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com/blogs
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GK TORNADO SBI Clerk & UIIC AO EXAM 2016 (English)

Dear readers,
This GK TORNADO is a complete docket of important news and events. The GK TORNADO is important
and relevant for all competitive exams like UIIC AO & SBI Exam 2016, Railway Recruitment 2016
Exam, SSC CGL 2016, Insurance and UPSC Exams.

BANKING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL NEWS

Policy Repo Rate : 6.50%

Reverse Repo Rate : 6.00%
Marginal Standing Facility Rate : 7.00%
Bank Rate : 7.00%
CRR : 4%
SLR : 21.25%
RBI Reference Rate
INR / 1 USD : 67.2415
INR / 1 Euro : 74.9944
INR / 100 Jap. YEN : 61.8300
INR / 1 Pound Sterling : 96.9017
Base Rate : 9.30% - 9.70%
MCLR (Overnight) : 8.90% - 9.15%
Savings Deposit Rate : 4.00%
Term Deposit Rate > 1 Year : 7.00% - 7.50%
www.gradestack.com/blogs
Raghuram Rajan conferred with the
Central Banker of the Year Award 2016 -
The Reserve Bank of India Governor, Dr.
Raghuram Rajan conferred with the
Central Banker of the Year Award (Global
and Asia Pacific) for 2016 by The Banker,
a monthly publication of the Financial
Times Group focussing on banking.
RBI seeks additional 26k cr for PSU
banks - The RBI has sought an additional
26,000 crore from the government by
2018 for capital infusion into Public
Sector Undertaking (PSU) banks for
implementing Basel-III norms in the
banks. The government has already
pledged 70,000 crore for the purpose by
the end of FY19.
RBI formed Financial Inclusion Fund with
2000 crore rupees corpus: The Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) formed a single
Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF) with a
corpus of 2000 crore rupees. The fund
was formed by merging the Financial
Inclusion Fund (FIF) and Financial
Inclusion Technology Fund (FITF). This
fund will support the developmental and
promotional activities covered under the
financial inclusion initiatives.
PPF contributions to remain tax exempt
The Government today said PPF
withdrawals will continue to be fully
exempt from tax and only interest
accruing after April 1 on 60 per cent of
the contributions made to Employee PF
will be taxed.
IFC launches Uridashi Masala Bonds
These masala bonds were launched to
mobilise 30 crore rupees from Japanese
retail investors and will be sold to
Japanese household investors.
RBI floats draft framework for account
aggregator NBFCs
Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank
(KVGB) has won eight awards in
various categories for 2013-14 and
2014-15 from National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development
(Nabard).
Capital Area Bank first to get small
finance bank licence from RBI
SBI among 4 new foreign banks
allowed to operate in Myanmar
Yes Bank today launched an all-women
operated bank branch Yes Grace on
Cunningham Road in Bengaluru aimed at
offering customised banking solutions to
women.
Syndicate Bank 1,000 crore fraud
Govt removes proposed tax on EPF
withdrawals
Gujarat has topped the list of 21 states
with most investment potential that has
been drawn up by economic think-tank
NCAER
IMF to set up data sharing centre in
India
ICICI Bank rolls out iWork@home for
women employees
India, Bangladesh sign $2 billion deal
to implement socio-economic projects
RBI inks information exchange pact
with Bank of Israel
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
approved by the Cabinet
Yes Bank in pact with India-Brazil
chamber for strategic cooperation
ONGC to invest $4-5 billion in
deepwater KG-basin block
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
inaugurated three major railway projects
in Bihar at an estimated cost of 7000
crore rupees.
ICICI Bank launches contactless mobile
pay solution iTap
RBI likely to pay Rs 57,000 crore in
dividends to government in 2016-17
Bangladeshs bank governor resigns on
$81 million cyber theft
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Post Office account holders can
operate their accounts from any
branch
India became second biggest investor
in London
India signs $35 mn loan with WB for
MP project
Interest rate on PPF slashed from 8.7%
to 8.1%
SBI leads mobile banking chart with
over 38% market share
Indian economy to grow 7.7% in 2016-
17: ICRA
Reserve Bank of India made life a bit
easier for banks by softening rules on
liquidity measurement and risk
management.
It said that banks do not need to consider
retail deposits with maturity beyond a
month for liquidity coverage ratio (LCR)
calculation, giving more flexibility in their
daily operations.
The Reserve Bank has revised certain
rules on measuring liquidity for Basel
III norms, providing exemption to
branches of foreign banks from
submitting statement with regard to
foreign currency.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley
launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal
Bima Yojana and Unified Package
Insurance Scheme in Mumbai.
India has overtaken China in terms of
direct equity allocation by US
investors.
The data released by US Treasury shows
India makes up 1.8% of US foreign equity
holdings as on December 2015 as against
1.6% of China.
Indian Economy to grow at 7.2% in
2016-17: BMI Research
Indias forex reserves reach all
time high
Indias forex reserves jumped by $2.5
billion to reach a record high at $355.9
billion for the week that ended on March
18, the Reserve Bank of India said on
Friday in its weekly statistical report.
Indian-American appointed as
President, CEO of Bank of the West
RBI announces pvt placement of special
securities under UDAY
ONGC to invest $5 billion to develop KG
basin deepwater block
Govt. allows 100% FDI in e-commerce
marketplace model
RBI cancels registration of 22 nonbanking
finance companies including Amazan
Capital and Mascot Commerce.
PFRDA: Swavalamban subscribers can
switch to Atal Pension Yojana
German Bank to provide loan
assistance of Rs. 3,750 crores for metro
system of Nagpur
DCB Bank starts Indias 1st Aadhaar-based
ATMs
Germanys Development Bank KfW to
provide loan assistance to metro system
for Nagpur
DCB Bank launches Indias first Aadhaar-
based ATM
India may expand by 7.7% in fiscal
year 2017: Fitch
India to notch up to 7.5 pc growth in
201617: IMF
Postal department to launch payments
bank by January
RBI gave in-principle approval to Airtel
payments bank
India worlds largest remittance
recipient in 2015: World Bank
In its annual report Migration and
Development Brief, World Bank said,
India retained its top spot in 2015,
attracting about 69 billion US dollars in
www.gradestack.com/blogs
remittances, down from 70 billion in
2014.
Interest rates for NSSF loan to Centre,
states cut to 8.8%
India, US To Collaborate On Tackling
Offshore Tax Evasion
India offers to invest $20 billion in oil
and other projects in Iran
India to get $250m for renewables
from New Development Bank
A new multilateral lender set up by the
BRICS nations has approved its first set of
loans valued at 811 million US dollars
for renewable energy projects in four of
its member countries.
Centre to increase monthly minimum
wages to 10,000 rupees for contract
labourers
Govt to launch Twitter Seva for startups
on April 21
World Bank Group to Invest 2.5 Billion US
Dollars in Education Projects
Indias trade deficit declines 5.07 billion
dollars in March
IMF, WB, UN and OECD form new group
to stop tax erosion
RBL Bank launches branch for startups
Gujarat govt exempts small salt producers
from VAT
Inflation in negative zone for 17th month,
at -0.85% in March
Anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman to
replace former US president on $20 bill
India replaces China as top FDI
destination in 2015: FDI Intelligence
Report
Govt. to appoint 10,000 new LPG
distributors in FY17
India, France Launch $1 Trillion
Potential Solar Programme
NABARD lends Rs 1,000 crore to HSWC
for wheat procurement
Finance Ministry approves 8.7% interest
on EPF for 2015-16
Experian India launches new fraud
solution for banking and insurance
Railway Ministry to set up Rs 1 lakh crore
Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh
J&K Cabinet approves 5% interest subsidy
for flood-hit traders
New Zealands $5 bill named best
banknote of the year
