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January to April Exam PDF 2023
Table of Contents
BANKING & FINANCIAL AWARENESS ....................................................................................................................... 9
CURRENT RATES ............................................................................................................................................... 9
SMALL SAVING SCHEMES INTEREST RATE ..................................................................................................... 9
INDIA’S GROWTH PREDICTION ..................................................................................................................... 10
RBI IN NEWS.................................................................................................................................................... 12
SBI IN NEWS .................................................................................................................................................... 19
MOU SIGNED BY BANKS ................................................................................................................................. 19
SEBI RELATED NEWS...................................................................................................................................... 20
OTHERS ........................................................................................................................................................... 23
FUNDS .............................................................................................................................................................. 31
INSURANCE ..................................................................................................................................................... 33
ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................................................. 35
BUSINESS .............................................................................................................................................................. 37
NATIONAL AFFAIRS ............................................................................................................................................... 37
CABINET APPROVALS .................................................................................................................................... 37
PM’s LAUNCHES/INAUGURATIONS ............................................................................................................... 40
LAUNCHES/INAUGURATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 44
FIRST IN INDIA ................................................................................................................................................ 48
LONGEST, LARGEST, HIGHEST....................................................................................................................... 50
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES ................................................................................................................................ 51
OTHERS ........................................................................................................................................................... 52
IMPORTANT ONE LINER ................................................................................................................................ 61
TARGET ................................................................................................................................................................. 63
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ...................................................................................................................................... 63
VISITS .................................................................................................................................................................... 66
INDIAN VISITS ................................................................................................................................................. 66
FOREIGN VISIT ................................................................................................................................................ 68
COMMITTEES ........................................................................................................................................................ 70
COMMITTEES FORMED .................................................................................................................................. 70
MEETING ......................................................................................................................................................... 71
SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE ....................................................................................................................... 72
MOU’s & AGREEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 74

MOU'S WITH OTHER COUNTRY ..................................................................................................................... 74
MOU’S WITH STATE ....................................................................................................................................... 75
MOU’S BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS .............................................................................................................. 75
INDEX.................................................................................................................................................................... 77
RANKING ......................................................................................................................................................... 77
STATE/CITY WISE RANKING...................................................................................................................... 77
INTERNATIONAL RANKING ....................................................................................................................... 79
REPORT ........................................................................................................................................................... 83
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS .................................................................................................................................. 91
APPOINTMENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 91
NATIONAL ................................................................................................................................................... 91
INTERNATIONAL ....................................................................................................................................... 100
BRAND AMBASSADOR .................................................................................................................................. 105
RESIGNATION ............................................................................................................................................... 106
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ................................................................................................................................. 107
AWARDS ........................................................................................................................................................ 107
RECOGNITIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 118
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS ................................................................................................................................. 120
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................... 126
SATELLITES ................................................................................................................................................... 126
NEW INITIATIVE/INNOVATION .................................................................................................................. 127
DEFENCE ............................................................................................................................................................. 132
EXERCISES ..................................................................................................................................................... 132
MISSILES ........................................................................................................................................................ 134
COMMISSION/DECOMMISSION ................................................................................................................... 136
IMPORTANT DEFENCE EVENTS ................................................................................................................... 136
SPORTS ............................................................................................................................................................... 139
APPOINTMENTS IN SPORTS ........................................................................................................................ 139
RETIREMENT ................................................................................................................................................ 140
TENNIS ........................................................................................................................................................... 141
CRICKET ........................................................................................................................................................ 142
BADMINTON ................................................................................................................................................. 144
CHESS ............................................................................................................................................................. 145
GRAND PRIX .................................................................................................................................................. 146
OTHER SPORTS ............................................................................................................................................. 146
OBITUARY ........................................................................................................................................................... 149

NATIONAL ..................................................................................................................................................... 149
INTERNATIONAL .......................................................................................................................................... 155
BOOKS & AUTHORS ............................................................................................................................................. 156
IMPORTANT DAYS ............................................................................................................................................... 157
NATIONAL OBSERVANCE ............................................................................................................................. 157
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCE .................................................................................................................. 162
APPS & WEB PORTAL .......................................................................................................................................... 169
BANKING ....................................................................................................................................................... 169
OTHERS ......................................................................................................................................................... 169

BANKING & FINANCIAL AWARENESS
CURRENT RATES
Policy rates Bi-monthly Bi-monthly
Monetary Monetary
Policy Policy
February April 2023
2023 (FY23) (FY24)
Repo Rate 6.50% 6.50 %
Reverse Repo 3.35% 3.35%
Rate
Marginal 6.75% 6.75%
Standing
Facility (MSF)
Standing 6.25% 6.25%
Deposit Facility
(SDF) Rate
Bank Rate 6.75% 6.75%
Cash Reserve 4.50% 4.50%
Ratio (CRR)
Statutory 18.00% 18.00%
Liquidity Ratio
(SLR)
* Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will be held 6 times for a financial year as per RBI rules.
SMALL SAVING SCHEMES INTEREST RATE

The Minister of Finance under GOI revised the interest rate for the Four quarters on small saving schemes. It
will be revised three months once.
Instruments Rate of Rate of interest Compounding
interest (from April 2023 Frequency*
(from to June 2023)
January 2023
to March
2023)
Post Office Savings 4.0% 4.0% Annually
Account
1 Year Time Deposit 6.6% 6.8% Quarterly
5 Year Recurring 5.8% 6.2% Quarterly
Deposit Scheme
Senior Citizen 8.0% 8.2% Quarterly and
Savings Scheme paid
Monthly Income 7.1% 7.4% Monthly and paid
Account
National Savings 7.0% 7.7% Annually
Certificate (VIII
Issue)

Public Provident 7.1% 7.1% Annually
Fund Scheme
Kisan Vikas Patra 7.2% (will 7.5% (will mature in Annually
mature in 120 115 months)
months)
Sukanya Samriddhi 7.6% 8.0% Annually
Account Scheme
INDIA’S GROWTH PREDICTION

Organization Year Predictions & Points to be Noted
APRIL 2023
World Bank (WB) FY23 WB lowered its fiscal year 2023-24
(FY24) growth projection for India to
6.3% in its “India Development Update”
(Spring 2023 Edition), down from 6.6%
in December 2022 (FY23).
i. The World Bank projected a 6.9%
growth in FY23.
Asian Development Bank FY23 The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB)
(ADB) Asian Development Outlook April 2023,
has reduced India’s GDP (Gross
Domestic Product) growth forecast for
the financial year 2022- 2023 (FY23) to
6.4% from 7% of its earlier projection.
i. India’s GDP growth forecast for FY24
was projected at 6.7% due to
improvement in private investment and
growth in the industry.
International Monetary 2023-24 The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Fund (IMF) in its bi-annual World Economic
Outlook (WEO) 2023 report with a title
‘A Rocky Recovery’ has downgraded
India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
forecast for the financial year 2023-24
by 20 basis points (-0.2%) to 5.9%
from 6.1% in January 2023 WEO
Update.
i. For FY25, India’s growth projections
are cut by 50 basis points (-0.5%) to
6.3% from 6.8% in January 2023 WEO
Update.
United Nations 2023 According to the “Trade and
Conference on Trade and Development Report Update: Global
Development (UNCTAD) Trends and Prospects” (April 2023)
report published by the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD), India’s economic growth is
projected to decline to 6% in 2023
from 6.6% in 2022.
Morgan Stanley FY24 According to the Morgan Stanley, India’s
gross domestic product (GDP) was
proposed to grow
at 6.2% in FY24 (Financial year 2023-
24) due to the contribution of a cyclical

recovery in consumption, increased
private sector capex (Capital
Expenditure), and acceleration on
government spending.
MARCH 2023
National Statistical Office Q3FY23 As per the data released by the National
(NSO) Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of
Statistics and Program Implementation
(MOSPI), India’s gross domestic product
(GDP) decelerated to 4.4% in the 3rd
quarter of 2022 i.e. October-
December(Q3FY23) due to a
contraction in the manufacturing
sector.
i. It was 6.3% in Q2FY23 (July-
September 2022).
Moody’s Investors 2023 Global credit rating agency Moody’s

Service (MIS) Investors Service (MIS)
increased India’s economic growth
projection for 2023 to 5.5% from 4.8%
in November 2022 in its “Global Macro
Outlook 2023-24 (February 2023
Update)”.
CRISIL FY24 As per the rating agency CRISIL annual
growth forecast, India’s GDP growth will
touch 6% in FY24 slower than the 7%
estimated by the National Statistics
Office (NSO) for FY2023.
Organisation for FY24 The Organisation for Economic
Economic Cooperation Cooperation and Development (OECD)
and Development (OECD) in its latest interim outlook report titled
‘Fragile Recovery’ has increased its
growth projection for India by 20 basis
points to 5.9% from 5.7% earlier.
India’s growth is projected to moderate
to about 6% in FY2023-24, amid tighter
financial conditions before picking up to
recover to around 7% in FY25
Global growth is projected to remain
low in 2023 and 2024, at 2.6% and
2.9%, respectively.
Ministry of Finance FY23 According to the “Monthly Economic

Review – February 2023” published by
the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the
Indian economy is projected to grow at
7% in the fiscal year 2022-2023 (FY23)
despite global challenges.
i. Retail inflation is anticipated to
decline in accordance with wholesale
inflation, which dropped to a 25-month
low in January 2023.

ii. The real GDP (Gross Domestic
Product) in Q3 FY23 registered a YoY
(Year on Year) growth of 4.4% which is
lower than that of 6.3 % in Q2 FY23.
FEBRUARY 2023
International Monetary 2022 As per the IMF World Economic Outlook
Fund’s (IMF) (WEO) update, January 2023, growth in
India is projected to decline from 6.8%
in 2022 to 6.1% in 2023 before rising to
6.8% in 2024.
• Global growth: It is projected to
reduce from an estimated 3.4%
in 2022 to 2.9% in 2023, then
rise to 3.1% in 2024.
International Monetary 2023 The IMF in its World Economic Outlook-
Fund January 2023 update has projected
India’s growth to decline from 6.8% in
2022 to 6.1% in 2023 before picking up
to 6.8% in 2024.
Morgan Stanley FY24 Morgan Stanley in its research report
projected India’s gross domestic
product (GDP) to grow at 6.2% in FY24
as drivers of domestic demand remain
intact amid fears of an impending
slowdown.
State Bank of India (SBI) Q3 FY23 India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
Ecowrap growth for Q3 FY23 is estimated at
4.6%.
• The annual GDP projection
for FY23 is estimated to
grow between 6.8 and 7%.
JANUARY 2023
National Statistical Office FY23 According to the NSO’s first FAE, the
(NSO) Indian economy will grow at a rate
of 7% in FY23, up from 8.7% in FY22.
World Bank (WB)’s latest FY24 Indian economy is projected to grow at
Global Economic a robust 6.6% in fiscal year 2023-24
Prospects (January 2023) (FY24), down from an estimated 6.9%
in FY23 and 8.7% in FY22.
report
RBI IN NEWS
APRIL 2023
➢ According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, India’s Bank credit increased by 15% year-on-
year (YoY) in the financial year 2022-23 (FY23), against 9.6% YoY in 2021-22 (FY22).

• FY23 credit growth is the highest since FY12 when it was 19.3%.
➢ According to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Report (April 2023), credit
growth continued to outpace deposit growth in financial year 2022-23 (FY23) at an eleven-year high,
despite banks fully transmitting lending rates linked to external benchmarks [250 basis points (bps)],
which now account for nearly half of floating-rate loans.
• In FY23, bank loans increased 14.6% while deposits increased just 9.6%.
• The rate of credit growth in FY23 was the greatest since FY 2011–12, when credit increased
17%.
• Significantly, lending rates surged the most in FY23.
➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the directions named RBI (Outsourcing of Information
Technology Services) Directions, 2023 for the outsourcing of Information Technology (IT) services by
banks, NBFCs (Non-bank financial companies) and Regulated Entities (REs) to ensure that such
arrangements do not undermine their responsibilities and obligations to customers.
• The Directions shall come into effect from October 1, 2023 to provide the REs with adequate
time to comply with the requirements.
➢ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notified an enclosed Framework for acceptance of Green Deposits
for the Regulated Entities (REs) to promote and develop a green finance ecosystem in India.
• The framework will come into effect from June 1, 2023.
❖ Purpose: The framework was set up with the intent to encourage REs to offer green deposits to
customers, protect interests of the depositors, support customers to achieve their sustainability
agenda, address greenwashing concerns and help augment the flow of credit to green
activities/projects.
❖ Applicability: The provisions of the framework would be applicable to the following entities
(i.e. collectively referred to REs):
• Scheduled Commercial Banks including Small Finance Banks (excluding Regional Rural
Banks, Local Area Banks and Payments Banks) and
• All Deposit-taking Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) registered with the RBI,
including Housing Finance Companies (HFCs).
➢ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted an Authorised Dealer(AD) category-I licence to AU
Small Finance Bank (SFB) under Section 10 of FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act), 1999 to deal
in foreign exchange.

• Equitas SFB: On April 19, 2023, Equitas Small Finance Bank also received an AD Category-I
licence from RBI.
➢ Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) is set to launch a gold-backed digital currency to serve as legal
tender in Zimbabwe. This is an initiative of the government of Zimbabwe to stabilize the local currency
from continued depreciation against the United States (US) dollar.
➢ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted a non-banking financial company (NBFC) licence to
the Neobanking platform Jupiter enabling the latter to scale up its lending business.
• Earlier, Jupiter was lending in partnership with an NBFC under the Loan Service Providers
(LSP) model.
• It will be offering the loan under Amica Financial Technologies, the private entity which
operates Jupiter.
• With the new NBFC licence, Jupiter will look at offering loans from Rs 50,000 up to Rs 1 lakh.
➢ RBI has cancelled the banking licence of the Adoor Co-operative Urban Bank Ltd, Adoor, Kerala
(initiated on January 3, 1987) to carry on banking business in India under Section 22 read with section
56 of the Banking Regulation Act,1949 with effect from the close of business on April 24, 2023.
• However, it is allowed to function as non-banking institution under Section 36 A(2) read with
section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) removed restrictions on resident individuals from opening interest-
earning Foreign Currency Accounts (FCA) in International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) for making
investments under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).
• RBI also removed the condition of repatriating any funds lying idle in the FCA account for up to
15 days.
• This move by the RBI will help the banks at IFSC mobilise liabilities and also give them cheaper
access to funds and in turn, allow them to lend at more competitive rates.
➢ According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data on ‘Sectoral Deployment of bank Credit- March
2023′, Scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) reported a robust credit growth of 15.4% in FY23 as
compared to the 9.7% in FY22.
• Personal loans registered a growth of 20.6% in FY23 as compared with 12.6% in FY22, driven
by housing loans.
• Credit growth to services sector accelerated to 19.8% in FY23 from 8.7% in FY22 due to the
improved credit to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and trade.
MARCH 2023
➢ As per the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) ‘Quarterly Statistics on Deposits and Credit of SCBs
(Scheduled Commercial Banks): December 2022’ report, the year on year (y-o-y) Bank credit
growth in Q3FY23 (October – December 2022) was about 16.8% as compared with 17.2% in Q2FY23
and 8.4% in Q2FY22.
➢ RBL Bank Limited, formerly known as Ratnakar Bank, and Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim
Bank) signed a Confirming Bank agreement thereby onboarding RBL bank under India Exim Bank’s
Trade Assistance Programme (TAP) to support cross-border trade transactions.
➢ According to the “Sectoral Deployment of Bank Credit — January 2023” data from the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI), significant offtake from retail and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) led to
a rise in credit to services of 21.5% year over year (YoY) in January 2023 compared to 5.7% in January
2022.
• Loans to retail climbed by 21.8% in January 2023, up from 6.9% in January 2022.
• Loans to NBFCs climbed by 31% in January 2023, compared to 9.9% in January 2022.
➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched the March 2023 round of its 2 surveys: Inflation Expectations
Survey of Households (IESH), and Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS). Data gathered from these
surveys, which are regularly done by RBI, will provide useful inputs for RBI’s monetary policy.
➢ RBI imposed Restriction on Musiri Urban Co-operative Bank; caps withdrawals at Rs 5,000 per
customer
• considering the deteriorating financial condition of Musiri Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd., Musiri,
Tamil Nadu, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a Rs 5,000 cap on withdrawals by
individual customers.

• The directions were issued by RBI in exercise of powers vested under sub section (1) of Section
35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act,
1949.
➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted Infrastructure Finance Company (IFC) to the Indian
Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) enabling the latter to take higher exposure in RE
(Renewable Energy) financing.
• This IFC status will also help the company to access a wider investor base for fund mobilization.
• Earlier IREDA was classified as an ‘Investment and Credit Company (ICC)’.
➢ A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been inked between Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and
the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to
promote collaboration and facilitate innovation in financial products and services.
➢ RBI has approved trading between India and Tanzania in national currencies, i.e., the Indian Rupee
(INR) and Tanzanian Shilling (TSh), by enabling authorized banks in India to open Special Rupee Vostro
Accounts (SRVAs) with correspondent banks in Tanzania, a step that will benefit the business
community.
• It is also reported that Bank of Baroda (BoB), which has branches in Tanzania, has acquired RBI
approval to open SRVAs for its foreign branches and subsidiaries in various countries, including
Tanzania.
➢ RBI has granted 60 applications from correspondent banks in 18 different countries to open
Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVAs) in order to settle payments in Indian rupees (INR).
• These 18 countries that are currently covered under this arrangement: Tanzania, Kenya,
Uganda, Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, Israel, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand,
Oman, Russia, the Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom (UK).
➢ According to data released by the RBI, in its monthly bulletin for March, outward remittances under
the RBI’s liberalized remittance scheme (LRS) stood at $22.08 billion during the April 2022–January
2023 period, surpassing the all-time high of $19.61 billion in FY22.
• In January 2023, the amount remitted overseas totalled $2.72 billion. This is the highest amount
remitted under the scheme in a month during FY23. On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, these were
up 35.17%.
• In its bulletin of March 2023, RBI’s data showed that it purchased $12.90 billion in January
2023, while selling $13.29 billion.
➢ The CRIF Connect Private, a subsidiary of Bologna (Italy)-based CRIF S.P.A, has received the
Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval to commence operations as an Non-Banking Financial Company
(NBFC) Account Aggregator (AA).
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met on February 6-8, 2023,
and released the Monetary Policy Statement, 2022-23 Resolution of the MPC which projected India’s
real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to 6.4% for FY24 (lower than 7% in FY23) with FY24’s Q1 at
7.8%, Q2 at 6.2%, Q3 at 6%, and Q4 at 5.8%.
• The MPC raised the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.50% from 6.25%. Consequently, the
Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) Rate was adjusted to 6.25% and Marginal Standing Facility
(MSF) rate and Bank Rate to 6.75%.
• Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation or retail inflation is projected at 5.3% for FY24, with
FY24’s Q1 at 5%, Q2 at 5.4%, Q3 at 5.4%, and Q4 at 5.6%. This forecast is on the assumption of
normal monsoon.
• Inflation is projected at 6.5% in FY23, with Q4FY23 at 5.7%.
• RBI will launch a pilot project on QR Code based Coin Vending Machine (QCVM) in 12 cities.
• RBI has extended the validity of authorization issued to Vakrangee Limited to setup, own and
operate White Label ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) in India till March 31, 2024.
➢ RBI has partially relaxed the restrictions it had imposed on SBM Bank (India) Limited (“SBM
Bank India”) with regard to transactions made under the Liberalised Remittances Scheme (LRS).

❖ SBM Bank (India) Limited “SBM Bank India”
• SBM Bank India, a subsidiary of the State Bank of Mauritius, began operations in India
on December 1, 2018. It is backed by its parent firm, SBM Group.
•It is the first bank to be granted a universal banking licence by the RBI, allowing it to
establish and operate as a Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB) via a Wholly Owned
Subsidiary (WOS) route and provide banking services in India.
❖ RBI Appoints V. Ramachandra as Advisory Committee Member of SIFL & SEFL
• On January 31, 2023, the RBI appointed V. Ramachandra, former Chief General Manager
of Canara Bank, as a member of the Advisory Committee of Srei Infrastructure Finance
Limited (SIFL) and Srei Equipment Finance Limited (SEFL) with immediate effect.
• The appointment follows the resignation of Farokh N. Subedar from the Advisory
Committee, which took effect on January 31, 2023.
➢ RBI launched its 2nd global hackathon ‘HARBINGER 2023 – Innovation for Transformation’ on
the theme ‘Inclusive Digital Services’.
• Registration for the hackathon starts from February 22, 2023.
• The hackathon is owned and sponsored by RBI and is hosted on Application
Programming Interface Exchange (APIX) platform.
➢ RBI granted in-principle approval to 32 existing online non-bank Payment Aggregators (PAs)
and 19 new PAs to operate as online PAs.
❖ Objective: To bring entities that are undertaking online payment aggregation business
within the regulatory fold. Click here to know the full list.
➢ RBI introduced Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) related transaction code in National
Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) Systems.
• The instructions for the same were issued under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of Payment
and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007). It will be effective from March 15, 2023.
JANUARY 2023
➢ In accordance with the RBI preliminary data on India’s Balance of Payments (BoP) for the July-
September (Q2) quarter of FY 2022-23,
❖ India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) widened to 4.4% in the Q2FY23 due to increased trade
gap driven by high commodity prices and a weak rupee.
❖ The RBI also released the 26th Financial Stability Report (FSR) which states the collective
assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) on
risks to financial stability and the resilience of the financial system. It is published bi-annually.
• The Gross Non-Performing Asset (GNPA) ratio of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs)
fell to a seven-year low of 5% and Net Non-Performing Assets (NNPA) have dropped to
ten-year low of 1.3% in September 2022.
➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the 2022 list of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-
SIBs) based on the data from March 31, 2022. In this, State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, and HDFC
Bank kept the status as D-SIBs, under the same bucketing structure as in the 2021 list of D-SIBs.
❖ Table showing list of D-SIBs with Additional CET1 capital requirement:
Additional CET1 requirement
Bucket
Banks (as a percentage of RWAs)
5 – 1.00%
4 – 0.80%
3 State Bank of India 0.60%
2 – 0.40%
1 ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank 0.20%

➢ RBI released the Annual Report of the Ombudsman Schemes for the period April 01, 2021 – March
31, 2022. Its details are as follows:

❖ Issues related to ATM (Automated Teller Machine)/debit cards were the highest at 14.65% of
the total received at the Office of Banking Ombudsman (OBO) from April 1 to November 11,
2021.
❖ These were followed by mobile/ electronic banking at 13.64%.
❖ Key Developments during 2021-22:
• Three erstwhile Ombudsman Schemes viz., Banking Ombudsman Scheme (BOS) 2006,
Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies (OSNBFC) 2018, and
Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions (OSDT) 2019 were integrated into the
Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS), 2021 and launched by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on November 12, 2021.
• RB-IOS also included Non-Scheduled Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) with deposits
above Rs 50 crore.
• Credit Information Companies (CICs) were brought under RBI-IOS with effect from
September 1, 2022.
• Under the RB-IOS, 2021, a CRPC was established at RBI, Chandigarh to receive
complaints through email/physical mode from across India.
➢ RBI had selected six entities out of nine applications for the Test Phase under the 4th cohort of
Regulatory Sandbox (RS) on the theme ‘Prevention and Mitigation of Financial Frauds’.
➢ The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shaktikanta Das, has launched the “Utkarsh 2.0”
Medium-Term Strategy Framework for the period 2023-2025.
❖ The first strategy framework, “Utkarsh 2022”, covering the period 2019-2022, was launched in
July 2019.
❖ Six Vision statements of Utkarsh 2.0
• Excellence in performance of its functions
• Strengthened trust of citizens and Institutions in the RBI
• Enhanced relevance and significance in national and global roles
• Transparent, accountable and ethics-driven internal governance
• Best-in-class and environment-friendly digital and physical infrastructure
• Innovative, dynamic and skilled human resources
➢ RBI has announced that the maiden Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) for an aggregate sum of Rs.
16,000 crore will be issued in two tranches of Rs. 8,000 crore each in January and February 2023, with
the intention of mobilizing resources for green infrastructure.
❖ The RBI has announced the indicative calendar for the issuance of SGrBs for the fiscal year
2022-23 (FY23), in consultation with the Government of India (GoI).
S.No Date of Auction Amount Security-wise Allocation
i. 05 Year SGrB for Rs. 4,000 crore

1 25-Jan-23 Rs. 8000 crores
ii. 10 Year SGrB for Rs. 4,000 crore
i. 05 Year SGrB for Rs. 4,000 crore

2 09-Feb-23 Rs. 8000 crores
ii. 10 Year SGrB for Rs. 4,000 crore
• The objective of the SGrBs is to raise funds for green infrastructure as part of the GoI’s overall
market borrowings in 2022-23.
➢ RBI issued the revised list of accredited Credit Rating agencies (CRAs) for the purpose of assigning
risk weight to assets for capital adequacy purposes by the banks.
• The six credit rating agencies are as follows:
✓ Acuite Ratings & Research Limited (Acuite)
✓ Credit Analysis and Research Limited (CARE)
✓ CRISIL Ratings Limited

✓ ICRA Limited
✓ India Ratings and Research Private Limited (India Ratings)
✓ INFOMERICS Valuation and Rating Pvt Ltd
• In India, CRAs are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as per the
SEBI Regulations, 1999 of the SEBI Act, 1992.
➢ RBI provided its in-principle authorization to Hitachi Payment Services to act as a payment
aggregator (PA).
• RBI also awarded its in-principle approval to Resilient Payments Private Ltd , a 100% owned
subsidiary of Resilient Innovations Private Ltd (BharatPe), to operate as an online PA.
➢ RBI has provided in-principle approval for the Fintech startup EnKash, for payment aggregator’s
licence. This will enable EnKash to broaden its product offerings to millions of businesses for digital
transactions.
➢ RBI released the annual report titled “State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2022-23”, which
provides data and analysis of the fiscal position of State governments in India for FY23.
• The theme of the 2023 Report is “Capital Formation in India – The Role of States”.
• The ratio of revenue expenditure to capital outlay (RECO) for the States is budgeted to improve
to 5.2 in FY23 from 6.1 in FY22.
• States’ consolidated Gross Fiscal Deficit (GFD) in FY21 rose to 4.1 percent of GDP, the highest
level since FY05.
• For FY23, the States’ consolidated GFD is about 3.4 percent of GDP, which is within the Centre’s
indicative target of 4 percent.
➢ RBI issued ‘Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies Directions,
2023’ which allowed promoters to hold 26% from the current 15% of the paid-up share capital or
voting rights of a bank after the completion of 15 years from commencement of its business.
• If the shareholder intends to get a strategic stake, the board has to inform the RBI even if the
shareholding is less than 5%.
• In case, the shareholding is not compliant with RBI’s norms, banks must submit an action plan
for diluting shares within 6 months.
➢ RBI mandated in its “Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights
in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023” published on January 16, 2023.
• The RBI has granted final approval to Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) for it to operate as a
Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act,
2007.
➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a report titled “State Finances: A Study of Budgets for
2022-2023” on January 16, 2023, under the theme “Capital Formation in India: The Role of States.”
• The debt-to-GDP ratio has decreased from 31.1% in 2020-21 to 29.5% in 2022-23.
• According to the report, state interest payments increased to 2% of GDP in 2020–21 from 1.7%
in 2017–18, with states anticipating a drop to 1.8% in 2022–23.
• The amount of guarantees issued by state governments increased from Rs. 3.12 lakh crore (2%
of GDP) in 2017 to Rs. 7.4 lakh crore (3.7% of GDP).
• Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh have the most outstanding guarantees at the end
of March 2021.
➢ According to the most recent RBI data on “Outward Remittances under the Liberalised Remittance
Scheme (LRS) for Resident Individuals,” Indians remitted about USD 1.99 billion in November 2022
under the LRS.
❖ Outward remittances under LRS increased 29% to USD 1.99 billion from USD 1.54 billion in
November 2021.
➢ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the deadline for banks to complete the process of renewal of
agreements for the existing safe deposit locker holders by December 31, 2023 from January 1, 2023.
❖ The deadline is extended in a phased manner with intermediate milestones of 50% by June 30,
2023, and 75% by September 30, 2023.
❖ RBI in exercise of its powers under sections 35A and 36(1)(a) of the Banking Regulation (BR)
Act, 1949, directed SBM Bank (India) Ltd to stop all transactions under Liberalized
Remittance Scheme (LRS) with immediate effect till further orders.

SBI IN NEWS
APRIL 2023
➢ Godrej Capital Limited, the financial services arm of the Godrej Group, and State Bank of India
(SBI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership, where the
bank would provide various financial products and offerings.
MARCH 2023
➢ State Bank of India, an Indian multinational public sector bank, completed its 1st non-dollar
transaction with Sri Lanka by paying for exports in Sri Lankan rupees to bring countries that lack US
(United States) dollars into the trade mechanism.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ State Bank of India (SBI) has launched Amrit Kalash, a new limited-period term deposit scheme with
an interest rate of 7.6% for senior citizens and 7.1% for others.
➢ State Bank of India (SBI) integrated its mobile application ‘BHIM SBIPay’ with UPI-PayNow linkage to
facilitate fund transfers from India to Singapore through registered mobile numbers and from
Singapore to India using UPI (Unified Payments Interface) ID.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) has partnered with SBI Card to launch co-brand credit cards for the
bank’s customers.
• Under the partnership, three card variants have been launched including, PSB SBI Card ELITE,
PSB SBI Card PRIME, and PSB SimplySAVE SBI Card.
➢ SBI, India’s largest bank, raised Rs 9,718 crore through its 2nd infrastructure bond issuance at a
coupon rate of 7.70% per annum for the 15-year bond.
MOU SIGNED BY BANKS

APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
➢ Axis Bank collaborated with ITC Limited to offer lending products and services to farmers who are a
part of ITC’s agriculture eco-system.
• This partnership is aimed at reaching out to the unserved and under-served farmers in rural
areas, in line with Axis Bank’s Bharat Banking mission to extend its reach in remote regions
by opening new bank accounts and providing seamless customer experience in FY22-23.
➢ Punjab National Bank (PNB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Central
Warehousing Corporation (CWC), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution,
(MoCAF&PD), to facilitate financing under e-NWR (Electronic Negotiable Warehousing Receipt).
➢ Jammu and Kashmir Bank (J&K Bank) signed a Corporate Agency Agreement with the Life Insurance
Corporation of India (LIC), India’s largest insurer, for servicing and soliciting life insurance products
through J&K Bank’s Branch Network.
• The agreement will be operational or effective from 1st April 2023.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) introduced the ‘RuPay credit card on UPI’ in collaboration with the
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), allowing users to link their RuPay credit cards to the
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) infrastructure.

➢ ICICI Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a European bank, BNP Paribas, to
meet the financial needs of European enterprises operating in India and Indian companies in the
European Union (EU).
➢ A co-lending agreement has been signed between the Karnataka Bank (KBL) and Paisalo Digital Ltd
(PDL), a non-deposit-taking NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company) registered with the Reserve Bank
of India (RBI).
JANUARY 2023
➢ The IDBI Bank has signed a Scheme Transfer Agreement (STA) with LIC Mutual Fund (MF) for the
transfer of Schemes of IDBI Mutual Funds (MF) to LIC MF to comply with regulations 7B of Securities
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Mutual fund Regulations.
➢ Axis Bank signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka to
establish a Centre for Mathematics and Computing at IISc.
➢ A corporate agreement was signed between Punjab & Sind Bank, a Public Sector Bank (PSB), and
Pune (Maharashtra) based Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company (BALIC).
➢ Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, a Mini Ratna Category 1 Defence PSU,
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rolls Royce Solutions of Germany to locally
manufacture Rolls Royce’s high-quality marine diesel engine in India.
SEBI RELATED NEWS

APRIL 2023
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) took a number of decisions at its board meeting
on March 29, 2023, with the goal of protecting investors’ interests and bolstering the market
infrastructure to handle disruptions.
• The announcements at the meeting, which included 17 items, were by far the largest number in
recent history.
• 17 announcements include 16 major decisions and approval of SEBI budget estimates for the
fiscal year 2023–2024 (FY24). The 16 Major Decisions and Their Implications.
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) decided to establish the Corporate Debt
Market Development Fund (CDMDF) in the form of an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) with an
initial corpus of Rs 3,000 crore to act as a backdrop facility for the purchase of investment-grade
corporate debt securities during times of stress. This decision was made at the SEBI board meeting in
March 2023.
• The Government of India (GoI) has permitted a 10 times utilisation of this corpus, bringing the
total available capital to Rs. 30,000 crore, and this new corpus is further guaranteed by the
Central Credit Guarantee Corporation.
❖ Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF):
• CDMDF is an initiative aimed to assist mutual funds (MFs) in navigating liquidity issues
in the debt market in the event of a large credit emergency or market disruption.
• The fund, structured as an AIF, will be backed by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee
Company (NCGTC) and will be able to generate funds for the purchase of corporate debt
securities during market downturns.
• The initial funding of Rs 3,000 crore will be contributed by asset management
companies (AMCs), with Rs 2,700 crore coming from MF debt schemes and the
remainder borrowed from the market as needed.
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) unveiled a new logo on the occasion of its 35th
Foundation Day. The function for the same was held at SEBI Head Office, Mumbai (Maharashtra).
• Madhabi Puri Buch, Chairperson of SEBI, formally unveiled the logo in the presence of
former Chairpersons and former & present Whole Time Members of SEBI.
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) released a new framework for the upfront
collection of amounts as charges from eligible issuers at the time of allotment of debt securities to build
the Settlement Guarantee Fund of the Limited Purpose Clearing Corporation (LPCC).
• The new framework will come into force from May 1, 2023.

➢ Emkay Global Financial Services has received in-principle approval from the Investment
Management Department of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for sponsoring a Mutual
Fund (MF) business and incorporating an Asset Management Company (AMC).
• Emkay Global Financial Services was established in 1995 and it presently offers services
such as equity broking, commodity broking, currency broking, lending, depository
participant, portfolio/wealth management services, investment banking and global
investing.
• Currently, there are 44 MF players with total assets under management of about Rs 40
lakh crore with top 10 players accounting for major share of business.
➢ Nexus Select Trust, the retail-focused real estate investment trust, sponsored by private equity
firm Blackstone, has received the final observations, and approval from the SEBI for its Real Estate
Investment Trust (REIT) Initial Public Offering (IPO) of units.
• The Nexus Select Trust’s Rs 4,000-crore REIT IPO consists of a fresh issue of Rs 1,600
crore while the remaining Rs 2,400 crore is through an offer of sale from its main
sponsor Blackstone and other small holders.
MARCH 2023
➢ GST (Goods and Service Tax) Council, chaired by Nirmala Sitaraman, Union Minister of Finance, has
agreed to reduce the GST rate on pencil sharpeners, liquid jaggery and examination institutions during
its 49th meeting on February 18, 2023.
➢ Bajaj Finserv received in-principal approval from SEBI to begin its mutual fund (MF) operations.
The total count of MF houses in India increased to 42 due to the addition of Bajaj Finserv Mutual Fund.
➢ The National Stock Exchange (NSE) received approval from SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of
India) to launch the rupee-denominated NYMEX WTI crude oil and natural gas futures contracts in its
commodity derivatives segment.
• The approval would enable NSE to trade rupee-denominated Nymex WTI crude oil and natural
gas derivatives contracts for Indian market participants.
➢ The National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) have designated 15 trading
platforms as Qualified Stock Brokers (QSBs) w.e.f. July 1, 2023 following a direction by the Securities
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in February 2023.
S. No. Name of the Stock Brokers
1 5 Paisa Capital Limited

2 Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers Limited
3 Angel One Limited
4 Globe Capital Market Limited
5 Hdfc Securities Ltd
6 ICICI Securities Limited
7 IIFL Securities Limited
8 Jainam Broking Limited
9 Kotak Securities Ltd.
10 Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited
11 Nextbillion Technology Private Limited
12 Nuvama Wealth and Investment Limited
13 RKSV Securities India Private Limited
14 Sharekhan Ltd.
15 Zerodha Broking Limited

➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in exercise of its powers conferred under Section
11 (1) of SEBI Act, 1992 issued ‘SEBI (Grant of Reward to Informant Under Recovery Proceedings)
Guidelines, 2023’ w.e.f. March 8, 2023.
• Under this, there is a reward system up to Rs 20 lakh to informants for sharing
credible information/tips about the assets of defaulters under recovery proceedings
w.e.f. March 8, 2023.
• The interim reward amount will not exceed two and a half per-cent of the reserve
price of the asset regarding which tips was provided or Rs 5 lakh, whichever is less.
• The final reward amount will not exceed 10% of the dues recovered or Rs 20 lakh,
whichever is less.
➢ Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) provided 60 days initial relaxation to all ‘Registrars
to an Issue and Share Transfer Agents’ (RTAs) to comply with enhanced responsibilities through
adoption and implementation of an internal policy framework and periodic reporting requirements
specified by SEBI.
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), capital markets regulator, has extended the
deadline for updating ‘choice of nomination’ by existing investors with trading and demat accounts to
September 30, 2023, from the previous deadline of March 31, 2023.
➢ Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) postponed the decision to freeze Mutual Fund (MF)
folios without nomination to September 30, 2023 instead of March 31, 2023.
• On the recommendations of Secondary Market Advisory Committee (SMAC) chaired by
Gurumoorthy Mahalingam, SEBI introduced a framework for ‘Scheme of Arrangement by
unlisted Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs)‘ to bring uniformity in the norms in line
with provisions currently applicable to listed MIIs.
• MII include Stock Exchanges, Clearing Corporations and Depositories.
• The framework will be applicable from April 27, 2023.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), India’s capital market regulator, has
strengthened the green bond framework by introducing “Blue” and “Yellow” bonds as new modes of
sustainable finance.
❖ These bonds are subcategories of Green Debt Securities (GDS), with ‘Blue Bonds’ pertaining
to water management and the marine sector and ‘Yellow Bonds’ pertaining to solar energy.
❖ A proposal in this regard was approved by the SEBI board in December 2022, and as a result,
it has amended the rules governing the issuance and listing of non-convertible securities.
• Green Debt Securities (GDS): According to the regulatory framework, GDS are debt
securities that are issued to raise funds for projects or assets that belong into specific
categories.
➢ SEBI revised its operational guidelines for Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs), mandating that by
March 31, 2023, they have a detailed policy in place regarding the non-submission of crucial
information by issuers, including quarterly financial numbers.
• Backdrop: SEBI stated in its circular for CRAs dated February 3, 2023, that these
requirements would be in effect by March 31, 2023.
• Prior to that, SEBI issued an operational circular on CRAs in January 2023, which was to
take effect on February 1, 2023.
• the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced the Issue Summary Document
(ISD) for filing papers pertaining to IPO (Initial Public Offer) and for further issue of
securities in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) format to make available
relevant information at the stock exchanges and depositories in a structured manner.
• SEBI plans to roll out the ISD in a phased manner starting March 1, 2023.
• 3 phases of introducing ISD:
✓ 1st phase – ISD will be rolled out for public issues of specified securities, for offer
documents filed on or after March 1, 2023.
✓ 2nd phase – ISD for further issues will be implemented from April 3, 2023.
✓ 3rd phase – ISD for open offer, buy-back and voluntary delisting will be
implemented from May 2, 2023.
JANUARY 2023
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has amended the Securities Contracts
(Regulation) Act, 1956 which will exempt Indian state-run companies from the Minimum Public
Shareholding (MPS) norm that requires listed companies to maintain a 25% public shareholding.
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) agreed to the Central Government request to
reclassify its shareholding in IDBI Bank after its disinvestment as public holding.
➢ The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted a debt broker license to GoldenPi
Technologies, a Bengaluru (Karnataka)-based fintech company backed by Indian financial services
provider Zerodha.
➢ SEBI relaxed certain provisions of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements)
Regulations, 2015 (Listing Regulations) relating to the dispatch of a hard copy of the annual report
(financial statements) due in the year 2023 to debenture holders till September 30, 2023, which shall
take effect immediately. The earlier extension lasted until December 31, 2022.
➢ SEBI allowed stock exchanges to launch future contracts on corporate bond indices of corporate
debt securities rated AA+ and above to enhance liquidity in the bond market and to provide an
opportunity to the investors to hedge their positions.
➢ SEBI has amended the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds-AIF) Regulations, 2012 to allow
Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) to participate in the Credit Default Swaps (CDS) market as
protection buyers and sellers.
OTHERS
APRIL 2023
➢ Axis Bank, the third largest private sector bank in India, and Shriram Housing Finance Limited
(SHFL) announced a partnership under the co-lending model through the Yubi Co.Lend platform.
• Through this partnership, the lenders will each provide secured home loans and MSME (Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprise) loans to borrowers in the middle and low-income segments based in
rural and semi-urban areas.
➢ The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has announced three new
regulations that are anticipated to have major economic implications on market participants, including
insurers and intermediaries. The three new rules are as follows:
❖ IRDAI (Expenses of Management of Insurers transacting General or Health Insurance
business) Regulations, 2023
• Objective: To enable and provide flexibility to insurers in managing their expenses
within the overall limits based on their gross written premium and optimally utilizing
their resources for boosting policyholder benefits.
• These regulations will take effect on April 1, 2023, and will be in force for 3 years.
❖ Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Payment of Commission)
Regulations, 2023
• Objective: To provide insurers the flexibility to control their expenses based on their
growth objectives and the constantly shifting insurance needs in order to increase
insurance penetration.
• These regulations will take effect on April 1, 2023.
❖ IRDAI (Expenses of Management of Insurers transacting life insurance business)
Regulations, 2023
• Objective: To enable and provide flexibility to insurers in managing their expenses
within the overall limits based on their gross written premium and optimally utilizing
their resources for boosting policyholder benefits.
• These regulations will take effect on April 1, 2023, and will be in force for 3 years.

➢ India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), under the ownership of the Department of Post, the Ministry of
Communications, partnered with New Delhi (Delhi)-based Bharti Airtel Limited to launch banking
services through WhatsApp for its customers.
➢ Union Bank of India (UBI) became the first Indian Bank to open its ‘Special Rupee Vostro Account
(SRVA)’ in Malaysia to facilitate transactions between India and Malaysia in the Indian rupee. This will
be done through the UBI’s corresponding bank in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia i.e. India International Bank
of Malaysia (IIBM).
• The total trade between India and Malaysia reached US$19.4 billion in FY22, as per UBI.
➢ IDBI Bank, a private sector lender, has revised its interest rates for fixed deposits (FDs) under Rs.
2 crore, effective April 1st, 2023.
• In response, IDBI bank has introduced the “Amrit Mahotsav FD” scheme for its retail
investors, which provides returns of 7.65% for senior citizens and 7.15% for the general
public.
➢ Axis Bank, has collaborated with Visa and announced the launch of “Digital Dukaan”, a
comprehensive digital offering that would allow merchants to accept payments through a number of
digital modes and conduct day-to-day business digitally.
➢ Karur Vysya Bank Limited (KVB) signed an agreement with SBI Life Insurance Company Limited(SBI
Life) to market the insurance scheme of SBI Life Insurance through the branches of the KVB.
➢ PhonePe, a Walmart-owned fintech firm, has announced the introduction of ‘Pincode,’ an e-
commerce consumer app that would be integrated into India’s Open Network for Digital Commerce
(ONDC) framework.
• The Pincode app will be initially made available in Bengaluru (Karnataka) in six major
categories, including groceries, food, pharmaceuticals, electronics, home decor, and
fashion.
➢ Canara Bank has introduced a “Premium Payroll Package” for Salary account holders with
competitive features. It has multiple features, including free term life insurance, instant overdraft, and
free personal air accident insurance coverage.
➢ According to the data from the Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based National Securities Depository
Limited (NSDL), Norway, and Singapore gained as the FPI (Foreign Portfolio Investment) destinations
for India in FY23 while Mauritius witnessed the sharpest decline.
• Now, Singapore is the second biggest jurisdiction for FPI flows in India after the United
States of America (USA).
• Singapore is followed by Luxembourg at 3rd place, and Mauritius’ ranking has dropped
to 4 in FY23 (from 2nd in FY22), Norway ranked at 8th Place.
➢ HDFC Bank signed a ‘Master Inter Bank Credit Agreement’ with Export Import Bank of Korea
(KEXIM) for a USD 300 million line of credit. The agreement was signed by the representatives of HDFC
Bank and KEXIM at GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec) City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• HDFC Asset Management Co. Ltd., investment manager to HDFC Mutual Fund (HDFC
MF) launched three schemes viz. HDFC S&P BSE 500 Index Fund, HDFC NIFTY Midcap
150 Index Fund & HDFC NIFTY Smallcap 250 Index Fund allowing investors to diversify
their portfolio to large, mid and small-cap segments.
• These schemes opened for public subscription on April 6, 2023 and will close on April
18, 2023.
➢ Canara Bank and NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) in co-ordination with Musandam Exchange, Oman
have launched cross-border inward bill payment services for Indians based in Oman.
➢ The ‘Singara Chennai Card’ [National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)] was introduced by Chennai
Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) in collaboration with State Bank of India (SBI), its banking partner, in order to
facilitate seamless transportation for passengers.
➢ Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has announced the launch of a pilot scheme
‘Mission 50K-EV4ECO‘ to unlock the electric vehicle market by providing better financing terms and
understanding other solution bouquets needed to address the better adoption of electric vehicle (EV).
➢ According to the report by Worldline India titled ‘India Digital Payments Annual Report 2022‘Unified
Payments Interface (UPI) continued to be the most preferred medium for digital payments in 2022 in

India with a 70% increase in the number of transactions to 74 billion and a 54% increase in the value of
transactions to Rs 126 trillion.
• A total of 8,792 crore digital payments were undertaken in 2022 worth Rs 149.5 lakh
crore.
• The UPI volume and value market share was 84%. It recorded 91% increase in volume
and over 76% increase in value in Year 2022 as compared to Year 2021.
• The increased usage of UPI is driven by the expansion of Quick Response (QR) codes i.e.
the UPI QR stood at 237.94 million, registering an increase of 65% as compared to
December 2021 whereas Bharat QRs were 4.96 million.
• The Toppers of UPI Usage (As of 2022):
Top 5 UPI Apps in terms of volume and value Top 5 UPI Remitter Banks Top 5 UPI Beneficiary Banks
PhonePe State Bank of India (SBI) Paytm Payments Bank
Google Pay HDFC Bank YES Bank
Paytm Payments Bank App Bank of Baroda SBI
Amazon Pay Union Bank of India (UBI) Axis Bank
Axis Bank ICICI Bank ICICI Bank
• The number of POS terminals at the end of 2022 was 7.55 million, a growth of 37% YoY
(Year-On-Year).
• In 2022, there were 1.02 billion credit and debit cards in circulation, accounting for 7%
of transaction volume and 14% of transaction value.
➢ As per the data by Worldline Report, Bengaluru (Karnataka) recorded 29 million transactions
valued at Rs 6,500 crore, the highest number of digital transactions across 12 cities in India in 2022.
• It is followed by New Delhi (Delhi) at 2nd with 19.6 million transactions amounting to
Rs 5,000 crore, Mumbai (Maharashtra) followed with 18.7 million transactions
amounting to Rs 4,950 crore at 3rd position, Pune (Maharashtra) with 15 million
transactions amounting to Rs 3,280 crore at 4th, and Chennai (Tamil Nadu) with 14.3
million transactions amounting to Rs 3,550 crore at 5th place.
• Top 10 states & UT with the highest number of transactions at physical touch points in
2022 for Worldline India: Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi, Telangana, Gujarat, West Bengal and Punjab.
• Top 10 cities with the highest number of transactions at physical touch points in 2022
for Worldline India: Bengaluru, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad,
Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Coimbatore.
➢ HDFC Bank launches Regalia Gold Credit Card, for travel and lifestyle needs. It is a super-premium
credit card launched under the bank’s Regalia range of credit cards with multiple features and benefits.
➢ RBL Bank launched an innovative Digital Fixed Deposit (FD) Scheme available to new-to-bank
customers. Customers can book the Digital FD within minutes without having to visit a branch or
opening a savings account with the Bank.
➢ The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has constituted a four-member working group on Asset
Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) which will operate on various issues and report them to the IBA, the
RBI (Reserve Bank of India) and the Union government.
❖ The four-member of the working group include
• Hari Hara Mishra,Secretary, Association of ARCs in India.
• Purshotam Agarwal, Chief investment officer, National Asset Reconstruction Company
Limited (NARCL).
• Mythili Balasubramanian, Executive Director, Edelweiss.
• Tarun Kumar, Director, Encore Asset Reconstruction Company.
➢ South Indian Bank (SIB) launched two flexible saving products namely, SIB SEAFARER and SIB
PULSE for its non-resident Indian (NRI) customers specifically for mariners and healthcare
professionals.

