honours.  Graphic Design Award: Stefan Nadelman and Hisko Hulsing  Outstanding Debut Award: Crystal Moselle  Short Film Award: "Hotel 22" and "Buffalo Juggalos" • National Bravery Awards 2015 Category Winner Bharat Award (Highest of the National Kawduji Sahastrabuddhe(15) Bravery awards) Bharat Award Shivansh Singh (13) Geeta Chopra award Shivampet Ruchitha (8) Sanjay Chopra Award Arjun Singh (16)

Bapu Gaidhani Award Ramdinthara (15) Bapu Gaidhani Award Rakeshbhai Shanabhai Patel (13) Bapu Gaidhani Award Aromal SM (12) National Bravery Awards Kashish Dhanani(Gujarat), Maurice Yengkhom andChongtham Kuber Meitei (Manipur), Angelica Tynsong (Meghalaya) Sai Krishna Akhil Kilambi(Telangana), Joena Chakbraborty andSarwanand Saha (Chhatisgarh) , Dishant Mehndiratta (Haryana),Beedhovan, Nithin Philip Mathew, Abhijit KV, Anandu Dillep, Muhammad Shamnad (all from Kerala), Mohit Mahdenrda Dalvi, Nilesh Revaram Bhil, Vaibhav Ramesh Ghangare (all from Maharashtra),Abinash Mishra (Odisha) and Bhimsen from Uttar Pradesh.

• Govt inducted new category of award for “Most Film Friendly State/UT” • Prime Minister NarendraModi has become second most followed Indian on social media site Twitter after Shah Rukh Khan. • National Award for Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals 2015-16 presented by Ananth Kumar

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Category Winner Innovation in Polymeric Material Industry Indian Oil Corporation Ltd Ester Industries Ltd Academic and R&D Institution IIT Guwahati Innovation in Polymeric Products Industry Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Innovation of Polymer processing Machinery & Equipments Industry Kabra Extrusiontechnik Ltd Academic and R&D Institution IIT Madras Innovation in Polymer waste Management & recycling technology and green polymeric material & products Industry Supreme Industries Ltd Academic and R&D Institution Defence Institute of Advanced Technology Polymers in Agriculture & Water Conservation Mr. S Dinesh Kumar & Mr. MJ Giridharan Polymers in Public Health Care Industry Sahajanand Medical Technologies Pvt Ltd Research in the field of Polymer Science & Technology Industry Reliance R&D Centre Academic and R&D Institution Indian Oil Corporation Ltd • Adele’s (UK) recent hit song “Hello” reached a staggering one billion views - enters Guinness Book of World Records • Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace named as “World’s Best Hotel” - Travel site TripAdvisor • Padma Awards – 2016 Padma Vibhushan awardees Winner Name Winner’s Field Rajinikanth Actor Ramoji Rao Media baron Girija Devi Classical vocalist Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Spiritual guru V K Aatre Former DRDO chief Avinash Dixit Indian—American economist Jagmohan Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Yamini Krishnamurthi Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Dr V Shanta Cancer specialist and chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute Padma Bhushan awardees Winner Name Winner’s Field Anupam Kher Actor Udit Narayan Singer Hafeez Contractor Architect Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry Industrialist Vinod Rai Former CAG Sania Mirza Tennis Star Ram Sutar Indian sculptor Saina Nehwal Badminton star Late Swami Dayanand Spiritual leader Saraswati Swami Tejomayananda Spiritual leaders Heisnam Kanhailal Theatre personality R C Bhargava Maruti Suzuki chairman Indu Jain Chairperson of Bennett, Coleman & Co Robert Blackwill Former US Ambassador to India Barjinder Singh Hamdard Ex-parliamentarian, editor of Punjabi Newspaper Prof N S Ramanuja Tatacharya Sanskrit Scholar Prof D Nageshwar Reddy Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Venkata Rama Rao Alla Drug technology 12 | Page

