1st Week of Sep 2015 PDF

1st week of september 31/8/2015-6/9/2015
Current affairs of the week 31/8/2015 to 6/9/2015 .................................................................................... 2

Economic affairs of the week ...................................................................................................................... 21
International affairs of the week ................................................................................................................ 33
Sports affairs of the week ........................................................................................................................... 42
Science & Technology affairs ...................................................................................................................... 50
Corporate affairs of the week ..................................................................................................................... 54
Environment & Ecology affairs.................................................................................................................... 56
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Current affairs of the week 31/8/2015 to 6/9/2015
Eminent Kannada writer Dr. MM Kalburgi shot dead in Dharwad
Who: Veteran Kannada writer Dr Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi

Where: At his residence in Dharwad
What: Died
When: 30 August 2015
The veteran Kannada writer and former vice-chancellor of Kannada University Dr Malleshappa
Madivalappa Kalburgi was shot dead on 30 August 2015 at his residence in Dharwad. He was shot
dead by unidentified persons.
The 77 year old Kannada epigraphist and renowned scholar of Vachana literature, Kalburgi was
awarded the Sahitya Akademi award (2006) for Marga, a collection of his research articles.
A rationalist and a Communist ideologue, Kalburgi had run-ins with right wing Hindutva groups over
the years.
He came under criticism in the 1980s from the lingayats community of Karnataka, after he was
accused of making "derogatory references" to Basava, a 12th-century philosopher who is revered by
the community.
In 2014, he had spoken openly against idolatry in Hinduism in support of another Kannada writer UR
Ananthamurthy.
Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi

• Born in 1938, Kalburgi was an Indian scholar of Vachana sahitya (Vachana literature)
• As an academic, he served as the Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi
• He was also a noted epigraphist of Kannada.
Awards conferred on Kalburgi include

• Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award
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• Kendra (Central) Sahitya Akademi Award
• Janapad Award
• Yakshagana Award
• Pampa Award
• Nrupatunga Award
• Ranna Award
• Basava Puraskara
Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as Union Home secretary
Who: Rajiv Mehrishi

What: Was appointed as Union Home secretary
Rajiv Mehrishi, 1978 batch IAS of Rajasthan cadre, was appointed as the Union Home secretary. He
will occupy the post for two years with effect from 31 August 2015. He was due to retire on the day
of appointment, but was given an extension of two-year.
He succeeded LC Goyal, an IAS officer of 1979 batch of Kerala cadre.
At the time of appointment as the Home Secretary, Mehrishi was holding the post of Finance
Secretary. He is the third Home Secretary of the present NDA government led by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
Besides, the Prime Minister also approved the request of LC Goyal, outgoing Home secretary
seeking voluntary retirement from government service due to personal reasons with immediate
effect. He was appointed as the Home Secretary in February 2015 after Anil Goswami sought
voluntary retirement after his name had emerged in a CBI probe for granting favour to an accused in
the Saradha chit find scam, Mathang Singh.
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PM Modi released digitally restored recordings of epic ‘Ramcharitmanas’
Who: Digitally restored recordings of epic ‘Ramcharitmanas'

What: Released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 August 2015 released digital recordings of epic
Ramcharitmanas, as a set of digital CDs produced by All India Radio (AIR).
Digital recordings of the epic is a part of AIR’s attempt to go digital in a big way so that the public
broadcaster can reach audiences globally.
The recordings of Goswami Tulsidas work, sung by leading singers of Bhopal gharana, have been
done by the AIR over several years and are regularly broadcast especially in the Hindi heartland.
The Ramcharitmanas was composed and recorded for the first time in 1980 at Akashvani Bhopal.
Manish Sisodia got additional charge of Law Ministry of Delhi
Who: Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia

What: Was given the additional charge of the Law Ministry of the city
Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was on 31 August 2015 given the additional charge of
the Law Ministry of the city.
Sisodia, who is the third person to hold charge of the portfolio in less than seven months, will replace
Kapil Mishra.
Kapil Mishra, an MLA from Karawal Nagar, was handing the Law Ministry portfolio ever since
Jitendra Singh Tomar was arrested in a fake degree case in June 2015. Mishra will continue as
Minister for Water and Tourism and Delhi Jal Board’s chairman.
With this additional charge, Sisodia now heads the ministries of education, finance, planning, urban
development, land & building, law, justice & legislative affairs and all other departments not
specifically allotted to any minister.
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Ratan P Watal took charge as Union Finance Secretary
Who: Ratan P Watal
What: Took charge as Union Finance Secretary
Ratan P Watal on 31 August 2015 took charge as the Union Finance Secretary. Prior to the present
elevation, he was the secretary of the Department of Expenditure of the Finance Ministry since 2013.
Watal, 59, is a 1978-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer and holds masters degree in
economics.
About Union Ministry of Finance

• It consists of five departments namely Department of Economic Affairs, Department of Expenditure,
Department of Revenue, Department of Financial Services, and Department of Disinvestments.
• Finance Secretary is the senior-most IAS officer in the Union Ministry of Finance. He coordinates
the working of various departments under the Ministry of Finance. The Finance Ministry currently
has five secretaries including Watal.
• While every other note bears the signature of the governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the
rupee note bears the signature of the Finance Secretary.
Raghav Chandra took charge as the Chairman of NHAI
Who: Raghav Chandra

What: Appointed as Chairman of NHAI
Senior IAS officer Raghav Chandra on 31 August 2015 took charge as the Chairman of the National
Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Chandra succeeded Road Transport and Highways Secretary
Vijay Chhibber.
Chandra is an IAS officer of the 1982 batch from Madhya Pradesh cadre. He has held several
important positions in the central government and the government of Madhya Pradesh and has
handled various crucial assignments in roads and transport sector in various capacities.
Earlier, he was the Managing Director of the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation and
later served as the Joint Secretary of Highways in Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
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He has vast experience in field of urban development, commerce, industry, human resource
development, finance and infrastructure development.
L C Goyal appointed as CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation
Who: L C Goyal
What: Appointed as CMD of ITPO
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 August 2015 approved the appointment of L C Goyal as the
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Indian Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO).
Prior to the present appointment, he retired as the secretary of the Union Home Ministry. He was a
1979 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre.
About ITPO
• It is the nodal agency of the Union Government under the aegis of Ministry of Commerce and
Industry for promoting country's external trade.
• It approves holding of international trade fairs in India and regulates holding of various expositions
in India primarily to avoid any duplication of efforts while ensuring proper timing.
• It is a Mini-Ratna Category-1 Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) with 100 percent
shareholding of Government of India.
• It was established in April 1977 and is headquarted at Pragati Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Among other things, it organizes the prestigious India International Trade Fair (IITF) annually in
Pragati Maidan.
Master of horror cinema Wes Craven died

Who: Wes Craven
What: Died
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Wes Craven, a master of horror cinema and a proponent of the slasher genre, passed away on 30
August 2015 following brain cancer in Los Angeles. He was 76. He is survived by his wife, a sister, a
son, a daughter, and a stepdaughter.
Craven was best known for directing the Nightmare on Elm Street film and Scream franchises.
Craven began making films after briefly teaching English at Westminster College in Pennsylvania.
Later he directed, wrote and edited pornographic movies. In 1972, he directed his first feature film
Last House on the Left.
His most famous creation was the character of serial killer Freddy Krueger, played by Robert
Englund, who with his razor-blade glove, haunted the dreams of high school students in A Nightmare
on Elm Street (1984).
The first Nightmare on Elm Street earned Craven 25 million US dollars. It spawned six sequels,
although Craven directed only the last one, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994).
Craven’s career had been relatively quiet until 1996, when the his film Scream was released. The
success of Scream led to three sequels, all of them directed by Craven.
More recently, Craven was nearing the completion of a five-issue comic book series about zombies,
werewolves and vampires, Coming of Rage, which he wrote with Steve Niles.
Tejinder Pal Singh named as Australian of the Day by Commonwealth Bank
Who: Tejinder Pal Singh

Where: Australia
What: Named as Australian of the Day
An Indian-origin driver in Australia Tejinder Pal Singh was on 31 August 2015 named as Australian
of the Day by Commonwealth Bank of Australia for feeding the homeless in Darwin for the past three
years.
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He dedicated the last Sunday of every month to feed the poor and homeless in northern Darwin after
his night shift as a cabbie. He cooked around 30 kg of Indian food to feed the homeless. The free
lunch comprises chickpeas, rice and vegetarian curry.
His van itself carries the sign Free Indian food for hungry and needy people, Provide Sikh family.
The Commonwealth Bank has been sponsoring the Australian of the Day campaign for over 35
years. The campaign recognises the extraordinary Australians who have made a big difference to
the country.
Palmyra's Temple of Bel destroyed by ISIS militants: UN

Who: Palmyra's Temple of Bel
Where: Syria
What: Destroyed by ISIS
Palmyra's Temple of Bel: The temple consecrated to the Mesopotamian god Bel
Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants destroyed 2000-year old Palmyra's ancient Temple of
Bel in Syria on 30 August 2015. The United Nations in its report said that the news of destruction
was confirmed through the satellite images.
As per the reports, the militant group partially demolished the temple by explosives. The explosion
caused much damage to the temple. Temple of Bel in Palmyra was under the control of ISIS
militants.
Temple of Bel
 It was an ancient stone ruin located in Palmyra, Syria.
 The temple, consecrated to the Mesopotamian god Bel, worshipped at Palmyra in triad with the
lunar god Aglibol and the sun god Yarhibol, formed the center of religious life in Palmyra and was
dedicated in 32 BC.
 The walls of the temenos and propylaea were constructed in the late first and the first half of the
second century AD.
 Its ruins were considered among the best preserved at Palmyra.
 It was an UNESCO World Heritage site
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 Site contains monumental ruins of great city, once one of the most important cultural centres of
the ancient world
The Duels of the Himalayan Eagle authored by Air Marshal Bharat Kumar released
Who: The Duels of the Himalayan Eagle authored by Air Marshal Bharat Kumar
Where: New Delhi
What: Released by Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari
When: 1 September 2015
The Duels of the Himalayan Eagle: The first Indo-Pak Air War (1-22 September 1965): Air
Marshal (retd.) Bharat Kumar
The Indian Air Force (IAF) commissioned book, The Duels of the Himalayan Eagle: The first Indo-
Pak Air War was released on 1 September 2015. The book was released by Vice President Mohd.
Hamid Ansari at the inauguration of the Tri-Services Seminar to commemorate the Golden Jubilee
celebrations of the India-Pakistan War of 1965 in New Delhi.
The war's golden jubilee celebrations will last from 28 August to 22 September 2015.
The author, who was a young fighter pilot during the 1965-war, has tried to club official records,
squadron diaries and veteran accounts of the war in the book.
Dinesh Kumar Likhi took charge as CMD of Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited
Who: Dinesh Kumar Likhi