➢ IndusInd Bank signed a USD 100 million long-term credit deal with the Japan Bank for
International Cooperation (JBIC) to assist Indian firms interested in purchasing Japanese construction
equipment.
• The loan agreement was signed by GIFT City branch of IndusInd bank, an IFSC Banking
Unit (IBU) of the bank.
• This is the first of its kind lending by JBIC through any IFSC Banking unit at GIFT City.
• This facility will also be co-financed by Mizuho Bank of Japan, Shizuoka Bank of
Singapore, and Joyo Bank of Japan.
➢ The Federal Bank entered into a Banking Correspondent agreement with Chennai-based
Agriculture fintech start-up Kisan Vikas (KiVi), to scale and expand its agriculture lending portfolio in
Tamil Nadu.
➢ A whitepaper has been jointly launched by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI (National
Institution for Transforming India) Aayog and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
which is aimed at making India a global leader in Agri-Tech innovation and expanding these
innovations to the least developed countries in Asia and Africa.
• It is prepared by experts from AIM, NITI Aayog, and UNCDF.
❖ What is in the whitepaper?
• The whitepaper provides practical solutions to support the growth of Agri-Tech start-
ups at both national and international levels, by addressing the challenges they face.
• It contains important insights and recommendations aimed at promoting sustainable
agricultural practices and addressing issues such as food security, supply chain
inefficiencies, and climate change concerns, particularly in developing economies.
➢ InPrime Finserv (a brand owned by STK Credit Private Limited), a financial services start-up
catering to the informal economy, has obtained a Certificate of Registration (COR) from the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC).
➢ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) provided a relaxation of 3 years for HDFC Bank, India’s largest
private sector lender, to meet Priority Sector Lending (PSL) requirements after its merger with
Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Limited.
• The RBI has refused to make any exceptions on Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory
Liquidity Ratio (SLR) requirements as sought by HDFC Bank.
➢ Mastercard collaborates with India’s M1xchange to offer a digital invoice discounting solution to
farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and agri-MSMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises)
through Farm Pass, its agritech platform.
➢ HDFC Bank and Axis Bank signed the definitive agreements with insurance technology startup Go
Digit Life Insurance to pick up each a 9.94% equity stake of the insurance firm for a payment of
each Rs 69.90 crore, which will be made in two tranches.
➢ Canara Bank, in collaboration with the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), announced the
launch of a new customer-friendly service termed ‘Digitalised Submission of Form 15G/15H’.
• Form 15G (Individual and HUF (Hindu Undivided Family)) and Form 15H (Individual-
Senior Citizen) are self-declaration forms that an individual submits to the bank
requesting not to deduct TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) on interest income as their
income is below the basic exemption limit.
➢ NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) has developed and launched the NOCS platform to provide
reconciliation and settlement services for transactions undertaken on the Open Network for Digital
Commerce (ONDC) network.
• NOCS will help ONDC by providing a population-scale solution for the challenges of high
transaction volume among different entities on the network.
➢ Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF), approved the upgradation of Rail
Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) to a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) from a Category-I
MiniRatna CPSE.
• According to the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), RVNL, a public sector
undertaking under the Ministry of Railways (MoR), has become the 13th Navratna
amongst CPSEs.

➢ NPCI International Payments, a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of
India (NPCI), signed a definitive agreement with digital payments infrastructure provider PPRO to
facilitate global e-commerce payments through Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
➢ Razorpay, a fintech payments and banking platform for businesses joined with the e-commerce
network Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a non-profit company set up by the Department
for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), as an
alternative for internet shopping.
• With this, Razorpay becomes the first payment gateway to launch a Payment
Reconciliation Service for Network Participants (NPs) like buyers, sellers, and logistic
partners on ONDC.
➢ Arya.ag, India’s largest Grain commerce platform of Aryatech Platforms Private Limited, made
partnership with Shivalik Small Finance Bank (SFB) to drive financial inclusion for farmers and FPOs
(Farmers Producers Organisations) through offering loans via Shivalik SFB under warehouse receipt
finance.
MARCH 2023
➢ ESAF Small Finance Bank has signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Electric
equipment manufacturer V-Guard Industries Ltd to provide financing options including loans and
installment payment plans to customers who opt for installing V-Guard’s solar rooftop Power System.
➢ To encourage feature phone users to use “UPI123Pay” to make digital payments, private sector
lenders IDFC FIRST Bank Ltd. and The Federal Bank Ltd will collaborate with the association of
microfinance institutions (MFIs) Sa-Dhan and Delhi-based fintech solutions vendor NextGen.
➢ Angel One Limited (formerly Angel Broking Limited), an Indian stockbroker firm, has received in-
principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sponsor a Mutual Fund.
➢ Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), a provider of catering services
backed by the Indian Railway, partnered with HDFC Bank Ltd, India’s largest private sector lender, to
introduce the “IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card,” one of India’s most rewarding co-branded travel credit
cards.
• The “IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card” will be available in a single variant exclusively on the Rupay
network of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• HDFC Bank, India’s largest card issuer, is the first private sector bank to collaborate with the IRCTC
to improve the user experience for train passengers beginning with ticket booking.
➢ Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with ShowReel to develop an online digital platform to support innovators and promote
Entrepreneurship in India.
➢ Axis Bank Limited (formerly UTI Bank), a private-sector lender, completed the acquisition of
Citibank India(Citi India)’s consumer Banking which includes loans, credit cards, wealth management
and retail banking operations. The Axis Bank has paid a total purchase consideration of Rs 11,603 crore
(USD 1.4 billion) to Citibank India.
➢ New India Assurance Co Ltd, India’s largest general insurer, has become the 2nd insurance
company to get into the surety bonds business, which is being pushed by the Government as an
alternative to bank guarantees for government procurement.
➢ A meeting was held between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Indian Renewable Energy
Development Agency (IREDA) to explore partnership on financing of renewable energy and green
hydrogen projects in India.
➢ City Union Bank (CUB), a private sector lender, has announced the launch of its first-ever credit card
service, the “Dhi CUB Visa Signature Credit Card,” in collaboration with 42 Card Solutions Pvt Ltd, a
provider of credit card management services.
➢ On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2023, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company
Limited launched a digital campaign named ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality‘
to promote digital literacy among women.
• The campaign calls for the digital inclusion of all with the hashtag, #IncludeAll.
➢ Yes Bank and Aadhar Housing Finance Ltd entered into a strategic co-lending partnership to offer
housing loans to homebuyers.

➢ Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (Ujjivan SFB) has launched the “Unpause Initiative” as part of its
commitment to promote workplace diversity and inclusion.
• The “Unpause Initiative” is a programme designed to assist women who, for any reason,
took a career break and are now prepared to rejoin the workforce.
➢ Indian bank has introduced a Special Retail Term Deposit Product named “IND Super 400 Days,”
with 0.05% higher interest rate to women investors and fixed maturity tenor of 400 days in the form of
FD/MMD (Fixed deposits/Money Multiplier Deposits).
➢ Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SFB) launched a new savings account ‘Blossom Women’s Savings
Account’, designed for women customers with up to a 7% interest rate per annum.
➢ Canara Bank, in collaboration with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has launched
the Rupay Credit Card through UPI (Unified Payments Interface) using the BHIM (Bharat Interface for
Money) app.
➢ Bandhan Mutual Fund (MF) renamed the recently launched India’s First US Debt Exchange-Traded
Fund (ETF) ‘IDFC US Treasury Bond 0-1 year Fund of Fund’ as ‘Bandhan US Treasury Bond 0-1 Year
Fund of Fund’.
• Bandhan MF has also announced the name change of all its scheme following the rebranding of
the fund house IDFC MF as Bandhan MF.
➢ HDFC Bank and Flipkart Wholesale, the B2B (Business To Business) platform of Flipkart Group,
launched an industry-first co-branded credit card exclusively for Flipkart Wholesale members.
➢ ICICI Bank Limited (ICICI Bank) has unveiled “Startup Ecosystem Banking,” a comprehensive suite
of digital and physical solutions to meet all of the banking needs of startups at various stages of
development.
➢ Bank of Baroda (BoB) partnered with the Government of Tamil Nadu (TN) to offer co-branded
RuPay Platinum Debit Card to the beneficiaries of the state government’s ‘Pudhumai Penn’ scheme.
➢ Axis Bank and Gurgaon-based Autotrac Finance Limited (AFL), a Non-Banking Financial Company,
entered into a strategic partnership under the co-lending model through the YubiCo.Lend platform.
➢ The South Indian Bank (SIB) has joined hands with the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for
direct tax collections from retail and corporate taxpayers.
➢ National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced that the Unified Payments Interface
(UPI) transactions of above Rs 2000 made using Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) such as wallets or
cards will attract an interchange fee ranging from 0.5% to 1.1%.
• The changes will come into effect from 1st April 2023.
• The lowest interchange fee of 0.5% would be applied to fuel payments.
• An interchange fee of 0.7% would be applied for transactions above Rs2,000 related to telecom,
utilities, post office, education, and agriculture.
• The fee would be 0.9% and 1% for UPI transactions at supermarkets and for mutual funds,
government, insurance and railways, respectively.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ As per an analysis of the latest financial results of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Pune (Maharashtra)
based Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) tops the list of PSBs in terms of loan growth percentage for the third
quarter of FY23 (Q3 FY23).
• It shows a growth of 21.67% in gross advances year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q3FY23.
• BoM is followed by Union Bank with a growth rate of 19.80% in advances.
• In terms of Retail-Agriculture-MSME (RAM) loans, BoM attained the highest growth of 19.18%,
followed by Punjab & Sind Bank with a growth rate of 19.07%, and Bank of Baroda (BoB) with a
growth of 18.85% on an annual basis.
➢ MobiKwik, payment app of One MobiKwik Systems Limited, has become the first fintech app in
India to support RuPay Credit Cards on Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) has allowed Mobikwik to offer its customers the facility to make UPI
payments through the RuPay credit cards.
➢ HDFC Bank, the largest private sector bank in India, and Crunchfish Digital Cash established a
pilot programme called “OfflinePay“ to test offline digital payments for customers and merchants, as
part of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Regulatory Sandbox Program.

• HDFC Bank is the industry’s first bank to provide an entirely offline digital payment service.
➢ Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) has announced the implementation of the first phase of the
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), referred to as the “Digital Rupee” (e₹).
• The “Digital Rupee” (e₹) is a legal tender equivalent to bank notes and coins but issued in a
digital form by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
➢ Reliance Retail has become the first organized retail chain in India to accept the RBI-created and
blockchain-based CBDC [e₹] payments at its gourmet food store, Freshpik.
➢ Airtel Payments Bank has announced the launch of BizKhata, a current account with unlimited
transactions and instant activation for small merchants and business partners in India.
➢ Kris Peeters, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), has formally agreed to join
the “India Hydrogen Alliance (IH2A)” and enhance support for large-scale green hydrogen hubs and
projects across India with initial investment of Euro (€) 1 billion, subject to Indian government and EIB
approvals.
➢ Indian Overseas Bank launched e-BG (Electronic Bank Guarantee i.e. BG in a digital mode) scheme in
collaboration with the National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
➢ HDFC Bank has become the 1st private sector bank in India to enable its customers to use (link)
their RuPay Credit Card on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with the BHIM (Bharat Interface for
Money) App and other UPI-enabled apps.
• Objective: HDFC Bank RuPay Credit Cards are connected to a UPI ID to enable safe and secure
payment transactions.
• Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC) raised Rs 25,000 crore by issuing India’s largest
privately-placed 10-year corporate bonds at a coupon of 7.97% on a private placement basis.
➢ India’s first ever municipal bond index namely ‘Nifty India Municipal Bond Index’ has been
launched by NSE Indices Limited, a subsidiary of National Stock Exchange (NSE). It has a base date of
January 1, 2021, and a base value of 1,000.
➢ CCAvenue, the premier payments brand of Infibeam Avenues Limited (IAL), has emerged as
India’s first payment gateway player to process Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) or Digital Rupee
(e-rupee) transactions for online retail merchants.
➢ IDFC FIRST Bank has partnered with ToneTag, the world’s largest provider of audio-based solutions,
in order to facilitate the acceptance of digital rupee at merchant outlets.
• This collaboration comes after the pilot launch of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) for
retail users by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
➢ PhonePe has launched support for “UPI international” payments, making it India’s first fintech
platform to enable cross-border Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments.
➢ Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) has launched UPI LITE, a feature enabled by the National
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for multiple small-value UPI transactions.
• PPBL has become the first payments bank to deploy such a UPI LITE feature as part of its
commitment to promote innovation.
• UPI Lite allows transactions of up to Rs 200 without using a UPI PIN.
➢ The Indore Municipal Corporation’s (IMC) Green Bonds have been listed on the National Stock
Exchange (NSE), marking the first-ever green bond issue by a municipal corporation in India.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Indian Bank unveiled the QR (Quick Response) code bill payment system for Chamundeshwari
Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) making it the first power distribution company to offer
such an initiative to customers in Mysuru, Karnataka.
➢ HDFC Bank partnered with Microsoft for the next phase of its digital transformation journey and
unlocked business value by transforming the application portfolio, modernising the data landscape and
securing the enterprise with Microsoft Cloud.
➢ YES Bank partnered with Microsoft to introduce the next generation mobile application (app) for
providing personalised banking experience to its customers.
➢ India Accelerator (IA) has launched “i3 Launchpad,” which was developed in partnership with
ICICI Bank and Infosys Finacle, which is part of EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly-owned product
subsidiary of Infosys.

➢ Bandhan Bank launched its integrated marketing campaign ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’
featuring the Bank’s brand ambassador, cricketing legend, Sourav Ganguly.
➢ In a first-of-its-kind industry initiative, ICICI Bank Limited, has launched Digital Solutions For
Exporters, a comprehensive set of banking and value-added services on a single platform.
➢ IndusInd Bank partnered with British Airways Executive Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club to
introduce the first-of-its-kind unique multi-branded credit card, powered by Visa.
➢ Axis Bank Limited (Axis Bank), India’s third-largest private sector bank, has partnered with Open
Financial Technologies Pvt Ltd (OPEN), a digital banking firm, to give its customers a fully native digital
current account journey.
➢ Under its first issue of ‘fund raising through bonds in 2023’, National Bank for Agriculture and
Rural Development (NABARD) has raised around Rs 5,000 crore via 3-year bonds.
• The coupon for the 3-year bond was 7.63 per cent. (The yield on 3-year government bonds was
above 7.16 per cent).
➢ During the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh
(MP), an agreement was signed between India and Panama on the cooperation in the training of
diplomats.
• India and the United Kingdom (UK) also signed and exchanged letters of ‘UK-India Young
Professionals Scheme’ which will allow 3,000 young Indians and Britons aged 18 to 30 to live,
study and work in each other’s countries without needing to have a job in hand.
➢ PayRup, India’s fastest payment app, has been launched. PayRup is built on cutting-edge Web 3.0
technology and offers an enhanced digital payment experience with an exceptional user experience.
➢ In accordance with the “Startup Tracker-CY22” report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers
(PwC India), funding for Indian startups fell by 33% to USD 24 billion in calendar year 2022 (CY22) as
compared to CY21 but was still more than twice as much as the amount raised in CY20 and CY19
combined together.
• Startups received a total of USD 13.2 billion in funding in 2019, USD 10.9 billion in CY20, and
USD 35.2 billion in CY21.
➢ The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has allowed UPI (Unified Payments Interface)
transactions for non-resident bank accounts like Non-Residential External (NRE) and Non- Resident
Ordinary (NRO) linked to international mobile numbers.
• Initially, the transactions from mobile numbers of 10 countries – Singapore, Australia, Canada,
Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, United States of America (USA), Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
(UAE) and the United Kingdom (UK) – will be enabled
• This means Non-resident Indians (NRIs) from these countries can transact through UPI.
• This decision has been taken to expand and boost the global use of UPI.
• NPCI has mandated all UPI members, including banks and payments platforms, to comply with
the norms by 30th April 2023.
➢ Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has raised USD 1 billion via a 10-year Sustainability Bond
issue in the 144A/Reg-S format under its Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Framework.
➢ Chennai-based Drone Startup, Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd, partnered with the Union Bank of India
(UBI). Under this partnership, 150 Garuda Agri Kisan drones have received sanction for Loan under the
Union Kisan Pushpak Scheme.
• This partnership is for the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme and capital subsidy
under sub-mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM).
➢ SBI has launched an e-Bank Guarantee (e-BG) facility in association with National e-Governance
Services Limited (NeSL) to enhance transparency and reduce turnaround time from days to minutes.
➢ Russian VTB Bank, Russia’s second-largest bank, launched direct payments in rupees, which will
significantly increase bilateral trade and investment.
• Russian Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) clients can now make transfers without
double conversion, which simplifies the work on international trade contracts with India.
➢ The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services for extending the term of Managing

Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bank of Baroda (BoB) Sanjiv Chadha for about five
months till June 30, 2023 i.e. when he attains 60 years, the retirement age.
➢ The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has tied up with Kolkata (West Bengal)
based VFS Capital Limited to extend loans to the MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) and SME
sector.
➢ Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), the flagship entity of Adani Group, signed an agreement with
Chennai (Tamil Nadu)- based Ashok Leyland and Ballard Power Systems of Canada to start a pilot
project to develop a hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Truck (FCET) for mining logistics and transportation.
➢ Punjab National Bank (PNB) has become the first Public Sector Bank (PSB) to introduce a credit
card against fixed deposits (FDs) digitally, for customers who do not fulfill the eligibility criteria for
regular credit cards.
• PNB has introduced two types of consumer credit cards: ‘PNB Global Gold’ and ‘PNB Global
Classic’, which are designed to meet various income levels and customer needs.
These are global credit cards that were developed in association with the payment gateway
provider, VISA.
➢ Citibank and Paytm(One97 Communication Ltd) have ended their partnership for a co-branded
credit card Paytm CITI Card ahead of the merger of Citibank’s commercial banking business with Axis
Bank.
➢ According to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), the Agriculture
Infrastructure Fund (AIF) has raised more than Rs. 30,000 crore in capital for agricultural
infrastructure projects, with a sanctioned amount of Rs. 15,000 crore.
• This scheme would disburse Rs. 1 lakh crore by the fiscal year 2025-26, while interest
subvention and credit guarantee support will be provided until 2032-33.
➢ AU Small Finance Bank Limited, India’s largest Small Finance Bank(SFB), launched the first-of-its-
kind “SwipeUp platform”, that allows other bank Credit Cardholders to get upgraded AU Credit Cards.
➢ BOB Financial Solutions Limited (BFSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, launched
‘Vikram – the contactless RuPay credit card’ dedicated to the Indian defence, paramilitary, and police
personnel on the occasion of 74th Republic Day celebrations i.e. January 26, 2023.
➢ According to the Futures Industry Association (FIA), a derivatives trade body, the National Stock
Exchange of India Ltd (NSE India) has once again emerged as the world’s largest derivatives exchange
in terms of the number of contracts traded in 2022.
➢ Edelweiss Asset Management Limited, one of India’s fastest-growing AMCs, has launched
the “Edelweiss CRISIL IBX 50:50 Gilt Plus SDL Short Duration Index Fund”, India’s first passive
short-duration index fund.
FUNDS
Funded By Amount Highlights
APRIL 2023
IIFL Finance Limited has received a total of $100 million in long-
term funding from Export Development Canada (EDC) and
Deutsche Bank, with $50 million from each. In this deal, Deutsche
Bank acted as the mandated lead arranger, book runner, and co-
financier.
Export Development Canada $100 i. IIFL is a non-banking financial company (NBFC) backed by
(EDC) and Deutsche Bank million Fairfax.
Japanese lender Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
has partnered with Citibank to provide a $125 million funding line
to domestic private sector lender Indusind Bank.
Indusind Bank will be utilising the co-finance funding for
onlending to the agricultural sector in India.
Japanese lender Japan i. The funding to Indusind Bank includes a JPY 13 billion (approx
International Cooperation $125 USD 97.45 million) loan from the JICA and another $30 million
Agency (JICA) and Citibank million from Citibank.

India has made a contribution of USD 500,000 (Rs 4.09 crore) to
the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, for women
empowerment.
i. The cheque for the same was handed over by Ruchira Kamboj,
the Permanent Representative of India to the UN, supporting UN
Women’s core voluntary budget.
USD ii. The donation was received by Sima Sami Bahous, the Under
India 500,000 Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women.
MARCH 2023
The World Bank (WB) Board of Executive Directors has approved
a USD 100 million loan from the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to the Indian state
of Odisha.
Objective: To boost Odisha’s early forecasting systems for better
disaster response and to expand social protection coverage for
poor and vulnerable households via digital platforms.
Loan Details
i.The IBRD loan of USD 100 million has a maturity period of 12.5
USD 100 years and a grace period of 3 years.
World Bank (WB) million
World Bank (WB) Board of Executive Directors has approved
a USD 363 million loan from the IBRD to the southern Indian state
of Karnataka.
Objective: To install piped water connections in the 2 million
USD 363 rural households in the state and supply them with clean drinking
World Bank (WB) million water.
Japan committed Rs 7,084.5 crore to India for three infrastructure
projects viz. one each in Patna (Bihar), West Bengal, and
Rajasthan. Notes in this regard were exchanged between Rajat
Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic
Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance and Suzuki Hiroshi, Japan
Rs 7,084.5 Ambassador to India.
Japan crore
World Bank’s (WB) Executive Board of Directors has approved
USD 108 million loan (Rs 8,896,517,496) for ‘Assam Integrated
River Basin Management Project (AIRBMP)’ to improve disaster
preparedness and enhance flood forecasting in Assam.
i. This funding will be disbursed by the International Bank of
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), administered by WB,
USD 108 and has a maturity of 11.5 years with grace period of 4 years.
World Bank (WB) million loan
Government of India (GoI) and World Bank (WB) signed 2
complementary loans of $500 million Public Health Systems for
Pandemic Preparedness Program (PHSPP) and $500 million
USD 500 Enhanced Health Service Delivery Program (EHSDP) to support
World Bank (WB) million and improve India’s healthcare infrastructure.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed loan
agreements with the Government of India (GoI) in Delhi to
offer Japanese Official Development Assistance ODA
loans totaling 40,673 million yen for the following two projects:
Japan International 40,673 i. Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Project (III) (Loan Amount: 30,755
Cooperation Agency (JICA) million yen Million Yen)

ii. Project for Establishing a State Super-Specialty Cancer and
Research Center in Mizoram, with 164 beds (Loan Amount: 9,918
Million Yen)
ADB has agreed in principle to provide Rs 1,311.20 crore under

Phase-1 of the proposed Infrastructure Development Investment
Programme in Himachal Pradesh (HP).
i. This funding will be utilized to strengthen the tourism
infrastructure in HP.
Asian Development Bank Rs 1,311.20 The total cost of the project is Rs 2357 crore.
(ADB) crore
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways (MoRTH), briefed about the loan agreement signed
between the Government of India (GoI) and the World Bank for the
construction of the Green National Highway Corridors Project
(GNHCP) in four States such as Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh in an aggregate length of 781 km
Government of India (GoI) & US $ 500 with loan assistance of US $ 500 million against the total project
World Bank million cost of US $ 1288.24 million (Rs. 7,662.47 crore).
FEBRUARY 2023
The ADB has approved a USD 130 million (over Rs. 1,072 crore)
loan to Himachal Pradesh (HP) under the ‘Himachal Pradesh
Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation, and Value Addition Project’ to
Asian Development Bank USD 130 boost agricultural production, promote horticulture
(ADB) million agribusinesses, and increase farmers’ income.
Under the meeting of the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi with
USD 20 ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa, ADB committed to provide
Asian Development Bank billion–USD USD 20 billion–USD 25 billion resources over 5 years to advance
(ADB) 25 billion India’s aspirations for fast, inclusive, and green growth.
JANUARY 2023
Asian Development USD 131 ADB and NSFTPL signed USD 131 million loan to upgrade the
Bank (ADB) and Nhava million Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Port Container Terminal located in Navi
Sheva Freeport Terminal Mumbai, Maharashtra to enhance international trade in India
Private Limited (NSFTPL) through efficient, transparent, and state-of-the-art logistics
infrastructure.
Siemens Mobility 3 billion Siemens Mobility, managed by Siemens AG of Germany, has
Euro received a locomotive order worth 3 billion Euro (~Rs 26,000
crore) from Indian Railways, under the Ministry of Railways,
Government of India, for 1,200 electric locomotives of 9,000
horsepower (HP).
Asian Development Bank USD 220 ADB and the GoI signed a USD 220 million loan pact for Tripura
(ADB) million Power Distribution Strengthening and Generation Efficiency
Improvement Project.
Asian Development Bank Rs 2,275 The Tripura government has signed an agreement with ADB worth
(ADB) crore Rs 2,275 crore to strengthen and improve power distribution
efficiency in Tripura.
INSURANCE
APRIL 2023
➢ Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co Ltd (ABHICL), a part of Aditya Birla Capital Ltd (ABCL), is a joint
venture between Aditya Birla Group and MMI Holdings of South Africa, inked a bancassurance
partnership with UCO Bank, for the distribution of its health insurance products.

• This partnership will enable ABHICL to utilize UCO Bank’s widely distributed network of
3,164 branches and reach out to more than 40 million customers of the bank across
India.
➢ The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Insurance Corporation of India Limited
(GIC Re), and New India Assurance continued to be identified by the Insurance Regulator and
Development Authority of India (IRDAI) as Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) for the
financial year 2022-23.
➢ The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), granted a certificate of
registration to two new entities namely Acko Life Insurance Limited and Credit Access Life Insurance
Limited to commence the life insurance business.
➢ According to provisional statistics released by the General Insurance Council (GIC), India’s non-
life insurers recorded growth in the high teens in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) due to strong performance
across sectors.
• In FY23, non-life insurers have underwritten a gross premium of Rs 2.6 crore, a 16.4%
increase over FY22.
❖ Performance of The Three Listed Non-Life Insurers from India in 2023:
➢ ICICI Lombard General Insurance
• Revenue increased 17% year-on-year at Rs. 21,025 crore.
• In March 2023, market share was 8.18%, up from 8.14% in March 2022.
➢ The New India Assurance
• In March 2023, gross premium reached Rs. 34,487 crore, an increase of 6% from
March 2022.
• Market share declined to 13.42% in March 2023 from 14.75% in March 2022.
➢ Star Health & Allied Insurance
• Gross premiums for the standalone health insurer increased 13% year-on-year to
Rs. 12,951 crore.
• Compared to 5.19% in March 2022, market share slightly decreased to 5.04% in
March 2023.
➢ According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the four
public sector general insurance companies – New India Assurance Co. Ltd, United India Insurance
Company Ltd, Oriental Insurance Company Ltd., and National Insurance Company Limited– have lost
803 basis points (bps) in market share to their private counterparts in the past five years.
➢ SBI General Insurance Company Limited announced the launch of a fully customizable digital-only
health insurance plan named ‘Health Edge Insurance’. It is a Single Comprehensive Plan variant with 9
Basic indemnity Covers and 18 Optional covers to stand in need of medical exigency.
➢ Reliance General Insurance, a subsidiary of Reliance Capital, has become the first company to
accept eRupee(e₹)/ Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) for premium
payments.
• Reliance General Insurance accepts the eRupee through a partnership with Yes Bank to
enable its customers to make premium payments digitally using the bank’s platform.
MARCH 2023
➢ Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI) Limited, the life insurance subsidiary Aditya Birla Capital
Limited (ABCL) launched a non-linked non-participating individual savings life insurance plan ‘ABSLI
Nishchit Aayush Plan’.
❖ Key Features:
• The maximum entry age is 55 years and the minimum age is 30 days (long term income
option) and 30 years (whole life income).
• The minimum annualised premium is Rs 30,000.
• Premium payment term options – 6, 8, 10, and 12 years.
The minimum sum assured under this plan is Rs.300,000.
➢ Bharti AXA Life Insurance Limited has entered into a bancassurance partnership with Unity Small
Finance Bank Limited (Unity Bank), a new-age, digital-first bank, to distribute life insurance products
through the bank’s Pan-India network of 111 branches and 206 offices.

➢ Max Life Insurance Company Limited (Max Life) has partnered with Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
(Ujjivan SFB) to provide comprehensive life insurance products to the bank’s customers.
• Max Life Insurance will provide a variety of savings, protection, retirement, and group
life insurance plans to more than 73 lakh customers of Ujjivan SFB through this
partnership.
➢ Go Digit General Insurance has launched 3 new plans under the Digit Health Insurance policy –
‘Digit Double Wallet plan, Digit Infinity Wallet plan, and Digit Worldwide Treatment plan’ to cater to the
post-pandemic health needs of people.
➢ Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) executed an agreement as an additional bancassurance partner in the life
insurance category with SBI Life, the insurance arm of the State Bank of India (SBI).
➢ ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd (ICICI Lombard) has introduced an industry-first
programme for its health insurance policyholders called the “Anywhere Cashless” feature, which enable
customers to use cashless facilities at any hospital, even if it is not currently a part of ICICI Lombard’s
hospital network.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Edelweiss General Insurance has rebranded itself as Zuno General Insurance Limited (Zuno GI),
a new-age digital insurer with the ambition to reimagine and redefine insurance to make it easy,
friendly, and transparent.
➢ Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Ltd (ABSLI), the life insurance subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital
Limited (ABCL), has introduced “ABSLI Anmol Suraksha Kawach“ to meet short-term protection
needs of policyholders.
JANUARY 2023
➢ The Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Ltd. (ABHICL) and Punjab & Sind Bank have established a
bancassurance partnership for the distribution of health insurance products through the bank’s branch
network in India.
➢ Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has unveiled Jeevan Azad (Plan No. 868), a new non-
linked, non-participating plan designed for individual savings and life insurance.
➢ HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited (HDFC Life) has partnered with the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) to allow policyholders to pay their premiums via “UPI 123PAY”, a unique
voice-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service.
• The “first of its kind” UPI 123Pay aims to significantly streamline the premium payment
procedure for HDFC Life policyholders.
➢ Star Health and Allied Insurance, renewed its strategic corporate agency Bancassurance tie-up
with Punjab National Bank (PNB) for a long-term period.
ECONOMY
APRIL 2023
➢ The Ministry of Commerce and Industry(MoC&I), Government of India(GoI), released the Foreign
Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 which aims to increase India’s exports to USD 2 trillion by 2030 by shifting
from incentives to remission and entitlement based regime.
• FDI inflows into Maharashtra went up by 19% year-on-year (y-o-y) to Rs 85,186 crore
during the April-December of FY23 as compared to Rs 71,858 crore of FDI inflows during
April-December of FY22.
• Union Minister Piyush Goyal, (MoC&I) released the FTP 2023 during an event held in New
Delhi, Delhi.
• The FTP 2023 is set to become effective from 1st April 2023.
• India is set to end the FY 2023 with a total export of USD 760-770 billion compared to the
USD 676 billion in 2021-2022.

❖ About FTP 2023:
• Unlike the usual 5 year-FTP, the FTP 2023 does not have an end date and it will be
updated as and when needed.
• The previous FTP came into force on 1st April 2015 and was later extended in the
wake of COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent disruption in economic activities.
• The last extension was given in September 2022 till 31st March 2023.
➢ The National Stock Exchange(NSE)’s subsidiary, NSE Indices Limited, has introduced new
guidelines for retaining a demerged entity in its respective index.
• Under the new norms, a demerged company will only remain a part of the index if
the exchange conducts a Special Pre-Open session (SPOS) for the spun-off entity.
• The change will be applicable to scheme of arrangement of all companies involving
demerger which may be approved by equity shareholders of respective companies
on or after April 30, 2023.
MARCH 2023
➢ According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) data,
Maharashtra and Gujarat recorded positive growth during the 3 quarters of the current fiscal (FY23) –
April 2022 to December 2022.
• FDI inflows into Maharashtra went up by 19% year-on-year (y-o-y) to Rs 85,186 crore
during the April-December of FY23 as compared to Rs 71,858 crore of FDI inflows during
• FDI inflows into Gujarat during April-December of FY23 more than doubled to Rs 32,349
crore compared to Rs 15,321 crore in April-December of FY22.
• In April-December of FY23, FDI inflows into Karnataka were Rs 70,015 crore, 2nd highest
FDI equity inflow after Maharashtra, but it declined by 45% from Rs 1.28-lakh crore during
➢ According to the “Index Numbers of Wholesale Price in India for the Month of February 2023
(Base Year: 2011-12)” released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of
Industry And Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry Of Commerce & Industry(MoCI), the Wholesale Price-
Index (WPI) based inflation rate eased to a 25-month low of 3.85% (Provisional) in February 2023
(over February 2022) against 4.73% recorded in January 2023.
• The Retail Inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined to 6.44% in February
2023 against 6.52% in January 2023 and 6.07% in February 2022.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ As per the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India’s annual rate of a
wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation in January 2023 (provisional) was eased to a two-year low
of 4.73% from 4.95% in December 2022.
➢ EbixCash World Money Limited, a subsidiary of US-based Ebix Inc, became the first company in India
to launch the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for foreign nationals visiting India.
➢ National Stock Exchange (NSE) has signed a data licensing agreement with CME Group, the world’s
leading derivatives marketplace, for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil and natural gas contracts.
JANUARY 2023
➢ According to data provided by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
(MoSPI), Retail Inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased to a one-year
low of 5.72% in December 2022.
➢ The United Nations (UN) in its World Economic Situation and
Prospects (WESP) 2023 Report slashed India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for the
calendar year 2023 by 20bps (Basis Points) to 5.8% (from an estimated 6.4% in 2022) amid tighter
monetary policy and weak global demand.

❖ Global Scenario:
The global economic growth will slow down to 1.9% in 2023, one of the lowest in recent
decades, from 3.1% previously forecast.
The global growth in 2022 was 3% and it was expected to increase to 2.7% in 2024..
The global trade will contract to 0.4% in 2023.
BUSINESS
APRIL 2023
➢ Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an Indian multinational
information technology services and consulting company, has been selected by Bane NOR, the
Norwegian government agency responsible for maintaining, operating, and developing the Norwegian
railway network, to enable secure access to the latter’s digital systems.
➢ NBCC (India) Limited (formerly known as National Buildings Construction Corporation) signed
the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Scirocco Enterprises Ltd. of Zambia for the
construction of 1 lakh low and medium-cost houses to mitigate an acute shortage of housing in Zambia.
➢ ITC Limited has overtaken Infosys Limited, an Indian multinational information technology
company, to become India’s 6th largest company, as per market capitalization(m-cap). ITC’s market
cap stands at Rs 5.11 lakh crore (as of April 24, 2023) while the market cap of Infosys (7th place) stands
at ~Rs 5.08 lakh crore
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Gopalan Aerospace India Pvt Ltd signed a joint venture (JV) with Slovakia-based Magic Trading
Corporation, Inc. (MTC), a self-regulatory organization (S.R.O), and DEFSYSTECH S.R.O for the
development of precision drones in India.
• Gopalan Aerospace signed a joint venture with Omnipol Group, a partner of the Czech
government institution and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the field of defence
and security, to integrate Passive Radars for the Indian Defense Industry in border regions.
JANUARY 2023
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Microsoft India signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to support and promote the growth of space technology startups in India.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
CABINET APPROVALS
APRIL 2023
➢ The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the following
proposals:
❖ Cabinet gives nod to Indian Space Policy 2023:
• The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra
Modi has approved the Indian Space Policy 2023 that will enable the private sector to
participate in various space activities, such as constructing satellites, rockets, and launch
vehicles, as well as collecting and sharing data.

❖ Cabinet approves revised Domestic Gas Pricing Guidelines:
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Narendra Modi has
approved a mechanism to fix pricing for domestic natural gas in India. It has revised
domestic natural gas pricing guidelines for gas produced from nomination fields of Oil
and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)/Oil India Limited (OIL), New Exploration Licensing
Policy (NELP) blocks and pre-NELP blocks, where Production Sharing Contract (PSC)
provides for Government’s approval of prices.
❖ Govt approves Army proposal to induct woman officers in Artillery:
• In March 2023, the Central Government approved the Indian Army’s decision to induct
women officers in the artillery regiments. In this regard, the first lot of women will be
commissioned in the Army’s artillery regiments by the end of April 2023 when they pass
out of the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
➢ The Union Cabinet of the Government of India headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi
approved the LIGO-India (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory in India) mega science
proposal for research on gravitational waves.
• The LIGO-India project will establish a state-of-the-art gravitational wave observatory in
Hingoli, Maharashtra (India) in collaboration with the LIGO Laboratory in the United
• The LIGO project is piloted by the Department of Atomic Energy(DAE) and the
Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• The project worth Rs 2600 crore is estimated to be built by 2030.
• Note: LIGO Laboratory is a consortium of the California Institute of Technology
(Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
➢ Cabinet Approvals on April 19, 2023
❖ The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has approved the
following proposals:Cabinet approves National Quantum Mission to scale-up Scientific &
Industrial R&D for QT
• The Union Cabinet has approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM) with an outlay of
Rs.6003.65 crore for 8 years (from 2023-24 to 2030-31). With this, India will join the
top 6 nations (the United States of America (USA), Canada, China, France, Austria, and
Finland who are involved in the R&D in the QT.
❖ Cabinet approves Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2023, aims to tackle problem of film piracy
• The Union Cabinet also approved the Cinematograph Amendment Bill, 2023 proposed
by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to amend the Cinematograph
Act, 1952. It will be introduced in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
• The proposed amendments would make the certification process more effective, in tune
with the present times.
➢ The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi approved the National Medical
Devices Policy, 2023, which is expected to help the Medical Devices sector expand to USD 50
billion(~Rs 4 lakh crore) by 2030.
• In 2020, the market size of the medical devices sector in India is estimated to be USD 11
billion (~Rs 90,000 crore) and its share in the global medical device market is estimated
to be 1.5%.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the establishment of 157
new nursing colleges in co-location with existing medical colleges established since
2014. The outlay for the same will be Rs 1,570 crore.
• Uttar Pradesh (UP) will have the maximum number of colleges (27), while Rajasthan
will have 23 and Madhya Pradesh, 14.
MARCH 2023
➢ The Union Cabinet has approved the procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft for the
Indian Air Force (IAF) from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a cost of Rs. 6,828.36 crore. The
aircraft will be delivered over a six-year period.

➢ The Union Cabinet has given its assent to the signing of a contract with Larsen & Toubro Limited
(L&T) for the acquisition of three Cadet Training Ships for Rs. 3,108.09 crore under the “Buy Indian-
IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured)” category.
• The ships will be designed, developed, and built indigenously in India at the L&T
shipyard in Kattupalli, Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).
• The delivery of ships is anticipated to commence in 2026.
➢ Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
granted an exemption to NTPC Limited from the extant guidelines of delegation of power to Maharatna
CPSEs (Central Public Sector Enterprises) for making investments in NTPC Green Energy Limited
(NGEL), a subsidiary company of NTPC Ltd.
• The CCEA also exempted NGEL’s investment in NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NREL)
and its other JVs (Joint Ventures)/subsidiaries subject to a ceiling of 15% of its net
worth beyond the monetary ceiling of Rs 5,000 crore to Rs. 7,500 crore, towards
achieving a target of 60 GW Renewable Energy (RE) Capacity by NTPC Limited.
• The CCEA also approved the listing of the Indian Renewable Energy Development
Agency Ltd (IREDA), the CPSE under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE),
on stock exchanges through an initial public offer (IPO) by the part sale of the
government’s stake in the public sector entity.
➢ The Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), headed by Prime
Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, have approved the following proposals:
• Release of an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to GoI employees and
Dearness Relief to pensioners, due from January 1, 2023
• Approval for the MSP of raw jute for the 2022-23 season
• Approval for Targeted Subsidy to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) Consumers
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Union Cabinet Approvals on February 15, 2023
❖ The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to the
following proposals which were detailed by Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Ministry of
Information & Broadcasting (I&B):
• Signing of MoU between Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW).
• Signing of MoU between India and South Africa (SA) for cooperation in Disability Sector
• Signing of MoU between India and Chile for cooperation in Agriculture and Allied
Sectors.
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)- Vibrant Villages Programme for FY 2022-23 to
2025-26
• To set up 2 lakh PACS in next 5 years
• 7 new battalions; 9,400 personnel for Sino-India LAC guarding Indo-Tibetan Border
Police (ITBP).
➢ Cabinet Approvals on February 22 2023
❖ The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the
following proposals:
• Air Services Agreement between India and Guyana.
• Ratification of 3 Protocols on Article 3 bis and Article 50 (a) & Article 56 relating to
amendments in the Chicago Convention, 1944.
i. Protocol to insert Article 3 bis in the Chicago Convention, 1944 to refrain member
states from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight (Protocol
signed in May, 1984)
ii. Protocol to amend Article 50 (a) of the Chicago Convention, 1944 for raising the
strength of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Council from 36 to 40
(Protocol signed in October, 2016)
iii. Protocol to amend Article 56 of the Chicago Convention, 1944 for raising the strength
of the Air Navigation Commission from 18 to 21 (Protocol signed in October, 2016)

• Extension of the term of the 22nd Law Commission of India upto 31st August, 2024.
i. It was constituted for three years on February 21, 2020 and its chairperson
is Justice Rituraj Awasthi (retd).
• Quality Control Order (QCO) for mandatory certification of cotton bales.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Cabinet Approvals on January 2023
❖ The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi approved the following
proposals, the Central Sector “Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND)”
Scheme with an outlay of Rs. 2,539.61 crore upto 2025-26 for the infrastructure development of
Prasar Bharati (Akashvani), i.e., All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD).
• The National Green Hydrogen Mission, with an estimated value of Rs 19,744 crore
• Naming of Greenfield International Airport in Mopa, Goa as “Manohar International
Airport, Mopa, Goa”
• The Sunni Dam hydropower project in Himachal Pradesh (HP) with an investment of Rs.
2,614 crores.
➢ The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved continuation
of Schemes of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) for the balance period of the
15th Finance Commission i.e. from 2022-23 to 2025-26.
• Its outlay is Rs 12882.2 crore.
➢ The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the following
proposals which were briefed to media by the Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Labour &
Employment (MoLE) in New Delhi, Delhi:
• Setting up of three national-level multi-state cooperative societies for three different sectors –
export, seeds and organic products – under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act,
2002.
• Rs 2,600 cr scheme to promote Rupay debit cards, low-value UPI transactions
• Renaming of National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation & Quality at Joka, Kolkata SPM-
NIWAS
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) headed by PM Narendra Modi approved Rs
2,600-crore incentive scheme to promote Rupay debit card and low-value BHIM-UPI (Bharat
Interface for Money – Unified Payments Interface) transactions (person-to-merchant) in FY23.
➢ Cabinet Approvals on January 24, 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
has approved the reworked Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022 that seeks to introduce changes in the
governing structure of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), and modify the substantive,
procedural and institutional provisions in the current competition law to address the needs of new age
market.
PM’s LAUNCHES/INAUGURATIONS
APRIL 2023
➢ Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various
development projects worth over Rs 11,300 crore in Telangana during his visit to Telangana on 8th
April 2023.
❖ He also flagged off the prestigious Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express train
connecting Secunderabad and Tirupati.
• This is the second Vande Bharat train for the two Telugu States, Telangana and Andhra
Pradesh.
• This will reduce the travel time between Hyderabad to Tirupathi to about 8 hours 30
minutes (around 3 hours less than the usual travel time) with limited stops at Nalgonda,
Guntur, Ongole, and Nellore.
❖ Other Highlights:
• PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the re-development of Secunderabad railway
station, taken up at a cost of around Rs 720 crore.

• He also dedicated the completed parts of the Secunderabad-Mahabubnagar doubling
project (stretching 85.24 km) to the nation.
• He also inaugurated the 13 new Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) services during
his visit.
• He also laid the foundation stone for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS)
Bibinagar in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Telangana. This will be built at a cost of around Rs
1350 crore.
• He also laid the foundation stone of the national highway project worth Rs 7850 crore.
• This will provide connectivity to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and contribute to the
socio-economic development of the region.
➢ On 8th April 2023, during his visit to Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister(PM) of India Narendra Modi
laid the foundation stone and dedicated several projects to the nation at the event held in Alstrom
Cricket Ground, Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).
• He also inaugurated the New Integrated Terminal Building (Phase- 1) of Chennai
International Airport and flagged off the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express in
Chennai during his visit.
• The PM inaugurated the Rs 1,260 crore New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB- Phase
1) aka ‘Golden Terminal’ of Chennai International Airport which will boost passenger
handling. It will increase the passenger serving capacity of the airport from 23 Million
Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) to 30 MPPA.
• The PM has inaugurated TN’s second Vande Bharat train namely ‘Chennai–Coimbatore
Vande Bharat Express’ that will ply from Chennai to Coimbatore.
• The PM also inaugurated the newly gauge-converted Thiruthuraipoondi-
Agasthiyampalli section by flagging off a Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) service.
• The 37-km section of new broad gauge has been built at a cost of Rs 294 crore.
• The PM also participated in the celebrations commemorating the 125th Anniversary of
Sri Ramakrishna Math at Vivekananda House in Chennai.
• The PM presided over a public programme at Alstrom cricket ground, Chennai, where he
inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of road projects worth about Rs 3700 crores.
➢ On April, 9, 2023, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the program ‘Commemoration
of 50 years of Project Tiger’at Mysuru University in Mysuru, Karnataka, the first of its kind in India,
organised to mark 50 years of Project Tiger.
❖ Other Major Initiatives:
• The PM launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) for the conservation of 7
major big cats.
• He released the publications ‘Amrit Kaal Ka Vision For Tiger Conservation’, a summary
report of the 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves,
declared tiger numbers and released the summary report of All India Tiger Estimation
(5th cycle).
• He also released a commemorative coin on the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger.
❖ The Government of India (GoI) launched the “Project Tiger” in 1973 for conserving the
national animal, the tiger (Panthera tigris). Thus 2023 marks the 50th year of Project Tiger.
• From 9 tiger reserves since its formative years, the Project Tiger coverage has increased
to 51 at present, spread out in 18 of tiger range states. This amounts to around 2.23% of
the geographical area of India.
• As of 2022 Tiger Census, India’s tiger numbers stand at 3,167 in the wild. The 2018
Tiger Census, released in July 2019, established the presence of 2,967 tigers in India.
• The PM launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) for the conservation of
seven major big cats – tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah in
collaboration with 97 countries which contain the natural habitat of these big cat
species.
➢ Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various
development projects worth more than Rs 3200 crores at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala.

• The development projects include India’s 1st Water Metro in Kochi (Kerala) and Kerala’s
1st Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod, which were
inaugurated by PM.
❖ Kochi Water Metro is a Made in India project and the ports for the project were developed by
the Cochin Shipyard.
❖ PM laid the foundation stone for the India’s first Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram
which will give a boost to Digital India.
❖ Kerala’s Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod will link North
Kerala with South Kerala.
❖ Vishu is a cultural festival celebrating one of the two harvest seasons in Kerala of India. Vishu
falls on the first day of the month of Medam in the Malayalam Calendar (April 14 or 15 in the
Gregorian calendar).
➢ Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various
development projects related to health, housing, tourism, education and urban development, worth
more than Rs 4850 crore in Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Union Territory (UT) of Dadra and
Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
• The development projects include the inauguration of the new campus of NAMO Medical
Education & Research Institute in Silvassa, and Laying the foundation stone of 96
development projects in the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
• PM inaugurated the new campus of NAMO Medical Education & Research Institute, the first
and only medical college in the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. He was
accompanied by Praful Patel, the Administrator of UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman
and Diu and Lakshadweep.
• The PM laid the foundation stone and dedicated 96 projects worth more than Rs. 4850
crores to the nation at Sayli ground, Silvassa.
➢ Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated All India Radio’s (AIR) 91 new 100W FM
Transmitters which have been installed in 85 districts across 18 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs) to
a give a further boost to radio connectivity in India.
• The States and UTs which are covered include Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal,
Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra
Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Ladakh
and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
MARCH 2023
➢ PM Inaugurates & Lays Foundation Stone of Multiple Development Projects in Shivamogga and
Belagavi, Karnataka
• PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated numerous development
projects totaling more than Rs. 3,600 crore at Shivamogga, Karnataka.
• He also inaugurated the Shivamogga Airport, a new airport built at a cost of around Rs. 450
crore. The Shivamogga airport is the 9th domestic airport in Karnataka
➢ PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated several development projects worth
over Rs. 2,700 crore in Belagavi, Karnataka, and also distributed the 13th instalment amount of around
Rs. 16,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through direct benefit
transfer (DBT) to over 8 crore beneficiaries.
• The PM-KISAN scheme provides eligible farmer families with a grant of Rs. 6,000 per year,
provided in three equal installments of Rs. 2000 each.
➢ The 3rd session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR), with the
overarching theme of “Building Local Resilience in a Changing Climate,” was inaugurated by Prime
Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on March 10, 2023, in New Delhi, Delhi.
• During the event, the PM honoured the winners of the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda
Prabandhan
• Puraskar 2023: The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and the Lunglei
Fire Station in Mizoram.

➢ PM Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the world’s longest railway platform at “Shree
Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Station” in Hubballi-Dharwad, Karnataka, which was recently
acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records.
• The railway platform is 1507 metres long and built at a cost of around Rs 20 crore.
➢ The two-day Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference 2023 was formally inaugurated by Prime
Minister (PM) Narendra Modi at Subramaniam Hall, National Agriculture Science Complex (NASC),
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Campus, PUSA New Delhi, Delhi, to promote millets
exports from India and give producers access to the market.
• Indian millets are popularly referred to as “Shree Anna” in the international market.
• The conference was organised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export
Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI).
• Following this, the PM launched a digital compendium of Indian millet (Shri Anna) startups
and a millet book, “Shree Anna: A Holistic Overview,” based on millet standards developed
by the FSSAI.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) formally declared 2023 the International
Year of Millets (IYM) following sustained efforts by India.
• In 2011-12, the major importing countries were the United States (US), Australia, Japan,
and Belgium.
• In 2021-22, the top three importers of millets from India are: Nepal (USD 6.09 million), the
United Arab Emirates (USD 4.84 million), and Saudi Arabia (USD 3.84 million).
➢ Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM, Sheikh Hasina jointly
inaugurated (virtually) the 131.5-kilometre-long India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP), the first
cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh. This marks the 2nd cross-border energy
pipeline between India and its neighbouring country.
➢ Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s new International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) Area office and Innovation Centre at a programme in Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi, Delhi.
• Other initiatives: The PM unveiled the Bharat 6G (6th Generation) Vision Document and
launched the 6G Research and development (R&D) Test Bed.
• PM also launched the ‘Call before u Dig’ App, which will reduce the instances of
unnecessary digging and damage.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The India Energy Week (IEW) 2023, the first significant occasion under India’s G20 (Group of
Twenty) Presidency, was inaugurated by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on February 6, 2023, in
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• IEW 2023 will take place from February 6 to 8, 2023, at the Bangalore International Exhibition
Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
➢ PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Helicopter Factory of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL),
India’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility, and unveiled the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) in
Tumakuru district, Karnataka.
➢ Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) unveils India’s First Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine
(H2ICE) Technology for Heavy-Duty Trucks, which was launched by PM Narendra Modi at IEW 2023 in
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
➢ PM Narendra Modi unveiled ‘E20 Fuel’ as part of the IEW 2023 event and flagged off the Green
Mobility Rally, which was organized by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on behalf of
Petronet LNG (PLL) and the oil and gas PSUs.
➢ Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi, and the Prime Minister (PM) of Singapore, Lee Hsien
Loong, took part in the virtual launch of real-time payment linkage between the Unified Payments
Interface (UPI) of India and PayNow of Singapore.
• The PayNow-UPI linkage is India’s first and Singapore’s second cross-border real-time payment
system linkage.
• Singapore is the first country to introduce a cross-border person-to-person (P2P) payment
service.