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Padma Shri awardees Winner Name Winner’s Field Ujjwal Nikam Senior lawyer Saeed Jaffrey (posthumous) Actor Priyanka Chopra Actor Ajay Devgn Actor SS Rajamouli Filmmaker • Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards – 2015 Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak Winner Place from winner belong Ullas Unnikrishnan (Posthumous) Kerela Munna alias Ramdars Sisodiya(Posthumous) Madhya Pradesh Ankit Kumar Mishra (Posthumous) Uttar Pradesh Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak Shivakumar R. Karnataka Laldinpuia Mizoram Shaitan Singh (Posthumous) Rajasthan Jitendra Kumar Soni Rajasthan Shourya Veer Singh (Posthumous) Madhya Pradesh Riya Chaudhary (Posthumous) Uttar Pradesh Monika alias Manisha (Posthumous) Uttarakhand Gaurav Kumar Bharti (Posthumous) Uttar Pradesh Ravindra Pal Singh (Posthumous) Uttar Pradesh • Gallantry Awards 2016  Ashok Chakra-Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami  Kirti Chakra-Subedar Mahendra Singh and Sepoy Jagdish Chand (Posthumous)  Shaurya Chakra 1. Colonel Santosh Yashwant Mahadik (Posthumous) 2. Sepoy Dharma Ram (Posthumous) 3. Major Praphul Kumar Bhardwaj 4. Lieutenant Harjinder Singh 5. Naik Kheem Singh Mehra 6. Major Anurag Kumar 7. Major Sandip Yadav 8. Naik Satish Kumar • Melbourne based Sajeev Koshy honoured with the Order of Australia to recognise his services to dentistry in Victoria, Australia. • Bollywood actress Rekha honored with the third Yash Chopra Memorial Award in Mumbai - presented by Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao • Indian origin person Cottalango Leon selected for the2016 Technical Achievement Award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. • Parrikar presented Rakshamantri Award for excellence for 2012-13 and 2013-14 For year 2012-13 • Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) won the award for Excellence performance, Innovation and Indigenization. • Award for Best performance in Exports was given to BEML • For Best performing Shipyard award was given to GRSE • Best performing Factory of OFB was given to Ordnance Factory, Kanpur • Best Performing Division of DPSUs was given to BEL,(S&CS) Bengaluru • Award for Systems of IACCS Networks was given to BEL, Ghaziabad • Award for Indigenization of Special Tools Test Equipments & fixtures for Milan-2T warhead to Milan Group, BDL Hyderabad For year 2013-14 • Award for Excellence in performance to BEL • Award for Best performance in Exports to BEL • Best Performing Division of DPSUs to HAL, Avionics Division Hyderabad • Best performing Factory of OFB to Ordnance Equipment Factory Kanpur • Best performing Shipyard to GRSE Kolkata • Award for EOFCS – U1 for Control of Medium Calibre 76 mm Gun Mount and High Rate of Fire AK 630 Gun Mount to D&E, FCS/SBU-NS (Radar & FCS) Group – BEL Bengaluru. 13 | Page

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• Allan Border Medal 2016 presented to David Warner Category Winner One Day International Player of the Year Glenn Maxwell Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year Alex Ross State Player of the Year Adam Voges Women’s International Cricketer of the Year (Belinda Clark Ellyse Perry Award) • USD 5,000 William E Colby Award 2016 conferred upon book “Midnight’s Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India’s Partition” authored by Nisid Hajari. • Wildlife film maker & Padma Shri awardee Naresh Bedi honoured with V Shantaram Life Time Achievement Award • Indian activist and lawyer Henri Tiphagne selected for Amnesty International Germany’s human rights award 2016. • Abhinav Bindra honored by ISSF(International Shooting Sport Federation) • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar selected for the K Veeramani Award for Social Justice 2015 for his contribution towards social justice. • Prince Mahidol Awards awarded to Professor Morton M Mower and Sir Michael Gideon Marmot • Hindi writers Amlendu Tiwari and Om Nagar selected for the 11th Navlekhan award of the Bharatiya Jnanpith. • veteran actress Waheeda Rehman honoured with a special award at the 6th Yashwant International Film Festival 2016 in Mumbai. • Director of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (NPP) Ramayah Shanmuga Sundar has been conferred with “Order of Friendship” by Russia • Tom Hanks has been named America’s most popular movie star for the fifth time

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

• United Nations appointed Lionel Messi and pop sensation Shakira to promote eradication of poverty by 2030. • Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria took over as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff of IAF. • Atul Sobti charged as chairman and managing director (CMD) of BHEL • Javed Ahmed appointed DG of Police of Uttar Pradesh -replace vacant Jagmohan Yadav • D.K.Hota appointed as CMD of defence PSU BEML Ltd . • Syngene International appointed Jonathan Hunt as CEO-designate after Peter Bains • Wipro appointed Abidali Z Neemuchwala as chief executive officer (CEO), succeeding T K Kurien • Shekhar Saran assumed charge as CMDof Ranchi-based Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Ltd • Mary Barra first Woman to chair General Motor‘ as CEO – succeedor of Tim Solso • Novo Nordisk announced Indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador for the disease awareness campaign ‘Changing Diabetes’ • Filippo Grandi (58) appointed as the new High Commissioner for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)- succeedor of Antonio Guterres, • LinkedIn named Akshay Kothari its India head - succeedor of Nishant Rao. • Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) appointed Kunal Shah, as the new chairman. • Vishal Suri CPO in Thomas Cook appointed as managing director - succeedor of Rajeev Wagle. • Aditya Birla Group appointed Sushil Agarwal group CFO and Ashish Adukia as the deputy CFO the group’s telecom venture, Idea Cellular • Vedanta Ltd appointed Samir Cairae as CEO of the Metals division in India • Telecom engineer and inventor Sam Pitroda designated as the Technical Advisor to the Odisha Gov • Thilanga Sumathipala,President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)become the head of the Asian Cricket Council. • Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra replaces Aamir Khan as ‘Incredible India’ ambassador • Centre has appointed AB Khare as the Chairman and Managing Director of the state-run Madras Fertilizers Ltd –succeedor of I Vijay Kumar. • Dr. Achyuta Samanta has been elected as the general president for the 105th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) • Gurbir Grewal appointed as the top prosecutor in New Jersey - first South Asian • Devender Kumar Sikri appointed as chairman of Competition Commission of India (CCI) – 14 | Page