What: Took charge as CMD of Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited
Dinesh Kumar Likhi on 1 September 2015 took charge as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director
(CMD) of Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI). Prior to this appointment, he was Director
(Production & Marketing) of MIDHANI itself.
Likhi succeeded M Narayana Rao. As a CMD of MIDHANI, he will be expected to contribute in a

bigger way in research, development, manufacture and supply of critical alloys and products of
national security and strategic importance for defence, aerospace and atomic energy.
Likhi is a gold medallist in Metallurgical engineering from IIT, Roorkee, a Ph.D in Strategic Alliance
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from IIT Delhi. He began his career as a management trainee at SAIL’s Rourkela Steel Plant. He
joined Midhani in 2011.
About Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI)

• Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) is Hyderabad-based Public Sector Unit that works under
the Ministry of defence.
• It was set up in 1976 with the objective of proving the nation self reliance in strategic materials. For
over three decades now, the company has been handling challenging tasks of developing alloys,
taking a lead position in indigenization of critical technologies and products.
• MIDHANI has now started offering its core competence of developing and manufacturing custom
made alloys to suit the specific requirements of customers for their critical applications.
AK Jha appointed as Interim CMD of NTPC
Who: AK Jha
What: Apointed as Interim CMD of NTPC
A K Jha was on 1 September 2015 appointed as the Interim Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)
of National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) with effect from 1 September. However, he
will continue to hold the post of Director (Technical), NTPC.
A K Jha succeeded Arup Roy Choudhury, who retired on 1 September 2015. Jha is a graduate in
Mechanical Engineering from BIT Sindri, Ranchi University and holds LLB from the Delhi University.
He joined NTPC in 1977 as an Executive Trainee and was directly associated with its flagship
project Singrauli (5×200 MW). Jha has a rich and varied experience of 38 years in areas spanning
across power projects such as design and engineering, project planning and monitoring and
construction.
He joined the NTPC board as Director (Technical) in July 2012.
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India won UNESCO's Award of Excellence 2015 for conserving Sree Vadakkunnathan
Temple
Who: UNESCO's Award of Excellence 2015
What: Awarded to India
Why: For conserving Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple
India on 1 September 2015 won the UNESCO prize Award of Excellence 2015 for the conserving
the Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple of Kerala. The award was given in the category of UNESCO Asia
Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
While, the Xieng Thong Temple in Luang Prabang won the UNESCO Award of Merit and became
the first project in Lao PDR to receive the UNESCO Asia‐Pacific Heritage Award.
The Award of Excellence for the Conservation of Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple at Thrissur in Kerala
recognizes the remarkable conservation effort undertaken at the sacred site which employed age‐old
rituals and conservation techniques drawn from vastu shastra.
As such, the tangible attributes of the temple are inextricably linked with its intangible heritage which
dates back to generations, thus ensuring that spirit of place resonates throughout the site.
Other Awardees
A total of 12 winning projects from five countries India, China, Lao PDR, Australia and Thailand have
been recognized in 2015 Heritage Awards of UNESCO. These Awardees are:
Awards of Distinction:
 Saltpans of Yim Tin Tsai, Hong Kong SAR, China
 JN Petit Institute, Mumbai, India
Awards of Merit:
 Cangdong Heritage Education Centre, Kaiping City, Guangdong Province, China
 Pingyao Courtyard House, Shanxi Province, China
 Xieng Thong Temple, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR
 Baan Luang Rajamaitri, Muang District, Chantaburi, Thailand
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Honourable Mention:
 Wanslea Cancer Wellness Centre, Cottesloe, Western Australia, Australia
 Sanfang Qixiang, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
 Parvati Nandan Ganapati Temple, Pune, Maharashtra, India
 YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel, Hong Kong SAR, China
Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts:
 Port Arthur Penitentiary, Tasmania, Australia
About Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple

• Vadakkunnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva at city of Thrissur,
Kerala.
• This temple is a classic example of the architectural style of Kerala and has monumental towers on
all four sides and also a kuttambalam.
• Mural paintings depicting various episodes from Mahabharata can be seen inside the temple. The
shrines and the Kuttambalam display vignettes carved in wood.
• The temple was declared as a National Monument by India under the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958.
About UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

• The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation were established in 2000 to
recognize and encourage private efforts and public-private initiatives in successfully restoring
structures of heritage value in the region.
• Since 2000, UNESCO has received 562 entries from 24 countries and a total of 174 projects have
received UNESCO Heritage awards for conservation till now.
• The winning projects have set high technical and social standards for conservation in the region.
They have increased local preservation efforts as well.
Book titled Globalisation, Democratization and Distributive Justice presented to Hamid

Ansari
Who: Book titled Globalisation, Democratization and Distributive Justice
Where: New Delhi
What: Presented to Hamid Ansari
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Globalisation, Democratization and Distributive Justice: Professor Mool Chand Sharma

Book titled Globalisation, Democratization and Distributive Justice was presented to Vice President
Hamid Ansari on 2 September 2015. The book has been authored by Mool Chand Sharma,
Professor of Law at Delhi University and presently the Member of 20th Law Commission of India.
The book acknowledges talks about measures like Employment Guarantee Act, Right to Education
Act and Food Security Act. It also says that some of the recent steps taken on economic and fiscal
side like introduction of Goods and Services Tax, schemes related to financial inclusion and others
along with initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Skill India and Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan can
prove catalyst in this regard.
The author also highlights the need of taking idea of Distributive Justice beyond rhetoric and
ensuring that rising aspirations do not get transformed into frustration ultimately leading to cynicism
against the system itself. It also believes that all this cannot be achieved without sustained high
growth.
HIV prevention drug PrEP showed positive results
Who: HIV prevention drug PrEP

What: Was in news
Why: PrEP showed positive results
PrEP: A drug designed to help people at risk of contracting HIV

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a drug designed to help people at risk of contracting HIV, was
recently in news on 3 September 2015 as the practical tests have shown that people who took the
drug stayed HIV-free.
Findings of the Tests conducted

• Scientists studied 650 people who took the drug over a 32-month period.
• The majority of the users were homosexual men as the group was more likely to report having
multiple sex partners than non-users. All of them remained HIV free.
• The study adds to a global bank of evidence that PrEP is an effective method of curbing the spread
of HIV. America's Centre for Disease Control has stated that if taken properly, the drug can reduce
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risk of HIV by 92 percent.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

• PrEP is a treatment for people who do not have HIV but who are at substantial risk of getting it. It
can be used to prevent HIV infection by taking a pill every day.
• The pill (brand name Truvada) contains two medicines (tenofovir and emtricitabine) that are used in
combination with other medicines to treat HIV.
• When taken consistently, PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection in people who
are at high risk by up to 92 percent. PrEP is much less effective if it is not taken consistently.
• It is a powerful HIV prevention tool and can be combined with condoms and other prevention
methods to provide even greater protection than when used alone
InSPA, global alliance of 107 sunshine countries to be launched in New Delhi

Who: International Agency for Solar Policy & Application (InSPA)
Where: New Delhi
What: Expected to be launched
When: November 2015
Why: To work as a common platform on solare energy related matters
InSPA: International Agency for Solar Policy & Application
The term InSPA was in news in the first week of September 2015 as the Union Government is
planning to launch the global alliance on solar energy at a conclave in New Delhi.
The conclave will be held in the third week of November 2015 ahead of the COP-21 of The United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in Paris.
InSPA stands for International Agency for Solar Policy & Application. Its launch event is expected to
be attended by 107 member countries that are located between tropic of cancer and tropic of
capricorn including China and Australia.
The members of the grouping are also called as sunshine countries as they receive high solar
energy round the year.
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The grouping will provide a common platform to learn from mutual experiences, Research and
Development and for evolving common financial solutions and administrative solutions.
India’s leadership role in the launch of the grouping is coincided with the recent revision in the target
of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM).
Under the mission, India is expected to reach the production of 1 GW or 1 lakh MW of solar energy
(compared to 20000 MW as per the previous target) by 2022 with an approximate investment of 6
lakh crore rupees.
Llyod's City Risk Index 2015-2025 released
Who: Llyod's City Risk Index 2015-2025

What: Released
Why: To quantify risks from various threasts to cities
Llyod's City Risk Index 2015-2025 was released on 3 September 2015. The Index is the first of its
kind as it quantified the expected loss to cities’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from various natural
and manmade threats.
While Taipei topped the Index with 181 billion US dollars, Mumbai is expected to face maximum risk
in India with 47 billion US dollars potential loss.
About the Index
• It quantified the losses by using the GDP@Risk methodology that took into account 301 major
cities across the globe and 18 major threats for the 2015-2025.
• The threats were divided into three categories viz., Natural (cyclones & earthquakes), Manmade
(Market crash & nuclear accident) and Emerging (Cyber attack & Plant epidemic).
• It was produced for Lloyd’s by the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies at the University of
Cambridge Judge Business School.
Highlights of the Index
• The selected 301 countries together are expected to see a loss of 4.56 trillion US dollars out of
372.56 trillion US dollars of total GDP during 2015-25 from 18 threats together.
• The share of emerging cities (cities outside G8) in the total loss is projected at around 72 percent.
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• Nearly half of the Total GDP@Risk is linked to manmade threats, including Market crash, Cyber
attack, Power outage and Nuclear accident.
• Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and London, have significant levels of
economic exposure to catastrophic events.
• Top 5 threats are: market crash, human pandemic, windstorm, earthquake and flood in the
decreasing order of their threat potential.
• In an increasingly interconnected and technologically dependent world, four Emerging threats –
Cyber attack, Human pandemic, Plant epidemic and Solar storm – account for more than one fifth of
the total GDP@Risk.
• Combined exposure to Market crash, Oil price shock and Cyber attack represents more than 60
percent of the Total GDP@Risk in both New York and Paris.
Index with respect to India
• Ten cities viz., Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Surat, Kanpur, Pune and
Ahmedabad were selected for the survey.
• Mumbai will face maximum risk with 47 billion US dollars as human pandemic and terrorism will
become its top threats.
• Delhi will be facing next highest threats with 44 billion US dollars total loss during 2015-2025.
Insurance solutions
In order to mitigate the potential risks the survey advocates insurance as the major solution. As per
the study 1 percent rise in insurance penetration translates into a 13 percent reduction in uninsured
losses – and 22 percent reduction in taxpayers’ contribution following a disaster.
Flood, human pandemic, oil shocks, cyber attacks, market crash will be the major threats to the
Indian cities.
R Sampanthan became first tamilian to lead opposition in Sri Lankan parliament in 32

years
Who: R Sampanthan
Where: Sri Lankan parliament
What: Was choosen as the leader of opposition
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Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R Sampanthan on 3 September 2015 became the first tamilian
to lead the opposition of in the Sri Lankan parliament after a gap of 32 years.
An announcement was made in this regard by the speaker Karu Jayasuriya in the house.
Apart from R Sampanthan, A Amirthalingam of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) was the
only other tamilian to hold the position. He was the leader of the opposition between 1977 and 1983.
Sampanthan was first elected to Parliament from Trincomalee in 1977 on the ticket of the Federal
Party.
Till now, he served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for more than 22 years.
Beach resort of Bodrum, Turkey; Witness to Syrian refugee crisis

