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index
SR.
PARTICULARS PAGE NO.
NO.
General knowledge :
 Important Dates
 National/International Years
 First in The World
1.
 First in India
 Popular Names of Personalities
 Nicknames/Fathers
 Dances of India
History:
 Ancient History
2.
 Medieval History
 Modern History
3. Geography
4. Boundary Lines
5. India Facts
6. General Science
7. Current Affairs

Section: general Knowledge

IMPORTANT DAYS FOR UPCOMING EXAMS
January
January 1 - Global Family Day
January 15 - Army Day
January 23 - Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's birth anniversary
January 26 - Republic Day
January 26 - International Customs day
January 28 - Birth anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai
January 28 - Data Protection Day
January 30 - World Leprosy Eradication Day
February
February 4 - World Cancer Day
February 5 - Kashmir Day
February 6 - International Day against Female Genital Mutilation
February 12 - Darwin Day
February 12 - World Day of the Sick
February 14 - Valentine‘s Day
February 20 - World Day of Social Justice
February 21 - International Mother Language Day
February 22 - World Scout Day
February 23 - World Peaces and Understanding Day
March
March 4 - World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation
March 8 - International Womens' Day
March 13 - World Kidney Day
March 13 - World Rotaract Day
March 15 - World Consumer Rights Day
March 20 - International Day of the Francophonie
March 20 - World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People
March 21 - World Sleep Day
March 21 - World Forestry Day
March 21 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
March 22 - World Water Day

March 23 - World Meteorological Day

March 24 - World TB Day
March 24 - International Day for Achievers
March 25 - International Day of Remembrance - Victims of Slavery and
Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27 - World Drama Day
April
April 2 - World Austism Awareness Day
April 7 - World Health Day
April 17 - World Haemophilia Day
April 18 - World heritage Day
April 22 - Earth Day
April 23 - World Book and Copyright Day
April 25 - World Malaria Day
April 29 - International Dance Day
May
May 1 - International Labour day
May 3 - Press Freedom Day
May 4 - Coal Miners day
May 8 - World Red Cross day
May 9 - - Victory Day
May 11 - National Technology Day
May 12 - International Nurses day
May 14 - World Migratory day
May 15 - International Day of the Family
May 17 - World Information Society Day
May 21 - Anti-Terrorism Day
May 31 - World No Tobacco Day
June
June 4 - International day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
June 5 - World Environment Day
June 7 - International Level Crossing Awareness Day
June 8 - World oceans Day
June 12 - World Day against Child Labour
June 14 - World Blood Donor day
June 17 - World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
June 20 - World Refugee Day

June 23 - United Nations Public Service Day

June 23 - International widow's day
June 26 - International Day against Drug Abuse and IIlicit Trafficking
June 27 - International Diabetes Day
July
July 1 - National doctor's Day
July 11 - World Population Day
July 12 - Malala Day
July 18 - Nelson Mandela International Day
July 28 - World Nature Conservation day
July 30 - International Day of Friendship
August
August 3 - Independence Day of Niger
August 5 - Independence Day of Upper Volta
August 9 - International day of the World's Indigenous People
August 12 - International Youth Day
August 15 - Independence Day (India )
August 23 - Internatinal Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its
Abolition
August 29 - National Sports Day ( Birthday of Dhyan Chand )
September
September 5 - Teacher's Day (Dr. Radhakrishnan's Birth Day)
September 7 - Forgiveness Day
September 8 - International Literacy Day
September 14 - Hindi day, World First Aid Day
September 16 - World Ozone Day
September 21 - International Day of Peace, World Alzheimer's day
September 25 - Social Justice Day
September 27 - World Tourism Day
October
October 1 - International Day of Older Persons
October 2 - International day of Non-Violence
October 3 - World Nature Day, World Habitat Day
October 4 - World Animal Day
October 5 - World Teacher's Day
October 8 - Indian Airforce Day

October 9 - World Post Day

October 11 - International Girl Child Day
October 12 - World Arthritis Day
October 14 - World Standards Day
October 15 - World Students Day
October 16 - World Food day
October 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
October 20 - World Statistics Day
October 24 - United Nations Day
October 31 - World Thrift Day
November
November 1 - world vegan Day
November 5 - World Radiography Day
November 9 - World Services Day
November 14 - Children's Day (Birth Anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru)
November 16 - International Day for Endurance
November 17 - International students Day
November 17 - National Journalism Day
November 18 - World Adult Day
November 19 - World Citizen Day
November 20 - Universal Children's Day
November 21 - World Television Day
November 21 - World Fisheries day
November 25 - World Non-veg Day
November 26 - Law Day
November 30 - Flag Day
December
December 1 - World AIDS Day
December 2 - World Computer Literacy Day
December 2 - International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
December 3 - International Day of People with Disability
December 3 - World Conservation Day
December 4 - Navy Day
December 5 - International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social
Development
December 7 - International Civil Aviation Day
December 9 - The International Day Against Corruption

December 10 - International Day of Broadcasting

December 10 - Human Rights Day
December 11 - International Mountain Day
December 14 - World Energy Day
December 18 - International Migrants Day
December 19 - Goa's Liberation Day
December 20 - International Human Solidarity Day
December 29 - International Biodiversity Day
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL YEARS
2001 Year of Woman Empowerment (Govt. of India)

2002 International Year of Mountain (by FAO)
2003 International Fresh Water Year
2004 International Year of Rice
2005 International Year of Physics/Sports (by UNO)
2006 International Year of Deserts and Desertification
2007 International Polar Year, Year of the Dolphin
2008 International Year of Sanitation, International Year of Languages
2009 International Year of Astronomy (UN) International Year of Natural Fibers (FAO)
FIRST IN THE WORLD
The first person to reach Mount Everest Sherpa Tenzing, Edmund Hillary
The first person to reach North Pole Robert Peary
The first person to reach South Pole Amundsen
The first religion of the world Hinduism
The first country to print book China
The first country to issue paper currency China
The first country to commence competitive examination China in civil services
The first President of the U.S.A. George Washington
The first Prime Minister of Britain Robert Walpole
The first Governor General of the United Nations Trigveli (Norway)
The first country to win football World cup Uruguay
The first country to prepare a constitution U.S.A.
The first Governor General of Pakistan Mohd. Ali Jinnah
The first country to host NAM summit Belgrade (Yugoslavia)
The first European to attack India Alexander, The Great
The first European to reach China Marco Polo

The first person to fly aero plane Wright Brothers

The first person to sail round the world Magellan
The first country to send man to the moon U.S.A.
The first country to launch Artificial satellite in the space Russia
The first country to host the modern Olympics Greece
The first city on which the atom bomb was dropped Hiroshima (Japan)
The first person to land on the moon Neil Armstrong Edwin E. Aldrin
followed by
The first shuttle to go in space Columbia
The first spacecraft to reach on Mars Viking-I
The first woman Prime Minister of England Margaret Thatcher
The first Muslim Prime Minister of a country Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan)
The first woman Prime Minister of a country Mrs. S. Bandamaike (Sri Lanka)
The first woman to climb Mount Everest Mrs. Junko Tabei (Japan)
The first woman cosmonaut of the world Velentina Tereshkova (Russia)
The first woman President of the U.N. General Assembly Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
The first man to fly into space Yuri Gagarin (Russia)
The first batsman to score, three test century in three Mohd. Azharuddin successive tests on
debut
The first man to have climbed Mount Everest twice Nawang Gombu
The first U.S. President to resign Presidency Richard Nixon
FIRST IN INDIA
MALE
The first President of Indian Republic : Dr. Rajendra Prasad
The first Prime Minister of free India: Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru
The first Indian to win Nobel Prize : Rabindranath Tagore
The first President of Indian National Congress : W. C. Banerjee
The first Muslim President of Indian National Congress : Badruddin Tayyabji
The first Muslim President of India : Dr. Zakir Hussain
The first British Governor General of India Lord : William Bentinck
The first British Viceroy of India : Lord Canning
The first Governor General of free India : Lord Mountbatten
The first and the last Indian to be Governor General of free : C. Rajgopalachari India
The first man who introduced printing press in India : James Hicky
The first Indian to join the I.C.S. : Satyendra Nath Tagore
India’s first man in space : Rakesh Sharma

The first Prime Minister of India who resigned without : Morarji Desai completing the
full term
The first Indian Commander-in-Chief of India : General Cariappa
The first Chief of the Army Staff Gen. : Maharaj Rajendra Singhji
The first Indian member of the Viceroy’s executive council : S. P. Sinha
The first President of India who died while in office : Dr. Zakir Hussain
The first Field Marshal of India : S. H. F. Manekshaw
The first Indian to get Nobel prize in Physics : C. V. Raman
The first Indian to receive Bharat Ratna award : Dr. Radhakrishnan
The first Indian to cross English channel :Mihir Sen
The first person to receive Jnanpith award : Sri Shankar Kurup
The first Speaker of the Lok Sabha : Ganesh Vasudeva Mavalankar
The first Vice-President of India : Dr. Radhakrishnan
The first Education Minister : Abul Kalam Azad
The first Home Minister of India : Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
The first Indian Air Chief Marshal : S. Mukherjee
The first Indian Naval Chief Vice Admiral : R. D. Katari
The first judge of International Court of Justice : Dr. Nagendra Singh
The first person to receive Paramveer Chakra : Major Somnath Sharma
The first person to reach Mt. Everest without oxygen : Sherpa Anga Dorjee
The first Chief Election Commissioner : Sukumar Sen
The first person to receive Magsaysay Award : Acharya Vinoba Bhave
The first person of Indian origin to receive Nobel Prize in Hargovind Khurana Medicine
The first Chinese traveller to visit India : Fahein
The first person to receive Stalin Prize : Saifuddin Kitchlu
The first person to resign from the central cabinet : Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
The first foreigner to receive Bharat Ratna : Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
The first person to receive Nobel Prize in Economics : Amartya Sen
The first Chief Justice of Supreme Court Justice : Hiralal J. Kania
FEMALE
The first lady to become “Miss World” : Rita Faria
The first woman judge in Supreme Court : Mrs. Meera Sahib Fatima Bibi
The first woman Ambassador : Miss C. B. Muthamma
The first woman Governor of a State in free India : Mrs. Sarojini Naidu

The first woman Prime Minister : Mrs. Indira Gandhi

The first woman to climb Mount Everest : Bachhendri Pal
The first woman to climb Mount Everest twice : Santosh Yadav
The first woman President of the Indian National Congress : Mrs. Annie Besant
The first woman chief justice of a High Court : Mrs. Leela Seth
The first woman pilot in Indian Air Force : Harita Kaur Dayal
The first woman President of the United Nations General : Mrs. Vijaya Laxmi Pandit
Assembly
The first woman Chief Minister of an Indian State : Mrs. Sucheta Kripalani
The first woman chairman of Union Public Service : Roze Millian Bethew Commission
The first woman Director General of Police (DGP) : Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya
The first woman Lieutenant : General Puneeta Arora
The first woman Air Vice Marshal : P. Bandopadhyaya
The first woman chairperson of Indian Airlines : Sushma Chawla
The first woman I.P.S. Officer : Mrs. Kiran Bedi
The first woman to receive Nobel Prize : Mother Teresa
The first woman to receive Bharat Ratna : Mrs. Indira Gandhi
The first woman to receive Jnanpith Award : Ashapurna Devi
POPULAR NAMES OF PERSONALITIES
Popular Name Personality
Lady with the lamp Florence Nightingale
Grand Old man Dadabhai Naoroji of India
Iron Duke Duke of Wellington
Guru Ji M.S. Golwalkar
John Bull England and the English people
CR Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
King Maker Earl of Warwick
JP Jayaprakash Narayan
Little Corporal Napoleon
Mahamanya Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
Maid of Orleans Joan of Arc
Desh Bandhu C.R. Das
Deen Bandhu C.F. Andrews
Yankee Inhabitants of U.S.A.
Lion of the Punjab (Sher-i-Punjab) Lala Lajpat Rai
Bard of Avon Shakespeare
Panditji Jawaharlal Nehru

Man of Blood Bismark

Andhra Kesri T. Prakasam
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bapu Mahatma Gandhi
Apostle of Free Trade Richard Cobden
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
Desert Fox Gen. Rommel
Nightingle of India Sarojini Naidu
Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin
Lal, Bal, Pal
Chandra Pal
Father of English Poetry Geoffery Chaucer
Feuhrer Hitler
Iron man Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
Ike Gen. Eisenhower
Tomy Atkins English soldier
Jawan Indian soldier
Poolu French soldier
Vizzy Maharaja Kumar of Vizianagara
G.I. American soldier
Wizard of the North Sir Walter Scot
Samuel Clemens Mark Twain
Sparrow Major Gen. Rajender Singh
Shastriji Lal Bahadur Shastri
Babuji Jagjiwan Ram
NICKNAMES/FATHERS
Father of Greek Tragedy Aeschylus
Father of Comedy Aristophanes
Father of the Telephone Alexander Graham Bell
Father of Sunday Newspapers John Bell
Father of Chemistry Robert Boyle
Father of Canada Jacques Cartier
Father of English Poetry Geoffery Chaucer
Father of Aviation Sir George Cayley
Father of Immunology Edward Jenner
Father of Modern Chemistry Antoine Lavoisier
Father of Atom Bomb Dr. Robert Oppenheimer
Father of Nuclear Physics Ernest Rutherford
Father of Economics Adam Smith
Father of Railways George Stephenson

CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA

Dance State Dance State
Bharat Natyam Tamil Nadu Karma Madhya Pradesh
Bihu Assam Laho Meghalaya
Bhangra Punjab Mohiniattam Kerala
Kathak North India Odissi Orissa
Kathakali Kerala Rauf Jammu & Kashmir
Kutchipudi Andhra Pradesh Yakshagan Karnataka
Khantumm Mizoram
FOLK AND TRIBAL DANCES
STATES DANCES
Maharashtra Kathakeertan, Lezin, Dandaniya, Tamasha, Gafa, Dahikala, Lovani,
Mauni, Dasavtar.
Karnataka Huttari, Suggi Kunitha, Yakashagana
Kerala Kaikottikali, Kaliyattam, Tappatikkali
Tamil Nadu Kolattam, Pinnal Kolattam, Kummi, Kavadi, Karagam
Andhra Pradesh Ghanta Mardala, Veedhi Natakam, Burrakatha
Orissa Ghumara Sanchar, Chadya Dandanata, Chhau
West Bengal Kathi, Chhau, Baul, Kirtan, Jatra, Lama
Assam Bihu, Khel Gopal, Rash Lila, Tabal Chongli, Canoe
Punjab Giddha (women), Bhangra (men)
J&K Rauf, Hikat
Himachal Jhora, Jhali, Dangli, Mahasu, Jadda, Jhainta, Chharhi
Pradesh
Haryana Jhumar, Ras Leela, Phag dance, Daph, Dhamal, Loor, Gugga. Khoria,
Gagor
Gujarat Garba, Dandiya Rass, Tippani, Gomph
Rajasthan Ginad, Chakri, Gangore, Terahtaal, Khayal, Jhulan Loela, Jhuma, Suisini
Bihar Jata Jatin, Jadur, Chhau, Kathaputli, Bakho, Jhijhiya, Samochakwa,
Karma, Jatra, Natna
Uttar Pradesh Nautanki, Thora, Chappeli, Raslila, Kajri.