• It is also the first such linkage in the world to incorporate cloud-based infrastructure and non-
bank financial institutions.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Narendra Modi, Prime Minister (PM) virtually Inaugurates Rs 7,600 crore worth Railway
projects in West Bengal
• He dedicated 4 railway projects to the nation including Boinchi – Shaktigarh 3rd Line, Dankuni
– Chandanpur 4th Line Project, Nimtita – New Farakka Double Line and Ambari Falakata – New
Maynaguri – Gumanihat Doubling Project.
• He also flagged off the 7th Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri station and
inaugurated the Joka-Taratala-stretch of the Purple Line of Kolkata Metro.
➢ Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister (PM) of India, virtually inaugurated and addressed the
108th edition of the Indian Science Congress (ISC), also known as ISC 2023, organised at Rashtrasant
Tukadoji Maharaj (RTM) Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
LAUNCHES/INAUGURATIONS
APRIL 2023
➢ The Ministry of Textiles launched 2 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for 31 items which marked the
first technical regulation from India for the Technical Textiles industry.
• These QCOs consist of 19 Geo Textiles and 12 Protective Textiles in the Phase-I.
• The information for the same was provided by Joint Secretary, Rajeev Saxena, Ministry of
Textiles in a press conference in New Delhi, Delhi.
• These two Geo Textiles and Protective Textiles QCOs will come into effect in 180 days
immediately after the date of the publication of the orders in the gazette and both, domestic
manufacturers as well as foreign manufacturers who intend to export their products to
India.
• In Phase-II, the Ministry of Textiles plans to issue two more QCOs for 28 items that will
cover 22 agro textile products and 6 medical textile items. In Phase-III, it plans to bring over
30 technical textile items under the QCO.
➢ The Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
(MoFAHD), launched projects, ‘Animal Pandemic Preparedness Initiative’ (APPI) and World Bank
(WB)-funded ‘Animal Health System Support for One Health’ (AHSSOH), under the aegis of National One
Health Mission to improve India’s preparedness and response to potential animal pandemics.
• AHSSOH is India’s first animal pandemic response plan in collaboration with the World
Bank.
➢ Union Minister Giriraj Singh, Minister of Rural Development (MoRD), launched the “Sangathan Se
Samriddhi” campaign. It will empower marginalised rural households by bringing all eligible rural
women into Self Help Groups (SHGs).
➢ The Ministry of Finance announced that the Government will release a new commemorative coin
of Rs 100 denomination on 30th April 2023, for the 100th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
radio show Mann Ki Baat.
❖ About the coin:
• Shape: Circular
• Diameter : 44 millimetres along with 200 serrations
• Weight : 35 grams
• Metal and composition: Quaternary alloy composed of 50% silver, 40 % copper, 5 %
nickel, and 5 % zinc.
❖ Design – Front Side:
• The coin’s obverse side will have the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar at the centre with
“Satyamev Jayate” inscribed below it. “Bharat” in Devanagari script and “INDIA” in English
will be inscribed on the left and right peripherals, respectively. The coin will also feature the
Rupee symbol “₹” and “100” denomination.

❖ Design – Backside:
• On the reverse side, the logo for the 100th Episode of Mann Ki Baat will be displayed,
featuring a microphone with sound waves and the year “2023” inscribed on it. “Mann Ki
Baat 100” will be written above and below the microphone image in Devanagari and
English.
➢ Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Environment, Forest and Climate Change,
Bhupender Yadav, launched new features in eShram Portal to improve the utility of the portal and
facilitate ease of registration for unorganised workers.
• The new version also has a Data Sharing Portal (DSP) and a Data Analytics Portal.
➢ Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Cooperation, launched “IFFCO
Nano DAP(liquid)”, the world’s first liquid Nano DAP(Diammonium phosphate), developed by Indian
Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) at NewDelhi, Delhi.
• The launch of IFFCO Nano DAP (Liquid), a nano fertiliser product containing nitrogen and
phosphorus is intended to make India self-reliant in the field of food production and
fertilizers.
➢ The Union Minister Narayan Tatu Rane, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (M/o
MSME) launched the revamped Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)
Scheme in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• This launch was on the lines of an additional corpus support of Rs 9,000 crore in the Union
Budget for FY 2023-24 to CGTMSE to revamp its Scheme to provide guarantee for additional
Rs 2 lakh crore to MSEs.
• Reduction in guarantee fees for loans upto Rs 1 crore by 50% bringing the minimum
guarantee fee to the level of 0.37% pa only.
• Raising of ceiling for guarantee from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore
• Enhancing the threshold limit for claim settlement without initiation of legal action to Rs 10
lakh.
• CGTMSE will collaborate with National Institute for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(NI-MSME), Hyderabad (Telangana) for setting up a Centre of Financial Inclusion for MSME.
➢ The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the ‘City Beauty Competition’ portal
for participation of all urban local bodies (ULBs) across the country through an online process.
• The City Beauty Competition was launched by the MoHUA in December 2022.
• Objective: To encourage and recognize the transformational efforts made by cities and
wards across the country to create beautiful, innovative and inclusive public spaces.
• Knowledge partner: Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) as the knowledge partner
will provide handholding support to the Wards / ULBs / States in this exercise.
• The last date for participating in the ‘City Beauty Competition’ is July 15, 2023.
MARCH 2023
➢ On the occasion of National Science Day (28th February 2023), Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of
Science and Technology, launched the Vaibhav Fellowship Scheme for Indian Diaspora abroad at Vigyan
Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
➢ The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) approved the launch of Indian Farmers
Fertilizer Cooperative Limited’s (IFFCO) nano DAP (Di-Ammonium Phosphate) fertilizer in the market.
• In this regard, DAP manufactured by IFFCO is notified in the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO).
• FCO is an act that regulates the sale, pricing, distribution and other formalities of fertilizers
in India.
➢ The Union Minister Raj Kumar (RK) Singh, Ministry of Power launched the South Asia Distribution
Utility Network (SADUN) to modernize distribution of utilities in South Asia via knowledge sharing
among the region’s discoms (Distribution Companies), and to enable utility-to-utility (U2U) connect.
➢ Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways, inaugurated the
first of its kind business to business (B2B) Conference and Expo on Traditional Medicine under the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Guwahati, Assam.

➢ The world’s first 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier named “Bahu Balli” has been installed on
the Vani-Warora Highway in Vidarbha, Maharashtra. This offers an alternative to steel and addresses
environmental concerns and their aftermath. This marks an accomplishment towards
achieving AatmanirbharBharat.
➢ Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, released the book “India’s
Vaccine Growth Story – From Cowpox to Vaccine Maitri” authored by Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional
Secretary in the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, at the World
Book fair 2023, in New Delhi, Delhi.
➢ Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Communications and Electronics & Information
Technology released a unique cover of the Department of Posts, ‘Go Green, Go Organic’ for Sikkim.
➢ Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched
‘Swachhotsav‘, a 3-week women-led swachhata campaign, under the Swachh Bharat Mission
Urban[SBM(U)] 2.0. It was launched ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023.
• He also launched the 1st edition of Women Icons leading Sanitation & Waste Management
(WINS) Challenge-2023 during the event.
➢ Union Minister Narayan Tatu Rane, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MoMSME),
launched the MSME Competitive (LEAN) Scheme (MCLS) and National Scheduled Castes
(SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST) Conclave under MSME Champion Scheme in the event organised at the
NDMC Convention Centre, New Delhi, Delhi.
About MSME Competitive (LEAN) Scheme (MCLS):
Aim: To provide a roadmap to global competitiveness for the MSMEs of India.
Objective: To enhance the Domestic and Global Competitiveness of MSMEs through the application of
various Lean Techniques like
i. Reduction In – Rejected Rates; Product and Raw Material Movements & Product Cost
ii. Optimization Of – Space Utilization; Resources like Water, Energy, Natural Resources etc.
iii. Enhancement Of – Quality in Process and Product, Production & Export Capabilities, Workplace
Safety, Knowledge & Skills Sets, Innovative Work Culture, Social & Environmental Accountability,
Profitability, Introduction & Awareness to Industry 4.0, & Digital Empowerment
Implementation agency– Quality council of India(QCI) and National Productivity Council (NPC)
➢ Raj Kumar Singh (R K Singh), Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, launched
the Voluntary Star Labelling Programme for multi-door refrigerators, table and wall-mounted fans,
pedestal fans, and induction hobs during the event organised on the occasion of the 21st Foundation
day of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) (1st March 2023) in New Delhi, Delhi.
• He also launched the iDEEKSHA(Industrial Decarbonization and EE Knowledge-Sharing)
Portal, iDEEKSHA Newsletter and a flyer during the event.
➢ Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways(MoRTH) unveiled India’s
first and world’s second 100% methanol-powered 10-tonne prototype truck in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
➢ The 24th issue of the publication “Women and Men in India 2022” was released in New Delhi,
Delhi, by Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge [I/C]) for the Ministry of Statistics
and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
➢ Ganesh Joshi, Agriculture Minister of Uttarakhand, launched ‘Resham Keet Bima’ scheme, India’s
first programme to safeguard sericulturists. With this launch, Uttarakhand became the first Indian state
to launch a Silkworm Insurance Scheme under which crop insurance will be provided to all farmers
cultivating silkworms to produce silk.
➢ The Government of India (GoI) launched the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) for
rabies prevention and control, and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare (MoHFW), released the NRCP strategies, which are as follows:
• Provision of rabies vaccine & rabies immunoglobulin through national free drug initiatives
• Training on appropriate animal bite management, prevention and control of rabies, surveillance
and intersectoral coordination
• Strengthening surveillance of animal bites and rabies deaths reporting
• Creating awareness about rabies prevention
• Other GoI Efforts for Rabies Prevention and Control:The MoHFW and the Ministry of Fisheries,
Animal Husbandry & Dairying jointly launched the “National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated
Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) from India by 2030.”

FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, launched the ‘Save
Wetlands Campaign’, a campaign structured on a “whole of society” approach for wetlands
conservation, during the National level Celebration of World Wetlands Day at Nanda Lake in Goa.
➢ Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched “Jaadui Pitara,” a play-based learning
and teaching material for the foundational stage children in the age group of 3 to 8 years as envisioned
by the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).
➢ The “Digital Payments Utsav”, a comprehensive campaign aiming at promoting digital payments
across India, has been launched by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry for Electronics and
Information Technology (MeitY).
• He also launched the Digital Payment Sandesh Yatra, which aims to educate the public about
various digital payment solutions and the security and safety of digital transactions.
• The campaign will focus on boosting digital payments across India, particularly in the cities of
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Pune (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana), and Bengaluru
(Karnataka).
➢ The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched an AI/ML (Artificial intelligence
and machine learning)-based new Chatbot called “Aadhaar Mitra” to help people get answers to their
queries related to the Aadhaar card.
➢ Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, laid the Foundation Stone of the
world’s largest and unique ‘Divyang Park – Anubhuti Inclusive Park’ in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
➢ Himanta Biswa Sarma, CM of Assam, laid the foundation stone of 5-tonne-per-day-capacity
compressed biogas(CBG) plant, North East India’s first ever CBG plant, at Domora Pathar, Sonapur in
Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, Assam.
➢ Usha Thakur, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Religious Trust and Endowments, Government of
Madhya Pradesh (MP), inaugurated the Gandhisagar Floating Festival 2023, Asia’s first floating festival,
in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh(MP).
➢ Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science and
Technology inaugurated the International Bioresource Conclave & Ethno Pharmacology Congress at
the City Convention Centre, Imphal, Manipur.
• The International Bio-resource Conclave 2023 along with the 22nd International Congress of
the International Society for Ethno-pharmacology and the 10th International Congress of
Society for Ethno-pharmacology (ISE SFEC-2023) was held from 24th to 26th February 2023 in
Manipur.
• Theme: The events were themed upon Reimagine Ethnopharmacology: Globalisation of
Traditional Medicine.
JANUARY 2023
➢ The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)’s flagship poverty alleviation program Deendayal
Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has launched the ‘Prajjwala
Challenge’ – Unlock the Rural Economic Opportunity’ with an aim to invite ideas, solutions, and actions
that can Transform Rural Economy.
➢ The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yashwant (DY) Chandrachud launched the Electronic
Supreme Court Reports (E-SCR) project to provide free access to about 34,000 judgements of SC to
lawyers, law students and the common public.
➢ Droupadi Murmu, President of India, inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various
projects during her 2-day visit to Rajasthan from 3rd to 4th January 2023.
• She virtually inaugurated the Transmission System for Solar Energy Zones in Rajasthan and laid
the foundation stone for the 1000-megawatt (MW) Bikaner Solar Power Project.
• She also participated in the launch of a National Campaign on ‘RISE-Rising India through
Spiritual Empowerment’, organized by Brahma Kumaris at Mount Abu.

➢ Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat inaugurated the International Kite Festival 2023 at Sabarmati
Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The festival is organised by Gujarat Tourism on the G20 theme
of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
➢ Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, released the
theme for the National Science Day 2023 titled “Global Science for Global Wellbeing” at National Media
Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.
➢ Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the “Soul of Steel” Alpine Challenge to
promote tourism in border areas during the event organised as a part of the 7th Army Veterans’ Day
in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
➢ Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, unveiled the iNCOVACC,
the world’s 1st intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule and
as a heterologous booster dose, in the presence of Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for
Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh.
• It is developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) in collaboration with
Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under
the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
➢ Arti Ahuja, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), e-launched the Employees’
Provident Fund Organisation’s (EPFO) district outreach program “Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0” in all the
districts of the country.
FIRST IN INDIA
APRIL 2023
➢ Telangana launched “Telangana Cool Roof Policy 2023-2028” for all types of buildings to reduce
temperatures in Hyderabad and other urban areas in Telangana. With this launch, Telangana became
the India’s first state to introduce Cool Roof Policy.
➢ The NSE Indices Limited, a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), launched India’s first
index to track Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)
called Nifty REITs and InvITs Index.
• The Nifty REITs and InvITs index will track the performance of REITs and InvITs that are
publicly listed and traded or not listed but permitted to trade on NSE.
• Currently, the index comprises three listed REITs and three listed InvITs (total 6 securities).
• The Nifty REITs & InvITs Index has a base date of July 01, 2019, and a base value of 1000.
➢ National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has named India’s first semi high-speed
Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) as RAPIDX as it is easy to read and simple to pronounce in
various languages.
• RAPIDX, with a design speed of 182kmph, will connect Delhi with National Capital Region
(NCR), including Meerut, Alwar and Panipat.
➢ Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL) successfully conducted the trial run of India’s 1st
underwater metro train under the river bed of Hoogly through a tunnel of 32 meters below water level.
• The trial runs of the metro from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will be conducted for the next
7 months and after that regular services on this stretch will begin.
• The commercial services on this stretch are expected to begin in 2023.
➢ Kerala became the first state in India to adopt a water budget to tackle water shortage in summer.
Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister (CM) of Kerala, unveiled the details of the 1st phase of the Water
Budget in Kerala covering 94 grama panchayats in 15 block panchayats.
➢ Himachal Pradesh (HP) has become the first Indian state to develop a DNA database for
unidentified bodies. The process of creating this database started in April 2022. So far, the records of
150 DNA samples of unidentified bodies had been stored in the database.
➢ Log9 Materials, a Bengaluru (Karnataka) based nanotechnology company backed by Amara Raja
Group, inaugurated India’s first lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility at its campus in Jakkur,
Bengaluru, Karnataka. Log9’s commercial Li-ion cell production facility will have an initial capacity of
50 Megawatt hours (MWh).
➢ India’s and Asia’s first mobile biosafety level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory named ‘Rapid Action
Mobile BSL-3 Advanced Augmented Network (RAMBAAN)’, designed to investigate emerging viral

infections was showcased at the second G-20(Group of 20) Health Working Group meeting held in
Panaji, Goa.
MARCH 2023
➢ Arti Ahuja, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), e-launched the Employees’
Provident Fund Organisation’s (EPFO) district outreach program “Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0” in all the
districts of the country.
➢ India’s 1st Container Feeder Service launched Between Chennai-Puducherry ports; Hope Seven
flagged off from Chennai
• A short-haul coastal container feeder service, first of its kind in India, was launched between
Chennai – Puducherry ports. The container feeder ship, Hope Seven, with a container capacity
of 106 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), was flagged off by service between Chennai and
Puducherry ports flagged off by Sunil Paliwal, Chairman of Chennai Port Trust at D P World
Terminal at the Chennai Port.
• The coastal feeder service is a step forward towards the ambitious Sagarmala Project of the
government of India.
➢ Deakin University from Australia is set to become the first foreign university to set up a campus in
India. The independent campus will be established in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City)
in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
➢ The government of Uttarakhand is set to establish India’s first government mother milk bank, a
facility that can ensure to provide the nutritional elements of mothers’ milk to newborns.
• This announcement was made by Uttarakhand Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat during
the Emerging Leaders of Garhwal program of Amar Ujala.
➢ NTPC Limited (NTPC), India’s state-owned power company, has installed the nation’s first Air-
Cooled Condenser (ACC) at its North Karanpura supercritical thermal plant in Jharkhand, which would
aid in water conservation.
• On March 1, 2023, NTPC started commercial operation of the first unit of 660 MW in North
Karanpura (3 X 660 MW), in Jharkhand.
• With this, the standalone and group commercial capacity of NTPC will become 58979 MW and
71594 MW respectively.
➢ India’s 1st quantum computing-based telecom network link is now operational between Sanchar
Bhawan and the National Informatics Centre(NIC) office located in Central Government Offices (CGO)
Complex in New Delhi, Delhi.
➢ National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise
(CPSE), under the Ministry of Mines and India’s leading manufacturer and exporter of alumina and
aluminium, has released the Bauxite Certified Reference Material (CRM) – BARC B1201 the 1st of its
kind CRM in India and 5th in the World, in NALCO Research & Technology Centre, Bhubaneswar,
Odisha.
• BARC B1201 was jointly developed by NALCO in collaboration with the National Centre for
Compositional Characterization of Materials (NCCCM), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC),
Hyderabad(Telangana).
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Geological Survey of India (GSI), an attached office to the Ministry of Mines, has discovered lithium
inferred resources(G3) for the first time in India. A 5.9 million tonnes of lithium inferred resources have
been established at Salal-Haimana in the Reasi district of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and
Kashmir(J&K).
➢ Roshi Augustine, Kerala’s Minister of Water Resources, launched a robotic scavenger “Bandicoot”, in
Guruvayur in Thrissur district, Kerala and noted that the robotic technology would be extended
throughout the state.
➢ Karnataka Chief Minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai confirmed that Karnataka is set to get India’s
1st Marina to promote coastal tourism during the event “Seven Wonders of Karnataka” hosted under
the Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka.

➢ Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that India’s first hydrogen train will be
designed and manufactured in India by December 2023, as the Union Budget 2023–24 focuses on
green growth.
➢ Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology and the Atomic Energy and
Space, Jitendra Singh mentioned about the upcoming installation of North India’s 1st Nuclear Plant
‘Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana’ (GHAVP) near Gorakhpur village in Fatehabad, Haryana.
• GHAVP’s two units of 700 MWe capacity each of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)
indigenous design are under implementation.
➢ The Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) near Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has been chosen by the
joint venture (JV) of Indian conglomerate Vedanta and electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn to set
up their semiconductor and display manufacturing facility.
• It is India’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility.
➢ Ganeshi Lal, Governor of Odisha, launched “Ama KrushAI”, India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-
powered ChatBot for the agriculture sector, at the valedictory session of ‘Krushi Odisha 2023’.
JANUARY 2023
➢ The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) announced that the East-West Metro Corridor
project, India’s first underwater metro service, in Kolkata will be completed by December 2023.
➢ NTPC Ltd. (formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited), India’s state-
owned and largest energy conglomerate, has launched India’s first green hydrogen-blending operation
in the piped natural gas (PNG) network of its Kawas township in Surat, Gujarat.
➢ ‘Purple Fest: Celebrating Diversity’ (Purple Fest 2023), India’s 1st of its kind inclusive festival
commenced at the Entertainment Society of Goa in Panaji, Goa.
➢ Kerala has become the first state in India to go fully digital in its banking service. It was declared
by the Chief Minister (CM) of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan during an event.
➢ Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and
Fertilisers, announced that India’s largest and 1st coal gasification-based Talcher Fertiliser
Project in Odisha will be ready to be dedicated to India by October 2024.
➢ ReNew Power (“ReNew”), one of India’s largest independent power producers (IPPs) for
renewable energy, has announced the installation of India’s first 3x-platform wind turbine generators
(WTGs) at Gadag, Karnataka.
➢ Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, stated about the launch of India’s first Centre of
Excellence (CoE) in Online Gaming at Shillong, Meghalaya by March 2023.
➢ Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, who is on a three-day
visit to Abu Dhabi, and UAE’s (United Arab Emirates) Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Al
Mazrouei, signed the agreement on cooperation in the field of Green Hydrogen Development and
Investment.
• They also discussed the launch of a sub-sea cable between India and the UAE under the Mission,
‘ONE SUN, ONE WORLD, ONE GRID INITIATIVE’, which is announced by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
➢ Captain Surbhi Jakhmola, an Indian Army officer from 117 Engineer Regiment, has been posted in the
Project Dantak of Bhutan, she becomes the 1st woman officer to be posted on a foreign assignment at
the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
LONGEST, LARGEST, HIGHEST

APRIL 2023
➢ Mr. Ajit Kumar Thakur, CEO of Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL), announced that the
company has completed the construction of Asia’s largest underwater hydrocarbon pipeline.
• This pipeline, with a diameter of 24 inches, has been laid below the Brahmaputra River,
connecting Jorhat and Majuli in Assam by using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
method.

• The total length of this single HDD crossing is 4,080 metres across the main water channel of
the Brahmaputra River, making it the longest river crossing by any hydrocarbon pipeline of size
24-inch diameter and above in Asia and the second longest in the world.
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
➢ Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha, inaugurated the Birsa Munda International
Hockey Stadium, India’s largest hockey stadium, in terms of seated (chair) capacity of 20,000, in
Rourkela, Odisha.
• The stadium is inaugurated ahead of the 15th Fédération Internationale de Hockey(FIH) Hockey
World Cup – FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 which is scheduled to be held from 13th
to 29th January 2023 in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, Odisha.
• Rourkela is the 2nd venue for the international event after the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar,
Odisha.
➢ Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, flagged off the ‘MV Ganga Vilas’, the world’s longest river
cruise in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• The 51-day luxury cruise, passing through 27 river systems, will cover a distance of 3,200 km
from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam, via Bangladesh.
• MV Ganga Vilas, the first of its kind cruise service, is supported by the Inland Waterways
Authority of India (IWAI) under Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways (MoPSW).
➢ As per the statement of Pontsho Maruping, Chairperson of the South African Council for Space
Affairs, the launch of world’s first agriculture-focused satellite, AgriSAT-1 /ZA 008 is expected to
generate over USD 100 million in revenue for South Africa.
• It was launched by Dragonfly Aerospace on a Space X Falcon 9 rocket. Being the world’s first
agriculture-focused satellite, it will provide high-quality data to the agriculture and forestry
industry for efficient and sustainable practices.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
APRIL 2023
➢ 8th April 2023, the Ministry of Finance marked the 8th anniversary of the launch of the Pradhan
Mantri MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) Yojana (PMMY).
• PMMY was launched on 8th April 2015 by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in New
Delhi, Delhi.
❖ Features of PMMY:
• Food Subsidy to Food Corporation of India (FCI) for NFSA
• The loans have been divided into three categories based on the need for finance and the
stage in the maturity of the business.
Shishu – loans up to Rs 50,000
Kishore – loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh
Tarun – loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh
• The rate of interest is decided by lending institutions in terms of Reserve Bank of
India(RBI) guidelines.
• In the case of a working capital facility, interest is charged only on money held overnight
by the borrower.
• As of 24th March 2023, around Rs 23.2 lakh crore has been sanctioned in 40.82 crore
loan accounts.

• Around 68% of the accounts under the scheme belong to women entrepreneurs and
51% of accounts belong to entrepreneurs of Scheduled Caste (SC) / Scheduled Tribes
(ST) and other backward classes (OBC) categories.
• The loans under this scheme are provided by Member Lending Institutions (MLIs):
Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs)
and other financial intermediaries.
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
➢ GoI has introduced a new Integrated Food Security Scheme beginning January 1, 2023, to supply
free food grains to more than 81.35 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA),
2013.
❖ The new integrated scheme will subsume two present food subsidy schemes run by the
Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), MoCA and F&PD. They are:
• Food Subsidy to Food Corporation of India (FCI) for NFSA
• Food Subsidy for Decentralized Procurement States, which deals with procuring,
allocating, and delivering free food grains to the states under the NFSA.
❖ Under the scheme, the GoI will distribute free foodgrains to all NFSA beneficiaries, including
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households and Priority Household (PHH) people, for 2023
through a network of 5.33 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPS) across India.
• Fair Price Shops (FPS), also known as “Ration Shops” in rural and urban areas, are stores
that provide substantial subsidies on essential food commodities.
❖ Free foodgrains will ensure uniform implementation of portability under ‘One Nation, One
Ration Card’ (ONORC) across India, thereby strengthening this choice-based platform.
The GoI will incur a food subsidy of more than Rs. 2 lakh crore in 2023.
➢ The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) has discontinued the ‘Padho Pardesh – Scheme of
Interest Subsidy On Educational Loans for Overseas Studies for The Students Belonging to The Minority
Communities’.
• The scheme was implemented by Canara Bank, which served as the scheme’s designated nodal
bank, and will be phased out in 2022-23.
OTHERS
APRIL 2023
➢ Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, approved the amendments of the Competition Act, 2002,
that seek to cover global deals by digital multinational companies (MNCs) under local laws.
• The Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed after Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman moved as many as 13 official amendments to the Bill.
• Following the amendment, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) will now have the
power to impose penalties on MNCs for violations based on their international revenue.
• The Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022 aims to regulate transactions made by
international digital companies, provided that the entities involved have a strong
business presence in India.
• The amendments also provide for the settlement of minor violations.
• According to the bill, entities are expected to seek approval from the Competition
Commission if the deal value exceeds Rs 2000 crore and if both companies (acquiring
and the target) have substantial business operations in India.
➢ Nirmala Sitharaman, the union minister of finance, announced in the union budget for 2023–
2024, the revamping of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro & Small Enterprises (MSE) with effect
from 1st April 2023.

• It is revamped with an infusion of Rs 9,000 crore to the corpus to enable an additional
Rs 2 lakh crore in collateral-free guaranteed credit and the reduction in the cost of the
credit by about 1%.
• On 30th March 2023, Rs 8,000 crore was infused into the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust
for Micro & Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) corpus. CGTMSE created a new landmark by
approving guarantees totalling Rs 1 lakh crore during the financial year (FY) 2022–23.
• The limit on the ceiling for guarantees has been enhanced from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore.
➢ The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) celebrated the 5th Poshan Pakhwada
nationwide from 20th March to 3rd April 2023 to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition
and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan (People’s Movement) and Jan Bhagidari
(People’s Participation).
• The theme of Poshan Pakhwada 2023 is “Nutrition for All: Together Towards a Healthy
India”.
• The Ministry of Women & Child Development will be the nodal Ministry for coordinating
activities during the Poshan Pakhwada.
➢ India becomes the first country in the world to estimate tuberculosis (TB) burden in-country and
launch its country-level mathematical model to estimate the prevalence of TB cases in India.
• The mathematical model to estimate TB cases was launched in the 36th Stop TB
Partnership Board meeting (participated by delegates from 40 countries) at the One
World TB summit 2023 which was held in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh from 23- 26 March
2023.
➢ The Government of India (GoI) has given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to 33 new products
from different states, including Bihar (1), Uttar Pradesh (10), Madhya Pradesh (1), Chhattisgarh (1), and
Tamil Nadu (11), as well as the Union Territories (UT) of Ladakh (1) and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) (8).
• The total number of GI Tags in India has risen to 465.
• Products that have received the GI Tag :
Geographical Indications Goods/Products State
Marcha Rice (Mircha Rice) Agricultural Bihar
Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf) Agricultural
Banaras Langda Aam (Mango) Agricultural
Ramnagar Bhanta (Brinjal) Agricultural
Adamchini Chawal (Rice) Agricultural
Aligarh Tala Handicraft
Bakhira Brassware Handicraft
Banda Shazar Patthar Craft Handicraft
Nagina Wood Craft Handicraft
Pratapgarh Aonla Agricultural
Hathras Hing Food Stuffs Uttar Pradesh
Rewa Sunderja Mango Agricultural Madhya Pradesh
Ladakh Shingskos (Wood Carving) Handicraft Ladakh (UT)
Nagri Dubraj (rice) Agriculture Chhattisgarh
Manapparai murukku Food Stuffs
Cumbum panneer thratchai (grapes) Agriculture
Marthandam honey Natural Goods
Ooty varkey Food Stuffs
Manamadurai pottery Handicraft Tamil Nadu (TN)

Salem sago (javvarisi) Food Stuffs
Authoor vetrilai Agriculture
Negamam cotton saree Textiles
Myladi stone carvings Handicraft
Thaikkal Rattan craft Handicraft
Sholavandan Vetrilai Agriculture
Basohli painting Handicraft
Basohli Pashmina Woolen Products Textiles
Rajouri Chikri wood craft Handicraft
Bhaderwah rajmash Agriculture
Mushqbudji Rice Agriculture
Udhampur Kaladi (Dairy Product) Food Stuffs
Ramban Sulai Honey Agriculture
Ramban Anardana Agriculture Jammu & Kashmir
➢ The Government of India (GoI) has announced a plan to install 250 gigawatts (GW) of renewable
energy (RE) capacity over the next 5 years in order to meet its target of 500 GW of clean energy by
2030.
➢ Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, announced that the
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has entered into a partnership with Amazon India in
the field of media, entertainment and public awareness.
• The Letter of Engagement (LoE) between MIB and Amazon India will lead to a
multidimensional partnership between various organizations under MIB and various
verticals of Amazon.
• This includes the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), Prasar
Bharati, Publications Division, and the media training institutions of the Film &
Television Institute of India (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI)
under MIB.
• Amazon Prime Video (APV), Alexa, Amazon Music, Amazon e-marketplace, and IMDb of
Amazon.
➢ According to a list published by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the Ministry of Power,
West Bengal Power Development Corporation (WBPDCL) has ranked best performing power
generation company in the country for the financial year 2022-23 (FY23).
• WBPDCL has been ranked India’s best power generation corporation with PLF (Plant
Load Factor) of 85.23% followed by Odisha Power Corporation with 76.93 % , NTPC
(coal based station)- 75.9% and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) at 73.42%.
• Top 5 Power plants of India:
o Birbhum’s Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station (TPS) of WBPDCL has been
ranked number one (PLF- 92.38%), Purulia’s Santaldih TPS has been ranked
second (PLF-91.37%) followed by Murshidabad’s Sagardighi TPS at fifth position
(PLF-89.39%).
o NTPC Korba has ranked third with 91.15 percent PLF and NTPC Vindyachal
ranked fourth with 89.54 percent PLF.
➢ The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) notified the amendment of the
Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021[IT
Rules 2021], related to online gaming and spread of false and misleading information regarding
government business.

• The amended rules will be known as the Information Technology (Intermediary
Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 [IT Amendment
Rules, 2023].
• In accordance with the 2023 amendment, MeitY is given the authority to establish a
“fact-checking unit” with broad power to ascertain what is “fake, false, or misleading” in
relation to “any business of the Union Government.”
• The fake, false or misleading information will be identified by the notified Fact Check
Unit of the Central Government.
• Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State(MoS) for MeitY stated that the fact-
checking unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the “preferred agency” for the
task and other government-appointed fact-checking organisations may also be notified
in future.
➢ Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre (JCBC), the world’s 1st conservation and breeding
centre developed exclusively for the conservation of the Asian king vulture in Maharajganj district in
Uttar Pradesh (UP) is set to be inaugurated by UP Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath on the occasion
of International Vulture Awareness Day (first Saturday of September).
• The Asian king vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), often known as the red-headed
vulture (also known as the Indian black vulture or Pondicherry vulture and it is
critically endangered and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
➢ According to data presented in parliament on March 27, 2023 by the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Gujarat had the highest utilization-to-released fund ratio of
Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds in the fiscal year 2022-23
(FY23), while Rs. 66 crores were allocated to the state; it utilized Rs. 95.77 crore, or 145.11%.
• Other major states with the greatest utilisation-to-released-fund ratios are Jharkhand
(128.45%), Karnataka (127.76%), Kerala(122.33%), West Bengal (113.54%), and Tamil
Nadu(112.86%).
➢ President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2023,
which aims to amend the Competition Act, 2002, that regulates competition in the Indian market and
forbids anti-competitive practices like cartels, mergers, and acquisitions that might have a negative
impact on competition.
• This Act may be referred to as the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023, and it will go
into effect on the date that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) “appoints” for the
amended law to take effect.
❖ Highlights of the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2023
• The Competition Amendment Bill 2023 suggests a number of amendments to the
Competition Act of 2002, including reducing the window for evaluating combinations,
broadening the scope of anti-competitive agreements, and changing the penalties.
• Under the new bill, Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) for more than Rs. 2,000 crore
must be reported to the CCI, if the acquired entity has significant business operations in
India.
• The amended law calls for the CCI to appoint a Director General (DG) [Investigation] in
addition to shortening the M&A clearance timelines (from 210 days to 150 days). The
DG (Investigation) has so far been appointed by the GoI.
• The bill proposes to define ‘turnover’ for the purposes of the penalty as global turnover
resulting from all products and services provided by a person or an entity.
➢ The Geographical Indication (GI) Tag has been granted by the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry (MoC&I) to several products of Madhya Pradesh (MP), which include 5 handcrafts product, 1
Agricultural product, 1 Food stuff, 1 Textile product.
• The 5 handicraft products include Gond Painting of Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior Handmade
Carpet, Bhedaghat stone craft (Jabalpur), wrought iron crafts (Dindori), and Waraseoni
handloom sarees & Fabrics (Balaghat).
• Sharbati Gehu (wheat which is also called The Golden Grain), registered by the GI
Registry in the agricultural product category.
• Morena Gajak, a kind of sweet, has received the GI tag in the food ingredient category.
• Ujjain Batik print has received the GI tag in the textile category.

➢ The Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) was accorded the status of Miniratna Category-I
Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).
• A communication to this effect has been issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy (MNRE).
• It is the only CPSU dedicated to the Solar Energy Sector.
➢ As per the data by the Centre of Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) Private Limited, India’s
employment rate has been increased to 36.9% in March 2023 quarter from 36.6% in December 2022
quarter.
• Between July-September 2022 and January-March 2023, about 15 million people joined
the labour force.
➢ The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), and
the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) agreed to connect Atal Tinkering Labs
(ATLs) with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMAs)
under the initiative.
➢ The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) increased the
guarantee coverage ceiling under its Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for MSEs from Rs 2 crore to Rs 5
crore per borrower for credit facilities extended by lending institutions to Micro and Small Enterprises
(MSEs).
➢ Union Minister Arjun Munda, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) launched MoTA’s new Central
Sector Scheme (CSS) – ‘Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products from
North -Eastern Region (PTP-NER)’ for the benefit of Scheduled Tribes (STs) of NER, during a function at
Auditorium of Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) in Imphal, Manipur.
• For the implementation of the scheme, a substantial Budget of around Rs. 143 Crore has
been allocated.
❖ Aim of Scheme:
• To strengthen livelihood opportunities for NER’s artisans from Scheduled Tribes (STs)
through increased efficiency in procurement, logistics and marketing of tribal products
from North Eastern states.
❖ Coverage:
• Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and
Sikkim are among the states that will be covered by the programme.
❖ Partners of Scheme:
• North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC), a
corporation under the administrative control of the Ministry of Development of North
Eastern Region (MDoNER).
• India Post under the Department of Posts
• North Eastern State Government Departments/ Agencies
➢ The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has launched the fifth phase of the Regional Connectivity
Scheme (RCS) – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) or UDAN 5.0, to improve the connectivity of the
country’s regional territories, after four successful rounds of bidding.
➢ On the occasion of International Mother Earth Day (Earth Day) 2023 (22nd April 2023), the
Forest Department, Government of Rajasthan announced 3 new conservation reserves that will protect
the rare and endangered wildlife of Rajasthan.
• The 3 new wildlife conservation reserves are Sorsan in Baran, Khichan in Jodhpur, and
Hamirgarh in Bhilwara.
• With the declaration of 3 new conservation reserves, the total number of reserves in
Rajasthan has now reached 26.
MARCH 2023
➢ GST (Goods and Service Tax) Council, chaired by Nirmala Sitaraman, Union Minister of Finance, has
agreed to reduce the GST rate on pencil sharpeners, liquid jaggery and examination institutions during
its 49th meeting on February 18, 2023.
• GST rate on pencil sharpeners has been reduced to 12% from 18% earlier, with effect
from March 1, 2023.

• GST rate on liquid jaggery will attract GST at the rate of 5% from 18% earlier.
➢ Tamil Nadu (TN) Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to develop a comprehensive Urban Cooling programme in
Tamil Nadu to meet the objectives under the TN State Action Plan on Climate Change.
➢ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and NITI (National Institution for Transforming
India) Aayog organized a hybrid hackathon, called ‘LIFEathon’ to promote sustainable living and
climate-positive behavior by creating a pro-planet network.
• It was inaugurated by UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and NITI Aayog Vice
Chairperson Suman Bery.
➢ GSTN empanels 4 private Companies to provide e-Invoice Registration
• On the recommendation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, the Goods and
Service Tax Network (GSTN) has launched e-Invoice Registration Services through
multiple private Invoice Registration Portals (IRPs) as another step towards further
digitization of the business process flow.
• The Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) has enlisted 4 private companies.
• Enlisted Firms:
• Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY), Clear (formerly ClearTax), Cygnet Infotech Pvt. Ltd.,
and IRIS Business Services Limited; were enlisted for providing e-invoice (electronic
invoicing) registration services to all GST taxpayers of India.
• GST e-Invoice:
• GST e-invoice is the introduction of the development of the digital invoice for goods and
services rendered by the business firm and produced at the official GST portal.
• Businesses must create electronic or e-invoices for all business-to-business (B2B)
transactions if their annual revenue is Rs 10 crore and above.
➢ DCA Issues “Endorsements Know-Hows!” Guidelines to Hold Celebrities, Influencers, And Virtual
Influencers on Social Media Platforms Accountable
• A set of guidelines titled “Endorsements Know-Hows!”: For Celebrities, Influencers &
Virtual Influencers on Social Media Platforms, has been released by the Department of
Consumer Affairs (DCA), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution (MoCA, F&PD).
➢ The Indian School of Business (ISB) is collaborating with the National Skill Development
Corporation (NSDC), under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), as a
knowledge partner for the G-20 Education Working Group (EWG).
➢ The Ministry of Power (MoP) has mandated that new coal/lignite-based thermal plants either
establish renewable energy capacity equivalent to at least 40% of the plant’s capacity or procure that
much green energy under a Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).
➢ Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has become the 1st metro in India to accept the Central Bank
Digital Currency (CBDC) issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
➢ Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister (CM) of Madhya Pradesh (MP), announced the formation of a
new district named Mauganj, with this the total number of districts in MP becomes 53.
➢ Department of Consumer Affairs announced that the sale of hallmarked gold jewellery or gold
artefacts without a 6 digit alphanumeric HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification) number, consisting of
alphabets and numbers, will not be allowed after 31st March 2023 i.e, from 1st April 2023 onwards.
Following this, the sale of jewellery with a 4-digit HUID number will also be stopped on April 1.
➢ The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
(MoSPI), Government of India (GoI), in its 78th round survey, carried out the ‘Multiple Indicator Survey
(MIS)’ for the 1st time to cater the requirements of various national indicators of SDGs (Sustainable
Development Goals).
• The key findings of the survey have been incorporated into a report titled ‘Report on
Multiple Indicator Survey, 2020–21″ (NSS Report No. 589).
➢ Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog,
Government of India (GoI), launched ATL Sarthi, a comprehensive self-monitoring framework, to
strengthen the ever-growing ecosystem of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).

•
As the name suggests, Sarthi is a charioteer and ATL Sarthi will enable the ATLs to be
efficient and effective.
• ii. It has 4 pillars: Cluster-based Approach, Performance Enablement (PE) Matrix
Framework, MyATL Dashboard, and ATL Compliance Guidelines
• Cluster-based Approach- To enable better monitoring the on-ground and sustainable
way of assessing ATLs.
• Performance Enablement (PE) Matrix Framework- To enable self-evaluation of the ATL.
• MyATL Dashboard- It enables ATLs to regularly report their tinkering activities online.
• ATL Compliance Guidelines- AIM has set up a detailed standard operating procedure
(SOP) to be followed by AIM to guide schools to comply with both financial and non-
financial guidelines.
➢ According to the ‘Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022’, the 23rd series of annual publication of
the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry &
Dairying (MoFAHD), India’s milk production increased to 221.06 million tonnes (MT) in the financial
year 2021-22 (FY22) from 209.96 MT in FY21 registering an annual growth of 5.29%.
Top 5 MLPs Production States and their contribution:
Rank Milk Egg Meat Wool
Andhra
Rajasthan Pradesh Maharashtra
1 (15.05%) (20.41%) (12.25%) Rajasthan (45.91%)
Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir
2 (14.93%) (16.08%) (12.14%) (23.19%)
Madhya Pradesh Telangana West Bengal
3 (8.60%) (12.86%) (11.63%) Gujarat (6.12%)
West Bengal Andhra Pradesh
4 Gujarat (7.56%) (8.84%) (11.04%) Maharashtra (4.78%)
Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Himachal Pradesh
5 (6.97%) (6.38%) Telangana (10.82%) (4.33%)
5 states Contribution in India’s
total production 53.11% 64.56% 57.86% 84.32%
➢ Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (Ministry of
Ayush) and the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) signed an MoU to collaborate in developing
skilled personnel by providing training to rural poor youth and women for the Ayush Healthcare
system under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).
➢ According to a report entitled “Lion at 2047: A Vision for Amrutkal” prepared by the Wildlife
Institute of India (WII) for the Gujarat government, the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) has been
identified as a suitable location for relocating a population of 40 adult and sub-adult Asiatic lions from
Gir National Park (NP).
➢ Government of India (GoI) announced the sites for setting up of 7 PM Mega Integrated Textile
Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks for the Textile industry in the states of Tamil Nadu (TN),
Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Maharashtra.
➢ ‘Kashi’ has been declared the First Tourism & Cultural Capital of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) at the Meeting of Heads of SCO Tourism Administrations held in Kashi, Varanasi,
Uttar Pradesh.
➢ Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister (CM) of Rajasthan announced the state government’s decision for the
formation of 19 new districts and 3 new divisional headquarters in the State.
• Key Points: New Districts: The 19 new districts include Anoopgarh (Ganganagar);
Balotra (Barmer); Beawar (Ajmer); Kekri (Ajmer); Deeg (Bharatpur); Deedwana-
Kuchaman (Nagaur); Dudu (Jaipur); Gangapur City (Sawai Madhopur); Jaipur North;
Jaipur South; Jodhpur East; Jodhpur West; Kotputli-Behror (Jaipur-Alwar); khairthal
(Alwar); Neem kaThana (Sikar); Phalodi (Jodhpur); Salumber (Udaipur); Sanchore
(Jalore); and Shahpura (Bhilwara).

• 3 new divisional headquarters: Banswara, Pali and Sikar
➢ Gujarat Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR) ruled that Tobacco coated with natural edible gum and
sold in personalised gunny bags would attract 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) and 71%
compensation cess.
➢ The Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Government of Odisha has issued a
notification declaring the Gandhamardan Hill Range in Bargarh and Balangir district as a Biodiversity
Heritage Site (BHS).
• This is the 3rd BHS of Odisha after Mandasuru Gorge , Kandhamal district in 2019 and
Mahendragiri Hill Range ,Gajapati district in 2022.
• Gandhamardan Hills has become the 37th biodiversity heritage site of India.
➢ According to the notification dated 27th March 2023, the Pension Fund Regulatory and
Development Authority (PFRDA) has amended the PFRDA (Redressal of Subscriber Grievance)
Regulations 2015 and increased the upper age limit of the Ombudsman from 65 to 70 years.
➢ The Central Board of Trustees (CBT), the apex decision-making body of the Employees’
Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), has proposed a new interest rate of 8.15% for Provident Fund
deposits for the current fiscal year 2022-23 (FY23), to nearly 6 crore subscribers.
• This proposed interest rate (8.15%) is 0.05 % higher than the 8.10% interest rate of
FY22, which is the lowest in four decades.
➢ Uneecops Technologies Limited, a Delhi-based company specialising in green hydrogen and solar
development, announced its plans to set up the First green hydrogen microgrid project in Leh Region
(Ladakh). This is a pioneering initiative that is expected to revolutionise sustainable energy solutions in
the region and pave the way for similar projects in the future.
• The project involves setting up a 25kWe(Kilowatt-electric) green hydrogen-based fuel
cell microgrid for a guest house located at the Power Station in Alchi, Leh, which is one
of the most challenging terrains in India.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ In the midst of the geopolitical unrest brought on by the conflict in Ukraine, India, France, and
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have announced an ambitious roadmap for cooperation in a wide
range of fields, including defence, energy, and technology under a trilateral framework.
❖ Proposed Actions to Support the Framework:
• A number of trilateral events will be organized to assist the efforts during the G20
Presidency of India and the hosting of 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP
28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by the UAE in 2023,
respectively.
• The three nations also decided to enhance their cooperation through projects like the
Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership, headed by India & France, and the Mangrove Alliance for
Climate (MAC), led by the UAE.
➢ Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister (CM) Shivraj Singh Chouhan released 12 cheetahs into the
Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur, MP. The cheetahs include 7 males and 5 females from South
Africa (SA).
• While 8 cheetahs were put up in separate quarantine enclosures, 4 others were kept in
two bomas in pairs.
• Now, the total number of Cheetahs in KNP has increased to 20.
➢ Central Government (Govt) has formed a 12-member Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Unit (CSCU)
panel headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to monitor the implementation of the government’s
National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) or Mission Karmayogi for training
government employees.
➢ The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) has approved the commercial release
of nano-diammonium phosphate (nano-DAP), which is intended to minimise fertiliser subsidy and
import dependence.
➢ Chief Minister (CM) of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, stated that Visakhapatnam will be
declared as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh during the International Diplomatic Alliance Meet, a
curtain-raiser event for the Global Investors Summit, held in New Delhi, Delhi.