Who: Beach resort of Bodrum
Where: Turkey
What: A three year old boy's body was washed to its shore
Why: Due to drowning while travelling to Greece islands
Bodrum: A port city and beach resort in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey.
Bodrum port city was in news on 3 September 2015 as pathetic images of a three year old boy Aylan
Kurdi’s body was seen lying on its shore.
The Aegean Sea is a subdivision of the Mediterranean Sea and lies between Greece in the north
and Turkey in the south.
Aylan Kurdi was part of lakhs of Syrians who are trying to leave Turkey and reach more promising
nearby islands like kos (22 km from Bodrum) and Lesbo of Greece; then to mainland Greece or
Serbia; then to Hungary and finally up to Germany in the northern Europe.
As per an estimate, Turkey is home to nearly 2 millions of Syrians who fled the country to escape
from the ongoing civil war.
The armed conflict began in March 2011 between the forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-
Assad and those opposed to his rule. The conflict was further aggravated since the involvement of
the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in 2014.
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The violence has so far led to the death of around 2 lakh civilians and internal displacement of 7.6
million people.
It has also led to the biggest refugee crisis in the recent memory as around 3.9 million people are
seeking refuge in neighboring countries of Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
Further, the refugee crisis is also spreading to the Europe in recent times that is evident from
thousands of deaths in the Mediterranean Sea, unrest in Hungary, Serbia, Greece, etc due to inward
flux of Syrian refugees.
NASA and ISRO jointly working on NISAR mission
Who: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission

What: Its first Joint Steering Group (JSG) meeting was held
When: 21 July 2015
NISAR mission: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar mission

NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission was in news recently as its first Joint
Steering Group (JSG) meeting was held on 21 July 2015.
NISAR is a dedicated US and Indian InSAR mission, in partnership with ISRO, optimized for
studying hazards and global environmental change.
As part of it NISAR satellite, which will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequency, is
expected to be launched during the year 2021. The satellite will also be used for remote sensing to
observe and understand natural processes of the Earth.
The aim and objectives of NISAR mission are:

• Design, Develop and launch a Dual frequency (L Band (24-centimeter wavelength Polarimetric
Synthetic Aperture Radar) and S Band (12-centimeter wavelength Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture)
Radar Imaging Satellite.
• Explore newer application areas using L and S band microwave data, especially in natural
resources mapping & monitoring; estimating agricultural biomass over full duration of crop cycle;
assessing soil moisture; monitoring of floods and oil slicks; coastal erosion, coastline changes and
variation of winds in coastal waters; assessment of mangroves; surface deformation studies due to
seismic activities etc.
In this joint mission, JPL/NASA will be responsible for design & development of L-band SAR, 12m
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unfurlable antenna, GPS system and data recorder.
On the other hand, ISRO will be responsible for design & development of S-band SAR, Spacecraft
Bus, data transmission system, Spacecraft integration & testing, launch using GSLV and on-orbit
operations.
The cost of the project would be shared between the two space agencies. Cost of ISRO’s work
share is estimated at 788.00 crore rupees whereas cost of JPL’s work share is expected to be
around 808 million US dollars.
Implementation Arrangement (IA), defining the roles and responsibilities of ISRO and was signed by
the two agencies in September 2014. ISRO has completed the Baseline Design Reviews of
Spacecraft and S-band SAR payload. JPL has successfully completed the Mission Concept and Key
Decision Point reviews.
Haryana bagged Skoch Order-of-Merit National award for implementing e-governance

initiatives
Who: Haryana
What: Won Skoch Order-of-Merit National award
Why: For implementing six e-governance initiatives
Haryana on 3 September 2015 bagged the Skoch Order-of-Merit national award for implementation
of six e-Governance and IT initiatives in the state.
The award will be presented to the state government during the 41st Skoch Summit -
Transformative Governance, scheduled to be held on 22-23 September 2015 in New Delhi.
The information in regard to the award was provided by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in the
state assembly on the second day of the monsoon session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha.
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Besides, the Chief Minister also informed that with a view to providing time-bound and hassle-free
services, the state government had notified 163 services which would be delivered to the citizens at
their doorsteps.
About Skoch Digital Inclusion Awards

Skoch Digital Inclusion Award is given by Skoch Consultancy Services Private Limited, a strategy
and management consulting firm founded in 1997.
It is an initiative to recognise the e-Governance initiatives of the Central Government, State, Local
Governments, their various departments and undertakings, and their technology and solution
providers in both the government and corporate sector.
These Awards recognise the best applications of technology in the various sectors of governance.
Commemorative coins of Rs 125 Rs 10 released in honour of former President S

Radhakrishna
Who: Commemorative coins of Rs 125, Rs 10

What: Released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Why: In honour of former President S Radhakrishna
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 September 2015 released two commemorative coins of 125
rupees and 10 rupees in the memory of former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Modi released the coins at a function of his interaction with the central school students at Zorawar
hall, Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. The interaction session was organised on the eve of
Teachers Day, which is celebrated across India on 5 September 2015.
Teachers Day celebrates the birthday of India's second President and scholar Dr Radhakrishnan.
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Economic affairs of the week
Bandhan Financial Services started operations as Scheduled Commercial Bank
Who: Bandhan Bank

Where: Kolkata
What: Inaugurated
Bandhan Financial Services, a Micro Financial Institution (MFI), on 23 August 2015 started
operations as a Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB). Henceforth it will be called as Bandhan Bank.
The banking services were inaugurated by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Kolkata.
With this, Bandhan became the first micro finance company in the country to start operations as a
full-fledged commercial bank. It is also the first commercial bank from Eastern India to get RBI
clearance since independence.
Bandhan along with IDFC (Infrastructure Development Finance Company) were granted
banking licenses in 2014 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The move was aimed at deepening
financial services reach in the country by utilizing the services of the existing players in the market.
About Bandhan
Bandhan started as a Non Banking Finance Company in 2001 and focused on the lower strata of the
especially unorganized sector workers.
On the inaugural day, the bank started operations with 501 branches in 24 states across the country
with 1.43 crore accounts.
Chandra Sekhar Ghosh, the Managing Director and Founder of the Bank.
Union Cabinet cleared 4 months extension for 7th Pay Commission
Who: Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
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What: Cleared 4 months extension for 7th Pay Commission
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26 August 2015 gave 4 months
extension (up to 31 December 2015) to the 7th Central Pay Commission. Justice Ashok Kumar
Mathur is the Chairman of the Commission.
The extension was approved after the commission sought extension of 4 months due to volume of
work and intensive stake-holders’ consultations. The Commission constituted by the Central
Government in February 2014 was mandated to submit its recommendations by 27 August 2015.
Seventh Pay Commission is scheduled to come into effect from 1 January 2016.
The Sixth Pay Commission headed by Justice BN Srikrishna was implemented with effect from 1
January 2006, the fifth from 1 January 1996 and the fourth from 1 January 1986.
Besides, the Cabinet also gave its approval for the agreement on legal and judicial cooperation in
civil and commercial matters with Afghanistan and Oman.
In another decision it also approved amendments in the Central List of Other Backward Classes
(OBCs) in respect of Gujarat and Uttarakhand. It has been done as per the advices received from
the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC). Sipai and Patni or Turk Jamat communities
in Gujarat and Kahars and Tanwar Singhariyas in Uttarakhand will be added in the list.
NITI Aayog launched second version of India Energy Security Scenarios 2047
Who: India Energy Security Scenarios 2047/IESS 2047

Where: New Delhi
What: Launched by NITI Aayog
Why: To identify energy supply and demand scenario by 2047
NITI Aayog on 27 August 2015 launched the second version of the India Energy Security Scenarios
2047 (IESS 2047) by its Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya in New Delhi.
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The open source web based tool aims to explore a range of potential future energy scenarios for
India, for diverse energy demand and supply sectors leading up to 2047.
The first version of the energy calculator was launched by Planning Commission, which is now
defunct, on 28 February 2014.
Key Features of India Energy Security Scenarios 2047, 2.0
• Its purpose is to engage various stakeholders in the country’s energy planning and facilitate
informed debates at different levels.
• It explores India’s possible energy scenarios across energy supply sectors such as solar, wind, bio
fuels, oil, gas, coal and nuclear and energy demand sectors such as transport, industry, agriculture,
cooking and lighting appliances.
• The model allows users to interactively make energy choices, and explore a range of outcomes for
the country-from carbon dioxide emissions and import dependence to land use.
• It will support the Government’s vision of achieving power for all and 175 GW of renewables by
2022, rural electrification and reducing import dependency.
• It will enable policy makers and parliamentarians make a more secure and sustainable energy
future for India.
• It was developed in consultation with multiple stakeholders, such as think tanks, industry bodies
and research organizations.
• The UK Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is the initiative partner with NITI
Aayog in this project.
• Similar to this tool, more than 20 countries have now developed their own energy/climate
calculators, such as China, Bangladesh and South Africa.
USITC extended anti-dumping duty on Indian preserved mushrooms for 5 years
Who: United States International Trade Commission (USITC)

What: Extended anti-dumping duty on Indian preserved mushrooms for 5 years
When: 29 July 2015
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) extended the anti-dumping duty on
Indian preserved mushrooms for another five years. The decision to extend the ban was taken on 29
July 2015 but it became public on 30 August 2015.
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The extension was done as part of extension of anti-dumping duty orders on preserved mushrooms
from Chile, China, India, and Indonesia. The anti-dumping duty was imposed on preserved
mushrooms from these nations on 3 February 2015 and was suppose to end on 14 August 2015.
The USITC decided to extend the ban on import of preserved mushrooms from these nations after it
found that revoking the anti-dumping duty orders would lead to continuation or recurrence of material
injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.
Impact of the Extension

The action of USITC would have an impact on the domestic exporters as US is one of the major
destination for India.
In 2014-15, India exported mushrooms worth 16.08 million dollars and during April-May of fiscal
2015-16, the exports were aggregated at 1.63 million dollars.
Earlier in 2014-15, India's mushroom exports to the US declined to 0.11 million dollars from 24.76
million dollars in 2011-12.
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jammu & Kashmir are the major
states which are producing the commodity. Solan in Himachal Pradesh is popular as 'Mushroom
City of India'.
US, UAE, Russia and Israel are the major export destinations for Indian mushroom.
What are Preserved mushrooms?