Section: HiStorY
The Indian History is perhaps the oldest in the world, and the sources of Indian History
are the verbal history, because our ancients never did bother about putting things down on
paper and archaeological evidences. Based on the evidences available today, Indian History, like
the history of every ancient culture in the world, is broadly divided into four periods as
mentioned below:
Pre-History
Ancient History
Medieval History
Modern History
ANCIENT INDIA
The discovery of Mohenjodaro and Harappa by British archeologist: Marshall proved
that Indian civilization is the oldest civilization in the world. Even India came before Greece,
considered the oldest civilization before the discovery of Mohenjodaro and Harappa. The main
features of Ancient Indian History are as follows:
INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

Discovery: In 1921, R.B. Dayaram Sahani, first discovered Harappa, in the Montgomery
district of the Punjab. According to radio-carbon dating, it spread from the year 2350-1750.
The Indus Valley civilization was an ancient civilization thriving along the Indus river and the
Ghaggar-Hakra river in what is now Pakistan and north-western India. Among other names for
this civilization is the Harappan civilization in reference to the first excavated city of Harappa.
An alternative term for the culture is Saraswati-Sindhu civilization

R.B. Dayaram Sahni first discovered Harappa (on Ravi) in 1921. R.D. Banerjee discovered
Mohenjodaro in 1922. Sir John Marshal played a crucial role in both these.
Mediterranean, Proto-Australoid, Mongoloids and Alpines formed the bulk of the
population
More than 100 sites belonging to this civilization have been excavated.
According to radio-carbon dating, it spread from the year 2500-1750 B.C.
Copper, bronze, silver and gold were known but not iron.
Covered parts of Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, Gujarat, Rajasthan and some parts of
Western U.P & J&K. It extended from Manda in Jammu in the north to Daimabad in the
south and from Alamgirpur in western U.P. to Sutkagendor in Baluchistan in the west.
The towns were divided into two parts: Upper part or Citadel and the Lower part.

The Citadel was an oblong artificial platform some30-50 feet high and about some 200-
400 yards in area. It was enclosed by a thick (13 m in Harappa) crenellated mud brick
wall. The Citadel comprised of public buildings whereas the lower part comprised of
public dwellings.
In Mohenjodaro, a big public bath (Great Bath) measuring 12 m by 7 m and 2.4 m deep
has been found. The Great Bath was probably used for ritual bathing.
The Indus people sowed seeds in the flood plains in November, when the flood water
receded, and reaped their harvests of wheat and barley in April, before the advent of
the next flood.
The people grew wheat, barley, rai, peas, sesamum, mustard, rice (in Lothal), cotton,
dates, melon, etc. The Indus people were the first to produce cotton in the world.
Horses weren‘t in regular use but elephant was for transportation.
Well-knit external and internal trade. There was no metallic money in circulation and
trade was carried through Barter System.
Weights and measures of accuracy existed in Harappan culture (found at Lothal). The
weights were made of limestone, steatite, etc. and were generally cubical in shape.
16 was the unit of measurement (16, 64, 160, 320).
Flint tool-work, shell-work, bangle-making (famous in Kalibangan), etc. were practiced.
The Harappan culture belongs to the Bronze Age and bronze was made by mixing tin
and copper. Tools were mostly made of copper and bronze.
IMPORTANT SITES OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

1. HARAPPA
 It is situated in Montgomery district of Punjab (Pakistan).
 Evidence of coffin burial and cemetery ‗H‘ culture.
 The dead were buried in the southern portion of the fortified area, called cemetery R-
37.
2. MOHENJO-DARO
 Also known as the ‗Mound of the dead‘, it lies in Larkana district of Sindh (Pakistan).
 Some of the specific findings during the excavations of Mohenjodaro include:
 A college, a multi-pillared assembly hall.
 The Great Bath
 A large granary (the largest building of Mohenjodaro) which suggests extreme
centralization as the ruling authorities must have first brought the agricultural produce
here and then redistributed it.
3. ALAMGIRPUR
 The famous Harappan site is considered the eastern boundary of the Indus culture.
Findings suggest that Alamgirpur developed during the late-Harappan culture.
 The site is remarkable for providing the impression of cloth on a trough.
4. KALIBANGAN
 Kalibangan was an important Harappan city. The word Kalibangan means ‗black
bangles‘. A ploughed field was the most important discovery of the early excavations.
Later excavations at Kalibangan made the following specific discoveries:
 A wooden furrow
 Seven fire altars in a row on a platform suggesting the practice of the cult of sacrifice.
 A tiled floor which bears intersecting designs of circles.
5. KOT-DIJI
 Kot-Diji is known more as a pre Harappan site. Houses were made of stone.
THE VEDIC PERIOD (1500 BC-600 BC)

Initially, they settled in the area of Sapt-Sindhu, which included Punjab, Kashmir, Sindh,
Kabul and Gandhara (Kandhar). The chief sources of this period are The Vedas and the Epics,
the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which through their stories PO and hymns tell us about
the expansion of the Aryans. The epic Ramayana is a symbolic tale which tells of the Aryan
expansion to the south-the good, almost godly, aryaputra (an Aryan’s son) king Rama surging
forth to finish off the evil Dasyu (that was what the Aryans called the natives) Ravana.
CONCEPTS ABOUT RIG VEDIC AGE/PERIOD:
• Rig Vedic society was much simple as compared to that of the Indus Valley. The main
occupation of Rig Vedic people was cattle rearing. It was only in the later Vedic Age that they
adhered to the sedentary agriculture
• There is no sign of urbanization during this period.
• It was altogether a rural-tribal economy.
• Horse and cow were the two most important animals during this period.
• There has been no evidence of horse in the Indus Valley Civilization, however the horse was
the important animal of this age.
• Indira, Agni and Som were the important gods which were worshipped. There is no evidence
of worship of mother goddess or proto-Shiva as in the case of Indus Valley Civilization
BUDDHISM
Buddhism founded by Gautam Budha or Siddhartha.
The Buddha also known is Sakyamuni or Tathagata.
Born in 563 BC on the Vaishakha Poornima day at Lumbini (near Kapilavastu), in Nepal
His father Suddhodana was the Sakes ruler.
His mother (Mahamaya, of Kosala dynasty) died after 7 days of his birth, brought up by
stepmother Gautami.
Married at the age of 10 to Yoshodhara. Enjoyed the married life for t 3 years and had a
son named Ralula.

After seeing an old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic. he decided to become a
wanderer.
Left his palace at the age of 29 in search of truth (also called Mahabhinishkramana’ or
the Cheat Renunication) and wandered for 6 years.
Attained ‘Enlightenment’ at Gaya in Magadha (Bihar) under the Pipal tree.
Delivered the first sermon at Samath where his five disciples had settled. His first
Sermon is called ‘Dharmachakrapracartan’ or ‘Turning of the Wheel of Law’.
Attained Mahaparinirvana at Kushinagar (identical with village Kasia in Deoria district of
UP), in 483 BC at the age of 80 In the Malla republic.
BUDDHIST COUNCILS
First Council: At Rajgriha, in 483 BC under the Chairmanship of Mehakassaapa (king was
Ajatshatru). Divided the teachings of Buddha in to two Pitakas- Vinaya Pitaka and Sutta
Pitaka.
Second Council: At Vaisahali, in 383 BC under Sabakami (King was Ashoka), followers
divided into Sthavirmadins and Mahasanghikas.
Third Council: At Pataliputra, in 250 BC under Magaliputta Tissa (King was Ashoka) In
this, the third part of the Tripitaka was coded in the Pali language.
Fourth Council: At Kashmir (Kundalvan) in 72 AD under Vasumitra (King was Kanishka,
Vice-Chairman was ashwaghosha), divided Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana
sects.
Buddist Literature: In Pali language.
Vinaya Pitaka: Rules of discipline in the Buddhist monasteries.
Sutta Pitaka: Largest, contains collection of Buddha’s sermons.
Abhidhamma Pitaka: Explanation of the philosophical principles of the Buddhist religion.
JAINISM
Led by Rishabha.
There were 24 Tirthankaras (Prophets or Gurus), all Kashtriyas. First was Rishabhnath
(Emblem: Bull).

The 23rd Tirthankar Parashwanath (Emblem: Snake) was the son of King Ashvasena of
Banaras.
The 24th and last Tirthankar was Vardhman Mahavira (Emblem: Lion). He was born in
kundagram (Distt Muzaffarpur, Bihar) in 599 BC.
His father Siddhartha was the head of Jnatrika Clan.
His mother was Trishla, sister of Lichchavi prince. Chetak of Vaishali.
Mahavira was related to Bimbisara.
Married to Yashoda, had a daughter named Priyadarsena, whose husband Jamali
became his first disciple.
At the age of 30, after the death of his parents, he became an ascetic.
In the 13th year of his asceticism (on the 10th of Vaishakha), outside the town of
Jrimbhikgrama, he attained supreme knowledge (kaivalya).
From now on he was called Jaina or Jitendriya and Mahavira, and his followers were
named Jains. He also got the title of Arihant, i.e., worthy.
At the age of 72, he attained death of Pava, near Patna, in 527 Bc.
Mahavira preached almost the same message as Parshvanath and aded one more,
Brahmcharya (celibacy) to it.
MAGADH EMPIRE
HARIJANKA
The first important Magadhan king, who emerges into the limelight was Bimbisara
(544491 BC) of the Harijanka. He was an extremely polished diplomat and crafty statesman.
While the earlier rulers had brought Magadha out of clear and present danger, it was
Bimbisara, who consolidated and increased that power and really gave it the identity of a
kingdom. According to sources, eighty thousand villages were there in the kingdom. Bimbisara
was a contemporary of the Buddha and met him twice.
SHISHUNANJA DYNASTY
The Shishunanja dynasty faded fast after Ajatsatru. The last recorded ruler of the family
was Kakavarna who was put to death by Mahapadmananda, of the Nanda dynasty, which
followed the Sisungas. The Nandas known for their airs of magnificence and immense wealth
(which they amassed by huge taxation). They were of lowborn sudra stock and hence had the
odds stacked against them right from the start.

ALEXANDER INVATION (GREAT INVATION)

Alexander, the son of Phillip of Macedonia (Greece), invaded India in 326 BC. His major
battle was with Poras, the king of Panjab on the banks of river Jhelum. Alexander emerged
victorians.
MAURYAN DYNASTY (321 BC-185 BC)

The dynasty that Chandragupta and Chanakya established in Magadha together, was
the first real dynasty of Indian history. There is no certain theory about the lineage of Mauryas.
One of the most prominent theory was that he was actually the son of Dhanananda mistress
called Mura, and hence the name Maurya.
Whatever might be the lineage of Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya, with him made a
formidable team and stayed together till the end of Chandragupta’s reign, when Chanakya lived
to see the early half of his successor Bindusara’s (298-273BC) reign too. There is sufficient
evidence to prove that elaborate planning and much intrigue went to shake the Nandas out of
the Magadha throne.
ASHOKA THE GREAT

Ashoka Piyacassi Maurya (269-232 BC) was perhaps Buddhism’s most famous
convert. He has caught the imagination of many as the cruel king who suddenly, after one
battle, saw the light and became an avowed non-violent though he did put all his brothers to
death to come to the throne, but then that was no different from what any other aspiring king
would have done, and no doubt any of his brothers in similar circumstances would have done
the same.
THE POST-MAURYA PERIOD

In the post-Maurya period, three dynasties jostled, came and went with astonishing speed
on the Magadhan throne. The first among these were the Sungas, under whom the country
made certain The Post-mauryaPeriod
In the post-Maurya period, three dynasties jostled, came and went with astonishing speed on
the Magadhan throne. The first among these were the Sungas, under whom the country made
certain progress. The Sunga rulers were also quite successful in checking foreign invasions. Art
and culture also flourished considerably under the Sungas who were particularly known to be
great patrons of both.
The Sungas were followed by the Kanvas, who were almost like a blip in the scene of Indian
history, lasting only 45 years in all, The other important dynasty of this PostMauryan confusion
was the Andhras or the Satavahanas. According to traditional sources, they were apparently
Dasyus (as opposed to Aryans) from south India. Even in Ashoka’s time, this dynasty had risen

to quite a bit of prominence along the southwest regions. Though the dynasty was founded by
Simukha (235-213 BC), it had 30 kings in all. One of the most famous rulers of this dynasty was
Sri Satkarni (194-184 BC), who had a kingdom covering almost all of south India, down to the
andhra region and around with his capital as the present Aurangabad.
GUPTA DYNASTY
After the Kushanas, India saw political unity only under the second great dynasty of ancient
Indian history after the Mauryas, the Guptas. The imperial Guptas were great conquerors,
efficient administrators and renowned patrons of the arts, science and culture.
Chandragupta I (280 – 319 AD)
He was the first Gupta ruler to assume the title of Maharajadhiraja.
 He started the Guptan era i.e. 320 A.D.
 His marriage to Lichchhvi princess Kumaradevi, brought an enormous power, resources
and prestige. He took advantage of the situation and occupied the whole of fertile
Gangetic Valley.
 A er the marriage he issued the special type of coins called ―Chandragupta I-
kumaradevi type.
 Chandragupa I was able to establish his authority over Magadha, Prayaga & Saketa.
Samudragupta (335 – 380 A.D.)
 Samudragupta was the greatest king of Gupta dynasty.
 He took the title Lichchhvidhutra as his mother was Lichchhvi princess.
 He is also described as a monarch with sharp intellect and polished poetry skills, for this
he is described as Kaviraj.
 In the Gangetic Valley & Central India, Samudragupta annexed the territories of the
defeated monarchs, but in South India he remained content with victories alone- he did
not annex the territories of the conquered rulers.
 Samudragupta‘s military compaigns justify description of him as the Napoleon of India‘
by V.A. Smith.
Ramgupta
 Samudragupta was succeeded by Ramgupta.
 Ramgupta ruled for a very short period. He was the only Gupta ruler to issue copper
coins‘.
 Ramagupta, a coward and impotent king, agreed to surrender his queen Dhruvadevi to
Saka invader. But the prince Chandragupta II, the younger brother of the king, resolved
to go to the enemy‘s camp in the guise of the queen with a view to kill the hated enemy.
Chandragupta II succeeded in killing the Saka ruler.
Chandragupta II ‘Vikramaditya (380-414 A.D.)
 Chandragupta II also succeeded in killing Ramagupta, and not only seized his kingdom
but also married his widow Dhruvadevi.
 He issued the silver coins in the memory of victory over Sakas.

 He was the first Gupta ruler to issue silver coins and adopted the titles Sakari &
Vikramaditya. Ujjain seems to have been made the second capital by Chandragupta II.
 Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien visited India during his regime.
Kumargupta I: 415-455 AD
 Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta I. Kumargupta took the titles
like Mahindraditya, Mahendra Singh and Ashvamedha Mahendrah Kumaragupta was
the worshipper of god Kartikeya.
 He founded the Nalanda Mahavihara which developed into a great centre of learning.
 Towards the end of his reign, the Gupta Empire was threatened from the North by the
Huns, which was temporarily checked by his son Skandagupta.
Skandagupta : 455-467 AD
 Skandagupta, the last great ruler of the Gupta dynasty. During his reign the Gupta
Empire was invaded by the Huns.
 He succeeded in defeating the Huns.
 The continuous attacks of the Huns weakened the empire and adversely affected its
economy.
 The gold coinage of Skandagupta bears testimony to this.
GREAT RULERS OF GUPTA DYNASTY

The first Gupta king was Chandra Gupta (320-335 AD), though not much is known about
him. Next in line was Samudragupta (335-375 AD) who, by all accounts, seemed to have been
nothing short of a genius. He appears to have cone to the throne brimming with an amazing
appetite for conquest, Considering that he defeated kings all over northern and southern India
(in all about twenty-four of them) one wonders when did he get the time to govern the
kingdom. He introduced the concept of annexation. It meant that he retained the old kings as
vassals to keep the administration going. He was a skillful diplomat who had excellent relations
with not only foreign rulers but also his vassal-kings, surely a much more difficult task to
achieve, Due to his ingenious ideas of government, Samudragupta could establish a really
powerful empire.
VARDHANA DYNASTY
The final important ruler of Ancient Indian history was Harsha Vardhana (606-646 AD),
who ruled not from Magadha but Thanesar (in modern Haryana area) of the Vardhana dynasty.
He was a Buddhist and convened many Buddhist assemblies. The second Chinese traveller to
come to India, Huien Tsang, arrived during his reign.