➢ Wildlife enthusiasts and forest officials have sighted 145 different bird species during the first-
ever Sundarban Bird Festival, organised by the Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) and South 24 Parganas
division of West Bengal Forest Department.
➢ Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the following acquisition and mergers,
• Acquisition of 100% equity and preference shares of Lanco Anpara Power Limited by Megha
Engineering and Infrastructures Limited Group.
• Internal restructuring involving certain subsidiaries of Keimed Private Limited.
• Acquisition of 20% equity share capital of Keimed by Shobana Kamineni through Prime Time
Logistics Technologies Private Limited.
• Acquisition of the textile effects business of Huntsman International by Archroma Operations
S.à.r.l.
• Subscription of Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares of Hero Future Energies Global
Limited by Ardor Holdings II Pte. Ltd.
• Acquisition of up to 25% shareholding in Hindustan Ports Private Limited (HPPL), by the
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund(NIIF) and the proposed merger of Hindustan
Infralog Private Limited (HIPL) into HPPL.
JANUARY 2023
➢ GoI has approved the Print and Digital Media Association (PADMA) as a self-regulatory body for
publishers of news and current affairs across India.
➢ Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras has created a ‘centre of excellence’ named ‘DRDO
Industry Academia-Ramanujan Centre of Excellence’ (DIA-RCoE) at a campus unit set up by the
DRDO to develop advanced technologies for national defence and security.
➢ On 4th January 2023, the Zeliangrong or Kabui Community of Manipur celebrated the Gaan-Ngai
festival to bring peace, prosperity and unity to the people of Manipur. The festival also marks the
beginning of the new year and bids farewell to the old year.
➢ Kerala Chief Minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Palm leaf Manuscript Museum with
modern audio-visual technology at the renovated Central Archives, Fort area in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala.
• The Museum, promoted as “World’s First Palm-Leaf Manuscript Museum” was set up by the
Archives Department in association with the Kerala Museum of History and Heritage at a cost of
Rs 3 crore.
➢ GoI has allotted Rs. 1037.90 crore for the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), a centrally
sponsored programme (CSS), for a 5-year period, from fiscal years 2022-23 (FY23) to 2026-27 (FY27).
• The NILP was approved by the Ministry of Education (MoE) in 2022 to cover all aspects of adult
education in accordance with the new National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) for the next
five years, from FY23 to FY27.
➢ The Sustainability Reporting Standards Board (SRSB) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
of India (ICAI) released Standard on Sustainability Assurance Engagements (SSAE) 3000, “Assurance
Engagements on Sustainability Information.”
• Note: Sanjeev Singhal is the Chairman of the Sustainability Reporting Standards Board (SRSB),
ICAI.
➢ As per the Appellate Authority for Advance Rulings (AAAR), the cultivation of mangroves is
different from agriculture and will not be exempted from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It will
attract 18% GST.
➢ The Government of India (GoI) has launched U-WIN, a platform to digitize India’s Universal
Immunization Program (UIP) in a pilot mode in two districts from each State and Union Territory
(UT).
➢ A tripartite agreement has been inked between the NITI (National Institution for Transforming
India) Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM); Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)-
Ministry of Education (MoE); and Intel India to bring a change in the education sector by utilizing future
skills, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), in the formal curriculum.
➢ The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) notified that the government had
established 3 Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs), with 3 members each, to address the grievances

of the users against the content moderation decisions of social media platforms such as Twitter and
Facebook in India.
❖ The GACs are established based on the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and
Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules 2021”) amended in October 2022.
❖ Member of GACs:
i.The 3 GACs will have a chairperson and 2 whole time members.
ii.The chairperson will be a government official while the members are retired government
officials and senior executives from different industries.
iii.The members of the committee are appointed for a 3 years term.
GAC Chairperson (ex officio) Members
Ashutosh Shukla, Retired Indian Police Service
(IPS)officer.
Rajesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Sunil Soni, former Chief General Manager and
Panel Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Chief Information Officer of Punjab National
1 Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) Bank(PNB).
Retired Commodore Sunil Kumar Gupta, Former
Director (Personnel Services), Naval
Headquarters, Indian Navy
Panel Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary in charge of Policy and Kavindra Sharma, the former vice-president
2 Administration Division, MeitY. (consulting) of L&T Infotech Limited
Sanjay Goel, Former Indian Railway Traffic
Service (Retired)
Krishnagiri Ragothamarao Murali Mohan, former

Panel Kavita Bhatia, Senior scientist at the Ministry of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of
3 Electronics and Information Technology. IDBI Intech Limited
➢ The Ministry of Education (MoE) released the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)
2020-2021.
• Total students’ enrolment in higher education in 2020-21 increased to around 4.14 crore
(crossing the 4-crore mark for the 1st time) from 3.85 crore in 2019-20 with an increase of
7.5% from 2019-20 and 21% from 2014-15. Increase of 7.5% from 2019-20 and 21% from
2014-15.
• A total of 2.12 crore (51.3%) male and 2.01 crore (48.7%) female students were enrolled in
Higher Education.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education for the age group 18-23 years in 2020-21, is
estimated to be 27.3, as compared to 25.6 in 2019-20.
• Gender Parity Index (GPI) i.e., the ratio of female GER to male GER, has increased from 1 in
2017-18 to 1.05 in 2020-21.
• The top 6 States in terms of Student Enrolment are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,
Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan.
IMPORTANT ONE LINER

APRIL 2023
➢ Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra Tea got a European Union (EU) Geographical Indication Tag (GI Tag).
This will offer an opportunity for the Kangra tea to enter the European Market. The Kangra tea received
the Indian GI tag in 2005.
➢ Chennai (Tamil Nadu) based Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is set to establish its first
International campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania and plans to start the classes in October 2023. This will be
the first IIT established in Africa.

➢ RINL (Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited), also known as Vizag Steel, bagged the Ministry of Steel’s
“Ispat Rajbhasha Samman” First Prize for the year 2021-22.
MARCH 2023
➢ Himachal Pradesh (HP) has become the 1st state in India to begin the commercial cultivation of
Liquorice (Mulethi) (Glycyrrhiza glabra) with the distribution of planting material among the farmers
by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)- Institute of Himalayan Bioresource
Technology (IHBT).
➢ Yaoshang Festival, one of the major festivals of Manipur, very similar to Holi, is annually celebrated
during the full moon of Lamta month of the Meitei lunar calendar. Yaoshang Festival 2023 is celebrated
from 7th March to 11th March 2023.
➢ BhumChu festival (Buddhist festival) 2023 is celebrated at the Tashiding Monastery in West Sikkim
on 7th March 2023.
➢ Prasadi Lal Meena, Minister of Medical & Health, announced that the Rajasthan Assembly had
cleared a bill named ‘Right to Health’ (which was passed in September 2022), becoming the first state in
India to do so.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The International Khajuraho Dance Festival-2023 (49th edition) began on February 20, 2023, at
the world-famous tourist destination of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.
➢ The 3 day- Ellora -Ajanta International Festival 2023 held in Chatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly
known as Aurangabad), Maharashtra, from 25th to 28th February 2023.
JANUARY 2023
➢ ARTPARK (Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Robotics Technology Park), a not-for-profit organisation
backed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore has collaborated with Google to
launch ‘Project Vaani’, a pan-India inclusive language data initiative for open-sourcing datasets at
‘Google for India 2022’ event held in New Delhi.
➢ The President of India Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Code of Criminal
Procedure (Gujarat Amendment) Bill, 2021 which empowers the administration to register criminal
cases against those who are staging protests in violation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure (CrPC).
➢ For the first time in India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has
formulated identity standards for basmati rice (including brown basmati, milled basmati, parboiled
brown basmati, and milled parboiled basmati) through Food Safety and Standards (Food Products
Standards and Food Additives) First Amendment Regulations, 2023.
➢ On the occasion of the 148th Foundation Day of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)
(15th January 2023), Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Earth Sciences stated that
India will be covered by Doppler Weather Radar Network by 2025 to predict extreme weather events
more accurately.
➢ Indian Ports Association (IPA) and Research & Information System for Developing Countries
(RIS) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to set up a Centre for Maritime Economy and
Connectivity.
➢ The American India Foundation (AIF) inaugurated India’s 1st STEM Innovation and Learning
Centre (SILC) under the scheme of Vanavil Mandram and launched Drone and Satellite Launch
Vehicle (DSLV) Mission at the Government Higher Secondary School, MMDA Colony, Chennai, Tamil
Nadu (TN).
➢ Chandigarh’s Administrator Inaugurates North India’s largest floating Solar Project of 2000kWp
at Dhanas Lake in Chandigarh.

TARGET
➢ The Government of India (GoI) advanced its target to achieve 20 percent ethanol blending in
petrol from 2030 to 2025-26.
• While addressing the Global CBG (Compressed BioGas) Conference of the Indian Federation of
Green Energy (IFGE) – CBG Producers Forum, Union Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG) stated regarding GoI’s initiative to increase the usage of
biofuels in the energy and transportation sectors via National Policy on Biofuels, 2018.
• The GoI has set a target to increase the share of gas in the energy mix up to 15 per cent in 2030
to make India a Gas based economy.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
APRIL 2023
➢ Finland became the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on April 4,
2023, when it presented its instrument of accession to the ‘North Atlantic Treaty’ (Washington Treaty)
with the United States (US) at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
• The accession of Finland coincides with the 74th anniversary of the signing of NATO’s founding
treaty i.e. the ‘Washington Treaty’(which was signed on April 4, 1949).
➢ The Accession Working Group (AWG) of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for
Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreed on the accession of the United Kingdom (UK) as the 12th
member of CPTPP.
• With this UK became the first European nation and the first non-founding country to join
CPTPP.
➢ India was elected to the United Nations (UN) Statistical Commission and 3 other key subsidiary
bodies of the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
• During the elections held for the membership of 14 subsidiary bodies of ECOSOC, India was
elected as a member of the UN Statistical Commission.
• India was elected unopposed (elected by acclamation) to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs for
a term of 4 years starting from 1st January 2024 and Committee for Programme and
Coordination for a term of 3 years beginning on 1st January 2024.
• India was also elected to the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
➢ According to a survey published by London (United Kingdom) based global magazine ‘Time Out’,
India’s Financial Capital Mumbai (Maharashtra) was ranked 19th in the list of ‘Best public transport in
the world 2023‘.
• Mumbai is the only Indian city to feature in the list.
• Top 5 cities on Time out’s list:
Rank City Country
1 Berlin Germany
2 Prague Czech Republic
3 Tokyo Japan
4 Copenhagen Denmark
5 Stockholm Sweden
➢ India, Japan, and France announced a common platform for talks among creditors to address the
debt restructuring programme of Sri Lanka, the country which was hit by an unprecedented financial
crisis in 2022.

➢ According to the data of the Ministry of Commerce, the United States (US) has emerged as India’s
biggest trading partner in the financial year 2022-23 (FY23) at USD 128.55 billion followed by China in
the second position at USD 113.83 billion.
• The bilateral trade between India and the US has increased by 7.65% in FY23 due to increasing
economic co-operation as against USD 119.5 billion in FY22. It was USD 80.51 billion in FY21.
• Followed by the US and China, the UAE with US$76.16 billion, was the third largest trading
partner of India. It was followed by Saudi Arabia (US$52.72 billion), and Singapore (US$35.55
billion).
➢ According to the State of World Population (SOWP) 2023 titled “8 billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities:
the case for Rights and Choices” published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), India
overtakes China to become the most populous nation in the world, the population of India has grown by
1.56% in the past year and it is estimated to be 142.86 crore.
• The population of China is estimated to be 142.57 crore.
➢ Mongolia’s first greenfield oil refinery, built in the South Gobi on the outskirts of the capital city -
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and funded with Indian assistance, will be completed by 2025.
• Its first stage of Mongol Oil Refinery, built with a USD 1.2 billion Indian soft loan, will be
completed at the end 2023 while its Stage-2 (Open Art Units, Utilities & Offsites, Plant Buildings)
and Stage-3 (Captive Power Plants) at a cost of USD 790 million will be completed by 2025.
• It is being developed by the Hyderabad (Telangana)-based Megha Engineering and
Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) which received the letter of authorization for this project in
2022.
➢ According to the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) Fact Sheet April 2023
‘Trends In World Military Expenditure, 2022’, World military expenditure grew for the 8th consecutive
year in 2022 by 3.7% in real terms (i.e. when adjusted for inflation) to an all-time high of US$2240
billion.
• With a military expenditure of US$81.4 billion, India was the fourth largest spender in the world
in 2022. Its spending increased by 6.0% from 2021 and 47% from 2013.
• The United States, China, Russia, India and Saudi Arabia, were the five biggest spenders in
2022, which together accounted for 63% of world military spending.
• Top 11 Countries with Highest Military Expenditure in 2022:
Spending (in US$ billion)
Rank Country 2022 Rank in 2021
1 United States 877 1
2 China [292] 2
3 Russia [86.4] 5
4 India 81.4 3
5 Saudi Arabia [75.0] 8
6 United Kingdom 68.5 4
7 Germany 55.8 7
8 France 53.6 6
9 South Korea 46.4 10
10 Japan 46 9
11 Ukraine 44 36
➢ In a major boost for energy cooperation between Nepal and India, private entities and companies
of India and Nepal signed an agreement for selling and buying energy directly. Previously, this power
was only used by the government of India and Nepal or government-owned entities.

MARCH 2023
➢ For the first time, United Nations members agreed on a legally binding ocean treaty ‘High Seas
Treaty’ to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity that lie outside
the national boundaries (i.e. the international waters). The agreement was reached by delegates of the
Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).
➢ Airbus Corporate Helicopters (Airbus) has received an order for two ACH160 helicopters in India,
marking the first sale of any helicopter in the H160 range in the region.
➢ Singapore Changi Airport has been named the “World’s Best Airport” in 2023 at the World Airport
Awards 2023 ceremony held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on March 15,
2023. The rankings were based on the 2022–2023 World Airport Survey and released by Skytrax, a
renowned airline and airport review and ranking site based in the United Kingdom (UK).
Skytrax World Airport Awards 2023: Indian Airports
i. Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi is awarded a 4-star rating and named the ‘Best
Airport in India and South Asia’ and is ranked 36th in 2023. (Rank 37 in 2022).
It is also awarded The Cleanest Airport in India & South Asia.
ii.Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad (Telangana) is ranked 65th in 2023
(Rank 63 in 2022).
RGIA has been awarded the ‘Best Regional Airport in India and South Asia,’ as well as an award for the
‘Best Airport Staff in India and South Asia’.
iii. Bangalore (Karnataka) Airport is ranked 69th in 2023 (Rank 61 in 2022),
whereas Mumbai (Maharashtra) Airport is ranked 84th in 2023 (Rank 65 in 2022).
➢ India’s Mayurbhanj District in Odisha and the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh were listed among
TIME Magazine’s list of “World’s Greatest Places of 2023,” which is highlighting 50 extraordinary
destinations across the globe to explore.
• The Mayurbhanj and Ladakh have been selected for their ‘rare tigers and ancient temples’, and
‘adventures and eats’, respectively.
➢ African-Arab Nation, Egypt became a member of the New Development Bank (NDB), formerly
referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS
states(Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
• Members: Apart from Egypt, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries, the
UAE, Bangladesh, and Uruguay are the members of the NDB.
➢ Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have been certified as “malaria-free” by the World Health Organization
(WHO) for having eradicated malaria in their territories after making a consistent, century-long effort
to eliminate it.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been included in the 25th edition of FORTUNE magazine’s list of
the “World’s Most Admired Companies” for 2023.
➢ The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka issued a letter of approval to India’s Adani Green Energy
Limited (AGEL) for 2 wind power plants project in Mannar and Pooneryn areas of (northern province)
Sri Lanka with a total investment of USD 442 million.
➢ The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) suspended Russia’s membership stating that Russia’s war
in Ukraine violated the FATF’s principles to promote security, safety, and the integrity of the global
financial system.
• FATF has also added South Africa and Nigeria to its “grey list“, a list of countries that are
failing to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Croatia, the youngest member of the European Union (EU), adopted the ‘Euro’, and it became a part
of Europe’s border-free Schengen zone.
• Croatia, a Balkan country, is now the 20th member of the Eurozone and the 27th country to join
the passport-free Schengen zone.

➢ Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated that India is
committed to eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) by 2027 three years ahead of the global target
through mission mode, multi-partner, multi-sector, targeted drive for which they have drawn up the
roadmap.
➢ The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution by consensus titled
‘Education for Democracy’ that reaffirms the right of ‘education for all’ and contributes to the
strengthening of democracy.
• The resolution is co-sponsored by India.
VISITS
INDIAN VISITS
APRIL 2023
➢ Union minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) visited African
nations – Uganda, Ethiopia and Mozambique for 6 days from April 10 to 15, 2023 to strengthen India’s
bilateral relationship with the countries.
❖ Visit to Uganda
• The External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar visited Uganda for 3 days from April
10 to 12, 2023.
• Launch of Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project:
• During his visit to Kampala, Uganda, the External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar
launched the ‘Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project‘ of Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), a project
funded by the Indian community of Uganda.
❖ Inaugurated Piped Drinking water supply System:
• EAM S. Jaishakar and Sam Cheptoris, the Minister of Water and Environment, Uganda,
participated in the virtual groundbreaking event of the solar-powered piped drinking
water supply system in Uganda.
• The project will supply safe drinking water to 5 million people in 20 rural districts of
Uganda.
• The project is being funded by India Exim Bank.
• EAM inaugurated the first foreign campus of India’s National Forensic Sciences
University (NFSU) in Jinja, Uganda.
❖ Visit to Mozambique
• EAM visited Mozambique from April 13 to 15, 2023, the first visit by an external affairs
minister of India to Mozambique since 2010.
• Inaugurated Buzi Bridge in Mozambique: He also virtually inaugurated the Buzi Bridge
constructed as part of the 132 km Tica-Buzi-Nova-Sofala Road project. The bridge is
being constructed by India through Indian LoC.
❖ Visit to Ethiopia
• EAM S Jaishankar made a short transit visit to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on
April 13, 2023, and had talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs
Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen Hassen.
• They shared views on strong multilateral cooperation between India and Ethiopia,
including in the African Union and the UN.
MARCH 2023
➢ At the invitation of Vice President (VP) Jagdeep Dhankhar, Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik André
Henrik Christian and Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth visited India for 4 days from February 27 to March
2, 2023, to strengthen and enhance the friendly relationship between India and Denmark.
• Tamil Nadu (TN) government Water Resources Department and the Municipal
Administration and Water Supply Department have signed a letter of intent with the

Danish Environmental Protection Agency for sharing technology and cooperation in the
water sector.
• Under the ‘Indo-Danish Green Strategic Partnership’, the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT)-Madras signed an agreement with the Denmark government to initiate research
projects on next-generation fuels and energy systems.
➢ Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister (PM) of Japan, paid a two-day visit to India and held the ‘Japan-India
Summit Meeting 2023’ with PM of India Narendra Modi, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral
cooperation in a number of fields, including defence and security, trade and investment, and high
technology.
• India & Japan Sign 2 MoU On Cooperation On Japanese Language & Bullet Train
• In conjunction with Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida visit to India on March 20, 2023, two
agreements were signed between India and Japan. They are as follows:
i. Exchange of Notes concerning the FY2022 Yen Loan for the “Project for Construction
of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (IV)” [loan provision of up to 300 billion yen]
ii. India-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the Field of Japanese Language
Education in India
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
➢ Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi visited Karnataka and Maharashtra the details of which are
given below:
❖ PM’s visit to Karnataka:
• In Karnataka, the PM visited the districts Yadgiri and Kalaburagi.
• In Kodekal of Yadgiri District, PM laid the foundation stones and inaugurated various
developmental projects related to irrigation, drinking water and a National Highway
(NH) development project.
• Foundation stone of Yadgir multi-village drinking water supply scheme was laid under
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)
• Inauguration of Narayanpur Left Bank Canal – Extension Renovation and Modernization
Project (NLBC – ERM).
❖ PM’s visit to Maharashtra:
• Dedicated to the nation Mumbai Metro Rail Lines 2A & 7.
• Foundation stone laid for seven sewage treatment plants.
➢ Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, visited India
for 3 days from January 24 – 27, 2023 at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to
attend India’s 74th Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest.
❖ Various MoUs Signed
• In order to collaborate on cyber security, the Egyptian Computer Emergency Readiness
Team (EG-CERT) and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) have
signed a MoU.
• Memorandum of Cooperation in the fields of Information Technology between India and
Egypt.
• MoU in the field of Culture between India and Egypt.
• MoU on Cooperation in Youth Matters between India and Egypt.
• MoU for Cooperation on Broadcasting between Prasar Bharati, India and National Media
Authority, Egypt .

FOREIGN VISIT
APRIL 2023
➢ From April 3–5, 2023, His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, visited
India on an official trip at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu.
❖ His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was accompanied by Lyonpo Dr. Tandi Dorji,
Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, and other top Royal Government of Bhutan
officials.
❖ While in India, His Majesty the King of Bhutan met with Droupadi Murmu, President of India,
and held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was also visited by External Affairs
Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
• India and Bhutan have agreed on a number of new measures to strengthen their
cooperation in sectors such as hydropower, trade, and space, including the finalization
of a joint plan of action to deepen their partnership in space technology.
• India decided to increase its support for Bhutan’s upcoming 13th Five-Year Plan (2023-
28), has agreed to an increase in the tariff on the Chhukha hydroelectric power (HEP)
project, and is negotiating an additional standby credit line for Bhutan.
• India and Bhutan also agreed to work together on developing the Kokrajhar-Gelephu rail
link project, which would be the first-ever rail link between India and Bhutan.
• India and Bhutan have planned to establish the first integrated check post (ICP) along
the border in Jaigaon and Phuntsholing, the busiest commercial hubs between the two
countries.
MARCH 2023
➢ Australian Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese visited India for four days from March 8 to 11,
2023, with the objective of enhancing overall bilateral engagement in a number of fields, including
trade, investment, and critical minerals.
• This was the first official visit he made to India since becoming PM in May 2022 and the
first visit by an Australian PM in six years.
❖ The 4th Commemorative Cricket Test Match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between the
Indian and Australian cricket teams were inaugurated at Narendra Modi Stadium in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by the Prime Ministers of India and Australia, marking the beginning of the
visit.
❖ ECTA signed between India & Australia to Unlock the Next Level of Potential in Trade &
Investment
• On March 9, 2023, Australian PM Anthony Albanese addressed the ‘India-Australia CEO
Forum’ in Mumbai (Maharashtra), stating that the Economic Cooperation and Trade
Agreement (ECTA) agreed upon between the two nations is a transformative pact that
will unleash the next level of potential in trade and investment.
❖ India and Australia have inked a significant bilateral Audiovisual Co-production
Agreement under which private, quasi-government, or governmental institutions from the two
nations enter into contracts to produce films together.
❖ Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India),
and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s
national research agency, signed a letter of intent (LoI) to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas
of national challenge and shared goals of both countries.
❖ Australian PM Albanese Receives Guard of Honour During INS Vikrant Visit
• During his recent visit to India, Australian PM Anthony Albanese paid a visit to India’s
indigenous aircraft carrier, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant, and was accorded a
Guard of Honour on the carrier, which was commissioned into the Indian Navy in
September 2022.
❖ India & Australia sign a Framework Mechanism for Mutual Recognition of Qualifications
• On March 2, 2023, India & Australia signed a Framework Mechanism for Mutual
Recognition of Qualifications, which will facilitate student and professional mobility
between the two countries.

• The agreement was signed by Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Education Minister, and
Jason Clare, Australia’s Education Minister.
FEBRUARY 2023
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JANUARY 2023
➢ Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM), visited the Republic of
Cyprus from December 29 – 31, 2022 and the Republic of Austria from December 31, 2022 -January 3,
2023.
• The year 2022 commemorated the 60th anniversary of India-Cyprus diplomatic ties,
which were established on February 10, 1962.
• During his visit to Cyprus, EAM witnessed the signing of agreements in a number of
fields, including Defence and Military Cooperation between India & Cyprus.
❖ Dr. S. Jaishankar, EAM of India, made an official visit to the Republic of Austria from
December 31, 2022 to January 3, 2023.
• The visit commemorated the 75 years of India’s diplomatic ties with Austria, which were
established in 1949.
• During EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar’s visit to Vienna, Austria, India and Austria signed a
number of agreements, including ones pertaining to mobility and migration and the
Working Holiday Programme.
➢ India’s Union Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) paid an
official visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka.
❖ India and Maldives exchange three MoUs :
• An MoU between the Maldives government and the Indian government for additional
grant assistance of 100 million Rufiyaa for the High Impact Community Development
Project (HICDP) scheme was signed to implement a number of socio-economic
development projects.
• The above signatories also exchanged MoU for the development of a sports complex in
Gaafu Dhaal Gadhdhoo,Maldives.
• The Vice-Chancellors of India’s Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)
and Maldives National University (MNU) exchanged the MoU on capacity building to
facilitate exchanges and cooperative initiatives between the two universities in the area
of education, research, development instruction, community service, staff and student
exchanges.
• India has extended a concessional $40 million Line of Credit to develop sports
infrastructure in the Maldives. The extension is part of India’s flagship projects such as
“Fit India” and “Khelo India” being included in its Neighbourhood First Policy.
• Ground-breaking ceremony of Hanimaadhoo International Airport Project
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
have jointly participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Hanimaadhoo
International Airport Redevelopment Project.
❖ Visit to Sri Lanka:
• India becomes the first country to extend assurance to Sri Lanka for its debt
restructuring
• India has become the first creditor nation to extend assurance towards restructuring the
debt of Sri Lanka with financial assistance worth $4 billion.
• India’s Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland bagged a contract for supplying 32-
seater 500 buses to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), of which 75 buses have
already been delivered.

COMMITTEES
COMMITTEES FORMED
Name of the Committee Head Facts about the Committee
APRIL 2023
Ministry of Housing and Urban Amitabh Kant, India’s The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Affairs (MoHUA)’s committee G20 (Group of Twenty) (MoHUA) has set up a 14-member committee
Sherpa for 2023 to examine stalled real estate projects and
recommend ways to complete them, and
hand them over to homebuyers in a time-
bound manner.
i. The committee will submit its report within
six months from the date of its first meeting.
Ministry of Finance’s committee T. V. Somanathan, The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has formed a
Finance Secretary 4-member committee led by Finance
Secretary T. V. Somanathan to examine the
pension system for government employees.
i. The panel will also include Deepak
Mohanty, Chairman, Pension Fund
Regulatory and Development Authority
(PFRDA); Annie Matthew, Special Secretary,
Department of Expenditure (DEA), MoF; and
Radha Chauhan, Secretary, Department of
Personnel & Training (DoPT), Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
MARCH 2023
International Financial Services Former RBI executive To design a road-map to attract or onshore
Centres Authority (IFSCA)’s director G Padmanabhan Indian start-ups domiciled abroad for setting
committee up their base in GIFT (Gujarat International
Finance Tec-City) City in Gujarat.
Government of India (GoI)’s Finance Secretary TV GoI has decided to form a committee led by
committee Somanathan Finance Secretary TV Somanathan to
recommend ways to reform the National
Pension System (NPS) for government
employees.
Department of Consumer Affairs Nidhi Khare, Additional To monitor the stock of Tur (Arhar) held by
(DoCA)’s committee Secretary, DoCA importers, millers, traders, and other such
entities.
Ministry of Electronics and Bhuvnesh Kumar, To make India a ‘product developer and
Information Technology (MeitY)- Additional Secretary manufacturing nation’.
9-member task force (MeitY), Members of the task force:
Member convenor: Amitesh Kumar Sinha,
joint Secretary (Electronics)
FEBRUARY 2023
Ministry of Law and Justice’s Former Law Secretary To draft rules and standards for the
working committee PK Malhotra implementation of the provisions of the
Mediation Bill/Act 2021 in India.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Sanjay K. Mehta (SK To draft the revised guidelines for the
Waterways (MoPSW)’s High- Mehta), Chairman of operation of Roll on-Roll off (Ro-Ro) and roll
Level Committee Deendayal Port on-Passenger (Ro-Pax) ferry service.

Authority (DPA),
Gandhidham, Gujarat
Inter-ministerial committee Manoj Govil, Secretary of Government of India (GoI) constituted a 16-
the Ministry of member inter-ministerial committee to
Corporate Affairs (MCA) analyse the need for a separate law for
competition in the digital market and to draft
a digital competition act within three
months.
JANUARY 2023
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)’s Nityanand Rai, Minister The Committee has a 17-member High
High Powered Committee (HPC) of State (MoS) of MHA Powered Committee (HPC) to discuss
measures for the protection of Ladakh’s
unique culture, language and employment.
MEETING
APRIL 2023
➢ The Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public
Distribution, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action signed the new
Work Plan for 2023 during the 9th Annual Meeting of the Indo-German Working Group on Quality
Infrastructure (QI) in Berlin, Germany.
• This year’s Annual Meeting marks the 10th anniversary of the Working Group.
MARCH 2023
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FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The 6th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Supreme Audit Institutes (SCO SAI) Leaders’ meeting
was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP) from February 6 to 8, 2023.
❖ Discussions were held at the SCO SAI Leaders’ meeting led by Girish Chandra Murmu, Comptroller
and Auditor General of India (CAG) India, under the theme of “Integrating Emerging Technologies
in Audit” with focus on Artificial Intelligence and Cyber-security.
➢ The inaugural I2U2 (a grouping of Israel, India, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), and the United
States) Business Forum was hosted by the UAE on February 21-22, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
❖ Highlights of 1st I2U2 Business Forum:
• I2U2 Business Forum discussed building integrated agricultural facilities across India. As a
part of the forum’s initiative, the UAE is committed to a $2-billion investment for integrated
agricultural facilities across India and the development of a 300-MW wind and solar power
plant in Gujarat.
➢ As part of the G20 (Group of Twenty) Indian Presidency, the 1st G20 Finance Ministers and Central
Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting was held from 24 -25 February 2023 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• It was preceded by 2nd Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) Meeting which was held in
Bengaluru on 22nd February 2023.
• The “G20 Chair’s Report and Outcome Document,” which was adopted by the G20 countries
during the first G20 FMCBG meeting, highlighted a slightly improved global macroeconomic
outlook.
• India, which presently holds the G20 Presidency, has entrusted the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to jointly prepare a technical paper on
cryptocurrency assets.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the G20 countries have agreed on
language to address the debt vulnerabilities of developing countries.

➢ India’s G20 Presidency 2023: G20 Meetings Held in February 2023
❖ India is hosting the prestigious G20 (Group of Twenty) summit in 2023, as the country holds the
G20 Presidency from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023.
❖ The theme for India’s G20 Presidency is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” which refers to “One Earth,
One Family, One Future. It is taken from the Maha Upanishad, an ancient Sanskrit text.
• The first “G20 Energy Transition Working Group” (ETWG) Meeting under India’s G20
Presidency was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka, from February 5-7, 2023.
❖ Six Priority Areas of The 1st G20 ETWG Meeting
• Energy Transition through Addressing Technology Gaps
• Low-cost Financing for Energy Transition
• Energy Security and Diversified Supply Chains
• Energy Efficiency, Industrial Low Carbon Transitions and Responsible Consumption
• Fuels for Future (3F)
• Universal Access to Clean Energy and Just, Affordable, and Inclusive Energy Transition
Pathways
❖ India signs MoU with Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Joint Business Council
• On the sidelines of the first G20 ETWG Meeting, Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indonesia-Malaysia-
Thailand Growth Triangle Joint Business Council (IMT-GT JBC), Malaysia, to promote the
adoption of energy efficiency and sustainable practices in the region.
❖ EESL is a public sector undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Power, Government of India
(GoI), that assists the implementation of energy efficiency projects.
• The MoU was signed concurrently with the India Energy Week events, which took place
from February 6–8, 2023, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
❖ The first “G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group” (SFWG) Meeting under India’s G20
Presidency was held in Guwahati, Assam, on February 2-4, 2023.
❖ The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Meta, parent
company of Facebook, have partnered for the “G20 Stay Safe Online Campaign.”
❖ The first “G20 Employment Working Group” (EWG) Meeting under India’s G20
Presidency was held in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, on February 2-4, 2023.
➢ Aero India 2023 (14th Edition) Held in Bengaluru, Karnataka – Feb 13- 17, 2023
❖ The 14th edition of Asia’s biggest aero show,“Aero India 2023,” a biennial event
highlighting India’s indigenous defence capabilities, was launched by Prime Minister
(PM) Narendra Modi, who also released a commemorative stamp on the occasion.
❖ The five-day event took place at Air Force Station Yehlanka in Bengaluru, Karnataka,
from February 13 – 17, 2023.
❖ The theme of the event was “The runway to a billion opportunities.”
❖ The event was organized by the Department of Defence Production of the Indian
Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Bengaluru.
JANUARY 2023
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SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE

APRIL 2023
➢ During the European Union (EU)-India Aviation Summit 2023 held from 20th to 21st April 2023 in
New Delhi, Delhi, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India
(DGCA India) signs a deal with European agencies to deepen the ties between India and European
Union (EU) in the aviation sector.

❖ Eurocontrol signed the Declaration of Intent with AAI to establish a framework of
cooperation to enhance Air Traffic Management (ATM) for the benefit of aviation in Europe and
India.
• Through this partnership, Eurocontrol and AAI aims to improve the performance and
long-range predictability of flights between their respective airspace.
❖ DGCA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have signed a letter of intent for
technical cooperation & developing a common understanding of Unmanned Aircraft Systems
and Innovative Air Mobility.
MARCH 2023
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FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The 12th World Hindi Conference, which took place from February 15–17, 2023, in Nadi, Fiji,
decided to promote Hindi as a language of contact-dialogue among all people around the world who
speak, understand, and are fond of it.
❖ India and Fiji signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on visa exemption for holders of
diplomatic and official passports on the margins of the 12th World Hindi Conference, held in
Fiji.
• The MoU exchange was witnessed by Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and India’s
EAM S. Jaishankar.
➢ India hosted the 9th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER9) in association with the
International Energy Forum (IEF) on 7 February 2023 at the India Energy Week 2023 which was held
from February 6–8, 2023, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• The theme for the roundtable was ‘Mapping new pathways for energy security, inclusive
growth and energy transitions’.
• The Ministry of Petroleum has signed a pact with the Paris-based International Energy
Agency (IEA) for strengthening cooperation in the field of data and research and for
enhancing global energy security, stability, and sustainability.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, launched the themes of Youth 20
(Y20) Summit, logo, and website in the Curtain raiser event of Y20 Summit India at Akashwani Rang
Bhawan New Delhi, Delhi.
➢ The World Economic Forum (WEF) held its 53rd Annual Meeting, “World Economic Forum—2023”
[Davos Summit], from January 16 to 20, 2023, in the highest city in Europe, Davos, Switzerland.
• The theme of the WEF Summit 2023 is “Cooperation in a Fragmented World.”
• The WEF hosted the event in collaboration with the Swiss government and the Canton of
Graubünden.
❖ According to the non-profit organisation Oxfam India’s report, “Survival of the Richest: The India
Supplement,” the top 1% of Indians currently own more than 40.5% of the nation’s entire wealth in
2021.
• Garuda Aerospace unveiled India’s first-ever carbon-neutral drone at WEF 2023 Summit
• On January 19, 2023, Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd (Garuda Aerospace), India’s largest and most
valuable drone startup firm, unveiled India’s first-ever carbon-neutral drone at the Indian
Sustainability Lounge of the WEF 2023 Summit.
• i.Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the “Kisan Drone Yatra,” a project of Garuda
Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., and thus signified the start of the second agricultural Green Revolution
(2.0).
• The WEF has designated Hyderabad (Telangana) as its Center for the Fourth Industrial
Revolution (C4IR), which will focus on healthcare and life sciences.

MOU’s & AGREEMENTS
MOU'S WITH OTHER COUNTRY
MoU between Field
APRIL 2023
India and Romania The defence cooperation agreement was signed during the bilateral meeting on
defence cooperation held between Giridhar Aramane, Secretary, Ministry of
Defence and Simona Cojocaru, State Secretary and Chief of the Department for
Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations of Romania in New Delhi,
Delhi.
i. This is the first defence cooperation agreement between India and Romania.
MARCH 2023
India and Mexico A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between India and Mexico
on research, technology and innovation collaborations.
It was signed in the presence of Union Minister of State (Independent
Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science and Technology; Marcelo Ebrard,
Mexico’s Minister of Foreign Affairs; and High-Level Delegations from both the
sides at the India Science Centre, Lodhi Road in New Delhi, Delhi.
Focus Areas of MoU:
The focus will be on several key technology areas like Aerospace, Electronics
Instrumentation & Strategic Sectors; Civil, Infrastructure & Engineering;
Ecology, Environment Earth & Ocean Sciences and Water; Mining, Minerals,
Metals & Materials; Chemicals (including leather) and Petrochemicals; Energy
(Conventional & Non-Conventional) and Energy Devices; Agri, Nutrition &
Biotech and Healthcare.
India & Nigeria The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the proposal for the signing
of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India’s Narcotics Control
Bureau (NCB) and Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
on the prevention of illicit trafficking in ‘Narcotic Drugs’, psychotropic
substances and precursor chemicals.
FEBRUARY 2023
International Solar The ISA and the Government of Bangladesh have signed an agreement to
Alliance (ISA) & enhance the use of solar energy in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh • The agreement was signed by Bangladesh Power Division Secretary Md.
Habibur Rahman and ISA Director General Ajay Mathur.
• The agreement is scheduled to take effect in December 2026.
The state-run National Singed an MoU for the annual importation of 1.75 million metric tonnes (MT) of
Fertilizers Limited, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilisers at Rabat, Morocco.
Chambal Fertilizers and • According to the MoU, 1 MT of diammonium phosphate (DAP), 0.7 MT
Chemicals Ltd, Rashtriya of triple superphosphate (TSP), and 0.05 MT of mutate of potash (MOP)
will be imported to cover the domestic requirements of the soil nutrient
Chemicals and Fertilizers
variety for the upcoming year.
Ltd, and Paradeep
Phosphates Ltd & OCP
Group, a Moroccan state-
owned fertilizer
producer
India & Nepal India and Nepal have signed an agreement to increase the power import and
export capacity through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line by 200
MW, increasing it from 600 megawatts (MW) to 800 MW.

JANUARY 2023
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MOU’S WITH STATE

State MoU with Field/Purpose
APRIL 2023
Kerala State German state-owned The Union Cabinet has provided the approval for the signing
government, and development bank of a tripartite agreement by the Kerala State government, and
the Kerala State KfW (formerly KfW the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) with the German
state-owned development bank KfW (formerly KfW
Electricity Board Bankengruppe)
Bankengruppe) for securing a loan for the Kerala Green
(KSEB) Energy Corridor (GEC) project, which is being implemented by
KSEB.
i. At the current rates, the project will be eligible for a KfW
loan of €102.11 million (approximately Rs 916 crore) at 3% to
4% interest.
ii. A sum of Rs 138.71 crore will be available as a Central
government grant. Both the Law and Finance departments had
provided the approval for the proposal.
MARCH 2023
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FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
NIL
MOU’S BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS

Organization MoU with Field/Purpose
APRIL 2023
Tata Power Delhi Asian Development A Rs 150 crore (USD 18.2m) agreement has been inked
Distribution Bank (ADB) between the Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL),
Limited (TPDDL) the distribution arm of The Tata Power Company Limited
(Tata Power), and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to boost
Delhi’s power distribution.
i. Under this, ADB will subscribe to non-convertible
debentures worth 150 crore. The funds will be utilized for grid
enhancements.
ii. Additionally, TPDDL will receive a USD 2 million grant from
ADB to partially finance the purchase and integration of a pilot
Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). This grant is provided
by Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Climate
Innovation and Development Fund (CIDF) and administered
by ADB.
iii. The 10-megawatt-hour (MWh) BESS is South Asia’s first
grid-scaled energy storage project at the distribution
transformer level. It will enable electricity to be stored and
delivered on demand, reducing grid instability, and providing
the flexibility to integrate intermittent solar and wind energy
resources.

Federation of Business Russia Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO), Apex body
Indian Export of Indian Exporters, signed a Memorandum of Understanding
Organizations (MoU) with Business Russia, to promote trade and Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) between the two countries.
(FIEO)
i. The MoU was signed during the visit of 50-member
delegation of the agriculture and food processing sector from
India, led by N K Kagliwal, Board Member of FIEO, to Moscow
and St. Petersburg, Russia.
MARCH 2023
NAFED (National Ministry of To extend its support to Millet’s initiatives.
Agricultural Agriculture &
Cooperative Farmers Welfare
Marketing (MoA&FW)
Federation of India
Ltd)
Representative for Green Climate Both Organisation have signed a new Accreditation Master
the United Nations Fund(GCF) Agreement (AMA) launching a new 5 years of partnership
Development (from 2023-2027) to provide vital climate finance to countries
in the critical decade for action.
Programme
(UNDP)
Amazon Pay Bharat BillPay As part of its efforts to enhance user experience and safety,
Amazon Pay has teamed up with Bharat BillPay, the biller
platform of the National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI), to bolster its loan repayment service.
Asian
Development Bank
To promote the generation of biomass energy using
(ADB) & SAEL agricultural residue, helping diversify India’s energy mix and
Industries Limited Rs 754 Crore reduce carbon intensity.
PFC Limited, a state-owned and a leading Non-Banking
Power Finance
Finance Company (NBFC) in the Indian power sector signed a
Corporation (PFC) Japanese Yen (JPY) loan agreement for Japanese Yen (JPY) 2.65 billion (~Rs 165
Limited 2.65 billion crore) with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s
private investment arm, is set to invest USD 73 million (Rs
6020 crore) in an Indian automaker, Mahindra and Mahindra
International
(M&M) Limited’s last-mile electric mobility unit. This
Finance investment is the IFC’s 1st investment in an electric vehicle
Corporation (IFC), USD 73 million maker in India.
FEBRUARY 2023
Ministry of Larsen & MoD signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro(L&T) to procure
Defence (MoD) Toubro(L&T) 41 indigenous Modular Bridges for the Corps of Engineers of
the Indian Army, a combat support arm which provides
combat engineering support, develops infrastructure for
armed forces.
• The bridges will be procured at an estimated cost of
over Rs 2,585 crore.
Ministry of Ministry of Signed an MoU to enable Primary Agricultural Credit
Cooperation Electronics and Societies (PACS) and provide services offered by Common
Information Service Centres (CSCs) in New Delhi, Delhi.
Technology, National
Bank for Agriculture

and Rural
Development
(NABARD), and CSC
e-Governance
Services India
Limited
Indian Space Indian Institute of IIT Madras and ISRO signed an MoU to collaborate on the
Research Technology Madras application of Extended Reality (XR) and other technologies
Organization (IIT Madras) in the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme(IHSP).
(ISRO)
United Nations The Ocean Cleanup UNDP and ‘The Ocean Cleanup’ signed an MoU to work
Development together to eliminate plastic pollution in the world’s oceans
Programme and rivers.
(UNDP)
GAIL (India) Central Board of GAIL (India) Limited entered into an Advance Pricing
Limited Direct Taxes (CBDT) Agreement (APA) with the Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT) for determining the transfer pricing margin payable
on its long-term LNG (Liquefied natural gas ) sourcing
contract from the United States (US) for 5 years.
• GAIL became India’s first oil & gas Public Sector
Undertakings (PSUs) sector to successfully sign the
APA.
Bharat Electronics Aeronautical Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has signed two
Limited (BEL) Development Agency Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for the Advanced
(ADA) & Cisco Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program with Aeronautical
Development Agency (ADA); and for networking and security
with Cisco.
• The first MoU was signed with the ADA for the AMCA
program. ADA is an autonomous body under MoD. The
AMCA is a 5th generation, multi-role, all-weather
fighter aircraft designed with high survivability and
stealth capability.
JANUARY 2023
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INDEX
RANKING
STATE/CITY WISE RANKING
Index/Survey Name Released by State or City in the rank
APRIL 2023
State Energy Efficiency Index Bureau of Energy During the RPM (Review, Planning, and
(SEEI) 2021-2022 Efficiency (BEE) & Monitoring) meeting of States and State Utilities
Alliance for an Energy- in New Delhi, Delhi, Union Minister R. K. Singh,
Ministry of Power, released the report of the
Efficient Economy
State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-2022.
(AEEE).

i. Five states are in the Front Runner category
(>60 points) in SEEI 2021-22: Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Telangana.
ii. Four states are in the Achiever category (50–
60 points): Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, and
Punjab.
iii. The best-performing states in their
respective state groups are: Chandigarh, Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka.
iv. The two states that improved the most from
the last index are: Telangana and Andhra
Pradesh.
v. The SEEI 2021-22 index is developed by the
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a statutory
entity under the Ministry of Power, in
collaboration with the Alliance for an Energy-
Efficient Economy. (AEEE).
MARCH 2023
2023 M3M Hurun Global Rich Hurun According to the ‘2023 M3M Hurun Global Rich
List List,’ India is ranked 3rd in terms of the number
of self-made billionaires, with a total of 105 on
the list.
i. These 105 self-made billionaires have a
cumulative wealth of USD 381 billion.
2023 M3M Hurun Global Rich List: Top 10
Countries Ranked by Number of Self-Made
Billionaires
Ra Count Number of Self- Cumulative
nk ry made billionaires wealth (USD)
1 China 891 3,014 Billion
2 USA 496 3,093 Billion
3 India 105 381 Billion
4 UK 99 368 Billion
5 Russia 70 374 Billion
Switze
6 rland 41 167 Billion
Germa
7 ny 38 137 Billion
Austra
8 lia 32 122 Billion
Franc
9 e 29 123 Billion
Canad
10 a 28 80 Billion
i. 2023 M3M Hurun Global Rich List: Mumbai

leads all Indian cities with 66 billionaires,
followed by Delhi & Bengaluru
FEBRUARY 2023
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JANUARY 2023
Indian Institutional Ranking - The Indian Institute of Management (IIM),
Framework (IIRF) ranking Ahmedabad (Gujarat), is the top government
(2023) college in India for pursuing the Master of
Business Administration (MBA) course.
IIM Bengaluru (Karnataka) and IIM Kolkata
(West Bengal) are ranked second and third,
respectively, after IIM Ahmedabad.
Top 5 Business Schools in India:
Government
National
Rank Government Business Schools
1 IIM Ahmedabad, Gujarat
2 IIM Bengaluru, Karnataka
3 IIM Kolkata, West Bengal
4 IIM Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Faculty of Management Studies,

5 University of Delhi, Delhi
INTERNATIONAL RANKING
Index /Survey Name Released By Ranks of India & Top 3 Ranks
APRIL 2023
Top 10 Busiest Airports Airports Delhi Airport [Indira Gandhi International Airport
Worldwide for 2022 Council (IGIA)] ranked as the 9th busiest airport in the world in
International 2022, surpassing Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport
in France.
(ACI) World
i. IGIA improved from its previous positions of 13th in
2021 and 17th in 2019, registering a footfall of 5,94,907
(5.94 crore) passengers in 2022.
ii. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
(ATL, 93.7 million passengers) in the US is ranked first
on the list of the world’s top 10 busiest airports for
2022.
iii. IGIA, operated by Delhi International Airport Limited
(DIAL), is the only airport in South and Southeast Asia to
make the top 10 list.
iv. DIAL is a joint venture (JV) established by the
consortium between GMR Group (54%), Airports
Authority of India (26%), Fraport AG & Eraman
Malaysia (10% each).
World’s ‘most criminal countries’ World of According to the ranking of the world’s ‘most criminal
Statistics countries’ released by the World of Statistics, Venezuela
ranked first in the list followed by Papua New Guinea
and Afghanistan. India was at the position 77th on the
list of criminal countries.

i. The US (United States) and the UK (United Kingdom),
have ranked 55th and 65th, being ahead of India in the
criminal ranking country.
ii. Turkey, Germany, and Japan were among the least
criminal countries, ranking at 92nd, 100th, and 135th
ranks.
iii. The top 10 most criminal countries list include
Venezuela (1), Papua New Guinea (2), Afghanistan (3),
South Africa (4), Honduras (5), Trinidad (6), Guyana (7),
Syria (8), Somalia (9) and Jamaica (10).
iv. As per the World Population Review’s (WPR) ‘Crime
Rate by Country 2023’, Venezuela ranked as the country
with the highest crime rates globally with a crime Index
of 83.76.
v. India was ranked 71 with a crime index of 44.43.
Global Unicorn Index 2023 Hurun According to the Global Unicorn Index 2023 published
Research by Hurun Research Institute, India is ranked 3rd on the
Institute index with 68 unicorns (up 14 compared to
2022). Online educator BYJU’S worth USD 22
billion topped the list of Indian Unicorns, followed by
on-demand delivery start-up Swiggy and fantasy sports
platform travel-stay finder Dream11 (USD 8 billion
each).
i. The United States of America(USA) topped the index
with 666 unicorns, up 179 compared to 2022, followed
by China in 2nd spot with 316 unicorns (up 15).
ii. BYJU’S is the only Indian Unicorn among the list of
the top 10 biggest rises in valuation since pre-Covid.
Top 5 Countries & Cities with Most Unicorns:
Ra Number of Number of
nk Country Unicorns City Unicorn
San
Francisco(U
1 USA 666 SA) 181
New
2 China 316 York(USA) 126
Beijing(Chi
3 India 68 na) 79
The United Shanghai(C
4 Kingdom 49 hina) 66
London(UK
5 Germany 36 ) 42
Top 5 Global Unicorn Index 2023:
Ran Valuation (USD Countr
k Unicorn billion) y Sector
ByteDan Social
1 ce 200 China Media
2 SpaceX 137 USA Aerospace
Ant
3 Group 120 China Fin Tech
E-
4 Shein 65 China Commerce

5 Stripe 50 USA Fin Tech
iii. San Francisco (USA) has retained its title as
the ‘World Unicorn Capital’ with 181 unicorns, up 30.
New York (USA) is at 2nd position with 126 unicorns.
San Francisco, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and
Bengaluru are the cities with high number of start-ups
and ought to have more Hurun Global 500s within 5
years.
MARCH 2023
City Index 2023 - India has the fifth-highest number of female billionaires
in the world, according to a new International Women’s
Day study report from City Index 2023, which was based
on the analysis of Forbes’ live billionaire tracker (March
2023).
City Index 2023: Countries with The Most Female
Billionaires (as of March 09, 2023)
Rank Country No. of female Billionaires
1 United States (US) 92
2 China 46
3 Germany 32
4 Italy 16
5 Australia 9
5 India 9
5 Hong Kong 9
8 Spain 8
8 Switzerland 8
10 Brazil 7
10 Sweden 7
QSWorld University Rankings by QS Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, (Mumbai,
Subject 2023. (Quacquarelli Maharashtra)and IIT-Delhi(New Delhi, Delhi) are
Symonds) featured among the top 50 in the subject of Engineering
and Technology in the QS(Quacquarelli Symonds) World
University Rankings by Subject 2023. IIT Bombay is
ranked 47th and IIT Delhi is ranked 48th.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT)(Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
of America(USA)) topped the Engineering and
Technology ranking followed by Stanford
University in 2nd and the University of
Cambridge(Cambridge, England) in 3rd rank.
Passport Index 2023 Arton Capital India’s Mobility score (MS) has reduced by three places
to 70 from 73 in 2022. India’s Individual Passport Power
Rank also fell by six places to 144 (out of 199 countries)
from 138 in 2022.
i. India ranks 71 in the Global Passport Power Rank
2023 due to the MS of 70

ii. UAE ranks 1st in both the Global Passport Power
Rank 2023 & Individual Passport Power Rank 2023 with
a Mobility Score of 181. Afghanistan is ranked last
(Global Passport Power Rank 2023 – 97 and Individual
Passport Power Rank 2023 – 199)with a Mobility Score
of 38.
Individual Passport Power Rank 2023:
Rank Country MS
144 India 70
1 United Arab Emirates 181
2 Sweden 174
3 Germany 174
4 Finland 174
5 Luxembourg 174
FEBRUARY 2023
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Global India is ranked 4th out of 51 nations in terms of having a
2022/2023 Global Report Entrepreneurs high- quality entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Adapting to a “New Normal” hip Monitor • The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia
(GEM) and and Taiwan are the top 3 countries in the GEM
2022/2023 Global Report.
National
Entrepreneurs
hip Context
Index (NECI)
OECD Services Trade OECD India ranked 47th in OECD’s report titled ‘OECD
Restrictiveness Index (STRI): (Organisation Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI): Policy
Policy trends up to 2023 for Economic trends up to 2023’, which highlights the key outcomes of
the 2022 OECD STRI.
Cooperation
STRI 2022:
and
Development) Rank Country
47 India
1 Japan
2 UK
3 Netherlands
4 Czech Republic
46 Israel
48 Russia
49 Thailand
50 Indonesia
International Intellectual Property United States India ranks 42nd with an overall index score of 38.64%
Rights Index 2023 (11th edition) (US) Chamber (i.e.,19.32 out of 50) among 55 major global economies
of Commerce across 50 unique indicators.
JANUARY 2023
Henley Passport Index 2023 Henley & Indian passport ranks 85th in the Henley Passport Index
Partners 2023, the world’s most powerful passport index, and
gives visa-free entry to 59 destinations worldwide.