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succeedor of Ashok Chawla • Gajendra Chauhan designated as the chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) • Wipro appointed Bhanumurthy B. M. as the President and Chief Operating Officer • Sailesh appointed as Registrar General and Census Commissioner (RGCC) of India by Appointments Committee of Cabinet • Flipkart.com named Binny Bansal as its CEO-succeedor of Sachin Bansal. • Economist Paul Kaba Thieba named as the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso by the President Roch Marc Christian Kabore • Micromax appointed VikasThapar as new senior vice president for finance. • Airbus Group designated Ashish Saraf as its Vice-President of Industry Development, Strategic Partnerships and Offsets. • French IT services firm Capgemini appointed Srinivas Kandula as the CEO of its India operations – succeedor of Aruna Jayanthi • DHL Express designated Ken Lee as its Chief Executive Officer for Asia Pacific region – succeedor of Jerry Hsu • R Shivakumar, Chairman of Kumar Group of companies, Bengaluru appointed as the Chairman of Assocham Karnataka Regional Council. • Bhaskar Bhat appointed as chairman of Tata-SIA joint venture Vistara • Ronaldinho appointed as Brand Ambassador of Nagjee International Club Football Tournament • Taiwan elected its first female president Tsai Ing-wen – succeedor of Ma Ying – jeou • HSBC appointed Ravi Menon as the chief executive of its asset management arm - succeedor of Puneet Chaddha • Dinesh Sharma elected into the 12-member board of directors of AIIB • Tata Motors appointed Guenter Butschek as its Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director • Ola has appointed Raghuvesh Sarup as its chief marketing officer • Lalu Prasad Yadav elected as president of his party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for the ninth consecutive term • Mindtree appointed RostowRavanan as CEO and Managing Director and Krishnakumar Natarajan moved on to the role of Executive Chairman. • ICSI(Institute of Company Secretaries of India) appointed Mamta Binani as its President • Shri Sanjiv Ranjan designated as the next Ambassador of lndia to Republic of Argentina. • Parliament of Moldova accredited Pavel Filip as the 3rd Prime Minister of European nation • 10 new EDs appointed in public sector banks Name Previous Bank Now Mayank K Mehta Union Bank of India Bank Of Baroda Dina Bandhu Mohapatra Bank of India Canara Bank Vinod Kumar Kathuria Punjab National Bank Union Bank of India R Subramania Kumar Punjab National Bank Indian Bank Rajkiran Rai G Central Bank of India Oriental bank of Commerce Nageswaro Rao Y Vijaya Bank Vijaya Bank A S Rajeev Indian Bank Indian Bank Ramesh S Singh Central Bank of India Dena Bank G Subramaia Iyer Canara Bank UCO Bank Sunil Mehta Allahabad Bank Corporation Bank • Ravi Chellam designated as the executive director of NGO Greenpeace India - succeedor of Samit Aich. • Government has designated Atulesh Jindal as the Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes – succeedor of Arun Kumar Jain. • Amit Shah was elected as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party • Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa elected as President of Portugal – succeedor of Anibal Cavaco Silva • Alice Vaidyan appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) – first women • Lava International ltd promoted Navin Chawla as chief operating officer • Sachin Tendulkar appointed as the brand ambassador of a newly-launched pleasure cruise • Twitter designated Leslie Berland as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). • Gurdeep Singh appointed as chairman and managing director (CMD) of central PSU National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) • SC of India has accredited Justice Sanjay Mishra as the Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh. • Dr. Kamlesh Kumar Pandey is appointed as the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities 15 | Page

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(CCPD) • Ten Non-Official Directors appointed in banks Name of Appointee Bank Name Girish Kumar Ahuja & Pushpendra Rai State Bank of India Amit Chatterjee & G Gopalkrishna Dena Bank Archana Ravindrarai Dholakia Bank of Maharashtra V V R Sastry & M Bhagavantha Rao Vijaya Bank Prof Radha R Sharma Allahabad Bank Satyanarayana Dash NABARD Atanu Sen Punjab and Sind Bank • Department of Telecommunications has designated J.S. Deepak as its Secretary – succeedor of Rakesh Garg. • Blue Star Ltd has designated Vir S Advani as its Managing Director and B Thiagarajan as Joint Managing Director • P. Harish appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam • Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Mexico • Vice-Admiral Sunil Lanba designated as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval Command. SCHEMES

• Gov will unveil Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme for kerosene from 1st April 2016 • TN Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa launched the scheme ‘Amma Seeds’ available through ‘Amma Service Centres’ across the state • Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti launched Ganga Gram Yojana at Village Puth in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh – 1600 villages • Union Cabinet approved the “Stand Up India Scheme” to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and Women entrepreneurs. • Mission Indradhanush added Four new vaccines -adult Japanese Encephalitis vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine and Measles Rubella vaccine - Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash • TN Chief J Jayalalithaa launched a round-the-clock call centre for ensuring fast response to grievances. • Nai Manzil Scheme is an integrated Education and Livelihood Initiative for the Minority Communities launched in Jammu and Kashmir • Union Government decided to extend the Scheme Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao to 61 more districts in 2016 • SEEMA DARSHAN - to provide an opportunity for the children to experience the border environment and to encourage patriotism and nationalism among the students - Ministry of Human Resource Development • Andhra Pradesh Gov launched Giriputrika Kalyana Pathakam Scheme to support the tribal women • Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana - new crop insurance scheme, having premiums as low as 1.5% of the sum insured. • “Start Up India, Stand Up India” launched in Thane by Deepak Ghaisas - Rs 10,000 crore – 4 years MoUs