OTHER DYNASTIES
THE MOST POWERFUL CHOLAS
The most important dynasty to rise out of the southern India was Cholas. Unlike other
dynasties (the Chalukyas, the Pallavas, the Pandyas or the Rashtrakutas), their origins are not
traced from outside, but very much from the south itself. The Deccan region was at this time in
much turmoil. The Cholas had managed almost immediately to reduce the Pallavas to the status
of minor feudatories. The Rashtrakutas were in decline now, but their place was taken by the
Chalukya family (imaginatively called the later Chalukyas by historians), who were gaining
strength in the region of western Deccan. The power equation in the Deccan now involved the
later Chalukyas, the Yadavas of Devagiri (northern Deccan; region around Aurangabad), the
Kakatiyas of Warangal (Andhra Pradesh) and the Hoysalas of Dorasamudra (Mysore). The
Cholas managed with sheer tenacity over a period of 300 years from 900-1100 AD. This period
saw the final settling down and consolidation of Tamil culture. In whatever spherewhether of
social institutions, religion, fine arts, music, dance, jewellery, the standards that were set during
this period came to be regarded as classical, and dominate, in a modified form, much of the
living patterns of south Indians even today.
MEDIEVAL INDIA
After 1000 AD, of Tahmud of Ghazni (Afghanistan) encroached upon Indian territories for
the first time and then made these invasions almost an annual feature-Later a herd of Muslim
invaders followed, who in turn established, their kingdoms in India. Prominent among them
were Muhammad Ghori.
She was followed by a very tough customer, Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (12661286 AD) who
gave the Delhi Sultanate its character and finished the consolidation work. Now the Sultanate
saw the rise of the Khaljis, together with Jala-ud-din Khalji (1290-1296 AD) and Ala-ud-din Khalji
(1296-1316 AD), who were its first real dynasty.
THE MUGHAL DYNASTY (PERIOD 1526 AD-1540 AD AND 1555 AD-1857 AD)
The first Mughal who invaded Delhi Sultanate was Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur
(15261530 AD), who had the blood of the great central Asian families of Chingez Khan from his
mother’s side and that of Timur from his father’s, had been hunting for a home to call his own
since he was a teenager. He had been driven out of Samarkand and forced to set up a kingdom
elsewhere by his cousins and uncles. Babur looked at Kabul in Afghanistan to start afresh. In
1526, he crossed over the Indus to reach Panipat, where he defeated Ibrahim Lodi in one of the
most significant battles of Indian history. Babur was -a military general of formidable
credentials and his troops would follow him everywhere, and indeed did for thoroughly battle-
scarred his tenure. The first person he defeated was Rana Sanga, who was perhaps appalled at
Babur’s obvious intentions of getting comfortable and staying on in Delhi.
In 1600 AD, Jahangir rebelled against Akbar when he was away in the Deeean engaged in battle.
In the confusion of events to follow, Abul Fazl was killed, which made the great Mughal
emperor lived with his son. In October 1605, Akbar fell ill and Jahangir was crowned emperor
by him when he was on his deathbed. Jahangir married Nur Jahan in 1611. Nur Jahan was the
real power behind Jahangir. She was a great queen, and a woman of amazing gifts. She was
quite a beauty and set many trends in designs of clothes, textiles and jewellery. The attar
(perfume) of roses was just one of this great lady’s innovations. She was also a very capable and
shrewd administrator. No detail, however small, escaped the queen’s attention. Her ability to
keep a cool head was almost legendary and she amazed even battlehardy generals with her
calm and poise in the middle of crisis. She has been accused of nepotism and of giving rise to a
class of nobility which composed entirely of her kith and kin, but that she was entirely in control
is dear fns the fact that she rebuked even her brother when she thought so fit. However, Nur
Jahan was not without failings and her biggest was ambition, not only for herself but for her
child-a daughter from earlier marriage.
Jahangir was succeeded by his son Shahjahan. The reign of Shahjahan has been widely
acclaimed as the golden period of the Mughal dynasty. Except for one drought in 1630 in the
areas of Deccan, Gujrat and Khandesh, the kingdom was secure and free from poverty. The
coffers of the state were brimming with the right stuff. So it’s no wonder that Shahjahan was
the greatest and most assiduous builder of the Mughal dynasty. In 1639, he decided to shift his
capital to Delhi and construct a new city there on the banks of the Yamuna, near Ferozabad. It
was to be called Shahjahanabad and the famously spectacular peacock throne (the one that
Nadir Shah took away) was transferred from Agra to the Red Fort, the new -seat of the Mughal
rulers, on April 8,1648. His greatest and most memorable of achievements of course was the
breathtaking Taj Mahal, which he built in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in
child birth. The end of Shahjahan’s reign did not live upto the beginning; it saw one of the
messiest battles of succession that Indian history ever witnessed. In September 1657,
Shahjahan fell ill and it was rumored that the emperor was dead. This was enough to spark off
intense intrigue in the court. All the four claimants to Shahjahan’s throne were the children of
the same mother. in 1657, Dara Shikoh was 43, Shah Shuja 41, Aurangzeb 39 and Murad 33. All
of them were governors of various provinces: Dara was the governor of Punjab, Murad of
Gujrat, Aurangzeb of the Deeean and Shah Shuja of Bengal. Aurangzeb was the ablest of
Shahjahan’s sons and a clear favorite for the throne. His credentials, both in battle and
administration were legendary. Aurangzeb beat the armies of Dara Shikoh, Murad along with
the Mughal armies twice in battle, and move towards Agra, where Shah Jahan was
convalescing. Aurangzeb ruled the single largest state ever in Mughal history. Aurangzeb’s rise
to the throne was ruthless. However, he was no more cruel than others of his family. He
succeeded not because he was crueller but because he was more efficient and more skilled in
the game of statecraft with its background of dissimulation; and if it’s any consolation, he never
shed unnecessary blood. Once established he showed himself a firm and capable administrator

who retained his grip of power until his death at the age of 88. He was an orthodox Sunni
Muslim who thought himself a model Muslim ruler. In this zealousness to promote the cause of
Islam, Aurangzeb made many fatal blunders and needless enemies. He alienated the Rajputs,
whose valuable and trusted loyalty had been so hard won by his predecessors, revolted against
him. Eventually he managed to make peace with them, but he could never be easy in his mind
about Rajputana again, a fact that hampered his Deeean conquest severely. Then, he made
bitter enemies in the Sikhs and the Marathas. Things came to such a head that Guru Teg
Bahadur, the 9th Guru of the Sikhs was at first tortured and then executed by Aurangzeb for
not accepting Islam; a martyrdom which is mourned to this day by the Sikh community. The
10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Govind Singh then raised an open banner of revolt against
Aurangzeb. By the death of Aurangzeb in Aurangabad in 1707, there ended the mighty period
of Mughal dynasty.
BABUR
 The foundation of the Mughal rule in India was laid by Babur in 1526.
 He was a descendant of Timur (from the side of his father) and Chengiz Khan
(from the side of his mother).
 Babur was invited by Daulat Kahna Lodi and Alam Khan Lodi against Ibrahim Lodi
 Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi in the first battle of Panipat on April 21, 1526 and
established Mughal dynasty.
 In 1527, he defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar at Khanwa.
 In 1528, he defeated Medini Rai of Chaneri at Chanderi.
 In 1529, he defeated Muhammad Lodhi (uncle of Ibrahim Lodhi) at Ghaghra.
 In 1530, he died at Agra. His tomb is at Lahore. The tomb of only two Mughal
emperors are outside India i.e. Babur and Bahadur Shah Zafar
 He was the first to use gunpowder and artillery in India.
 Two gun masters Mustafa and Ustad Ali were in his army
 He wrote his autobiography Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turki.
 Tuzuk-i-Baburi was translated in Persian (named Baburnama) by Abdur Rahim
Khan-e-khana and in English by Madan Bebridge.
 He compiled two anthologies of poems, Diwan (in urki) and Mubaiyan (in
Persian). He also wrote Risali-Usaz or letters of Babur.
Humayun (1530-40 and 1555-56)
 He was the son of Babur and ascended the throne in 1530. His succession was
challenged by his brothers Kamran, Hindal and Askari along with the Afghans.
 In 1532 he established Tabl-e-adl at Agra.
 He fought two battles against Sher Shah at Chausa (1539) and at Kannauj/Bilgram (1540)
and was completely defeated by him.
 He escaped to Iran where he passed 12 years of his life in exile.
 After Sher Shah‘s death Humayun invaded India in 1555 and defeated his brothers the
Afghans. He once again became the ruler of India.
 He died while climbing down the stairs of his library (at Din Panah) in 1556 and was
buried in Delhi.

 Abul Fazal calls him Insan-e-Kamil.

 His sister, Gulbadan Begum wrote his biography Humayunama.
 He built Din Panah at Delhi as his second capital.
SURI EMPIRE (Second Afghan Empire) 1540-55

Sher Shah: 1540-45
 He was the son of Hasan Khan, the Jagirdar of Sasaram.
 In 1539, he defeated Humayun in the battle of Chausa and assumed the title Sher Shah
as emperor.
 As an emperor, he conquested Malwa (1542), Ranthambhor (1542), Raisin (1543),
Rajputana
 annexation of Marwar (1542), Chittor (1544) & Kalinjar (1545). He died in 1545 while
conquesting Kalinjar.
 Purana Quila was built during his reign
 During his brief reign of 5 years he introduced a brilliant administration, land revenue
policy and
 several other measures to improve economic conditions of his subjects.
 He issued the coin called Rupiah and fixed standard weights and measures all over the
empire.
 He also improved communications by building several highways. He built the Grand
Trunk Road (G.T. Road), which runs from Calcutta to Peshawar. The other roads built
during his reign were:
 Agra to Mandu
 Agra to Jodhpur and Chittor
 Lahore to Multan
 He set up cantonment in various parts of his empire and strong garrison was posted in
each cantonments.
 According to Abul Fazal the empire of Sher Shah was divided into 63 sarkars or districts.
 The unit of land measurement was ―bigha‖
 He like Allauddin Khalji introduced Dagh and Chera in the army
 Zamindars were removed and the taxes were directly collected.
 He was buried in Sasaram.
Akbar
 Akbar, the eldest son of Humayun, ascended the throne under the title of Jalaluddin
Muhammad
 Akbar Badshah Ghazi at the young age of 14.
 His coronation took place at Kalanaur.

 Second Battle of Panipat (5 Nov., 1556) was fought between Hemu (the Hindu General
of Muhammad Adil Shah) and Biram Khan (the regent of Akbar). Hemu was defeated,
captured and slain by BairamKhan.
 In the initial years of his rule Akbar was first under the influence of his reagent Bairam
and then under her mother Maha Manga.
 The period of influence of Maham Anga on Akbar i.e. form 1560-62 is known as the
period of Petticoat government.
 Akbar entered into matrimonial alliance with various Rajput kingdoms like Amber,
Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur
 Other important reforms that were undertaken by Akbar were: Age of marriage for boys
and girls was increased to 16 years and 14 years respectively
Sati was prohibited
 In his 24th year Akbar introduced Dashala system for the collection of land revenue by
the state.
 The Mansabdari system under Akbar, divided the Mansabdars into 66 categories.
This system fixed the following service conditions:
 Rank and status
 Salary
 Number of sawars (horsemen)
 As a revolt against the orthodoxy and bigotry of religious priests, Akbar proclaimed a
new religion,Din-i-Ilahi, in 1581. Birbal was the only Hindu who followed this new
religion.
 Din-i-Ilahi, however, did not become popular.
 Akbar built Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, Lahore Fort and Allahabad Fort and Humayun‘s
Tomb at Delhi.
 Fatehpur Sikri, place near Agra-it said that Akbar had no son for a long time. Sheikh
Salim Chisti, a Sufi saint blessed Akbar with a son who was named Salim/Sheikho Baba
(Jahangir). In honour of Salim Chisti, Akbar Shifted his court from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri.
 Tulsidas (author of Ramcharitmanas) also lived during Akbar‘s period.
 When Akbar died, he was buried at Sikandara near Agra.
 Birbal was killed in the battle with Yusufzai Tribe (1586).
 Abul Fazl was murdered by Bir Singh Bundela (1601).
 Akbar gave Mughal India one official language (Persian).
Jahangir (1605-27)
 Salim, son of Akbar, came to the throne after Akbar‘s death in 1605.
 He established Zanjir-i-Adal (i.e. Chain of Justice) at Agra Fort for the seekers of royal
justice.

 In 1611, Jahangir married Mihar-un-nisa, widow of Sher Afghan, a Persian nobleman

who was sent on expedition to Bengal. Later on she was given the title Nurjahan.
 Nurjahan excercised tremendous influence over the state affairs. She was made the
official Padshah Begum.
 Jahangir issued coins jointly in Jurjahan‘s name and his own.
 Jahangir also married Jodha Bai of Marwar.
 In 1608, Captain William Hawkins, a representative of East India Company came to
Jahangir‘s court. In 1615 Sir Thomas Roe, an ambassador of King James I of England also
came to his court.He granted permission to the English to establish a trading port at
Surat.
 His reign was marked by several revolts. His son Khusrau, who received patronage of 5th
Sikh Guru Arjun Dev, revolted against Jahangir (1605). Arjun Dev was later sentenced to
death for his blessing to the rebel prince (1606).
 During his last period, Khurram (Shanjahan), son of Jahangir, and Mahavat Khan, military
general of Jahangir also revolted (Khurram: 1622-25 and Mahavat Kha : 1626-27).
 He wrote his memories Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri in Persian.
 He was buried in Lahore.
Shah Jahan
 His real name was Khurram, he was born to Jodha Bai (daughter of Raja Jagat Singh).
 Shahjahan ascended the throne in 1628 after his father‘s death.
 Three years after his accession, his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal (original name-
Arzumand Bano) died in 1631. To perpetuate her memory he built the Taj Mahal at Agra
in 1632-53.
 He continued applying tika (tilak) on the fore-head
 He introduced the Char-Taslim in the court
 In addition to Jahangir‘s empire, Nizam Shahi‘s dynasty of Ahmadnagar was brought
under Mughal control (1633) by Shahjahan.
 Shahjahan‘s reign is described by French traveler Bernier and Tavernier and the Italian
traveler Nicoli Manucci. Peter Mundi described the famine that occurred during
Shahjahan‘s time.
 The Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Taj Mahal are some of the magnificent structures built
during his reign.
 Shahjahan‘s failing health set off the war of succession among his four sons in 1657.
 Aurangzeb emerged the victor who crowned himself in July 1658. Shahjahan was
imprisoned by
 his son Aurangzeb in the Agra Fort where he died in captivity in 1666. He was buried at
Taj (Agra).

Aurangzeb
 The war of succession took place in the later stage of the Shah Jahan reign.
 His four sons Dara Shikoa, Aurangzeb, Shah Shuja and Murad were in the state of war
for the throne.
 His daughters also supported one son or the other in the tussle for throne Janah Ara
supported Dara.Roshan Ara supported Aurangzeb. Guhara supported Murad.
 Aurangzeb was coroneted twice, he was the only Mughal king to be coroneted twice
 Barnier was the foreign visitor who saw the public disgrace of Dara after he was finally
deafeated in war at Deorai.
 During the first 23 years of the rule (1658-81) Aurangazeb concentrated on North India.
During this period the Marathas under Shivaji rose to power and were a force to reckon
with.
 Highest numbers of Hindu Mansabdars were there in the service of Mughals during the
reign of Aurangzeb.
 Aurangzeb captured Guru Teg Bahadur, the 9th Guru of Sikhs in 1675 and executed him
when he refused to embrace Islam.
 The 10th and last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, son of Guru Teg Bahadur, organized his
followers into militant force called Khalsa to avenge the murder of his father.
 Guru Gobind Singh was, however murdered in 1708 by an Afghan in Deccan. Banda
Bahadur, the militant successor of Guru Gobind Singh continued the war against
Mughals.
Religious policy of Aurangzeb:
 He was called Zindapir or living saint
 Muhatasibs were appointed for regulation of moral conduct of the subjects
 He forbade singing in the court, but allowed musical instruments. He himself played
Veena
 He ended Jhoraka darshan started by Akbar
 He ordered that no new Hindu temples were to be built. Old temples were allowed to
be repaired
 The Viswanath temple at Kashi and the Keshav Rai temple of Bir Singh Bundela at
Mathura weredestroyed
 In 1679 he re-imposed Jaziya tax
CLASH WITH MARATHAS
 Shivaji was the most powerful Maratha king and an arch enemy of Aurangzeb.
 When Aurangzeb could not eliminate him, he conspired with Jai Singh of Amber, a
Rajput, to
 eliminate Shivaji in 1665.