• Previously, India was ranked 82nd, 84th, 85th,
and 83rd in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022,
respectively.
• According to the report, Japan’s passport
remains the most powerful in the world.
• Japanese citizens are eligible for visa-on-arrival
or visa-free travel to up to 193 countries.
• Singapore and South Korea share the second
spot, providing visa-free entry to 192 countries.
REPORT
APRIL 2023
➢ According to the World Bank (WB) report “Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health
in South Asia,” concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM) like soot and small dust (PM 2.5) in some
of South Asia’s most densely populated and underdeveloped areas are up to 20 times higher than the
World Health Organization (WHO) threshold of 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/mᶾ).
• According to the report, South Asia is home to 9 of the top 10 polluted cities in the world,
including Dhaka (Bangladesh).
• Nearly 60% of the population in South Asia lives in areas where concentrations of PM2.5 exceed
an annual mean of 35 μg/m3.
➢ According to the 3rd edition of India Justice Report (IJR 3) 2022 released on 4th April 2023,
Karnataka has topped the overall ranking among the large and mid-sized States (states with a
population over 1 crore).
• Karnataka is followed by Tamil Nadu (TN) in 2nd position and Telangana in 3rd position.
• In this category, Uttar Pradesh (UP) is at rank 18th which is the lowest.
• Sikkim topped the overall ranking among Small States (states with a population up to 1 crore).
• Sikkim has been followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 2nd and Tripura at 3rd place. Goa is at rank
7th which is the lowest.
• Only Arunachal Pradesh reports having CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) cameras in all 14 spots
(as directed by the Supreme Court) in all its 24 police stations.
➢ According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, ‘Infertility prevalence estimates 1990-
2021’ released on April 03, 2023, Around 17.5% of the adult population (roughly 1 in 6 ) worldwide
experience infertility in their lifetime.
• The report, the first of its kind in a decade, provides estimates of the global and regional
prevalence of infertility by analyzing all relevant studies from 1990 to 2021.
• As per the report, the Overall pooled Lifetime prevalence of infertility is estimated to be 17.5%
and the Period prevalence of infertility is estimated to be 12.6%.
➢ The “World Energy Transitions: Outlook (WETO) 2023: 1.5°C Pathway” released by International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Berlin (Germany), shows that the global energy transition is off-
track, aggravated by the effects of global crises and calls for a fundamental change of course in the
energy transition.
• The report stated that significant progress has been made in the power sector where
renewables account for 40% of installed power generation and contributes to 83% of global
power additions in 2022.
• Despite the progress, the global energy transition is still off-track and falls short of the 1.5
degrees Celsius (°C ) pathway.
➢ According to the “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” report released by the World Trade
Organization (WTO) the merchandise trade volume is expected to grow by 1.7% in 2023, up from the
October 2022 estimate of 1.0%.
• The volume of world merchandise trade had a 2.7% growth in 2022, which was weaker than the
WTO’s October 2022 forecast of 3.5%.
• According to the WTO’s trade forecasts, real global GDP growth at market exchange rates is
projected to be 2.4% in 2023.

➢ According to the summary report of the 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation of
Tiger Reserves in India in 2022, by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Periyar
Tiger Reserve(TR) in Kerala has reserve topped the list of best-managed tiger reserves in India with a
Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) score of 94.38%.
• Periyar TR is followed by the Satpura TR (Madhya Pradesh) and Bandipur TR (Karnataka) with
an MEE score of 93.18% and Nagarhole TR with 92.42%.
• 12 Tiger Reserves under Excellent Category:
Tiger Reserves State TR notification year MEE Score
Periyar Kerala 2007 94.38
Satpura Madhya Pradesh 2007 93.18
Bandipur Karnataka 2007 93.18
Nagarhole Karnataka 2007 92.42
Kanha Madhya Pradesh 2007 91.67
Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple (BRT Hills) Karnataka 2007 91.67
Anamalai Tamil Nadu 2007 91.67
Pench (MH) Madhya Pradesh 2007 90.91
Bhadra Karnataka 2007 90.91
Kali (Dandeli-Anshi) Karnataka 2007 90.3
Similipal Odisha 2007 90.15
Mudumalai Tamil Nadu 2007 90.15
➢ According to ‘Artificial Intelligence Index Report 2023’, the 6th edition of the annual Artificial
Intelligence (AI) index report published by Stanford University’s Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
(HAI), India is ranked 5th in terms of private investments received in 2022 by startups offering AI-
based products and services with a total investment of US$3.24 billion.
• In 2022, the United States (US) led the world in terms of total AI private investment with
US$47.4 billion investment followed by China (US$13.4 billion), United Kingdom (US$4.4
billion), Israel (US$3.24 billion).
• India which stood in 5th place was ahead of South Korea, Germany, Canada and Australia,
among others.
• In case of analysis over Private Investment in AI by Geographic Area during the period 2013-22,
AI startups in India received a total funding of US$7.73 billion, making it the 6th leading country
with the most AI investments. Nearly 40% of this investment was made in 2022.
• In this category also US topped the list followed by China, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada.
➢ The investment migration firm Henley & Partners released its annual ‘World’s Wealthiest Cities
Report 2023‘which is again topped by New York, United States of America (USA) with 340,000
millionaires, 724 centi-millionaires, and 58 billionaires in 2022.
• New York followed by Tokyo (Japan), California’s Bay Area (USA), London (United Kingdom)
and Singapore.
• Table Showing Top 5 Wealthiest Cities around the world
Rank City Country No of Millionaires
1 New York USA 340,000
2 Tokyo Japan 290,300
3 The Bay Area USA 285,000
4 London UK 258,000
5 Singapore Singapore 240,100

• The US has emerged as the leader in the number of wealthy cities, with 10 out of the top 50
cities in the world.
• It is followed by China with five and Australia with four.
➢ According to the new report titled “State of the World’s Children 2023: For Every Child,
Vaccination” published by United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF), the routine vaccination coverage
for the children has declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• According to the report, around 67 million children missed out on one or more vaccinations
over 3 years with vaccination coverage levels decreasing in 112 countries.
➢ According to the “Water Bodies – 1st Census Report” released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, West
Bengal (WB) has topped the list of states with the most number of ponds and reservoirs. Tamil Nadu
has highest number of lakes, Andhra Pradesh (AP) has the highest number of tanks and Maharashtra is
the leading state with water conservation schemes.
• India has 24.24 lakh water bodies such as ponds, tanks and lakes with West Bengal accounting
for the most (7.47 lakh) and Sikkim the least (134).
• With 3.55 lakh waterbodies, South 24 Parganas of West Bengal is ranked as the top district with
the highest number of waterbodies across India.
• The top 5 states (in number of water bodies) are, West Bengal (30.8% i.e., 747480) followed by
Uttar Pradesh (10.1% i.e., 245087), Andhra Pradesh(7.9% i.e., 190777), Odisha 7.5% i.e.,
181837) and Assam (7.1% i.e., 172492).
➢ As per the report on Enhanced Access & Service Excellence (EASE) Reforms Index for Q3 FY23
published by Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), the Union Bank of India, for the first time, secures 1st
rank among all PSB (Public Sector Banks) for adopting various reforms prescribed for PSBs.
• EASE is an initiative by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, as part
of the PSB Reforms Agenda and is currently under its 5th iteration which focuses on Enhanced
Digital experience, Data – driven, Integrated and Inclusive Banking.
• The performance of PSBs is measured on 5 themes under EASE 5.0, in which, Union Bank of
India has set the benchmark under the four themes i.e., ‘Digitally – enabled customer offerings’,
‘Big data and analytics’, ‘Modern Technology Capabilities’ and ‘Employee development and
Governance’ secured 1st rank amongst PSBs.
➢ According to the World Bank’s (WB) report titled Connecting to Compete 2023: Trade Logistics
in an Uncertain Global Economy – the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and its
indicators” released on April 21, 2023, India’s rank increased by 6 places to 38 in the index, from 44 in
2018.
• Singapore topped the ranking followed by Finland at second, and Denmark at third.
• This is the 7th edition of Connecting to Compet, a report that summarize the findings from the
new dataset for LPI and its component indicators.
• Top 5 Economy over LPI 2023:
LPI
Economy Grouped Rank Score
India 38 3.4

Singapore 1 4.3
Finland 2 4.2
Denmark 3 4.1
Germany 3 4.1
Netherlands 3 4.1
➢ NITI Aayog (National Institution For Transforming India) released a report titled “Promoting
Millets in Diets: Best Practices across States/UTs of India” which presents a collection of good and
innovative practices adopted by state governments and organisations in various aspects of the millet
value chain.
➢ According to the World Bank’s (WB) annual report ‘World Development Report 2023: Migrants,
Refugees, and Societies’, there are 184 million people (i.e. 2.3 % of the world’s population) are
migrants (i.e. they lack citizenship in the country in which they live) in which the largest share of 43%
of them was living in low- and middle-income countries.
➢ According to the 2023 Special 301 Report, on the adequacy and effectiveness of the United
States(US) trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights, released
by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), India is retained in the Priority Watch
list of 2023 due to its inconsistency in its progress on IP protection and enforcement.
• Along with India, Argentina, Chile, China, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela are placed on
the Priority Watch list in 2023.
• The countries on the priority watch list will be the subject of particularly intense
bilateral engagement during the coming year.
• In India: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has
taken initiatives to reduce trademark application examination to less than 30 days.
• 22 trading partners of the USA are on the Watch list and merit bilateral attention to
address underlying IP problems.
• The 22 countries are Algeria, Barbados, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay,
Peru, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
MARCH 2023
➢ As per the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2023, an annual report of the strongest telecoms brand,
Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, an Indian Telecommunications company & subsidiary of Jio Platforms,
is Asia’s strongest and World’s 2nd strongest telecoms brand having a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score
of 90 out of 100 and earning an elite AAA+ rating.
❖ List of the World’s Strongest Telecom Brands:
Rank Brand Country BSI Score
1 Swisscom Switzerland 92
2 Reliance Jio India 90
3 Etisalat by e& United Arab Emirates (UAE) 89.1
4 MTN Group Africa 88.7
5 Telcel Mexico 88.5
Top 5 Telecoms 150 Ranking 2023:
Rank Brand Country
1 Verizon United States of America (USA)
2 Deutsche Telekom Germany
3 AT&T USA

4 China Mobile China
5 NTT Group Japan
Note:
Indian companies featured on the 2023 ranking are, Bharti Airtel (21), Reliance Jio (27), Vodafone Idea (VI)
(89), Tata Communications (131), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) (148).
➢ The second ILO–UNICEF (International Labour Organization – United Nations International Children’s
Emergency Fund) joint report on social protection for children titled ‘More than a billion reasons: The
urgent need to build universal social protection for children’ was released on March 01, 2023.
➢ According to the V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) Institute’s report titled, “Democracy Report
2023: Defiance in the Face of Autocratization,” India has been ranked 97th in the Liberal Democracy
Index (LDI) (2022) and 108th in the Electoral Democracy Index (EDI) (2022).
Top 10 Democracies in The World: Country Scores for The LDI & EDI, 2022
Liberal Democracy Index (LDI) 2022
Country Rank Score
Denmark 1 0.89
Sweden 2 0.87
Norway 3 0.86
Switzerland 4 0.85
Estonia 5 0.85
New Zealand 6 0.83
Belgium 7 0.83
Ireland 8 0.82
Costa Rica 9 0.82
Finland 10 0.82
India 97 0.31
Electoral Democracy Index (EDI) 2022
Country Rank Score
Denmark 1 0.92
Switzerland 2 0.9
Sweden 3 0.9
Norway 4 0.9
Estonia 5 0.89
Belgium 6 0.89
Ireland 7 0.89
New Zealand 8 0.89
Luxembourg 9 0.88
France 10 0.88
India 108 0.4

➢ According to the 9th edition of the World Bank’s “Women, Business, and the Law 2023” report,
women across the world only have 77% of the legal rights that men do, and nearly 2.4 billion women of
working age live in countries that do not provide them the same rights as men.
❖ Furthermore, the global pace of reforms towards equal treatment of women under the law
slowed to a 20-year low in 2022.
• From 2021 to 2022, the global average score on the Women, Business, and Law index
increased just by half a point to 77.1.
➢ The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Report On Sodium Intake Reduction states that
nations must make “massive efforts” to get people to consume less salt, which can lower their risk of
developing cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
The WHO remarked in its first-of-its-kind global report on sodium intake reduction that the world is
falling short of its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2025.
➢ NITI Aayog(National Institution for Transforming India) released a task force report titled
“Production and Promotion of Organic and Bio Fertilisers with Special Focus on Improving Economic
Viability Of Gaushalas” which states that the gaushalas should be liberally financed for making a capital
investment and working expenses at concessional rates of interest.
The report was released by Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture), NITI Aayog in the presence of
task force members, senior government officials and representatives from gaushalas.
➢ As per the report “Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2022“ released by Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)(a Swedish think tank), India continued to remain the
world’s top arms importer for the five years between 2018 and 2022 despite 11% decline in its imports
of arms between 2013-2017 to 2018-2022.
India’s arms import % and their main suppliers, 2018–22:
Share of global arms % change Main suppliers and their share of importer’s
imports (%) from total imports (%) 2018–22
2013–17 to
Rank Importer 2018–22 2013–17 2018–22 1st 2nd 3rd
1 India 11 12 -11 Russia 45 France 29 USA 11
Largest exporters of major arms and their main recipients, 2018–22:

Main suppliers and their share of importer’s total imports
Share of global arms
(%) 2018–22
imports (%)
Rank Exporter 2018–22 1st 2nd 3rd
India China Egypt
2 Russia 16 31 23 9.3
India Qatar Egypt
3 France 11 30 17 8.0
South Philippines India Thailand
9 Korea 2.4 16 13 13
India
10 Israel 2.3 37 Azerbaijan 9.1 Philippines 8.5
South UAE USA India
21 Africa 0.3 27 21 15
Russia China India
30 Myanmar 0.8 42 29 14
➢ According to the 5th edition of the annual global survey report of IQAir, ‘World Air Quality
Report 2022’, Lahore (Pakistan), become the city with the worst air in the world in 2022, (up from
15th in 2021). Chad in central Africa replaced Bangladesh as the country with the most polluted air in
2022 with PM2.5 levels of 89.7 µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter).

Top 5 most polluted cities in 2022:
Rank City PM2.5 Levels (µg/m3)
1 Lahore, Pakistan 97.4
2 Hotan, China 94.3
3 Bhiwadi (Rajasthan), India 92.7
4 Delhi, India 92.6
5 Peshawar, Pakistan 91.8
➢ The ‘Synthesis Report (SYR) of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Climate Change 2023′
(Summary for Policymaker)’ released on March 21, 2023, by the United Nations’ (UN)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), underscores the immediate need to take more
ambitious climate actions as the current global climate action plans in the last 5 years are not enough
i.e. “insufficient” in limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (°C) above pre-industrial levels.
➢ According to the “2023 Global Payments Report” by global financial technology pioneer FIS, India’s
e-commerce (e-com) sector is projected to grow from USD 83 billion in 2022 to USD 150 billion in 2026,
as cash transactions continue to drop and Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based transactions
continue to set all-time highs.
➢ According to a report by the economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India’s
merchandise imports for the fiscal year ending March 2023 (FY23) are projected to exceed USD 710
billion, up from USD 613 billion in FY22 (2021-2022), a 15.8% increase over last year.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ According to a joint report by the United Nations (UN) Agencies titled “Asia-Pacific Overview of
Food Security and Nutrition 2022: Urban Food Security and Nutrition”, an increasing number of people
in Asia lack enough to eat as food insecurity rises with greater prices and worsening poverty.
❖ This joint flagship report is published by 4 specialized agencies of the UN: The Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food
Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
• The report is the fifth annual assessment of food insecurity and hunger by the UN
agencies.
➢ IEA Report: India’s ‘LiFE’ Initiative Can Save USD 440 Billion Globally in 2030
❖ The International Energy Agency (IEA) claimed in its country report titled “LiFE lessons from
India -The benefits of advancing the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative through the G20”
that if adopted worldwide, the measures specified under the LiFE initiative could save
consumers around USD 440 billion in 2030, corresponding to around 5% of total fuel spending
across the global economy that year.
• It further said that implementing India’s “LiFE” initiative may help decrease worldwide
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 2 billion metric tonnes by 2030, or
roughly one-fifth of the emission reduction required to reach global net-zero emissions.
• Note: India Energy Week will be hosted in Bengaluru, Karnataka, from February 6 to 8,
2023.
➢ According to the World Bank report “Collapse and Recovery: How the COVID-19 Pandemic
Eroded Human Capital and What to Do About It”, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a massive destruction
of human capital at essential stages of the life cycle, especially affecting children and young people in
underdeveloped and developing countries.
➢ Dr Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)
released the second edition of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) report at the conference
‘TheIndiaDialog’, which was organised by Institute for Competitiveness and US-Asia Technology
Management Center, Stanford University, on February 23 & 24, 2023.
• India’s overall average score in the FLN index 2022 was 44.48 and 18 out of 36 state/UTs have
scored above the country average.

• Categorywise Top 3 Ranking – INDEX ON FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING
Category State FLN Scores 2022
Punjab 64.19
Small State Kerala 58.42
Goa 51.05
West Bengal 54.48
Large State Maharashtra 52.78
Tamil Nadu 52.23
Puducherry 54.76
Delhi 52.13
UT Jammu & Kashmir 50.75
Sikkim 56.75
North Eastern Mizoram 48.31
Manipur 47.17
➢ The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) released the 5th ‘Annual Report Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)- July,
2021 – June, 2022’ stating Unemployment rate (UR) at 5-year low of 4.1% in 2021-22. It was 4.2% in
July 2020-June 2021.
• The pan-India UR for male was 4.4% and for women was 3.3% in July, 2021 – June, 2022.
JANUARY 2023
➢ According to the Nikkei Asia report, India surpassed Japan as the world’s third-largest auto
market in 2022. According to preliminary results, India’s new vehicle sales were at 4.25 million units,
surpassing Japan’s 4.2 million units.
➢ China remained the global leader in automobile sales in 2021, with 26.27 million units, followed
by the United States (US) in second place with 15.4 million vehicles and Japan in third place
with 4.44 million units.
➢ World Economic Forum (WEF) has published ‘The Global Risks Report 2023’ (18th Edition), which
lists the biggest risks for India over the short and medium terms.
• Globally, the greatest risks over the next 2 years [2023–2025] include: cost-of-living crisis,
natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, geoeconomic confrontations, failure to
control climate change, and occurrences causing significant environmental damage.
➢ According to The Official Airline Guide (OAG)’s Punctuality League 2023 report, released on 11th
January 2022, India’s largest airline IndiGo and Airports Authority of India (AAI)-owned Coimbatore
International Airport, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, are among the 20 most punctual airlines and
airports globally in terms of On-Time Performance (OTP) in 2022.
➢ The United Nations (UN) in its World Social Report 2023 projected that the number of people aged
65 years or older worldwide will more than double from 761 million in 2021 to 1.6 billion in 2050.
• It is published by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
➢ According to the recent data published in the "Levels & Trends in Child Mortality" report by the
United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), an estimated 5 million
children died before turning five, with nearly half (47%) dying during their first month.
➢ According to the “World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2023” (WESO Trends), released
by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the present global economic slowdown is anticipated to
worsen social and economic inequalities.
• According to projections, global employment would expand by 1.0% in 2023, a significant drop
(less than half the level) from the 2.3% growth rate in 2022.
• Global unemployment is expected to rise slightly in 2023, by roughly 3 million, to 208 million.
This amounts to a 5.8% unemployment rate.

• According to the estimates released by consulting firm EY (Ernst & Young) in its report
‘India@100: Realising the potential of a $26 trillion economy’, India’s economy will reach USD
26 trillion by 2047.
• Notably, the year 2047 will mark the 100th year of India’s independence.
• The per capita income is expected to increase to USD 15,000 which will place India among the
ranks of developed economies
• The report was launched by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology and Ministry of Railways, on the sidelines of the World Economic
Forum (WEF) being held at Davos, Switzerland.
➢ According to the estimates released by consulting firm EY (Ernst & Young) in its report
‘India@100: Realising the potential of a $26 trillion economy’, India’s economy will reach USD 26
trillion by 2047.
• Notably, the year 2047 will mark the 100th year of India’s independence.
• The per capita income is expected to increase to USD 15,000 which will place India among the
ranks of developed economies
The report was launched by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology and Ministry of Railways, on the sidelines of the World Economic
Forum (WEF) being held at Davos, Switzerland.
➢ According to “The World of Organic Agriculture Statistics & Emerging Trends 2022” report by the
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL & IFOAM – Organics International(formerly known as
the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements),
• India is among the top 3 countries in the world, where the total area under organic agriculture
expanded the maximum in 2020.
• Argentina (Rank 1) topped the list with 7,81,000 hectares (up by 21%), followed by
Uruguay(Rank 2) at 5,89,000 hectares (28%) and India(Rank 3) at 3,59,000 hectares (16%).
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

APPOINTMENTS
NATIONAL
Name Appointed As Entity/Place Points to Be Noted
APRIL 2023
Chandra Shekhar Non-executive IL&FS (Infrastructure The Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Rajan (C S Rajan) chairman Leasing & Financial (MCA) has extended the term of
Services Ltd) Chandra Shekhar Rajan (C S
Rajan) as non-executive
chairman of IL&FS(Infrastructure
Leasing & Financial Services Ltd)
up to 30th September 2023.
i. MCA has also extended the
term of Nand Kishore as
Managing Director (MD) of IL&FS
up to March 31, 2024.
Sanjay Agarwal Managing Director AU Small Finance Bank The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
(MD) and Chief (AU SFB) has approved the re-appointment
Executive Officer of Sanjay Agarwal as Managing
Director (MD) and Chief
(CEO)
Executive Officer (CEO) of Jaipur
(Rajasthan)-based AU Small
Finance Bank (AU SFB) for 3
years with effect from 19th April
2023.

i. Uttam Tibrewal was also re-
appointed as the Whole Time
Director of AU SFB for 3 years
with effect from 19th April 2023.
Sekhar Rao Interim Managing Karnataka Bank Karnataka Bank had appointed
Director (MD) and Sekhar Rao as the interim
Chief Executive Officer Managing Director(MD) and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO), following
(CEO),
the completion of M S
Mahabaleshwara’s term as the
incumbent CEO.
Kaizad Bharucha Deputy Managing HDFC Bank The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Director (DMD) has approved the appointment of
Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy
Managing Director (DMD) and
Bhavesh Zaveri as Executive
Director (ED) of HDFC Bank
Limited, one of India’s largest
private sector lender, for a period
of 3 years with effect from 19th
April 2023.
i. On 24 November 2022, HDFC
Bank’s Board of Directors made
its recommendation to the RBI
for redesignation.
Anurag Jain Secretary Ministry of Road Anurag Jain, the current

Transport and Highways Secretary of DPIIT (Department
(MoRTH) for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade), Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, has
been appointed as the Secretary
of the Ministry of Road Transport
and Highways (MoRTH).
i. The Appointments Committee
of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra
Modi made a bureaucratic
reshuffle of the following 12 high-
level officials in the government.
Shreekant M Chairman Karnataka Vikas Shreekant M Bhandiwad took
Bhandiwad Grameena Bank charge as the new Chairman of
the Karnataka Vikas Grameena
Bank (KVGB), an Indian Regional
Rural Bank sponsored by Canara
Bank headquartered in Dharwad,
Karnataka.
i. Prior to the appointment,
Shreekant M Bhandiwad was
heading the Patna circle of
Canara Bank, Bihar.
ii. He succeeds, Puttaganti
Gopikrishna, who was serving as
the Chairman of KVGB from 2019

to 2023. P Gopikrishna,
repatriated to Canara Bank as
Circle Head, Bengaluru, in
Karnataka.
Hari Hara Mishra Chief Executive Officer Association of Asset Hari Hara Mishra takes charge as
(CEO) Reconstruction the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Companies (ARC)s. of the Association of Asset
Reconstruction Companies
(ARC)s.
Anant Maheshwari Chairperson National Association of The National Association of
Software and Service Software and Service Companies
Companies (NASSCOM) (NASSCOM) appointed Anant
Maheshwari, who is the President
of Microsoft India, as its
Chairperson for the year 2023-
24.
i. Anant Maheshwari, who was
Nasscom’s vice-chairperson,
succeeds Krishnan Ramanujam,
the President of Business and
Technology Services at Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS).
Krishnan Ramanujam was served
as Chairperson of Nasscom for
2022-23.
N Kamakodi Managing director City Union Bank (CUB) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
(MD) & Chief Executive approved the re-appointment of
Officer (CEO) N Kamakodi as the Managing
director (MD) & Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of a Kumbakonam
(TamilNadu) based private sector
bank City Union Bank (CUB) for a
period of three years with effect
from May 1, 2023.
i. Dr. N. Kamakodi is serving as
the MD & CEO of the CUB from
May 2011
A Madhavarao Chairman and Bharat Dynamics A Madhavarao, Director
Managing Director Limited (Technical) of Bharat Dynamics
(CMD) Limited (BDL) has been selected
for the Post of Chairman and
Managing Director (CMD), Bharat
Dynamics Limited BDL
recommended by Public
Enterprises Selection Board
(PESB).
i. Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
is a Public Sector Undertaking
(PSU) under the Ministry of
Defence, Government of India to
be the manufacturing base for
guided missile systems and allied
equipment for the Indian Armed
Forces.

Debadatta Chand Managing Director Bank of Baroda The Appointments Committee of
(MD) & Chief Executive the Cabinet (ACC) headed by
Officer (CEO) Prime Minister (PM) Narendra
Modi, has approved the
appointment of Debadatta Chand,
Executive Director of Bank of
Baroda (BoB) as the new
Managing Director (MD) & Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of BoB
with effect from the date of
assumption of office on or after
1st July 2023 for a period of three
years.
i. He will succeed, Sanjiv Chadha,
the incumbent MD & CEO of BoB,
who is set to retire on 30th June
2023.
Rajneesh Karnatak Managing Director Bank of India The ACC has also approved the
(MD) & Chief Executive appointment of Rajneesh
Officer (CEO) Karnatak, Executive Director of
Union Bank of India as the MD &
CEO of Bank of India (BoI) for a
period of three years from the
date of assumption of office or
until further orders.
He succeeds Atanu Kumar Das
whose tenure as MD and CEO of
BoI ended in January 2023.
MARCH 2023
Shailesh Pathak Secretary General Federation of Indian Federation of Indian Chambers of
Chambers of Commerce Commerce and Industry (FICCI),
and Industry (FICCI) India’s apex business chamber,
announced the appointment of
Shailesh Pathak as the new
Secretary General of FICCI with
effect from 1st March 2023.
• Shailesh Pathak succeeds
Dilip Chenoy, who
stepped down as
Secretary General of
FICCI in October 2021.
Rashmi Shukla Director-General (DG) Sashastra Seema Bal Rashmi Shukla, a senior Indian
(SSB) Police Service (IPS) officer, has
been appointed Director-General
(DG) of the Sashastra Seema Bal
(SSB). She will succeed Anish
Dayal Singh, IPS.
Pankaj Gupta Managing Director Pramerica Life -
(MD) and Chief Insurance Limited
Executive Officer
(CEO)

Conrad Kongkal Chief Minister (CM) Meghalaya Conrad Kongkal Sangma (Conrad
Sangma K. Sangma), President of the
National People’s Party (NPP),
was sworn in as the Chief
Minister (CM) of Meghalaya, to
lead a coalition government for
the second consecutive term.
Neiphiu Rio Chief Minister (CM) Nagaland Neiphiu Rio, leader of the
Nationalist Democratic
Progressive Party (NDPP) of
Nagaland, was sworn in as Chief
Minister (CM) of Nagaland for the
5th time in the presence of Prime
Minister (PM) Narendra Modi at
the Capital Cultural Hall, Kohima,
Nagaland.
Taditui Rangkau Zeliang and
Yanthungo Patton took oath as
Deputy Chief Ministers of
Nagaland in Kohima, Nagaland.
Manik Saha Chief Minister (CM) Tripura Dr. Manik Saha, a 70-year-old
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
leader, was sworn in as Chief
Minister (CM) of Tripura for the
second time and his oath of office
was administered by Governor
Satyadeo Narain Arya, at a
ceremony held at Vivekananda
Stadium in Agartala, Tripura.
Note: Dr. Manik Saha was named
CM of Tripura in May 2022,
replacing Biplab Deb.
S.S. Dubey Controller General of - S.S. Dubey, a 1989-batch Indian

Accounts Civil Accounts Service (ICAS)
officer, took charge as the
Controller General of Accounts
(CGA), Ministry of Finance (MoF),
with immediate effect. He is the
28th CGA of the Government of
India.
Before taking over as CGA, S.S.
Dubey was the Additional CGA in
the Public Financial Management
System (PFMS).
Ram Chandra President Nepal Ram Chandra Poudel (79 years

Poudel old), a senior leader of the Nepali
Congress, was elected as the 3rd
president of Nepal. He will
succeed incumbent President
Bidya Devi Bhandari whose
tenure will end on 12th March
2023.

Sumant Kathpalia Managing Director Induslnd Bank RBI has approved reappointment
(MD) and Chief of Sumant Kathpalia as MD and
Executive Officer CEO of Induslnd Bank for another
2 years, with effect from March
(CEO)
24, 2023.
Mohit Joshi Managing Director Tech Mahindra Limited Mohit Joshi, Former President of
(MD) and Chief Infosys, was appointed as the MD
Executive Officer and CEO designate of Tech
Mahindra Limited, India’s 5th -
(CEO)
largest Information technology
(IT) services and consulting
company for a period of 5 years
with effect from 20th December
2023 to 19th December 2028.
Siddhartha Interim Chairman Life Insurance He has been appointed as the
Mohanty Corporation of India Interim Chairman for a period of
(LIC) 3 months or till the assumption of
the charge by the regular
appointee with effect from 14th
March 2023.
Tablesh Pandey Managing Director Life Insurance -

(MD) Corporation of India
(LIC)
Deepak Mohanty Chairperson Pension Fund The order of appointment was
Regulatory and issued by the Department of
Development Authority Financial Services (DFS), Ministry
of Finance.
(PFRDA)
i. He succeeds Supratim
Bandypadhyay whose tenure as
Chairman of PFRDA ended in
January 2023.
Note: PFRDA Chairperson holds
office for 5 years or till the age of
65 years.
K. Krithivasan Chief Executive Officer Tata Consultancy The Board of Directors of Tata
(CEO) Services (TCS) Consultancy Services (TCS) has
appointed K. Krithivasan as Chief
Executive Officer (CEO)
designate, effective March 16,
2023. He will be appointed as
Managing Director (MD) and CEO
in the fiscal year 2023-24, subject
to shareholder approval.
i. Krithivasan will succeed Rajesh
Gopinathan, the current MD and
CEO, who unexpectedly resigned
and whose request was accepted
by the board.
G Krishnakumar Chairman and Bharat Petroleum The Appointments Committee of

Managing Director Corporation Ltd (BPCL) the Cabinet (ACC) has approved
(CMD) the proposal of the Ministry of
Petroleum & Natural Gas

(MoP&NG) for the appointment
of G Krishnakumar as the new
Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) of the Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Ltd (BPCL), an oil
marketing company (OMC).
i. He is currently serving as its
Executive Director.
ii. He will succeed Arun Kumar
Singh, who retired as chairman in
October 2022.
FEBRUARY 2023
Lieutenant General Governor Arunachal Pradesh Lt Gen (retired) Kaiwalya
Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik, a former
Trivikram Parnaik commander of the Army’s
Northern Command who served
(retired)
in the Army for more than four
decades, has been appointed as
the Governor of Arunachal
Pradesh.
• He has also commanded
the Indian Military
Training Team (IMTRAT)
in Bhutan, a corps in the
Northeast.
• He replaced Brigadier B D
Mishra (retired).
Lakshman Prasad Governor Sikkim Lakshman Prasad Acharya, an
Acharya Indian politician and member of
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
is appointed as the new governor
of Sikkim.
• He is related to kharwar
tribes, a scheduled tribe
with origin from the
Mirzapur district of Uttar
Pradesh(UP).
• He replaced Ganga Prasad
Chaurasia.
C P Radhakrishnan Governor Jharkhand C. P. Radhakrishnan, a BJP leader
from Tamil Nadu, has been
named the new governor of
Jharkhand.
• He was elected to the Lok
Sabha from the
Coimbatore constituency
in 1998 and 1999.
• He replaced Ramesh Bais.
Shiv Pratap Shukla Governor Himachal Pradesh. BJP leader Shiv Pratap Shukla
hailing from Rudrapur in Uttar
Pradesh was appointed as the
new governor of Himachal
Pradesh.

• He is currently a member
of the Rajya Sabha and
was appointed as the BJP
Chief Whip in 2020.
• He served as the Union
minister of state for
finance from 2014-2019.
• He replaced Rajendra
Vishwanath Arlekar.
Gulab Chand Governor Assam Gulab Chand Kataria, the Senior
Kataria BJP leader and Leader of the
Opposition in the Rajasthan
Assembly, was appointed as
Assam Governor.
• He is currently serving his
8th term as a Member of
the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) in Rajasthan
• He replaced Prof Jagdish
Mukhi.
Justice (retired) Governor Andhra Pradesh Former Supreme Court judge
Syed Abdul Nazeer Justice Syed Abdul Nazeer who
was a part of the historic
judgment on the property dispute
in Ayodhya was appointed as
Governor of Andhra Pradesh(AP).
• He was also part of the
five-judge bench in the
‘triple talaq’ matter but
had delivered a minority
verdict along with the
then Chief Justice of India
J S Khehar.
• He replaced Biswa
Bhusan Harichandan.
Biswa Bhusan Governor Chhattisgarh He replaced Sushri Anusuiya
Harichandan Uikye
Sushri Anusuiya Governor Manipur He replaced La Ganesan
Uikye
La Ganesan Governor Nagaland He replaced Prof Jagdish Mukhi
(Additional Charge)
Rajendra Governor Bihar He replaced Phagu Chauhan

Vishwanath
Arlekar
Phagu Chauhan Governor Meghalaya He replaced Brigadier B D Mishra
(Additional Charge)
Brigadier B D Governor Ladakh He replaced Radha Krishna
Mishra (retired) (Lieutenant Governor) Mathur
Ramesh Bais Governor Maharashtra He replaced Bhagat Singh
Koshyari
K Satyanarayana Managing Director Canara Bank K Satyanarayana Raju succeeds L
Raju (MD) and Chief V Prabhakar who resigned from
Executive Officer office on 31st December 2022.
(CEO)

BVR Chief Executive Officer NITI Aayog The Appointments Committee of
Subrahmanyam (CEO) the Cabinet has approved
Subrahmanyam’s appointment
for a period of 2 years from the
date of assumption of the charge
of the post.
• Subrahmanyam will
succeed incumbent CEO
Parameswaran Iyer, who
will join the World Bank
(WB) as Executive
Director in Washington,
DC, United States (US) for
a 3-year term.
JANUARY 2023
Suresh Deputy Managing IDBI Bank He was re-appointed as the DMD
Kishinchand Director (DMD) of IDBI Bank for 1 year with
Khatanhar effect from 15th January 2023,
according to the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI)’s approval.
Ajay Kumar Managing Director Indian Overseas Bank He has been appointed as MD and
Srivastava (MD) and Chief (IOB) CEO of Indian Overseas Bank
Executive Officer (IOB) for a period of 3 years with
effect from the date of
(CEO)
assumption of office on or after
1st January 2023.
• He was appointed
following the
superannuation of Partha
Pratim Sengupta, MD &
CEO of IOB, on 31st
December 2022.
Nalin Negi Chief Executive Officer BharatPe He is set to take over as the
(CEO) interim CEO of BharatPe.
Surinder Chawla Chief Executive Officer Paytm Payments Bank The appointment has been
(CEO) approved by the RBI for a period
of 3 years.
Chetan Sharma Chairman Senior Men’s Selection -

Committee of Board of
Control for Cricket in
India (BCCI).
Jayen Mehta Managing Director Gujarat Cooperative The MD of GCMMF, RS Sodhi, has
(MD) Milk Marketing stepped down from his post.
Federation (GCMMF) • He will be succeeded
by the Chief operating
officer (COO) of
GCMMF, Jayen Mehta.

Michael Debabrata Deputy Governor Reserve Bank of India He was reappointment for a
Patra (RBI) further period of one year with
effect from the 15th January
2023.
Ravi Kumar S Chief Executive officer Cognizant Cognizant announced the
(CEO) appointment of Ravi Kumar S as
its Chief Executive officer (CEO)
with immediate effect. He was
also named as a member of the
Board of Directors of Cognizant.
• Ravi Kumar S succeeds
Brian Humphries, who
resigned from the post of
CEO due to Cognizant's
recent underperformance
on 9th January 2023.
Pankaj Kumar Deputy National National Security He has been appointed on a re-
Singh Security Adviser (Dy Council Secretariat of employment contract of 2 years
NSA) India with effect from the date of
assumption of charge of the post,
or until further orders.
Vikram Dev Dutt Director General (DG) Directorate General of Vikram Dev Dutt will
Civil Aviation (DGCA) succeed Arun Kumar, DG of the
DGCA, who retires on 28th
February 2023.
Sangeeta Verma Acting Chairperson Competition The Government of India (GoI)
Commission of India has extended the tenure
(CCI) of Sangeeta Verma as acting
Chairperson of the Competition
Commission of India (CCI).
Prabdev Singh Chief Executive JP Morgan Chase Bank He was appointed for a period of
Officer (CEO) India 3-years.
INTERNATIONAL
➢ India has assumed the presidency of the 13th assembly of the International Renewable Energy
Agency (IRENA), the first international organisation solely dedicated to renewable energy, which was
held from January 13–15, 2023, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
➢ During the 12th Session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group (ITWG) on Animal
Genetic Resources (AnGR) at Rome, Italy from January 18-20, 2023, India was elected as the Vice-Chair
and represented the Asia & Pacific region.
PRESIDENTS OF INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES

Name Country Points to be noted
APRIL 2023
Miguel Diaz-Canel Cuba The National Congress of Cuba re-elected Miguel Diaz-Canel
as president for a second term as the country faces one of the
biggest social and economic crisis since Fidel Castro’s 1959
revolution.
Mohammed (Md) Mohammed (Md) A former judge, freedom fighter Mohammed (Md)
Sahabuddin Sahabuddin Sahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd president of
Bangladesh in Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban, Dhaka in
Bangladesh.

i. The 21st President of Bangladesh Md Abdul Hamid, the
longest-serving president of Bangladesh will go on
retirement after spending 10 years and 41 days as President
for two consecutive terms, and according to the Constitution
of Bangladesh, he cannot hold a third term.
MARCH 2023
Vo Van Thuong Vietnam The National Assembly(NA) of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam elected Vo Van Thuong(Võ Văn Thưởng) (52 years
old), a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of
Vietnam, as the new President of Vietnam for a term running
until 2026.
Vo Van Thuong succeeds Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who resigned
from the post of President in January 2023.
Xi Jinping China Xi Jinping, the 69-year-old Chinese politician, was

unanimously appointed as President of China for the 3rd
time, making him China’s longest-serving leader since
founding father Mao Zedong (1954-1959).
FEBRUARY 2023
Nikos Christodoulides Cyprus He has been elected as the 8th President of Cyprus by
defeating veteran diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis.
• He gained 51.9% of the vote while Andreas
Mavroyiannis, had 48.1%.
• He will succeed Nicos Anastasiades.
Mohammad Bangladesh Mohammad Shahabuddin Chuppu, (74 years old), a former

Shahabuddin Chuppu judge and freedom fighter, has been declared the next
President of Bangladesh by Bangladesh’s Election
Commission.
• The ruling Awami League (AL) party nominee,
Shahabuddin Chuppu, was elected unopposed as the
22nd President of Bangladesh.
• Shahabuddin Chuppu will replace the incumbent
President Mohammad Abdul Hamid, the longest-
serving president of Bangladesh (2013 to 2023),
whose tenure ends in April 2023.
JANUARY 2023
Luiz Inacio Lula da Brazil He was sworn in for the 3rd term as the President of the
Silva Republic of Brazil during the inauguration ceremony held at
the National Congress, in Brasilia, Brazil.
• He was sworn in as the 39th president of Brazil by
winning the 2022 Brazilian general election.
Petr Pavel Czech Republic Petr Pavel (61-year-old), the former chairman of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)military committee, won
the runoff vote defeating former Prime Minister (PM) Andrej
Babis, to become the 4th President of Czech Republic.

PRIME MINISTER’S OF INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES
Name Country Points to be noted
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Kuwait Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah,
Ahmad Al Sabah issued the decree re-appointing Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al
Ahmad Al Sabah as Prime Minister(PM) of the state of Kuwait
Government.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was sworn in
Abdulrahman Al Thani as the prime minister (PM) of Qatar at the Amiri Diwan of the
State of Qatar, in Doha, Qatar in the presence of Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Emir of Qatar.
He succeeds Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz Al
Thani, who served as the PM and interior minister of Qatar
since 2020.
FEBRUARY 2023
Dorin Recean Moldova Natalia Gavrilița (41 years old), Prime Minister (PM) of the
Republic of Moldova announced her resignation from the
post, claiming a lack of support in the former Soviet Union.
• Maia Sandu, President of Moldova, appointed
presidential adviser Dorin Recean, a pro-Western
economist, as the new PM following the resignation of
Natalia Gavrilița.
• She became the 3rd woman PM of Moldova after
Zinaida Greceanii and Maia Sandu.
Manuela Roka Botey Equatorial Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic
Guinea of Equatorial Guinea, appointed Manuela Roka Botey, deputy
minister of education, as the Prime Minister (PM) of
Equatorial Guinea.
• She becomes the first woman to hold the post of PM
in Equatorial Guinea.
• She succeeds Francisco Pascual Obama Asue who
served as the PM of Equatorial Guinea, since 2016 for
3rd consecutive term.
JANUARY 2023
Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze Gabon Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze(56 years old), former Minister, was
appointed as the new Prime Minister of Gabon to replace
Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda.
❖ Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, appointed
Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda as the first-ever
female Vice President of Gabon.
• Prior to this appointment, she has been
serving as the Prime Minister of Gabon since
July 2022.
Chris Hipkins New Zealand He was sworn in as the 41st Prime Minister (PM) of New
Zealand by the governor-general Cindy Kiro, King Charles

representative in New Zealand, during a ceremony in
Wellington, New Zealand.
• Chris Hipkins took over the premiership succeeding
Jacinda Ardern(42 years old), after she tendered her
resignation to Governor-General Cindy Kiro on 25th
January 2023.
OTHER INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENTS

Name Appointed as Entity/place Points to be noted
APRIL 2023
Sheikh Khaled bin Crown Prince Abu Dhabi, United Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al
Mohamed bin Arab Emirates (UAE) Nahyan (Known by his initials MBZ),
Zayed Al Nahyan President of the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) and the ruler of Abu Dhabi,
appointed his eldest son Sheikh
Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
(UAE),
i. President Sheikh Mohammed
also appointed his brother Sheikh
Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan as
Vice President of the UAE.
Margherita Della Permanent Chief Vodafone Vodafone Group Plc (Vodafone), a
Valle Executive Officer British multinational
(CEO) telecommunications company,
appointed Margherita Della Valle,
Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
(Interim) and Chief Financial Officer
(CFO), as the permanent CEO of
Vodafone. She is the first permanent
female CEO of Vodafone.
She has been serving as the CFO of
Vodafone since 2018 and also took up
the charge as interim CEO of the
organisation on 1st January 2023 after
Nick Read stepped down from the CEO
role.
MARCH 2023
Kavilmadam UN Resident Tajikistan The United Nations (UN) Secretary-

Ramaswami Coordinator General Antonio Guterres has
Parvathy (K. R. appointed Kavilmadam Ramaswami
Parvathy (K. R. Parvathy) of India, as
Parvathy)
UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan
with the approval of the host
government.
Gianni Infantino President International He is Swiss football administrator,
Federation of was re-elected as the president of the
Football Association International Federation of Football
Association (FIFA – Fédération
(FIFA – Fédération
Internationale De Football

Internationale De Association) for the 3rd time at the
Football Association) 73rd FIFA Congress held in Kigali,
Rwanda.
i. He has been re-elected as president
of FIFA for a 4 year term from 2023 to
2027 after running unopposed at the
73rd FIFA Congress.
Dilma Vana President New Development Dilma Rousseff will be president of the
Rousseff Bank (NBD) BRICS’s New Development Bank until
2025.
i. Dilma Rousseff(75 years old),
succeeds Marcos Troyjo, who stepped
down as the President of NDB on 24th
March 2023.
Rafael Mariano Director General(DG) International Atomic He was appointed for a second four-
Grossi Energy Agency year term. His second term starts on 3
(IAEA) December 2023 and runs until 2
December 2027.
Humza Yousaf First Minister Scotland Pakistani-origin Humza Yousaf (37),

the new leader of the Scotland
National Party (SNP), was legally
sworn in as the new First Minister of
Scotland at the Court of Session,
Edinburgh. Humza Yousaf is the 1st
Muslim to lead a democratic western
European nation(Scotland).
i. Humza Yousaf succeeded Nicola
Sturgeon, former First Minister of
Scotland, who resigned from her post
in February 2023.
FEBRUARY 2023
Neal Mohan Chief Executive Officer YouTube Mohan will succeed Susan Wojcicki,
(CEO) YouTube’s outgoing CEO, who is
departing after nine years in the
position.
• She had been with Alphabet
Inc., YouTube’s parent
company, for nearly 25 years.
Afshan Khan Coordinator Scaling Up Nutrition United Nations (UN) Secretary-

(SUN) Movement General Antonio Guterres announced
the appointment of Indo-Canadian
Afshan Khan as Coordinator of the
Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement.
She will coordinate the
implementation of the SUN movement
through its 3rd phase (2021-2025).
• Afshan Khan will succeed
Gerda Verburg of the
Netherlands.