NABARD partners Germany for food
security initiative
Centre approves Rs.9,005 cr. more
investment in affordable housing in 3
States
1. RBI cancels registration of 22 NBFCs
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled
registration of 22 non-banking finance
companies (NBFCs) including Amazon
Capital and Mascot Commerce.
2. Swavalamban subscribers can switch
to APY: PFRDA
Subscribers of micro-pension scheme
Swavalamban, which closes on March 31,
can switch to the Atal Pension Yojana
(APY) and retain the governments co-
contribution.
Under the scheme, the government
contributes Rs 1,000 per year to each NPS
account for the first four years.
3. Boost for e-commerce as Centre
permits 100 per cent FDI in online
market places
The government permitted 100% foreign
direct investment (FDI) under the
automatic route for retail trading, or B2C
(business-to-consumer) transactions, in
the marketplace model of e-commerce.
4. Gujarat to set up countrys first organic
farming university
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In 2016-17 state annual budget; state
government has allocated a fund of 10
crore rupees towards the university. It
also took steps like setting up of a cell to
implement its new organic farming
policy.
5. ADB, USAID to assist developing Solar
parks in India
The US Agency for International
Development (USAID) and Asian
Development Bank today signed a pact
for providing Rs 5,681 crore (USD 848
million) to develop solar parks across
India, as part of clean energy
infrastructure in the country.
6. ONGC to invest $5 billion to develop KG
basin deepwater block
The ONGC board has approved a $ 5.076-
billion field development plan for a
portion of its deepwater oil and gas block
in the Krishna-Godavari basin on the
east coast.
7. Indian-American appointed as
President, CEO of Bank of the West
Indian-American Nandita Bakshi has been
appointed the President and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Bank of the
West, a subsidiary unit of French banking
giant BNP Paribas.
8. Jeff Bezos top Fortunes Greatest
Leaders List
9. Indias forex reserves reach all time
high
Indias forex reserves jumped by $2.5
billion to reach a record high at $355.9
billion for the week that ended on March
18, the Reserve Bank of India said on
Friday in its weekly statistical report.
The previous high stood at $355.4 billion
reported on June 27 of last year
10. New BRICS-supported bank approves
first loans
A new multilateral lender set up by the
BRICS nations has approved its first set of
loans valued at 811 million US dollars
for renewable energy projects in four of
its member countries.
According to a statement, the first group
of projects approved by the banks board
are in the area of green and renewable
energy.
11. Centre to increase monthly minimum
wages to 10,000 rupees for contract
labourers
Union Labour Minister Bandaru
Dattatreya has said that the government
has decided to bring out an executive
order to increase minimum wages to
10,000 rupees per month for contract
labourers across the country.
12. Jharkhand Government launches
Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana for
widows
It was launched by Chief Minister
Raghubar Das on the occasion of 125th
birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar.
The scheme (Yojana) aims at building
11000 units (houses) for widows in 2016-
17 financial year with the budgetary
allocation of 80 crore rupees.
Under it, beneficiaries would get an
amount of 75000 rupees to build a house
in hilly terrains districts and 70000
rupees in plains area.
13. India offers to invest $20 billion in oil
and other projects in Iran
India has offered to invest up to $20
billion in oil, petrochemicals and fertiliser
projects in joint ventures with Iran if
Tehran provides land and cheap gas, even
as there is no sign yet of an agreement on
the long-pending rights to develop
Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf
discovered by staterun ONGC Videsh.
14. India to get $250m for renewables
from New Development Bank
The New Development Bank, the latest
multilateral funding institution in the
www.gradestack.com/blogs
financial world, has sanctioned a $250
million loan for India to fund its ambitious
scheme on new and renewable energy.
15. RBI gave in-principle approval to
Airtel payments bank
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted
the first payments bank
license to Airtel M Commerce Services
(AMSL) which is a subsidiary of Bharti
Airtel.
All companies, which received in-
principle approval from RBI in August,
will have to make their
banks operational by March 2017.
16. India worlds largest remittance
recipient in 2015: World Bank
In its annual report Migration and
Development Brief, World Bank said,
India retained its top spot in 2015,
attracting about 69 billion US dollars in
remittances, down from 70 billion in
2014.
17. Interest rates for NSSF loan to Centre,
states cut to 8.8%
The government has slashed interest
rates on loans from the National Small
Savings Fund (NSSF) to 8.8 per
cent from 9.5 per cent for FY17.
All the funds collected from small savings
such as National Small Savings
Certificate, Kisan Vikas Patra
(KVP), Public Provident Fund (PPF) and
Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS) is
deposited in the NSSF.
18. Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF,
World Bank
The Republic of Nauru, a tiny South
Pacific island nation in Pacific Ocean
became the 189th member of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and
World Bank.
19. Vijay Shekhar Sharma appointed
chairman of IAMAI payments banks
group
Industry body Internet and Mobile
Association of India, has appointed Paytm
founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma,
chairman of its the newly formed
payments banks group.
Vodafone India business head(M-
Pesa)Suresh Sethi, will be the vice-
chairman of the group.
20. India may expand by 7.7% in fiscal
year 2017: Fitch
Fitch Ratings expects India to be on the
top of the global growth ladder and
expanding by 7.7 per cent in the current
fiscal.
Growth is expected to gradually
accelerate to 7.7 per cent in FY17 and 7.9
per cent in FY18, Fitch Ratings said in its
India-Global Economic Outlook (GEO)
Forecast.
21. India to notch up to 7.5 pc growth in
201617: IMF
MF in its latest, World Economic Outlook
report said, Indias growth is projected to
notch up to 7.5 per cent in 2016-17,
overtaking Chinas GDP by more than 1
per cent.
22. Postal department to launch payments
bank by January
The Department of Post will launch its
payments bank by January next year and
top management of the new-age venture
would be in-place by July.
23. India, Germany sign pact on Ganga
Rejuvenation
The project duration is three years from
2016 to 2018 and the German
contribution in the project will be to the
tune of 22.5 crore rupees.
24. Central govt employees get 6 per cent
DA hike from Jan 1
Dearness allowance (DA) for central
government employees has been hiked
to 125 %of basic pay, up by 6
www.gradestack.com/blogs
percentage points, with effect
from January 1, 2016.
The Centre revises DA twice a year on
the basis of one year average of retail
inflation for industrial workers as per a
pre-determined formula.
25. Nita Ambani most powerful business
woman in Asia: Forbes
SBI Chairman and Managing Director
Arundhati Bhattacharya has been
ranked second.
26. RBI cuts repo rate by 25 basis points to
6.5%; Keeps CRR unchanged
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut
down key interest rates repo rate by 25
basispoints to 6.50 per cent from 6.75
per cent in its first bi-monthly
monetary policyreview for the 2016-17
fiscal.
27. DCB Bank launches Indias first
Aadhaar-based ATM
DCB Bank has launched, Indias first of its
kind Aadhaar-based Automatic Teller
Machine (ATM) in Mumbai. It is a card
less and PIN less ATM,customers can
transact using hisbiometric
details instead of the PIN.
28. Modi launches Stand Up India scheme
The scheme is intended to promote
entrepreneurship among Scheduled
Castes, Schedule Tribes and women will
involve loans ranging from Rs. 10
lakh to Rs. 1 crore.
29. India ranks 6th in 2015 top-10
manufacturers list: UNIDO report
India has been ranked sixth among the