 On the assurance given by Jai Singh, Shivaji visited Aurangzeb‘s court. Shivaji was
imprisoned by
 Aurangzeb but he managed to escape and in 1674 proclaimed himself an independent
monarch.
 Shivaji died in 1680 and was succeeded by his son Sambhaji, who was executed by
Aurangzeb in 1689.Sambhaji was succeeded by his brother Rajaram and after his death
in 1700, his widow Tarabai carried on the movements.
Mughal administration
Mansabdari system:
 Each Mughal officer was assigned a mansab (rank), there were 66 categories of
Mansabdars
 Jahangir introduced Du-Aspah-Sih-Aspah system whereby the specific noble was to
maintain doublethe number of horsemen.
The landmark events that took place during the reign of Akbar
1562 Visited Ajmer first time
1562 Ban on forcible conversion of war-prisoners into
slaves
1563 Abolition of Pilgrimage Tax
1564 Abolition of Jaziya
1571 Foundation of Fatehpur Sikri
1574 Mansabadari System introduced
1575 Ibadatkhana was built
1578 Parliament of Religions in Ibadatkhana
1579 Proclamation of ‘Mazhar’ (written by Faizi)
1580 Dahsala Bandobast introduced
1582 Din-i-Ilahi / Tauhid-i-Ilahi
1584 Ilahi Samvat i.e. Calender
1587 Ilahi Gaz i.e. Yard
 Mughal Literature
 Akbar Nama--Abul Fazl
 Tobaqat-i-Akbari--Khwajah Nazamuddin Ahmad
 Baksh
 Iqbalnama-i-Jahangiri—Muhammad Khan
 Ain-i-Akbari --Abul Fazl
 Padshah Namah-- Abdul Hamid Lahori
 Shahjahan Namah-- Muhammad Salih
 Sirr-i-Akbar-- Dara Shikoh
 Safinat-ul-Auliya -- Dara Shikoh

 Majma-ul-Bahrain -- Dara Shikoh

 Raqqat-e-Alamgiri – Aurangzeb
Bahadur Shah 1 (1707-12)

 Muzam succeeded Aurungzeb after latter‘s death in 1707 He acquired the title of
Bahadur Shah.
 Though he was quite old (65) and his rule quite short there are many significant
achievements he made
 He reversed the narrow minded and antagonistic policies of Aurungzeb Made
agreements with Rajput states Granted sardeshmukhi tMarathas but not Chauth
Released Shahuji (son of Sambhaji) from prison (who later fought with Tarabai) Tried to
make peace with Guru Gobind Sahib by giving him a high Mansab. After Guru‘s death,
Sikhs again revolted under the leadership of Banda Bahadur. This led to a prolonged war
with the Sikhs. Made peace with Chhatarsal, the Bundela chief and Churaman, the Jat
chief.
 State finances deteriorated
Jahandar Shah (1712-13)
Death of Bahadur Shah plunged the empire into a civil war A noted feature of this time
was the prominence of the nobles Jahandar Shah, son of Bahadur Shah, ascended the throne in
1712 with help from Zulfikar Khan Was a weak ruler devoted only to pleasures Zulfikar Khan, his
wazir, was virtually the head of the Administration ZK abolished jizyah Peace with Rajputs: Jai
Singh of Amber was made the Governor of Malwa. Ajit Singh of Marwar was made the
Governor of Gujarat. Chauth and Sardeshmukh granted to Marathas. However, Mughals were
to collect it and then hand it over to the Marathas. Continued the policy of suppression towards
Banda Bahadur and Sikhs Ijarah: (revenue farming) the government began tcontract with
revenue farmers and middlemen to pay the government a fixed amount of money while they
were left free to collect whatever they could from the peasants Jahandhar Shah defeated in
January 1713 by his nephew Farrukh Siyar at Agra
Farrukh Siyar (1713-19)
Owed his victory to Saiyid Brothers: Hussain Ali Khan Barahow and Abdullah Khan Abdullah
Khan: Wazir, Hussain Ali: Mir Bakshi FS was an incapable ruler. Saiyid brothers were the real
rulers.
Muhammad Shah ‘Rangeela’ (1719-1748)
Weak-minded, frivolous and over-fond of a life of ease Neglected the affairs of the state
Intrigued against his own ministers Naizam ul Mulk Qin Qulik Khan, the wazir, relinquished his
office and founded the state of Hyderabad in 1724 His departure was symbolic of the flight of
loyalty and virtue from the Empire‖ Heriditary nawabs arose in Bengal, Hyderabad, Awadh and

Punjab Marathas conquered Malwa, Gujarat and Bundelkhand 1738: Invasion of Nadir Shah
Nadir Shah‘s Invasion (1738) Attracted to India by its fabulous wealth. Continual campaigns had
made Persia bankrupt Also, the Mughal empire was weak. Didn‘t meet any resistance as the
defense of the north-west frontier had been neglected for years The twarmies met at Karnal on
13th Feb 1739. Mughal army was summarily defeated. MS taken prisoner Massacre in Delhi in
response to the killing of some of his soldiers Plunder of about 70 crore rupees. Carried away
the Peacock throne and Koh-inoor MS ceded thim all the provinces of the Empire west of the
river Indus Significance: Nadir Shah‘s invasion exposed the hidden weakness of the empire to
the Maratha sardars and the foreign trading companies
Ahmed Shah Abdali
One of the generals of Nadir Shah Repeatedly invaded and plundered India right down to
Delhi and Mathura between 1748 and 1761. He invaded India five times. 1761: Third battle of
Panipat. Defeat of Marathas. As a result of invasions of Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah, the
Mughal empire ceased to be an all-India empire. By 1761 it was reduced merely to the Kingdom
of Delhi
Shah Alam II (1759)
Ahmed Bahadur (1748-54) succeeded Muhammad Shah Ahmed Bahadur was succeeded
by Alamgir II (1754-59) 1756: Abdali plundered Mathura Alamgir II was succeeded by Shah
Jahan III Shah Jahan III succeeded by Shah Alam II in 1759 Shah Alam spent initial years
wandering for he lived under the fear of his wazir. In 1764, he joined forces with Mir Qasim of
Bengal and Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh in declaring a war upon the British East India company.
This resulted in the Battle of Buxar Pensioned at Allahabad. Returned to Delhi in 1772 under the
protection of Marathas.
Decline of the Mughal Empire
After 1759, Mughal empire ceased to be a military power. It continued from 1759 till 1857
only due to the powerful hold that the Mughal dynasty had on the minds of the people of India
as a symbol of the political unity of the country In 1803, the British occupied Delhi From 1803 to
1857, the Mughal emperors merely served as a political front of the British. The most important
consequence of the fall of the Mughal empire was that it paved way for the British to conquer
India as there was no other Indian power strong enough to unite and hold India.
The Marathas Shivaji (1627-80)
 Shivaji was the son of Shahji and Jijabai and was born in the fort of Shivner.
 Shivaji inherited the Jagir of Poona from his father in 1637.
 His guru was Ramdas Samrath
 After the death of his guardian, Dadaji Kondadev, in 1647, he assumed full charge of his
Jagir.
 He conquered many Forts viz.
Singh Garh/ Kondana (1643)

Rohind and Chakan (1644-45)

Toran (1646)
Purandhar (1648)
Rajgarh/ Raigarh (1656)
Supa (1656)
Panhala (1659).
 In 1657 Shivaji first confronted the Mughals, talking advantage of the Mughal invasion
of Bijapur, he
 raided Ahamadnagar and plundered Junnar.
 In 1659-60, Afzal Khan was deputed by Adil Shah of Bijapur to punish Shivaji; but the
later Afzal Khan was murdered by Shivaji in 1659. The famous ―baghnakh‖ episode is
related with the death of
 Afzal Khan.
 In 1660, Shaista Khan, governor of Deccan, was deputed by Aurangzeb to check
Marathas. Shivaji lost Poona, Kalyan and Chakan also suffered several defets till he
made a bold attack on Shaista
 Khan(1663) and plundered Surat (1664) and later Ahmadnagar.
 Raja Jai Singh of Amber and Diler Khan were then appointed by Aurangzeb to curb the
rising power of Shivaji in 1665.
 Jai Singh succeeded in beseiging Shivaji in the fort of Purandhar. Consequently the
treaty of Purandhar (1665) was signed according to which Shivaji ceded some forts to
the Mughals and paid a visit to theMughal court at Agra.
 In 1666, Shivaji visited Agra but there he was insulted
 In 1670, Shivaji captured most of the forts lost by the treaty of Purandhar.
 In 1674 Shivaji was coronated at capital Raigarh and assumed the title of Haindava
Dharmodharak (Protector of Hinduism).
 After that Shivaji continued the struggle with Mughals and Siddis (Janjira). He
conquested Karnataka during 1677-80.
 His last expedition was against Ginjee and Vellore.
Shambhaji: 1680-1689
 Sambhaji, the elder son of Shivaji, defeated Rajaram, the younger son of Shivaji, in the
war of
 succession.
 He provided protection and support to Akbar II, the rebellious son of Aurangzeb.
 He was captured at Sangameswar by a Mughal noble and executed(killed).
Rajaram: 1689-1700
 He succeeded the throne with the help of the ministers at Rajgarh.

 He fled from Rajgarh to Jinji in 1689 due to a Mughal invasion in which Rajgarh was
captured along with Sambhaji‘s wife and son (Shahu) by the Mughals.
 Rajaram died at Satara, which had become the capital after the fall of Jinji to Mughal in
1698.
 Rajaram created the new post of Pratinidhi, thus taking the total number of minister to
nine (Pratinidhi+Ashtapradhan).
Tarabai: 1700-1707
 Rajaram was succeeded by his minor son Shivaji II under the guardianship of his mother
Tarabai.
 Tarabai continued the struggle with Mughals
Shahu : 1707-1749
 Shahu was released by the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah.
 Tarabai‘s army was defeated by Shahu at the batle of Khed (1700) and Shahu occupied
Satara.
 Shahu‘s reign saw the rise of Peshwas and transformation of the Maratha kingdom into
an empire based on the principle of confederacy.
Balaji Viswanath (1714-20): The First Peshwa
 He began his carrier as a small revenue official and was given the title of Sena Karte
(marker of the army) by Shahu in 1708.
 He became Peshwa in 1713 and made the post the most important and powerful as well
as hereditary.
 He concluded an agreement with the Syed Brothers-King Maker (1719) by which the
Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar recognised Shahu as the king of the Swarajya.
Baji Rao I: 1720-40
 Baji Rao, the eldest son of Balaji Viswanath, succeeded him as Peshwa at the young age
of 20.
 He was considered the greatest exponent of guerrilla tactics after Shivaji and Maratha
power reached its zenith under him.
 Under him several Maratha families became prominent and got themselves entrenched
in different parts of India.
 He conquered Bassein
Salsette from the Portuguese (1739).
 He also defeated the Nizam-ul-Mulk near Bhopal and concluded the treaty of Doraha
Sarai by which he got Malwa and Bundelkhand from the latter (1738).
 He said about Mughals: ‗Let us strike at the trunk of the withering tree and the
branches will fall of themselves‘.
Balaji Baji Rao: 1740-61
 Popularly known as Nana Saheb, he succeeded his father at the age of 20.

 After the death of Shahu (1749), the management of all state affairs was left in his
hands.
 In an agreement with the Mughal emperor Ahmad Shah, the Peshwa was to protect the
Mughal empire from internal and external enemies (like Ahmad Shah Abdali) in return
for Chauth (1752).
 Third battle of Panipat (Jan 14, 1761) resulted in the defeat of the Marathas by Ahmad
Shah Abdaliand the death of Viswas Rao & Sadashiv Rao Bhau. This event shocked the
Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao andafter six month he also died. This battle ended the Maratha
power.
MODERN INDIAN HISTORY
The period from 1707 AD, the year when Aurangzeb died, to 1857, the year of the
Indian uprising. saw the gradual increase of the European influence in India. The Europeans had
been filtering into India for a long time before they actually decided to set up shop here. Even
though the British got away with the jackpot. the real pioneers to reach India were the
Portuguese.
Portuguese Rule
The Portuguese settled down to a very prosperous trade in spices with India. The Muslim
rulers in Delhi and then the Mughals never really warmed up to the idea of a foreign power
continuing trade on the seas under their imperial noses. What’s more, they were not exactly
very honest traders too, since they thought that no word that was given to an infidel need be
kept.
Advent of Dutch
The Dutch came shipping in the East for the first time in 1595. However, they did not
come to India initially, and established themselves at the helm of things in the spice trade in
Jakarta. India carne into the picture for them purely as a route to Europe, as part of a great
Asian trade route that they developed which went through Ceylon and Cape Town. Although
the Dutch had their factories dotting all over in Cochin, Nagapatam and even up in Agra) they
did not attempt to gain military power, being quite content to gain in cash.
French Invaders
Although the French King Locus XII had granted letters of monopoly to French traders in
1611, it was not until December 1667, that a French company was actually set up in India. This
was at Surat (in Gujrat) with Francis Caron as its Director-General. Soon, in 1669, another
French company came up in Masulipatnam, thanks to a grant by the king of Golconda. which
exempted the French from paying import and export duty.
English Formed East India Company

The English, formed their East India Company on the last day of 1600 and entered the East
India hand in hand with the Dutch. Their foes were common-the Portuguese and Catholic Spain
and this brought them closer. However, familiarity breeds contempt, and soon the English
realized that the Dutch were not willing to share their space in Spice Islands (East India) with
them.
First War of Independence
Also called the Sepoy Muting or the Revolt of 1857. On 29 March 1857, during the vice-
royalty of Lord Canning. an Indian Sepoy of the 34th regiment, Mangal Pandey, killed two
British affairs en Parade at Barrackpore. The Indian Soldier’s Present on Parade refused to obey
orders to arrest Mangal Pandey. However, he was latter arrested, and hanged.
Important of the Revolt:
The revolt was mainly feudal in character carrying with it some nationalist elements.
The control of Indian administration was passed on the British crown by the
Government of India Act 1858.
The army was carefully recognized to present the recruitment of such as event.
BRITISH GOVERNOR GENERALS AND VICEROYS OF INDIA

Bengal Governor General
Warren Hastings (1772-1785)

Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793)
Lord Wellesley (1798-1805)
Governor Generals of India

 Lord william Bentinck (1828-1835)
 Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856)
 Lord Canning (1856-1862)
 Lord Mayo (1869-1872)
 Lord Lytton (1876-1880)
 Lord Ripon (1380-1884)
 Lord Minto (1905-1910)
 Lord Hardinge (1910-1916)
 Lord Chelmsford (1116-1921)
 Lord Reading (1921-1926)
 Lord Iraon (1926-1931)
 Lord Willingdon (1931-1936)
 Lord Linlithgow (1936-1944)
 Lord Wavell (1944-1947)
 Lord Mounthatten (March 1947-August 1947)

Section : geograPHY
THE EARTH
Nebular Theory
There are many ideas about the formation and evolution of the Solar System. The accepted
idea is that 4.6 billion years ago, there was a very big cloud of gas in our area of space, known
as a nebula. The Nebula eventually became so big that gravity pulled all the gas to the center.
Eventually because of all the gas it became so hot there that some hydrogen atoms fused
together to make helium. As they did this a lot of energy was let out. All this energy eventually
made the Sun. The leftover gas and dust made the planets, their moons, asteroids and all other
objects in the Solar System. Scientists think now that solar systems are created out of a huge
cloud of gas. The process by which the solar sytems are created is called the Nebular Theory.
THE ORIGIN OF EARTH
The formation of Earth occurred as part of the formation of the Solar System. It started as a
large rotating cloud of dust and gas. This cloud, the solar nebula, was composed of hydrogen
and helium produced in the Big Bang, as well as heavier elements produced in supernovas.
Then, about 4.68×109 years ago, the solar nebula began to contract, rotate and gain angular
momentum. This may have been triggered by a star in the region exploding as a supernova, and
sending a shock wave through the solar nebula. As the cloud rotated, it became a flat disc
perpendicular to its axis of rotation. Most of the mass concentrated in the middle and began to
heat up. Meanwhile, the rest of the disc began to break up into rings, with gravity causing
matter to condense around dust particles. Small fragments collided to become larger
fragments, including one collection about 150 million kilometers from the center: this would
become the Earth.
THE LAST 2½ BILLION YEARS OR SO
As soon as the oxygen was produced by photosynthesis it was taken out again by reacting with
other elements (such as iron).This continued until about 2.1 billion years ago when the
concentration of oxygen increased markedly. As oxygen levels built up and then . . . . . . The
ozone layer was formed which started to filter out harmful ultraviolet rays. This allowed the
evolution of new living organisms in the shallow seas.
Solar System Some Facts
Biggest Planet : Jupiter