'Preserved mushrooms' refer to mushrooms that have been prepared or preserved by cleaning,
blanching, and sometimes slicing and cutting. Mushrooms are very nutritious, rich in proteins, fibre
and have folic acid content that is uncommon in vegetables and amino acids which are usually
absent in cereals.
Anti-dumping duties
Is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports that it believes are
priced below fair market value. It may vary from product to product and from country to country.
Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to check if domestic industry has been hurt because of a
surge in below-cost imports. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multilateral WTO
regime.
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CSO released estimates of GDP for April-June quarter of 2015-16
Who: Estimates of GDP for Q1 of 2015
What: Released by the CSO
Central Statistical Office (CSO) on 31 August 2015 released the estimates of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) for the April-June quarter of 2015.
As per the estimates, India grew by 7 percent during the first quarter of the 2015-16 financial year.
Thus, India remained the fastest growing major economy of the world for a second straight quarter.
India had overtaken China as the world’s fastest growing major economy in the January-March
quarter, growing 7.5 per cent against China’s 7 per cent.
Highlights of the CSO estimates
• GDP at constant (2011-12) prices in Q1 of 2015-16 is estimated at 27.13 lakh crore rupees as
against 25.35 lakh crore rupees in Q1 of 2014-15, showing a growth rate of 7.0 percent. In terms of
GVA it is 7.1 percent.
• The economic activities which registered growth of over 7 percent in Q1 of 2015-16 over Q1 of
2014-15 are manufacturing, trade, hotels and transport & communication and services related to
broadcasting and financial, insurance, real estate and professional services.
• Growth in other areas: agriculture, forestry and fishing (1.9), mining and quarrying (4.0), electricity,
gas, water supply & other utility services (3.2), construction and public administration, defence (6.9)
and other services (2.7).
• Gross Capital Formation (GCF) rate, a barometer for investments, continued to decline. It was
down to 27.8 per cent from 29.2 per cent in April–June 2014.
Comment
As per a recent forecast of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India will remain as the fastest
growing major economy during 2015. It will grow at 7.5 per cent in 2015 compared with China’s 6.8
per cent and 3.3 per cent of advanced nations during the same period.
Volatility in China’s stock markets in recent times coupled with its shrinking economic activities
especially in the manufacturing sector are expected to result in India’s predominance over China in
terms of growth rates.
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However, India’s growth momentum largely depends on growth in the agriculture sector. India
couldn’t surpass the growth rate of January-March quarter (7.5) during the Q1 of 2015-16 (7.0)
largely due to low growth rate in the agriculture sector caused by unseasonal rains during the rabi
season.
RBI declared SBI and ICICI Bank as Domestic Systemically Important Banks
Who: SBI and ICICI Bank

What: Identified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks by RBI
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 31 August 2015 declared State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI
Bank as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) in line with the D-SIB Framework released
by the RBI on 22 July 2014.
These banks have been identified as D-SIBs based on the methodology provided in the D-SIB
Framework and data collected from banks as on 31 March 2015.
Further, these banks have been put under associated bucket structure as required under the D-SIB
Framework and each bucket corresponds to the higher loss absorbency requirements that they
would be required to hold from January 2016.
As a result, SBI has been put under Bucket 3 with additional Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1)
requirements as a percentage of Risk Weighted Assets (RWAs) placed at 0.6percent.
On the other hand, ICICI Bank has been put under Bucket 1 with additional CET1 requirements as a
percentage of RWAs placed at 0.2 percent.
Framework for dealing with D-SIB
Framework for dealing with D-SIB was issued by the RBI on 22 July 2014 as required under the
October 2010 recommendations of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) following the 2008 global
financial crisis. In its recommendation FSB called all member countries to put in place a framework
to reduce risks attributable to Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs) in their
jurisdictions.
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As part of the framework, D-SIBs were placed in four buckets depending upon their Systemic
Importance Scores (SISs) in ascending order and will be required to have additional Common Equity
Tier 1 capital requirement ranging from 0.20% to 0.80% of risk weighted assets.
The additional CET1 requirements applicable to D-SIBs will become effective from 1 April 2016 in a
phased manner and would become fully effective from 1 April 2019. The additional CET1
requirement will be in addition to the capital conservation buffer.
In case a foreign bank having branch presence in India is a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-
SIB), it has to maintain additional CET1 capital surcharge in India as applicable to it as a G-SIB,
proportionate to its RWAs in India.
How to identify a D-SIB?
In order to identify a D-SIB, the D-SIB Framework specifies a two-step process of identification of D-
SIBs. In the first step, the sample of banks to be assessed for systemic importance has to be
decided. The selection of banks in the sample for computation of SIS is based on analysis of their
size as a percentage of annual GDP.
In line with this, RBI adopted an assessment methodology primarily based on the Basel Committee
on Banking Supervision (BCBS) methodology for identifying the G-SIBs with suitable modifications
to capture domestic importance of a bank.
The indicators used for assessment are: size, interconnectedness, substitutability and complexity.
Based on the sample of banks chosen for computation of their systemic importance, a relative
composite systemic importance score of the banks will be computed.
Union Government released 2000 crore rupees to EPS-95 as contribution for 2015-16
Who: 2000 crore rupees contribution

What: Released by the Union Government
Why: As contribution towards EPS-95 for 2015-16
The Union Government on 1 September 2015 released 2000 crore rupees to Employee Pension
Scheme, 1995 (EPS-95) as its contribution for the year 2015-16.
Further, a sum of 250 crore rupees was contributed as grant-in-aid for providing minimum pension of
1000 rupees to the pensioners of EPS-95.
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The additional grant-in-aid became necessary as the Union Government directed the Employees'
Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in September 2015 to provide for guaranteed minimum
pension of 1000 rupees per month.
Employee Pension Scheme (EPS)-95
• It came into effect on 16 November 1995 and the scheme was launched under the Employees'
Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
• It applies to the employees of all factories and other establishments to which the Employees'
Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 applies.
• The Union Government and employers contribute 1.16 percent and 8.33 percent of the monthly
wages of the members respectively.
• Under the scheme, monthly benefits for superannuation/ retirement, disability, survivor, widow(er),
children is provided and the amount of pension is based on average salary during the preceding 12
months from the date of exit and total years of employment.
• It also provides for minimum pension on disablement and also provides for past service benefit to
participants of erstwhile Family Pension Scheme, 1971.
FIIs/FPIs exempted from MAT purview for the period prior to 1 April 2015
Who: FIIs/FPIs
What: Exempted from MAT purview prior to 1 April 2015
When: Union Government decided on 1 September 2015
Why: To improve ease of doing business conditions
The Union Government on 1 September 2015 decided to exempt Foreign Institutional Investors
(FIIs)/ Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) from paying Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) for the period
prior to 1 April 2015.
The decision was based on Justice A P Shah Committee’s report that was submitted to the Union
Ministry of Finance on 25 August 2015. It is expected to improve ease of doing business conditions
in the country.
Recommendations of Justice A P Shah Committee
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To bring an amendment to Section 115JB of the Income Tax (I-T) Act, 1961 clarifying the complete
inapplicability of the MAT provisions to FIIs/FPIs (OR)
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) may issue a circular clarifying the complete inapplicability of
the MAT provisions to FIIs/FPIs.
In accordance with the above suggestions, the government decided to bring an amendment to the I-
T Act, 1961.
Background
As per the Finance Act, 2015 the 20 percent MAT on Capital Gains made by FIIs/FPI was waived off
from the financial year 2015-16.
However, the issue of imposing MAT prior to 1 April 2015 became controversial as the FIIs raised
objections to 68 notices (in lieu of 602 crores rupees) issued by the International Taxation Wing of
the Income Tax Department in lieu of MAT.
Against this background, the ministry constituted the Justice A P Shah committee 20 May 2015 to
recommend on the issue.
Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT)
• It is a direct tax and was introduced during 1997-98 financial year by the Union Government in
order to make the companies pay minimum amount as tax irrespective of tax exemptions that a
company is availed of under various tax saving provisions.
• It is calculated on the book profits of a company.
• It can be carried forward and set-off (adjustment) against regular tax payable during the
subsequent five-year period subject to certain conditions.
• It is applicable to all companies except those engaged in infrastructure and power sectors.
• Income arising from free trade zones, charitable activities, investments by venture capital
companies is also excluded from its purview.
RBI proposed marginal cost of funds methodology to calculate Base Rate
Where: Marginal cost of funds methodology

What: Proposed by the RBI
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Why: To make Base Rate sensitive to policy changes
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 1 September 2015 proposed a new methodology to calculate
Base Rate (Base Rate). It is based on marginal cost of funds methodology.
The new methodology is aimed at bringing uniformity among BRs of banks so that they will be more
sensitive to any changes in policy rates of the RBI like Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), Statutory
Liquidity Ratio (SLR), etc.
At present, banks are following different methodologies in computing their BR like on the basis of
average cost of funds, marginal cost of funds or blended cost of funds (liabilities).
Under the proposed methodology, the components of BR will include cost of funds, negative carry
on CRR/SLR, un-allocable overhead costs and average return on net worth.
The new methodology is expected to come into effect from 1 April 2015.
Base Rate
• It is defined as the minimum interest rate of a bank below which it is not viable to lend.
• It was introduced on 1 July 2011 by the RBI.
• It replaced the benchmark prime lending rate (BPLR), the interest rate which commercial banks
charged their most credit worthy customer.
Union Cabinet approved Policy for Marginal Fields of ONGC and OIL
Who: Policy for Marginal Fields of ONGC and OIL
What: Approved by the Union Cabinet
Why: To stimulate domestic oil and gas production
The Union Cabinet on 2 September 2015 gave its nod for Policy for Marginal Fields (MFP) of Oil and
Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India Limted (OIL).
Marginal Fields are those discoveries that could not be monetized for many years due to various
reasons such as isolated locations, small size of reserves, high development costs, technological
constraints, fiscal regime etc.
Key Features of Policy for Marginal Fields
• It is aimed at stimulating investment as well as higher domestic oil and gas production.
• 69 oil fields which have been held by ONGC and OIL for many years, but have not been exploited,
will be opened for competitive bidding.
• Private sector will be allowed to play a bigger role in the development of marginal fields.
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Changes in MFP vis-à-vis earlier policies
The earlier contracts were based on the concept of profit sharing. Under the profit sharing
methodology, it became necessary for the Government to scrutinize cost details of private
participants and this led to many delays and disputes. Under the new regime, the Government will
not be concerned with the cost incurred and will receive a share of the gross revenue from the sale
of oil, gas etc.
The licence granted to the successful bidder will cover all hydrocarbons found in the field. Earlier,
the licence was restricted to one item only (e.g. oil) and separate licence was required if any other
hydrocarbon, for example, gas was discovered and exploited.
The policy allows the successful bidder to sell at the prevailing market price of gas, rather than at
administered price.
Forward Markets Commission to be merged with SEBI with effect from 28 Sept 2015
Who: Forward Markets Commission

What: To be merged with SEBI
When: With effect from 28 Sept 2015
Union Government on 28 August 2015 notified the merger of commodities market regulator Forward
Markets Commission (FMC) with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Its merging will be
effective from 28 September 2015.
For this purpose, the government repealed the Forward Contracts Regulation Act (FCRA) 1952 and
made a way to shift the Regulation of Commodity Derivatives Market to SEBI under Securities
Contracts Regulation Act (SCRA) 1956.
An official press release said, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in his Budget speech, had announced
the merger of FMC with the capital market regulator SEBI to strengthen the regulation of commodity
futures market.
A unified regulator for commodities and capital markets will help streamline monitoring of commodity
futures trading and curb wild speculations.
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SEBI notified SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015
Who: SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015

What: Notified by SEBI
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 2 September 2015 notified SEBI (Listing
Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (Listing Regulations) after following
the consultation process.
A time period of ninety days has been given for implementing the Regulations. However, two
provisions of the regulations, which are facilitating in nature, are applicable with immediate effect.
These are:
(i) passing of ordinary resolution instead of special resolution in case of all material related party
transactions subject to related parties abstaining from voting on such resolutions, in line with the
provisions of the companies Act, 2013
(ii) re-classification of promoters as public shareholders under various circumstances.
The Listing Regulations have been sub-divided into two parts (a)substantive provisions incorporated
in the main body of Regulations;(b) procedural requirements in the form of Schedules to the
Regulations.
The Regulations have been structured to provide ease of reference by consolidating into one single
document across various types of securities listed on the Stock exchanges.
Highlights of the Listing Regulations