Girish Chandra External Auditor International Labour Girish Chandra Murmu (G.C. Murmu),
Murmu (G.C. Organisation (ILO) Comptroller and Auditor General
Murmu) (CAG) of India, has been selected as
External Auditor of the International
Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva,
Switzerland, for a 4-year term (2024-
2027).
• CAG Girish Chandra Murmu
will replace the incumbent
external auditor of ILO, Jose
Callangan Calida, Chairperson
of the Commission on Audit
(COA), the Supreme Audit
Institution of the Republic of
the Philippines.
JANUARY 2023
Vinaya Prakash Secretary General Asian Pacific Postal Appointed for a 4-year term,
Singh Union (APPU) following the successful elections held
during the 13th APPU Congress in
Bangkok (Thailand) in August–
September 2022.
• With this, India will take over
the leadership of the Asian
Pacific Postal Union (APPU) in
January 2023.
Sultan Ahmed Al President COP28 climate UAE has named Sultan Ahmed Al
Jaber summit. Jaber, Minister of Industry and
Advanced Technology of UAE and
Group Managing Director & Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of the Abu
Dhabi National Oil Company(ADNOC),
as President of the COP28 climate
summit.
Inger Andersen Executive Director United Nations United Nations General Assembly
(ED) Environment (UNGA) elected Inger Andersen for a
Program (UNEP) second, 4-year term beginning from
15th June 2023 to 14th June 2027.
BRAND AMBASSADOR
Name Entity/Organization Points to be Noted
APRIL 2023
Rishabh Pant Star Sports Network India Star Sports Network India, also known as Star Sports
India, owned by Walt Disney Company, has signed
Indian Cricketer Rishabh Pant as its brand
ambassador.
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
Harmanpreet Kaur Puma India Puma India, one of the largest sportswear brand, has
roped in Indian Women’s cricket team captain
Harmanpreet Kaur as its brand ambassador as a part

of Puma India’s commitment towards the women’s
business, particularly in sports segment in India.
Ayushmann Khurrana United Nations Children’s United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India
Fund (UNICEF) India announced the appointment of Ayushmann Khurrana,
a National Award-winning Bollywood Actor, as a
National Ambassador.
JANUARY 2023
Maithili Thakur State Icon for Bihar Maithili Thakur, a Folk Singer, was appointed as the
State Icon for Bihar by the Election Commission of
India (ECI).
Nikhat Zareen NMDC Limited NMDC Limited, formerly National Mineral

Development Corporation, a Public Sector Undertaking
(PSU) under the Ministry of Steel, has signed a
Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Nikhat
Zareen, World Boxing Champion and gold medal
winner of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, to
representing NMDC as its brand ambassador.
RESIGNATION
Name Resigned as Imp points to be Noted
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
Lingam Venkata Managing Director He was retired from Canara Bank from his services, on
Prabhakar (MD) and Chief attaining the age of superannuation.
Executive Officer (CEO)
of Canara Bank
Suhail Sameer Chief Executive Officer Suhail Sameer, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
(CEO) of BharatPe BharatPe, a Fintech startup, has announced has resigned
from the CEO position.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc President of Vietnam President of Vietnam, Nguyen Xuan Phuc(68 years old),
submitted his resignation after the communist party
blamed him for the violations and wrongdoings by the
senior ministers under him during his 2016-2021 stint as
Prime Minister(PM) of Vietnam.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
AWARDS
APRIL 2023
➢ Aaliya Mir, a wildlife conservationist working for India-based charity Wildlife SOS, has been
honoured with the Wildlife Conservation Award for 2023 by the administration of the Union Territory
(UT) Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), for her conservation efforts in the region.
• She became the first Woman from J&K to receive the Wildlife Conservation Award.
➢ In its 63rd Literature Festival, the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL)
bestowed the SAARC Literature Award 2023 (Special Literary Award) to Bangladesh’s Father of the
Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. [SAARC stands for South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation].
• The SAARC Literary Award for 2023 was bestowed to him for his great literary excellence
through his trilogy: The Unfinished Memoirs, The Prison Diaries, and The New China as I Saw It
(1952).
• The award was handed over to his daughter, Bangladesh Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina.
➢ Kiran Nadar, Philanthropist and an art collector, was conferred with “Chevalier de la Légion
d’Honneur” (Knight of the Legion Honour), the highest French civilian award, by Emmanuel Lenain,
French Ambassador to India in a ceremony held at the Residence of France in New Delhi, Delhi.
➢ Pathsala (Assam)-based Tapoban, a non-government organisation (NGO), which supports children
with special needs has been honoured with the prestigious Children’s Champion Award 2023 in the
Health and Nutrition category at a function held in Triveni Auditorium, Delhi.
➢ The Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) presented Maharashtra Bhushan
Award for 2022 to Dr. Appasaheb Dharmadhikari during a public function at Kharghar area in Raigarh
district, Maharashtra.
• In 2017, he was recognized with Padma Shri for his outstanding contributions to society.
• About Maharashtra Bhushan Award: Instituted in 1995, it is a highest civilian award presented
annually by the Government of Maharashtra State. This award acknowledges the person who
has contributed to the social life of Maharashtra.
• Some of the notable recipients of the award include Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Bhimsen
Joshi, Ratan Tata and Sachin Tendulkar.
➢ The President of India, Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Panchayat Awards 2023 and
inaugurated the ‘National Conference on Incentivisation of Panchayats’ in New Delhi, Delhi.
❖ The President also inaugurated the National Panchayat Awards Week which was celebrated
by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) from April 17 to 21, 2023 as part of Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav (AKAM) 2.0.
❖ The National Panchayati Raj Day is annually observed across India on 24th April to celebrate
the constitutional status accorded to the Panchayati Ray system.
❖ Categories:Awards at National Level will be given to Gram, Block and District Panchayats under
4 categories as
• Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) (for the performance
under LSDG themes).
• Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar ( for the aggregate
performance under all 9 LSDG themes and green initiative-related Special Categories).
• Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar
• Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar
❖ Ngopa ( Mizoram) was awarded the Best Gram Panchayats/Equivalent Bodies, Ganjam
(Odisha), was awarded the best district panchayat or zilla parishad and Hinjilicut (Odisha) was
awarded the best block panchayat or panchayat samiti in India. Click here to know the full list of
Awardees
❖ The youngest Panchayats in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir have made
commendable efforts towards the goal of achieving Carbon Neutrality by the year 2030.

➢ Utsa Patnaik, a renowned economist of national and international repute, has been selected for
the Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2023 by the Malcolm & Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust (MEAT) based in
Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).
• The award will be given with a citation and a prize money of Rs. 2 lakh at a function which will
be held in Chennai, TN.
• MalcolmAdiseshiah Award is annually presented by the MEAT to honour the contributions of
outstanding social scientists in the field of development studies.
➢ An Indian-American Raj Subramaniam, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FedEx
Corporation, the world’s largest express transportation company, has been awarded the Pravasi
Bharatiya Samman Award 2023, by Taranjit Singh Sandhu, India’s Ambassador to the US, for his
contribution to Business.
• The award was conferred by Droupadi Murmu, President of India, on 10 January 2023, as a part
of the celebration of the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2023 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award is the highest civilian award given by the Government of
India to persons of Indian origin and the Indian diaspora.
• Note: 27 Indians living abroad received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in 2023.
➢ In a first, Karnataka has bagged the national award for the best implementation of Pradhan
Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), a crop subsidy insurance scheme, for the year 2022-23.
➢ The National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme of the Union Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoH&FW) received the Prime Minister’s (PM) Award for Excellence in Public Administration
2022 under the Innovation (Centre) category.
• Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, MoH&FW received the award for National COVID-19 Vaccination
Programme from PM Narendra Modi at a function organized on the occasion of 16th Civil
Services Day at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
• Winners of PM’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2022:
Category Winner
National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme – Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare
PM GatiShakti Master Plan – Department for Promotion of
Innovation (Centre) Industry and Internal Trade(DPIIT)
Mission Youth – Jammu and Kashmir
Innovation (State) State Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation(SOTTO) – Gujarat
Operation Parivartan – Solapur, Maharashtra
Innovation (District) Sanvardhan (Vocal for Local) initiative – Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Latur – Maharahstra
for promoting ‘Swasth Bharat’ under Ayushman Bharat
Anakapalli – Andhra Pradesh
for promoting ‘Swasth Bharat’ through many Health and
Ayushman Bharat Health & Wellness Centre Wellness Centres
Dr M Aarthi (2012 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu Cadre)
Deputy Commissioner of Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu
Promoting Swachh Jal (Clean Jal) through Har Bhavya Mittal (2014 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh Cadre)
Ghar Jal Yojana: District Magistrate of Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh,
Abhishek Anand (2014 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh
Cadre)
Promoting quality education with an District Magistrate of Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh
equitable and inclusive classroom M Nagarajan(2009 batch IAS officer of Gujarat Cadre)
environment through Samagra Shiksha: Deputy Commissioner Mahesana district in Gujarat
Promoting Swasth Bharat (Healthy Bharat) Prithviraj BP
through Health & Wellness Centres: Deputy Commissioner of Latur district in Maharashtra

Ravi Pattanshetti(2013 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh
Cadre)
Deputy Commissioner of Anakapalli district in Andhra Pradesh
Dr Om P Machra(2016 batch IAS officer of Gujarat Cadre)
– awarded for the best performance to the Team for Promoting
People’s Movements – Jan Bhagidari through Swachh Bharat
Mission (Gramin) of Mehsana, Gujarat.
Dr Syed Sehrish(2023 batch IAS officer of AGMUT Cadre)
Holistic Development through Aspirational Deputy Commissioner of Baramula district in Jammu & Kashmir
District Program – overall progress with Sushant Gaurav(2014 batch IAS officer of Jharkhand Cadre)
special focus on saturation approach: Deputy Commissioner of Gumla district in Jharkhand
➢ Winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize 2023 were announced at the War Memorial Opera
House in San Francisco, California, the United States of America (USA).
• 6 winners of the 2023 prize are Alessandra Korap Munduruku from Brazil, Chilekwa Mumba
from Zambia, Delima Silalahi from Indonesia, Diane Wilson from the USA, Tero Mustonen from
Finland, and Zafer Kızılkaya from Türkiye.
• 2023 marks the 34th anniversary of the Goldman Environmental Prize which honors one
grassroots activist from each of the six inhabited continents.
• The award is also known as the “Green Nobel Prize”.
• The ceremony for the same was hosted by Rue Mapp, founder of Outdoor Afro, an organization
dedicated to celebrating Black connections and leadership in nature.
➢ Ratan Tata, Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, was
awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), Australia’s highest civilian honour, in recognition of
his contribution to strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Australia particularly in trade,
investment, and philanthropy.
• The announcement was made by the Australian Ambassador to India Mr. Barry O’ Farrell.
• In March 2023, Ratan Tata was appointed as an Honorary Officer in the General Division of the
Order of Australia.
➢ During a programme organised on the 53rd Foundation Day of Housing and Urban Development
Corporation Limited (HUDCO), the HUDCO Awards of 2022-2023 were announced in New Delhi,
Delhi.
• The Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) Uttar Pradesh has been awarded the HUDCO Award (2022-
2023) for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment 2022-23 category for Sanitation.
• The award was given for the campaign practice ‘Swatchh Virasat’. The campaign was conducted
by the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) Uttar Pradesh from January 14 to 24.
• Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank was conferred with the award from the HUDCO for its
outstanding contribution towards the housing sector of the country under the Pradhan Mantri
Awas Yojana (Urban) – Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) through various innovative
initiatives.
➢ The 1959 Ramon Magsaysay Award was presented to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in
person after 64 years in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, by Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation
president Susanna B Afan and foundation trustee Emily A Abrera.
• The 1959 Ramon Magsaysay award was given by the Ramon Magsaysay Award
Foundation in the Philippines in August 1959.
• It was the first international recognition given to the 14th Dalai Lama for his leadership
in the preservation of Tibet’s society, religion and culture and way of life during a critical
time
❖ About The Ramon Magsaysay Award:
• It is often called the “Nobel Prize of Asia”, is an annual award established to preserve
former Philippine seventh President Ramon Magsaysay’s example of integrity in
governance, courageous service to the people, and practical idealism within a
democratic society.

❖ Awards- Dalai Lama
• In 1989 Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts towards
the liberation of Tibet and the efforts taken by him for a peaceful resolution instead of
using violence as a key
• In 2007, he received the United States Congressional Gold Medal for his work with peace
and human rights.
• In 2022, he received the Gandhi Mandela Award for promoting the values and ideals of
Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela in the interest of global peace and freedom.
➢ The 68th edition of the Hyundai Filmfare Awards (Filmfare Awards 2023) took place at the Jio
World Conventional Centre in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The Filmfare Awards 2023 were presented in
collaboration with the Maharashtra Tourism, Government of Maharashtra.
• The event was co-hosted by Salman Khan, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Maniesh Paul.
• Complete list of winners of Filmfare Awards 2023:
Category Winner
Best Film Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Film (Critics’) Badhaai Do (Harshvardhan Kulkarni)
Best Actor In A Leading Role (Male) Rajkummar Rao For Badhaai Do
Best Actor (Critics’) Sanjay Mishra For Vadh
Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female) Alia Bhatt For Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Actress (Critics’) Bhumi Pednekar For Badhaai Do
Best Actress (Critics’) Tabu For Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2
Best Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali For Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Male) Anil Kapoor For Jugjugg Jeeyo
Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Female) Sheeba Chaddha For Badhaai Do
Best Music Album Pritam for Brahmastra Part One: Shiva
Amitabh Bhattacharya For Kesariya From Brahmastra Part One:
Best Lyrics Shiva
Best Playback Singer (Male) Arijit Singh For Kesariya From Brahmastra Part One: Shiva
Best Debut Female Andrea Kevichusa For Anek
Best Dialogue Prakash Kapadia, Utkarshini Vashishtha For Gangubai Kathiawadi
Akshat Ghildial, Suman Adhikary And Harshavardhan Kulkarni for
Best Screenplay Badhaai Do
Best Story Akshat Ghildial, Suman Adhikary for Badhaai Do
Best Action Parvez Shaikh for Vikram Vedha
Best Background Score Sanchit Balhara And Ankit Balhara for Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Choreography Kruti Mahesh for Dholida from Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Cinematography Sudeep Chatterjee for Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Costume Sheetal Iqbal Sharma for Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Editing Ninad Khanolkar for An Action Hero
Best Production Design Subrata Chakraborty And Amit Ray Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Sound Design Bishwadeep Dipak Chatterjee for Brahmastra Part One: Shiva
Best VFX (Visual effects) Dneg, Redefine for Brahmastra Part One: Shiva

Lifetime Achievement Award Prem Chopra
R D Burman Award For Upcoming Music
Talent Jahnvi Shrimankar (Dholida – Gangubai Kathiawadi)
➢ Green Organization, London, United Kingdom (UK), presented the Green World Awards 2023, at
Miami International Airport in the United States of America (USA).
• India’s Vedanta Limited, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), and Chennai
Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) received awards in various categories.
➢ Indian-American Neeli Bendapudi, 59-year-old, the president of Pennsylvania University, United
States of America (USA) was honoured with the American Immigration Council’s 2023 Immigrant
Achievement Award for her contributions to American higher education.
➢ The United Kingdom (UK) based Saskrit Scholar, Dr M.N. Nandakumara, Executive Director of the
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan centre in London, UK has been awarded the honorary MBE (Member of the
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by King Charles III.
• The honorary MBE has been granted “for services to the teaching, performance and accessibility
of Indian classical arts in the UK”.
MARCH 2023
➢ The Fédération Internationale De Football Association (FIFA) announced the winners of the 2022
Best FIFA Football Awards at the award ceremony held in Paris, France.
• Argentina and Paris St-Germain forward Lionel Messi was named Best FIFA Men’s player
2022 and Spains midfielder Alexia Putellas was named Best FIFA Women’s player 2022
awards.
➢ Indian Short story writer, novelist, poet, and essayist, Vinod Kumar Shukla, one of the greatest
contemporary writers in the Hindi language won the 2023 PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in
International Literature, the award is conferred annually by PEN America.
• The award will be presented during the 59th Annual PEN Literary Awards on 2nd March 2023
at The Town Hall, New York, United States of America (USA).
➢ Marconi Society has awarded Hari Balakrishnan, an Indian-born Computer scientist, with the 2023
Marconi Prize for his fundamental discoveries in wired and wireless networking, mobile sensing, and
distributed systems.
• Hari Balakrishnan is a Fujitsu Professor of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence(AI) in
the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), United States of America (USA).
• Hari Balakrishnan was born in 1972 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, and was raised in Bombay
(Mumbai), Maharashtra, and Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Since 1998, he has been at MIT.
➢ The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India was conferred with the
Porter Prize 2023 in recognition of its efforts in health sector and especially COVID-19 management.
➢ Droupadi Murmu, President of India, conferred the ‘Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023’ under
several categories of the Swachh Bharat Mission—Grameen (SBM-G), Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), and
National Water Mission (NWM) in New Delhi, Delhi.
The “Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman (SSSS) 2023″ was organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in
preparation of International Women’s Day (March 8, 2023) and was attended by Union Minister
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman programme honours women who have made remarkable
contributions to the field of rural water and sanitation. Click here to see the list of winners
➢ Indian Weightlifter, Padma Shri Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who became the 1st Indian weightlifter to
win the silver medal at Tokyo Olympic Games, has won the 4th edition of the “British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC) Indian Sportswoman Of The Year (ISWOTY) 2022”.
➢ Pritam Siwach, a former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team and coach, received the “BBC
Lifetime Achievement Award 2022” in recognition of her contributions to Indian sports and for
inspiring generations of players. She was the 1st woman hockey coach to be given the Dronacharya
Award, the highest national award for coaches.

➢ Dr L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (I&B), presented the 8th
National Photography awards in New Delhi, Delhi. In total, 13 individuals were recognised in different
categories.
Winners of the 8th National Photography Awards in Table:
S.No Category Awardee Cash Prize
1 Lifetime Achievement Award Sipra Das Rs 3 lakh
2 Professional Photographer of the Year Award Sasi Kumar Ramachandran Rs.1 lakh
Dipjyoti Banik
Manish Kumar Chauhan
R S Gopakumar
Sudipto Das
3 Special Mention Awards in the Professional category Umesh Harishchandra Nikam Rs.50,000
4 Amateur Photographer of the Year Award Arun Saha Rs 75,000
C S Sreeranj
Mohit Wadhawan
Ravishankar S L
Subhadip Bose
5 Special Mention Awards in the Amateur category Tharun Adurugatla Rs.30,000
➢ Sir David Alan Chipperfield (David Chipperfield), a 69-year-old British Civic Architect, urban
planner and activist, won the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2023, the architect’s most prestigious award,
for his timeless modern design that confronts climate urgencies, transform social relationships and
reinvigorates cities.
David Chipperfield is the 52nd winner of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, which is
considered the most significant award in international architecture.
➢ Airports Council International (ACI) announced the winners of the 2022 Airport Service Quality
(ASQ) Awards recognizing the best airports for customer experience worldwide. Indira Gandhi
International Airport (IGIA) – Delhi Airport, has been adjudged as one of the Best and Cleanest Airports
in the Asia Pacific region.
IGIA operated by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a consortium of the GMR Group won the
2022 ASQ award under Best Airports by Size and Region – Over 40 million passengers per year.
The airport has also won the 2022 ASQ award under Cleanest Airport (Asia Pacific Region) category
➢ Highlights of 95th Academy Awards 2023 held in Los Angeles, US: India’s ‘Naatu Naatu‘ song , ‘The
Elephant Whisperers’ won.
It has honoured movies released in 2022 in 23 categories. The ceremony for the same was held by the
US’ Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
Indian Actress Deepika Padukone was one of the presenters at Oscars 2023.
She is the third Indian ever to present an Oscar after Persis Khambatta in 1980 and Priyanka Chopra in
2016.Table showing the full list of Winners at 95th Academy Awards 2023
➢ Pagalkhana, a satirical Hindi novel authored by Dr Gyan Chaturvedi, a renowned Hindi Writer and
Padma Shri Awardee (2015), has been selected for the 32nd Vyas Samman (2022).
i. The book was published by Rajkamal Prakashan in 2018.
➢ The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced the newest members of its ‘Young Global
Leaders Class of 2023’ to its Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGLs), and six Indians have made the list,
including Aaditya Thackeray, Leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray – UBT) and
Madhukeshwar Desai, National Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha (BJYM) [BJP Youth
Wing] (who were listed under the category of Public figures).

➢ Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), was named the “Governor of the Year”
for 2023 at the Central Banking Awards 2023 by Central Banking, the international economic research
journal.
➢ Bengaluru (Karnataka) was honoured with the 2023 Partnership for Healthy Cities Award, along
with Montevideo, Uruguay; Mexico City, Mexico; Vancouver, Canada; and Athens, Greece at the
inaugural Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit held in London, United Kingdom (UK).
➢ Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited has been honoured with the ‘Innovation in Consumer Tech’
award at the 13th Aegis Graham Bell Awards (AGBA) for its Hello Ujjivan app, India’s 1st visual-voice-
vernacular banking app.
➢ Isha Ambani, the Chairperson of Reliance Retail, the retail unit of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL),
won the GenNext Entrepreneur Award at the Forbes India Leadership Awards 2023 at the Grand Hyatt,
Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• 2023 marks the 12th edition of the Forbes India Leadership Awards.
• A M Naik, Group Chairman of Larsen and Toubro Ltd.(L&T), received the FILA 2023 Lifetime
Achievement Award.
➢ Abel Prize 2023 for Mathematics was awarded to Luis Ángel Caffarelli, an Argentine-American
mathematician and an expert in “partial differential equations” which can explain phenomena ranging
from how water flows to population growth, at the University of Oslo, Norway.
• Luis Caffarelli, a 74-year-old professor at the University of Texas, was honoured for his seminal
contributions to regularity theory for nonlinear partial differential equations.
• Luis A Caffarelli is the 26th Abel Prize Laureate and he is the 1st Latin American mathematician
to receive the award.
➢ Dhanya Rajendran, Co-founder and editor of the news website “The News Minute”, was awarded
the Chameli Devi Jain Award for ‘Outstanding Woman Mediaperson 2022’ at the event at the India
International Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister (PM) of India and Member of Parliament (MP) Rajya
Sabha (constituency- Rajasthan), was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Honour at the 2023
edition of the prestigious India-United Kingdom (UK) Achievers Honours, a first-of-its-kind celebration
of the UK’s Indian alumni, held on 25th January 2023 in London, UK, for his contribution to economic
and political life.
• British Indian peer Lord Karan Bilimoria received the Living Legend Honour.
• Virendra Sharma MP from Ealing Southall, who chairs the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary
Group, was also bestowed with the Living Legend Honour.
➢ The Ministry of Defence(MoD) announced the best marching contingents and tableaux of
Republic Day (R-Day) Parade 2023 in two separate results, one selected by the 3 member Expert
Committee of the Ministry of Defence and the other through an online public vote conducted by MyGov
platform.
• A total of 23 tableaux – 17 from states and union territories (UTs) and six from various
ministries and departments- participated in the R-Day parade 2023.
• Result of Best Marching Contingents & Tableaux (by panel of judges):
Category Winner
Best Marching Contingent among the three services Punjab Regiment Centre Contingent
Best Marching Contingent among CAPF/other
auxiliary forces CRPF Marching Contingent
First – Uttarakhand (Manaskhand)
Second – Maharashtra (Sade Tin Shaktipithe & Nari
Shakti)
Best three Tableaux (States/UTs) Third – Uttar Pradesh (Ayodhya Deepotsav)
Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Eklavya Model Residential
Best Tableau (Ministries/Departments) Schools (EMRSs))

Central Public Works Department (Biodiversity
Conservation)
Special Prize ‘Vande Bharatam’ Dance Group.
• Result of Best Marching Contingents & Tableaux (online poll on MyGov):

Category Winner
Best Marching Contingent among the three services Indian Air Force Marching Contingent
Best Marching Contingent among CAPF/other auxiliary
forces CRPF Marching Contingent
First – Gujarat (Clean-Green energy efficient
Gujarat)
Second – Uttar Pradesh (Ayodhya Deepotsava)
Third – Maharashtra (Sade tin Shaktipeeth and
Best three Tableaux (States/UTs) Nari Shakti)
Best Tableau (Ministries/Departments) CAPF (Ministry of Home Affairs)
➢ R Vishnu Prassad, Founder and Chief Scientist at Vishnu Prasad Research Centre was awarded
“The Most Distinguished Scientist of the Year 2022” at the Indian Achievers Award 2022 by Anurag
Singh Thakur, Minister of Information and Broadcasting at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
• RV Prassad was chosen by a jury headed by Justice Gyan Sudha Misra.
• He was recognised for working tirelessly on sustainability, smart cities, and a vision to create a
clean India through solid waste management and the treatment of huge water bodies.
➢ VP Nandakumar, Managing Director and Chief executive officer (CEO) of Manappuram Finance
Limited, received The Hurun Industry Achievement Award 2022 for his remarkable achievements in
the world of business.
• He received the award from Rupert Hoogewerf, Founder & Chairman of Hurun Global, at Hurun
India’s award ceremony held in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
➢ Veteran journalist Dr Anne Bhavani Koteswara Prasad, popularly known as ABK, has been chosen
for the ‘Raja Ram Mohan Roy National Award for excellence in Journalism-2020’ for his outstanding
contribution to the field of journalism.
➢ Angela Merkel, former Federal Chancellor of Germany, received the Félix Houphouët-Boigny-
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Peace Prize 2022 during
the ceremony held in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the Ivory Coast. She received the prize in recognition
of her efforts to welcome refugees during her term in the office.
➢ Karnataka Bank Limited was awarded “Prathista Puraskar” under ‘Digidhan Awards 2021-22’ by
the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India (GoI), for
achieving the target with the highest percentage in Bharat Interface for Money-Unified Payments
Interface (BHIM-UPI) transactions in Private Sector Bank category.
➢ India’s only independent international film festival, Dadasaheb Phalke International Film
Festival (DPIFF) 2023 was held on February 20, 2023 at Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Winners’ List of DPIFF Awards 2023:
s.no Category Winner
1 Best Film The Kashmir Files
2 Film of The Year RRR
R Balki (Balakrishnan)
3 Best Director for ‘Chup: Revenge of The Artist’
Ranbir Kapoor
4 Best Actor for ‘Brahmastra: Part 1’

Alia Bhatt
5 Best Actress for ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’
Rishab Shetty
6 Most Promising Actor for ‘Kantara’
7 Best Producer Bhushan Kumar
Sheeba Chaddha
8 Best Actress In a Supporting Role for Doctor G
Manish Paul
9 Best Actor In A Supporting Role for ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’
10 Outstanding Contribution In The Film Industry Rekha
Varun Dhawan
11 Critics Best Actor for ‘Bhediya’
12 Critics Best Actress Vidya Balan for Jalsa
Anupam Kher
13 Most Versatile Actor of The Year for The ‘Kashmir Files’
Sachet Tandon
14 Best Male Singer for ‘Maiyya Mainu’ from Jersey
Neeti Mohan
15 Best Female Singer for ‘Meri Jaan’ from Gangubai Kathiawadi
PS Vinod
16 Best Cinematographer for ‘Vikram Vedha’
Zain Imam
17 Best Actor In A Television Series for ‘Fanaa- Ishq Mein Marjawaan’
Tejasswi Prakash
18 Best Actress In A Television Series for ‘Naagin 6’
Rupali Ganguly
19 Most Versatile Actress in a Television Series for Anupamaa
20 Television Series of The Year Anupamaa
21 Best Web Series Rudra: The Edge of Darkness
22 Best Actor in Web Series Jim Sarbh for Rocket Boys
Shefali Shah
23 Best Actress in a Web Series for Delhi Crime 2
24 Outstanding Contribution In The Music Industry Hariharan
25 Best Actor in Negative Role Dulqer Salmaan for ‘Chup’
Mouni Roy
26 Best Actress in Negative Role for ‘Brahmastra: Part 1’
➢ Sajjan Jindal, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based JSW
Group, has been named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 India at the 24th EY Entrepreneur of the
Year™ Awards ceremony held in New Delhi, Delhi.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Bank of Baroda, the second largest public sector bank in India after State Bank of India (SBI),
won EAG Laureate award in the International Olympiad of Financial Security held at Sochi, Russia on
10 October 2022.
➢ According to the On-Time Performance Review 2022 released by CIRIUM, the aviation analytics
company, Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, Karnataka, and Indira Gandhi International
(IGI) Airport, Delhi, were listed among the top 10 in the Top Performing Global Airports of 2022.

❖ The Top Performing Global Airports of 2022:
Rank Airport Place
1 Haneda Airport Tokyo, Japan
2 Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
3 Salt Lake City International Airport Utah, United States (US)
4 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Michigan, the United States (US)
5 Philadelphia International Airport Pennsylvania, the US
7 Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi, India
➢ Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister (CM) of Kerala, presented the 1st Gouriamma award to Aleida
Guevara, Cuban child rights advocate and daughter of revolutionary leader Che Guevara, at Olympia
Hall at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
➢ Veteran Indian actress-director Aparna Sen was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
Award at the opening ceremony of the 15th edition of the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF 2023)
in Jaipur, Rajasthan, being held between 6th and 10th January 2023.
➢ Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Serum Institute of India (SII), was conferred
with the 1st Dr Patangrao Kadam Memorial Award for the contribution to the fight against COVID-19
at the inauguration of the Bharati Super Specialty Hospital at Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra.
➢ Hollywood Foreign Press Association® (HFPA) announced the winners of the 80th Annual
Golden Globe® Awards 2023, at an event held in The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills Los Angeles,
California, United States of America (USA).
❖ Winners of Golden Globe® Awards 2023:
Category Winner
Best Motion Picture – Drama The fablemans
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy The Banshees of Inisherin
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) (Amazon
Best Motion Picture — Non-English Language Prime Video)
Best Motion Picture — Animated Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Best Director — Motion Picture Steven Spielberg for The Fabelmans
Martin McDonagh for The Banshees
Best Screenplay — Motion Picture of Inisherin
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama Austin Butler for Elvis
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama Cate Blanchett for Tár
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Colin Farrell for The Banshees of
Comedy Inisherin
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Michelle Yeoh for Everything
Comedy Everywhere All at Once
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Ke Huy Quan for Everything
Picture Everywhere All at Once
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Angela Bassett for Black Panther:
Picture Wakanda Forever

Best Original Score — Motion Picture Justin Hurwitz for Babylon
“Naatu Naatu” from RRR Music by:
M.M. Keeravani
Best Original Song — Motion Picture Lyrics by: Chandrabose
Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Best Television Series – Drama House of the Dragon (HBO MAX)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama Kevin Costner for Yellowstone
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama Zendaya for Euphoria
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Quinta Brunson for Abbott
Comedy Elementary
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or
Comedy Jeremy Allen White for The Bear
Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical- Tyler James Williams for Abbott
Comedy Or Drama Television Series Elementary
Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In A Musical-
Comedy Or Drama Television Series Julia Garner, Ozark
Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical-
Comedy Or Drama Television Series The White Lotus
Best Performance By An Actor In A Limited Series, Anthology Series, Or Evan Peters for Dahmer — Monster:
A Motion Picture Made For Television The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Best Performance By An Actress In A Limited Series, Anthology Series,
Or A Motion Picture Made For Television Amanda Seyfried for The Dropout
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series,
Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Jennifer Coolidge for The White Lotus
Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Limited Series,
Anthology Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television Paul Walter Hauser for Black Bird
➢ 1171 Indian Peacekeepers were honoured with the prestigious United Nations (UN) medals for
their vital work in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Upper Nile, South Sudan.
➢ On the occasion of the National Start-up Day (16th January 2023), Piyush Goyal, Union Minister
for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & Textiles felicitated the
winners of the National Startup Awards (NSA) 2022 during the award ceremony held in New Delhi,
Delhi.
• He also released the National Startup Awards 2022 Report and launched the MAARG platform
(Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth) during the award ceremony.
• National Startup Day is annually observed across India on 16th January to celebrate the spirit of
the Indian startup ecosystem. The day also marks the founding day of Startup India. The
observance of the National Startup Day is organised by DPIIT, under MoCI.
• 2023 marks the observance of the 2nd National Start-up Day.
• National Start-up Day 2023 marks the completion of 7 years of Start-up India.
• As a part of the National startup Day 2023, a 7-day long Startup India Innovation Week –
January 10 – 16, 2023, was organised across India with several events to reach stakeholders and
enable the Indian startup ecosystem.
➢ Odisha has won the “Bronze Award” in the United Nations Human Settlements Programme’s
(UN-Habitat) “World Habitat Awards 2023” for the Jaga Mission, a 5T programme of the state. [5T:
Transparency; Technology; Teamwork; Time & Transformation]
• Jaga Mission – ‘Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission’ is India’s largest land titling and slum
upgrading initiative, and one of the largest in the world.
• The 2023 Bronze Award is Jaga Mission’s second bronze award.

➢ According to the Brand Finance Brand Guardianship Index 2023, Mukesh Ambani chairman of
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is ranked No 1 among Indians and second globally with Brand
Guardianship Index (BGI) score of 81.7.
❖ Brand Guardianship Index 2023 Top 5 (Global):
Rank CEO Company/Sector Country BGI 2023
1 Jensen Huang Nvidia (Tech) USA 83
2 Mukesh Ambani Reliance (Oil&Gas) India 81.7
3 Satya Nadella Microsoft(Tech) USA 81.5
4 Shantanu Narayen Adobe (Tech) USA 80.4
5 Sundar Pichai Google (Media) USA 79.6
❖ Brand Guardianship Index 2023 Top 5 (India)
Rank
(India) Global Rank CEO Company/Sector BGI 2023
1 2 Mukesh Ambani Reliance (Oil&Gas) 81.7
2 8 Natarajan Chandrasekaran Tata Son (Engineering & Construction) 77.5
3 23 Anand Mahindra Mahindra (Automobiles) 74.3
4 26 Sunil Mittal Airtel (Telecoms) 73.7
5 48 Dinesh Kumar Khara State Bank of India(Banking) 70.7
➢ Dr Sanduk Ruit, a renowned Nepali ophthalmologist, won the Isa Award for Service to Humanity
2023, a top civilian award in Bahrain.
➢ The New Goa Manohar International Airport (MIA), formerly Mopa International Airport, won the ‘Best
Sustainable Greenfield Airport‘ award for the excellent initiatives taken by the GMR Goa International
Airport Limited (GGIAL) in implementing sustainability as one of their key concepts.
➢ Padma Awards 2023: President Approves 106 Padma Awards; List Includes 6 Padma Vibhushan, 9
Padma Bhushan, 91 Padma Shri Awards, With 7 Posthumous Awardees
• The Padma Awards 2023 were announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the eve of
India’s 74th Republic Day. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has approved the
conferment of 106 Padma Awards for the year 2023.
• Padma Awards, one of India’s highest civilian honours, are given in three categories: Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
RECOGNITIONS
APRIL 2023
➢ The Modern Coach Factory (MCF) Stadium in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh (UP), has been renamed
the ‘Rani’s Girls Hockey Turf’ in honour of former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team Rani
Rampal.
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2020 (now Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna) and Padma Shri awardee
(2020) Rani Rampal became the 1st Indian woman hockey player to have a stadium named
after her.
➢ Forbes released its 37th Annual World Billionaire List 2023 in which Mukesh Ambani regained
his spot as the richest person of Asia and India. With a net worth of USD 83.4 billion, he was ranked
at No. 9 on the world billionaire list.
• Bernard Arnault, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis
Vuitton) topped the list for the first time with a net worth of USD 211 Billion followed
by Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX & Tesla, ranked 2nd with net worth of USD 180 Billion and Jeff
Bezos, founder of Amazon at 3rd rank with net worth of USD 114 Billion.

• This is the first time a French citizen has led the World’s Billionaires ranking, which began in
1987.
• 2023 World Billionaire List:
Rank Person Net Worth (USD) Source Citizenship
1 Bernard Arnault & Family 211 Billion LVMH France
2 Elon Musk 180 Billion Tesla, SpaceX United States (US)
3 Jeff Bezos 114 Billion Amazon US
9 Mukesh Ambani 83.4 Billion Diversified India
24 Gautam Adani 47.2 Billion Infrastructure, commodities India
➢ Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) based at the Lord’s Cricket Ground (since 1814) in London, the
United Kingdom(UK), has awarded honorary life membership of the Club to 17 World’s finest
cricketers, including 5 Indian cricketers(3 men and 2 women): Mahendra Singh Dhoni(MS Dhoni);
Suresh Raina; Yuvraj Singh; Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami.
• 8 of the 12 Test Playing countries are represented on the 2023 Cohort of new Honorary Life
Memberships.
➢ India’s Bollywood Actor Shah Rukh Khan won the 2023 TIME100 Reader Poll, the 100th edition of
TIME’s readers’ poll in which readers voted for the individuals/groups that they think deserve a spot on
the Time’s annual list of the most influential people.
➢ Nandini Gupta, a 19-year-old, from (Kota)Rajasthan, won the 59th edition of Femina Miss India
World 2023 crown in the grand ceremony held at Khuman Lampak Stadium, Imphal, Manipur.
Femina Miss India 2022 winner Sini Shetty of Karnataka crowned Nandini Gupta.
• Nandini Gupta will now represent India at the 71st edition of Miss World (2023), which is to be
held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Runners-Up– Shreya Poonja of Delhi became the 1st runner-up and Thounaojam Strela Luwang
of Manipur was crowned the 2nd runner-up.
➢ Tata Steel has been recognised as one of the 2023 Steel Sustainability Champions by the World
Steel Association (worldsteel) and the announcement was made at the Worldsteel Special General
Meeting of the Board of Members held in Vienna, Austria.
• Recognised for the sixth consecutive year this year, Tata Steel has been a champion every year
since the programme’s launch in 2018.
➢ Wing Commander (Wg Cdr) Deepika Misra became the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force
(IAF) to be presented with Vayu Sena Medal(VM) for Gallantry.
MARCH 2023
➢ Sashidhar Jagdishan, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HDFC Bank
(since October 2020), has been named the Business Standard (BS) Banker of the Year 2022.
➢ Shaliza Dhami, Group Captain of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been selected to command a
frontline combat unit of the force along the western sector.
➢ Colonel Geeta Rana of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) is the 1st woman
officer to take over command of an independent field workshop in the Eastern Ladakh sector with
China, after the Indian Army’s clearance of 108 positions for female officers to assume command of
independent units in the Corps of Engineers.
• Colonel Geeta Rana has taken over the ordinance, EME, and other branches of the Corps of
Engineers.
➢ Surekha Yadav, hailing from Satara, Maharashtra, Asia’s 1st female loco pilot, became the 1st
woman to drive the recently launched semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train.
➢ According to the 2023 M3M Hurun Global Rich list released by Hurun India and M3M India, Gautam
Adani has dropped 11 places to the 23rd rank among global billionaires. According to the report,

Gautam Adani saw a 35% decline in wealth year-on-year. He lost Rs 3,000 crore every week over the
last year.
• Bernard Arnault, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (known
as LVMH), which owns fashion brands including Sephora and Louis Vitton, tops the list as the
Richest Person in the World with a worth of USD 202 billion.
• Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and Twitter, with a total wealth of USD 157 billion, is number two
on the list.
• World’s Top 10 Billionaires:
Rank Person Net Worth (USD) Source Citizenship
1 Bernard Arnault & Family 211 Billion LVMH France
2 Elon Musk 180 Billion Tesla, SpaceX United States (US)
3 Jeff Bezos 114 Billion Amazon US
9 Mukesh Ambani 83.4 Billion Diversified India
24 Gautam Adani 47.2 Billion Infrastructure, commodities India
➢ Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro), Nagpur, Maharashtra, which have
been awarded Guinness World Records (2022) and 2 Asian Book of Records(2022), was honoured with
the prestigious “Asia Book of Records” certification under 3 different categories.
• Longest Length of Metro Rail Corridor Construction in the Shortest Time.
• First Solar photovoltaic (PV) system in a Metro Rail Project for Integrated Consumption.
• Heaviest Single Span Double Decker Steel Bridge Truss over Railway tracks in Urban Area.
➢ Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations(UN) recognised Mumbai (Maharashtra) in the ‘2022 Tree Cities of the World’ for its
contributions and commitment towards growing and maintaining the urban forest.
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
➢ Captain Shiva Chouhan, hailing from Rajasthan, has become the first woman officer of the Indian
Army to get operationally deployed at Siachen Glacier, Karakoram range in the Himalayas in Ladakh,
the world’s highest battlefield after training at Siachen Battle School.
➢ R’Bonney Gabriel of the United State of America (USA) was crowned 71st Miss Universe 2022
during the Miss Universe 2022 pageant held in New Orleans, Louisiana while Amanda Dudamel of
Venezuela was named as the first runner-up, and Andreina Martinez of the Dominican Republic was
named as the second runner-up.
• R’Bonney Gabriel was crowned by the Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

ACQUISITION BETWEEN AMOUNT KEY POINTS
APRIL 2023
Koninklijke DSM N.V. (DSM) and - CCI approved the merger of equals
Firmenich International SA between Koninklijke DSM N.V.
(Firmenich) (“DSM”) and Firmenich International
SA (“Firmenich”) to form DSM-
Firmenich, a Swiss domiciled
company whose shares are proposed
to be listed on Euronext Amsterdam
and falls under Section 5(c) of the

Competition Act, 2002. CCI approved
this merger under Section 31(1) of the
Competition Act, 2002.
C-Flex India Entities & SBP from C- - CCI has approved a share swap for the
Flex acquisition of the entire shareholding
of Constantia Flexibles Sales B.V.
(CFlex) in CFlex India entities by S.B.
Packagings Private Limited
i. The C-Flex India entities include the
following entities:
Parikh Packaging Private Limited
(Parikh Packaging)
Creative Polypack Private Limited
(Creative Polypack)
Aparna Paper Processing Industry
Private Limited (Aparna Paper)
Vibgyor Printing and Packaging
Private Limited (Vibgyor)
Parikh Flexibles Private Limited
(Parikh Flexibles).
Demerger of FMCG business of - CCI also approved the proposed
Haldiram Snacks and Haldiram combination involving the demerger
Foods into Haldiram Snacks Food of the FMCG business of Haldiram
Pvt Ltd. Snacks Pvt Ltd (HSPL), and Haldiram
Foods International Pvt Ltd (HFIPL)
into Haldiram Snacks Food Pvt Ltd
(HSFPL) through a National Company
Law Tribunal (NCLT)-approved
scheme of arrangement.
i. Currently, HSPL and HFIPL are
engaged in the manufacturing and
distribution of packaged foods
products.
SREI Infrastructure Finance - CCI has approved the acquisition of
Limited, National Asset shares and control over SREI
Reconstruction Company Limited Infrastructure Finance Limited by
(NARCL) and India Debt National Asset Reconstruction
Resolution Company Limited Company Limited (NARCL) and India
(IDRCL) Debt Resolution Company Limited
(IDRCL) under Section 5(a) of
Competition Act, 2022.
BTS Investment 1 Pte. Ltd. (BTS - The Competition Commission of India
Investment) and Bodhi Tree (CCI) approves the acquisition of
Systems VCC (BTS VCC) by NBC certain shareholdings of BTS
Universal Media, LLC (NBC Investment 1 Pte. Ltd. (BTS
Investment) and Bodhi Tree Systems
Universal),
VCC (BTS VCC) by NBC Universal
Media, LLC (NBC Universal), a wholly-
owned subsidiary of Comcast
Corporation, under Section 31(1) of
the Competition Act, 2002.
Mukand Sumi Special Steel - The CCI approves the acquisition of
Limited (MSSSL) by Jamnalal 5.51% of the equity share capital in
Sons Private Limited (JSPL) & Mukand Sumi Special Steel Limited
Mukand Limited (Mukand) (MSSSL) by Jamnalal Sons Private

Limited (JSPL) from Mukand Limited
(Mukand) and its nominees.
i. JSPL has acquired 25,71,150 equity
shares having a face value of Rs 10
each fully paid up by MSSSL from
Mukand.
Norwegian Government Pension Norwegian Government Pension Fund
Fund Global & Bajaj Electricals Global has increased its stake in Bajaj
Electricals by 1.73% (20 lakh shares)
through bulk deals, bringing its total
shareholding in the electrical
appliances company up to 3.03%
i. As per the Bombay Stock Exchange
(BSE) data, the Government Pension
Fund Global already holds a 1.30%
stake in Bajaj Electricals.
i. Meanwhile, California-based
venture capital firm Small Cap World
Fund, which holds 5.3% in Bajaj
Electricals, has offloaded 22 lakh
shares or 1.94% stakes in the
company, reducing its holding to
3.36%.
Suven Pharmaceuticals - The Competition Commission of India
Limited & Berhyanda Limited (CCI) approves the acquisition of up to
76.10% of the voting share capital
of Suven Pharmaceuticals
Limited by Berhyanda Limited, by way
of a share purchase agreement dated
26th December 2022.
i. This acquisition is pursuant to the
mandatory open offer in compliance
with the Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI) (Substantial
Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers)
Regulations, 2011.
Emerson Electric Co & BCP - The Competition Commission of India
Emerald Aggregator LP under (CCI), has approved the acquisition of
climate technologies’ business of
Emerson Electric Co by BCP Emerald
Aggregator LP under the green
channel route.
HDFC Investments Limited and - The Monetary Authority of Singapore
HDFC Holdings Limited & Housing (MAS), the central bank and financial
Development Finance Corporation regulatory authority of Singapore,
(HDFC) Limited. approved the merger of HDFC
Investments Limited and HDFC
Holdings Limited with parent Housing
Development Finance Corporation
(HDFC) Limited.
As a part of the composite scheme of
amalgamation, MAS has also approved
the acquisition of 20% or more stake
in Griha Pte. Limited by HDFC Bank.

MARCH 2023
Board of Directors of Bank of - The Board of Directors of Bank of
Baroda (BoB) & BoB Financial Baroda (BoB), a public sector bank,
Solutions Ltd (BFSL) has approved the divestment of up to
49% stake in its wholly-owned
subsidiary, BoB Financial Solutions
Ltd (BFSL), formerly known as BoB
Cards Ltd.
i. At present, BoB holds 100% of the
total equity share capital of BFSL
Life Insurance Company (LIC) & - LIC reported that it has sold 2% of its
NMDC Limited equity stake in the state-owned NMDC
Limited (formerly National Mineral
Development Corporation), taking its
total shareholding in the public sector
unit to 11.69% as of March 14.
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s - Competition Commission of India
(ADIA) & Lenskart Solutions (CCI) approved, under the green
Private Limited (LSPL). channel route, the Abu Dhabi
Investment Authority’s (ADIA)
acquisition of a stake in Lenskart
Solutions Private Limited (LSPL).
i. Competition Commission of India
(CCI) approved the proposed
investment by Qatar Investment
Authority (QIA) in BTS Investment 1
Pte (BTS1), a Singapore-based pooled
vehicle.
NSPIRA Management Services - The Competition Commission of India
Private Limited &NHPEA Minerva (CCI) approved the acquisition of
Holding BV share capital of NSPIRA Management
Services Private Limited from NHPEA
Minerva Holding BV which holds
18.23% and Banyantree Growth
Capital II, LLC which holds 2.24% by
Puneet Kothapa, Ponguru Sindhura
and Ponguru Sharani.
i. CCI approves the acquisition of
certain shareholding of JM Baxi Ports
and Logistics Limited by HL Terminal
Holding B.V., a wholly owned
subsidiary of Hapag Lloyd
Aktiengesellschaft.
FEBRUARY 2023
IndusInd International Holdings - IIHL, a subsidiary of the Hinduja
Ltd. (IIHL) Group, has received preliminary
approval from the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) to increase its ownership
in IndusInd Bank Ltd. (IndusInd Bank)
to 26%.
• As a result, the Hinduja Group
will contribute more than Rs.

10,000 crore to IndusInd
Bank.
• With this, IndusInd Bank has
become the first bank to have
its promoter increase its
shareholding to 26%.
Ministry of Communications - The Ministry of Communications, has

approved the conversion of Rs.
16133,18,48,990 (~Rs. 16,133 crore)
in accrued interest on deferred
adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues of
debt-ridden Vodafone Idea into
equity.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited - Alibaba, a Chinese multinational
(Alibaba), technology company owned by Jack
Ma, sold its entire stake of 3.16%
equity (2.1 crore shares) for around
Rs 13,600 crore in a block transaction
of One97 Communications Ltd. (OCL),
the parent company of Paytm.
• Alibaba, which held 6.26% of
Paytm as of September 2022,
sold a 3.1% share in the
company for USD 125 million
in a block sale in January
2023.
Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited - CCI approved the acquisition of

& Jaiprakash Associates Limited certain assets of Jaiprakash Associates
and its associate Limited and its associates by Dalmia
Cement (Bharat) Limited.
Acquirer: Dalmia Cement (Bharat)
Limited
Target Assets (Sellers): Jaiprakash
Associates Limited and its associate
R Systems International Limited & - CCI Approvals for Acquisition of

BCP Asia II Topco II Pte. Ltd Various Entities – 13th February 2023
Acquisition of up to 100%
shareholding in R Systems
International Limited by BCP Asia II
Topco II Pte. Ltd
• Consolidation of HPM
Business of LANXESS AG and
DEM Business of Koninkiljke
DSM N.V. under Zehnte LXS
GmbH, a JV HoldCo of Platin
2170 GmbH & LANXESS
• Acquisitions of Commercial
Real Estate assets by Nexus
Select Trust
Velocity Holding Corp. (Gateway), - CCI approved the acquisition of 100%

VGP Holdings LLC &Valvoline Inc. of issued and outstanding share

capital and sole control of VGP
Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of
Valvoline Inc, by Saudi Arabian Oil
Company (Saudi Aramco) through
Gateway Velocity Holding Corp
(Gateway) and Aramco Overseas
Company B.V. (AOC) from Valvoline
Inc.
Meritor, Inc & Cummins Inc. - CCI, the fair-trade regulator, approved
the following acquisition:
i. Acquisition of Meritor, Inc., by
Cummins Inc.
ii. Acquisition of METRO Cash & Carry
India by Reliance Retail Ventures
(RRVL)
iii. Acquisition of 100% of the equity
share capital of L&T Infrastructure
Development Projects Limited and
Kudgi Transmission Limited, by Epic
Concesiones Private Limited and
Infrastructure Yield Plus II,
respectively.
JANUARY 2023
Adani group & Founders of the Rs 602.30 crore Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy,
news broadcaster New Delhi founders of the news broadcaster New
Television (NDTV) Delhi Television (NDTV) sold 27.26%
of their equity in NDTV, sold 27.26%
of their equity in New Delhi Television
(NDTV) to Adani-controlled Radhika
Roy Prannoy Roy (RRPR) Holding
Private Limited at Rs 342.65 (USD
4.1426) per share.
• Based on the price acquired by
Adani Group, the Roys would
have received Rs 602.30 crore
from the sale of 1.75 crore
shares.
SBI Funds Management Limited - RBI approved SBIFML – SBI Mutual

(SBIFML – SBI Mutual Funds) & Funds to acquire up to 9.99% of the
Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) paid-up equity capital of Equitas SFB
(formerly Equitas Microfinance Ltd)
through various schemes of SBI
Mutual Fund.
Axis Bank & Max Financial - To acquire an additional 7% stake in
Services Limited Max Life Insurance Company Limited
at fair market value using discounted
cash flow method.
Canara Bank - Canara Bank is set to sell its entire
40% stake in the Russian joint venture
(JV) Commercial Indo Bank LLC
(CIBL) to the JV partner State Bank of
India (SBI).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
SATELLITES
NAME OF THE SATELLITE LAUNCHED BY PURPOSE
APRIL 2023
Ofek 13 Israel Israel successfully launched the Ofek
13, a new Israeli spy satellite onboard
the Shavit launch vehicle into space
from Palmachim Airbase spaceport,
located near the cities of Rishon
LeZion and Yavne, Israel.
i. This would enhance around-the-
clock regional monitoring as Israel
braces for a possible showdown with
Iran.
ii. The Ofek-13, manufactured by the
state-owned Israel Aerospace
Industries (IAI), is the latest in a series
of Israeli-produced satellites first put
into orbit in 1988.
Fengyun-3G(FY-3G) China China launched Fengyun-3G(FY-3G),

its first satellite allowing scientists to
monitor the Earth’s precipitation from
space.
i. It was launched by China’s Long
March 4B rocket from the Jiuquan
Satellite Launch Center in Northwest
China’s Gansu Province.
ii. With a lifespan of 6 years (2023 –
2029), FY 3G is dedicated to
monitoring heavy rainfalls during
catastrophic weather conditions in
global regions of low- and mid-
latitude i.e. it will forecast global
meteorological disasters through its
powerful tool.
iii. FY 3G was developed by Eighth
Research Institute under China
Aerospace Science and Technology
Corporation (CASC), and its ground
system is built and operated by the
China Meteorological Administration
(CMA).
Taifa-1 Kenya Kenya successfully launched its

inaugural operational 3U Earth
Observation Satellite (EOS) ‘Taifa-1’
(Nation-1, in the Swahili language),
using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from
Vandenberg Base in California, United
i. Taifa-1 is designed and developed
by SayariLabs and EnduroSat. Created

by a team of nine Kenyan engineers, it
is designed to gather environmental
and agricultural data, such as flood,
drought, wildfire, forest and
urbanization changes data, which will
be employed by authorities to manage
disasters and tackle food insecurity.
PSLV-C55 with two Singaporean Sriharikota, Andhra Indian Space Research Organisation
satellites – TeLEOS-2 as the primary Pradesh (ISRO) launched PSLV-C55 with two
satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co- Singaporean satellites – TeLEOS-2 as
the primary satellite and Lumelite-4
passenger satellite
as a co-passenger satellite, as a part of
the PSLV-C55/TeLEOS-2 mission,
from Satish Dhawan Space
Center(SDSC)-Sriharikota
Range(SHAR), Sriharikota, Andhra
Pradesh.
i. The 2 satellites, TeLEOS-2 and
Lumelite-4 were intended to be
launched into an Eastward low-
inclination orbit.
ii. This marks the 57th flight of the
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV)
and the 16th mission using the PSLV
Core Alone configuration (PSLV-CA).
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
Pushan-Alpha Bengaluru (Karnataka) Digantara launched its second satellite
Digantara Pushan-Alpha as a rideshare on
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, carrying
Transporter-6 mission to the low
earth orbit (LEO), from Space Launch
Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape
Canaveral Space Force Station in
Florida, United States (US).
• The Pushan-Alpha mission is
named after the Hindu Solar
(Sun) Deity considered as the
God of journeys and protector
of travellers.
NEW INITIATIVE/INNOVATION
APRIL 2023
➢ Scientists from India and the United Kingdom (UK) have developed a real-time Early Warning
System to help reduce the destructive effects of flooding on people and property, particularly in
mountainous areas where extreme water events are a major problem.
• The team worked on integrating science, policy and local community-led approaches to create a
so-called SMART approach that better fits the local context.