Smallest Planet : Mercury
Nearest Planet to Sun : Mercury
Farthest Planet from Sun : Neptune
Nearest Planet to Earth : Venus

Brightest Planet : Venus

Brightest star after Sun : Sirius
Planet with maximum satellites: Jupiter
Coldest Planet : Neptune
Hottest Planet : Venus
Heaviest Planet : Jupiter
Red Planet : Mars
Biggest Satellite : Gannymede
Smallest Satellite : Deimos
Blue Planet: Earth
Morning/Evening Star : Venus
Earth's Twin : Venus
Green Planet : Neptune
Planet with a big red spot : Jupiter
Lord of the Heavens : Jupiter
Greatest Diurnal Temperature: Mercury
World Continents
 Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Antarctica are
the seven continents of the world.
 These seven continents were believed to be part of Pangaea which was a single
landmass around 250 million years ago.
 Due to the tectonic movement, the landmass broke up and the component
continents separated and moved away to its present position. All these took
around 1 million years to complete.
The Continents of the World,
 Asia Continents Countries
 Africa Continents Countries
 North America Continents Countries
 South America Continents Countries
 Europe Continents Countries
 Australia Continents Countries
 Antarctica Continents Countries
ASIA
1) Area: 44,485,900 sq Kms
2) Straits Strait of Malacca, Bering Strait.
3) Mountains
Pamir Knot, Himalayas, Karakoram, Kunlun, Tien Shan, Altai, Hindu Kush, Elburz, Pontic,
Sulaiman, Zagros, Taurus, Urals,Yablonovoi, Stanovoi.
4) Highest Point Everest (8,848 m)
5) Lowest Point Dead Sea (396.8 m)
6) Islands---Kurile, Sakhalin, Honshu, Hokkaido, Taiwan, Borneo,Sumatra, Java, Celebes,
New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Cyprus.

7) Rivers-Eupharates, Tigris, Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, Hwang-Ho, Yang-tse, Si-kiang,

Amur, Lena-Yenisei, Ob, Irrawady, Salween, Mekong.
8) Plateaus--Anatolia Plateau, Plateau of Iran, Plateau of Arabia, Plateau Of Tibet, Tarim
Basin, Plateau of Mongolia, Plateau of Yunnan, Deccan Plateau.
9) Peninsulas—Kamchatka Peninsula, Peninsula of Korea, Peninsula of Indo-China, Malay
Peninsula. Indian Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula.
10) Deserts-Arab, Thar
Africa
1) Area 30,259,680 sq Kms
2) Straits--Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, Straits of Gibraltar
3) Mountains-- Atlas, Drakensberg, Kilimanjaro
4) Highest Point- Kilimanjaro (5,894 m)
5) Lowest Point-Lake Assai (-156.1 m.)
6) Islands--Madagascar, Cape Verde Islands, The Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles
7) Plateaus--The whole continent is a plateau
8) Deserts-- Kalahari, Sahara Namib
North America
1) Area-- 24,235,280 sq Kms
2) Straits-- Bering Strait
3) Mountains-- Rockies, Appalachain, Brooks, Kuskolkwim, Alaska Range, Cascade Range,
Coastal Range, Sierra Nevada, Sierra Madre
4) Highest Point-- Mckinley (6,194 m.)
5) Lowest Point--Death Valley(-85.9 m)
6) Islands--Greenland, Baffin, Victoria Newfoundland, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti
7) Rivers--Mississippi, Missourie, St. Lawrence, Mackenzie, Colorado, Hudson, Potomac,
Ohio
8) Plateaus-- Columbia Plateau, Colorado Plateau, Mexican Plateau, Canadian Shield.
9) Deserts--Chihuahuan, Colorado, Mujave, Sonoran
South America
1) Area-- 17,820,770 sq Kms
2) Straits-- Straits of Magellan
3) Mountains-- Andes
4) Highest Point- Aconcagua (6,960 m)
5) Lowest-Point Valdes Penin (-39.9 m)
6) Islands-Galapagos, Falkland, Tierra del Fuego.
7) Rivers--Amazon, Orinoco, Paraguay, Parana, Uruguay
8) Plateaus-- Plateau of Bolivia, Plateau of Equador
9) Deserts-- Atacama, Pantagonia
Europe
1) Area -- 10,530,750 sq Kms
2) Straits-- Straits of Gibraltar
3) Mountains-- Alps, Pyrenes, Appenines, Dinaric Alps, Carpathians, Transylvanian
Mountains, Balkans, Caucasus, Urals

4) Highest Point-- Elbrus (5,663 M.)

5) Lowest Point--Caspian Sea (-28.0 m)
6) Islands--British Isles, Iceland, Sardinia, Sicily,Crete.
7) Rivers--Volga, Danube, Rhine, Po, Dnieper, Don, Vistula, Elbe, Oder, Seine, Loire,
Garrone, Douro, Tagus, Ural
8) Plateaus--Plateau of Bohemia, Plateau of Spain, Central Massif
Australia
1) Area-- 7,830,682 sq Kms
2) Straits-- Bass Strait
3) Mountains-- Great Dividing Range
4) Highest Point-- Kosclusko (2,228 m.)
5) Lowest Point-- Lake Eyre (-15.8 m.)
6) Islands-- Tasmania
7) Plateaus-- Western Plateau
8) Deserts-- Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Simpson Desert.
IMPORTANT MOUNTAIN RANGES

 Andes -- South America
 Rockies -- North America
 Atlas --- Africa
 Kilimancharo --- Africa
 Appalechian--- America
 Ural ---Europe
 Alps ---Europe
 Karpathyan ---Europe
 Mount Eribus --- Antartica
 Himalayam --- Asia
IMPORTANT LAKES
 Superior -- North America
 Ladol --Europe
 Caspian -- Asia
 Victoria --Africa
 Ayar --Australia
 Marakkoiba -- South America
 Vozthok --Antartica
 Azad --Syria
 Nazar --Egypt
 Land of ten thousand lakes --Minazotta
 Land of thousand lakes -- Finland
 Oldest lake, Deepest lake – Baikkal (Russia)
 Largest Island Lake -- Manitollin
 Largest freshwater lake --Superior

 Largest salt water lake -- Caspian sea

 Largest artificial lake -- Volta (Ghana)
IMPORTANT LINES AND BOUNDARIES

 Durand Line: It is the line demarcating the boundaries of India and Afghanistan. It was drawn up
in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand. India recognizes the Durand Line but Afghanistan does not.
 Hindenburg Line: It is the boundary dividing Germany and Poland. The Germans marched to this
line in 1917 during World War I.
 Maginot Line: A 320 Km line of fortification built by France along its border with Germany before
World War II, to protect against German attack.
 Mannerheim Line: It is the line of fortification on the Russia-Finland border. Drawn up by
General Mannerheim.
 McMahon Line: Drawn up by Sir Henry McMahon. It demarcates the frontier of India and China.
China did not recognize this line and violated it in 1962.
 Oder-Neisse Line: It is the border between Poland and Germany running along the Oder and
Neisse rivers; adopted at the Poland Conference (August 1945) after the World War II.
 Radcliffe Line: Drawn up by Sir Cyril Radcliffe, this line demarcates the boundary between India
and Pakistan.
 Siegfried Line: Is the line of fortification drawn up by Germany on its border with France.
 17th Parallel: The 17th Parallel defined the boundary between North and South Vietnam before
the two were united.
 24th Parallel: Is the line which Pakistan claims for demarcation between India and Pakistan. This,
however, is not recognized by India.
 38th Parallel: Is the parallel of latitude which separates North and South Korea.
 49th Parallel: The boundary between US and Canada.
INDIA’S FACTS
Some Important Facts
 The total surface area of the earth 510,067,2000 sq. km.

 Total area covered by water or sea 70.92%
 The land area 29.08%
 The equatorial circumference of the earth 40,075,03 km.
 The meridional circumference 40,007,89 km.
 The total world’s population 6.25 billion (Approximately)
 The average daily increase in the world’s population 263,000 (182 per minute)
 The crude birth rate 27.1 per 1000
 The crude death rate 9.8 per 1000

 The most populous country China

 The least populous country Vatican city
 Most densely populated country The Portuguese province of Macau
 Total number of countries 253
 The largest country in area Russia
 The smallest country in area Vatican city
 The most populous city Mexican city
 The largest City Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia
 Highest Award-Bharat Ratna
 Highest Gallantry Award-Param Vir Chakra
 Longest Tributary river of India-Yamuna
 Largest Lake-Wular Lake, Kashmir
 Largest Lake (Saline Water)-Chilka Lake, Orrisa
 Largest Man-Made Lake-Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar (Rihand Dam)
 Highest Lake-Devtal Lake, Gadhwal (Uttarakhand)
 Highest Peak-Karkoram-2 of K- 2(8,611 meters)
 Largest Populated City-Mumbai
 Largest State(Area)-Rajasthan
 Largest State(Population)-Uttar Pradesh
 Highest rainfall-Cherrapunji (426 inches per annum)
 State wise largest area under forest- Madhya Pradesh
MAJOR RIVERS OF THE WORLD
River Origin Falls in Length (km.)

Nile Victoria lake Mediterranean Sea 6,650
Amazon Andes (Peru) Atlantic Ocean 6,428
Yangtze Tibetan Kiang Plateau China Sea 6,300
Mississippi Itaska lake (USA) Gulf of Maxico 6,275
Missouri USA
Yenisei Tannu-Ola Mts. Arctic Ocean 5,539
Huang Ho Kunlun Mts. Gulf of Chibli 5,464
Congo Lualaba & Luapula rivers Atlantic Ocean 4,700
Amur North East China Sea of Okhotsk 4,444
Lena Baikal Mountains Laptev Sea 4,400
Mekong Tibetan Highlands South China Sea 4,350
Mackenzie Great Slave Lake Beaufort Sea 4,241
Parana Confluence of Paranaiba

& Grande rivers Atlantic Ocean 3,998
MAJOR LAKES OF THE WORLD

 Largest Lake - Caspian Sea
 Highest lake - Lake Titicaca
 Largest saline water lake - Caspian Sea
 Deepest lake - Lake Baikal
 Largest fresh water lake - Lake Superior
 India’s largest lake - Chilka lake
IMPORTANT LAKES OF THE WORLD

Lake Location Area (sq. km.)
Caspian Russian and CIS 371000
Superior Canada and USA 82414
Victoria Tanzania (Africa) 69485
Huron Canada and USA 59596
Michigan USA 58016
Tanganyika Africa 32892
Baikal Russia (CIS) 31502
Great Bear Canada 31080
OCEANS OF THE WORLD

Names Area (sq. km.) Greatest Depth
Pacific 166,240000 Mariana Trench
Atlantic 86.560000 Puerto Rico Trench
Indian 73430000 Java Trench
Arctic 13230000 —
IMPORTANT DESERTS
Sahara - N. Africa (Includes the Libyan and the Nubian Desert)
Australian - Australia (Includes Gibson, Simpson, Victorian, Great Sandy)

Arabian - Arab Countries (Includes Rub-al-Khali and An-Nafad of S. Arabia and Dast-e-
Lut and Dast-e-Kavir of Iran)
Kalahari - Africa (mainly in Botswana)
Gobi - Mongolia
Atacama - Central Chile
Patagonian - Argentina
Takla Makan - Sinkiang, China
Karakum - Turkmenistan
MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES OF THE WORLD

Range Location Length (km)
Andes South America 7,200
Andes South Central Asia 5,000
Himalayas-Karakoram-Hindukush South Central Asia 4,800
Rockies North America 4,800
Great Dividing Range East Australia 3,600
Atlas North West Africa 1,930
Western Ghats Western India 1,610
Caucasus Europe 1,200
Alaska USA 1,130
Alps Europe 1,050

Section : general Science

MAGNETISM
 Magnetic Substance :On the basis of magnetic behavior, substances can be divided into
three categories.
 Diamagnetic substance: Diamagnetic substances are such substances which when placed
in a magnetic field, acquire feeble magnetism opposite to the direction of magnetic field.
 Examples :Bismuth, Zinc, Copper, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Water, Mercury, Water etc.
 Paramagnetic Substance :Paramagnetic substances are such substances which when
placed in a magnetic field acquire a feeble magnetism in the direction of the field.
 Examples :Aluminum, Platinum, Manganese, Sodium, Oxygen etc.
 Ferromagnetic substance :Ferromagnetic substances are those substance, which when
placed in a magnetic field, are strongly magnetized in the direction of field.
 Examples :Iron, Cobalt, Nickel etc.
COALS:
 Bituminous : Black, hard, smoky, flame, domestic fuel
 Lignite :High moisture content burns easily, low calorific value.
 Peat :Low grade coal produces less heat & more smoke & ash
 Anthracite :Superior quality, hardest form, high calorific value
Compounds of metal and non-metal and their uses :

Ferrous oxide (FeO):In green glass, Ferrous salt.
Ferric oxide (Fe304) : In electroplating of ornaments and formation of ferric slat
Ferrous sulphate (FeSO4. 7H20) :In dye industry, and Mohr's salt
Ferric hydroxide [(Fe(OH)3)] : In laboratory reagent and in making medicines.
Iodine (I2):Antiseptic, In making tincture of iodine.
Bromine (Br2):In dye industry, laboratory reagent
Chlorine (Cl2) :Mustard gas, Bleaching powder.
Hydrochloric acid (HCl) :In the formation of aquaregiaand dyes
Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) :As a reagent ,In purification of petroleum,In lead storage
battery.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) :As oxidants & reductants , bleaching agent
Hydrogen Sulphides (H2S) : In qualitative analysis of basic radical (group separation)
Sulphur (S) :Antiseptics, vulcanization of rubber, gun powder, medicine.
Ammonia (NH3) :As reagent in ice factory.
Nitrous oxide (N20) :Laughing gas, Surgery.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) :Soda water, Fire extinguisher.
Carbon monoxide (CO) :In phosgene gas
Graphite : As electrodes.
Diamond :Ornaments, Glass cutting, Rock drilling.
Alum [K2SO4 Al2 (SO4)3. 24 H2O] : (i) Purification of water (ii) Leather industry.