worlds Top-Ten largest manufacturing
countries in the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO) 2015
Yearbook report.
30. Germanys Development Bank KfW to
provide loan assistance to metro
system for Nagpur
Germanys Development Bank KfW will
provide loan assistance of three
thousand and 750 crore rupees for the
modern and sustainable metro system for
Nagpur city being executed by Nagpur
Metro Rail Corporation Limited.
31. Geeta Reddy is new Chairperson of
PAC
Congress senior MLA J Geeta Reddy has
been appointed as the new Chairperson of
the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of
Telangana.
Capital Small Finance Bank, Indias first
small finance bank starts operation
on 24thApril 2016. It opened 10 new
branches in Punjab.
PNB becomes top mobiliser under Gold
Monetisation Scheme
Mahindra & Mahindra becomes first
Indian company to join EP100 campaign
Goldman Sachs launches online-only bank
for the masses
Maharashtra is the biggest contributor to
income tax collections in India
India to maintain 7.6% GDP growth in
2016: UNESCAP
Ind-Ra lowers GDP growth forecast to
7.7% from 7.9%
NABARD partners with Germany for food
security initiative
SIDBI signs MoU with Saarc Development
Fund
India to clock 7.4 pct GDP growth this
fiscal: Standard Chartered
ICICI Bank signs MoU with New
Development Bank
SBI rolls out mVisa
Government releases Rs 9,367 crore
under MGNREGA to drought-hit states
India received $40.82 billion FDI till
December in FY16
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RBI to issue Rs 1000 banknotes with inset
letter R
Digital India eKranti programme to offer
passports, pension online
Kotak Mahindra becomes 2nd most
valued private bank
Indian economy projected to grow 7.3%
in 2016: UN
ICICI Bank launches business credit card
with Jet Airways
ICICI Bank launches business credit card
with Jet Airways
India to clock GDP growth of 7.4% in
FY17: HSBC
India tops global confidence rankings:
Nielsen
WB approves $625 m loan to support
rooftop solar programme in India
PayU India, Paytm get in-principle
approvals for consumer bill payment
services
Industrial output growth down in March;
at 2.4 p.c. in FY16
Mauritius, Singapore account for 50 p.c. of
total FDI into India
India 3rd in attractiveness index of
renewable energy: Report
NTPC tied-up with Coal India Limited to
foray into Fertilizer Sector
RBI allows FPIs to invest in unlisted debt
securities
South Indian Bank announces tie up with
National Australian Bank
RBI cancelled Certificate of Registration of
four NBFCs
Reliance Jio launches JioMoney Wallet
service
India, China and four others courtiers sign
pact on tax info sharing
RBI issues norms for prior approval of
branch offices by foreign entities in India
HDFC Bank launches SmartUp
RBS to close retail banking operations in
India
World Bank approves $625 m loan to
support rooftop solar programme in India
Public sector bank that is introducing a
performance management system for its
1.70 lakh employees to build individual
accountability - State Bank of India.
The European Central Bank has
announced that it will permanently stop
producing the 500 euro banknote by the
end of 2018.
The Reserve Bank of India has released
Draft Guidelines for on tap licensing of
Universal BanksPrivate Sector.
The Reserve Bank of India placed
consultation paper on regarding - Peer to
Peer Lending.
Indias rank in crony-capitalism index
that has released by the Economist in the
first week of May 2016- Ninth.
Report of the financial institution says
that bribery and corruption cost the
world economy as much as 2 trillion
dollars every year -International
Monetary Fund
The Union Government has released a
commemorative coin of hundred rupees
and a circulation coin of ten rupees on -
Maharana Pratap.
Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the
registration of how many non-banking
financial companies- Four
Punch Points
Capital Area Bank first to get small
finance bank licence from RBI
SBI among 4 new foreign banks allowed
to operate in Myanmar
Govt removes proposed tax on EPF
withdrawals
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ICICI Bank rolls out iWork@home for
women employees
RBI inks information exchange pact with
Bank of Israel
India, Bangladesh sign $2 billion deal to
implement socio-economic projects
India became second biggest investor in
London
Indias forex reserves reach all time high -
$2.5 billion
Govt. allows 100% FDI in e-commerce
marketplace model
India may expand by 7.7% in fiscal year
2017: Fitch
India to notch up to 7.5 pc growth in
201617: IMF
India to get $250m for renewables from
New Development Bank
COMMITTEE
Ajay Shankar Committee on Prior
Permission & Regulatory Mechanisms
Madhukar Gupta committee constituted to
suggest ways to strengthen security along
Indo-Pak border
Union Govt. constitutes B B Tandon
Committee to monitor Government
Advertisements
Govt. constitutes Ashok Dalwai committee
for doubling farmers income
1. Kamlesh Chandra Committee - to
examine the wage structure, service
conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks
(GDS) in the Department of Posts (DoP).
2. Adam Lewis Panel - to safeguard
integrity in International tennis.
3. Shyam Benegal Committee - to look into
revamp the film certification nuances by
Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC).
Centre to increase monthly minimum
wages to 10,000 rupees for contract
NABARD lends Rs 1,000 crore to HSWC
for wheat procurement
New Zealands $5 bill named best
banknote of the year
RBI cancels registration of 22 NBFCs
ONGC to invest $5 billion to develop KG
basin deepwater block
Modi launches Stand Up India scheme
RBI allows FPIs to invest in unlisted debt
securities
RBS to close retail banking operations in
India
Indias rank in crony-capitalism index
that has released by the Economist in the
first week of May 2016- Ninth.
4. R. M. Lodha Committee - on the IPL
betting scandal.
5. Dr. T. K. Viswanathan Committee - on
Bankruptacy Law Reforms
6. A. P. Shah committee - to look into the
dispute between Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation Limited (ONGC) and Reliance
Industries Limited (RIL) on Krishna
Godavari (KG) gas fields.
7. L. Narasimha Reddy Committee - to
look into the implementation of One Rank
One Pension (OROP) scheme for the ex-
servicemen.
8. Arvind Subramanian Committee - on
Possible Tax rates under Goods and
Services Tax (GST)
9. M.B. Shah Committee - on Black
Money
10. RV Easwar Committee - to simplify
the provisions of the Income Tax Act,
1961.
11. T. Haque committee - NITI Aayog
constituted T. Haque Expert Group on
Land Leasing
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12. R Gandhi committee - recommended
conversion of Urban Cooperative Banks
(UCBs) with business size of 20,000 crore
rupees or more into regular banks.
13. Deepak Mohanty committee to
frame action plan on financial inclusion.
14. A. P. Shah committee A high level
committee on the controversial issue of
payment of Minimum Alternate Tax
(MAT) by foreign institutional investors.
15. Vijay Kelkar committee: on Revisiting
and Revitalizing the Public Private
Partnership (PPP) Model of Infrastructure
Development.
16. AK Bhargava committee: to look into
the issues of "Net neutrality".
Supreme court has appointed which
committee to oversee the functions of the
Medical Council of India?- RM Lodha
committee Note: The Supreme Court has
appointed a three-member high-powered
committee headed by former Chief Justice
of India RM Lodha to oversee the
functions of the Medical Council of India.
Other two members of the panel are
Vinod Rai, former Comptroller and
Auditor General (CAG) and Dr SK Sareen,
Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary
Sciences.
Which committee of Haryana that
submitted its report on Jat Quota
agitation to Haryana CM headed by -
Parkash Singh.
The three member committee constituted
by the Union Government to prepare a
policy framework for taxi and other
transport operators will be headed by -
Sanjay Mitra, the Road Transport
Secretary.
The person who will head the five
member committee to give
recommendations on the Fiscal
Responsibility and Budget Management
(FRBM) - NK Singh
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SUMMITS