• Team: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee (Uttarakhand),
Imperial College London (UK), University of Birmingham (UK), and People’s Science Institute,
Dehradun (Uttarakhand).
➢ The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the Reusable Launch
Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) at the Aeronautical Test Range(ATR) in Chitradurga,
Karnataka.
• The mission was performed in collaboration with the Defence Space Research Organisation
(DRDO), and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• The test involved a winged body lifted to an altitude of 4.5 km by an Indian Air Force (IAF)
Chinook helicopter, subsequently freed to execute an independent high-speed (350 kmph)
landing on a runway, and achieved the landing parameters.
➢ NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and Canadian Space Agency(CSA)
announced the four astronauts crew for the Artemis II mission which includes 3 United States of
America (USA) nationals and one Canadian astronaut.
• For the first time, the lunar mission crew includes a woman astronaut, Christina Koch, a person
of colour (African American) astronaut, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Canadian astronaut
Jeremy Hanse.
• The four-member crew was chosen to fly as early as 2024. Artemis II would be the first crewed
voyage around the moon in more than 50 years.
➢ The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in India has partnered with
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop a new computer model that
combines Artificial Intelligence (AI) and satellite data to sound alarms for dangerous space weather.
• The team of researchers at the Frontier Development Lab applied an AI method “deep learning”
and developed a computer model called DAGGER (formally, Deep Learning Geomagnetic
Perturbation).
➢ Skyroot Aerospace, the Private space technology startup based in Hyderabad, Telangana
successfully test-fired advanced fully 3D-printed ‘Dhawan-II’cryogenic engine for 200 seconds at Solar
Industries propulsion test facility in Nagpur, Maharashtra, using Skyroot’s indigenously developed
mobile cryogenic engine test pad.
• The engine will be used in the upper stage of their Vikram II rocket, which is set to be launched
in 2024.
• The Dhawan-II engine was built upon the foundation laid by Skyroot’s first privately developed
fully-cryogenic rocket engine, the 1.0 kN thrust Dhawan–I, which was successfully test fired in
November 2021.
➢ Space Pioneer (also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology Company Limited), a Chinese
aerospace company developing reusable orbital rocket technology, launched its Tianlong-2(TL-2) Yaoyi
carrier rocket, a liquid-fueled rocket, from the Jiuquan launch centre in northwest China.
• With this launch, Space Pioneer becomes the 1st Chinese aerospace company(private) to launch
a liquid-fueled rocket into orbit and this also marks the first time a startup company has
successfully reached orbit on its 1st attempt.
• The rocket launched a small satellite named Ai Taikong Kexue or “Love Space Science”,
developed by Hunan Hangsheng Satellite Technology Co., Ltd, into a Sun-synchronous orbit,
which will test its remote sensing capabilities.
➢ The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),
performed its 49th flight, breaking two records: the highest altitude and the highest speed achieved by
any self-propelled aircraft outside of Earth.
• The little rotorcraft (Ingenuity) made its 49th flight during which it flew up to a height of 16
metres and clocked a high speed of 23.4 kilometres per hour.
➢ The first series production Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas trainer (LT 5201) aircraft,
manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), successfully completed its maiden flight,
marking a major milestone in the LCA Tejas programme.
• The 1st-ever Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) trainer (LT 5201) built to series production standards
took off from their airfield and successfully completed a 35-minute flight test before landing.
• The trainer plane was piloted by Group Captain Venu and Wing Commander Awasthi.

➢ The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed two significant tests for
Gaganyaan—the Human Space Flight Programme—at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in
Mahendragiri, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. The two key tests are as follows:
❖ Human-Rated Vikas Engine Test Campaign for the L110 Stage:
• The final long-duration hot test of the Human-Rated L110-G Vikas Engine for the
planned qualifying duration of 240 seconds was successfully accomplished at the IPRC,
Mahendragiri.
❖ SDM (System Demonstration Model) tests for the Crew Module Propulsion System:
• The hot test of the Crew Module Propulsion System for demonstrating nominal re-entry
for 650 seconds was successfully completed at the IPRC, Mahendragiri.
• This system was designed, developed, and realized by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre
(LPSC), located in Valiamala, Kerala.
➢ SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument from Space Launch Complex 40
(SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States (US).
• The instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and integrated onto satellite Intelsat 40E by
Maxar.
➢ The European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE),
via the Ariane-5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport from Kourou, French Guiana.
• Juice, a robotic explorer’s, mission was to make detailed observations of the solar system’s
biggest planet, Jupiter and three ice-encrusted moons which scientists believed to have
underground oceans where sea life could exist.
• Juice is expected to reach Jupiter in 2031 and has a mission lifespan of about three years which
could be extended by 200 or more days.
• The 1.7-billion-dollar spacecraft is armed with a suite of remote-sensing, geophysical and in-situ
instruments.
MARCH 2023
➢ SpaceX launched its Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with 4 astronauts on
board reusable SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from the NASA(National Aeronautics and
Space Administration)’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United States of America(USA).
• The Crew-6 launch is carrying 2 NASA astronauts, Mission Commander Stephen Bowen and
Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg along with the UAE’s Sultan Al-Neyadi, and Roscosmos
cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who will serve as mission specialists for a space station science
expedition.
➢ In a new study published in Nature Communication on 21st February 2023 by Thanh-Son Phạm
and Hrvoje Tkalčić, the researchers have confirmed the existence of a 5th new layer – the innermost
inner core, which lies at the Earth’s centre within the inner core.
• The 4 known layers of the earth are the crust, mantle, outer liquid core and inner solid core.
➢ The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out an extremely challenging
controlled re-entry experiment of the decommissioned orbiting Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT-1) satellite in
an uninhabited area in the Pacific Ocean between 5 degrees south(°S) to 14°S latitude and 119°
West(W) to 100°W longitude.
It was carried out from the Mission Operations Complex in ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and
Command Network), Bengaluru (Karnataka).
➢ NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) (NISAR), an Earth-observation satellite, was handed
over to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California, United States of America(USA).
i. NISAR arrived in Bengaluru, Karnataka on a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
ii. NISAR, Earth-observing mission, was jointly developed by NASA and ISRO.
➢ Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) successfully launched ‘LVM3-M3 OneWeb India-2
Mission’ from the Second Launch Pad (SLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) Sriharikota Range
(SHAR) in Andhra Pradesh (AP).

• Under this, ISRO launched its heaviest rocket, LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark Three)
carrying 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites with a total payload of 5,805 kg. These satellites
belong to London, United Kingdom (UK)-based OneWeb Group.
• OneWeb Gen-1 is a 150 kg class satellite.
• LVM3 placed these satellites in their intended 450 km circular orbit with an inclination
of 87.4 degrees.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ “NISAR”: NASA-ISRO Joint Satellite to Launch in 2024
❖ According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the ‘NASA-ISRO Synthetic
Aperture Radar (NISAR)’ will be launched from Indian soil in the first quarter of 2024, and
science operations will commence 90 days after it reaches the intended orbit.
• NISAR is a Low-Earth orbit (LEO) observatory being developed jointly by National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States (US) and ISRO, India.
➢ ISRO launches SSLV-D2 with 3 satellites from Sriharikota, AP
❖ ISRO launched the 2nd edition of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV-D2) from the first
launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• It carried the following 3 satellites weighing 175.2 kg – earth observation satellite EOS-
07 and two co-passenger satellites — Janus-1 and AzaadiSat2) and successfully placed
them into a 450-km circular orbit around the Earth.
❖ ISRO’s Earth Observation Satellite-07/EOS–7
• Weight: 156.3 kg
• It has been designed, developed and realised by Bengaluru (Karnataka) based UR Rao
Satellite Centre (URSC), ISRO. Its new experiments include mm-Wave Humidity Sounder
and Spectrum Monitoring Payload.
❖ AzaadiSAT-2
• Weight: 8.7 kg
• It is a combined effort of about 750 girl students across India guided by Chennai (Tamil
Nadu)-based space startup SpaceKidz. It is the official successor of AzaadiSAT featuring
a modular satellite bus expansion system capable of transforming from 8U to 64U once
in orbit.
✓ Other payloads remains unchanged from the original AzaadiSAT
✓ It aims to measure various health data.
❖ About AzaadiSAT:
• It was built by schoolgirls from 75 schools across India to mark India’s 75th year of
independence in 2022. 10 girls from each school were involved, for a total of 750
students involved.
• The mission was created to give girls from lower-income backgrounds the opportunity
to learn the fundamentals of spaceflight, as part of the United Nations theme of women
in space.
• It carried 75 different payloads each weighing around 50 grams.
❖ Janus-1
• Weight: 10.2 kg
• Janus-1 is a software-defined 6U demonstration satellite developed by Antaris Inc,
based in the United States of America (USA).
• This is the world’s first Cloud-Built Demonstration Satellite which is fully conceived,
designed and manufactured using Antaris’ end-to-end cloud platform.
➢ India’s 1st hybrid sounding rocket made by school students from various states as part of ‘Dr APJ
Abdul Kalam Satellite Launch Vehicle Mission 2023’ was launched from Pattipulam Village in
Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu in the presence of Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana and
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.
➢ European Space Agency(ESA)’s JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (Juice) mission which aims to explore
Jupiter and its three largest natural satellites – Ganymede, Callisto and Europa, is set to be launched in

April 2023 onboard Ariane 5 (launch vehicle) from Europe’s Spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana in
South America.
• Astronomers have discovered 12 new moons of Jupiter, taking the total number of natural
satellites revolving around Jupiter from 80 to 92. Jupiter becomes the planet with the most
number of moons overtaking Saturn which has 83 confirmed moons.
➢ United Kingdom (UK)-based Tokamak Energy Limited, a fusion power research company, has built
the world’s first set of new-generation High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) Magnets to be
assembled and tested in fusion power plant-relevant scenarios.
➢ A Drone startup Garuda Aerospace Private Limited unveiled its “SURAJ”, a solar-powered
unmanned reconnaissance J-Glider, at Aero India 2023, which is being held from 13th to 17th February
at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
➢ India’s first Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Framework was launched in Puducherry as a part of a
pact under the Indo-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative.
• Puducherry and Lakshadweep were chosen as coastlines to pilot the MSP initiative after the
2019 Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Norway that envisaged the
collaboration on implementing MSP in Oceanic space.
• Lt. Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan along with Chief Minister of Puducherry N.
Rangasamy, released ‘The Shoreline Change Atlas of the UT of Puducherry’ during the event.
➢ State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS (Roscosmos), the Russian Space Agency, launched a Soyuz MS-
23 spacecraft to bring back 3 astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) due to the
coolant leak on their original return capsule, Soyuz MS-22 capsule.
• The unmanned Soyuz MS-23 was launched from Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan and had
been placed in Orbit.
• Soyuz MS-23 will bring back 3 Astronauts: Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin, cosmonauts
from Russia, and Frank Rubio, a NASA astronaut from the United States of America (USA) who
had been due to end their mission in March.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister for Science and Technology, announced that the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) is ready to launch India’s 1st Atmamirbhar human flight
“Gaganyaan” by the year 2024.
➢ China’s CRRC Corporation Limited has unveiled Asia’s 1st hydrogen-powered trains for the Urban
Railways, which have a top speed of 160 kmph (kilometre per hour) and a range of 600 km on a single
tank. It was developed in collaboration with Chengdu Rail Transit and CRRC Changchun Railway Co.
• This is the second such train in the world. Germany introduced green trains in 2022.
➢ The United Kingdom (UK)’s first-ever space mission failed after the rocket suffered an anomaly
during the flight. Virgin Orbit’s modified Boeing 747 dubbed “Cosmic Girl” carrying LauncherOne, the
first rocket to launch into space from the UK took off from Cornwall.
➢ NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) discovered its first exoplanet, a planet that orbits
another star, formally classified as LHS 475 b, which is reportedly almost the exact size of Earth,
clocking in at 99% of Earth’s diameter.
➢ The United States (US) and Japan signed a space agreement at the NASA headquarters in
Washington D.C., US. It was signed during Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s first visit to the US.
➢ Startup firm IG Drones has developed India’s first 5G-enabled drone namely ‘Skyhawk’ that is
capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), and can be used in defence and medical
applications, among other sectors.
➢ The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the Aditya-L1 mission, 1st Indian
space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona, to the L1 orbit (which is the first Lagrangian
point of the Sun-Earth system) by June or July 2023 since the launch window for the mission would
close by August 2023.

DEFENCE
EXERCISES
Name of the Participating Venue KeyPoints
Exercise Countries
APRIL 2023
SLINEX (Sri Lanka- Sri Lanka & Colombo, Sri It is 10th edition of annual India-Sri Lanka
India Naval India Lanka bilateral maritime exercise – SLINEX (Sri Lanka-
Exercise) 2023 India Naval Exercise) 2023, between Sri Lanka
Navy (SLN) and India Navy (IN) commenced in
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
i. IN: INS Kiltan (Advanced Anti Submarine
Warfare Corvette) and INS Savitri (Offshore
Patrol Vessel)
Participant: Chetak helicopter and Dornier
Maritime Patrol Aircraft
ii. SLN: SLNS Gajabahu (Advance Offshore Patrol
Vessel) and SLNS Sagara (OPV)
Participant: Sri Lanka Air Force Dornier and
BEL 412 helicopters
Exercise Cope India India & United Panagarh, West The first phase of Exercise Cope India 23(CI23),
23 States Bengal a bilateral Air Exercise between the Indian Air
Force (IAF) and the United States Air Force
began on 10th April 2023 at Air Force Station
Arjan Singh (Panagarh Air Force base) in
Panagarh, West Bengal(WB).
i. The 11-day exercise is scheduled to be held in
Panagarh, Kalaikunda(West Bengal) and Agra
(Uttar Pradesh)air force stations.
ii. Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF)
aircrew will also participate in the capacity of
observers.
Exercise Orion - France Exercise Orion, a Multilateral Military Exercise,

was initiated at Mont-de-Marsan, an Air Force
base of the French Air and Space Force (FASF)
in France. Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent will
take part in the exercise which will be
conducted from 17th April 2023 to 5th May
2023.
i. Along with IAF and FASF, Air Forces from
Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, United
Kingdom, Spain and the United States of
America (USA) also participates in the exercise.
ii. The Indian Air Force Contingent comprises
four Rafale, two C-17, two IL-78 aircraft and 165
air warriors.
Ajeya Warrior 2023 India and the United Kingdom Ajeya Warrior 2023, The 7th edition of India
United and the United Kingdom (UK) bilateral training
Kingdom (UK) exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior’ commenced at the
Salisbury Plains, UK on 27th April 2023.

i. The exercise will culminate on 11th May,
2023.
ii. The UK Soldiers of the 2 Royal Gorkha
Rifles, a rifle regiment of the British Army, and
Indian Army soldiers from the BIHAR Regiment,
an Indian Army infantry regiment, are
participating in the exercise.
MARCH 2023
International - Gulf region Indian Navy Ship (INS) Trikand is participating
Maritime Exercise/ in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass
Cutlass Express Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) being held in the
Gulf region from 26 February to 16 March 2023
2023 (IMX/CE-23)
This marks Indian Navy’s 1st IMX participation
and also marks the 2nd occasion in which INS
participates in an exercise conducted by
Combined Maritime Forces.
FRINJEX-23 India & France Thiruvananthapu FRINJEX-23, The first edition of the Joint
ram, Kerala Military Exercise between the Indian and
French Army was conducted at Pangode
Military Station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
on March 7-8, 2023.
Theatre Level - Arabian Sea The 2023 edition of Indian Navy’s Largest War
Operational Game and operational-level biennial exercise,
Readiness Exercise” “Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise”
(TROPEX-23), which took place across the
(TROPEX-23)
Indian Ocean Region (IOR), culminated in the
Arabian Sea.
The recent overall exercise program of Indian
Navy which include Coastal Defence Exercise
Sea Vigil 2022, Amphibious Exercise 2023
(AMPHEX 2023), and TROPEX-23 held for 4
months from November 2022 to March 2023.
Exercise La Perouse India, Japan, Indian Ocean It is the 3rd edition of France-led multilateral (5
2023 Australia and region (IOR) nation) naval exercise was held from 13th to
the United 14th March 2023 in the Indian Ocean region
(IOR). La Perouse 2023 witnessed the
States of
participation of personnel, ships and integral
America helicopters of the navies of Quad countries –
(USA); and the India, Japan, Australia and the USA; and the UK.
United
Kingdom (UK)
Exercise Bold India and the Jodhpur Military It is the 13th edition of a bilateral armour
Kurukshetra 2023 Singapore Station, training exercise between India and the
Rajasthan Singapore army, was held from March 6 to 13,
2023.
SEA DRAGON 23 - Guam, USA The Indian Navy is participating in the 3rd
(United States of edition of anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
America) exercise SEA DRAGON 23 with A P8I aircraft.
The Exercise is scheduled to be held from March
15 to 30, 2023 in waters off Guam, USA (United
States of America).

Africa-India Field India and 23 Aundh, Pune, The 2nd edition of the AFINDEX-2023 between
Training Exercise African Maharashtra India and 23 African nations began on March 21,
(AFINDEX-2023) nations 2023.
Konkan 2023 Indian Navy Arabian Sea It is annual bilateral maritime exercise between
(IN) & Royal the Indian Navy (IN) of India and the Royal Navy
Navy of the of the United Kingdom (UK).
United
Kingdom (UK)
Exercise Cobra - United Kingdom Indian Air Force(IAF) participated in “Exercise
Warrior (UK) Cobra Warrior”, which was conducted at the
Waddington Air Force Base of the Royal Air
Force (RAF) in the United Kingdom (UK) from
March 6–24, 2023.
Along with India, Finland and Saudi Arabia
joined the Exercise Cobra Warrior for the first
time.
FEBRUARY 2023
4th edition exercise India & Japan Shiga province of The exercise was scheduled to be conducted till
‘Dharma Guardian’ Japan 2 March, 2023.
Ex-DUSTLIK IV – India & Pithoragarh, Ex-DUSTLIK IV – 2023, the 4th edition of the
2023 Uzbekistan Uttarakhand bilateral joint military exercise between the
Indian Army and Uzbekistan Army commenced
in Foreign Training Node in Pithoragarh,
Uttarakhand.
• The 14-day long joint exercise will
culminate on 5th March 2023.
JANUARY 2023
21st Edition of India India & France Western Initiated in 1993, it is a bilateral exercise
France Naval Seaboard between the navies of India and France.
Exercise VARUNA – However it was christened as ‘VARUNA’ in 2001.
2023
Exercise Cyclone-I India & Egypt Jaisalmer, The first edition of a joint exercise between the
Rajasthan special forces of the Indian Army and the
Egyptian Army is being conducted in Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan with an aim to boost defence co-
operation between India and Egypt.
Veer Guardian-2023 India & Japan Japan The exercise aims to strengthen strategic
connections and defence cooperation between
the two Nations.
MISSILES
Name of the Missile Testing Location Other Key facts
APRIL 2023
Amogha-III - Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) successfully
conducted a field firing test of its indigenous
third generation man-portable Anti Tank
Guided Missile (ATGM), Amogha-III.

i. Amogha-III has been developed under
Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme (IGMDP) by the Research and
Development (R&D) Division of BDL.
MARCH 2023
BrahMos supersonic missile Arabian Sea Indian Navy (IN) successfully test fired the
Ship launched version of the BrahMos
supersonic missile in the Arabian Sea. The test
was carried out from a Kolkata-class guided
missile destroyer warship.
S-400 `Triumf’ Surface-to-air - Indian Air Force (IAF) received the third
defence missile system squadron of the S-400 `Triumf’ Surface-to-air
defence missile system from Russia which will
be deployed along the western sector,
bordering Pakistan.
In October 2018, India and Russia signed a
deal of $5.43 billion for the procurement of 5
units of S-400 air defence systems to India by
2025.
Very Short-Range Air Chandipur, Odisha Defence Research and Development

Defence System Organisation (DRDO) conducted two
(VSHORADS) missiles consecutive successful flight tests of
VSHORADS missiles at the Integrated Test
Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
i. DRDO also successfully conducted a maiden
flight-test of the Power Take off (PTO) Shaft
on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) Limited
Series Production (LSP) -3 aircraft in
Bengaluru (Karnataka).
FEBRUARY 2023
Barge, Yard 75 (LSAM 7) Visakhapatnam, Andhra The first Missile cum Ammunition (MCA)
Pradesh. Barge, Yard 75 (LSAM 7) was launched by
Rear Admiral Sandeep Mehta at Guttenedevi,
the launch site of SECON, Visakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh.
JANUARY 2023
Prithvi-II Chandipur off the coast of India successfully test launched nuclear
Odisha. capable tactical ballistic missile Prithvi-II from
the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off
the coast of Odisha.
• It is powered by light propulsion twin
engines.
• It has a range of around 350 km and
can carry 500-1,000 kg of warheads. It
uses an advanced inertial navigation
system to strike the set target.

COMMISSION/DECOMMISSION
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
NIL
IMPORTANT DEFENCE EVENTS

APRIL 2023
➢ The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed multiple deals worth ~ Rs 32,000 crore for the Indian Armed
forces- Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Army (IA) to boost ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.
• MoD has signed contracts for the acquisition of 11 Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NG-
OPV) and 6 Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMV), equipment and BrahMos supersonic
missiles for coastal defence for the Indian Navy and improved Akash Surface to Air missile
(SAM) system and 12 Swathi Weapon Locating Radars (WLR) (Plains) for the Indian Army.
• The contracts are as follows:
• Contract for acquisition of 11 NG-OPVs: It was signed with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) and
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata (West Bengal), at a total cost of Rs
9,781 crore. It was signed under Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and
Manufactured)} category.
• Contract for acquisition of 6 NGMVs: MoD signed a contract worth Rs 9805 with Cochin
Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the acquisition of 6 Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMV), and
delivery is scheduled to commence from March 2027.
• MoD has also signed a contract worth Rs 1700 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru,
Karnataka for the procurement of 13 Lynx-U2 Fire Control Systems which will be installed on
the NGOPVs.
• MoD has also signed a contract worth Rs 1700 crore with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited
(BAPL) for procurement of Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (NGMMCB)
(Long range) and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
❖ The delivery of NGMMCBs is scheduled to commence in 2027.
• Contract for Procurement of AWS: The contract for procurement of improved AWS for 3rd and
4th Regiments of Army Air Defence, comprising live missiles and launchers with upgrades,
ground-support equipment, vehicles and infrastructure was signed with Bharat Dynamics
Limited (BDL), worth over Rs 8,160 crore.
• The contract for WLR Swathi (Plains) was signed with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at a
cost of over Rs 990 crore.
➢ The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with Ultra Dimensions Private Limited (UDPL),
Visakhapatnam for the modernisation of Naval Aircraft Yards (NAYs) at Goa and Kochi (Kerala), at a
cost of approximately Rs 470 crore.
• The NAYs would service and repair Naval Aircraft, Aero Engines, Rotables and Test Equipment
at Goa and Kochi, Kerala.
• The MoD has also signed a contract with Mecon Ltd, Ranchi, Jharkhand, as Project Monitoring
Consultant, at a cost of Rs 24 crore.
➢ The Defence Secretary, Giridhar Aramane, inaugurated the third LCA (Light Combat Aircraft)
production line of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s (HAL) and handed over the 100th Sukhoi-30 MKI Repair
and Overhaul (ROH) aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) at HAL’s Nashik Division in Nasik,
Maharashtra.

• The Signal Out Certificate (SOC) of the 100th ROH aircraft was handed over by Saket Chaturvedi,
CEO (MiG Complex), HAL, to Air Vice Marshal Sarin in the presence of HAL CMD C.B.
Ananthakrishnan and other senior officials.
• The new production line will enable HAL to enhance LCA MK1A ‘Tejas’ Fighter jets production
capacity from 16 to 24 aircraft per year.
• HAL already operates two LCA manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
➢ Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ER-ASR) designed by two Pune(Maharashtra)-based
facilities of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) were successfully test-fired
for the 1st time from the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Chennai.
• The ER-ASR was designed and developed by The Armament Research and Development
Establishment (ARDE) and the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) – DRDO
facilities located in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The ER-ASR is intended to replace the existing Russian-origin Rocket Guided Bombs (RGBs)
rockets already installed on ships, as well as to intercept submarines at specific depths.
• The RGB has a range of 5 kilometers (Km), whereas the ER-ASR has a range of more than 8 Km.
➢ Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, officially unveiled ‘TCG Anadolu’, the
country’s largest warship and the world’s first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) carrier.
• It is an amphibious assault vessel of the Turkish Navy that can be configured as a
landing helicopter dock (LHD) and a drone carrier.
• TCG Anadolu was built as part of the ‘Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship Project’ and began
trials in March 2022.
• It was built in Istanbul (Türkiye) by the Ottoman company Sedef Shipbuilding and is based on
the L-61 aircraft carrier Juan Carlos I.
• Both vessels were designed by the same manufacturer, Spain’s Navantia.
➢ Earlier on March 23, North Korea made a claim of conducting a test of an underwater nuclear
attack drone, which notably had the ability to unleash a “radioactive tsunami”.The “Unmanned
Underwater Nuclear Attack Craft” was the name given to the drone, also known as “Haeil” (meaning
tsunami).
• As a sequel, Haeil-2, which is the second underwater nuclear attack drone of North Korea was
tested from April 4 to April 7.
➢ India is set to clear the proposal to acquire armaments worth over USD 300 million from the
United States of America (USA) to arm the Indian Navy’s MH 60 “Romeo” chopper, the multi-role
helicopters which will enhance its capabilities to counter enemy warships and submarines.
• Under this, the fleet of 24 choppers will get additional Hellfire missiles and Mk 54 lightweight
torpedoes.
➢ Nagpur (Maharashtra)-based Solar Industries India Limited has bagged an order to supply 400
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ‘Nagastra – I’ to the Indian Army. Solar Industries won the contract
defeating competitors from Israel and Poland.
• The 1st indigenous man-portable loitering munition (LM), Nagastra-1(a fixed-wing electric
UAV), has been designed and developed by Economics Explosives Ltd (EEL), a wholly owned
subsidiary of Solar Industries, in association with Zmotion Autonomous Systems Private
Limited(Z-Motion) based in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
➢ Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy (IN) successfully
conducted a maiden flight trial of sea-based endo-atmospheric Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)
interceptor off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal.
MARCH 2023
➢ The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) inked a contract for the
procurement of six Dornier-228 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a cost of Rs. 667 crores.
i. The aircraft was employed by the IAF for communication and route transport roles, and it was also
used to train IAF transport pilots.
➢ The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract for Normal Refit of INS Sindhukirti (S61)
Submarine at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP), at an overall
cost of Rs 934 crore.

➢ Indian Naval Ship (INS) Androth, the second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow
Water Craft (ASW SWC) was launched in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• INS Androth was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), Kolkata, West
Bengal.
• They are 77.6 m long, have a displacement of 900 tons with a maximum speed of 25 knots.
• The ship was named Androth to signify the maritime importance accorded to the island of
Androth, which is located about 170 Nm north-west of Kochi, in the Union Territory of
Lakshadweep.
• The contract for building 8 ASW SWC ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence (MoD)
and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 29 April 2019.
• The first ship of the series, the INS Arnala, was launched in December 2022. The Arnala class of
ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of the Indian Navy.
➢ Ministry of Defence signed 2 separate contracts with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at a total cost
of over Rs 3,700 crore to procure ‘Arudhra’ Medium Power Radars (MPR) and 129 DR-118 Radar
Warning Receivers (RWR) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
➢ North Korea has tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone known as “Haeil,” (a Korean word for
tidal waves or tsunamis), the first weapon of its kind capable of generating a massive radioactive
tsunami that can destroy naval strike groups and ports.
➢ Ministry of Defence(MoD) signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Hyderabad,
Telangana, for procurement of 2 Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems ‘Project Himshakti’ at an
overall cost of approximately Rs 3,000 crore.
➢ Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed three contracts worth ∼ Rs 5,400 crore for Indian Army (IA),
and Indian Navy (IN) under the Buy {Indian – IDMM (Indigenously Designed Developed and
Manufactured)} to boost defence capabilities of India.
❖ Two contracts are signed with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) worth Rs 2,400 crore viz.
Procurement of Automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System ‘Project Akashteer’ for IA worth
Rs 1,982 crore
• Acquisition of Sarang Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems along with associated
Engineering Support Package from BEL, Hyderabad at an overall cost of Rs 412 crore for the
Indian Navy.
• One contract is signed with the NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Central Public Sector
Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Space, Bengaluru (Karnataka) for Rs 2,963 crore for
an advanced communication satellite, GSAT (Geosynchronous Satellite System) 7B, for IA.
❖ MoD signed a contract worth Rs 1,700 crore with BEL for the procurement of 13 Lynx-U2 Fire
Control Systems for Indian Navy. The contract is signed under Buy Indian – IDMM category.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) hosted by the Indian Navy signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC),
Seychelles to further the existing cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region to enhance maritime safety
and security.
➢ Indian Navy’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and the MIG29 K Fighter Aircraft successfully
performed their maiden landing and take-off attempts on the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant, India’s
first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier.
• The indigenously developed LCA landings were carried out by the pilots of the Indian Navy.
• The maiden landing of MIG-29K marks the integration of the fighter aircraft with INS Vikrant.
JANUARY 2023
➢ The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Naval Group France have
signed an agreement that would greatly improve the endurance of the Indian Navy’s Scorpene-class
conventional submarines.

❖ According to the agreement, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kalvari will soon be equipped with
the fuel cell-based Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system of Naval Materials Research
Laboratory (NMRL), giving a significant boost to “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.
SPORTS
APPOINTMENTS IN SPORTS
Name Appointed as Association Points to be noted
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
Salima Tete Athletes Ambassador Asian Hockey Salima Tete, an Indian Women’s
Federation (AHF) Hockey team midfielder, was
appointed the AHF Athletes
Ambassador from India for a
term of 2 years, with effect from
25th March 2023.
Other AHF Athletes
Ambassadors are: Lee Jong Jun
(South Korea); Abdul Hannan
Shahid (Pakistan) and Asai Yu
(Japan)
FEBRUARY 2023
Govindaraj President FIBA Asia He was unanimously nominated
Kempareddy as the President of FIBA Asia, a
zone within the International
Basketball Federation (FIBA –
Federation Internationale de
Basketball Amateur) which
contains all 44 Asian FIBA
federations.
• He becomes the 1st
Indian to be elected as
FIBA Asia President.
• K Govindaraj will
replace Qatar’s Sheikh
Saud Ali Al Thani, who is
currently serving his 4th
five-year term as
President of FIBA Asia.
• He has been president
of FIBA Asia since 2002.
JANUARY 2023
NIL

RETIREMENT
Name of the Person Sport, they belong to/ Country Points to be Noted
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
Joginder Sharma Indian Cricketer Indian Cricketer, Joginder Sharma (39),
who was known for bowling the last over
in 2007 Twenty20 (T20) World Cup final
against Pakistan, announced his
retirement from all forms of Cricket.
Joginder Sharma currently serves as a
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in
Haryana. He joined the Haryana Police in
October 2007.
JANUARY 2023
Sania Mirza Indian Tennis Player She announced that the Dubai Tennis
Championships, a Women’s Tennis
Association (WTA) 1000 event in Dubai in
February 2023 will be her last match. Prior
to her last appearance.
• She has won six Grand Slam
doubles titles
• She won her first grand slam in
2009 by winning Austraian Open
Mixed doubles title with Mahesh
Bhupathi. The pair also won the
French Open 2012. She won her
3rd mixed doubles title at the US
Open in 2014 with Brazil’s Bruno
Soares.
• Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis of
Switzerland won 3 women’s
doubles – Wimbledon 2015, the US
Open 2015 and the Australian
Open 2016
• Mirza became the first Indian to
win a WTA singles title in 2005. In
2007, She was ranked among the
30 and also reached her career-
high ranking of world number
27(Singles).she was ranked India’s
No 1 in Singles from 2003 till her
retirement from Singles in 2013.
Murali Vijay Indian Cricketer Announced his retirement from
international cricket at the age of 38.
• He was a member of the Indian
Test Team till 2018 and plays for
Tamil Nadu in Domestic first class
cricket.

TENNIS
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
➢ Dutch (Netherlands) Tennis player Tallon Griekspoor (World No.95) won the men’s singles title at
the Tata Open Maharashtra 2023 defeating Benjamin Bonzi (World No. 60) of France at the finals held
in Balewadi Stadium in Pune, Maharashtra.
➢ India’s N Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan from Tamil Nadu, settled for runner-up at the
Tata Open Maharashtra 2023 in Men's Double championship. They lost the finals against the Belgian
pair of Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen at Balewadi Stadium in Pune, Maharashtra.
➢ Broadcaster Sony Sports Network, which will air the Australian Open 2023 across its channels and
OTT (Over-The-Top) app SonyLiv has roped in sponsors including Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Samsonite as
co-presenting sponsors and Panasonic as an associate sponsor for the upcoming Australia Open.
➢ India’s Tennis players, Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni (1st seed), have won the Men’s doubles title at
the Bangkok Open 2023(2) held in Nonthaburi, Thailand from 9th to 14th January 2023.
• The Indian duo defeated Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia and Akira Santillan of Australia in
the finals.
• Arthur Cazaux of France won the Men’s Singles title defeating Lloyd Harris of South Africa.
This marks his 2nd Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger title.
• Winners of Bangkok Open 2 – 2023:
Category Winner Runners
Men’s Singles Arthur Cazaux (France) Lloyd Harris (South Africa)
Men’s Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni Christopher Rungkat (Indonesia) and Akira Santillan
Doubles (India) (Australia)
➢ Novak Djokovic of Serbia claimed the men’s singles title at the Australian Open (AO) 2023 defeating
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece by 6–3, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7-5) during the finals held at Rod Laver Arena in
Melbourne Park, Melbourne (Victoria), Australia. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus won the women’s
singles title at AO 2023, her first major singles title, by defeating Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan by 4–6,
6–3, 6–4.
❖ Table showing the 2023 Australian Open Winners:
Category Winner Runner-Up
Men’s Singles Novak Djokovic of Serbia Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece
Women’s Singles Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan
Hugo Nys of Monaco and Jan Zieliński of
Men’s Doubles Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler of Australia Poland
Women’s Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková of
Doubles Czechia Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara of Japan
Mixed Doubles Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos of Brazil Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna of India

CRICKET
APRIL 2023
➢ The 160th edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack 2023, the cricket reference book published
annually in the United Kingdom(UK), has announced the Five Wisden Cricketers of the Year 2023.
• Tom Blundell(New Zealand), Ben Foakes (England), Harmanpreet Kaur(India), Daryl
Mitchell(New Zealand) and Matthew Potts (England) were named the Five Wisden Cricketers of
the Year 2023.
• Indian Women’s cricket team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur becomes the 1st India Women’s
cricketer to be named a “Wisden Cricketer of the Year”.
• England’s Ben Stokes and Australia’s Beth Mooney have been named the Leading Cricketers in
the World.
• Australia batter Beth Mooney has been named the Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World
(Women) for the 2nd time in 3 years.
• India’s Suryakumar Yadav picked up the Leading Twenty20 (T20) Cricketer in the World title.
MARCH 2023
➢ India has clinched the four-match Test series of India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy
(BGT) 2023 by 2-1 for the record 11th time. With this, India booked their place into the final of the
World Test Championship.
• Ravichandran Ashwin becomes second-fastest bowler to take 450 wickets in Test cricket
history
• Virat Kohli become second-highest run-getter against Australia in international cricket & the
fastest batsman to score 75 International Centuries
• Axar Patel Becomes the Fastest Indian Bowler To Take 50 Test Wickets In Terms Of Balls
Bowled
• Ravindra Jadeja becomes second Indian player to take 503 wickets, score 5,527 runs in
international cricket
• Ravichandran Ashwin moves to number one spot in the ICC Men’s Test bowling rankings
➢ Rest of India cricket team captained by Mayank Agarwal won the Z R Irani Cup 2022-2023(59th
edition of Irani Cup) defeating Madhya Pradesh, 2021-2022 Ranji Trophy Champions, captained by
Himanshu Mantri, in the final day of the season-ending match held in Captain Roop Singh Stadium,
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh from 1st to 5th March 2023.
➢ Mumbai Indians(MI) team captained by Harmanpreet Kaur(India) defeated the Delhi Capitals(DC) led
by Meghann(Meg) Lanning (Australia) to win the inaugural TATA Women’s Premier League(WPL)
2023 championship. MI defeated DC by 7 wickets in the finals held in Brabourne Stadium at
Churchgate, Mumbai, Maharastra on 26th March 2023.
• Tata Women’s Premier League 2023 held from 4th to 26th March 2023 in Mumbai,
Maharashtra.
• Player of the March(finals): Natalie Ruth Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians)
• Awards TATA WPL 2023:Prize money: MI, the winning team received the prize money of Rs 6
crores and the runner up, DC, received a cash prize of Rs 3 crore.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ India won the 1st ICC (International Cricket Council) Under-19 Women’s T20 (Twenty 20) World
Cup 2023 by defeating England with 7 wickets.
• It was the first edition of the ICC Women’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup and it was hosted by
South Africa (SA) from January 14 – 29, 2023.
• With this India became the first title holder of the ICC Women’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
• This is also India’s first World Cup win in the women’s section.
➢ The Australian women‘s national cricket team captained by Meg Lanning won the 8th edition of
the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Twenty20 International (T20I) World Cup 2023 by
defeating South Africa women’s team captained by Sune Luus by 19 runs in the finals held in the
Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa.

• This marks the 6th and third consecutive ICC Women’s T20I World Cup title of Australia.
Australia previously won the title in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2020.
• ICC women’s T20I World Cup 2023 was hosted by South Africa from 10th to 26th February
2023.
• The tournament was held at 3 venues in three cities of SA viz. Newlands Cricket Ground (Cape
Town), St George’s Park (Gqeberha), and Boland Park (Paarl).
➢ The New Zealand National Cricket Team (named: Black Caps) toured India for 3 One Day
Internationals (ODIs) and 3 Twenty 20 Internationals(T20Is) from 18th January 2023 to 1st
February 2023.
• India defeated New Zealand to won both the 3-match ODI and T20I series.
• In ODI, the Indian Cricket Team captained by Rohit Sharma defeated the New Zealand team
captained by Tom Latham by 3-0 and in T20I, Team India captained by Hardik Pandya defeated
New Zealand captained by Mitchell Santner by 2-1.
• During the 1st ODI match of India against New Zealand held in Rajiv Gandhi International
Stadium, Hyderabad, Telangana, Shubman Gill, aged 23 years 132 days, scored 208 runs and
became the youngest player to score a double-hundred in men’s ODIs.
• Shubman Gill scored his maiden T20I century in India’s 3rd and final T20I match against New
Zealand in Ahmedabad. He reached the mark in just 54 deliveries in the 18th over of India’s
innings.
➢ Sunrisers Eastern Cape captained by South African cricketer Aiden Markram won the inaugural
edition of Betway SA20 League (SA20 2023), a Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament in South Africa,
organised by Cricket South Africa.
• Sunrisers Eastern Cape defeated Pretoria Capitals captained by South African cricketer Wayne
Parnell in the finals held in Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Sunrisers captain Aiden Markram has been named “Player of the Series” in SA20 2023. He also
became the 3rd-highest run-scorer and joint 7th-highest wicket-taker in the competition. Roelof
van der Merwe won the Man of the Match in the finals.
➢ Saurashtra cricket team won the Mastercard Ranji Trophy 2022-2023 defeating Bengal cricket
team (West Bengal) by 9 wickets in the finals of held in Eden Gardens in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• This marks Saurashtra’s 2nd Ranji Trophy Title. Saurashtra won their maiden Ranji Trophy in
2020.
JANUARY 2023
➢ The cricket team of Sri Lanka toured India for 3 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 3 Twenty 20
Internationals(T20Is) from 3rd to 15th January 2023. India defeated Sri Lanka in a comprehensive
manner in both ODI and T20I.
• Suryakumar Yadav has become the fastest player to reach 1,500 runs in T20 International
cricket in terms of balls faced.
• India defeated Sri Lanka in the largest ever one-day victory margin of 317 runs in the 3rd and
final ODI held in Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Virat Kohli equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of scoring 20 ODI centuries on home soil.
➢ The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the winners of the ICC awards 2022,
India’s Suryakumar Yadav has won the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2022 while
compatriot Renuka Singh has won the ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2022 award.
❖ Pakistan’s Babar Azam and England’s all-rounder Nat Sciver have won 2 awards each among the
categories revealed by ICC Award 2022.
• Babar Azam won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2022 as
well as ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2022.
• Nat Sciver won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year and
ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year.
❖ Winners of ICC Awards 2022:
Category Winner Country
ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year Gerhard Erasmus Namibia

United Arab
ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year Esha Oza Emirates(UAE)
ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year Suryakumar Yadav India
ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year Tahlia McGrath Australia
ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year Marco Jansen South Africa
ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year Renuka Singh India
ICC Umpire of the Year Richard
David Shepherd Trophy Illingworth England
ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Babar Azam Pakistan
ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Nat Sciver England
ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year Ben Stokes England
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the
Year Nat Sciver England
Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year Babar Azam Pakistan
ICC Spirit of Cricket Award Aasif Sheikh Nepal
BADMINTON
APRIL 2023
➢ Indonesian badminton player Gregoria Mariska Tunjung won the Women’s singles title at the
Madrid Spain Masters 2023 finals defeating India’s Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (PV Sindhu).
• This also marks Gregoria M Tunjung’s first Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title
and her first victory over PV Sindhu in 8 matches.
• Madrid Spain Masters 2023, a part of the Spain Masters championship, was held in Centro
Deportivo Municipal Gallur, Madrid, Spain from 28th March to 2nd April 2023.
MARCH 2023
➢ The Yonex Swiss Open 2023, a BWF World Tour Super 300, was held from 21st to 26th March 2023 in
St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, world no. 6 Men’s
doubles badminton players, won Men’s doubles title defeating China’s Ren Xiang Yu and Tan Qiang,
World’s No 21 doubles pair, at Yonex Swiss Open 2023.
Winners of YONEX Swiss Open 2023:
Category Winners Runners
Men’s Singles Koki Watanabe(Japan) Chou Tien Chen(Chinese Taipei)
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag
Men’s Doubles Shetty(India) Ren Xiang Yu & Tan Qiang(China)
Women’s Singles Pornpawee Chochuwong(Thailand) Mia Blichfeldt(Denmark)
Women’s
Doubles Rena Miyaura & AyakoSakuramoto(Japan) Yuki Fukushima & Sayaka Hirota(Japan)
Goh Soon Huat & LaiShevon
Mixed Doubles Jiang Zhen Bang & Wei Ya Xin(China) Jemie(Malaysia)
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The 3rd edition of Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023/Tong Yun Kai Cup 2023
(official and sponsored title: Blue Ocean Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship Dubai
2023) was held from February 14-19, 2023 at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
• The championship was won by China with Gold medal by defeating South Korea with 3-1.

• With this, South Korea stood at 2nd position with Silver medal.
• The 3rd position or Bronze medal was shared by India and Thailand.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Olympic champion and World’s No. 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark won the Men’s Singles
title defeating World’s No 6 Kodai Naraoka of Japan at the PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2023 held from
10th to 15th January 2023 in Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
❖ Winners & Runners of Malaysia Open 2023:
Category Winner Runner
Viktor Axelsen Kodai Naraoka
Men’s Singles (Denmark) (Japan)
Akane Yamaguchi An Se Young
Women’s Singles (Japan) (South Korea)
Fajar Alfian Liang Wei Keng
Muhammad Rian Ardianto Wang Chang
Men’s Doubles (Indonesia) (China)
Chen Qing Chen Baek Ha Na
Jia Yi Fan Lee Yu Lim
Women’s Doubles (China) (South Korea)
Zheng Si Wei Yuta Watanabe
Huang Ya Qiong Arisa Higashino
Mixed Doubles (China) (Japan)
CHESS
APRIL 2023
➢ 16 year old Indian Grandmaster (GM) Gukesh Dommaraju(Gukesh D) defeated World Rapid
Champion GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan to win the Armageddon Championship Series
2023: Asia & Oceania held in Berlin, Germany from 3rd to 9th April 2023. He won a prize money of
18,000 EUR.
• It was the second regional tournament of the Armageddon Championship Series 2022-2023
which is organised by World Chess Events Limited in cooperation with World Chess Europe
GmbH.
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Indian Chess Player N.R. Vignesh (25-year-old), from Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN), became India’s
80th Grandmaster (GM) after defeating International Master (IM) Ilja Schneider of Germany at
NordWest Cup 2023 (24th edition) at Bad Zwischenahn in Germany which was held from 26th January
2023 to 29th January 2023.
• He became the Grandmaster after crossing 2500 in the live ratings.
• N.R. Vignesh also became the 29th Grandmaster hailing from Tamil Nadu(TN).
• Note: M Pranesh from TN became India’s 79th GM in January 2023 after winning the Rilton Cup
2022/2023 in Stockholm, Sweden.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Indian Grandmaster (GM) Koneru Humpy, a former world rapid champion, has won a Silver medal
in the Women’s World Blitz Championship at the FIDE(Fédération Internationale des Échecs) World
Rapid and Blitz Championship 2022 held in Almaty, Kazakhstan from 25th to 30th December 2022.