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT BIOLOGY

 Many short branched parts called dendrites.
 Father of Biology and Zoology – Aristotle
 Father of Botany – Theophrastus
 Father of Taxonomy – Carolus Linnaeus
 Father of Medicine – Hippocrates Euglena is an organism which exhibits the
characteristic of both
plants and animals .
 The Cell was firstly invented by an English Scientist Robert Hook in 1665.
 Cell Theory- The cell theory was jointly propounded by a botanist Schleden and a
Zoologist Schwan in 1838-1839.
 Lysosome destroys itself in such a process so it is called suicide vesicle (bag) of the cell
 Mitochondria is called Power House of the cell.
 Ribosome is called the factory of protein.
 Chloroplast is called Kitchen of cell.
 The smallest cell is Mycoplasma Gallosepticum, while the largest cell is Ostrich’s egg .
 Cell -wall is completely developed and which is composed of cellulose.
 The blue- green algae is a special type of bacteria which are called cyanobacteria.
 Lichen is a micro-organism which coexist between cyanobacteria and fungi.
 Lichens are the indicators of the air pollution and for the maximum pollution there exist
no lichens.
 The algae which appear on the ice are called Cryptophytes,while which appear on the
rock are called Lithophytes.
 The Largest banyan tree of Indian Botanical Garden, Shivpur (Howarah)
 Pitcher plant leaves accommodate to trap the insects and modified themselves in the
form of bags.
 The metal magnesium is found in the chlorophyll of plant leave and in the nucleus of the
hlorophyll the atom of magnesium exists.
LIST OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT
1. An instrument used in aircrafts for measuring altitudes is called - Altimeter
2. An instrument used to measure the strength of an electric current is called - Ammeter
3. An instrument to measure the speed, direction and pressure of the wind is called-
Anemometer
4. An intrument used to measure difference in hearing is called – Audiometer
5. An instrument to measure atmospheric pressure and conditions is called - Barometer
6. An intrument used to measure potential difference between two points is called - Voltmeter
7. An optical instrument used for magnified view of distant objects is called-Binoculars
8. An instrument used to measure the diameters of wire, tube or rod is called- Callipers
9. An instrument used to measure quantities of Heat is called - Calorimeter
10. An apparatus used for charging air with petrol vapours in an internal combustion engine is
called – Carburettor
11. An instrument used for measuring the temperature of the human body is called-
Thermometer
12. A device which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy is called- Dynamo

13. An instrument used for measuring electrical potential differences is called- Electrometer
14. An instrument used for detecting the presence of electric charge is called- Electroscope
15. An instrument used for measuring Electric Current is called - Galvanometer
16. An instrument used for measuring depth of the ocean is called - Fathometer
17. An instrument used for relative density of liquids is called - Hydrometer
18. An instrument used for relative density of milk is called - Lactometer
19. An instrument used for magnified view of very small objects is called - Microscope
20. An apparatus used in submarines for viewing objects lying above the eye level of the
observer is called - Periscope
21. An instrument used for comparing the luminous intensity of two sources of light is Called -
Photometer
22. An instrument used to measure high temperature is called - Pyrometer
23. An instrument used to measure Rainfall is called - Rain Gauge
24. An instrument used for recording the intensity and origin of earthquakes shocks is called –
Siesmograph
25. An instrument used for measuring angular distance between two objects is called - Sextant
26. An instrument used for measuring speed of the vehicle is called - Speedometer
27. An apparatus used for converting high voltage to low and vice-versa is called- Transformer
28. An instrument that continuously records a barometer's reading of atmospheric pressure. -
Barograph
29. An instrument used to measure infrared, or heat, radiation. - Bolometer
30. An instrument used for measuring growth in plants.-Crescograph
31. An instrument used for tracing movement of heart.-Cardiograph
32. A clock that keeps very accurate time and determines longitude of a vessel at sea. -
Chronometer
33. An instrument used to examine internal parts of the body. - Endoscope
34. A glass tube for measuring volumes changes in the chemical reactions between gases -
Eudiometer
35. A machine for reproducing recorded sound. - Gramophone
36. An instrument used to measure the moisture content or the humidity of air or any gas. -
Hygrometer
37. A microphone designed to be used underwater for recording or listening to underwater
sound.-Hydrophone
38. A device used to measure atmospheric pressure - Manometer
39. A device which converts sound waves into electrical signals. - Microphone
40. An instrument attached to the wheel of a vehicle, to measure the distance traversed. -
Odometer
41. An instrument used for reproducing sound.-Phonograph
42. An instrument used for measuring Solar radiation is called – Pyrheliometer
43. An instrument used for taking angular measurements of altitude in astronomy and
navigation is called - Quadrant
44. An instrument for measuring a Refractive Index of a substance is called - Refractometer
45. An instrument used for Spectrum analysis is called- Spectroscope
46. An instrument for measuring blood pressure is called - Sphygmomanometer

47. An instrument for measuring and indicating temperature is called - Thermometer

48. A medical instrument used for hearing and analysing the sound of Heart is called -
Stethoscope
Vitamins and Minerals

Balance Diet :- It means a diet which contains right amount and types of foods and drink
to provide essential nutrients and energy required for proper development of the body
cells, tissue and organs. Balance diet should contain right amount of vitamins and
minerals for overall development of the body.
Vitamins : Vitamins are organic compounds required in small quantities for optimal
health. It enhances the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Vitamins are
required for growth in children, formation of hormones, blood cells, tissues and bones.
Vitamins cannot be synthesized/produced by the human body, thus, our diet must
contain vitamins.
CURRENT AFFAIRS
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
• Three-day Mayyazhi Mahotsavam celebrated in Mahe, Puducherry - Seminar on
“waste is wealth” was held.
• Indian Railways inked Rs.40000cr deal of locomotive plants with America’s General
Electric GE and France’s Alstom
• Maharashtra is the biggest economy within India at Rs 16.87 lakh crore in terms of
gross state domestic product (GSDP) - 4th edition of report by credit rating agency
Brickwork.
• HRD Minister SmritiIrani launched GIAN(Global Initiative of Academic Networks)
scheme to boost the quality of the country's higher education .
• President Pranab Mukherjee given assent to the Labour Laws Bill of Gujarat to ban
strikes in public utility services for up to one year -Gujarat Control of Terrorism and
OrganisedCrime (GCTOC) Bill, 2015 - maximum of Rs.21,000
• Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das declared the state as drought-hit -
Rs.1,398 crore Delhi Assembly passed three major education bills-
 Delhi School Education Amendment Bill (DSEAA)
 Verification of Accounts and Refund of Excess Fee Bill (5lakh – 10lakh fine)
 Imprisonment for violators of various provisions.
• Gov gave nod to introduction of Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2015 –
active at Faridabad
• Union Cabinet ratified the signing of agreement between India and Iran on visa
facilitation for Diplomatic, Official/Service and Ordinary passport holders
• Union Cabinet ratified a MoU between India and Germany for Capital Goods Sector
and Solar Energy
• Union Cabinet given its nod for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between
India and Maldives in the field of sports and youth affairs.
• India and Bahrain signed agreement to provide cooperation to tackle international

terrorism transnational organized crime and psychotropic substances

• Union Cabinet given its nod for signing of a MoU between India and Israel in the field
of water resources management and development cooperation.
• Union Cabinet approves Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) signed
between India and Japan in 1989 - to facilitate tax-related exchange of information.
• Goa Gov launched National Food Security Act, 2013
 Aim: To benefit more than one third of the state’s population - 5
kgs of subsidized rice or wheat per person per month
• Union Cabinet gives nod to establish 6 new IITs
 Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and
Karnataka.
• Lok Sabha passed The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 to make BIS as National
Standards Body of India
• Replace the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986.
• Union Cabinet approved rehabilitation package for Bangladesh enclaves -Rs.1006 crore
- Cooch Behar district
• PM Modi launches Accessible India campaign in Delhi and Arun Jaitley unveiled the
Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan for disability people.
• National Green Tribunal announced - Rs 5,000 fine on anyone found using or
dealing with plastic in Chandigarh.
• Himachal Pradesh became first state to launch Rotavirus vaccination project -
Dharamsala in district Kangra –CM Virbhadra Singh
• Union Government releases postal stamp to mark centenary year of ZSI(Zoological
Survey of India)
• Arvind Subramanian Committee suggests GST(Goods and Services Tax) rate of 17-18 per
cent
• Delhi Janlokpal Bill, 2015 passed by the assembly - two amendments proposed by
activist Anna Hazare.
• Delhi Assembly passed MLA of NCT of Delhi (Salaries, Allowances, Pension, etc.)
(Amendment) Bill, 2015 - 400 per cent hike in the salaries of MLAs
• Married daughters eligible for appointment on compassionate grounds -Allahabad
High Court Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and Justice Yashwant
• AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu launched 'She Autos' scheme and distributed 49
CNG-fuelled autos to women drivers.
• Lok Sabha passes bill to enhance compensation for Air Travellers - Civil Aviation
Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju
• Uttar Pradesh Gov launched first International festival on Birds at the National
Chambal Sanctuary in Agra.
• Andhra Pradesh become the first state in the country to join the Centre’s scheme UDAY
– Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana)
• 125th birth anniversary year celebrations of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar Babasaheb, PM
Narendra Modi released two commemorative coins of Rs 125 and Rs 10 denomination.
• Railway minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off the 1,000-passenger Mumbai-Margao-
Mumbai double decker express train - train no 11085

• South Western Railways (SWR) Zone has introduced biodiesel for trains to reduce
greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission and carbon footprint.
• 6th Meeting of Group on Automatic Exchange of Information held in New Delhi
• 8th edition of a bilateral exercise between the Indian and Russian navies “INDRA NAVY”
started in Visakhapatnam
• India and Japan are planned to ink an agreement on ‘Bullet Trains’ during
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit - Mumbai and Ahmedabad - Rs 90,000
crore
• National Youth Festival in Chhattisgarh from Jan 12, 2016 - 153rd birth anniversary of
Swami Vivekananda.
• Delhi government to provide full proof plan on driving rule by Dec 25 - Odd-even
number scheme - to curb air pollution in Delhi.
• HRD Minister Smriti Irani launched Kala Utsav to promote the culture
 Theme – “living traditions of tribal, folk and traditional arts of different
regions”
• Indialaunched the Indian Long Term Ecological Observatories (I-LTEO)
programme to scientifically monitor 8 different biomes (natural landscapes) .
• Atomic Energy (Amendment) Bill, 2015 introduced in Lok Sabha to fast track nuclear
power projects - Minister of State in the Department of Atomic of Energy (DAE)
Jitendra Singh.
• Maharashtra has become first state to allow the members of state legislature to
raise online questions.
• First India International Science Festival begins at IIT-Delhi - Organized by Vijnana
Bharati (VIBHA), an NGO
• Lok Sabha passes High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of
Service) Amendment Bill, 2015 - Article 175
• Rajya Sabha passed the Negotiable Instrument (Amendment) Bill 2015 -
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
 For filing of cheque bounce cases at the place where a cheque is
presented for clearance and not the place of issue.
• Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) has constituted a seven-member
subcommittee to examine the issue of these sales.
 Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.
• Govt extends Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)and Pradhan Mantri
Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) deadline to Dec 31
• MoU signed between Ministry of Textiles & Ministry of MSME for establishing a
Technology Centre at Kanpur
• MoU signed between Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
and the Department of Heavy Industry (DHI) with focus on capital goods and
automotive sector was signed .
• Union Cabinet given its approval to carry out official amendments in The National
Waterways Bill, 2015.
 106 additional inland waterways as the national waterways
• Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2015 consented by Cabinet

• Lok Sabha passes Indian Trusts (Amendment), Bill 2015 - Amend Indian Trusts Act, 1882.
• Supreme Court has ordered to include the names of the acid attack victims in
the list of disabled people -Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice C. Nagappan.
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved creation of buffer stock
of pulses to deal
 50000 tonnes of pulses from the kharif crop and 1 lakh tonnes from the
Rabi crop.
• Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland on cooperation in the energy sector
 PM Narendra Modi visit to UK, India and United Kingdom launched a
joint initiative “2016: UK-INDIA Year of Education, Research and
Innovation” in New Delhi to increase mobility of students and faculty.
 National Textile Corporation (NTC) has started e-auction of yarn
 First e-auction of NTC yarn launched by the Union Minister of
State for Textiles (I/C) - Santosh Kumar Gangwar.
 Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda
and Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka
Gandhi released the “India Health Report: Nutrition 2015” and
“Global Nutrition Report” .
 Union Cabinet approved Rs 4,000 crore budgetary supports for
introducing measures to encourage shipbuilding and ship repair
industry in India – 10years.
 National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed a complete ban on use of any
king of plastic from Gomukh to Haridwar along Ganga with effect from
February 1, 2016- NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar
 Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) –
“Sabla” implemented by Govt - Rs 27486.79 lakhs
 Aims at empowering Adolescent Girls (AGs) between 11-18
years through nutrition, health care and life skills education.
 Centre declared the recent floods in Tamil Nadu as a “calamity of
severe nature” - declared as “National Disaster” - 1 crore
 “Control of Potable Alcohol” along with 3 other bills approved to bring
in legislative changes in atomic energy, potable alcohol, commercial
disputes and bonus payments.
 Gov signed MoU and documentation for establishing 3 Indian
Institute of Information Technology (IIITs) at Ranchi, Nagpur
and Pune.
 National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered ban on registration of new diesel-
run vehicles in Delhi.
 Losar festival celebrated across Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir –
15days
 Yolmo Losar is observed on the same day as of the Chinese New
Year.

 Maharashtra gov has constituted a task force under Union Minister of

State for Finance Jayant Sinha for setting up an International Financial
Service Centre (IFSC) in Mumbai.
 US English Access programme launched in Bihar, Kolkata Craig Hall
inaugurated the first ever English Access Microscholarship Programme
(Access) programme
 Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe 3 days visit to India - 16 agreements.
 3 MoU on Railway sector
 Joint statement on “India and Japan Vision 2025: Special
Strategic and Global Partnership Working Together for Peace
and Prosperity of the Indo-Pacific Region and the World.
 Varanasi – Smart city
 Cancellation and Refund of Railway Tickets - Railway Passengers
(Cancellation of tickets and refund of fare) Rules amended - Minister
of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinham
 Haryana became the 11th state to join UDAY scheme
 Rajasthan becomes the first state to submit smart city plan - Udaipur,
Kota and Ajmer - Rs.6, 457 cr for 5 years.
 Goa gov approved the Rs 981.11 crore proposal for Panaji Smart City
which was submitted to the Union Urban Development Ministry – total
19 cities - Rs 304.22 crores
 Smart City Proposal (SCP) for the metropolis approved by the
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with worth of
32000 crore rupees.
 PM Narendra Modi chaired the Combined Commanders Conference on
board INS Vikramaditya at Sea, off the coast of Kochi – 1st board an
aircraft carrier.
 Lok Sabha passed a bill that will allow state-run NPCIL to have
collaboration with other PSUs in the nuclear field - Atomic Energy
Amendment Bill 2015 proposes to amend the 1962 Atomic Energy Act
 GOI requested the States/UTs to start “Operation Smile-II” from 1st
January, 2016 to31st January
 Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) announced the
launch of the Phase-2 development – 20 institutions.
 Lok Sabha passed the Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and
Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Bill, 2015 to improve
India’s global image on ease of doing business - Kirti Azad
 Supreme Court bans registration of new diesel SUVs, luxury cars in Delhi
till March 31, 2016.
 Union Cabinet approved a policy framework for development of
Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) in coal and lignite bearing areas.
• UP Governor Ram Naik gave assent to state’s Revenue Code (Amendment) Ordinance
2015 for the amendment in UP Revenue Code 2006.
• AP Shah Committee appointed to look into ONGC, RIL dispute on KG gas fields -

11.122 billion cubic meters of natural gas, worth over Rs 11,000 crore
• Union Cabinet gives nod to amend Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 -in
order to modify the list of Scheduled Castes in respect of the five states—
Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Kerala, Odisha and West Bengal.
• Maharashtra Gov announced a 10512 crore rupees relief package for more
than 15000 drought-hit villages in 14 districts.
• Lok Sabha passed the Arbitration and Reconciliation (Amendment Bill), 2015 -
Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 - to make the arbitration process more investor-
friendly.
• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
cleared the purchase of five S-400 Triumf long-range air defence systems from Russia
- Rs. 40,000 crore
• Union Cabinet gives nod to MoU with BRICS countries for energy conservation -
cooperation in joint scientific and technological research, conferencing
• Union Gov given nod to Google’s Loon project in the country - proposed by
Google’s newly-appointed chief Sundar Pichai - 20 km using LTE or 4G technology
• AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu decided to abolish VAT, CST on Sugar factories and permit
foreign institutions to establish their campuses in the state.
• Greenpeace India has released a ranking of the 17 cities covered by the National Air
Quality Index (NAQI)- April to Nov
• Arunachal Pradesh Assembly passed a resolution to ‘impeach’ Speaker Nabam Rebia
• Uttar Pradesh approved a complete ban on the distribution, manufacture
and sales of polythene carry bags.
• PM Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the All-India conference of Directors
General of Police (AICDGPs) at Dhordo in white Rann of Kutch region near Bhuj,
Gujarat.
• West Bengal approved the proposal for introducing five new districts in the state.
The total number of districts in West Bengal will increase to 25.
 Basirhat district,Kalimpong district,Burdwan (Industrial)
district,Jhargram district and Sundarbans district:
• Jharkhand Assembly passed Single Window Clearance Bill, 2015 along with five others
bills.
• Narendra Modi hands over Shyamji’s UK Bar certificate to CM Anandiben Patel
• Union Cabinet consented a policy framework for development of Underground Coal
Gasification (UCG) in coal and lignite bearing areas in the country.
• Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal announced the establishment of
42 mega food parks worth Rs 2,000 crore
• 50th edition of the All-India conference of Directors General of Police (AICDGPs)
inaugurated by PMNarendra Modi at Dhordo village,Gujarat.
• Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has started using
PAN(Permanent account number) instead of Aadhaar for validation under the National
Pension System (NPS) scheme.
• Uttar Pradesh become the twelfth State to become part of centre’s UDAY (Ujwal
DISCOM Assurance Yojana) scheme