Guiding Principles (Chapter II): The regulations start by providing broad principles for periodic
disclosures by listed entities and also have incorporated the principles for corporate governance.
These principles underline specific requirements prescribed in different chapters of the Regulations.
In the event of the absence of specific requirements or ambiguity, these principles would serve to
guide the listed entities.
Common obligations applicable to all listed entities (Chapter III):Obligations which are common
to all listed entities have been enumerated. These include general obligation of compliance of listed
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entity, appointment of common compliance officer, filings on electronic platform, mandatory
registration on SCORES, etc.
Obligations which are applicable to specific types of securities (Chapter III to IX): Obligations
which are applicable to specific types of securities have been incorporated in separate chapters.
Obligations of stock exchanges and provisions in case of default (Chapter X & XI): Stock
Exchanges have been given responsibility to monitor compliance or adequacy or accuracy of
compliance with provisions of these regulations and to take action for non-compliance.
Ease of Reference: The related provisions have been aligned and provided at a common place for
ease of reference. All disclosures required to be made on the website of the listed entity have been
enumerated at a single place for ease of reference and all requirements pertaining to disclosures in
annual report have been combined.
Streamlining and segregation of initial issuance/listing obligations:In order to ensure that there
is no overlapping or confusion on the applicability of these regulations, pre-listing requirements have
been incorporated in respective regulations. These provisions pertain to allotment of securities,
refund and payment of interest, 1 percent Security Deposit (in case of public issuance), etc.
Alignment with provisions of Companies Act, 2013: Wherever necessary, the provisions in
Listing Regulations have been aligned with those of the Companies Act, 2013.
Listing Agreement: A shortened version of the Listing Agreement (2 page approximately) will be
prescribed which will be required to be signed by a company getting its securities listed on Stock
Exchanges. Existing listed entities will be required to sign the shortened version within six months of
the notification of the regulations.
International affairs of the week
Highest mountain of North America Mt McKinley renamed as Denali
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Who: Mt McKinley
Where: Alaska
What: Renamed as Denali
The highest mountain of North America was on 28 August 2015 renamed as Denali instead of its
existing name Mt McKinley by US President Barack Obama. This designation will now recognize the
sacred status of Denali to generations of Alaska Natives.
The mountain, which sits in the 6 million-acre Denali national park, has been known as Denali in
Alaska since 1975. Now officially, the Denali name will be used by all and it will also take effect for
all federal usage and on all official maps.
The change comes after a debate between lawmakers from Alaska and Ohio. In January 2015,
Republican Senate Lisa Murkowski of Alaska introduced legislation that sought to officially call the
mountain what Alaskans and indigenous people called it Denali or The High One.
The historic change came during Obama's three-day presidential trip to Alaska. It is the latest bid by
the President to fulfill his 2008 campaign promise to improve relations between the federal
government and the nation’s Native American tribes.
Background
In 1896, the peak was named as Mount McKinley after a gold prospector exploring the region heard
that Ohioan William McKinley, a champion of the gold standard, had won the Republican
nomination for president.
In a show of support, the prospector declared the tallest peak of the Alaska range as Mt McKinley
and the name stuck. However, McKinley was tragically assassinated in 1901. But he never set foot
in Alaska and for centuries, the mountain that rises some 20000 feet above sea level had been
known by another name Denali.
In 1975, the state of Alaska officially designated the mountain as Denali, and has since been
pressing the federal government to do the same. The peak plays a central role in the creation story
of the Koyukon Athabascans, a group that has lived in Alaska for thousands of years.
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India emerged as 8th largest tourism market for Australia
Australian trade minister Andrew Robb on 1 September 2015 said that India has emerged as the 8th
largest tourism market for Australia. In 2014, over 2 lakh Indians visited the nation in and spent
about 1 billion dollars which was an increase of 39 percent.
Earlier in 2013, India stood at 11th position.
Till date in 2015, a total number of 207000 Indians have visited Australia. This increase was
supported by the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand.
Robb also said that India was one of the fastest growing markets and the result demonstrates that
tourism is one of its strengths. He said that tourism can be its fastest growing sector this decade if it
continues to leverage on the 'clean, green and safe' brand to position itself for tourism
IGAD-PLus brokered Peace Agreement came into effect in South Sudan
Who: IGAN-PLus brokered peace agreement

Where: South Sudan
What: Came into effect
Why: To end inter-ethnic Dinka-Neur conflict
IGAD-PLus brokered Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan
came into effect on 29 August 2015. South Sudan is the youngest nation and came into existence in
2011.
The agreement was signed by the president of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit and the leader of
the armed faction SPLM/A-IO Riek Machar Teny.
The objective of the agreement is to end the inter-ethnic Dinka-Neur conflict started in December
2013 that led to the killing of around 1 lakh civilians.
The conflict was an outcome of power struggle between the incumbent president Kiir (Dinka) and
former vice-president Riek (Neur) that later turned into inter-ethnic conflict.
The agreement is comprehensive in the sense it deals with power sharing at the centre and
provinces, role of military in the country among others.
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About IGAD-PLus
• The grouping is a loose association of member countries that are involved in the peace process of
South Sudan.
• The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) forms the core of the grouping.
• IGAD is an eight-country trade bloc in Africa. It includes governments from the Horn of Africa
(Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea), Nile Valley (Sudan and South Sudan), and the African
Great Lakes (Kenya and Uganda).
• IGAD was established in 1986 and is headquartered in Djibouti City.
• IGAD-PLus includes IGAD Partners Forum (IPF), African Union (AU),the United Nations (UN), the
European Union (EU), the Troika (Norway, UK and USA), Australia, China, Denmark, Japan,
Netherlands, Sweden and Turkey.
4th India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks for the 11th Five Year Plan held in New
Delhi
Who: 4th India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks

Where: New Delhi
What: Held
Why: To review the progress of India assisted projects in Bhutan
The fourth India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks for the 11th Five Year Plan of Bhutan was
held on 2 September 2015 in New Delhi.
The Indian delegation was led by Sujata Mehta, Secretary (M&ER) and the Bhutanese delegation
was led by Dasho Tshering Dorji, Foreign Secretary of Bhutan.
During the talks, both sides reviewed the overall progress of Project Tied Assistance (PTA) projects
and agreed to a reprioritized list of projects.
Further, the two sides agreed to hold the next annual Development Cooperation Talks in 2016 in the
Bhutanese capital Thimphu.
About Annual Development Cooperation Talks
• These are the umbrella mechanism for discussing Government of India’s bilateral developmental
assistance to Bhutan.
• India has committed 2800 crore rupees as PTA, 850 crore rupees for Programme Grant and 850
36
crore rupees for Small Development Projects (SDPs) for Bhutan’s 11th Five Year Plan (July 2013 -
June 2018).
• A total of 85 PTA projects and 485 SDPs have been broadly agreed for implementation during the
current Plan period.
A commemorative plaque joined Tree of Peace and Unity to mark end of WW-II
Who: A commemorative plaque
Where: the UN Headquarters, New York
What: Joined the Tree of Peace and Unity
Why: To mark the end of WW-II in Asia and the Pacific
A commemorative plaque was placed by the Tree of Peace and Unity on 2 September 2015 to mark
the end of World War-II (WW-II) in Asia and the Pacific.
The Tree of Peace and Unity, a weeping cherry tree, was planted on international soil in May 2014
at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, the USA.
The tree was planted to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the WW-II in Europe.
WW-II was a global war that lasted from 1 September 1939 to 2 September 1945 killing millions of
military personnel and innocent civilians worldwide.
The UN was an outcome of the war aimed at reducing hostilities among countries and restoring
peace and stability.
Canada entered first technical recession in six years
Who: Canada
What: Entered first technical recession in six years
Pulled by falling energy prices and economic troubles in China, Canadian economy entered into the
first technical recession in six years. This was revealed by Canada’s national statistical agency
Statistics Canada on 1 September 2015.
Technical recession means negative economic growth by a country’s gross domestic product (GDP)
for two consecutive quarters.
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From this viewpoint, as revealed by Canada Statistics, Canadian economy retreated at an annual
pace of 0.5 percent during Quarter 2 (April-June 2015) which followed a decline of 0.8 percent in
GDP growth during the Quarter 1 (January – March 2015).
The last time the Canadian economy saw the technical recession was in 2009, when GDP was
pulled back by 8.7 percent in the first quarter and 3.6 percent in the second.
Further, it is the only Group of Seven (G-7) nation in economic retreat and the figures are the
weakest since the 2008 global financial crisis. Canada is the world's 11th-biggest economy and the
United States' biggest trading partner.
Comment
This news of recession on economic front of the country may carry trouble for Prime Minister
Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party ahead of the elections scheduled to be held on 19
October 2015. Harper is campaigning for a fourth term on a record of economic growth
Russia rejected French proposal to limit veto power of UNSC’s permanent members
Who: French proposal to limit veto power of UNSC's permanent members

What: Rejected by Russia
Russia on 2 September 2015 dismissed a proposal of France asking United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) permanent members to limit the use of the veto power at least in cases involving
mass atrocities that demands action.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that it would oppose the proposal as it is not a workable
proposition. He argued that declaring mass atrocities could become a political tool, and raised
questions about who would be empowered to make that determination.
France's idea was welcomed by some 70 non-veto wielding member-states at the United Nations;
however, China and the United States have also expressed reservations.
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Veto Power and UNSC
Veto power at UNSC relates to the five permanent members also known as the Permanent Five, Big
Five, or P5. These are Britain, China, France, Russia and United States.
The Big 5 were accorded with veto power so as to enable them to prevent the adoption of any
substantive resolution, as well as decide which issues fall under substantive title. The power is
exercised when any permanent member casts a negative vote on a substantive draft resolution.
Abstention or absence from the vote by a permanent member does not prevent a draft resolution
from being adopted.
Veto power can be termed as the de-facto control over the UNSC by the five nations, since the
creation of UN in 1945. But in recent times calls for re-thinking its use have mounted as the world
body celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2015
Second Australia-India Defence Minister’s dialogue concluded in New Delhi

Who: Second Australia-India Defence Minister's dialogue
Where: New Delhi
What: Concluded
Second Australia-India Defence Minister’s dialogue concluded in New Delhi on 2 September 2015.
The meet was chaired by visiting Australian Minister of Defence Kevin Andrews and Defence
Minister Manohar Parrikar.
The meet was followed by a delegation level talk to discuss issues of shared strategic interest and
the current state of the bilateral defence relationship between the two countries. After the talks the
two sides issued the following joint statement.
Key points of the Joint Statement