• PM Narendra Modi given its ex-post facto approval for the approach adopted by India at the 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, Kenya- Nairobi Package. • India and Bahrain signed an agreement to strengthen their ties in key areas like trade and counter-terrorism. • Maharashtra gov signed an MoU with private helicopter service company Pawan Hans - to boost tourism • 31 countries signed Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) to increase the transparency in functioning of multinational enterprises (MNEs) • GOI,Jharkhand and the JBVNL (Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited)signed the first MOU for operational & financial turnaround of Discoms under the Scheme UDAY • GOI signed MOU under the Scheme Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) with the State of Uttar Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL). • GOI, Chhattisgarh and CSPDCL (Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company 16 | Page

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Limited) signed a MoU for operational & financial turnaround of Discoms under the Scheme UDAY • Rajasthan gov signed MoU with the Central Government of India to join Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme. • GOI signed a MOU under the Scheme Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) with the State of Uttar Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL). • Union cabinet given its ex-post-facto approval to MoU with Bangladesh for Mode of Operation of Border haats on India-Bangladesh Border • Union Cabinet apprised the protocol signed earlier between India and Czech Republic in the field of heavy industry • India-Australia Social Security Agreement comes into operation toenabling people of both nations to avail retirement benefits • Reliance Defence Ltd signed an MOU with Andhra Pradesh gov to set up a naval facility along the country’s eastern coast • 20,000 crore • Sri Lanka and Pakistan agreed to expand their bilateral free trade agreement - 8 MoUs and defence deal signed • Haryana Gov signed eight MoUs with top companies of China to set up a USD 10 billion industrial park and smart cities • National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed a MoU with National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) for web-based monitoring of watershed projects. • RINL - Visakhapatnam Steel Plant inked an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh Gov - Rs 38500 Crores • Union Cabinet chaired given its ex-post facto approval for the MoU between India and Maldives cooperation in the field of Health • Government signed a loan agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) for pollution abatement of River Mula-Mutha under National River Conservation Plan - Rs. 1000 crore • NHAI has signed MoU with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and North East Centre for Technology Application and Research for monitoring and managing national highways. • Madhya Pradesh and the Singapore government have signed four MoUs  1,000-megawatt wind energy plant  MoU on urban planning  MoU on skill training  MoU on food processing • Exim Bank and the Andhra Pradesh have signed MoU for promoting exports • Maharashtra and Tata Trust signed MoU for a skill training programme for the youth • MoU inked between the Department of Space / Indian Space Research Organization (DOS/ISRO) and Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR) to cooperate & use of outer space for peaceful purposes. • Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) inked MoU with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Department of Space for monitoring mining activity • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) inked MoU with Department of Telecommunication (DoT) for the implementation of National Action Plan for Skill Development in Telecom Sector. • GOI and Armenia inked the protocol to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Convention • Indian and Russian researchers signing an agreement for a period of six months in the areas of basic and Exploratory Sciences. • The Union Cabinet has recently settled an approval for cyber security pacts signed with Malaysia, Singapore and Japan - CERT-In. • Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Singapore on cooperation in the field of civil aviation. COMMITTEES

• Gov constitutes Committee for Holistic interpretation of the provisions of the Cinematograph Act/ Rule - Headed by Filmmaker ShyamBenegal • Gov has formed a committee to review pay structure and social security benefits provided to Gramin Dak Sevaks – headed by Kamlesh Chandra

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• Justice R MLodha panel submits report to SC for reforms in BCCI  Recommended suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals due to their involvement in illegal betting and spot-fixing • Arvind Panagariya panel to fast-track bullet trains to accelerate the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High- Speed Rail Corridor, • Gov decided to set up a high-powered panel headed by cabinet secretary P K Sinha to process the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission • Kamal Hassan and Gautam Ghosh are inducted in the Shyam Benegal committee to holistically look into the functioning of controversy ridden Central Board of Film Certification. • Union Ministry of Finance released the draft report of 10 member committee headed by Justice R V Easwar (Retd) Committee to simplify the provisions of Income-tax Act, 1961. • Legislative Department of Union Law Ministry initiated an expert committee to review the Specific Relief Act, 1963. • Union Health Minister JP Nadda set up a Central monitoring team which constitutes a technical group to monitor the Zika situation. • SC instructed the Union Government to set up a committee to investigate the living conditions and salary structure of over 3 lakh nurses.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• Reliance capital gets CCI nod to acquire Goldman Sach’s fund arm -Rs.243 crore in cash. • Airtel acquires 100 per cent stake in Augere Wireless - Rs 3,314.36 crore. • Union Cabinet approved a proposal for the formation of a joint venture companies between Indian Railways and state governments - Rs 100 crore • SBI buy four premium flats in the city’s tony Peddar Road area from the loss-making Air India - Rs 90 crore. • Paytm acquires Shifu for $8mn to enrich customer experience • Nokia announced acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent(French firm) for 15.6 billion euros i.e. USD 16.6 billion. • Zydus Group acquired select brands and the manufacturing operations in Haridwar of Zoetis • Quikr to acquire Commonfloor - $200 million • Abraaj Group is set to acquire a majority stake in Quality CARE India Ltd - 72% for 2,000 crore. • Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd. acquired major stake i.e. 51% in India Circus Retail Pvt. • HCL Technologies Ltd acquired oUK’s Point to Point Ltd and Point to Point Products Ltd for Rs 78 crore. • Cognizant has acquired KBACE Technologie for an undisclosed amount. • Airtel and Axiata to merge Bangladesh operations - $2 billion • Apple Inc. acquired San Francisco-based education-technology startup LearnSprout