• Union Minister of Human Resource Development Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani launched
the 6thAll India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) in New Delhi.
 Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) -23.6% and Target of 30% GER by 2020
 Gender Parity Index (GPI) - 0.86 to 0.93
• Gujarat become the first state in the country to take up Public-Private Partnership
Projects for redevelopment of slums in urban areas - under PM Awas Yojana
• Government Launches Toll-Free ‘Eyeway National Helpdesk’ for Visually Impaired
Citizens of India - 1800-300-20469
• Rajya Sabha unanimously passed the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities)
Amendment Bill, 2015 to amend the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
• First prototype electric bus for MPs launched in New Delhi - first retrofitted electric bus
with “Go Green” message - developed by KPIT, Pune, ISRO - powered by lithium battery.
• Lok Sabha passes The National Waterways Bill, 2015 - 106 additional inland waterways
• High-level committee set up to probe freight train derailment of 25 wagons of a
freight train in Uttar Pradesh.
• FSSAI sets up 9 panels to strengthen food regulatory mech - 12 referral laboratories
and 82 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)
• Pranab Mukherjee dedicated the Bangalore based National Institute of Mental
Health and Neurological Sciences (NIMHANS) to the nation
 Mental Health Policy – (World Mental Health Day - October
10)supported by the “Mental Health Action Plan 365
• Lok Sabha passed the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to amend the
Payment of Bonus Act, 1965.
• Bihar CM Nitish Kumar approved Patna Metro Rail project - Rs 14,000 crore
• Union Cabinet approved the Lucknow Metro Rail Project 22 stations - Rs 6928 crore
• Union Cabinet approves to expand visa-free diplomatic travel to 69 countries - transit and
stay up to 90 days
• Gov approved an integrated scheme for the development and management of fisheries
sector as it seeks to bring ‘blue revolution - Rs 3,000 crore
• Manohar Parrikar inaugurated first “Cable Stay Bridge” of J & K - connectivity between
the three states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab - Rs 145 crore
• CCEA approved investment of 5000 crore rupees into ONGC Videsh
• Bihar Gov banned 15-year-old diesel vehicles from plying on Patna roads - PM-2.5 is
between 301 and 400
• Nirmala Sitharaman has announced Policy Intiative Development of Industrial / Economic
 Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC):
 Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC):
 Bengaluru-Mumbai Economic Corridor (BMEC):
 Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC):
 Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC):
• Union Ministry of Environment notified norms for Coal-based Thermal Power Plants
 zero waste water discharge - PM10 (particulate matter),Sulphur Dioxide and Oxide of
Nitrogen
• Chattisgarh top performer in Digital India Week 2015 - Himachal Pradesh(2nd)
and Meghalaya(3rd)
• Gov added 106 drugs including that of HIV/AIDS, Cancer and Hepatitis C to the National
List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) - 376 drugs
• Panchayat and Rural development minster of the state Rakibul Hussain launched
the Food Security Act (FSA) in Nagaon district of Assam.
• AP State ranked first in e-transactions - National e-Transaction Count - Telegana-2nd and
Kerala
– 3rd.
• Microsoft’s Nadella inked pacts with Andhra Pradesh to set up a CoE in Varanasi
• Gujarat govt planning to launch e-voting in panchayat polls by Gujarat State Election
Commission (SEC)
• Make in India Week’ to start from Feb 13
• Civil Aviation Ministry gave clearance for 4 Greenfield Airports – Nellore and
Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh, Dholera in Gujarat.
• Union Government links LPG subsidy to income - no LPG subsidy for taxpayers who earn
over Rs 10 lakh annually
• Goa Governor MridulaSinha has written a song on ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’
• Gujarat gov is set to announce its 1st Medical Policy for providing subsidy
• Report of the Committee on Revisiting & Revitalizing the PPP model of
Infrastructure Development chaired by Dr. V. Kelkar issued
• Government has approved a financial aid of Rs 6,794 crore for Maharashtra,
Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh
• Haryana Government sets educational qualification for municipal polls to amend Section
13 A of Haryana Municipal Act 1973 and Section 8 of Haryana Municipal Corporation Act
1994.
• Three day Veda Convention and Vedic Conference begin in Kerala initiated by
Minister for Tourism and Culture A.P. Anilkumar
• From January 1, 2016 - No interviews for junior-level government
• Harsh Vardhan has unveiled a National Biotechnology Development Strategy -2015-2020.
• MoU between India and Jordan for promoting cooperation in the field of Information
Technology and Electronics
• Gov gave approval for signing a MoU(Raptor MoU) for conservation of migratory birds
of prey in Africa and Eurasia.
• Union Cabinet gives nod for India-Australia Civil Nuclear Cooperation deal - India will be
the first country to buy Australian uranium
Union Cabinet approves construction of 69 bridges on Trilateral Highway in Myanmar -
Rs.371 crore
• MoU between SINTEF, Norway and Central Public Works Department in the field of
Recycling of Construction and Demolition Waste
• MoU signed between India and Maldives for the exchange of information with respect to
taxes
• Narendra Modi given its approval for renewal of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between India and Canada for cooperation in Higher Education.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
• India has been ranked 131 out of 167 nations on a global index - Measuring the
Information Society Report (MISR).
• United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) in Paris World leaders of 20
countries has launched the Mission Innovation for accelerating clean energy revolution
across the world.
 Tagline – “Accelerating the Clean Energy Revolution”
• UN chief launched Anticipate, Absorb, Reshape Initiative to build climate resilience
- 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• China hosts the 1stmedia summit of countries Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa
(BRICS).
• German cabinet approved plans to pledgeup to 1,200 soldiers to back the international
coalition fighting against Islamic State(IS) in Syria - one year at a cost of €134m
• Brazil entered longest recession since 1930s - 4.5 percent year-on-year in the third
quarter
• Moscow and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) signed an agreement to reform
Russia's anti-doping agency.
• World health Organisation (WHO) released its first ever report on global estimates of
foodborne diseases - "Estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases"
• China’s president Xi Jinping has announced a funding support of $60 million to Africa
• Britain launches airstrikes against IS-controlled oil fields in Syria – Moscow Support
• UN Agencies released report on prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Asia-Pacific region - 98 per
cent of youngsters aged 10 to 19 living with HIV
 Title : 'Adolescents: Under the Radar in the Asia-Pacific AIDS Response'.
• Australia’s parliament passed the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to
Australia) Bill to strip dual nationals of their citizenship.
• China's first manned electric aircraft powered by rechargeable lithium batteries got a
license for production - 45-60 minutes of flight time.
• National Security Advisors of India(Ajit Doval) and Pakistan(Nasir Janjua) held
talks on terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir in Bangkok.
• Canada sends first consignment of uranium to India 250 tonnes
 Contract to supply 7.1 million pounds of uranium
• 2 FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) Summit and 6th Ministerial
nd
Conference were held on 4 to 5 December 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

 Theme – “Africa-China Progressing Together: Win-Win
Cooperation for Common Development”
• IIT Delhi has scripted Guinness World Record in conducting the largest practical
science lesson by assembling 2,000 school students at the sprawling lawns of
Indian Institute of Technology.
• Global Financial Integrity (GFI)released its report titled “Illicit Financial Flows from
Developing Countries: 2004-2013”
 India 4th in black money outflows p/a – USD 51 million
•
• US House of Representatives passed the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act of

2015 - prevent any foreign national who has visited Iraq, Iran, Syria or Sudan in the
past five years.
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) released a report titled “Asian Economic Integration
Report 2015: How Can Special Economic Zones Catalyze Economic Development?”
prepared by the Regional Cooperation and Integration Division (ERCI)
 India become the 3rd largest source of inward FDI for the United Kingdom
(UK) after the US and France in number of projects.
th
• The 5 edition of “Heart of Asia” conference, an annual regional gathering of Asian
and other countries commenced in Islamabad Pakistan
 Theme – “Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process: Enhanced cooperation for

countering security.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF) changed a rule that would block its financial aid
program to Ukraine as the country defaulted on its debt owed to Russia - $3 billion
loan.
• United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released
Handbook of Statistics 2015
 Global trade in services grew by 5% while merchandise trade
stagnates and foreign direct investment falls.
• Indo-Pak declared 10-point Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue - 10-point
CBD will succeed the 8-point Composite Dialogue Process (CDP) structured
dialogue aka Resumed Dialogue.
• India and South Korea have inked MoU on suspension of collection of taxes during
pendency of Mutual Agreement Procedure (MAP) procedure.
• India as the second most ignorant nation in the world after Mexico - Ipsos MORI
 It is based on the “Index of Ignorance”
• The United Nations Security Council adopted a historic resolution on youth, peace and
security - resolution was introduced by Jordan
• India and Japan inked a protocol for amending the existing convention for double
taxation avoidance that provides for effective exchange of information in tax
matters.
 Signed by Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia and
Ambassador of Japan Kenji Hiramatsu.
• Myanmar launched the country’s first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Inle Lake in Shan
state.
• International scientific-practical conference “The foreign policy of Turkmenistan as a
factor of security and stability in the world”, devoted to the Year of Neutrality and
Peace and
the 20th Anniversary of Neutrality of Turkmenistan.
• US updated its policy on gas-turbine engine technology transfer to India to expand
cooperation in production and design of sensitive jet engine components.
• 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP 21 was held in Paris, France
 Proposal of achieving zero GHG emissions growth by 2060-80.
 189 parties had submitted their Intended Nationally

Determined Contributions (INDCs) on climate actions.

 Limit the global warming by 2100,
• Turkmenistan started work on its 1,814 Km natural gas pipeline to Afghanistan,
Pakistan and India (TAPI) project funded by Asian Development Bank - – $10 bn
• Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh declared the tiny West African country an Islamic
republic.
• India up 5 spots, ranks 130th in Human Development Index: UNDP(United
Nations Development Programme) report
 Title : Rethinking Work for Human Development”.
 Toppers – Norway topped followed by Australia and Switzerland
• Asia Index Private Ltd, a JV between S&P Dow Jones Indices and BSE has launched
4 new indices
1.S&P BSE Enhanced Value Index,2.S&P BSE Low Volatility Index,3.S&P BSE Momentum
Index, 4.S&P BSE Quality Index
• World Bank released a report “Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts of Climate
Change on Poverty”
 World Bank announced $16 billion in funding to help African people and
countries adapt to climate change.
• FICCI and UN Women Multi Country Office for India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri
Lanka have signed a MoU in New Delhi to strengthen collaboration on advancing
gender equality and women’s empowerment in the business sector.
• 14th Meeting of the Heads of Governments (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization Member States on Regional Economic Cooperation was held
in Zhengzhou, China.
 China’s One Belt, One Road initiative project
• Saudi Arabia launched Islamic Military Coalition, a new military alliance of 34 nations
mainly Muslim nations to fight terrorism.
• Fitch retained India’s sovereign rating at the lowest investment grade of “BBB-/stable” -
India’s economy will grow by 5%
• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ended its 12-year investigation into
concerns that Iran might be developing nuclear weapons.
• India ranks 97th on Forbes’ best countries for business list - Denmark topped the list
 US has dropped four spots to number 22
• Afghanistan has become the 164th WTO member after 11 years of negotiations.
• UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution to cut off funds for the Islamic
State by US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew.
• 2nd World Internet Conference held at Wuzen in China
 Theme : An Interconnected World Shared and Governed by All—
Building a Cyberspace Community of Shared Destiny
• United Nations-brokered agreement on forming a national unity government to
establish a single Government of National Accord and national institutions that
will ensure broad representation.
• International Labour Organization (ILO) has released a report of new global

estimates on migrant workers.

 3 million of the world’s approximately232 million international migrants.
• UN Security Council unanimously adopted the resolution developed by the five
permanent members of the council.
• US Senate passes the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reform as part of a budget bill.
 India’s voting rights will increase to 6% from the current 2.3%.
• 68th UN General Assembly officially launched the 2016 International Year of Pulses
 Slogan – “nutritious seeds for a sustainable future”
• WTO’s 10th Ministerial Conference was held in Nairobi, Kenya
• Miss Iraq beauty pageant held for the first time since 1972 - Shaymaa Abdelrahman.
• Cochin Shipyard becomes the first shipyard in India to receive certification to
build LNG-transporting ships
• People’s Party (PP) of Spain led by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has won the 2015
general election
• UN Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted resolution 2255 (2015) under
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter for 18 months.
• Union Cabinet approves revised cost estimates of Salma Dam Project in Afghanistan -
1775.69 crore.
• Indo-Lanka ties witness bonhomie in 2015 -exchange of top-level visits and signing of a
nuclear pact.
 Modi become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country after Rajiv
Gandhi in1987.
• World Bank to give USD35m to Pakistan for Indus River Basin
• 2015 OPEC World Oil Outlook Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC) - Global energy demand increase by almost 50% in the period to 2040.
• China builds 3rd largest hydropower station on Yangtze River - 100 billion yuan
• United Nations adopted resolution to observe November 5 as World Tsunami
Awareness Day
• PM Modi visit to Russia :
 MOU on technical cooperation in the railway sector, building solar
energy plants in India,investment cooperation in Russia’s Far East.
 16th INDO-RUSSIA ANNUAL SUMMIT - 16 pacts signed between 2 countries
 Reliance Defence signs $6 billion pact with Russian arms firm
 Putin gifts Mahatma’s notes, Indian sword to Modi
• UN approves $5.4 billion operating budget for 2016-2017 rehular operation
• UNSC unanimously adopted a resolution endorsing an agreement between Libya’s
rival camps on forming a unity government.
• PM Modi visit to Afghanistan & Pakistan –Modi inaugurate the newly-built Afghan
parliament building in Kabul and surprise visit to Pakistan.
• Seychelles government allowed India to build its first Naval Base on the Assumption
Island in the Indian Ocean region (IOR)
• China adopts “Counter-Terrorism Law” & “Law against Domestic Violence” effect in
March 2016.
• India may be 3rd largest economy after 2030 -UK think tank Centre for Economics

Business and Research Report.