• The Ministers affirmed their desire to continue to broaden and deepen the bilateral defence
relationship based on shared strategic interests and to implement the action plan outlined in the
Framework for Security Cooperation agreed to by the Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Tony
Abbott on 18 November 2014.
• The Ministers also discussed the centenary of the First World War and recalled the contribution
made by the Indian and ANZAC forces during the Gallipoli campaign.
• Given both nations' interest in the Indian Ocean and its vital importance to regional and global
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trade, the Ministers acknowledged the importance of freedom of maritime navigation and agreed that
maritime security should remain a key component of the bilateral defence relationship.
• Australia and India agreed to continue to cooperate through joint work as part of the ASEAN
Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus construct.
• The Ministers also agreed to continue enhancing relationship between Indian and Australian
navies, through bilateral ship visits, exchanges as also through Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and
such other fora.
• The first Navy-to-Navy Bilateral Maritime Exercise will be held by end of September 2015 to foster
greater interoperability and cooperation between both nations and further contribute to maritime
security.
• Royal Australian Navy participation in the Indian Navy International Fleet Review in February 2016
and the continuation of the Bilateral Maritime Exercise on a biennial basis.
• The commencement of a partnership between our respective peacekeeping centres. This will start
with closer engagement to enhance knowledge sharing and mutual capacity building.
• Increased Air Force cooperation on aviation safety and air worthiness, including subject matter
experts' exchanges, to progress mutual understanding and improve capability.
• The establishment of a Joint Working Group on Defence Research and Material Cooperation.
• Closer Air Force engagement, including Indian attendance at the Royal Australian Air Force
exercise PITCH BLACK.
• The creation of a closer Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) relationship, commencing
with a regular subject matter expert exchange
China held victory day parade to commemorate WW-II victory over Japan
Who: Victory day parade

Where: Tiananmen Square, Beijing
What: Held
Why: To commemorate China's victory over Japan in WW II
China on 3 September 2015 held a special military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of
its victory over Japan during the World War II (WW-II) in 1945.
It was held at the historic Tiananmen Square in the capital Beijing and was attended by many foreign
dignitaries including the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Russian president
Vladimir Putin.
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In the parade, China’s military might was showcased including the anti-ship carrier killer
missile Dongfeng-21D.
During the occasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced to reduce the strength of the People's
Liberation Army (PLA) by 3 lakh by 2017.
At present, the PLA is the world's largest military with 2.3 million members. China (130 billion US
dollars) also has the second biggest defence budget after the USA (530 billion US dollars).
About WW-II
• It was a global war that lasted from 1 September 1939 to 2 September 1945 killing millions of
military personnel and innocent civilians worldwide.
• The war was between the Allies (the USA, the UK, Russia, China, France, etc) and the Axis
(Germany, Japan, Italy, etc).
• Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China in 1937 that claimed 14 million Chinese lives.
• China’s victory over Japan in 1945 was a crucial event that led to the end of war in Asia and the
Pacifics.
11th Session of India-United Arab Emirates Joint Commission meet concluded
Who: 11th Session of India-United Arab Emirates Joint Commission meet

Where: New Delhi
What: Held
When: 2 September to 3 September 2015
11th session of the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting for Technical and Economical Cooperation
was held on 2 September to 3 September 2015, in New Delhi. The UAE team had reiterated its
commitment to undertake extensive investments in India. Al-Nahyan co-chaired the meet of the Joint
Commission with External Affairs Minister.
The meet was held during the visit of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Minister
of Foreign Affairs of United Arab Emirates to India. Al-Nahyan also led a delegation of senior officials
and captains of leading UAE business houses to India.
During the visit, Al-Nahyan also met with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister
Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar, Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu, and
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
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Highlights of the decisions made and issues discussed during Joint Commission Meeting
• The two sides agreed to increase the bilateral trade by 60 percent over the next five years.
• The two sides also agreed to encourage the investment institutions of the UAE to raise their
investments in India, including through the establishment of UAE-India Infrastructure Investment
Fund, with the aim of reaching a target of 75 billion US dollar.
• The two sides agreed to work for early establishment of the planned India-UAE Joint Fund for
investments in the infrastructure sector in India.
• An India-UAE Joint Business Council was inaugurated by the two Foreign Ministers
• The two sides signed MOUs on cooperation in the areas of Higher Education & Scientific
Research; Tourism, Specifications and Measures, for cooperation between the respective Telecom
Regulatory Authorities and also between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
Besides, the two sides also discussed subjects in areas like, Trade & Commerce; Investments;
Finance & Banking; Energy, Hydro-carbons, Petrochemicals & Fertilizers; Defence and Space;
Transport, Civil Aviation, Ports & Meteorogy; Health & Agriculture, Education, Culture & Tourism;
Security and Combating Crime; Immigration, Consular and Indian Community related issues and
arrived on agreements to enhance our cooperation in these areas.
India-UAE relation
India and UAE enjoy strong bonds of friendship, which are founded on millenia-old cultural, religious
and economic interaction between the two regions. The two countries are one of the largest trade
partners for each other and have made robust investments with each other. UAE is the sixth largest
source of India’s oil imports and hosts a 2.6 million-strong Indian Community.
Sports affairs of the week
Anil won gold medal in Cadet Wrestling World Championships

Who: Indian wrestler Anil
Where: SARAJEVO, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina
What: Won gold medal in Cadet Wrestling World Championships
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Indian wrestler Anil on 29 August 2015 won gold medal in the 50 kg freestyle category in the Cadet
Wrestling World Championships at SARAJEVO, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He defeated
Erfan Aeini of Iran 10-6.
It was second medal for India at SARAJEVO as Ankush won silver in the 38 kg women freestyle on
28 August 2015.
To reach the finals of the competition, earlier, Anil defeated Tumentsogt Bold of Mongolia in the
semi-final bout while in quarter-final he defeated Ertugrul Kahveci of Turkey
Indian women hockey team qualified for Olympics after 36 years
Who: Indian women hockey team

What: Qualified for Olympics after 36 years
When: FIH announced on 29 August 2015
Indian women hockey team qualified for Olympics after 36 years. India’s latest participation in
Olympics was in 1980 that was held in Moscow, Russia.
The decision in this regard was announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on 29
August 2015.
The present qualification will allow India to participate in the 2016 Summer Olympics scheduled to
be held in August 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This is also the first time when the Indian women team made it to the Olympics through the
qualification system.
In 1980 Olympics, the Indian side finished fourth after losing to the Soviet Union in the bronze medal
match. Further, it was also the first participation for women hockey team in the mega event.
Now, Indian hockey team is headed by Ritu Rani.
Fifteenth IAAF World Championships in Athletics concluded in Beijing
Fifteenth IAAF World Championships in Athletics was held between 22 August and 30 August 2015
at the Beijing’s National Stadium in China.
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While Kenya topped the medal table with 16 medals, Jamaica stood second with 12 medals. India
could not win a single medal in the championships.
Highlights of Fifteenth World Athletics Championships

• Kenya was at the top with overall 16 medals including 7 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze medals. Vivian
Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (women’s 1000m), Ezekiel Kemboi (men’s 3000m steeplechase), Nicholas Bett
(men’s 400m hurdles), David Lekuta Rudisha (men’s 800m), Julius Yegom (men’s Javelin
throw), Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi (women’s 3000m steeplechase) and Asbel Kiprop ( men’s 1500m)
were the gold medalists.
• Jamaica was at the second position by winning 12 medals including 7 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze
medals. Usain Bolt won 3 golds by winning 100m and 200m events and by being part of 4*400m
relay. Jamaica won gold medals in 4*100m relay (men and women) and women 4*400m relay. Men
4*400m relay was won by the USA.
• The USA was at the third position with 18 medals overall including 6 medals in each category.
• The United Kingdom won 7 medals including 4 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.
• Ethiopia stood at the fifth position by winning 3 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze.
About IAAF World Championships in Athletics
• It is a biannual event organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
• It is the most prestigious event in the realm of athletics at the global level.
• Till now, 15 championships took place beginning from the inaugural event in 1983.
• On an average, around 200 countries participate in the event.
• The 15th edition of the championships took place at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in the Chinese capital
Beijing. 207 countries took part in it.
• The USA, Russia, Kenya, Germany and Jamaica are in the top five places (in the same order) in
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terms of overall medal tally in the championships.
• Till now, India won only 2 medals in the championships. Both were won by long jumper Anju Bobby
George who won bronze in the 2003 championships held in Paris and gold medal in the 2005
championships held in Montecarlo, Monaco.
• While the 14th edition (2013) was held in the Russian capital Moscow, the 16th edition (2017) will
be hosted by London.
U Mumba won Pro Kabaddi League 2015
Who: Pro Kabaddi League 2015

Where: Finals held in Mumbai
What: Won by U Mumba
U Mumba on 24 August 2015 won the Pro Kabaddi League 2015 title by defeating Bengaluru Bulls
36-30 in the final match held in Mumbai. U Mumba was headed by Anup Kumar.
While the winners got one crore rupees as prize money, the Bengaluru Bulls won 50 lakh rupees.
The tournament witnessed the participation of 8 teams viz., U Mumba, Bengaluru Bulls, Telugu
Titans, Patna Pirates, Jaipur Pink Panthers, Bengal Warriors, Dabang Delhi and Puneri Paltan.
It is the second edition of the league and the first edition was won by Jaipur Pink Panthers in 2014.
The team is owned by actor Abhishek Bachchan.
Ethiopia's Mare Dibaba won women's marathon at World Athletics Championships
Who: Ethiopia's Mare Dibaba

What: Won women's marathon at 2015 World Athletics Championships
Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia on 30 August 2015 won the women's marathon title at the 2015 World
Athletics Championships at the Beijing National Stadium, China. She is the first Ethiopian female to
win the event at the world championships.
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The 25-year-old Dibaba captured the title by finishing the race in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 35
seconds.
In the race, she defeated Helah Kiprop of Kenya, who won the silver medal by completing the
marathon in 2 hours 27 minutes and 36 seconds. Eunice Kirwa of Bahrain won bronze medal in this
event after completing it in 2 hours 27 minutes and 39 seconds.
Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports recognised Yoga as sports discipline
Who: Yoga
What: Was recognised as a sports discipline by the Union Government
Why: To encourage the practise across the country
Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 1 September 2015 recognised Yoga as a sports
discipline. It was placed under priority category.
The ministry took the decision in order to encourage the practice of yoga across the country
especially among the youth.
Further, due to the present recognition the practitioners will benefit in the form of funding and other
administrative assistance for its development.
About Yoga
Yoga is an Indian physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline. It finds mention in the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali, the author of the grammatical Mahabhasya.
On 21 June 2015, the first International Day of Yoga was observed globally for which India gave the
lead to the world.
Durban to host XXII Commonwealth Games in 2022
Who: Durban, South Africa