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd launched a web-based portal for registrars and share transfer agents (RTAs) • world’s largest blue star sapphire, weighing 1404.49 carats found in a mine in the city of Ratnapura, in southern Sri Lanka • Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das inaugurated the state’s land bank web portal “jharbhoom.Nic.In • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) decided to open a 100 acre Space Park in Bengaluru • NASA discovers five ‘superstars’ in other galaxie which are parallel to Eta Carinae - using data from NASA’s Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes. • International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially confirmed the permanent addition of four new elements to the periodic table  Atomic number 113, 115, 117 and 118 • Mylan Pharmaceuticals Private Limited has launched their generic Hepatitis C medicine under brand name MyHep LVIR in India • China’s country code domain “.cn” has become world’s most commonly used in the internet • Microsoft launched the Surface Pro 4 in India in three variants • Pune based research labs of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)have developed new ammunition

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• A team of scientists led by an Indian-American professor discovered a new method that may help in detecting dwarf galaxies dominated by dark matter • NASA successfully tested driverless car using at NASA Centre in California • Researchers at a university in Britain developed viruses that could halt the decline of “Muga” caterpillar in India • Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inaugurated implementation of E-enabled Track Management System (TMS) and Mobile Application of TMS on Indian Railway at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. • Illumina announced the launch of the startup named GRAIL to develop blood-based cancer tests. • Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda launched m-Health initiatives  Kilkari means “baby’s gurgle” delivers free, weekly, time-appropriate 72 audio messages about pregnancy, child birth and child care  Mobile Academy - It is a free audio training course designed to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)  M-Cessation -It aims at reaching out to those willing to quit tobacco use  TB Missed Call initiative -A helpline with a toll free number will provide information, counselling and treatment support services for TB. • NASA declared spacecraft Juno became the farthest travelled solar powered spacecraft • Second largest’ black hole in the Milky Way discovered by Japanese astronomers - CO-0.40-0.22 • NASSCOM (The National Association of Software and Services Companies) 10K Start-up Program in partnership with the Telangana government inaugurated the T-Hub NASSCOM Start- up Warehouse in Hyderabad. • Zinnia became the first flower that has finally bloomed in outer space - Veggie lab aboard International Space Station (ISS) • SPACEX Launching NASA Jason-3 Ocean Surveillance Satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California • Chinese scientists develop new bio-artificial liver to help recover patient’s liver functions • Deputy Chief Minister Manish Siodia launched ‘DVAT BILL‘ App to boost Delhi Government’s tax collection • ISRO launched PSLV-C31 rocket successfully, carrying IRNSS – 5th , IRNSS-1E from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota • TranServ launched India’s 1st Social Mobile Wallet, “Udio” - enables squaring of dues, sharing dinner bills or a cab ride a hassle free task • Largest Prime Number discovered - 274,207,281-1 dubbed M74207281 • India will set up a satellite tracking and imaging centre in southern Vietnam that will give Hanoi access to pictures from Indian earth observation satellites. • Union Government launched Sahaj Scheme for online booking of LPG cylinders. The booking can be done through the unified web portal www.mylpg.in • In Latin America countries the Mosquito-borne Zika virus has created a panic over thousands birth defects • Intelsat’s next generation satellite Intelsat 29e was successfully launched from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 vehicle. • Astronomers of Royal Astronomical Society (RSA) have discovered the largest known solar system 2MASS J2126-8140 • GOI launches National Job Portal for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) –Thaawarchand Gehlot • Stockholm becomes the world’s first city to get the ultra high speed 5G mobile network. • Puducherry Lt Governor AK Singh launches MITRA(Mobile Initiated Tracking and Rescue application) app to ensure safety and security of women, children and the elderly during emergency. • Customs Department initiated its first-of-its-kind mobile application in the world dubbed “Indian Customs – Guide to Travellers” to inform people about all Indian customs rules

DEFENCE

• North Korea successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test marking a stunning step forward in its nuclear development. • 15th edition of bilateral exercise between India and Japan titled “Sahayog-Kaijin 2016” - Chennai, Tamil Nadu in the Bay of Bengal. • Indian and French troops commenced their 8 days counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency joint exercise at the Mahajan field firing range in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

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• 10th edition of the bilateral Indian Navy-Royal Omani Navy biennial exercise take place in the Arabian Sea • INS Kadmatt - second ship of Project 28 (P28) class anti-submarine warfare • Israel gets fifth German-made nuclear-capable submarine “INS Rahav “ - built in Kiel, Germany - $500 million • An indigenously-built third generation anti-tank missile, Nag successfully hit in the Mahajan Field Firing Range, Rajasthan. • Three Mi-25 gunship helicopters manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) were supplied by India are officially join the Afghan Air Force. • Akash the medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile was successfully test fired from complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipuri in Odisha • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA’s) revamped planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has discovered more than 100 planets orbiting other stars • A British woman Sue York became the first person in the world to have a pancreas transplant