India to host 8th BRICS Summit 2016 in Goa

4th Nuclear Security Summit begins in Washington,USA

Arun Jaitley launches Make In India Conference in Sydney

North East-ASEAN Business Summit begins in Imphal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
inaugurated the 3rd Asia Ministerial
Conference on the Tiger Conservation
in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated
the Maritime India Summit 2016 inMumbai,
Maharashtra.
Heart of Asia conference held today in New
Delhi
World Economic Forum 2016 meeting
held in Davos, Switzerland.
The official theme of the 2016 meeting is
Mastering the Fourth Industrial
Revolution
16th G -20 Summit 2016 - China
17th G -20 Summit 2017 Germany
The 42nd G7 Summit 2016 Japan
The 43rd G7 Summit 2017 Italy
The 44th G7 Summit 2018 Canada
4th Nuclear security summit 2016
United States.
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AWARDS

Leonardo DiCaprio wins his first-ever Best Ratan Thiyam named for 11th META
Actor award: Oscar 2016 theatre award
Leonardo DiCaprio has finally won his first
Mahindra & Mahindra Chairman and
Oscar for survival epic The Revenant. It took
Managing Director Anand Mahindra
Leonardo a good 22 years to finally earn
has been conferred with Chevalier de
the Academy Award.
la Legion dHonneur (Knight of the
Best Picture Spotlight
Legion of Honour) by the French
Resul Pookutty became first Asian to win authorities.
Golden Reel Award Renowned Dogri poetess and writer
Famous sound designer Resul Pookutty Padma Sachdev has been awarded
became the first Asian to win the award prestigious Krutitava Smagra Samman
for Best Sound for documentary Indias for the year 2015.
Daughter at the Motion Picture Sound
Editors (MPSE) 63rd annual Golden Reel The Haryana government will confer
Awards. state-level award for year 2015-16 to
district administrations of Narnaul,
Indira Gandhi International Airport wins Bhiwani and Jhajjar for efforts to
three international awards improve sex ratio.
Delhi international airport has received three
international awards, including for best Manoj Kumar to be conferred
airport by size in the Asia Pacific region. Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Best airport by size & region Asia Pacific Padma Sachdev awarded 2015
(25-40 MPPA). Krutitava Smagra Samma
Second best airport by region (Asia
Pacific). Anand Mahindra conferred with
Frances highest civilian award
Science journalist Pallava Bagla bags
national award Hanan Al Hroub wins 2016 Global
Teacher Prize
Bhagwati Lal Vyas selected for Bihari
Puraskar 2015 Kerala Tourism campaign wins Golden
his anthology of Rajasthani poems Katha City Gate Award
Sun Aawe Hai Sabad.
Andrew Wiles wins 2016 Abel Prize
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Geetakshi Arora wins first Noor Inayat
Khan Prize
M Sukumaran chosen for
Kunhiraman literary prize
Skoch Lifetime Achievement Award
conferred on Venkaiah Naidu
Amitabh Bachchan won the best actor
award at 2016 National films awards
Kangana Ranaut has been selected
for Best Actress award for her role in the
movie Tanu Weds Manu Returns.
Late Capt. Shankar Laxman was
posthumously chosen for the 2016 Major
Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement
Award.
Vishwanathan Anand to be honoured with
Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award
Mother Teresa conferred with Founders
Award posthumously in UK
IIT-Kharagpur Wins Top Award For
Patents
Khadija Ismayilova awarded
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press
Freedom Prize 2016
Priyanka Chopra to be awarded with
Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation
Award 2016
Padma Sachdev selected for 2015
Saraswati Samman
Vishwanathan Anand conferred with
Hridaynath Award
Ex-army chief J. J. Singh gets highest
French civilian honour
Geetha Johri becomes Gujarats first
woman DGP
President Pranab Mukherjee presents
Hindi Sevi Samman for 2012-14
President Pranab Mukherjee honoured
the Chinese professor Ge Fuping with the
George Grierson prize for his
remarkable works done for the
propagation of Hindi abroad.
CV
Indian Diplomat Amitav Banerji
Honoured By Cyprus
Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi
Samman for 3 Odiya artists
Manoj Bajpayee to receive Dadasaheb
Phalke Foundation Award for
Aligarh
Sudarsan Pattnaik bags gold medal at
Sculpture Championship in Moscow
Former bureaucrat NK Singh selected
for Japans highest civilian award
Pakistan woman rights activist wins
Nelson Mandela Award
The Special Breakthrough Prize in
Fundamental Physics has been announced
by recognizing the scientists and
engineers who contributed to the
momentous detection of- Gravitational
Waves.
Name of the actor who has won National
Film Award for Best Actor- Amitabh
Bachchan.
Maharashtras well-known businessman-
politician also called The Man with the
Golden Shirt by his friends, who earned a
place in the Guinness World Records
(GWR) - Pankaj Parakh.
Indian author wins 2016 Commonwealth
Short Story Regional Prize- Parashar
Kulkarni.
The President of India conferred the
awards to the companies from various
sectors for promoting exports during the
year 2015-16.- Niryat Shree and Niryat
Bandhu Awards.
Indian author, Parashar Kulkarni has
been conferred with the Commonwealth
Short Story Prize for 2016, for the Asia
www.gradestack.com/blogs
region for his fiction - 'Cow and
Company'.
The famous Indian music composer who
agreed to be the Goodwill Ambassador of
the Indian Olympic contingent is - AR
Rahman.
The awards given by Union Health
Ministry to mark the meritorious services
of nursing professionals in India. -
Florence Nightingale Awards 2016.
She is the captain of Indian women
hockey team and was recommended by
Hockey India for Arjuna Award - Ritu
Rani.
An Indian-American woman elementary
teacher from Texas has been honored by
US President Barack Obama for her
excellent work in the field of education -
Revathi Balakrishnan.
This Indian state tourism is the winner of
the Best Indian Destination for Wildlife
Award - Madhya Pradesh Tourism.
Punch Points:
The former chairman of the Indian Space
Research Organisation has been
honoured with the IAF Hall of Fame
award 2016 is -Udupi Ramachandra Rao.
The South Korean author, who won the
2016 Man Booker International Prize for
her novel 'The Vegetarian' is - Han Kang.
Indian artist who won the 2016 UN poster
contest on N-disarmament - Anjali
Chandrashekar.
The Indian American boy who the Intel
Foundation Young Scientist Awards of
50000 US dollar for developing a low-cost
electronically aided knee braceSyamantak
Payra.
Indian-American biotechnologist who has
been awarded with the University of
Houstons Distinguished Leadership in
Teaching Excellence Award in 2016- Rupa
Iyer.
Indian-American professor has conferred
with the US National Medal of Science
2015- Rakesh K Jain.
Indian awarded with Othmer Gold Medal
for Entrepreneurial Leadership 2016-
Mukesh Ambani.
The movie that won the 2016 Palme d'Or
at Cannes Film Festival is -I, Daniel Blake.
This Nobel Peace Prize winner authored
the book titled A Call to Mercy: Hearts to
Love, Hands to Serve Mother Teresa.
The American engineer who has won the
2016 Millennium Technology Prize -
Frances Arnold.
Malti Devi Gyan Peeth Puraskar for the
year 2016 is given in the field of
Education.
Who has been conferred the Nari Jagran
Samman-2016 award by the Nari Jagran
magazine in Varanasi - Heeraben.
Indira Gandhi International Airport
wins three international awards
Manoj Kumar to be conferred
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Ratan Thiyam named for 11th META
theatre award
Vishwanathan Anand to be honoured with
Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award
Mother Teresa conferred with Founders
Award posthumously in UK
Priyanka Chopra to be awarded with
Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation
Award 2016
Maharashtras well-known businessman-
politician also called The Man with the
Golden Shirt by his friends, who earned a
place in the Guinness World Records
(GWR) - Pankaj Parakh.
www.gradestack.com/blogs
NEW APPOINTMENTS (INDIA & INTERNATIONAL)
Alok Kumar Verma takes charge as
Delhi Police Commissioner
Rozle Prezelj elected Chairman of IAAF
Athletes Commission
Portugal nominated ex-refugee chief
Antonio Guterres for UN Secretary-
General
Mrugank Paranjape appointed as MD
and CEO of MCX
Sunil Sabharwal took charge as
Alternate Executive Director at IMF
Justice Permod Kohli new Chairman of
CAT
Tapan Chand elected AAI chief
Balbir Singh Chauhan appointed as
Chairman of 21st Law Commission of
India
Lt Gen N P S Hira appointed as Deputy
Chief of Army Staff
Ahmed Abul Gheit named as Secretary
General of Arab League
Indian scholar H Deep Saini appointed
VC of Canberra University
Htin Kyaw elected as first civilian
President of Myanmar
Fazle Kabir appointed Governor of
Bangladesh Bank
Ashley Judd appointed as Goodwill
Ambassador by UNFPA