• Dubai to host multi-event yoga initiative - February 19 to 20, 2016.
• China officially abandons its One Child Policy by passing law which has been in force
since 1971.
• 18th session of the India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) was held in New Delhi.
• South Korea, Japan settle deal on wartime Korean sex slaves - 1 billion yen ($8.3
million) aid fund from Tokyo for the elderly former sex slaves
• China and Taiwan launched a first hotline to build mutual trust between the longtime
rivals on the sidelines of meeting in Singapore between Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-
jeou and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
• Guinea has been declared Ebola free after the death of more than 2,500 people from
the virus leaving Liberia
• India has ranked 3rd in the world after China and the US for issuing 12 million
passports in 2015.
• WB offers $50 mn loan for minority education Nai Manzil: The Education and Skills
Training for Minorities Project.
BANKING & FINANCE

• Reserve Bank of India’s Governor Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan has announced fifth bi-
monthly monetary policy
 liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) – 6.75%
 Reverse repo rate under the LAF –5.75%
 Marginal standing facility (MSF)- 7.75%
 Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) - 4.0%
• Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) announced that subscribers can
directly file the applications for their PF withdrawals without their employer’s
attestation.
• RBI signed MoUs on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory
Information with Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct
Authority (FCA), United Kingdom.
• Axis Bank launches country's first 'display variant' debit card
• Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) decided to tie-ups with
SBI, ICICI Bank and India Post - strengthen marketing network for selling Indian
Gold coins.
• RBI revised the priority sector lending guidelines for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)
according to which the RRBs will have to increase 18% of their total outstanding.
• Singapore has replaced Mauritius as the top source of foreign direct investment (FDI)
into India
 Data from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).
• Centre to support rural entrepreneurs under MUDRA(Micro Units Development and
Refinance Agency) Yojana by Enhancing Rural Entrepreneurship through Common
Services Centres (CSCs).
• RBI cancelled the certificate of registration (COR) of 56 non-banking finance companies
(NBFCs) under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

• Federal Bank launched missed call service for account holders in Chennai to
recharge their mobile
 Maximum amount Rs.500 per day
• IDFC Bank selected TCS BaNCS for core banking - enable it to offer next generation
banking services
• SEBI ordered attachment of bank and demat accounts of Sunplant Forgings, its
promoters and directors, to recover dues worth over Rs 17 crore.
• Myanmar inaugurated a new stock exchange with plans for six companies -
Yangon Stock Exchange
• Luxembourg became 10th country to ratify the Articles of Agreement (AoA) that
will lay the legal framework for the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank (AIIB).
• RBI issued guidelines for cross-currency futures and exchange traded cross-
currency option contracts in multiple currency pairs.
• New Zealand formally become a member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank(AIIB) announced by Finance Minister Bill English.
• Development Credit Bank (DCB) has announced a cut in its base rate by 15 basic
points from 10.85% to 10.7%.
• World Bank Group and the FIRST Initiative announced the launch of a new
tool to help Gov to implement public credit guarantee schemes (CGS).
• SEBI links commodity trade data with its surveillance systems-NCDEX and MCX
• World Bank consented $1.5 billion loan for the “clean India campaign” - to improved
sanitation by 2019.
• Federal Reserve of US increased interest rate by 0.25% for the first time since 2006
• RBI liable to disclose information about banks under RTI(Right to Information
2015) Act - Supreme Court
• India Index Services & Products Ltd (IISL), an arm of National Stock Exchange (NSE)
launched three indices of Tata Group, Aditya Birla Group and Mahindra Group.
 Nifty Tata Group Index, Nifty Aditya Birla Group Index and Nifty Mahindra
Group Index .
• RBI announced a new Marginal Cost of Funds Methodology to calculate base
rate effect from April 1, 2016.
• Dena bank tied up with SBI Life Insurance Company in order to provide Group Life
Insurance coverage to its housing loan borrowers under the ‘Dena Grihaswami
Suraksha Yojana’.
• RBI launched the quarterly ‘Inflation Expectations Survey of Households — Bengaluru,
Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.
• India’s GDP to grow at 7 to 7.5 % - mid-term economic review
• RBI has announced that No deadline for resolving complaints by Banking
Ombudsman under Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006.
• Reliance Life Insurance Company (RLIC) announced “Reliance Lifelong Savings Plan” - 7
years till 55 years.
 2 covers Standard Cover and Extended Cover – Period 0f 15-30years.

• RBI created Dedicated Helpline for guiding Start-ups in India on Forex Matters-
Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.
• RBI extends deadline to exchange pre-2005 notes to June 30 denominations, including
Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.
• Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced to adopt China’s currency
the yuan
• China-backed AIIB formally established in Beijing with India other 56 countries
• current account deficit (CAD) narrowed to 1.6% of GDP at USD 8.2 billion in the second
quarter ended September.
• RBI has invited applications for “Payment System Innovation Awards” to encourage
innovative solutions in the field of Payment and Settlement System.
• 19.52 Bank accounts opened and 7 million RuPay debit cards under Prime Minister’s
Jan Dhan Yojana till December
• FCI raises Rs 30,000 crore as short-term loan from 15
consortiums of banks including SBI and PNB to meet working
capital requirements.
• SIDBI cleared $140 million (Rs 930 crore) from the $302 million (Rs 2,000 crore) fund-of-
funds to Support VCs in India
• Maharashtra(1.15%) and Tamil Nadu(0.84%) retained their top two positions in
terms of general insurance premium collection and penetration.
• ICICI Bank tied up with railway’s e-ticketing platform IRCTC to sell rail tickets
through its website
• Deepak Mohanty Committee(14 member) submitted the report on Medium-
term Path on Financial Inclusion.
• Yes Bank announced mobilisation of USD 5 billion towards its commitment to climate
finance in India.
• India Post payment bank to be operational by March 2017
• Cabinet approves Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme(ATUFs) for Textiles
industry replacing the Revised Restructured Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (RR-
TUFS).
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
• Anil Kumble resigns as chief mentor of Mumbai Indians
• Roch Marc Christian Kabore elected as president of Burkina Faso
• Vijay Kumar Choudhary elected as Bihar assembly Speaker
• Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan appointed as 61st Presidency of the Royal Society
• Indian-American Dr Vijay M Rao was named as the chairperson of the prestigious
Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Board of Directors.
• M C Mishra appointed as a member in the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• Renowned Scientist M Nair Rajeevan appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Earth
Sciences.
• General Motors appointed Kaher Kazemas President and Managing Director of
its India operations replacing Arvind Saxena.
• Girnar Software Pvt. Ltd the operator of Cardekho.com, Gaadi.com and

several other automobile websites appointed Umesh Hora as its chief

financial officer.
• Latvia’s Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma announced resignation after less than two
years.
• Ola appointed Flipkart executive Joy Bandekar as corporate president
• Bhaskar Rao resigned from his post of Karnataka Lokayukta.
• P K Singh took charge as the chairman of the domestic steel giant SAIL.
• Freecharge online payments company appointed Anshul Kheterpal as the chief
financial officer.Kheterpal was CFO and Principal Officer for Airtel Money.
• Mauricio Macri sworn in as Argentina’s first non-Peronist president in 14 Years.
• Metropolitan Stock Exchange (MCX Stock Exchange) appoint Udai Kumar as its
interim Managing Director.
• ABB India Ltd appointed Sanjeev Sharma as its managing director effective.He replaces
Bazmi Husain.
• Kapil Chopra, President of the The Oberoi Groupappointed as the Chairman of World
Travel & Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTCII) for 2016.
• Mumbai Police Commissioner Ahmad Javed appointed as the next Ambassador of
India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Salma bint Hizab al-Oteibi was elected as first women councillors in “Conservative
Kingdom”.
• Zensar Technologies announced Sandeep Kishore as company’s Chief
Executive Officer and Managing Director. He will succeed Ganesh
Natarajan.
• Gov appointed Justice L. Narasimha Reddy,former Chief Justice of Patna High Court to
head the one-man judicial committee.
• O P Longia elected as its new National President of the Indian Institute of
Materials Management (IIMM).
• Veteran Indian-origin politician Pravin Gordhan appointed South Africa’s new Finance
Minister by President Jacob Zuma.
• Arun Kumar Jain was appointed as the Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT) for two months (till January 2016) approved by the appointment Committee.
• Akhilesh Mishra appointed as the High Commissioner of lndia to the Republic of
Maldives
• Tata Starbucks appointed Sumi Ghosh as its CEO,he will replace Avani Davda.
• Justice Virendra singh appointed as Lokayukta of Uttar Pradesh by Uttar Pradesh
Governor, Ram Naik
• Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi reinstated as Rajasthan Cricket
Association (RCA) President
• Former Defence Secretary R K Mathur appointed as Chief Information Commissioner
(CIC).
• Indian-origin official Sanjay Pradhan to lead Open Government Partnership(OGP)
• Jeff Williams appointed as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Apple Inc.
• Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi appointed India’s next Ambassador to Thailand,
succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

• Sanjiv Kohli, at present Joint Secretary in MEA appointed as the next High
Commissioner of lndia to New Zealand.
• Nengcha Lhouvum Mukhopadhaya appointed as the next Ambassador of lndia to
Indonesia. She will succeed Gurjit Singh.
• Nengcha Lhouvum Mukhopadhaya appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the
Republic of Indonesia
• Sushil Kumar Singhal appointed as the Ambassador of lndia to the Democratic
Republic of Sao Tome & Principe.
• Lakshmi Vilas Bank appointed Parthasarathi Mukherjee as the managing director (MD)
• FMCG firm Emami Ltd announced tennis star Sania Mirza as the brand ambassador of
Kesh King brand.
• Pawan Kumar Agarwal appointed as CEO of food regulator food safety and standards
Authority of India (FSSAI).
• Jet Airways appointed Amit Agarwal as its chief financial officer (CFO).
• Guinea’s prime minister Mohamed Said Fofana’s stepped down and President Alpha
Conde was sworn in as new PM.
• Shah Rukh Khan is to be the brand ambassador for Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Jio.
• Gautam Bambawale, currently India’s envoy to Bhutan appointed as next High
Commissioner to Pakistan,replace T C A Raghavan.
• Thomas Cook India re-designated its present MD Madhavan Menon as Chairman and
Managing Director.
• FMCG firm Amway India announced Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar as its brand
ambassador
• RP-Sanjeev Goenka Group to name Chief Executive for sports business
• Premier Badminton League announced Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar as
the brand ambassador for PBL.
• Gautam Adani’s son Karan Adani takes over as CEO of APSEZ(Adani Ports and Special
Economic Zone)
• Amitabh Kant appointed CEO of NITI Aayog, succeedor of Sindhushree Khullar.
• Giorgi Kvirikashvili elected as Prime Minister of Georgia
• Sweden’s Bjorn Isberg appointed as the tournament director of the fourth edition of
the Hockey India League (HIL)
• Gyanendra D Bandgaiyan appointed as Director General of National Centre
for Good Governance (NCGG).
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• 5th Ship of Indian Navy’s LCU MK IV project was launched at Garden Reach
Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in Kolkata.
• Mexican drug authorities have approved Sanofi Pastur’s first ever dengue vaccine
Dengvaxia to reduce the disease burden by 50 percent in five years
• Durg maker Aurobindo Pharma received the approval from the US Food and
Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture and market Dexamethasone
Sodium Phosphate Injection.

• Delhi gov launched a mobile-based application to rescue homeless people during

winters formed by Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB)
• Orbital ATK’s CRS Orb-4 launched successfully from Space Launch Complex 41 at the
Kennedy Space Center in Florida , US.
• Technology varsity in Madhya Pradesh ‘discovers’ anti-cancer molecules - CTR-17 and
CTR-20.
• Sanofi Pasteur(vaccines division of Sanofi) launched ShanIPV, an injectable
inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) by K Chandrasekhar Rao(Telangana CM).
• Cochin Shipyard Ltd has launched the 19th of the 20 Fast Patrol Vessels ICGS Atulya
being built for Indian Coast Guard
• Central Research Institute in Yoga and Naturopathy to be set up in Khordha District of
Odisha under the Ministry of AYUSH
• Drug maker Hetero received the approval to market generic version of Gilead’s
Harvoni - Hepatitis C from USFDA(U S Food and Drug Administration).
• The researchers at Columbia Engineering created World’s first biologically powered chip
• Iran carried out a new medium range ballistic missile Ghadr-110 tested in
breach of two United Nations Security Council resolutions.
• Pakistan successfully test-fired the medium-range Shaheen-III surface-to-surface
ballistic missile - 2,750 km
• Website on Netaji’s last days launched by UK-based independent journalist
and Bose’s grandnephew Ashis Ray - Website : www.bosefiles.info
• Power Minister Piyush Goyal launch a mobile app on the occasion of the
National Energy Conservation Day to help consumers compare and choose
energy efficient appliances.
• Pakistan successfully test-fired a nuclear capable ballistic missile Shaheen-1A in the
Arabian Sea with a range of 900 kilometres .
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched six Singapore satellites
and also tested the fourth stage of its PSLV rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre -
carried by PSLV-C29 .
• Snapdeal launched mobile website in Hindi, Telugu language Facebook, Google and
Twitter have agreed to delete hate speech from their websites within 24 hours at
pressure from Germany
• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved to purchase of five units of S-400
Triumf Air Defence Missile Systems from Russia by the Union Defence Minister
Manohar Parrikar -
Rs 25,500 crore .
• AIIMS launches online tracking system for poor patients to check the malpractice of
patients.
• Manohar Parrikar launches new ‘Make in India’ website for a
transparent interface www.makeinindiadefence.com
• China launched the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) Satellite to shed light on
mysterious dark matter.
• American aerospace company SpaceX achieved the historic feat of successfully
launching and landing 20th launch of Falcon 9 rocket on solid ground at Cape

Canaveral.
• Jaguar Land Rover India announced the launch of its innovative new smartphone
integration platform InControl Apps conjunction with Bosch.
• Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched two
mobile apps - Kisan Jai Vigyan Week.
 ‘Crop Insurance’ – Insurance cover and ‘AgriMarket’ for farmers to
know the prices of crops.
• Idea became third mobile operator to launch 4G services in India
• Tech Mahindra launched first of its kind “Tap N Pay” contactless digital
payment wallet MoboMoney for the Indian masses.
• Anti-jamming capability of the air-to-air Astra missile was successfully validated in
recent trials conducted by missile scientists of the DRDO.
• DCB Bank and M2P, a digital payment solutions company, have jointly launched a new
platform YAP for wallet services.
• INS Viraat won the coveted Cock Trophy during the Western Fleet Whaler Pulling
Regatta, Runner - INS Vikramaditya
• Reliance Jio launches 4G telecom service on 83rd birthday anniversary of Dhirubhai
Ambani
• Ministry of Women and Child Development launched e-office by digitizing more
than 12,000 files.
• First microprocessor chip that uses light rather than electricity to transfer data at rapid
speeds by University of Colorado Boulder in US.
• China launches “most sophisticated” observation satellite - “Gaofen-4” - 222th
flight of the Long March rocket series
• Indian Navy successfully conducted the maiden firing of its newly developed Long
Range Barak 8 Surface-to-Air Missile (LR SAM) con the Western Seaboard by INS
Kolkata,
• Philippines became the first Asian country to approve the sale of the world’s first-ever
dengue vaccine “Dengvaxia” for the prevention of disease caused by dengue
• India’s first indigenously designed and built warship Indian Naval Ship
Godavari is decommissioned
• Pandorum Technologies become the first Indian firm to develop artificial living tissue
• Indian scientist Dr. Pallavi Tiwari in the US developed a new MRI-based technique to
predict survival of patients with aggressive brain tumours.

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RRB NTPC EXAM|WWW.GOVTONLINEEXAM.

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Section: general Knowledge

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March 23 - World Meteorological Day

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June 23 - United Nations Public Service Day

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October 9 - World Post Day

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December 10 - International Day of Broadcasting

2001 Year of Woman Empowerment (Govt. of India)

FIRST IN THE WORLD

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The first person to fly aero plane Wright Brothers

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The first woman Prime Minister : Mrs. Indira Gandhi

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Man of Blood Bismark

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CLASSICAL DANCES OF INDIA

FOLK AND TRIBAL DANCES

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INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

An alternative term for the culture is Saraswati-Sindhu civilization

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IMPORTANT SITES OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

THE VEDIC PERIOD (1500 BC-600 BC)

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ALEXANDER INVATION (GREAT INVATION)

MAURYAN DYNASTY (321 BC-185 BC)

ASHOKA THE GREAT

THE POST-MAURYA PERIOD

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GREAT RULERS OF GUPTA DYNASTY

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 Abul Fazal calls him Insan-e-Kamil.

SURI EMPIRE (Second Afghan Empire) 1540-55

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 In 1611, Jahangir married Mihar-un-nisa, widow of Sher Afghan, a Persian nobleman

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 Majma-ul-Bahrain -- Dara Shikoh

Bahadur Shah 1 (1707-12)

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Rohind and Chakan (1644-45)

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English Formed East India Company

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First War of Independence

Important of the Revolt:

BRITISH GOVERNOR GENERALS AND VICEROYS OF INDIA