ENVIRONMENT

• The oceans will contain more plastics than fish by 2050 - World Economic Forum (WEF) and Ellen MacArthur Foundation. • Global warming causes $1.5 trillion loss on middle-class - Swiss financial services major UBS report, titled “Climate change: A risk to the global middle class”, • World’s largest canyon far larger than the Grand Canyon in the US(in the picture) has been spotted by Chinese scientists. • Seven Buddhist caves discovered at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli (Mumbai) in India. • The Oldest Christian monastery St Elijah’s monastery in Iraq destroyed by the jihadist group Islamic State (IS). • A team of scientists from India, Sweden, China, the US and Russia discovered a new bird species Zoothera salimalii in Himalayan Forest Thrush in northeastern India . • Indian biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju with his team discovered a new genus of tree hole-breeding frogs named Frankixalus in the forests of northeast India and bordering parts of China. • Tea Board of India launched the 5th version of its ambitious “Plant Protection Code” for the Indian Tea industry. SPORTS

• ICC ranking - India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as the number one Test bowler and all- rounder. Top-10 Test batsmen: 1.Steve Smith (Aus) 899 points 6.Younus Khan (Pak) 826 2.Kane Williamson (NZ) 889 7.Angelo Mathews (SL) 808 3.Joe Root (Eng) 888 8.Hashim Amla (SA) 774 4.AB de Villiers (SA) 877 9.Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak) 764 5.David Warner (Aus) 827 10.Alastair Cook (Eng) 764 Top-10 Test bowlers: 1.Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind) 871 points 6.Ravindra Jadeja (Ind) 789 2.Dale Steyn (SA) 867 7.Trent Boult (NZ) 787 3.Stuart Broad (Eng) 859 8.Josh Hazlewood (Aus) 752 4.Yasir Shah (Pak) 846 9.Vernon Philander (SA) 739 5.James Anderson (Eng) 838 10.Tim Southee (NZ) 731 Top-5 Test all-rounders: 1. Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind) 406 points 2. Shakib Al Hasan (Ban) 384 3. Stuart Broad (Eng) 326 4. Vernon Philander (SA) 293 5. Ravindra Jadeja (Ind) 259 • National Wrestling Championship Women’s 48kg Men’s 65kg Gold RituPhogat First Bajrang Silver AprnaBishni Second Rajneesh Bronze Pooja and Nirmal Third Manoj and Bhagat Singh 20 | Page

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Men’s 57kg Gold SandeepTomar Silver Ravinder

• World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway won the Qatar Masters Chess Open 2015 • 2015 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship clinched by India – 7th time • Rajsamman won the P.T Rajan Gold Cup ridden by jockey Tanveer Alam • Mumbai teenager Pranav Dhanawade hits world record by scoring 1009 runs at school level tournament • Apurvi Chandela won Gold with a world record in the 10m Air Rifle at the Swedish Cup Grand Prix.  Silver - Astrid Steffensen and bronze medal Stine Nielsen • Oil and Natural Gas Corporation won 26th Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament and defeated Indian Railways • Oxigen Wallet’ announced as the Title Sponsor for the upcoming Masters Champions League (MCL). • Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings Men’s Singles Women’s Singles First: Siril Verma(Indai) First: Carolina Marin(Spain) Second:TomaJunior Popov(France) Second: Saina Nehwal(India) Third: Chirag Sen(India) Third: Li Xuerei(China) Ninth: Kidambi Srikanth(India) Twelfth: PV Sindhu(India) • Indian National football team has climbed 3 steps above & reached at 163rd on the ladder of FIFA world rankings.  Belgium is the top,Bhutan-192nd,Nepal-196th and Thailand- 121st. • Australia pulled out of the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh due to threat to Australian interests. • Wayne Rooney England Player of the Year (POTY)for 2015, retaining the title for the second successive year. • Miguel Tabuena from Philippines won the Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of Month for December.  First: Miguel Tabuena, Second: Phachara Khongwatmai(Thailand),Third: Himmat Rai(India) • Sania Mirza(India) and Martina Hingis(Swiss) won their sixth title in line by lifting the WTA Brisbane trophy defeating German wildcards Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic • Qatar Open 2016 Category Winner Runner up Singles Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Rafael Nadal (Spain) Doubles Feliciano Lopez (Spain) Philipp Petzschner (Germany) Marc Lopez (Spain) Alexander Peya (Austria) • Nick Kyrgios secured the Hopman Cup for Australia Green by beating Alexandr Dolgopolov • Sloane Stephens claimed her second WTA title after defeating Julia Goerges • Stanislas Wawrinka from Switzerland won the 2016 Chennai Open title of tennis after defeated the Borna Coric of Croatia • Tennis WTA rankings:  Sania and Martina, the world number one women’s doubles team,  Man Double Ranking - Marcelo Melo of Brazil, followed by Horia Tecau of Romania and Netherlands Jean-Julien Rojer.  Men’s Singles -Novak Djokovic of Serbia tops the chart ahead of Andy Murray of Great Britain and Swiss Roger Federer. • The new IPL franchise, Pune appointed Stephen Fleming as their coach • Queen’s Turf won the Queen Elizabeth Commemoration Cup • ICC and MoneyGram International announced an eight-year deal as an event partner for ICC occasions from 2016-2023. • India’s Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis broke a 22 year old world record by winning their 29th women’s doubles match in WTA Sydney International, in Sydney. • The Auckland Aces shot maker Colin Munro hit a 14-ball 50 to send the Black Caps to a comfortable nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka - 2nd-fastest 50 in T-20 • Rene Holten Poulsen named Denmark’s sportsperson of 2015 • FIFA’s emergency committee has dismissed Jerome Valcke from the position of FIFA Secretary 21 | Page