General Lori Robinson nominated as
first US female combatant Chief
Justice Permod Kohli new Chairman of
CAT
H L Dattu appointed as member of
International Coordinating Committee
Bureau
Surya Deva Appointed As UN Human
Rights Commissioner
www.gradestack.com/blogs
Htin Kyaw sworn in as Myanmars first
elected President
Vietnam s parliament elects first female
speaker - Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan
Geeta Reddy is new Chairperson of PAC
Mehbooba Mufti sworn in as J&Ks1st
woman CM
Tran Dai Quang sworn in as new
President of Vietnam
Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson names as new
PM of Iceland
C P Gurnani appointed chairman of
Nasscom
Hashim Thaci sworn in as Kosovos new
president
Union Government appoints Meeran
Borwankar as DG of BPR&D
Sushila Karki: First female Chief Justice
of Nepals Supreme Court
Vijay Shekhar Sharma appointed
chairman of IAMAI payments banks
group
Susmita Pande appointed as Chairman
of NMA
Ajay Banga appointed as member of US
cybersecurity body
PCB appoints Inzamam-ul-Haq as new
chief selector
BCCI appoints Rahul Johri as its
first CEO
Indian-American Geeta Pasi nominated
as US envoy to Chad
Communist Laos appoints new
president, prime minister
Goa Govt. appoints Justice P.K. Mishra
as Lokayukta
China suspends G-20 anti-corruption
task force
Centre appoints A Ajith Kumar as
Rubber Board chief
Bhupendra Kainthola appointed FTII
Director
Mouamba Clement appointed as Prime
Minister of Congo
Shri S. K. Bhagat appointed as DG of
Railway Protection Force
Sanjiv Misra appointed as Non-
Executive Chairman of Axis Bank
EBI approves Ashok Chawla as NSE
chairman
Indian American Sikh woman from
California has been elected as the newest
national committee woman of the
Republican National Committee -
Harmeet Kaur Dhillon Gdgd.
Former Chief Executive of Future Group
who has been appointed as Managing
Director of Bharti Retail is - Kishore
Biyani. Note:- National Statistical
Commission is an advisory body on all
statistical matters, set up to enhance
public trust in official statistics.
Senior lawyer whose name has been
recommended for elevation to as Judge on
Supreme Court by Supreme Courts
Collegium- L Nageshwar Rao.
Guinea Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz
has issued a presidential decree naming a
person as Prime Minister of the country -
Baciro Dja.
Renowned statistician who take over as
the part-time Chairperson in the National
Statistical Commission___. Dr. Radha
Binod Barman. The Commission is an
advisory body on all statistical matters,
set up to enhance public trust in official
statistics. The former KPMG Director who
has been appointed Senior Vice President
- Strategy & New Business Initiatives of
Housing.com is - Dilip Tuli
Chief Justice of Uttarakhand, whose name
has been recommended for transfer by
www.gradestack.com/blogs
the Supreme Court (SC) Collegium -
Justice KM Joseph.
Who has sworn-in as the chief minister of
West Bengal for second successive five-
year term- Mamata Banerjee.
Senior IPS officer who has been appointed
as the Chief of Bureau of Civil Aviation
Security is - Kumar Rajesh Chandra.
Note:- Senior IPS officer (1985- batch)
Kumar Rajesh Chandra is currently
working as Additional Director General
(Modernisation), Bihar Police.
He will assume the charge as the 23rd
Chief of the Naval Staff and 21st as an
Indian naval chief Vice Admiral Sunil
Lanba Note:- Presently he is serving as
Flag Officer Commanding in chief in the
Western Naval command in Mumbai.
The IPS officer of Delhi Police who has
been appointed as new Director General
of Tihar - Sudhir Yadav.
First female secretary general of FIFA -
Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura. Note:-
Samoura has worked on humanitarian
crises with the United Nations for 21
years, is currently based in Nigeria for the
UN Development Programme.
Interim President of Brazil following the
suspension of Dilma Rousseff - Michel
Temer. Note:- He played an important
role in the effort to impeach Dilma
Rousseff, the first woman Brazilian
President.
The Indian-American engineer, who has
appointed as the member of President's
Advisory Council on FaithBased and
Neighborhood Partnerships - Manjit
Singh.
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill
2016 incorporates recommendation of
the Joint Parliamentary Committee
headed by -Bhupender Yadav.
The senior advocate of Bombay High
Court has appointed as Additional
Solicitor General in Supreme Court is -
Atma Ram Nadkarni.
The Supreme Court struck down the
order of this regulatory body making it
mandatory for telecom companies to
compensate subscribers for call drops -
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
The former Chief Justice of the
Chhattisgarh High Court has sworn-in as
the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High
Court is -Justice Navin Sinha.
The former Chief Justice of the Tripura
High Court who has been recently
appointed the Chief Justice of the
Chhattisgarh High Court is - Justice
Deepak Gupta.
Acting Chief Justice of Tripura High Court
-Justice Tinlianthang Vaiphei.
The Ambassador of Mexico to Germany
who was recently appointed the Executive
Secretary of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate
Change is - Patricia Espinosa Cantellano.
Rohit Philip has recently appointed as the
Chief Financial Officer of- IndiGo.
A noted expert in the study of function of
genes who has been appointed as the new
Director of the Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology is -Rakesh Kumar
Mishra.
Indian journalist who has been elected
unanimously as the Deputy Mayor of
Loughton town in the United Kingdom-
Philip Abraham.
Indian Foreign Service officer who has
appointed as the Ambassador of India to
Romania- A V S Ramesh Chandra.
First female president of Taiwan -Tsai
Ing-wen.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam supremo who has sworn-in as
the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J
Jayalalithaa.
www.gradestack.com/blogs
The person who sworn-in as the Chief
Minister of Kerala is -Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Hollywood celebrity recently
appointed as a visiting professor at the
London School of Economics is - Angelina
Jolie.
A. V. S. Ramesh Chandra has been
appointed as the Ambassador of India to
Romania.
Punch Points
Justice Permod Kohli new Chairman of
CAT
Tapan Chand elected AAI chief
Fazle Kabir appointed Governor of
Bangladesh Bank
H L Dattu appointed as member of
International Coordinating Committee
Bureau
Bhupendra Kainthola appointed FTII
Director
EBI approves Ashok Chawla as NSE
chairman
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill
2016 incorporates recommendation of
the Joint Parliamentary Committee
headed by -Bhupender Yadav
The senior advocate of Bombay High
Court has appointed as Additional
Solicitor General in Supreme Court is -
Atma Ram Nadkarni.
The former Chief Justice of the Tripura
High Court who has been recently
appointed the Chief Justice of the
Chhattisgarh High Court is - Justice
Deepak Gupta.
First female president of Taiwan -Tsai
Ing-wen.
The person who sworn-in as the Chief
Minister of Kerala is -Pinarayi Vijayan.
www.gradestack.com/blogs
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Sataparna Mukherjee, a Class 12
student bags top Nasa scholarship
TCS recognised as Global Top
Employer
Others in the list include CJSC Technip,
DHL, Dimension data, Saint Gobain, JT
International, Mobinil, Mobistar, Orange
and Valeo.
Internet for every home launched in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu government today launched
internet services to every household
through the state-owned Arasu Cable TV
Corporation.
Delhi first state to launch HPV vaccine
Infosys to collaborate with Microsoft
on analytics solutions
Bill Gates richest man in world : Forbes
India at 90th rank in terms of energy
security
India has been ranked at the 90th place in
a list of 126 countries compiled by WEF
on the basis of their ability to deliver
secure, affordable and sustainable energy.
India signed MoU with World Bank for
Madhya Pradesh Higher Education
According to a UK real estate firm Savills
survey, London is the worlds most
expensive city to live and work in, ahead
of New York and Hong Kong.
The only India city on the list of top
20, Mumbai is ranked 17th ahead only
of Berlin, Johannesburg and Rio de
Janeiro.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
launched Setu Bharatam Project to
make all national highways free of
railway crossings by 2019. This project
will be implemented by the Union
Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways.
Worlds most expensive train station
opened in New York at 9/11 site
President inaugurates National
Conference on Women Legislation :
New Delhi
Awards for 3 Haryana districts for
improving sex ratio: Narnaul, Bhiwani
and Jhajjar
www.gradestack.com/blogs