❖ Final Standings: (Blitz)
Rank Name & Country
Open Blitz
1 Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen (Norway)
2 Christopher Hikaru Nakamura (United States of America)
3 Haik Mikaeli Martirosyan (Armenia)

Women’s Blitz
1 Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan)
2 Koneru Humpy (India)
3 Shuvalova Polina (Russia)
➢ Kolkata-based chess player Koustav Chatterjee (19-year) became India’s 78th Grandmaster (GM) in
MPL 59th National Senior Chess. He is also the 10th GM from Kolkata and West Bengal (WB).
➢ M Pranesh (16-year-old) from Tamil Nadu (TN) became India’s 79th Grandmaster (GM) after crossing
the 2500 ELO rating and winning the Rilton Cup 2022/2023 held in Stockholm, Sweden.
• Pranesh is the 28th Grandmaster from Tamil Nadu(TN).
GRAND PRIX
APRIL 2023
➢ Red Bull’s Max Verstappen(Belgian-Dutch racing driver) won his first ever Australian Grand Prix
(GP) Title at the Formula 1(F1) Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023 held in the Albert Park Circuit,
Melbourne, Australia. This is Red Bull’s first victory in Melbourne since 2011 with Sebastian Vettel.
MARCH 2023
➢ Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, a Belgian-Dutch motorsports racing driver, won the 2023 Season-
Opener Bahrain Grand Prix, which was held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain
(officially the Kingdom of Bahrain).
➢ Red Bull’s Sergio Perez(33 years old), Mexican racing driver, won the Formula 1 (F1) Saudi
Telecommunication Company (STC) Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023, held in the Jeddah Corniche Circuit,
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with 25 point.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Two-time Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne of DS Penske, a French Racing Driver, won the first
ever Formula E race in India – 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix, round 4 of the ABB FIA Formula E
World Championship (Formula E 2023).
• A total of 11 teams competed in the 2023 Hyderabad E-Prix held in the Hyderabad Street circuit,
Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Nick Cassidy of Envision and Antonio Felix da Costa of TAG Heuer Porsche finished second
and third, respectively.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Hyderabad, Telangana is set to host the 2023 Hyderabad E-Prix, India’s 1st ever ABB
FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) Formula E World Championship race, all-electric
motorsports, on 11th February 2023.
OTHER SPORTS
APRIL 2023
➢ India finished 2nd in the overall medal tally at the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 1 held
in Antalya, Türkiye, with 4 medals (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze). The United States of America (USA)
topped the medal tally with 4 medals (2 gold and 2 silver).

• 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 1, held from 18th to 23rd April 2023, is a part of the
2023 Archery World Cup (Officially Hyundai Archery World Cup).
• Top 3 on overall Medal Tally:
Rank Country Total Medals
1 USA 4 (2 gold, 2 silver)
2 India 4 (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
3 China 3 (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
• Indian Medal Winners:
Event Medal Winner
Compound women Gold Jyothi Surekha Vennam,
Compound mixed Team Gold Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Ojas Pravin Deotale
Recurve men Team Silver Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das and Dhiraj Bommadevara,
Recurve Men Bronze Dhiraj Bommadevara
• Indian Medal Winners: Jyothi Surekha Vennam matched the record qualifying score of 713
points to top the leaderboard in the season-opening World Cup Stage 1. She landed the arrow on
target 66 times out of 72 shots to match Sara Lopez’s world record score that she had achieved
during the 2015 Colombian National selections.
MARCH 2023
➢ ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) Football Club(FC) captained by Pritam Kotal, won their first Indian
Super League (ISL) title by defeating Bengaluru FC captained by Sunil Chhetri in the finals of Hero
Indian Super League (ISL) 2022–23 held in Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Margoa, Goa.
• Hero ISL 2022-2023, the 9th season of the Indian Super League was held from 7th October 2022
to 18th March 2023.
➢ India topped the medal tally of the Mahindra International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s
World Boxing Championship (WWBC) 2023, the 13th edition of the championships, with 4 gold
medals. The 13th edition of the WWBC was hosted by India from 15th to 26th March 2023 at K.D.
Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi, Delhi.
Table Showing Top 3 Rankers in the Tournament:
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 India 4 0 0 4
2 China 3 1 3 7
3 Russia 1 1 1 3
Indian Gold Medal Winners:
Category Winner
Minimumweight (48Kg) Nitu Ghanghas
Light Flyweight (50Kg) Nikhat Zareen
Middleweight (75Kg) Lovlina Borgohain
Light heavyweight (81 Kg) Saweety Boora

FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Khelo India Winter Games 2023 held in Gulmarg in J&K; J&K Tops Medal Tally with 76 medals
• The 3rd edition of Khelo India Winter Games, KIWG 2023, a 1st of a kind multi-sport
competition of India, was held in Gulmarg, in Baramulla District of North Kashmir, Jammu and
Kashmir(J&K) from 10th to 14th February 2023.
• Top 5 on the Medal Tally:
Rank Team Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 J&K 26 25 25 76
2 Maharashtra 13 8 6 27
3 Himachal Pradesh 10 14 7 31
4 Army 10 10 9 29
5 Haryana 8 10 13 31
➢ The 5th edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG 2022) hosted by Madhya Pradesh was held
from 30th January to 11th February 2023.
• Maharashtra won the overall championship and topped the medal tally of the Khelo India Youth
Games 2022 with 161 medals (56 gold, 55 silver, and 50 bronze).
• Haryana (40 golds) and Madhya Pradesh (39 golds), were ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
• KIYG 2022 Medal Tally:
Rank States/UT Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Maharashtra 56 55 50 161
2 Haryana 41 32 55 128
3 Madhya Pradesh 39 30 27 96
4 Rajasthan 19 10 19 48
5 Delhi 16 22 26 64
➢ The Mascot, Theme Song, and Jersey for the 3rd edition of the Khelo India Winter Games were
launched by Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, with Manoj Sinha, the
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), at Raj Bhawan, Jammu, J&K.
• The 3rd edition of the Khelo India Winter Games, a 5-day event, is scheduled to be held from 10-
14 February 2023 in Gulmarg, Jammu, and Kashmir.
• Mascot: The Snow Leopard depicts the vibrant heritage of the Himalayas.
➢ Real Madrid, Spanish professional football club, won the FIFA (Fédération Internationale De
Football Association) Club World Cup 2022 defeating Al Hilal, Saudi Arabian Football Club by 5-3 in the
finals held in Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
• With this win, Real Madrid won the FIFA Club World Cup for a record 5th time.
• Real Madrid previously won the tournament in 2018, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
• Awards at FIFA Club World Cup 2022:
✓ The Best player award/Adidas Golden Ball went to Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior (Real
Madrid).
✓ Adidas Silver Ball was awarded to Uruguay’s Federico Valverde (Real Madrid).
✓ Adidas Bronze Ball was presented to Argentina’s Luciano Vietto (Al-Hilal).
✓ The Fair Play award was also grabbed by Real Madrid.
✓ The Brazilian football player Pedro Guilherme Abreu dos Santos aka Pedro was the top
goal scorer of the tournament with 4 goals.
✓ He played for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Flamengo, Brazil.
JANUARY 2023
➢ The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (MP) Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister of State
(MoS) Nisith Pramanik, Ministry for Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYAS) unveiled the Mascots, Smart

Torch, Theme Song of the 5th edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2022 during an event in
Bhopal, MP.
• KIYG 2022 will be hosted by MP from January 30 to February 11, 2023, in MP’s Bhopal, Indore,
Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Khargone (Maheshwar).
• Mascots: Asha (Female Cheetah) and Mowgli
• Torch: Amarkantak
• It is named after the place where the Narmada River, considered the state’s lifeline.
➢ The International Hockey Federation (FIH), originally Fédération Internationale de Hockey,
has signed a partnership with JSP Foundation, the executing arm of Jindal Steel & Power (JSP) for
its development programs.
➢ Germany (Nickname: Die Honamas) won the (Fédération Internationale de Hockey or International
Hockey Federation) FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 by defeating the defending
champions Belgium(Nickname: The Red Lions) by 5-4 in the Penalty shootout during the finals held in
Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
• This marks Germany’s 3rd hockey World Cup title, earlier they won the world cup in 2002 and
2006.
• Result:
Winners (Gold Medal) Germany
Runner-up (Silver Medal) Belgium
Third (Bronze Medal) Netherlands
Fourth Australia
OBITUARY
NATIONAL
Name of the person Field Birth Place Points to be noted
who passed away
APRIL 2023
Sarah Thomas Malayalam Trivandrum, A renowned Malayalam writer, Sarah
writer Travancore Kingdom, Thomas, a 2-time Kerala Sahitya
British India (now in Akademi Awardee, passed away in
Kerala) Trivandrum, Kerala, at the age of 88.
i. Sarah Thomas’s novel “Narmadi
Pudava” won the Kerala Sahitya
Akademi Award in 1979.
ii. In 2010, she also received the Kerala
Sahitya Akademi award for Overall
Contribution to Malayalam literature.
Thottathil B Former Chief Kollam, Kerala Former Judge of Kerala High Court
Radhakrishnan Justice of High Thottathil Bhaskaran Nair
Courts of Radhakrishnan, commonly called
Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, passed
Chhattisgarh
away in Kochi, Kerala, at the age of 63.
i. He also served as the Chief Justice of
High Courts of Chhattisgarh (2017-
2018) Andhra Pradesh (2018-2019),
Telangana (2019), and Calcutta (2019-
2021).

Keshub Mahindra Former Shimla, British India Keshub Mahindra, former chairman
chairman (now in Himachal emeritus of Mahindra & Mahindra
emeritus of Pradesh). (M&M) Group, passed away in
Mumbai, Maharashtra, at the age of 99.
Mahindra &
i. According to the Forbes’ World’s
Mahindra
Billionaires List 2023, Keshub
(M&M) Group Mahindra was named India’s Oldest
Billionaire.
ii. He was also the Founder Chairman
of HUDCO (Housing and Urban
Development Corporation Limited);
Vice-Chairman of Housing
Development Finance Corporation Ltd;
Chairman of Mahindra Ugine Steel Co.
Ltd; Director of Bombay Dyeing &
Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Bombay
Burmah Trading Corporation Limited.
iii. Awards:
In 1987, Keshub Mahindra was
awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre
National de la Legion d’honneur
(Knight of the National Order of the
Legion of Honor) by the French
Government.
Parkash Singh Badal Former Chief Abul Khurana, near Five-time Punjab Chief Minister (CM)
Minister (CM) Malout in Punjab and veteran Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)
of Punjab leader Parkash Singh Badal passed
away at the age of 95 in Mohali,
Punjab.
i. Parkash Singh Badal held the CM
post for five terms: Between 1970 and
1971; from 1977-1980; from 1997-
2002; from 2007-2012 and from 2012-
2017.
i. The Government of India awarded
him the second-highest civilian award,
Padma Vibhushan, in 2015(public
affairs), however he returned his
award in 2020 to support the 2020–
2021 Indian farmers’ protest against
the farm laws.
Himangshu Mohan Former Indian Feni district (now in A former Indian Administrative
Choudhury Administrative Bangladesh) Services (IAS) Officer, Himangshu
Services (IAS) Mohan Choudhury, who was the first
recipient of Padma Shri from Tripura,
Officer
passed away in Agartala, Tripura.
i. His family migrated to Tripura in
1930.
ii. Himangshu Mohan Choudhury, an
Indian civil servant, is recognised for
his work in providing relief efforts for
army deserters and refugees during
the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
iii. Himangshu Mohan Choudhury was
honoured by the Government of India

in 1972 with Padma Shri for Civil
Service, the 4th highest Indian civilian
award.
iv. The Government of Bangladesh
honoured him with the Outstanding
Friend of Bangladesh honour in 2013
for the moral and material support
provided to the people of Bangladesh
during the 1971 Liberation War.
Kaur Singh Heavyweight Haryana The Veteran heavyweight boxer, a

boxer Padma Shri and Arjuna awardee, Kaur
Singh, 74 passed away in Kurukshetra,
Haryana.
Kaur Singh won six gold medals in
international competitions.
i. He was introduced to boxing in 1977,
and in 1979, Kaur Singh won a gold
medal at the senior national boxing
championship and remained the
holder of the gold medal for four
consecutive years till 1983.
ii. In 1980, Kaur Singh won a gold
medal at the Asian Boxing
Championships held in Mumbai
(Maharashtra).
iii. On 27 January 1980, Kaur Singh
fought against American boxing legend
Muhammad Ali in an exhibition match
held at the National Stadium in New
Delhi, Delhi.
iv. In 1982, Kaur Singh won a gold
medal at the heavyweight category
Asian Games held at New Delhi, Delhi.
In 1982 he got the Arjuna Award,
India’s second-highest National Sports
Award by the Ministry of Youth Affairs
and Sports, for earning gold medal in
the Asian Games.
v. In 1983, the Government of India
awarded Kaur Singh with the Padma
Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian
honour award for outstanding
contribution to Indian sports.
vi. In the 1984 Kaur Singh represented
India in the Summer Olympics held in
Los Angeles, United States of America.
N Gopalakrishnan Retired Tripunithura, Kerala Dr N Gopalakrishnan, retired scientist

scientist and and noted orator, passed away at the
noted orator age of 68 in Thrippunithura, Kerala.
i. He joined the Council of Scientific &
Industrial Research (CSIR) – Structural
Engineering Research Centre (SERC)
as Scientist-B in 1987.

ii. In 2003, He moved to the Advanced
Seismic Testing and Research
Laboratory (ASTaR), Earthquake
Engineering division of CSIR-SERC,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
MARCH 2023
Aziz Mushabber Ahm Former Chief Surat, Bombay Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi (A M
Justice of India Presidency, British Ahmadi), a former Chief Justice of
(CJI) India (now in India (CJI), passed away in New Delhi,
Maharashtra). Delhi, at the age of 90.
i. A M Ahmadi was appointed
the 26th CJI (1994-1997). He was also
the 3rd Muslim CJI after Mohammad
Hidayatullah (1968-1970) and Mirza
Hameedullah Beg (1977-1978).
Dr Kanak Yatindra Rele Indian dancer Gujarat, British India Padma Shri & Padma Bhushan
and Awardee Dr Kanak Yatindra Rele, a
Mohiniyattam world-renowned Indian dancer and
Mohiniyattam exponent, passed away
exponent
in Mumbai, Maharashtra, at the age of
85.
i. The Government of India honoured
Kanak Yatindra Rele with Padma Shri
(1990) for Art and Padma Bhushan
(2013) for arts.
FEBRUARY 2023
Kasinadhuni Vishwanath Telugu Repalle, Madras Padma Shri and Dadasaheb Phalke
filmmaker and Presidency, British awardee, Kasinadhuni Vishwanath (K
actor India (now in Andhra Viswanath), a renowned Telugu
Pradesh, India). filmmaker and actor, passed away in
Hyderabad, Telangana at the age of 92.
• He was popularly known as
‘Kalatapasvi’.
• In recognition of K.
Vishwanath’s outstanding
contribution to Telugu film, the
State Government of Andhra
Pradesh gave him the
prestigious Raghupathy
Venkaiah award in 1991.
• He was awarded the Padma
Shri (Field:Art), the fourth-
highest civilian award in India,
in 1992.
• Recipient of the Golden 20
Nandi Awards from the AP
State Government starting
from Best Picture for his 1st
directorial venture (Atma
Gowravam) followed by two
consecutive awards in the
same category.
• He was the 48th recipient of
the Dadasaheb Phalke Award,

India’s highest award in the
field of Cinema, for the year
2016.
• K. Vishwanath was a five-time
National Film Awards winner
for his movies
Sankarabharanam, Sagara
Sangamam (twice), Swathi
Muthyam, and Swarna
Kamalam.
Vani Jairam Singer Vellore district of Vani Jairam, the famed and veteran
Tamil Nadu singer who was recently honoured
with India’s third-highest civilian
award, the “Padma Bhushan“(2023 in
the field of Art), passed away in
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, at the age of 78.
Om Prakash Kohli (O P former Delhi O P Kohli, former Governor of Gujarat
Kohli) Governor of (2014-2019) and Veteran Bharatiya
Gujarat Janata Party (BJP) leader, passed away
in Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP), at the age
of 87. He was born on 9th August 1935
in Delhi.
JANUARY 2023
Rayaroth Kuttambally Former Thalassery (formerly Tata group veteran and Former
Krishna Kumar Director of Tellicherry), Kerala Director of Tata Sons, Padma Shri
Tata Sons Awardee Rayaroth Kuttambally
Krishna Kumar passed away in
Mumbai, Maharashtra at the age of 84.
• In 2009, R.K. Krishnakumar
received the Padma Shri
award, India’s 4th highest
civilian honour, for his
contributions to Indian Trade
and Industry.
Keshari Nath Tripathi Former Prayagraj Keshari Nath Tripathi, former
governor of (Allahabad), Uttar governor of West Bengal (July 2014 –
West Bengal Pradesh (UP). July 2019) and 3-time Uttar Pradesh
(UP) Assembly Speaker passes away at
the age of 88 years in Prayagraj
(Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh (UP).
❖ He briefly served as governor
of Bihar, Meghalaya, and
Mizoram at various times.
• Governor of Bihar –
November 2014-
August 2015 & June
2017 to October 2017.
• Governor of Meghalaya
– January 2015 to May
2015.
• Governor of Mizoram –
April 2015 – May 2015.
Dr Tehemton Erach Indian Surgeon Mumbai, Maharashtra Padma Awardee Dr Tehemton Erach
Udwadia and Udwadia, an Indian Surgeon and

Gastroenterolo Gastroenterologist, who was known as
gist the ‘father of laparoscopic surgery in
India’ passed away in Mumbai,
Maharashtra, at the age of 88.
• He was honoured with the
Padma Shri, India’s 4th highest
civilian award, in 2006 and
Padma Bhushan, India’s 3rd-
highest civilian award, in 2017,
for Medicine.
Abdur Rehman Rahi Kashmir’s 1st Srinagar, Jammu and In 2004, he received the highest
Jnanpith Kashmir (J&K) literary award in India, the Jnanpith
awardee Award for his poetic collection in
Kashmiri “Siyah Rood Jaeren Manz” (In
Professor
Black Drizzle).
• In 2000, he was honoured with
the 4th-highest civilian award
in India, Padma Shri Award
for Literature and Education.
Sharad Yadav former Union Hoshangabad, Sharad Yadav, former Union minister
minister Madhya Pradesh and one of India’s most prominent
socialist leaders, passed away in
Gurugram, Haryana.
Prabhaben Social Worker Surat district, Gujarat Padma Shri Awardee Prabhaben
Sobhaghchand Shah Sobhaghchand Shah, Social Worker
from Union Territory (UT) of Dadra
and Nagar Haveli, Daman, and Diu
passed away in Daman at the age of 92.
• In 2022, Prabhaben Shah
received Padma Shri, India’s
4th highest civilian award, for
Social Work (Dadra and Nagar
Haveli and Daman and Diu).
Nilmani Phookan Assamese poet Dergaon (present-day Nilmani Phookan was awarded the
Golaghat), Assam Assam Valley Literary Award in 1997.
In 1981, he was awarded the Sahitya
Akademi Award in Assamese for his
poetry collection, Kavita.
• In 1990, he has conferred the
4th-highest civilian award,
Padma Shri, for Literature and
Education (Assam).
• In 2020, he won the 56th
Jnanpith Award, India’s highest
literary award.
Balkrishna Vithaldas Indian Pune, Maharashtra. B.V. Doshi was conferred with both the
Doshi Architect RIBA’s Royal Gold Medal in 2021 and
the Pritzker Prize (often referred to as
the Nobel Prize for architecture) in
2018 for his outstanding contribution
to the field of architecture.
• He was the 1st Indian to
receive Royal Gold Medal and
Pritzker Prize.

• He was conferred with Padma
Shri for Science and
engineering in 1976 and
Padma Bhushan (others) in
2020.
He also received the Ordre des
Arts et des Lettres (2011) and
the Aga Khan Award for
Architecture (1993-1995).
INTERNATIONAL
Name of the Field Birth Place Points to be noted
person who
passed away
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
Kenzaburo Oe Pacifist of Japan Japan Nobel literature laureate (1994)
Kenzaburo Oe, a Pacifist of Japan,
passed away in Tokyo, Japan, at the
age of 88.
FEBRUARY 2023
Pervez Former President of Delhi, British India Pervez Musharraf, Former President of
Musharraf Pakistan (now New Delhi, Delhi, Pakistan (2001-2008) and retired
India). General, passed away at the age of 79
in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
• Pervez Musharraf was known
as the architect of the 1999
conflict in Kargil.
Burt Bacharach American Composer Kansas City, Missouri, American Composer, Burt Bacharach,
USA who won 3 Oscars in 1982 and 1970
(twice) and eight Grammys, passed
away in Los Angeles, California, United
States of America (USA) at the age of
94.
• He won his 1st Oscar
(Academy Awards, USA) in
1970 for the score of “Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
and for the song “Raindrops
Keep Fallin’ on My Head”.
• In 1982, he shared the Oscar
with his then-wife Carole
Bayer Sager for “Best That You
Can Do,” the theme from
“Arthur”.
JANUARY 2023
Arata Isozaki Japanese Architect Ōita, Island of Kyushu, Arata Isozaki, a Pritzker-Winning
Japan Japanese Architect, passed away at the

age of 91 in Okinawa Island (Japanese
Island).
• He was called a ‘post-modern
giant’, who blended the culture
and history of the East and the
West in his designs.
• In 1979, Arata Isozaki was
appointed to the 1st Pritzker
Prize Jury and continued on as
a member for 5 additional
years.
• In 1986, he received the Royal
Gold Medal for architecture.
In 2019, Arata Isozaki won the
Pritzker Architecture Prize,
internationally the highest
honour in the field.
Badara Alieu Vice-President (VP) of Gambia Badara Alieu Joof, the VP of the
Joof the Republic of the Republic of the Gambia (West African
Gambia country), passed away in India at the
age of 65. His demise was announced
by the President of Gambia, Adama
Barrow.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

Book Name Author Other Information
APRIL 2023
Saurashtra-Tamil Shree Somnath Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi
Sangamprashastih”(सौराष्ट्र- Sanskrit University launched the 113-verse book titled
(prepared) “Saurashtra-Tamil
तमिलसङ्गिप्रशस्तिः ) – Saurashtra Tamil
Sangamprashastih”(सौराष्ट्र-
Sangam Praise)
तमिलसङ्गिप्रशस्तिः ) – Saurashtra Tamil
Sangam Praise) prepared by Shree Somnath
Sanskrit University, Gujarat.
MARCH 2023
Bipin: The Man Behind the Uniform Rachna Biswat Rawat Rachna Biswat Rawat, an Indian journalist
and writer, has authored a new book titled
“Bipin: The Man Behind the Uniform” which
is the story of General Bipin Rawat’s
personality, his personal life and his
principles. The book is published by
Penguin Veer, an imprint of Penguin
Random House.
A Matter of the Heart: Education in Anurag Behar Anurag Behar, the Chief Executive Officer
India (CEO) of Azim Premji Foundation and
founding vice-chancellor of Azim Premji
University, has authored a new book titled
“A Matter of the Heart: Education in India”,
a travel book that chronicles experiences of
Anurag Behar at work at the Azim Premji

Foundation, is a compilation of all his
columns.
FEBRUARY 2023
NIL
JANUARY 2023
Breaking Barriers: the Story of a Dalit Kaki Madhava Rao The book is published by Emesco Books
Chief Secretary” Private Limited.
Ambedkar: A Life”, a biography of Shashi Tharoor Renowned Author Shashi Tharoor, Member
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar of Parliament (MP – the Lok Sabha –
at the Kitaab Kolkata Event, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala), has
launched his latest book “Ambedkar: A
Life”, a biography of Babasaheb Bhimrao
Ramji Ambedkar at the Kitaab Kolkata
Event, which was organised by the Prabha
Khaitan Foundation (PKF) at the ITC Sonar
presented by Shree Cement.
• The book is published by Aleph
Book Company, and promoted
by Rupa Publications India.
IMPORTANT DAYS
NATIONAL OBSERVANCE
Observed Day Other information
date/week
APRIL 2023
April 5 National Maritime Day/ To commemorate the sailing of the 1st Indian
Merchant Navy Flag Day Steamship “S.S. Loyalty” of the Scindia Steam
Navigation Co. Ltd., in 1919, from Mumbai
(Maharashtra) to London (United Kingdom).
i. 5th April 2023 marks the observance of the 60th
edition (diamond jubilee) of National Maritime
Day with theme of “Amrit Kaal in Shipping”
(Golden Era in Shipping).
April 11 National Safe Motherhood Day The day also marks the birth anniversary of
Kasturba Gandhi (1869-1944), wife of Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi and a great freedom fighter
and social reformer.
i. 11th April 2023 marks the 154th birth
anniversary of Kasturbai Gandhi. She was born on
11 April 1869, in Porbandar, British India(now in
Gujarat).
April 14 National Fire Service (NFS) The day is also commemorated as a Martyr’s Day
Day to pay homage to the Fire Service personnel who
lost their lives on 14th April 1944 during the
massive Bombay explosion at the Victoria Dock in
the Mumbai Port.

i. The theme of National Fire Service Day/week
2023 is “Awareness in Fire Safety for Growth of
National Infrastructure” (AGNI)”.
April 21 National Civil Services Day 21st April 2023 marks the observance of the 16th
National Civil Services Day.
i. The theme of the National Civil Services Day
2023 is “Viksit Bharat: Empowering Citizens and
Reaching the Last Mile”.
ii. Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi presented
the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in
Public Administration to 15 awardees during the
event organised at the Vigyan Bhawan in New
Delhi, Delhi on the occasion of 16th National Civil
Services Day.
iii. He also released the e-books ‘Viksit Bharat –
Empowering Citizens & Reaching the last mile
Volume I and II’ during the event.
iv. The 15 awardees were chosen from 2520
nominations. Around 97% of districts registered
for the PM Awards for Excellence in 2022.
April 24 National Panchayati Raj Day National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) is annually
observed across India on 24th April to mark the
day of the decentralisation of power to the
grassroots, with the institutionalisation of
Panchayati Raj.
i. The day marks the establishment of the 1st
Panchayati Raj system with constitutional status in
India back in 1993.
ii. 24th April 2023 marks the observance of the
14th National Panchayati Raj Day.
iii. The National Panchayati Raj Day 2023
commemorates 30 years of Panchayati Raj in
India.
MARCH 2023
March 1 Civil Accounts Day 1st March 2023 marks the observance of the 47th
Civil Accounts Day.
i. Civil Accounts Day is also known as the
foundation day of ICAS.
March 1 World Seagrass Day United Nations (UN)’s celebrated the 1st ever
World Seagrass Day across the globe on 1st March
2023.
i. The day is observed to raise awareness of the
importance of seagrass as a core component of
marine biodiversity, the threats they face, and
their contribution to sustainable development and
climate change mitigation and adaptation.
March 3 World Wildlife Day(WWD) 3rd March 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the
adoption of the CITES (Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora).

i. The theme of WWD 2023 is “Partnerships for
wildlife conservation”.
March 4 National Safety Day 4th March 2023 marks the observance of the 52nd
National Safety Day/ National Safety Week
Campaign.
i. National Safety Week is annually observed
across India from March 4-10.
ii. The theme of National Safety Day/ Week
Campaign 2023 is “Our Aim – Zero Harm”.
March 10 Central Industrial Security 10th March 2023 marks the observance of the
Force (CISF) Raising Day 54th CISF Raising Day.
i. The day also marks the establishment of the
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on 10th
March 1969.
March 16 National Vaccination Day National Vaccination Day in India, also known as
“Polio Ravivar”.
i. National Vaccination Day in India was
introduced in 1995, as a part of the National Polio
Eradication Program (NPEP).
March 23 Shaheed Diwas, also known Shaheed Diwas, also known as Martyrs’ Day, is
as Martyrs’ Day annually observed in India on March 23 to pay
tribute to Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and
Sukhdev Thapar who were hanged to death in
1931 in the Central Jail at Lahore (now in
Pakistan).
i. 23rd March 2023 marks the 92nd death
anniversary of the trio.
FEBRUARY 2023
February 10 National Deworming Day NDD is annually organised in all states and Union
(NDD) Territories (UTs) across India on February 10,
with a mop-up day on February 15 with an aim to
eradicate intestinal worms also referred to as Soil-
Transmitted Helminths (STH), among children of
age 1-19 years.
• The National Deworming Day(NDD) is
conducted as a bi-annual round on 10th
February and 10th August.
• The 1st round is conducted in February and
the 2nd round is conducted in August.
February 13 National Women’s Day To commemorate the birth anniversary of Sarojini

Naidu, who was referred to as the “Nightingale of
India”.
• National Women’s Day is celebrated to
honour the social, cultural, political, and
economic accomplishments of Indian
women.
• 13th February 2023 marks the 144th birth
anniversary of Sarojini Naidu.

• Note: The United Nations (UN)’s
International Women’s Day is annually
observed across the globe on March 8.
13 to 17 February Financial Literacy Week RBI is annually observing the Financial Literacy
2023 Week (FLW) to create awareness about the
importance of financial literacy to address demand
side barriers and enable customers to make better
financial decisions.
• The Financial Literacy Week 2023 was
observed from 13th to 17th February
2023.
• The theme of FLW 2023 is “Good Financial
Behaviour, Your Saviour”.
February 27 National Protein Day 27th February 2023 marks the observance of the
4th National Protein Day.
• The theme of National Protein Day 2023 is
“Easy Access to Protein for All”.
• The theme aims to raise awareness and
promote the importance of having easy
access to protein for a healthy and well-
balanced diet.
JANUARY 2023
January 9 Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas To commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi
(PBD) from South Africa to India in 1915.
• The first ever Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was
observed on 9th January 2003.
• The theme of the 17th PBD Convention is
“Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s
progress in Amrit Kaal”.
• PM Modi released the Commemorative
Postal Stamp ‘Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit
Jaayen’ to highlight the importance of safe,
legal, orderly and skilled migration.
January 12 National Youth 12th January 2023 marks the 160th birth
anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
• The theme of National Youth Festival 2023
is “Viksit Yuva-Viksit Bharat”.
• The 26th National Youth Festival is
organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs
and Sports (MoYAS) in collaboration with
the Government of Karnataka.
Logo and mascot of National Youth Festival 2023:
• On 7th January 2023, Basavaraj Bommai,
Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka, released
the logo and mascot of the 26th National
Youth Festival.
• The logo was designed by Bansilal Ketki of
Odisha, inspired by the national flower, the
lotus.
• The mascot ‘Champi Chikka’, the elephant,
was created by Inbam of Bengaluru.

January 14 Armed Forces Veterans Day The day honours the services rendered by Field
Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa OBE, the
first Indian Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the
Indian Armed Forces.
January 15 Indian Army (IA) Day To commemorated its 75th anniversary at the
Parade Grounds in Bengaluru, Karnataka
January 19 National Disaster Response To commemorate the establishment of the NDRF,
Force (NDRF) Raising Day under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• 19th January 2023 marks the observance
of the 18th NDRF Raising Day.
• The 1st ever NDRF Raising Day was
observed on 19th January 2006.
January 23 Parakram Diwas Parakram Diwas is annually observed across India
on January 23 to commemorate the birth
anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra
Bose, fondly known as “Netaji”.
• 23rd January 2023 marks the 126th birth
anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose.
January 24 National Girl Child Day To spread public awareness about inequities that
girls face in Indian society.
January 25 National Voters’ Day The theme of 13th edition of National Voters’ Day
(NVD) 2023 is ‘Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for
Sure’.
January 26 Republic Day India celebrated its 74th Republic Day on 26th
January 2023.
• The republic day events and parade were
held at the newly-renovated and renamed
Kartavya Path(previously known as
Rajpath) in New Delhi, Delhi.
• President of India, Droupadi Murmu, was
accompanied by Egyptian President Abdel
Fattah El –Sisi at the Republic Day
celebrations at Kartavya Path.
• On the occasion of Republic Day 2023, the
President of India, Droupadi Murmu,
awarded the President’s Tatrakshak Medal
(PTM) and Tatrakshak Medal (TM) to 6
Indian Coast Guard(ICG) Personnel for
their act of conspicuous gallantry,
exceptional devotion to duty and
distinguished and meritorious service.
• On the eve of 74th Republic Day, President
Droupadi Murmu approved 412 gallantry
awards and other Defence decorations to
Armed Forces personnel.
• The 412 gallantry awards include, 6 Kirti
Chakras, including 4 posthumous and 15
Shaurya Chakras, including 2 posthumous.
The gallantry awards also include one Bar
to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 92 Sena Medals,
including four posthumous, one Nao Sena
Medal (Gallantry), seven Vayu Sena Medals

(Gallantry) and 29 Param Vishisht Seva
Medals.
• Click here for the complete list of
recipients of gallantry and other defence
decorations
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCE
Observed Day Other information
date/week
APRIL 2023
April 2 World Autism Awareness Day World Autism Awareness Day 2023 was observed
on 2nd April 2023 under the theme “Transforming
the narrative: Contributions at home, at work, in
the arts and in policymaking”.
April 2 International Children’s Book International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is
Day annually observed across the globe on or around
April 2, the birth anniversary of the Danish author
Hans Christian Andersen, known for his fairy tales
and stories.
i. International Children’s Book Day 2023 was
observed on 2nd April 2023 under the theme “I am
a book, read me”.
ii. The message for ICBD 2023 was written by
Children’s writer Vagelis Iliopoulos.
iii. The poster for ICBD 2023 was illustrated by
Illustrator Photini Stephanidi.
iv. ICBD 2023 was sponsored by the International
Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Greece.
April 4 International Day for Mine 4th April 2023 marks the commemoration of the
Awareness and Assistance in 18th International Day for Mine Awareness and
Mine Action Assistance in Mine Action.
i. The theme for International Day for Mine
Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2023 is
“Mine Action Cannot Wait”.
International Day of Sport for 6th April 2023 marks the observance of the 10th
Development and Peace edition of the International Day of Sport for
April 6 (IDSDP) Development and Peace.
i. The global theme for IDSDP 2023 is “Scoring for
People and the Planet”.
April 7 World Health Day 7th April 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the
founding of WHO in 1948.
i. The theme of World Health Day 2023 is “Health
for All”.
ii. On the occasion of World Health Day 2023, the
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
organised a walkathon event under the theme
“Health for All” in New Delhi, Delhi from Vijay
Chowk via Kartavya Path and passed through India
Gate to reach Nirman Bhawan.

April 12 International Day of Human i. 12th April 1961 was the date of the first human
Space Flight space flight. The 1st human space flight was
carried out by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, a
citizen of the Soviet Union.
April 15 World Art Day World Art Day is annually celebrated on April 15
by the International Association of Art (IAA/AIAP),
a non-governmental organisation (NGO), a partner
of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to encourage the
development, diffusion, and enjoyment of art.
i. World Art Day has been proclaimed by the city of
Los Angeles, California, United States of America
(USA), on April 15, which is the birth anniversary
of Leonardo da Vinci.
April 18 International Day for International Day for Monuments and Sites 2023
Monuments and Sites was observed on 18th April 2023 under the theme
“Heritage Changes”.
i. The theme for World Heritage Day is annually
proposed by the International Council on
Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
April 19 World Liver Day World Liver Day 2023 was observed on 19th April
2023 under the theme “Be Vigilant, Do Regular
Liver Check-Up, Fatty Liver Can Affect Anyone”.
April 21 World Creativity and To create awareness about the importance of
Innovation Day creativity and innovation in all aspects of human
development.
April 22 Earth Day 22nd April 2023 marks the 53rd anniversary of
the Earth Day.
i. According to Earthday.org, The theme of Earth
Day 2023 is “Invest in our Planet“
April 24 International Day of To raise awareness about preserving the values of
Multilateralism and Diplomacy multilateralism and global cooperation to maintain
for Peace peace laid out in the UN’s charter and to achieve
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by
2030.
April 25 World Malaria Day To create awareness about the importance of
investment and commitment toward the
prevention and control of Malaria.
i. The annual observance of World Malaria Day is
led by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
ii. The theme of World Malaria Day 2023 is “Time
to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate,
implement”.
April 26 World Intellectual Property To recongise the importance of intellectual

Day property (IP) rights such as, patents, trademarks,
industrial designs, copyright, in encouraging
innovation and creativity.
i. The World IP Day also marks the anniversary of
the establishment of World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO).
ii. The theme of World Intellectual Property Day
2023, is “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation
and Creativity”.

April 26 International Chernobyl To mark the anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl
Disaster Remembrance Day nuclear power plant disaster.
i. 26th April 2023 marks the 37th anniversary of
the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster, which took
place on 26th April 1986.
April 26 Administrative Professionals Administrative Professionals Day, also known as

Day Secretaries Day or Admin Day, is annually
observed across the globe on the Wednesday of
the last full week in April to recognize the work of
secretaries, administrative assistants,
receptionists, executive assistants, personal
assistants, and other administrative support
professionals.
i. Administrative Professionals Day 2023 was
observed on 26th April 2023.
ii. The observance of Administrative Professionals
Day is led by the International Association of
Administrative Professionals (IAAP), a non-profit
professional association serving the administrative
profession.
iii. Administrative Professionals Week is
celebrated annually every last full week in April.
The Administrative Professionals Week 2023 is
observed from 23rd April to 29th April 2023.
April 28 World Day for Safety and To promote the prevention of occupational
Health at Work accidents and diseases globally. The day is an
awareness-raising campaign intended to focus
international attention on the importance of the
problem.
i. World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2023
was observed on 28th April 2023 under the theme
“A safe and healthy working environment as a
fundamental principle and right at work”.
April 29 International Dance Day or To create awareness about its role in various
World Dance Day cultures and societies across the globe.
i. The annual observance of International Dance
Day is led by the International Theatre Institute
(ITI).
ii. Chinese Dancer and choreographer Yang Liping,
a member of the Bai ethnic group from Dali,
Yunnan Province in China is the author of the
message of International Dance Day 2023.
iii. She is the First-class Dancer of China and the
vice chairman of the China Dancers Association.
iv. She is well known for her original dance piece
Spirit of the Peacock in 1986, Moonlight, Two
Trees, Love of the Peacock and so on.
MARCH 2023
March 1 Zero Discrimination Day Zero Discrimination Day 2023 is observed on 1st
March 2023 under the theme “Save lives:
Decriminalise”.

i. The observance of Zero Discrimination Day is led
by the UNAIDS (joint United Nations Programme
on HIV and AIDS.
March 1 World Civil Defence Day The theme of World Civil Defence Day 2023 is “The
Role of Information Technology in Risk
Assessment”.
March 5 International Day for The United Nations (UN)’s first-ever International
Disarmament and Non- Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
Proliferation Awareness Awareness was observed on 5th March 2023 to
promote awareness and understanding of
disarmament issues among the public, especially
young people.
March 8 International Women’s Day The United Nations(UN)’s International Women’s
Day(IWD) is annually observed across the globe on
8th March to recognise the achievements of
women regardless of their national, ethnic,
linguistic, cultural, economic or political
differences.
i. The theme of IWD 2023 is “DigitALL: Innovation
and technology for gender equality”.
March 9 World Kidney Day 2023 World Kidney Day 2023 is observed on 9th March
2023 with the theme of World Kidney Day 2023 is
“Kidney Health for All- Preparing for the
unexpected, supporting the vulnerable”.
March 14 International Day of The theme of IDM 2023 is “Mathematics for
Mathematics (IDM) Everyone”.
March 14 International Day of Action for 14th March 2023 marks the celebration of the
Rivers 26th anniversary of the International Day of Action
for Rivers.
March 15 World Consumer Rights Day World Consumer Rights Day 2023 is observed on
(WCRD) 15th March 2023 under the theme “Empowering
consumers through clean energy transitions”.
March 15 International Day to Combat United Nations (UN)’s International Day to Combat
Islamophobia Islamophobia is annually observed across the
globe on March 15 to fight Islamophobia.
15th March 2023 marks the observance of the 1st
International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
March 18 Global Recycling Day The theme of Global Recycling Day 2023 is
“Creative Innovation”.
March 20 International Day of The theme of International Day of Happiness
Happiness 2023 is “Be Mindful, Be Grateful, Be Kind”.
i. According to the 11th edition of World
Happiness Report 2023, under the ranking of
Happiness based on a three-year-average 2020–
2022, Finland remains in the top position for the
6th year in a row, followed by Denmark and
Iceland in the 2nd and 3rd spot. India was ranked
in the126th position.
March 20 World Sparrow Day (WSD) The World Sparrow Day is annualy observed
under the theme “I Love Sparrows” which is
inspired by the hope that more and more of us will
celebrate the relationship between PEOPLE AND
SPARROWS.

March 20 French Language Day United Nations (UN)’s French Language Day
recognised by the International Organization of La
Francophonie (OIF) as the International Day of La
Francophonie.
i. UN French Language Day 2023 was observed
on 20th March 2023.
ii. The International Day of La Francophonie
celebrations in 2023 were marked under the
theme “321 million French speakers, billions of
cultural content” by the OIF.
March 21 World Down Syndrome Day 21st March 2023 marks the observance of 13th
(WDSD) World Down Syndrome Day.
i. The theme of WDSD 2023 is “With Us Not For
Us”. The 2023 theme is key to a human rights-
based approach to disability.
March 22 World Water Day(WWD) The United Nations (UN)’s World Water
Day(WWD) is annually observed across the globe
on 22nd March to create awareness and inspire
action against the water and sanitation crisis
across the globe.
i. UN WWDR 2023: 26% of the population lacks

clean drinking water & 46% lacks sanitation
The 2023 edition of the United Nations World
Water Development Report (WWDR) titled
“Partnerships and Cooperation for Water”, the
flagship report of UN-Water was released ahead of
the UN 2023 Water Conference. According to the
report, Globally, 26% of the population (2 billion
people) do not have safe drinking water and 46%
(3.6 billion) of the population lack access to safely
managed sanitation.
March 23 World Meteorological Day World Meteorological Day 2023 on 23rd March
(WMD) 2023 is observed under the theme “The Future of
Weather, Climate, and Water across Generations”.
March 24 World Tuberculosis Day World TB Day 2023 is observed on 24th March
2023 under the theme “Yes! We Can End TB!”.
March 25 Earth Hour Earth Hour is annually observed across the globe
on the last Saturday of March by turning out the
lights from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (local time) as a
symbolic act of support for the action taken on
environmental issues and protecting the planet.
i. Earth Hour 2023 was observed on 25th March
2023 with the theme of “The Biggest Hour for
Earth”.
March 30 International Day of Zero The United Nations(UN)’s first ever International
Waste Day of Zero Waste was observed on 30th March
2023 to create awareness about the importance of
zero waste and encourage everyone to prevent

and minimize waste and promotes a societal shift
towards a circular economy.
i. The day is jointly facilitated by the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN
Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
FEBRUARY 2023
February 2 World Wetlands Day The theme of World Wetlands Day 2023
is “Wetland Restoration”.
February 4 World Cancer Day The campaign theme of World Cancer Day 2022-
2024 is “Close the care gap”.
• The Campaign theme of World Cancer Day
2023 is “Close the care Gap: Uniting our
voices and taking action”.
February 10 World Pulses Day The theme of World Pulses Day 2023 is “Pulses for
a sustainable future”.
February 11 World Unani Day The day also commemorates the birth anniversary
of Mohammad Ajmal Khan, better known as
“Hakim Ajmal Khan”, a great Indian Unani Scholar
and social reformer.
• 11th February 2023 marks
the 155th anniversary of Mohammad
Ajmal Khan.
• The theme of World Unani Day 2023 is
“Unani Medicine for Public Health”.
February 13 World Radio Day World Radio Day also marks the anniversary of the
establishment of the UN Radio service “UN Radio”
which was established on 13th February 1946.
• 13th February 2023 marks the observance
of the 12th edition of World Radio Day.
• The theme of World Radio Day 2023
is “Radio and Peace”.
February 13 International Epilepsy Day International Epilepsy Day is annually observed

across the globe on the 2nd Monday of February to
raise awareness of Epilepsy and its impact on
individuals, families and communities around the
world.
• International Epilepsy Day 2023 is
observed on 13th February 2023.
• International Epilepsy Day 2022 was
• International Epilepsy Day 2024 will be
• The theme of International Epilepsy Day
2023 is “Stigma”.
• The Campaign of International Epilepsy
Day 2023 is #StampOutStigma of epilepsy.
February 20 World Day of Social Justice The theme “Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing
Opportunities for Social Justice”.

February 21 International Mother To promote linguistic and cultural diversity, as
Language Day (IMLD) well as multilingualism.
• 21st February 2023 marks the observance
of the 24th edition of IMLD.
• The theme of International Mother
Language Day 2023 is “Multilingual
education – a necessity to transform
education”.
JANUARY 2023
January 1 Global Family Day To promote the concept of harmony and unity in
the world.
January 4 World Braille Day To commemorates the birth anniversary of Louis
Braille, a 19th-century French educator, who
invented Braille in 1824.
2023 marks the observance of the 5th World
Braille Day and the 214th birth anniversary of
Louis Braille.
January 10 World Hindi Day or Vishwa To celebrate and promote the rich cultural and
Hindi Diwas linguistic heritage of the Hindi language and its
speakers across the globe.
• The 12th World Hindi Conference (2023)
will be held in the Republic of Fiji from
15th to 17th February 2023.
• The main theme of the World Hindi
Conference 2023 is “Hindi – Traditional
Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence”.
January 24 International Day of Education United Nations (UN)’s International Day of
Education (IDE) is annually observed across the
globe on January 24 to celebrate the role of
education in peace and development.
• 24th January 2023 marks
the 5th observation of International Day of
Education.
• The theme of International Day of
Education 2023 is “to invest in people,
prioritize
January 26 International Customs Day 26th January 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of
the World Customs Organization.
January 29 World Leprosy Day (WLD) The World Leprosy Day(WLD) is annually
observed across the globe on the last Sunday of
January to create awareness about the fact that
Leprosy, otherwise known as Hansen’s disease.
• World Leprosy Day 2023 falls on 29th
January 2023
January 30 World Neglected Tropical World Health Organisations’ (WHO)’s World

Diseases (NTD) Day Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day is annually
observed across the globe on January 30 to create
awareness of the devastating impact of Neglected
Tropical Diseases (NTDs) on the poorest
populations around the world.
• 30th January 2023 marks the observance
of the 4th World NTD Day.

• The theme of World NTD Day 2023 is “Act
Now. Act Together. Invest in Neglected
Tropical Diseases”.
APPS & WEB PORTAL

BANKING
APRIL 2023
NIL
MARCH 2023
NIL
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) has launched “Hello Ujjivan,” India’s first mobile banking
application featuring three Vs—voice, visual, and vernacular-enabled features—to provide banking
access to people with limited reading and writing skills.
• The app “Hello Ujjivan” was developed in collaboration with Navana.AI.
➢ Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL) launched an integrated banking portal named ‘Kotak fyn‘, to
provide inclusive digital banking and value-added services to its business banking and corporate
clients.
JANUARY 2023
➢ Dhanlaxmi Bank has launched its new retail internet banking ‘DhanDelight’, and retail mobile
banking app ‘DhanSmart’ featuring latest information system security features to provide secure
banking.
OTHERS
APRIL 2023
➢ The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW)
launched a mobile application – “SAGAR SETU”, the app Version of National Logistics Portal (Marine)
in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The app offers features such as Login Module, Service Catalogue, Common Application Format,
Letter of Credit, Bank Guarantee, Certification, Track and Trace, etc. that provide real-time
information on activities which are out of reach for importers, exporters, and customs brokers.
➢ Union Minister of Panchayati Raj of India, Giriraj Singh launched a mobile application GS NIRNAY
(National Initiative for Rural India to Navigate, InnovAte and Resolve PanchaYat decisions), for
empowering rural communities during the National Conference.
➢ Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, launched
the “YUVA Portal” and One Week- One Programme at National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in New Delhi,
Delhi, to help in connecting and identifying potential young Start-Ups.
• YUVA- Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors.
• CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is going to organise the One Week- One Lab program
from 17 to 21 April 2023.
➢ The Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
(MoA&FW) launched the first phase of SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic
Inventory) portal and mobile application. It is a centralized online system to address seed production
challenges, seed quality identification, and certification.
• It has been developed on the theme of Uttam Beej – Samriddh Kisan.
• It was developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with the Union
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

MARCH 2023
➢ Central Government has launched a High Price Day Ahead Market-HPDAM and Surplus Power
Portal (PUShP) – an initiative to ensure greater availability of power during the peak demand season.
➢ Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW)
virtually launched ‘Sagar Manthan’, a Real-time Performance Monitoring Dashboard of MoPSW, in New
Delhi, Delhi.
➢ The National Informatics Centre (NIC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY), has developed a mobile software application called “Maaptol Grievance” to
facilitate online registration and time-bound redress of consumer grievances connected to the Legal
Metrology Act and rules framed under it.
FEBRUARY 2023
➢ The Government of India (GoI) has launched a mobile application of the Ministry of Coal,
“Khanan Prahari”, and a web app “Coal Mine Surveillance and Management System” (CMSMS) for
reporting unauthorised coal mining activities so that the responsible Law & Order enforcing body can
monitor them and take appropriate action.
➢ The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India launched ‘mPassport Police App’ to
streamline and expedite the passport issuance system. This app will also help with the timely updation
and issuance of passports.
JANUARY 2023
NIL
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Jan To April 2023 - Exam PDF by AffairsCloud 1

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Report Errors in the PDF - ebooks@affairscloud.com Copyright 2014-2023 @ AffairsCloud.

Click here to Download the CareersCloud APP

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AffairsCloud is always desire to support your preparations to crack

All the best for your upcoming exams

Thanks for choosing AffairsCloud. If you like our services, kindly

Our CurrentAffairs also available@

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SMALL SAVING SCHEMES INTEREST RATE

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INDIA’S GROWTH PREDICTION

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Moody’s Investors 2023 Global credit rating agency Moody’s

Ministry of Finance FY23 According to the “Monthly Economic

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1 ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank 0.20%

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i. 05 Year SGrB for Rs. 4,000 crore

i. 05 Year SGrB for Rs. 4,000 crore

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MOU SIGNED BY BANKS

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SEBI RELATED NEWS

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1 5 Paisa Capital Limited

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ADB has agreed in principle to provide Rs 1,311.20 crore under

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LONGEST, LARGEST, HIGHEST