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General • Former World No.1 tennis player Marat Safin of Russia has joined the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the Russian Tennis Federation. • Mesut Ozil voted as Germany national team player of the year for the fourth time. • Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis’ are continued to lifted their second trophy of the season with the WTA Apia International title • Indian batsman Virat Kohli broke AB de Villier’s record to become the fastest batsman to reach 7000 runs in One Day Internationals. • 2016 Apia international title of tennis  Men’s Singles – Viktor Troicki of Serbia defeated Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria Women’s Singles – Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia defeated Monica Puig of Puerto  Men’s Doubles – Jamie Murray of UK/Bruno Soares of Brazil defeated Rohan Bopanna of India/Florin Mergea of Romania  Women’s Doubles – Martina Hingis of Switzerland/Sania Mirza of India defeated Caroline Garcia of France/Kristina Mladenovic of France • Indian Test team led by Virat Kohli climbed to the top of the ICC Test Rankings after South Africa crashed, defeat against England in Johannesburg. • Russia’s Ivan Popov bagged the title 14th Parsvnath Delhi International Chess Festival in New Delhi • Ronnie O’Sullivan won his 6th £200,000 Snooker Masters title after defeating Barry Hawkins at the Alexandra Palace in London. • Delhi Acers were crowned the champions of the inaugural edition of the Premier Badminton League after they defeated the Mumbai Rockets • BCCI imposed a life time ban on Haryana off-spinner bowler Ajit Chandila due to his involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal 2013. • Stuart Broad become the first England bowler since Steve Harminson in 2004 to top the ICC player ranking for the test bowlers • Jehan Daruvala won the New Zealand’s most prestigious events, the Lady Wigram Trophy • Chris Gayle Equals Yuvraj Singh’s Fastest T20 Fifty Record in a Big Bash League semifinal. • Syed Mushtaq Ali title bagged by the Suresh Raina-led Uttar Pradesh by defeating Irfan Pathan- led Baroda in Mumbai. • Roger Federer clinched his 300th win in grand slams after defeating his Bulgarian challenger Grigor Dimitrov in Australian Open. • International Cricket Council (ICC) appointed the Channel 2 Group as its global audio rights partner • Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Category Winner Men’s Singles Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia) Women’s Singles P. V. Sindhu (India) Men’s doubles Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Indonesia) & Markus Fernaldi Gideon (Indonesia) Women’s doubles Ayaka Takahashi (Japan) & Misaki Matsutomo (Japan) Mixed doubles Zheng Siwei (China) & Li Yinhui (China) • Shivnarine Chanderpaul Veteran West Indies batsman ends 22-year international career • Sourav Kothari from Kolkata defeated Siddharth Parekh in the final of the National Billiards Championship in Indore. • Rohit Sharma,Mumbai batsman claims a career-best 5th position in the ICC batsman rankings • India defeated Pakistan to win the first ever blind T20 Asia Cup at the Nehru Stadium, Kochi. • Japan’s Izumo Takuto and Hong Kong’s Zhu Chengzhu became champions at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Junior Circuit Finals in the boys’ and girls’ categories • 2015 FIH Awards Category Winner Country Player of the Year (Men) Robert Van der Netherland Horst Player of the Year (Women) Lidewij Welten Netherland Rising Star of the Year award (Men) Chrisopher Ruhr Germany Rising Star of the Year award (Women) Lily Owsley Great Britain Goalkeeper of the Year award (Men) David Harte Ireland Goalkeeper of the Year award (Women) Joyce Sombroek Netherland 22 | Page

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• Indian Test team return to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC’s) Test Rankings after South Africa beat against England in Johannesburg.  Australia is at 2nd and England is at 3rd • India’s top pistol shooter Heena Sidhu secured an Olympic quota for the country by clinching gold medal in women’s 10-m air pistol at the Asia Olympic Qualifiers for Shooting. • In the latest BWF ranking P V Sindhu to World No. 11 and wala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa were placed at World No. 14. • Tennis’s governing bodies constituted an Independent Review Panel for safeguard integrity in tennis that was headed by Adam Lewis. • Graham Xavier Ford designated as the chief coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team for his second stint – succeedor of Marvan Atapattu • Australian Open 2016 Category Winner Runner up Men’s Singles Novak Djokovic (Serbia) Andy Murray (UK) Women’s Singles Angelique Kerber (Germany) Serena Williams (US) Men’s Doubles Jamie Murray (UK)/Bruno Soares (Brazil) Daniel Nestor (Canada)/Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) Women’s Doubles Martina Hingis (Switzerland)/Sania Mirza Andrea Hlavackova (Czech (India) Republic)/Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) Mixed Doubles Elena Vesnina (Russia)/Bruno Soares Coco Vandeweghe (US)/Horia (Brazil) Tecau (Romania)

• 34th National Rowing Championship Category Winner Senior Women Open single sculls Navneet Kaur (Pun) Double sculls Harpreet Kaur & Navneet Kaur (Pun) Coxless fours Odisha (Pramila Prava Minz, Pratima Puhana, Sanjukta Dung, Manjula Xess) Pairs Sanjukta Dung & Manjula Xess (Odi) Senior Men Single sculls Sandeep Kumar (All India Police) Lt wt double sculls G. Vishnu Prasad & Arjun B. Panicker (Ker) Coxless four Punjab (Lachhman Singh, Sushil Kumar, Robin Mangar, Rohit Kumar) Lt wt coxless fours All India Police (Dharmendra Choudhary, Nitesh Kumar Lall, Ravinderjit Singh, Jagsir Singh) Pairs Gurwinder Singh & Karamjeet Singh (Pun)

• Reigning Olympic champion Jenn Suhr of the US broke her own women’s world indoor pole vault record by clearing 5.03 meters at the Golden Eagle Invitational meet.