Goa among top destinations for Indian Tata Powers arm TPREL has signed a
women travellers pact with Indo Rama Renewables Ltd
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has (IRRL) to acquire its 100 per cent
selected Nagepur village for adoption in subsidiary IRRJL, which owns a 30 MW
his Varanasi Constituency of U.P. for wind farm in Sangli District of
development under the Saansad Adarsh Maharashtra.
Gram Yojana (SAGY). Australia launches aquaculture
Tata Motors in pact for Indian Armys challenge for sustainable fishing
combat vehicles programme ISRO launches Sixth Navigation
Ford gets nod for tech, business centre Satellite IRNSS 1-F
in Tamil Nadu SEZ The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, in
National carrier Air India successfully association with the Karnataka
flew the Worlds longest all-woman Horticulture Department, will conduct a
operated and supported flight from the honey festival in Mangaluru on March 12
national capital New Delhi to San and 13
Francisco (United States). The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, in
India will induct its first batch of association with the Karnataka
female fighter pilots in June Horticulture Department, will conduct a
honey festival in Mangaluru on March 12
Germany to develop Kochi, and 13
Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar as smart
cities Mahindra Aerospace to set up
operations in UAE
Parliament clears Bureau of Indian
Standards Bill 2015 Indo-Indonesia Joint Training Exercise
Garuda Shakti IV begins
Russia tops ranking for women in
senior business roles Singapore retained worlds most
expensive city: EIU (Economist
First ever NCC girls Everest expedition Intelligence Unit)
flagged off
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu
National Anthem compulsory in all launched Clean My Coach service
schools in WB
India to supply 18 Meter Gauge Diesel
Made-in-India Baleno launched in Electric Locomotives to Myanmar
Japan
Project Mausam aims to explore Multi-
Quikr launches service for doorstep Faceted Indian Ocean World
pickup & delivery of pre-owned goods
India, US launched Fulbright Kalam
57 countries are going to take part in the Climate Fellowship
first Maritime India Summit 2016
scheduled to be held in April 2016 in Googles AlphaGo scores a hattrick by
Mumbai, Maharashtra. beating champion Lee Sedol