What: Will host XXII Commonwealth Games
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When: Declared on 2 September 2015
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly on 2 September 2015 selected
South African city Durban as the host for the XXII Commonwealth Games.
With this, South Africa became the first country from Africa to host the games in its 85 years history.
The games are scheduled to start on 18 July 2022 to mark the birth anniversary of South African
anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela.
So far, South Africa successfully hosted the three biggest single-sport events— Rugby world cup
(1995), the ICC ODI world cup (2003), and FIFA world cup (2010). Commonwealth games will be the
first biggest multi-disciplinary event to be held in the country.
About Commonwealth Games
• It is a multi-disciplinary international sporting event that involves athletes from 71 nations and
territories connected with the Commonwealth.
• It is held once every four years. It is often referred to as the Friendly Games.
• The General Assembly of the CGF is responsible for the direction and control of the
Commonwealth Games. It is the highest authority of the Commonwealth Sports Movement.
• The first event was organised in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.
• So far, Britain have hosted the Games six times, Australia and Canada four times each, New
Zealand three times, and Jamaica, Malaysia and India (2010) once each.
• While the XIX Games was held in Glasgow of the UK, the XX Games will be held in Gold Coast,
Australia.
Mumbai won Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy of Cricket
Who: Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy of cricket

Where: Chennai
What: Won by Mumbai
Mumbai on 1 September 2015 won the Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy in the All India invitation cricket
tournament. In the final match played in Chennai, Mumbai defeated Tamil Nadu Cricket Association
Districts (TNCA) XI by six wickets.
TNCA batting first was able to score 163 all out in 74 over, in response to which, Mumbai scored 166
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for four in 45.2 over.
Mumbai's Surya Kumar Yadav, was adjudged as the Man of the Series.
About Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy

Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy in an annual tournament held in honour of Mothavarapu Buchi Babu
Naidu.
Buchi Babu born in 1868 was an Indian socialite and cricket pioneer who organised cricket clubs for
native Indians. He is considered to be the “father of south Indian cricket”, who founded the annual
Madras Presidency Matches, the first of which was held shortly after his death.
Two of Naidu’s sons, M Baliah and C Ramaswami, played for the Indian national cricket team.
Naidu challenged the social norms embodied in Madras cricket, such as the rule that forbade non-
Europeans from enjoying the comforts of the pavilion during lunch and instead being left sitting
under the shade of trees to eat lunch. He was responsible for bringing Ranjitsinjhi to Madras and for
sending Chari to England, while the Buchi Babu Memorial Tournament has become a prestigious
annual affair, involving India’s top teams.
India won three-match test series against Sri Lanka

Who: Indian Test Cricket Team
What: Won three-match test series against Sri Lanka
India on 1 September 2015 won the three-match cricket test series against Sri Lanka, 2-1. In the
third and final match of the series, India defeated the host with an emphatic 117-run.
With this win, India also ended a 22-year long drought of a win over Sri Lanka on Sri Lankan soil.
Series Report
1st Test: Played at Galle International Stadium, Galle between 12 August and 15 August 2015. Sri
Lanka won the match by 63 runs. Dinesh Chandimal of Sri Lanka was declared Player of the match.
2nd Test: Played at P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo between 20 August and 24 August 2015.
India won the match by 278 runs. Kannaur Lokesh Rahul of India was declared Player of the match.
3rd Test: Played at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo between 28 August and 1 September
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2015. India won the match by 117 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara of India was declared Player of the
match. The match also saw test debut of two players namely Naman Ojha of India and Kusal Perera
of Sri Lanka.
• Player of the series - Ravichandran Ashwin of India
Some other facts of the series

• 135-run partnership between Captain Angelo Mathews and debutant Kushal Perera in the third
test, is the second-highest stand in the fourth innings in Sri Lanka's Test history.
• It was Virat Kohli's first test series win as a Test captain
• The first match at Galle saw the batting collapse of young Indian side in the fourth innings on
Independence Day after being in total control for most of that match.
• The second match will be remembered for being the last Test of Kumara Sangakkara, the
gentleman cricketer from Sri Lanka, and a role model for many around the world.
• India won a memorable series victory in Sri Lanka after a gap of 22 years.
Logo for 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games scrapped amid plagiarism accusation
Who: Logo for 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games

What: Scrapped amid plagiarism accusation
Four-colour logo of Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games was scrapped by Games Organising Committee
on 1 September 2015. The logo was scrapped amid allegations by a Belgian graphic designer
Olivier Debie that it was plagiarised from his work.
Debie claimed that the design was similar to his 2013 logo for the Theatre de Liege.
The logo unveiled in August 2015 was based around the letter T and a red circle representing a
beating heart, which resembled the Japanese flag.
Earlier in July 2015, a new Olympic Stadium design by architect Zaha Hadid was scrapped amid a
row over its cost.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics is scheduled to be held from 24 July - 9 August 2020
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Marvan Atapattu resigned as Head Coach of Sri Lanka Cricket team
Who: Marvan Atapattu

What: Resigned as Head Coach of Sri Lanka Cricket team
Marvan Atapattu on 3 September 2015 announced his resignation as head coach of Sri Lanka
cricket team. His resignation was accepted by the Sri Lanka’s Cricket Board.
He resigned just two-days after the team’s Test series loss to India at home. The series loss was
their first to India on home soil since 1993. Apart from this, Sri Lankan team has lost four Tests out
of six since June 2015.
Atapattu first became the batting coach of Sri Lanka cricket team in 2011 and in April 2014 he was
made interim head coach of the team following Paul Farbrace resignation.
In September 2014, he was made the head coach of the team making him the first full-time coach of
the team in 15 years.
Atapattu, as head coach of the team oversaw Sri Lanka's Test series win over England in June
2015. This was first test series win of the nation in 16 years that to in England itself.
Attapattu as a Cricketer
Atapattu led Sri Lanka in 18 Tests during his playing career and made 5502 runs in 90 Test matches
of which 249 was his highest test score. In ODI he played 249 matches and scored 8529 run of
which 132 not out was the highest score
Science & Technology affairs
NASA spacecraft LADEE found presence of neon gas in Moon’s atmosphere
Who: NASA spacecraft LADEE

What: Found presence of neon gas in Moon's atmosphere
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) spacecraft LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere and
Dust Environment Explorer) confirmed the presence of Neon gas in Moon’s atmosphere.
The research paper describing observations from LADEE’s Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS)
instrument was published in Geophysical Research Letters. The lead author of the research paper is
Mehdi Benna.
This is the first time that the availability of the gas in the atmosphere was confirmed. Since Apollo
missions, it was always a subject of speculation that the gas is present in the exosphere of the
Moon.
Main findings
• The neon gas that is commonly used in electric signs on Earth because of its intense glow was
found to be in abundance in the exosphere of the moon.
• The Moon’s exosphere is made up of mostly helium, argon and neon. Their relative abundance is
dependent on the time of day on the Moon — argon peaks at sunrise, with neon at 4 am and helium
at 1 am.
• The study helped the team to find that way through which these gases are supplied to the
exosphere and how they ultimately lost. While most of the lunar exosphere comes from the solar
wind, NMS showed that some gas comes from lunar rocks.
• NMS also found an unexpected source of some of the helium in the lunar exosphere. About 20% of
the helium is coming from the Moon itself, most likely as the result from the decay of radioactive
thorium and uranium, also found in lunar rocks.
About LADEE
Launched in September 2013 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, LADEE began orbiting
the moon from 6 October 2013 and started gathering science data from 10 November 2013. The
spacecraft entered its science orbit around the moon’s equator on 20 November 2013. In March
2014, LADEE extended its mission operations following a highly successful 100-day primary science
phase and impacted the moon on 17 April 2014.
Scientists identified THSD7A gene as primarily responsible for obesity in Indians
Who: THSD7A gene

What: Found to be primarily responsible for obesity in Indians
When: Announced in first week of August 2015
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Scientists belonging to various research organizations in India identified THSD7A as primarily
responsible for obesity in Indians.
The research was published in the International Journal of Obesity in the first week of August 2015.
It was led by the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
Focus of the study
India inhabited by the first out-of-Africa human population. Moreover, contemporary Indian
populations are admixture of 2 ancestors: ANI (ancestral north Indians) and ASI (ancestral south
Indians). While ANI is related to Europeans, ASI is not related to any group outside Indian-
subcontinent.
The present research was aimed at finding novel genetic loci associated with Body Mass Index
(BMI). As part of the research scientists discovered that rs1526538, an intronic SNP of THSD7A is
significantly associated with obesity.
About THSD7A gene
THSD7A is neural N-glycoprotein, which promotes angiogenesis and angiogenesis in turn modulates
obesity, adipose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
The gene is present in everyone. But when there is a mutation to the gene, there is a likelihood that
the person carrying the mutated gene will end up being obese.
However, the gene mutation is not found in all obese people. Similarly, the gene mutation was also
found in very small number of underweight people. That is because obesity is a multigenic condition.
Further, there is a possibility that the SNP marker of THSD7A may be associated with obesity in
other South Asian population.
Importance of the study
The discovery is of particular importance as scientists will help in drug target, early detection of
obesity and treatment. It is also pertinent to note that obesity linked health risks such as cardio
vascular have been on rise in the country in recent times.
GSLV-D6 successfully launched GSAT-6 communication satellite
Who: GSLV-D6
Where: Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota
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What: Successfully inducted GSAT-6
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)-D6 was successfully launched on 27 August

2015. It was launched from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR
(SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
GSLV-D6 inducted 2117 kg GSAT-6, an advanced communication satellite into a Geosynchronous

Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite is intended to provide S-band communication services in the
country.
Key Features of GSLV-D6
• It is the ninth flight of GSLV. It is also the fifth developmental flight of GSLV.
• This is the third time the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) is being carried on-
board during a GSLV flight. The flight is significant since it intends to continue the testing of CUS.
• It is configured with all its three stages including the CUS similar to the ones successfully flown
during the previous GSLV-D5 mission in January 2014. GSLV-D5 successfully placed GSAT-14
satellite carried on-board in the intended GTO very accurately.
Importance of Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS)
A Cryogenic rocket stage is more efficient and provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant
it burns compared to solid and earth-storable liquid propellant rocket stages.
The cryogenic stage is technically a very complex system compared to solid or earth-storable liquid
propellant stages due to its use of propellants at extremely low temperatures and the associated
thermal and structural challenges.
Oxygen liquifies at -183 deg C and Hydrogen at -253 deg C. The propellants, at these low
temperatures, are to be pumped using turbo pumps running at around 40,000 rpm.
About GSAT System
• The GSAT or Geosynchronous satellite is a constellation of communication satellites developed by

the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with an objective to make India self-reliant in
broadcasting services.
• Satellites are called GSAT because they function in a geosynchronous orbit around the Earth.
• It is designed to inject 2 ton class of communication satellites into GTO.
• The first satellite in the series GSAT-1 was launched in April 2001.
• Till date, 12 satellites were launched and only six among them are operational
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Corporate affairs of the week
Bazmi Husain appointed as Chief Technology Officer of ABB India Ltd

Who: Bazmi Husain
What: Appointed as Chief Technology Officer of ABB India Ltd
Bazmi Husain was on 2 September 2015 appointed as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of ABB India
Ltd. Husain is a power and automation expert and has been with ABB for more than 30 years.
Currently, he is working as Managing Director of ABB in India.
As a CTO, he will report to ABB’s CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer and will begin work as CTO with effect
from 1 January 2016. He will be based in Bangalore office of ABB India along with an office in
Switzerland.
He will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of ABB’s global Research and Development, which
serves the entire company, its scientists and engineers.
Husain joined ABB in 1981 and managed a variety of local business units and divisions in India and
Singapore before taking responsibility for ABB’s Corporate Research Center (CRC) in India in 2002.
From 2009 to 2011, Husain was head of ABB’s Smart Grid industry segment initiative.
About ABB India Ltd