OBITUARY

• Founding member and singer in the British heavy metal band Motorhead Ian Fraser Lemmy Kilmister(70) passed away • Grammy-winning singer best known for the songs ‘Unforgettable’, ‘Inseparable’ and ‘This Will Be’ Natalie Cole passed away • Veteran Communist Party of India leader A.B. Bardhan, 92, passed away • English cricketer Matthew Hobden(22) passed away • Former Wigan Athletic defender Steve Gohouri(34) passed away • Former Chief Justice of India Sarosh Homi Kapadia(68) died • 6th Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away • Noted Gujarati writer Labshankar Thakar(80) passes away • Phantasm star Angus Scrimm passed away at 89 - Alias • First female F1 driver Maria Teresa de Filippis(89) passes away • Noted Hindi writer and journalist RavindraKalia(78) passed away. • The one-time Grammy nominee Otis Clay inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013 passed away 23 | Page

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• The iconic singer David Bowie passed away at 69 • The Hero of 1971 war with Pakistan, Lieutenant-General J.F.R. Jacob passed away at 92 • British actor and Director Alan Rickman, a classically trained stage star passed away at 69. • Noted filmmaker Anil Ganguly passed away at 82 • Television actor Rajesh Vivek Upadhyay-popular character of Guran in Bollywood blockbuster, Lagaan passed away at 66 • Veteran journalist Gopal Krishna Roy passed away at 82. • Former Sikkim Governor and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ventrapragada Rama Rao passes away at 81 • Noted Punjabi folk singer Manpreet Akhtar passed away at 55 • Noted Sandalwood film-maker and lyricist Geethapriya (84) passed away. • Yasutaro Koide, the world’s oldest man, a Japanese, died at the age of 112. • Eagle’s guitarist Glenn Frey has died at the age of 67 • Senior journalist and scholar Aroon Tikekar passed away at 72 • Noted danseuse and Padma Bhushan recipient Mrinalini Sarabhai passed at the age of 97. • Ravindra Reddy founder Chairman of MTAR passes away at the age of 77 • Legendary tabla player Shankar Ghosh died at the age of 80 • Ms Nirmala Gajwani the former Deputy speaker of Gujarat Assembly passed away - first lady Deputy Speaker • Malayalam film actress Known for comic roles Kalpana Ranjani aka Kalpana passed away • Marvin Minsky, a mathematician, computer scientist and pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) passed away at 88 • American actor Abe Vigoda known for roles in The Godfather and Barney Miller, passed away at 94 • Former India basketball captain Ranbir Chopra died • TOI managing editor Arindam Sen Gupta passed away • Former minister and freedom fighter Maheswar Baug passed away at 85 • The former Army Chief General and a former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura, K.V. Krishna Rao • Jefferson Airplane guitarist and co-founder Paul Kantner passed away at 74 • Noted Telugu litterateur Nayani Krishnakumari passes away at 86 • TN Gopakumar Editor-in-Chief of Asianet News and Veteran journalist at the age of 58 passes away BOOKS & AUTHORS

• “Anything But Khamosh” Shatrughan Sinha’s biography released by BJP veteran LK Advaniat in New Delhi. • Narendra Modi released a book titled “MARU BHARAT SARU BHARAT“(My India Noble India) through a video conference in Mumbai- authored by Jain Acharya Ratnasundersuriswarji Maharaj • Vice President Hamid Ansari released the book ‘Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian Polity In Perspective’ - edited by former police officer P.J. Alexander • The Minister of State (MoS) for Railways Manoj Sinha released a book titled Objective Railway Engineering-Track, Works & Others authored by a well known Civil Engineer MM Agarwal. • The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, released a book named “The Z Factor” written by Shri Subhash Chandra. • PM releases unique illustrated version of Shri-Durga-Saptashati compiled by Dr. Sandeep Joshi • Union Minister of Human Resource Development Launches Veer Gaatha Series of Books on Param Veer Chakra Awardees • West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee released ten books including a book on “Tolerance” at the 40th Kolkata International Book fair. • Vice President Hamid Ansari released the second volume of memoirs of President Pranab Mukherjee titled The Turbulent Years – 1980-1996 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

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IMPORTANT DAYS

Jan 1 : World Braille Day Jan 10: World Hindi Day Jan 12: National Youth Day - Theme: “Indian youth for development skill and harmony” Jan 15: Indian Army Day Jan 24: National girl child day Jan 25: National Voters Day, National Tourism Day Jan 26: 67th Republic Day - Theme of Parade : ‘Swachh Bharat' and 'Digital India’ Jan 26: International Customs Day - Theme: “Digital Customs: Progressive Engagement” Jan 27: International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust Theme: From Words to Genocide: Antisemitic Propaganda and the Holocaust Jan 30: Martyrs’ Day Jan 31: World Leprosy Day

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