Karnataka launches Mukhyamantri China to set up International Maritime

Santwana Harish Yojana Judicial Centre

India, ASEAN Plus military exercise Defence Expo 2016 held in Goa
FORCE 18 concluded in Pune Intl Childrens Film Festival for NE
Region begins in Gangtok
www.gradestack.com/blogs

Online portal Swayam being launched Samantha Gash to run for education in
to combat illiteracy: Smriti Irani India
Allahabad High Court celebrates 150th India Post releases customised My
foundation year Stamp on HAL
Mother Teresa to be made a saint on Sundarbans becomes no-pollution
Sept 4 zone
Intl Food and Hospitality fair, AAHAR NTPC starts 250 MW unit in Bihar
2016 inaugurates in New Delhi. Health Ministry launches new anti TB
Centre releases Rs 609 cr for drug Bedaquilin
upgrading prisons in eight States Hinduja Brothers topped Britains
Modi to join world leaders in wax at Asian Rich List 2016
Madame Tussauds Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve
Worlds first fully electric double among 20 World Heritage Sites
decker bus launched in London o India joins hands with Russia for
FICCI to fund construction of 250 disaster management
toilets in govt schools in AP Nepal became Dialogue Partner of
Denmark worlds happiest country: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
report Mehbooba Mufti elected PDP
National oil companies ONGC Videsh legislature party leader
Ltd, Oil India Ltd, Indian Oil Jeff Bezos top Fortunes Greatest
Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petro Leaders List
Resources and Russias Rosneft signed
memorandums of understanding and Intl Day of Remembrance of Slavery
agreements on Wednesday to increase Victims & the Transatlantic Slave
Indias participation in the Siberian oil Trade observed on 25th march.
and gas fields. India aims to become 100% e-vehicle
Modi on TIMEs most influential people nation by 2030: Piyush Goyal
on Internet for second year Kejriwal named among worlds 50
World Sufi Forum inaugurates in New greatest leaders by Fortune
Delhi Union Health Ministry launches
Priyanka & Raksha won Chameli Devi rotavirus vaccine Rotavac
Jain Award
Countrys first organic farming
India starts diesel exports to university to be set up in Gujarat
Bangladesh via rail
ADB, USAID to assist developing Solar
Cisco to set up Internet of Everthing parks in India
innovation centre in Vizag
Telecom Commission approved 112 as
Surat, Beas Indias cleanest railway Single Emergency Number for India
stations
BHEL commissions 40 MW
India to set up Rabindranath Tagore hydropower plant in West Bengal
Memorial in Sri Lanka
Egyptian plane hijacked to Cyprus
Nauroz festival observed in J&K
www.gradestack.com/blogs
Playback Singer P. Susheela enters
Guinness World Records - highest
number of songs.
Govt provides facility of self-printing of E-
CGHS cards
Islam as state religion of Bangladesh
Liquor ban across Bihar
Govt. launches Startup India portal and
mobile app
Haryana makes educational criteria must
for urban local bodies elections
Kachhabali becomes 1st liquor-free
village in Rajasthan
Union Government imposes safeguard
duty on import of steel products
PM Modi conferred Saudi Arabias highest
civilian honour
India ranks 6th in 2015 top-10
manufacturers list: UNIDO report
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched
the Stand up India scheme as part of the
goverments efforts to support
entrepreneurship among women and SC
& STcommunities.
Worlds First White Tiger Safari Opens In
Madhya Pradesh
Worlds first public dengue vaccination
programme launched in Philippines
Permanent memorial to Kalam at Dilli
Haat in INA
Britain issues postage stamps to mark
400th anniversary of Shakespeares
death
Nita Ambani most powerful
businesswoman in Asia: Forbes
Odisha Government launches 100
Adarsha Vidyalayas
Foundation stone for Haryanas first
Horticulture University laid in Karnal
Jannati Darwaja to be opened for annual
Urs in Ajmer
Saudi Arabia and Egypt to build bridge
over the Red Sea
Union HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani
Launches ISBN Portal
Rajasthan becomes the first state to pass
land title bill
Sajibu Cheiraoba festival celebrated in
Manipur
Priyadarshini Chatterjee Wins Miss India
2016
Jharkhand to Have 2 Percent Employment
Reserved for Sportspersons
Sachin Tendulkar becomes the brand
ambassador of Skill India
Centre to Issue Universal ID-Cards for
Differently-Abled People
Ajay Devgn and Kajol to be brand
ambassadors of Andhra Pradesh
tourism
Haryana Government decides to
rename Gurgaon as Gurugram
India, Germany sign pact on Ganga
Rejuvenation
Bernie Sanders Wins TIME 100 Reader
Poll
PM Narendra Modi today launched Gram
Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan on 125th
birth anniversary of Dr. Bhim Rao
Ambedkar at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF,
World Bank
India ranks 44th in 2016 Global
Connectivity Index
www.gradestack.com/blogs
UN observes birth anniversary of Dr.
Ambedkar for first time
Maharashtra becomes first state to
pass law against social boycott
Kerala celebrates harvest festival,
Vishu
PM launched E-National Agriculture
market
India, South Korea ink MoU for
cooperation in development of Ports
69th Himachal Day has been
celebrated in the State
Delhi ranked 44th among worlds 50
future-ready cities
Panagarh airbase renamed after
former IAF chief Arjan Singh
Jharkhand Government launches
Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana for
widows
Govt. releases commemorative coins to
mark Tatya Tope Martyrdom Day
PM Modi inaugurates super speciality
hospital in Katra
Government merges Rajiv Gandhi Khel
Abhiyan with Khelo India
India, Mauritius ink MoU to promote
traditional medicine
Europe becomes worlds first region to
end malaria: WHO
Women allowed to enter
Maharashtras Trimbakeshwar temple
Govt. decides Chandigarh to host
International Yoga day
India ranks 133 in 2016 World Press
Freedom Index
Union Government has notified that
the Department of Disinvestment is
renamed as Department of Investment
and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).
Centre to release 10,000 metric tonnes
of pulses from buffer stock
Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2016 begins in
Ujjain
President nominates 6 eminent
members to Rajya Sabha
India signs Paris climate pact along
with over 170 nations at UN
Pakistan, China to launch satellite to
monitor CPEC projects
Sahapedia an online encyclopaedia
encompassing Indian history, art and
culture has gone live with about 5,000
pages on every imaginable aspect of
Indias cultural landscape.
Uber partners with Election
Commission in Tamil nadu
Govt plans to keep 1% of highways
project cost for road safety
India, Papua New Guinea sign four
agreements
Nagalands Kohima declared smoke-
free city
Railway Ministry to set up two new
Directorates
Odisha CM launches 100 piped water
supply projects
Important
Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhakar
Prabhu dedicated to the nation a high
speed Wi-Fi hotspot at the three Railway
Stations namely-Vijayawada, Kachiguda
and Raipur.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has
sent red corner notice to Interpol for
publication on the name of - Vijay Mallya.
The only Indian to figure in the Forbes
Money Masters: Most Powerful People in
the Financial World list is Uday
Kotak,CEO Kotak Mahindra Bank.
www.gradestack.com/blogs
112, the single emergency number that
will help people to reach immediate
services of police, ambulance and fire
department will be operational
throughout India from - 1 January 2017
Note:- Single emergency number 112
of India will be similar to the 911 all-in-
one emergency service in the United
States. Customers will be able
communicate via SMS and the system will
be able to find the location of the caller
that will be shared with the nearest help
centre.
The multilingual knowledge portal
www.bharatvani.in that was launched by
HRD Minster is an online repository of
dictionaries of what number of languages
from India 22
Railways week-long drive to showcase
achievements during last two years is
named - Rail Humsafar Saptaah.
The Amendment to The Institutes of
Technology Act, 1961 that has been
approved by Union Cabinet will help in
incorporation of how many new IITs Six.
Government has enforced the decision of
retirement fund body EPFO to almost
double the maximum sum assured under
its insurance scheme from 3.6 lakh to - 6
lakh rupees.
Head of the Commission of Inquiry,
probing into the multi-crore chit fund
scam in Odisha that submitted its interim
report to the State government was -
Justice MM Das.
The cab company that will allow Paytm
wallet users to pay for their cab rides
abroad in Indian rupees by the end of May
2016 Uber.
The Australian entrepreneur claiming
himself as the creator of Bitcoin was in
news- Craig Wright 12. The combined
output of eight crucial infrastructure
sectors, that is, Core Sector accelerated in
March 2016 to 16-month high of - 6.4%
Recently, The Supreme Court of India
banned all diesel cabs___. National Capital
Region-Delhi 14. Name of the two states
who signed a MoU with two states to
plant 5 trees alongside Railway land
Boundary- Haryana and Punjab.
15. According to a new report by Unicef,
some 75 million school age children in
crisis areas around the world are in
desperate need of -Educational Support.
16. The world's largest unmanned surface
vessel that was tested by United States of
America (US) Navy in San Diego is named
as-Sea Hunter.
17. Govt. approved establishment of third
National Investment and Manufacturing
Zone at __. Kalinganagar industrial area in
Jajpur (Odisha).
18. A jury in San Francisco cleared Google
of copyright infringement in a case
brought by Oracle over - Googles use of
Java in Android
19. Country that gave its in-principle
approval to Reliance Power for its first
phase of its gas-based power project
Bangladesh.
20. Brazils Lower House Speaker who
was suspended by Brazil's top court from
his mandate, following a request by the
country's Attorney General is - Eduardo
Cunha.
21. The city declared as the worlds most
polluted in terms of air quality is Zabol.
Note:- Irans south eastern Zabol city
ranks first among the most polluted cities
in the world, according to a report
released by the World Health
Organization.
22. He resigned from the post of
president of Union of European Football
Associations - Michael Platini.
23. Name of the malaria vaccine that
according to study done by American
researchers can offer protection against
www.gradestack.com/blogs
malaria for more than a year PfSPZ
vaccine.
24. The Iranian port that will be
developed with the help of India and will
enable India bypass Pakistan to have
access to Afghanistan Chabahar Port
25. The state whose governor
promulgated Official Language
(Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 to
facilitate use of a language in transaction
of official businesses of the Government
Odisha
26. This State Government has launched
the Smart Villages programme to improve
public facilities in rural areas Gujarat.
27. As per the UGC Regulations 2016, this
many years of research existence is
needed for an institution to get
recognition as a deemed university 3
years.
Country that is set to print its own version
of the US dollar in order to ease a cash
shortage in the country Zimbabwe.
A province in Western Canada where a
state of emergency was declared due to a
massive wildfire that destroyed several of
homes is Alberta.
The three countries that agreed to
conduct coordinated sea patrols and
establish a hotline to combat piracy and
kidnappings are -Indonesia, Malaysia and
the Philippines.
Union Cabinet has approved SEBI to sign
MoU with this countrys Financial
Services Regulatory Authority onAbu
Dhabi.
The country with which India got its
Union Cabinets approval to sign the inter-
governmental agreement Mauritius.
The French socialist government survived
the noconfidence vote put forward by the
opposition in protest over -controversial
labour reforms.
The first Muslim Mayor of London who
assumed the office on - Sadiq Khan.
President Obama on signed a National
Legacy Act into law officially making an
animal as countrys first national mammal
-American Bison.
The country that has recently granted
political refugee status to Maldives' ex-
president Mohamed Nasheed is Britain.
A trilateral transit agreement has signed
these countries to facilitate seamless
transport of goods India, Iran and
Afghanistan.
Union Government has imposed a
complete ban on Indian citizens travelling
to which war struck countryLibya.
The United Nations World Humanitarian
Summit was held in Istanbul(Turkey).
The Union Cabinet gave ex-post facto
approval to MoU between India and
Maldives for - cooperation in the field of
tourism.
China signed an agreement with Sudan in
May 2016 to build-Nuclear Reactor.
The country hosting the 21st BXM Cycling
World Championship is Colombia.
State whose Health Minister announced
that the state government would enact
State Sports Council Act Haryana.
In Mizoram, the administration of a
district on the Mizoram-Bangladesh
border issued an order prohibiting import
of chicken, bird, duck and eggs from
Bangladesh and Tripura Mamit.
Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel
has inaugurated the Center of Perishable
Cargo complex at - Ahmedabad Airport.
The state whose agriculture project has
won the World Summit on the
Information Society (WSIS) 2016 prize in
e-Agriculture category - Andhra Pradesh.
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Chief Minister of Uttarakhand who has
won the composite floor test in the
legislative assembly Harish Rawat.
The state where use of light and heavy
diesel vehicles, which are more than 10
years old, was banned in six major cities
of which state by National Green Tribunal
(NGT) Kerala.
The six regional languages in which the
official website of Prime Minister's Office
will be available are - Gujarati, Marathi,
Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali.
The Uttar Pradesh government gave its
nod to develop nearly 200-km long
bicycle highway from - Taj Mahal of Agra
to the lion safari in Etawah.
Punch Points
Internet for every home launched in
Tamil Nadu
India at 90th rank in terms of energy
security
President inaugurates National
Conference on Women Legislation : New
Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
selected Nagepur village for adoption in
his Varanasi Constituency of U.P. for
development under the Saansad Adarsh
Gram Yojana (SAGY).
Germany to develop Kochi, Coimbatore,
Bhubaneswar as smart cities
Made-in-India Baleno launched in Japan
Awards for 3 Haryana districts for
improving sex ratio: Narnaul, Bhiwani
and Jhajjar
ISRO launches Sixth Navigation Satellite
IRNSS 1-F
Allahabad High Court celebrates 150th
foundation year
National oil companies ONGC Videsh
Ltd, Oil India Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation
Ltd and Bharat Petro Resources
Nauroz festival observed in J&K
Priyanka & Raksha won Chameli Devi Jain
Award
India Post releases customised My Stamp
on HAL
Worlds First White Tiger Safari Opens In
Madhya Pradesh
Odisha Government launches 100
Adarsha Vidyalayas
Priyadarshini Chatterjee Wins Miss India
2016
India, Mauritius ink MoU to promote
traditional medicine
Government merges Rajiv Gandhi Khel
Abhiyan with Khelo India
India, South Korea ink MoU for
cooperation in development of Ports
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SPORTS