• With locations in seven countries, ABB brings together an international team of highly skilled
scientists across a variety of disciplines. ABB spends 1.5 billion US dollars annually on R&D and
employs around 8500 technologists.
• ABB India is a part of ABB (www.abb.com), a leader in power and automation technologies that
enable utility, industry, and transport and infrastructure customers to improve their performance
while lowering environmental impact.
• The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 140000
people.
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Vinod Dasari appointed as President of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers
Who: Vinod Dasari

What: Appointed as President of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers
Vinod Dasari was on 3 September 2015 appointed as President of the Society of Indian Automobile
Manufacturers (SIAM), an automobile industry body. Dasari is the Managing Director of Ashok
Leyland.
Other Appointments
• Arvind Saxena, President of General Motors India, was elected as the Vice-President of the
organisation.
• Kenichi Ayukawa, Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director and CEO, was appointed as the
Treasurer of SIAM.
Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)

• SIAM is the apex Industry body representing leading vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers in
India.
• It facilitates dialogue between the industry, government, national as well as international
organisations.
• It also works closely with concerned stakeholders and helps evolve rules, regulations and policies
related to the automobile industry.
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Environment & Ecology affairs
CSIRO, Imperial College warned 99% seabirds will ingest plastic by 2050
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Imperial College
London warned that 99 percent of the world's seabird species will be ingesting plastic by 2050 if
current marine pollution trends continue.
A study by researchers from the CSIRO and Imperial College London found the percentage of birds
consuming plastic in marine environments was increasing at an alarming rate.
The study, led by Dr Chris Wilcox with co-authors Dr Denise Hardesty and Dr Erik van Sebille was
published in the journal PNAS on 1 September 2015.
Highlights of the study
 The study found that nearly 60 percent of all seabird species including albatrosses, shearwaters
and penguins have plastic in their gut.
 Based on analysis of published studies since the early 1960s, the team of researchers found that
plastic is increasingly common in seabird’s stomachs. In 1960, plastic was found in the stomach of
less than 5 percent of individual seabirds, rising to 80 percent by 2010.
 The researchers predict that plastic ingestion will affect 99 percent of the world’s seabird species
by 2050, based on current trends.
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 The scientists estimate that 90 percent of all seabirds alive today have eaten plastic of some kind,
which includes bags, bottle caps, and plastic fibres from synthetic clothes, which have washed out
into the ocean from urban rivers, sewers and waste deposits.
 Ingesting plastic causes gut impaction, weight loss and sometimes even death of the birds.
 The researchers found plastics will have the greatest impact on wildlife where they gather in the
Southern Ocean, in a band around the southern edges of Australia, South Africa and South
America.
Solution suggested includes
 Improving waste management can reduce the threat plastic is posing to marine wildlife
 Even simple measures can make a difference, such as reducing packaging, banning single-use
plastic items or charging an extra fee to use them, and introducing deposits for recyclable items
like drink containers.
 Efforts to reduce plastics losses into the environment in Europe resulted in measureable changes
in plastic in seabird stomachs with less than a decade, which suggests that improvements in basic
waste management can reduce plastic in the environment in a really short time.
The work was carried out as part of a national marine debris project supported by CSIRO and Shell’s
Social investment program as well as the marine debris working group at the National Center for
Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, with support from Ocean
Conservancy.
Low-cost device to monitor air quality unveiled by UNEP in Nairobi
Who: Low-cost device to monitor air quality

Where: Nairobi, Kenya
What: Unveiled by the UNEP
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on 31 August 2015 unveiled a low-cost device
to monitor air quality in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. It costs around 1500 US dollars per unit.
It is a low-cost device in the sense that it is expected to cost up to 100 times less than existing
solutions.
Key features of the monitoring device
57
• It is capable of collecting all the vital parameters of air quality.
• It has built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) that enables it to connect to the UNEP Live platform
that monitors air quality from 2000 stations located across the world on real-time basis.
• It can measure the concentration of particulate matter ranging from 1 to 10 microns in diameter
(PM 1 - PM 10), including PM 2.5, considered by the WHO to have the greatest effect on human
health.
• It also records the concentration of sulphur and nitrogen oxides and can be extended to measure
other gases such as ozone.
Importance of the device
Each year, air pollution causes 7 million premature deaths around the world, with outdoor pollution
responsible for more than half of that total.
Further, around 88 percent of deaths related to outdoor pollution occur in low- and middle-income
countries that lack basic infrastructure related to air quality monitoring that are mostly preventable.
Hence, the device is expected to play a pivotal role in generating environment related data that will
be helpful to policymakers and pubic in general in improving air quality.
NASA and USAID launched SERVIR-Mekong to monitor environment in Southeast Asia

Who: SERVIR-Mekong Hub
Where: Bangkok, Thailand
What: Launched by NASA and USAID
NASA and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on 31 August 2015
launched SERVIR-Mekong, to serve the countries of the Mekong River Basin: Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
It is a joint project that is aimed at strengthening regional environmental monitoring in the above five
countries in the lower Mekong region of Southeast Asia. The SERVIR-Mekong will aid climate
resilience, food and water security.
The SERVIR-Mekong hub is located at the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Bangkok,
Thailand. It joins a growing global community of scientists and decision-makers using publicly
available data from space assets to address critical regional issues.
The SERVIR program helps governments and development stakeholders in incorporating Earth
observations and geospatial technologies into natural disaster response to improve food security,
58
safeguard human health and manage water and natural resources.
The other partner partners of the SERVIR-Mekong consortium are the Asian Disaster Preparedness
Center of The Netherlands; the Stockholm Environment Institute in Sweden and the Spatial
Informatics Group of Pleasanton, California.
SERVIR global demand support is provided by Development Alternatives Incorporated,

headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.
About SERVIR
• SERVIR was developed in coordination with the Group on Earth Observations, an alliance of more
than 90 nations collaborating to build a global Earth-observing system to benefit society's needs.
SERVIR is a Spanish term that means to serve.
• This program was initiated in 2005 by researchers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Alabama which continues to house the SERVIR Coordination Office.
• The first SERVIR hub was launched in 2005 in Panama City, Panama and served the
Mesoamerican region and the Dominican Republic.
• SERVIR is operated by the Earth Science Division's Applied Sciences Program in NASA's Science
Mission Directorate in Washington.
Over 3 Trillion trees currently thrive on Earth: Study

Who: 3 Trillion trees on Earth
What: Discovered by researchers
When: Study published on 2 September 2015
As per the new study conducted by a team of researchers, there are over 3 trillion trees on the earth.
The study was published in the journal Nature on 2 September 2015 with a title Mapping tree density
at a global scale. The study was conceived by TW Crowther and HB Glick.
As per the study, the global number of trees is approximately 3.04 trillion, an order of magnitude
higher than the previous estimate. The previous estimate was 400 billion trees and that rough count
was based on satellite images peering down from space.
Crowther and colleagues used 429775 ground-based measurements along with satellite
59
measurements and computer models to get a more accurate figure.
Findings of the Study

• Out of 3 trillion trees, approximately 1.39 trillion exist in tropical and subtropical forests, with 0.74
trillion in boreal regions and 0.61 trillion in temperate regions.
• Based on projected tree densities, it is estimated that over 15 billion trees are cut down each year.
That is a net loss of 10 billion trees a year. At that rate, all of Earth's trees will be gone in about 300
years.
• The global number of trees has fallen by approximately 46 percent since the start of human
civilization. Before human civilization, Earth had about 5.6 trillion trees.
• The Biome-level trends in tree density demonstrate the importance of climate and topography in
controlling local tree densities at finer scales, as well as the overwhelming effect of humans across
most of the world.
60

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1st week of september 31/8/2015-6/9/2015

Current affairs of the week 31/8/2015 to 6/9/2015 .................................................................................... 2

Eminent Kannada writer Dr. MM Kalburgi shot dead in Dharwad

Who: Veteran Kannada writer Dr Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi

Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi

Awards conferred on Kalburgi include

Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as Union Home secretary

Who: Rajiv Mehrishi

He succeeded LC Goyal, an IAS officer of 1979 batch of Kerala cadre.

Who: Digitally restored recordings of epic ‘Ramcharitmanas'

Manish Sisodia got additional charge of Law Ministry of Delhi

Who: Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia

About Union Ministry of Finance

Raghav Chandra took charge as the Chairman of NHAI

Who: Raghav Chandra

L C Goyal appointed as CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation

Master of horror cinema Wes Craven died

Tejinder Pal Singh named as Australian of the Day by Commonwealth Bank

Who: Tejinder Pal Singh

Palmyra's Temple of Bel destroyed by ISIS militants: UN

 It was an ancient stone ruin located in Palmyra, Syria.

 Its ruins were considered among the best preserved at Palmyra.

 It was an UNESCO World Heritage site

Who: Dinesh Kumar Likhi

Likhi succeeded M Narayana Rao. As a CMD of MIDHANI, he will be expected to contribute in a

About Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI)

AK Jha appointed as Interim CMD of NTPC

He joined the NTPC board as Director (Technical) in July 2012.

 Saltpans of Yim Tin Tsai, Hong Kong SAR, China

 JN Petit Institute, Mumbai, India

 Cangdong Heritage Education Centre, Kaiping City, Guangdong Province, China

 Pingyao Courtyard House, Shanxi Province, China

 Xieng Thong Temple, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR

 Baan Luang Rajamaitri, Muang District, Chantaburi, Thailand

 Wanslea Cancer Wellness Centre, Cottesloe, Western Australia, Australia

 Sanfang Qixiang, Fuzhou, Fujian, China

 Parvati Nandan Ganapati Temple, Pune, Maharashtra, India

 YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel, Hong Kong SAR, China

Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts:

 Port Arthur Penitentiary, Tasmania, Australia

About Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple

About UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

Book titled Globalisation, Democratization and Distributive Justice presented to Hamid

Globalisation, Democratization and Distributive Justice: Professor Mool Chand Sharma

HIV prevention drug PrEP showed positive results

Who: HIV prevention drug PrEP

PrEP: A drug designed to help people at risk of contracting HIV

Findings of the Tests conducted

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

InSPA, global alliance of 107 sunshine countries to be launched in New Delhi

InSPA: International Agency for Solar Policy & Application

Llyod's City Risk Index 2015-2025 released

Who: Llyod's City Risk Index 2015-2025

About the Index

Highlights of the Index

Index with respect to India

R Sampanthan became first tamilian to lead opposition in Sri Lankan parliament in 32

Beach resort of Bodrum, Turkey; Witness to Syrian refugee crisis

NASA and ISRO jointly working on NISAR mission

Who: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission

NISAR mission: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar mission

The aim and objectives of NISAR mission are:

Haryana bagged Skoch Order-of-Merit National award for implementing e-governance