ICC suspended Aaron Phangiso for Sharapova suspended from tennis

illegal bowling action after failing drugs test

FIH promotes Napoleon Singh as Lin Dan wins 2016 All England
international Umpire Badminton title

Jitu Rai wins gold in 50m pistol event Services wins 70th Santosh Trophy
at ISSF World Cup football title 2016

Mumbai U-23 team clinched CK First ever Paralympics Games begins in

Nayudu Trophy 2015-16 Arunachal Pradesh
India clinch Asia Cup T20 trophy for UN suspends Maria Sharapova as
record 6th time Goodwill Ambassador
World Cup T20: RJio to give free WiFi FIFA admits taking bribes to hosting
at 6 stadiums World Cup
Indian mens and womens teams scripted Chris Gayle becomes second player to hit
history by clinching the gold medals at the century in 2016 T20 World Cup after
World Table Tennis Team Championship Tamim Iqbal.
in Kuala Lumpur. Hardeep Singh qualifies for Olympic in
Patna Pirates wins 3rd season of Pro Greco -Roman wrestling
Kabaddi League
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Yogeshwar Dutt wins Gold medal in Dipa Karmakar becomes first Indian
Asian Olympic Qualification woman gymnast to qualify for
tournament Olympics
Djokovic & Azarenka won BNP Paribas Nico Rosberg won 2016 Formula 1
Open titles Pirelli Chinese Grand Prix
9th International Abilympics starts Rafael Nadal wins Monte Carlo Masters
today at Bordeaux in France title
Nico Rosberg won 2016 Australian Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams bag
Grand Prix top honours at Laureus World Sports
Shane Watson to retires from awards
international cricket FIH announces new structure of intl
Kohli tops in ICC T20 rankings, India hockey events from 2019
also No.1 Hockey India decides to withdraw
Sergey Karjakin wins World Chess from Sultan of Johor Cup
candidates tournament Indias Durga Thakur promoted as FIH
Indian Boxer Shiva Thapa wins Silver international umpire
medal Former WWE womens champion
West Indies wins 2016 ICC T-20 Cricket Chyna dies
World Cup BCCI waives USD 41.97 million claim
West Indies won ICC World Womens on the West Indies Cricket Board
T-20 Cup 2016 Flame for Rio Olympic Games Lit in
Novak Djokovic wins 2016 Miami Open Greece
Title Rafael Nadal wins 9th Barcelona Open
Nico Roseberg wins 2016 Bahrain 2016
Grand Prix Salman Khan appointed as Goodwill
Indian men win Asian Nations Cup Ambassador for 2016 Rio Olympics
Chess tournament BCCI to host first Day-Night test against
Danny Willett wins 2016 Masters Golf New Zealand this year India to host
2018 Commonwealth Judo
Lee Chong Wei Wins 11th Malaysian Championships
Open Title
Mairaj wins Indias first skeet medal at
Anthony Joshua Won International Boxing a shooting WC
Federation Title
Govt to provide Rs 1 lakh per month to
WTA rankings: Serena Williams Rio-bound athletes
retains top spot
India rower Dattu Bhokanal qualifies
Kane Williamson named Wisden for Rio Olympics 2016
Almanacks Cricketer of the Year
India to host 2018 Commonwealth
Australia won the Sultan Azlan Shah Judo Championships
Cup 2016
Riyad Mahrez becomes first African
Mary Kom named as AIBA ambassador footballer to win PFA Player of the
for Womens World Boxing Year
Championship
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Natekar became first non-cricketer to
become a member of CCIs Legend Club
No tennis wild cards for Rio Olympics,
clarifies ITF
Japan unveils Tokyo 2020 Olympic and
Paralympics emblems
ICC suspends the Cricket Association of
Nepal
Garima wins gold at Commonwealth
Judo Championship
Sudha Singh qualifies for Rio Olympics
in 3000 m steeple chase event
Indian womens team has won a medal in
the re curve team final of Archery World
Cup held at the Yuanshen Stadium in
Shanghai, China.- Silver medal.
Name of the former Indian captain who
has been reappointed as ICC cricket
committeee chairman for a second term? -
Anil Kumble
The legendary cricketer who joined actor
Salman Khan and shooter Abhinav Bindra
as third Goodwill Ambassador for India at
the Rio Olympics 2016 - Sachin
Tendulkar.
Winner of ninth edition of the Indian
Premier League 2016- Sunrisers
Hyderabad
Winner of the 2016 Indian Federation cup
football tournament -Mohan Bagan.
World governing body for football, FIFA
appointed an Indian retired judge as
deputy chairman of its Governance
Committee - Mukul Mudgal.
The number one seed tennis player who
won 2016 Mutua Madrid Open mens
singles title - Novak Djokovic.
The pair that won the 2016 Italian Open
womens doubles title is -Sania Mirza and
Martina Hingis.
The Nepali soldier has won the world's
highest marathon on Mount Everest is -
Bed Bahadur Sunuwar.
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OBITUARIES

US actor George Kennedy passes away Booker prize-winner Anita Brookner

passed away
Tamil Comedy Actor Kumarimuthu
passes away Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan passed
away
Former NZ cricket captain Martin
Crowe passes away Former Intel CEO Andrew Grove passes
away
E-mail inventor Ray Tomlinson passes
away Story telling artiste V D Rajappan
passes away
Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani
passes away Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff dies

Former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma Oscar winning actor Patty Duke passes
passed away away

Noted film archivist P K Nair passes Renowned Iraqi-British Architect Zaha

away Hadid passes away

E-mail inventor Ray Tomlinson passes Jazz saxophonist Gato Barbieri dies at
away 83

Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani Madras Atomic Power Station

passes away architect M.H.P.Rao passes away

Sir George Martin, fifth Beatle, passes Kamla Advani passes away
away Veteran journalist Yogendra Bali
Brazil musician Nana Vasconcelos passes away
passes away Former Union MoS Dr. C Silvera passes
Rock legend Keith Emerson dies away

Nobel laureate Lloyd S. Shapley passed Hero group co-founder Satyanand

away Munjal passes away
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Renowned Hollywood actress Doris Former PM of Thailand Banharn Silpa-

Roberts passes away archa passed away
Music legend Prince dies at 57 years Kerala cartoonist VT Thomas passes
Comedian Victoria Wood dies after away
short cancer
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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & DEFENCE

ISRO established GIRI Radar System at

Agni-I successfully test fired off Odisha
Tirupati
coast
DefExpo 2016 begins in Goa
ExoMars 2016 spacecraft successfully
launched by Europe & Russia
ISRO to launched record 22 satellites
President inaugurates aviation show in
in single mission
Hyderabad
Modi & Belgian PM Charles Michel
Haryana gets first Earthquake Warning
jointly launch Asias biggest telescope
System in country
Indias first indigenously developed
Railways join hands with ISRO for
sonar dome flagged off
effective use of space technology
First 3D map of Zika virus will help
To train professionals in aviation and
develop treatments and vaccines
aerospace, the Telangana government has
tied up with Aero Campus Aquitaine and Suresh Prabhu flags off Indias fastest
Bordeaux Metropole of France. train Gatiman Express
IAF conducts day-night exercise Iron- China successfully launches
fist 2016 at Pokhran firing range retrievable satellite
H S Prannoy clinches mens singles title Researchers have developed the worlds
at Swiss Open smallest nano scale diode that could
impact the development of molecular
Reliance Defence to design, develop
electronic devices in future.
weapons, sensors for Navy
Pakistan Navy successfully test-
South Korea tops global average
fires anti-shipZarb missile
Internet Speed
Google, RailTel expand free Wi-Fi
Malaysia to launch counter-messaging
service to 9 more railway stations in
centre to fight IS in cyberworld
India
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Super computer Param Kanchenjunga
launched at Sikkim NIT
Indian Army conducts Shatrujeet
battle exercise in Rajasthan
Harsh Vardhan launches Twinning
Network Program in Kohima
Seven women officers granted
permanent commission by Navy
ISRO Scientists develop worlds
lightest material Silica Aerogel
launch of Indias final navigation
satellite IRNSS-1G
China launches sounding rocket
India successfully launches seventh
navigation satellite
Indian Naval Ships Veer and Nipat
decommissioned
Russia launches first rocket from new
Vostochny Cosmodrome
China has developed the worlds
first graphene electronic paper which will
catapult the material to a new level
Rahuri in Ahmednagar becomes first to
have Digi-Locker
BSF to put tallest Tiranga at Wagah
border by January 2017
The ship will participate in the ADMM
Plus Exercise on Maritime Security and
Counter Terrorism- INA Airavat.
The telescope used by Astronomers at
ESOs La Silla Observatory to discover
three planets with sizes and temperatures
similar to those of Venus and Earth -
TRAPPIST telescope.
The strain of bacteria that was found to
inject into mosquitoes to curb their ability
to transmit Zika virus, by the Brazilian
researchers is known as_. Wolbachia.
The instrument that helped NASA in
detecting presence of Atomic Oxygen in
the upper layers of the Martian
atmosphere - Stratospheric Observatory
for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).
The indigenously developed Advanced Air
Defence interceptor missile that has been
test fired from the complex of Abdul
Kalam Island off the Odisha coast
Ashwin.
The Maharashtra Ex-Servicemen's
Corporation recently launched a military
tourism initiative in Pune, named - Veer
Yatra
NASA successfully has launched a super
pressure balloon from New Zealand's
South Island Wanaka Airport to conduct -
Near-space scientific investigations.
Chief of Air Staff who has become the first
CAS to fly the indigenously designed and
produced Light Combat Aircraft Tejas -
Arup Raha.
The 27th series of CORPAT has been
conducted between the Indian Navy and
Indonesian Navy.
Who has been appointed as Union
Government as the head of committee on
defence expenditure - Lt Gen DB
Shekatkar (retd).
Former Union minister sworn-in as the
Chief Minister of Assam - Sarbanand
Sonowal.
Fast Attack Craft ship has commissioned
into the Indian Navy in May 2016- INS
Tarmugli.
46th Commandant of the Indian Military
Academy is - Lieutenant General SK Saini.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has
inaugurated second submarine assembly
workshop at - Mazagon Dock Limited.
Name of the world's first holographic
flexible smartphone developed by the
Canadian researchers is Holoflex
www.gradestack.com/blogs

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Book titled Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a

Cover Up authored by- Rana Ayyub.
The author of the novel named The
Drowned Detective is - Neil Jordan.
The book titled Chaos and Caliphate:
Jihadis and the West in the Struggle for
the Middle East is authored by - Patrick
Cockburn.
The author of Shashi Kapoors biography
titled Shashi Kapoor the Householder,
the Star - Aseem Chhabra.
Who killed Swami Laxmananada is a book
written by - Kuldip Nayar.
India vs Pakistan: Why Cant we just be
Friends is a book written by -Husain
Haqqani.
Author of the book Who Killed Swami
Laxmanananda - Anto Akkara
The author of the book titled My
Favourite Nature Stories is - Ruskin Bond
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